Chapter 2046 : The Grand Array and the Hidden World

Returning to the main narrative, not long after the two of them made their breakthrough, Chaos Lair [a primordial nest of chaotic energies] began to be dragged over from beyond the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm [the primordial world of the Great Wasteland].

This continued for nearly ten Kalpa Tribulation [immense cosmic cycles spanning billions of years], during which they amassed eight hundred Great Encompassing Nest [nests of vast, all-encompassing power] and over thirty Primordial One Nests [nests of the most primordial and singular essence].

Thereafter, the two Sage Ascendant [beings who have ascended to the cusp of Sagehood] personally took action. Using these Chaos Lair as Formation Eye [the core focal points of an array formation], they laid down a super-array of Sage Ascendant level.

With the grand array established, they began to gradually activate it. Harnessing the formation's power, they assaulted the World Membrane [the protective boundary membrane of a world], depleting the foundational energy of the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm.

Witnessing this, Eldrin Chen concealed the greater portion of the world's foundational energy. He then gradually lowered the concentration of Immortal Spirit Essence [the spiritual energy of immortal grade] within the world, feigning the appearance of severe depletion of its foundational reserves.

Thus, after merely ten Kalpa Tribulation had passed, the Heaven and Earth Primordial Energy [the primordial energy of heaven and earth] within the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm appeared to have been consumed for the most part.

"The time for a breakthrough has come."

On this day, Eldrin Chen arrived at the core of the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm. Sensing the potent force of the World's Origin [the origin energy of a world], he then communicated with the Heavenly Path Will [the sentient will of the Heavenly Path] governing this tribulation.

"I wish to advance my cultivation. I ask for your assistance."

"Granted."

The Heavenly Path Will [the conscious will of the cosmos itself] spoke, and a nebulous intent granted its promise to Eldrin Chen.

In that instant, the Heavenly Path Authority [the supreme authority to command the laws of heaven and earth] veiled this expanse of void, and then the World's Origin [the fundamental creative essence from which a world is born] surged wildly, swarming toward Eldrin Chen like a frenzied tide.

Seeing this, Eldrin Chen swiftly consumed a Great Wasteland Sacred Fruit [a legendary fruit containing the primordial power of the ancient wilderness] and began his assault on the Seventh Tier of the Primordial One Body [the seventh major breakthrough stage of the legendary Primordial Chaos physique].

"Boom—"

The moment the Great Wasteland Sacred Fruit was ingested, Eldrin Chen felt the bottleneck of his Primordial Chaos Indestructibility Body [a supreme physique of unyielding chaos] shatter under the fruit's overwhelming power.

Immediately, Eldrin Chen began to voraciously devour the surging origin power. The strength of his Primordial Chaos Indestructibility Body skyrocketed at a terrifying pace.

Seizing the opportunity, Eldrin Chen wasted no time and began refining the Innate Primordial Breath [the most fundamental and purest energy that existed at the dawn of creation].

In one sustained effort, he refined six strands of Innate Primordial Breath, merging them into his Primordial Chaos Indestructibility Body to shatter the shackles binding his flesh and amplify his physical potential to its limits.

Then, into each of his True Spirit Divine Runes [mystical sigils that manifest the power of one's true spirit], he refined another six strands of Innate Primordial Breath.

Only after refining a total of fifty-four strands of Innate Primordial Breath in this relentless manner did Eldrin Chen finally sense that both his True Spirit Divine Runes and his bodily power had reached their absolute zenith, completing this ultimate metamorphosis.

"It is done."

Uncertain how much time had passed, Eldrin Chen slowly exhaled a breath, then clenched his fist, sensing the power within his body.

After merely a moment of sensing, a faint smile touched Eldrin Chen's lips.

For the enhancement brought by this breakthrough was simply too immense; his physical strength had increased nearly threefold in its entirety.

Whether it was defensive power, vitality, physical essence, raw strength, or speed—all had been amplified by approximately three times.

Such a monumental enhancement, coupled with the advancement of the Eight Great True Spirit Divine Runes, propelled Eldrin Chen's foundational physical combat power directly into the realm of a Great Emperor [a supreme ruler among cultivators, possessing world-shaking power], and a formidable one within that realm at that.

Upon this foundation, the amplifying effects of the White Tiger Sword [a divine technique manifesting the power of the White Tiger, enhancing offensive might], the Black Tortoise Shield [a divine technique embodying the Black Tortoise's essence, bolstering defense], and the Ancient Life Pearl [a mystical artifact channeling the Verdant Dragon's vitality, augmenting life force]—these Three Great True Spirit Divine Forms—allowed Eldrin Chen's physical combat prowess to surpass the limits of the Great Emperor realm.

"Power rivaling a Sage Ascendant [a cultivator who has ascended to a semi-saintly state, a step below true sainthood]... Is this the strength to challenge a Sage Ascendant?"

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, his eyes gleaming with irrepressible delight.

At this moment, Eldrin Chen felt a profound conviction: his physical combat power had truly ascended to a level that could rival a Sage Ascendant Realm cultivator.

Such combat prowess is sufficient to rival a Sage Ascendant [a cultivator who has ascended to the threshold of sagehood], and could even defeat a dozen Great Emperors [supreme rulers who have mastered their cultivation path] joining forces.

A Great Emperor who has achieved Fleshly Body Sanctification [the pinnacle of physical cultivation, where the body is refined to a sacred state] must cultivate seven major True Spirit Divine Forms [ultimate divine transformations that manifest one's true spiritual essence] to possess power of this magnitude.

Yet Eldrin Chen has only just entered the Primordial One Imperial Lord 7th Tier [the seventh tier of the Primordial One Imperial Lord realm, a profound stage of cultivation], and already treads within this domain. This is truly formidable and astonishing, even bordering on the inconceivable.

After all, the disparity in foundational physical strength between the Primordial One Imperial Lord 7th Tier realm and the Great Emperor realm is not merely tenfold.

"The primary reasons I can accomplish this," Eldrin mused, "are the amplification from my eighth True Spirit Divine Runes [mystical symbols that enhance one's divine power], and the sheer potency of the Chaos Divine Rune [a divine rune born from primordial chaos]."

This thought surfaced in Eldrin Chen's mind, and he was once again struck with awe at the overwhelming power of the Chaos Divine Rune.

Cultivating seven True Spirit Divine Runes can amplify one's strength by approximately ninefold. With eight True Spirit Divine Runes, Eldrin Chen's physical power is magnified sixteen times.

Yet, by itself, this would at most grant Eldrin Chen strength comparable to a Great Emperor.

The true reason Eldrin Chen possesses combat power rivaling seven True Spirit Divine Forms lies primarily in the amplification provided by the Chaos Divine Rune.

Consider this: an ordinary True Spirit Divine Form typically enhances combat power by fifty to one hundred percent at most. Even a top-tier True Spirit Divine Form can only double one's battle prowess.

With the augmentation of the Chaos Divine Rune, Eldrin Chen's Three Great True Spirit Divine Forms directly evolved into a Half-Step Ultimate Divine Form. His strength, defense, and vitality were all amplified threefold.

Such a heaven-defying enhancement represented a transformation far beyond the ordinary True Spirit Divine Form.

When an ordinary Great Emperor cultivates a single True Spirit Divine Form, it typically boosts only one aspect—be it defense or strength—by seventy to eighty percent. The primary source of power still stems from the amplification of the divine rune formations.

Yet, by cultivating one True Spirit Divine Form, Eldrin Chen could triple the combat power in a specific aspect to its extreme. This demonstrated that the Chaos Divine Rune was truly worthy of being counted among the Ultimate Divine Runes.

"Among the four great Ultimate Divine Runes, the Returning Abyss Divine Rune grants peerless defense, and the Chaos Divine Rune lives up to its name as the foremost auxiliary divine rune."

"I wonder what other heaven-defying capabilities the Oblivion Divine Rune and the Space-Time Divine Rune possess?"

Eldrin Chen murmured inwardly, his resolve to master all four Ultimate Divine Runes growing even more resolute.

He slowly exhaled, sensing the power of his physical form once more before sighing with a hint of regret. "A pity. Future breakthroughs in cultivation likely won't bring such dramatic improvements."

As he spoke, a trace of genuine disappointment washed over him.

After all, the True Spirit Divine Form was ultimately a power of the Great Emperor realm. Although his Half-Step Ultimate Divine Form was formidable, it could only amplify the power of that realm by threefold.

Beyond this point, if the power of the physical body surpasses the Great Emperor level, the True Spirit Divine Form [a divine ability that temporarily enhances the cultivator's physical form] can still provide an augmentation, but the degree of enhancement will gradually diminish, eventually becoming an integral part of one's foundational strength.

In the future, when Eldrin Chen breaks through to the Primordial One Imperial Lord 8th Tier and later the Great Emperor Realm, the augmentation from the True Spirit Divine Form will progressively wane.

By that time, the increase in Eldrin Chen's combat prowess derived from his physical body will not be as substantial.

Nevertheless, even without cultivating the True Spirit Divine Runes [divine runes that empower the physical form] and the True Spirit Divine Form, Eldrin Chen estimates that merely by breaking through to the Primordial One Imperial Lord 8th Tier, his physical combat strength would be sufficient to confront and potentially even defeat a Sage Ascendant.

Unfortunately, after reaching the Primordial One Imperial Lord Late Stage, the time required for each subsequent breakthrough in cultivation grows increasingly vast.

Even with ample resources, Eldrin Chen would need two hundred Kalpa Tribulation [an immense cosmic cycle spanning billions of years] to advance from the Primordial One Imperial Lord 7th Tier.

Furthermore, a Primordial One Imperial Lord 8th Tier physical body is more than three times mightier than its Primordial One Imperial Lord 7th Tier counterpart, demanding ever more staggering quantities of resources for its refinement.

Eldrin Chen has exhausted his supply of Chaos Divine Liquid [a primordial liquid of immense vitality], and his remaining stock of Sage Ascendant Dragon Flesh [the flesh of a dragon at the Sage Ascendant realm, rich in primal energy] is nearly depleted. Securing the resources needed for his continued cultivation has become a significant challenge.

The Path of Fleshly Body Sanctification [a cultivation art focused on perfecting the physical body] is inherently a path of immense resource consumption. Without a sufficient supply of cultivation materials, progressing further could take thousands, or even tens of thousands, of Kalpa Tribulation.

"Alas," he sighed, "sometimes possessing a physical foundation of such profound depth brings its own unique set of troubles."

Eldrin Chen murmured softly, then stepped out from the core of the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm and into the expanse between heaven and earth.

By now, the concentration of Immortal Spirit Essence [the purest form of spiritual energy, vital for high-level cultivation] had diminished by ninety-nine percent. It seemed the foundational essence of the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm had been largely depleted.

"As expected, they will likely make their move soon."

Eldrin Chen spoke slowly, a glint of killing intent flickering in the depths of his gaze.

Simultaneously, outside the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm, two Sage Ascendant [cultivators who have ascended to a state of profound wisdom and power, one step below a true Sage] and six Great Emperor [supreme rulers who have mastered their cultivation path to an emperor-like level] were continuously activating a grand formation, relentlessly draining the power of the ancient realm.

Observing that the Immortal Spirit Essence concentration within the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm had dropped by ninety-nine percent, the Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign spoke.

"It should be about time."

The Nirvana Emperor also gave a slight nod. He glanced at the Primordial One [a foundational, ancient level of power and existence] reserves fueling the formation and stated plainly, "Indeed. We cannot delay any longer."

"Even with this Great Emperor Ancient Ship [an ancient vessel of immense power used by Great Emperors], which can resist the corrosion of the Desolation Sea [a vast, energy-draining sea of decay] to a certain degree,"

"if we tarry further, they too risk being eroded by the Desolation Power [the corrupting energy of decay and oblivion] and losing their sanity completely."

The Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign nodded. Gripping the Innate Supreme Treasure Great Wasteland Imperial Sword, he directly and forcefully tore open a breach in the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm.

The two Sage Ascendant took the lead, charging first into the heart of the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm.

Seeing this, the host of Great Emperor and Primordial One Imperial Lord followed suit, pouring into the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm.

*Clang—*

The moment he crossed the threshold into the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm, the Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign let out a booming laugh.

His gaze fell upon Eldrin Chen, standing firm upon the Heaven's Center. Without hesitation, he channeled his power into the Great Wasteland Imperial Sword, sending a devastating slash towards Eldrin Chen, his voice dripping with icy contempt.

"Little one, your World's Origin [the primordial essence that sustains a world] is spent. Your time has come."

*Ting—*

Yet, at that very moment, Eldrin Chen raised a finger and caught the Great Wasteland Imperial Sword between his fingertips. The Innate Celestial Slaughter Sword [a sword born of heaven's will for slaughter] raged and seethed in his grasp, but could not so much as scratch him.

The assembled multitude looked on. They saw a figure robed in snow-white, enveloped by countless strands of Great Path Path Principles [the fundamental laws and truths of cultivation]. He stood upon the Heaven's Center, majestic and unshakable, like a Primordial Era Divine Sovereign [a divine ruler from the dawn of creation] made manifest.

"Hmmmm—" [a deep, resonant hum]

In that instant, heaven and earth trembled violently, and boundless streams of Heavenly Path Origin [the primordial essence of the Heavenly Dao] manifested.

Within the entire Great Wasteland Ancient Realm [the Ancient Realm of the Great Wasteland], the Immortal Spirit Essence [the ambient spiritual energy density] instantly surged by dozens of times, reaching the peak levels of its most glorious era.

"This…"

The Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign [the Imperial Sovereign of the Great Wasteland] paled drastically, finally comprehending the situation. He spoke with utter disbelief, "You feigned weakness, deliberately luring us in."

"The power of your Great Wasteland Imperial Sword [the Imperial Sword of the Great Wasteland] is formidable, yet it cannot harm me in the slightest."

Eldrin Chen spoke slowly. With a flick of his finger, he sent the Great Wasteland Imperial Sword flying. Then, he activated the endless Great Path [the supreme cultivation art] Path Principles [the fundamental laws of cultivation] to evolve, teleporting both of them into a boundless void.

This was a vast expanse of emptiness, created by Eldrin Chen using his Heavenly Path Authority [the authority granted by the Heavenly Dao] to activate the Returning Abyss Pearl [a mystical pearl capable of creating spaces]. It was sturdy enough to withstand an ultimate battle at the Sage Ascendant [the realm just below that of a true Sage] level.

"No one will disturb us here. We can fight without restraint."

Having completed these preparations, Eldrin Chen spoke with a calm and composed expression.

The Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign wore an expression of profound gloom and unprecedented gravity as he spoke, "It seems we have underestimated you."

"With such cunning and skill, if allowed to mature, you would undoubtedly possess the makings of a Heavenly Emperor [a supreme ruler of the heavens]."

"However, if you think this is enough to deal with us, you are sorely mistaken."

"Today, I shall show you the true, awe-inspiring might of a Sage Ascendant [a cultivator who has ascended to the threshold of sagehood]."

With those final words, the Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign surged forward, his aura thick with boundless killing intent, seeking to unleash the Great Wasteland Imperial Sword and crush Eldrin Chen into oblivion.

Facing this onslaught, Eldrin Chen did not dodge or evade. Instead, he reached out with a single hand and grasped the Great Wasteland Imperial Sword directly. The sword's Slaughter [a divine ability focused on pure annihilation] edge-energy surged and spat, yet it could not harm him in the slightest.

"I told you already," Eldrin Chen said, his voice calm, "this Great Wasteland Imperial Sword cannot wound me. Yet you refused to believe it."

Shaking his head slightly, Eldrin Chen tightened his grip on the Great Wasteland Imperial Sword, his expression serene. "Since you seem unwilling to keep it," he stated plainly, "this Imperial Sword shall be mine."

"Argh!"

Driven to the brink of madness, the Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign poured all his power into the Great Wasteland Imperial Sword, struggling desperately to wrench it free. Simultaneously, he summoned forth a Heavenly Halberd [a divine polearm of immense power] and directed it to bear down upon Eldrin Chen with crushing force.

That Heavenly Halberd was named the Great Wasteland Heavenly Halberd, a supremely powerful Innate Supreme Treasure [a treasure born from the primordial chaos, possessing innate and unparalleled power]. Yet, Eldrin Chen remained utterly unmoved.

After his breakthrough to the Primordial One Imperial Lord 8th Tier [the eighth level of the Primordial One Imperial Lord realm], Eldrin Chen's power was sufficient to challenge a Sage Ascendant [a cultivator who has ascended to the threshold of Sagehood]. However, his true strength lay not in offensive might, but in his world-shaking defensive capabilities.

With the Returning Abyss Divine Rune [a divine rune technique that absorbs and redirects incoming damage] absorbing harm, Eldrin Chen was nearly immune to attacks at the Sage Ascendant level.

Although the Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign possessed extraordinary combat prowess, he could only inflict minor injuries upon Eldrin Chen by unleashing his ultimate, most desperate techniques.

It could be said that the current Eldrin Chen could disregard the vast majority of attacks from Sage Ascendant cultivators.

Only a top-tier Sage Ascendant like the Primordial Qilin Patriarch, pushing their power to the absolute limit, held the possibility of seriously wounding Eldrin Chen.

"How utterly arrogant you are," a voice rang out.

At that very moment, the Nirvana Emperor instantly made his move. He soared into the sky, riding upon an ancient cauldron—another peerlessly heavy Innate Supreme Treasure.

Faced with this, Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly. While his physical defense was peerless, his raw strength fell just a fraction short.

The Great Cauldron [a massive, ancient cauldron of immense weight and power] in the Nirvana Emperor's hands was thousands of times heavier than an entire Primordial One Immortal Domain [a vast realm governed by a Primordial One cultivator]. This made it a perfect counter to Eldrin Chen, posing a genuine threat of suppression.

Witnessing this, Eldrin Chen acted decisively. He channeled the power of the vast Heavenly Path [the supreme cosmic law governing all existence], manifesting billions of Great Path Divine Chains [divine constructs of solidified cosmic law] to bind and seal the Great Cauldron [a primordial artifact of immense power and significance].

Then, Eldrin Chen ignored the attacks of both opponents. With the fearless spirit of one who attacks without defending, he charged directly towards the Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign.

This was a world-shaking, epoch-defining duel. Eldrin Chen fought one against two, battling so fiercely that even the Great Path [the fundamental cosmic principles he embodied] began to disintegrate around him.

As the battle reached a frenzied peak, infinite Great Path Divine Chains shattered. The Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign was driven to the brink of utter madness.

"Die!"

The Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign let out a heaven-shaking roar. He pushed his five Great Path Divine Form [divine manifestations of his mastered cosmic laws] to their absolute limits, fusing them into one to form a single Great Path Sword [a sword forged from the essence of cosmic law]. This sword was then completely merged into the Great Wasteland Imperial Sword.

Following this, a terrifying sword cry echoed through the void. The Great Wasteland Imperial Sword erupted with world-ending sharpness, finally wrenching itself free from Eldrin Chen's grasp and cleaving down towards him with overwhelming force.

Eldrin Chen's brow furrowed slightly. He fused his various Great Path Divine Form, transforming them into the supreme power of the Sole Divine Form [the ultimate unified manifestation of one's divine essence]. This was a realm typically only attainable by a Chaos Heavenly Emperor [a supreme sovereign who has mastered the primordial chaos].

Those who cultivate the Nine True Spirit Divine Forms [the nine supreme divine manifestations of the primordial true spirits] and then fuse them into one through Fleshly Body Sanctification [a supreme body refinement art] could also achieve this state.

Although a Sage Ascendant [a cultivator who has ascended to the sage realm] is also a master of their Path Mastery [the state of having fully comprehended their chosen cosmic law], their inherent power is insufficient. Therefore, they can only briefly fuse their various Great Path Divine Form.

And the brief fusion of the power of the Great Path Divine Form [a supreme manifestation of one's cultivated Dao path]—this is the ultimate expression of the authority belonging to the Path Mastery [the pinnacle realm of cultivation, mastery over one's fundamental Path]—capable of unleashing combat prowess that transcends one's inherent limits.

At this moment, the Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign merged five Great Path Divine Form, transforming into a single Great Path Sword [a sword forged from the essence of a supreme Dao path]. Instantly, it erupted with a heaven-shaking, earth-sundering sharpness.

This sword strike surpassed the ultimate expression of the Great Path [the fundamental cultivation art of a supreme Dao], blooming with a dazzling, peerless light of eternity.

Wherever the sword light passed, Chaos [the primordial, undifferentiated state of existence] was split asunder, heaven and earth disintegrated, and everything was utterly reduced to nothingness. It even managed to pierce through the devouring power of the Returning Abyss Divine Rune [a divine rune symbolizing the power of the returning abyss], inflicting some injury upon Eldrin Chen.

Yet, that was all. This Perfect Innate Great Path [a flawless, innate supreme Dao art] derived from merely five Great Path Divine Form was insufficient to inflict serious wounds upon Eldrin Chen. It merely left a shallow, non-critical sword scar upon his body.

"The fusion of all Great Path Divine Form into a single, peerless Great Path Sword... is this the power of the Sole True Form [the ultimate, unified manifestation of one's true self]?"

Eldrin Chen murmured softly. With a flip of his palm, he struck upwards. The True Spirit Divine Form White Tiger Sword [a divine sword technique embodying the true spirit of the White Tiger] merged into the palm of Eldrin Chen, instantly unleashing an extreme, cutting sharpness.

He moved with matchless divine might, engaging the Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign in close-quarters combat. Every punch and kick carried a sharpness capable of cleaving all creation.

This cutting power was terrifyingly potent. The Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign was forced into a steady retreat. His protective Great Path Divine Form began to disintegrate, and even his Sage Ascendant [a realm just below the ultimate Sage] body, empowered by Immortality [a divine ability granting near-immortality], began to bleed and scatter flesh.

"Kill…!"

Pushed to the absolute limit of slaughter, Eldrin Chen activated the Polarity Sacrificial Self Path [a supreme cultivation art that temporarily sacrifices one's own vitality for a massive surge in power], elevating his combat prowess to an ineffable realm. His offensive force finally shattered through a certain ultimate threshold.

In that fleeting instant, Eldrin Chen unleashed a devastating blow, tearing off one of the Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign's arms with brutal force, inflicting unimaginably grievous wounds upon him.

"Aaaargh—!"

The Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign let out a howl of agony, his endurance finally breaking.

With all his might, he channeled the Great Wasteland Imperial Sword—now fused with the power of the Great Path Sword [a supreme sword technique embodying the fundamental laws of the Great Dao]—and slashed towards Eldrin Chen. In the same motion, he flicked his sleeve, unleashing a single Chaos-grade divine talisman [a talisman of unimaginable power, capable of rending the fabric of reality]. It instantly tore a rift in the void, and he vanished through it.

Almost simultaneously, realizing he could not harm Eldrin Chen, the Nirvana Emperor also produced a divine talisman, piercing through the void in a flash to make his escape.

Eldrin Chen did not pursue the fleeing pair. Ignoring the wound on his palm, he seized the wildly struggling Great Wasteland Imperial Sword and, with overwhelming force, completely suppressed it.

Only after subduing the Great Wasteland Imperial Sword did Eldrin Chen turn his gaze towards the direction of their departure, a slight frown creasing his brow.

"A Chaos Void-Rending Talisman,"

Eldrin Chen murmured, naming the artifact that had allowed them to tear open the void and escape.

To be able to tear through the blockade of the Returning Abyss Pearl and Heavenly Path Authority, it was certainly no ordinary spatial treasure.

This Chaos Void-Rending Talisman was a Chaos Grade Ancient Talisman [an ancient, powerful charm inscribed with profound runes]. It could rend the void, ignoring seals at the Chaos Heavenly Emperor level, but it could only be used three times.

The value of this treasure was extraordinary. Only a Chaos Heavenly Emperor who had mastered the Path of Space could refine it. The worth of a single talisman was nearly equivalent to an Innate Supreme Treasure.

Even though the Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign and Nirvana Emperor were Sage Ascendant [beings who have ascended to a state of profound wisdom and power, a step below the ultimate sages], paying such a steep price to escape would surely make their hearts bleed.

Thinking of this, Eldrin Chen glanced at the severed arm he had ripped from the Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign, and a glint of delight flickered in his eyes.

The Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign's true form was that of an Innate Heavenly God Being [a primordial divine entity born of heaven and earth]—the Golden Rhinoceros Divine Ox [a mythical beast of immense strength and divine nature, resembling a rhinoceros with golden hide]. This arm was of immense value. If refined into a Precious Pill, it might be worth three hundred drops of Chaos Divine Liquid.

"Wasting one use of the Chaos Void-Rending Talisman, losing an arm and his Innate Lifebound Supreme Treasure Great Wasteland Imperial Sword... the Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign has truly suffered a double loss," Eldrin Chen mused with a faint smile.

Eldrin Chen chuckled, storing the rhinoceros foreleg and the Great Wasteland Imperial Sword before turning and striding back into the heart of the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm.

At this moment, the war within the Great Wasteland Ancient Realm raged with ferocious intensity.

The Great Emperor [a supreme ruler among cultivators, commanding vast power] experts who had followed the Great Wasteland Imperial Sovereign and his allies roared, shaking mountains and rivers, as they clashed fiercely with Immortality Great Emperor and the others.