The Great Wilderness was still in its early stages of the heavens being opened, and all things had not yet been fully created. Everywhere were barren mountains and towering peaks, vast stretches of wasteland, or rivers winding like giant dragons, all seemingly desolate and grand, filled with a wild and primal energy.
The vastness of the Great Wilderness was beyond words. Compared to it, the total land area of Earth in later ages was like a grain of sand in the vast ocean, insignificant and inconsequential.
Even though Wang Dong had attained the Dao of the Great Luo Golden Immortal and the body of a Chaos God Demon, it would still take him hundreds of years to traverse a quarter of it. It should be noted that with the aid of four pairs of wings that could cover the sky, Wang Dong could fly more than 400,000 miles in an instant, which shows just how vast the Great Wilderness truly was.
In the northern part of the Great Wilderness, on a nameless barren mountain, a gigantic shadow of ten thousand feet suddenly passed overhead, blocking out the sun. The massive wings fluttered, and in an instant, like teleportation, the figure disappeared and reappeared several miles away.
Wang Dong, after taking the arm of Pangu and sealing it away, had been flying toward the northern part of the Great Wilderness. After a journey of several hundred years, he finally reached his destination.
The northern part of the Great Wilderness, in comparison to other regions, wasn't drastically different. The only distinct feature was that the rivers in the northern area were relatively sparse. The larger spiritual veins and the central area around the Mount Buzhou were much more abundant, as were the eastern regions. The north was instead dotted with many medium to low-grade spiritual veins.
Moreover, in the north, great powers had rarely emerged in later ages. This was one of the reasons Wang Dong had chosen this location for temporary rest. He sought a place where he could recuperate without interference.
Wang Dong's true form (henceforth referred to as the Absolute Rationality Avatar, while another incarnation would be referred to simply as Wang Dong) scanned the surrounding mountains with his silver-white eyes, spanning billions of miles, before selecting a barren mountain with high-grade spiritual veins to land upon.
After inspecting it, Wang Dong seemed satisfied. He pointed downward with his right hand, and with a rumble, the mountains trembled. Rocks split apart, and a towering stone tablet rose from the earth, reaching a height of over a hundred meters.
The stone tablet was inscribed with six ominous, blood-chilling characters: "Forbidden Zone, Enter at Your Own Peril." These characters exuded a murderous aura that Wang Dong had imbued with his own essence—having slaughtered countless Chaos Gods and Demons and even severed the arm of the great Pangu. Just a glance at these words would drag anyone into a never-ending illusion of slaughter, unable to extricate themselves.
It should be noted that Wang Dong, as a Great Luo Golden Immortal and a Chaos God Demon, had engraved these words. They were far beyond the scope of an ordinary Great Luo Golden Immortal, and this stone tablet, with a trace of Wang Dong's true intentions, would shock countless cultivators for thousands of years. It became the famous "Slaughtering Demon Tablet," instilling terror in those who crossed its path.
After setting up the stone tablet, Wang Dong moved swiftly, his hands like phantoms as he cast a series of spells. Green light enveloped the entire barren mountain, and boundless spiritual energy transformed into dragons, colorful phoenixes, and lotus flowers that gathered together. Soon, Wang Dong had completed a series of forbidden formations he had learned from his time in the Chaos.
The barren mountain was now drastically different from before. Although there were still no living beings, the dense spiritual energy had transformed into clouds, and spiritual rain began to fall. Auras of immortality surrounded the mountain, giving it the appearance of a paradise.
After completing these preparations, Wang Dong flew to the mountain peak and sat down. He let out a long sigh, and only then did his weary face relax.
In the Great Heavenly Tribulation, knowing the dangers yet not avoiding them, Wang Dong had engaged in the reckless slaughter of rampaging Chaos Gods and Demons, all while facing the possibility of suppression by the Heavenly Dao. The most shocking act was when he severed Pangu's arm. Though it could be summarized in just a few sentences, those who knew the details would be astonished and deeply moved.
Chaos Gods and Demons were not easy prey, even when heavily wounded. Each of them had deadly trump cards, and they were inherently proud and self-respecting. When they couldn't defeat an opponent, they often chose to self-destruct rather than let their enemy have an easy victory.
Although Wang Dong mostly relied on sneak attacks, it was akin to dancing on the edge of a blade—one wrong step, and death was inevitable.
Furthermore, severing Pangu's arm was no small feat. Pangu's body was meant to evolve the heavens and the earth. The body of Pangu, even when handled carelessly, could attract the wrath of the heavens, making it a dangerous task.
Fortunately for Wang Dong, the Heavenly Dao was still not fully perfected at this point. The right arm of Pangu had not caused too much damage, and fallen Chaos Gods and Demons' bodies could be used as substitutes. Had Wang Dong taken Pangu's head, the Heavenly Dao would have descended its punishment immediately, obliterating him without hesitation.
Reflecting on these experiences, Wang Dong couldn't help but shudder. Even though he knew the outcome, he wasn't sure he would have the courage to attempt such a thing again.
But now, it was all worth it. The path of cultivation was fraught with dangers, and one mistake could mean a lifetime of stagnation. To gain something, one had to first make sacrifices.
During his time in the Chaos, Wang Dong devoured over 1,500 Chaos Gods and Demons. Now, when Wang Dong revealed his true form, it was a full 90,000 feet tall—an increase of over 30,000 feet from his original form. His massive body seemed to reach the sky, treading upon the earth, with four pairs of wings extending beyond 100,000 feet.
Though still not comparable to Pangu, and far from immortality, Wang Dong had finally broken through the 90,000-feet threshold, gaining the potential to challenge immortality.
At 90,000 feet, his body was still governed by the laws of the Heavenly Dao, but surpassing this height meant breaking through its constraints and reaching another level—one with the potential for immortality.
After hundreds of years of battle, Wang Dong's body had accumulated many hidden injuries, and his soul was fatigued. So, he decided to focus on recuperating his body for the next few million years without delving into Dao comprehension. As for the arm of Pangu, he would deal with it once he had fully healed.
Wang Dong then sat motionless atop the mountain, like a stone sculpture, focusing solely on healing his injuries. He allowed the wind and rain to beat upon him, indifferent to the passage of time.
After Wang Dong closed himself off for several hundred thousand years, the Great Wilderness began to evolve, giving birth to all kinds of life. The once barren mountains now sprouted towering trees, and flowers and grasses bloomed in harmony. Streams flowed quietly, rivers surged, and the entire Great Wilderness was filled with vibrant life.
The primordial Chaos Gods and Demons also began to transform, and the fragmented souls of those Chaos Gods and Demons who had perished in the Great Heavenly Tribulation began to reincarnate. Birds and beasts emerged on the land. The first era of the Great Wilderness after the opening of the heavens—the Ancient Era—had arrived.
Another million years passed. To mortals, this was an eternity, but to gods and demons, it was but the time taken for a brief meditation. To those who were slothful, it might have been the span of a nap.
By this time, the Great Wilderness had undergone a complete transformation. Billions of ferocious beasts and spiritual creatures now roamed the land, marking the beginning of a glorious new era.
However, due to the remaining malefic energy from the opening of the heavens, countless savage beasts were born. These creatures were vicious and bloodthirsty, and the Great Wilderness was filled with endless battles, where the weak were devoured by the strong, and the law of the jungle played out in its purest form.
Wherever there were humans, there was conflict. The same applied to all other creatures. At this time, powerful cultivators established countless dynasties, along with six major sacred empires and other influential forces.
The top powers of this era were: the Demon Domain, the Beast Domain, the Dragon, Phoenix, and Qilin Alliance, the Ancient Golden Holy Dynasty, the Flame Worship Dynasty, the Heaven and Earth Holy Dynasty, the Infinite Holy Dynasty, the Eternal Holy Dynasty, and the Dark Holy Dynasty.
After 1.2 million years of seclusion, Wang Dong finally awoke. He retrieved the arm of Pangu and began to cast spells upon it. Streams of Chaos fire continuously burned the arm. After an indeterminate amount of time, the flesh and blood gradually disintegrated, becoming a single drop of divine blood, radiating immense pressure.
This drop of divine blood contained the essence of the entire arm and was far stronger than the power before the Twelve Ancestor Witches' transformation. Numerous divine runes flickered across it.
After many risks, it had all come down to this moment. Wang Dong's expression grew solemn as he opened his mouth and consumed the divine blood.
In an instant, the divine blood transformed into an enormous surge of energy
, sweeping through his body. The energy was so vast that it turned into energy dragons, roaring and clashing within his veins.
Wang Dong felt his veins snapping, cells breaking apart, and cold sweat pouring out. Left with no choice, he had to manifest his true form.
A deep, solemn roar reverberated through the entire Great Wilderness. Soon, a towering figure appeared in the northern part of the Great Wilderness, with four pairs of wings spanning across the sky.
The air was thick with a fierce, noble, and violent aura, causing the ferocious beasts of the Great Wilderness to tremble and bow in submission.
Countless powerful cultivators were alarmed, and the top factions ordered their members to avoid provoking this figure. Some Chaos spirits who had reincarnated recognized the mighty predator from the Chaos era and remained hidden in their caves, unwilling to emerge.
After enduring the agony of soul fragmentation, Wang Dong persevered. Slowly, the broken bones, ruptured veins, and torn flesh in his body began to heal and reform, undergoing a process of rebirth. The energy flood that had once overwhelmed him was now under his control.
Wang Dong directed the energy along a specific path, causing his flesh and bones to continually break and reform. With every cycle, his flesh became tougher and his bones denser.
Throughout this process, Wang Dong's height grew taller, inch by inch, until he reached a height of 99,900 feet. Despite the remaining energy within him, he could no longer increase his height beyond this limit.
Wang Dong opened his silver-white eyes and vaguely saw countless chains of laws binding his true form, preventing him from reaching the height of 100,000 feet. It seemed he would need to find another way to break this barrier.
At this moment, Wang Dong's true form exuded a divine, majestic aura. Divine runes shimmered on his body, and there was a sense of eternal existence, as if the laws of Heaven and Earth were decaying, but he would remain unchanged.
Wang Dong felt his strength was now more than enough to deal with any foe. Even if a Saint were to appear, he felt confident that one punch would be enough to shatter them.
Sensing the arrival of over a dozen powerful divine senses, Wang Dong did not wish to engage in battle just yet. With a snort, he immediately reduced his size to a normal human height and swiftly left the area.