Endgame in Diablo 4 has a funny way of hiding the good stuff behind chores that don't look like they matter at first. If you're trying to stock up through the u4gm platform, u4gm D4 items can help you keep your build moving forward, but the game's secret boss path still makes you earn the right to even see the arena. It's not a "run one dungeon forever" kind of grind. You'll be bouncing across regions, watching timers, and praying your group doesn't tilt after a bad pull.
What the Purified Essences actually are
The whole chain revolves around four required drops called Purified Essences, and you can't substitute anything. You need 1: the Purified Tongue of Azmodan from an Azmodan world boss event in Hawezar. You need 2: the Purified Claw from Andariel in the Under City, where tight space makes sloppy movement feel even worse. You need 3: the Purified Eye of Belial from Belial inside the Pit, which is less about burst and more about not running out of gas. You need 4: the Purified Horn from the Hell Flood event, where Duriel shows up in place of the usual Blood Maiden encounter and reminds you what getting pinned feels like.
Offering them at the four altars
Getting the essences is only half the job. After that, you've got to travel and physically use each one at an ancient altar, and they're spread out enough that it feels like the game is testing your patience on purpose. One altar is in Hawezar, another is in Nahantu, another is in Fractured Peaks, and the last is in Kehjistan. Order doesn't matter. Doing them all in one session doesn't matter either. What matters is that all four are activated, because the portal won't open until the set is fully paid in.
Surviving the hidden boss and getting paid
When the portal finally pops, don't go in thinking you'll face-tank it with a glassy "all damage" setup. This fight is an endgame check, full stop. If your resistances aren't capped, your armor's behind, or you've got no real defensive layers, you'll get deleted fast and you'll deserve it. Play it clean. Respect mechanics.
Then enjoy the chest when you win, because it can spit out serious crafting materials like a Majestic Spark for Mythic crafting, plus Tributes for the Under City, Legendary Uniques, and even cosmetics. If you want to prep without wasting another night rerolling gear, you can grab what you're missing here: buy diablo 4 runes and then get back to the part that actually matters—staying alive long enough to collect your rewards.