The war between the Witch and Demon Races raged for an eternity, but eventually, the Yao began to show signs of collapse.
Though Kunpeng had returned with terrifying power, he was not "all-invincible." The nine Ancestral Witches (Ancestral Witch) were a force of nature that no single Yao could hope to duel. This disparity at the top tier quickly trickled down to the rank-and-file; thousands of Yao bled out, their casualties far outstripping those of the Witches.
Realizing victory was impossible, the Yao shifted into "escape mode"—the only area where they truly outclassed the Witches in confidence. The once-grand, head-on collision devolved into a pathetic game of cat and mouse across the Great Desolation.
The Saints' Frustration
At Kunlun Mountain, Yuanshi watched the retreating Yao and their "leader" Kunpeng, his face turning a sickly shade of green from pure rage.
"Idiots! Creatures born of filth and moisture truly cannot be relied upon!"
Despite all their help, the Yao had still failed. Most irritating of all was Kunpeng; the Saint Essence Blood (Essence Blood) they had sacrificed to heal him felt like it had been fed to a pig.
"The gap is still too wide..." Laozi remarked solemnly, his eyes reflecting his deep dissatisfaction.
Kunpeng, even with their massive support, couldn't turn the tide. It made Laozi think back to Ling Xiao—back when Ling Xiao hadn't even achieved Sainthood, he could fight twelve Ancestral Witches and kill three. Now, looking at Kunpeng, the bird couldn't even handle nine with help.
Why is the difference between two feathered beings so vast?
"Why go through all this trouble?" Tongtian interjected, his voice cold and indifferent. "It would be much faster to just kill a few Ancestral Witches personally." He had nothing but contempt for these elaborate, indirect schemes.
Yuanshi shot him a look that said: If it's that easy, why aren't you doing it?
"The Yao Race is still too frail," Laozi said slowly, his deep eyes flickering as he calculated. "We cannot expect them to fight the Witches to the death in their current state."
"Then what is the solution?" Yuanshi asked.
"Strengthen them. Further strengthen them!" Laozi declared. "And a path to power doesn't always require a new Great Power to join the ranks. There is another way."
Laozi smiled and uttered two words: "Formation (Formation)!"
Yuanshi's eyes widened slightly in surprise. "Brother, as far as I know, given the Witches' current combat power, an ordinary formation is useless against them."
"An ordinary formation, yes," Laozi chuckled. "But what about the Five Elements Grand Array (Five Elements Grand Array)?"
"The Five Elements Grand Array?" Yuanshi pondered for a moment, then nodded. "That array can both attack and defend, drawing on the ceaseless power of the Five Elements. Even a Saint would have to exert effort to break it. If the Yao can master it, the Witches will finally have a true rival!"
"However... to deploy it, one needs the Five Elements Banners (five elements banners). They won't be easy to collect."
The Five Elements Grand Array utilizes the fundamental laws of Metal, Wood, Water, Fire, and Earth. These are the pillars of the world, the most basic yet profound laws of existence. The array is less a "spell" and more a manifestation of a set of specific artifacts.
Collecting the Five Pillars
Laozi's expression remained unchanged; he had already mapped out the locations.
"I possess the Off-the-Ground Fiery Light Banner (Southern) and you, Junior Brother, have the Wuji Apricot Yellow Banner (Central)."
"The Green Lotus Precious Color Banner (Eastern) is in the hands of the Two Sages of the West (Two Sages of the West)."
"The Plain Colored Cloud Boundary Banner (Western) is held by the Queen Mother of the West."
"The Zhenwu Northern Flag (Northern) is in the hands of Styx."
Laozi listed them off with clinical precision. "Collecting them will not be difficult."
The Queen Mother of the West was already an ally. The Western Sages shared their origins and would not refuse a request that served the "Great Trend." That left only Styx, who would be easy to handle.
Yuanshi nodded. With this analysis, the task seemed simple. "No time to lose. Let's move."
Laozi and Yuanshi split up. Yuanshi traveled alone to the Sea of Blood. When Styx learned of the Saint's request, he was initially reluctant to "lend" his treasure. However, when Yuanshi "generously" shared some insights on how to establish a sect and achieve Sainthood, Styx was overjoyed. Between the "gift" and the overwhelming pressure of a Saint's presence, Styx "generously" lent the Northern Flag to Yuanshi.
Soon, the Queen Mother of the West received a divine decree from Kunlun. She traveled there in secret and brought all five banners back to the Yao stronghold.
The Yao Rebound
The Yao, who had been hiding in the shadows after their defeat, were revitalized by the news. Fuxi took up the Demon Summoning Banner (demon summoning banner)—an artifact given to him by Nuwa after her ascension as a symbol of supreme authority—and issued a call to every demon in existence.
Under the irresistible pull of the banner, the Yao who had fled to the corners of the world were forced to return to the Hundred Thousand Great Mountains (Hundred Thousand Great Mountains).
"Is the Yao Race insane? Are they trying to throw their lives away?" "It seems they've chosen a final stand over a slow death!"
The Great Powers of the world were baffled. One moment the Yao were crying for their lives; the next, they were massing for a total war. Even the Ancestral Witches were pleasantly surprised. They had been wondering how to hunt down the scattered remnants, and now the Yao were conveniently bunching up for them.
"How polite of them!" the Witches joked as they mobilized their tribes for a final sweep.
The Observer in the Flames
Meanwhile, within the South Bright Volcano (South Bright Volcano), a spectral figure watched the movements of the world.
"They've even brought out the Five Elements Grand Array... a pity, it won't go as you've planned," Ling Xiao said with a smile, his aura completely hidden from the world.
He hadn't expected the Sanqing to go this far to ensure the two races mutually annihilated each other. The Five Elements Grand Array was nearly on par with the Four Great Formations of Destruction—it was a top-tier celestial array.
With the Yao lacking the Zhou Tian Xing Dou Array, this served as a perfect substitute. It created the "Balance" that Hongjun and the Saints craved.
Ling Xiao's smile widened. Since the Sanqing were playing their hand, he couldn't very well remain idle. It was time for a "Variable" to enter the equation.