Under the pressure of both sides' raging Dao power, shock waves swept outward in ring after ring. Earth and stone cracked apart, and the clouds on the horizon were torn to shreds.
Yun Zhongzi stood amid clear breezes and spiritual energy, gazing at the Western Religion disciples who stubbornly refused to retreat from Boundary Tablet Pass. At last, he sighed softly.
"Since our Western fellow Daoists insist on staying, do not blame us for showing no mercy."
As his words fell, he changed the hand seal in his palm, and wind and thunder stirred above the ground. Eight Heaven-Piercing Divine Fire Pillars, each thirty feet tall and over ten feet thick, burst from the earth. They stood firmly in the eight trigram positions of Qian, Kan, Gen, Zhen, Xun, Li, Kun, and Dui. Blazing patterns covered their surfaces, sealing the surrounding void as a lethal formation took shape in an instant.
"This is my Eight-Trigram Divine Fire Formation." Yun Zhongzi remained composed as his gaze swept over the Western Great Beings. "Which fellow Daoist dares to try breaking it?"
From the Western camp, Daoist Yaoshi stepped forward slowly, his body cloaked in glazed treasure light, his expression calm and untroubled.
"Then allow me to experience your Eight-Trigram Divine Fire Formation."
With that, Yaoshi flew into the Eight-Trigram Divine Fire Formation.
Upon entering, he found only warm currents of air around him. Everything seemed utterly unremarkable, and a trace of disdain flashed through his eyes.
But in the next instant, the eight Divine Fire Pillars suddenly roared and trembled. Flames surged into the sky, and endless seas of fire spewed from the pillars' mouths. Forty-nine true-fire dragons wheeled and howled, crisscrossing through the air and sealing every route forward or back within the formation.
This fire was a fusion of Samadhi