"Command the Innate Yin-Yang Qi, divide the power of the Innate Five Elements..."
Within Spirit Mountain, a towering ancient tree stretched above Ye Xuan, pouring down endless Wisdom Light. A trace of contemplation appeared in his eyes.
In Ye Xuan's hand, a stream of Innate Yin-Yang Qi churned and intertwined. It was like a Heavenly Blade, borrowing the power of the Ten Heavenly Stems and Twelve Earthly Branches to divide the Innate Metal Qi into Yang Metal Qi, Yin Metal Qi, You Metal Qi, and Shen Metal Qi. All four belonged to the Way of Yin and Yang, each with its own mysteries.
Every mystery represented a Great Dao. This was also the path taken by the Five Element Demon Gods: using the Way of Five Elements to encompass all things.
"Is the Realm of Sages attained by using one's own Great Dao to incorporate the other Three Thousand Great Daos into it?"
Looking at the four streams of Innate Qi in his hand, a trace of surprise appeared in Ye Xuan's eyes. If that was the case, it resolved one of his doubts. Each of the Three Thousand Demon Gods had been nurtured by a Great Dao, yet Pangu had overcome them even when they joined forces.
That was because the Great Dao of Strength encompassed all things, including the Great Way of Space and the Way of Time. With all Three Thousand Great Daos under its control, it was incomparably powerful.
"If that's the case, then my Great Dao is on the right path. With each of the Three Thousand Heavens bearing a Great Dao, once I succeed, I'll be even stronger than Pangu was!"
Holding the Jade Plate Fragment, Ye Xuan had developed some insights of his own into the Dao Path ahead. But he was only a Quasi-Sage; he knew little about the realms beyond the Sages. Whether his understanding was correct could only be confirmed once he reached the Realm of Sages.
After thinking for a moment, Ye Xuan shook his head and cast aside his thoughts. It was too early to ponder the Dao Path ahead. He had only completed the Metal element of the Taiyi Wonderful Divine Light; he still had four more elements before he could unleash it all at once.
Just as he was about to enter Secluded Cultivation, a deafening sound reached his ears from the Nine Heavens. Above the Vault of Heaven, yin and yang reversed, and the natural order was turned upside down.
"Boom!"
After a single peal of the bell, Ye Xuan looked toward Mount Buzhou.
"It's Emperor Taiyi!"
Ever since Ye Xuan had entered Secluded Cultivation, the battle between the Witch and Demon Clans had grown increasingly brutal. Even in the West, some regions had been caught up in the fighting.
A thousand years into Ye Xuan's seclusion, Bai Ze and the other Ten Great Demon Gods had already joined the fray. On the Witch Clan's side, Xing Tian and the other Great Witches had also entered the battle, each fighting with all their might. Their clashes blotted out the Sun and Moon. A full-force strike from a Grand Unity Golden Immortal shattered the earth and split sacred mountains, reducing millennia to nothing. More than half the living beings on the Eastern Continent had already been swept into the conflict, and a blood-red cloud had gathered above Mount Buzhou.
Seeing this, the Twelve Ancestral Witches and the Demon Emperor could no longer sit idle. They ordered their armies to withdraw and began a battle to the death.
"Clang!"
"Clang!"
"Clang!"
The Chaos Bell, an Innate Supreme Treasure in Emperor Taiyi's hand, rang out with a vast peal. Five-colored radiance shone, and the bell's sound swept across the Myriad Worlds, shaking Heaven and Earth. Taiyi bore the brunt of it, becoming the first to enter the fray.
After Taiyi struck, the Demon Emperor swept his hand, and the Top-grade Innate Spiritual Treasure, the River Diagram and Luo Book, blazed with boundless divine light. He intercepted Daoist Di Jiang, leader of the Twelve Ancestral Witches, and Zhu Jiuyin, who ranked second among them. Di Jiang and the others were also among the most powerful of the Twelve Ancestral Witches.
Daoist Fuxi and Daoist Nuwa each chose an Ancestral Witch and engaged them in battle!
With the Innate Supreme Treasure in hand, Emperor Taiyi was surrounded by ten thousand zhang of Profound Yellow Qi pouring from the Chaos Bell, suppressing all ages. He moved as though no one could stop him, taking on eight Ancestral Witches by himself.
In an instant, the earth shattered and sacred mountains collapsed, while torrents of Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind surged forth.
Watching the world's mightiest experts clash, the various Innate God-Demons held their breath and gazed into the void.
Seeing Taiyi display his might and face eight Ancestral Witches with the Innate Supreme Treasure, the Innate God-Demons all wore solemn expressions.
Emperor Taiyi was undoubtedly the strongest beneath the Sages!
The Demon Emperor was no weaker. Facing the two mightiest among the Twelve Ancestral Witches, he held his ground as well.
Seeing this, the Twelve Ancestral Witches' expressions darkened. Zhu Rong, Fire Ancestral Witch, bathed in flames and was the first to reveal his Ancestral Witch True Body.
He had the head of a beast and the body of a man, wore crimson scales, had fire serpents hanging from his ears, and strode upon fire dragons. Towering into the clouds, Zhu Rong wielded the Great Dao of Fire with far greater ease after manifesting his Ancestral Witch True Body. Every gesture carried supreme might. Seeing this, Emperor Taiyi and the others' expressions darkened. These savages were not only physically powerful; each of them had also mastered a Supreme Great Dao.
The Innate Supreme Treasure was powerful, but it also required boundless magical power to sustain.
If the fighting continued, he was only a Quasi-Sage and could not maintain his peak strength.
Nearby, after Zhu Rong revealed his Ancestral Witch True Body, the other Ancestral Witches revealed theirs as well.
Ju Mang, Wood Ancestral Witch of the East, had an emerald-green body like bamboo, a bird's body and a human face, and rode upon two dragons!
Ru Shou, Metal Ancestral Witch of the West, had a human face and tiger's body, wore golden scales, had wings growing from his shoulders, a snake piercing his left ear, and rode upon two dragons.
Daoist Houtu, Earth Ancestral Witch of the Center, had a human body and a serpent's tail, seven hands on her back, two hands on her chest, and a serpent in each hand.
Di Jiang, Space Ancestral Witch, had a face like a yellow sack, was red as cinnabar, and had six legs and four wings. His features were blurred and indistinct.
Every Ancestral Witch possessed not only physical strength comparable to a Quasi-Sage, but also immensely powerful Power of Great Dao Laws.
Once they wielded their laws, the pressure on Emperor Taiyi became immense. He had not yet fallen behind, but he could no longer strike back, and the balance of victory began to tilt toward the Twelve Ancestral Witches.
Seeing this, the Demon Emperor revealed one of his trump cards. Two more Innate Spiritual Treasures appeared in his hand: the Golden Chapters and Jade Books, and the Imperial Seal of the Son of Heaven!
"Emperor's Great Dao: All Laws Bow Before Me. Demote!"
The Demon Emperor's expression was solemn, and his words carried the authority of Heaven. He unleashed a Supreme Great Divine Ability upon the Twelve Ancestral Witches.
Under the profound power of his Demotion, the Power of Great Dao Laws surrounding Di Jiang and the others plummeted. It lasted only an instant, but it was enough to leave the Twelve Ancestral Witches looking grim.
In the midst of battle, an instant could decide life or death.
Taking advantage of the Twelve Ancestral Witches' shock, the Demon Emperor flashed over to Emperor Taiyi alongside Fuxi and the others. The four of them joined forces and poured all their strength into activating the Chaos Bell!
"Clang!"
A dazzling light burst from the Chaos Bell. The Sun, Moon, and Stars, birds, beasts, insects, and fish, and Earth, Fire, Water, and Wind all circled around it. Five-Colored Divine Light illuminated the world, and a heavenly note of the Great Dao shook the Universe. Like a strike that could cleave Heaven and Earth, it left the Twelve Ancestral Witches as though struck by lightning.
But the Twelve Ancestral Witches reacted quickly, too. Their Great Dao powers intertwined and produced a force of Time and Space.
The heavenly note of the Great Dao was banished into boundless Time and Space.
Seeing that he could not overcome his opponent, the Demon Emperor's expression darkened. He made his decision at once and shouted,
"Retreat!"
On Mount Buzhou, when the other Ancestral Witches tried to pursue them, Di Jiang stopped them. The Demon Emperor and the others were merely at a disadvantage; they were not powerless to fight back. If the battle had continued, at least half of the Twelve Ancestral Witches would have died.
With the battle over, the Innate God-Demons turned their gazes elsewhere.
But everyone knew the fighting was not over. The Witch and Demon Clans simply needed time to recover. One day, they would return.
Within the Pure Land of Spiritual Mountain, Daoist Zhunti watched the scene with a trace of shock on his face.
"Heroes abound in this world, like carp swimming upstream!"
Daoist Zhunti had once thought his Eldest Brother was invincible among the Innate God-Demons. He had never imagined that the Demon Emperor and the others would be only slightly weaker, or that Emperor Taiyi could face eight Ancestral Witches by himself.
As for the Emperor's Great Dao, it could even demote the Way of Space and the Way of Time, two Supreme Great Daos.
The Twelve Ancestral Witches could also summon a force of Time and Space when they joined forces.
Every side had powerful abilities. By comparison, his Seven-Colored Divine Light seemed inadequate; it was only good for bullying weaker cultivators. Shaking his head helplessly, Daoist Zhunti looked at Ye Xuan and asked curiously,
"Eldest Brother, if you had an Innate Supreme Treasure, could you stand against the Twelve Ancestral Witches?"
At that, Ye Xuan chuckled and replied with a question,
"Why would I need an Innate Supreme Treasure to face the Twelve Ancestral Witches?"
Before you continue