Liaofan and Zhang Yuanbai could indeed have stepped in and remained invincible, but the gap in strength between the two sides would have been too great. Even if they won, it would not have humiliated their opponents too deeply.
On the contrary, the longer they refrained from acting, the greater the humiliation for Japan.
As for Ling Ji, though his strength ranked third among them, second only to Liaofan and Zhang Yuanbai, whether by facial features or age, he was the youngest of them all. Losing to him would presumably be even more infuriating.
As for the others, perhaps the gifted ones of China had not learned much else, but methods of preserving their lives and protecting themselves were absolutely the first things they learned.
Puguang hailed from Nine Glorious Mountain, cultivated the Ksitigarbha Ten-Wheel Mantra, and had refined two Buddhist treasures—the Ten-Wheel Heavenly Drum and the Prajna Treasure Banner.
With the Prajna Treasure Banner alone protecting him, he could remain invincible.
Zhang Chengyu was much the same. Not only did he possess a Taiji Diagram capable of suppressing all energies, he also wore a Primal Chaos Taiji Robe.
Combined with the peerless force-borrowing, force-deflecting arts of the Taiji True Scripture he cultivated, he was enough to stand undefeated.
He had also refined the Black Tortoise and Fire Serpent twin swords, and his offensive power was quite formidable as well.
Tianyin of Mount Luojia possessed the pure Sweet Dew within her Pure Lapis Lazuli Bottle. It could not only revive the dead and cleanse body and mind, but also bore the weight of the four seas.
It had its own marvelous uses for capturing foes and protecting its bearer.
Zhang Yuanyi came from the Celestial Master Mansion, and with a younger brother like Zhang Yuanbai, there was naturally no need