Yujing Mountain.
Laozi, Yuanshi, and Tongtian were all standing now. They watched the direction of the distant battle with expressions of absolute shock, as if they were living through a nightmare.
"This... how can the Golden Crow be this strong?"
The silence was broken by Yuanshi, who looked as if he were at a funeral. His voice was shaky; his mental state had clearly suffered a major blow. He was in a daze.
He had assumed that after all these years of seclusion, Ling Xiao might still be stronger than him, but only by a limited margin. Now he realized he had been far too naive—too lacking in imagination. This power was beyond the heavens; Ling Xiao had surpassed him by an insurmountable distance!
They were the Sanqing, the heirs of Pangu! How could they be inferior to a Golden Crow?
"The Law... I never expected he would take the path of Laws to such a height," Laozi said, his eyes flickering. His calm voice was a mask for his profound internal shock.
He had once declared that the "Path of Laws" was a dead end—that even if one were lucky enough to become a Hun Yuan Golden Immortal (Quasi-Saint), they could never advance further. The Dao Ancestor (Hongjun) had said the same thing.
Yet here was Ling Xiao, not only walking the path but taking on the Twelve Ancestral Witches single-handedly. This meant he was at the very least a Hun Yuan Golden Immortal Perfection, and perhaps already stepping into a different domain altogether.
"Something is wrong. This is very wrong!"
The Dao Ancestor had personally said the path was blocked. Why was Ling Xiao succeeding? Laozi was so deeply puzzled that his weathered face was filled with creases of worry.
Is it possible the Dao Ancestor was lying to us? A flash of inspiration hit him. No... if that were true, why is it so difficult for us to comprehend the Laws? He felt like he was falling into a whirlpool of confusion.
"There is something strange here. There must be something we don't know," Yuanshi said with a dark expression. He didn't explicitly say whether it was Ling Xiao who was "wrong" or the Dao Ancestor.
Tongtian didn't even fully understand what his brothers were debating. He was simply radiating Battle Intent, looking like an unsheathed divine sword.
"As the Dao Ancestor's Disciples, we have the duty to maintain the Primordial Order. When Teacher returns from Merging with the Dao, we shall report this matter in full," Laozi said, his eyes gleaming with a mysterious light.
Yuanshi immediately caught the implication. "Senior Brother, you mean... reporting the Witches' atrocities and Ling Xiao's mastery of the Laws?"
He smiled, catching on quickly. Whether it was the chaos the Witches had caused over the millennia or Ling Xiao proving that the Law path worked—both would be intolerable to the Dao Ancestor. Hongjun had emphasized in Zixiao Palace before all the great powers that the Law path was closed. Ling Xiao's existence was a direct slap to the Dao Ancestor's face. It was as if he were telling every Living Being that the Dao Ancestor's words were worthless.
"Something like that," Laozi nodded. Yuanshi never disappointed him when it came to reading between the lines.
"I wonder if I can test my sword against Ling Xiao after I slay my third corpse," the silent Tongtian suddenly remarked.
"Forget it, Third Brother. He walks the Law path. Unless you slay a fourth corpse, you have no chance," Yuanshi teased with a dry laugh.
Tongtian glanced at Yuanshi and turned to leave. "I'm entering seclusion. This time, I will slay the third corpse!"
Yuanshi shook his head with a faint smile. "The third corpse is not easily slain. I have wasted countless years on it already."
Just then, a faint, ethereal voice spoke. "Actually, slaying the third corpse... is not that difficult."
Yuanshi snapped to attention, looking at Laozi with shock. "Big Brother, surely you haven't—"
Laozi offered a brilliant smile but said nothing. Above his head, an Auspicious Cloud manifested. A Taiji symbol rotated within it as thunder roiled and Dao-resonance gathered. Then, a silhouette stepped out—relaxed, natural, and identical to Laozi.
"The Third Corpse?!" Yuanshi cried out, staring at Laozi as if he were seeing him for the first time. He had just finished saying how hard it was, only for his brother to manifest it a second later.
"Big Brother, how did you do it? Tell me!" Tongtian came running back, his face full of excitement.
Laozi seemed to enjoy the look of awe on his brothers' faces. He stroked his beard and spoke slowly. "It can be sensed, but not described. You must comprehend it with your own hearts."
Whether he truly couldn't explain it or simply chose not to, Laozi was satisfied. With all three corpses slain, the next step was to merge them into one. Once successful, he would Achieve Sainthood and transcend the world.
"Just one step left..."
Yuanshi and Tongtian looked disappointed. Seeing this, Laozi withdrew his aura, not wanting to be too high-profile.
"Do not lose heart. The Sanqing come from the same source. If I can do it, you will follow shortly. Once we merge the corpses, we will become Saints. Though Ling Xiao's combat power is high because of his Laws, reaching Sainthood... he might not be faster than us."
At these words, the dejected brothers brightened. They saw hope. If their Big Brother could do it, they could too. Once they reached Sainthood, Ling Xiao's strength would no longer be insurmountable.
Elsewhere, in a hidden corner, Jieyin and Zhunti watched the battle, unsure whether to laugh or cry.
In theory, seeing the Witches suppressed by Ling Xiao was a good thing—it was revenge by proxy. But seeing Ling Xiao so powerful made them feel miserable. It meant that seeking revenge against the Crows was now a pipe dream. They had to admit that beneath the Saint level, Ling Xiao was invincible.
"Junior Brother, remember this: until you Achieve Sainthood, do not provoke the Three Crows," Jieyin said solemnly. He had temporarily "sealed" the thought of revenge in his heart, not even daring to entertain it.
"Senior Brother, I think it's too early to say. The Witches haven't used their Formation yet. The outcome is still undecided," Zhunti noted, his eyes flickering with stubborn hope.
"Then let us keep watching," Jieyin said with a smile.
Back at the battlefield, the fight had reached its climax.
Di Jiang was sent flying yet again. His face was contorted with rage. He realized that in a standard brawl, they had no chance of winning. Their only option was the array.
He reached out to sense the Evil Qi in the environment. Setting up the Twelve Capital Gods Fiend Formation required massive amounts of it, but currently, it seemed insufficient.
"I don't care anymore—just do it!"
Di Jiang steeled his heart. The situation was too urgent to wait for perfect conditions. He had never expected that fighting a single Crow would require their ultimate trump card.
"Ancestral Witches, heed my command! Deploy the Twelve Capital Gods Fiend Formation!"
His voice, as heavy as an ancient bell, shook the Nine Heavens and echoed throughout the Great Desolation.