Chapter 1838 -s 1784–1785: Debate
"Daoist Brother, who do you think will win between the two sides?" Pang Hong stroked the Jade Ruyi in his hand, shifting his gaze from the distant battle between the Five Old Lords and Wood Virtue Star Lord, Ju Mang Ancestor Witch, to the white-robed Taoist beside him.
As a disciple of Pei Xuanjing, Pang Hong was influenced by Pei Xuanjing in many ways, unknowingly or not, whether he was deliberately imitating his master.
Like the Jade Ruyi in his hand at the moment, it was actually just a token of the Sect Leader of the Shenxiao Sect, not a magical treasure Pang Hong was skilled with. Yet he often held it, even liking to use it against enemies.
"The Eastern Treasured Bright Grove Qingling Primordial Lord, the Southern Venerated Treasure Prosperous Sun Elixir Spiritual Old Lord, the Central Jade Treasure Primordial Spirit Elder Lord, the Western Treasure Gold Gate Haoling Emperor Lord, and the Northern Gloomy Twilight Single Solitary Five Spirits Mystical Elder. These Five Old Lords are known as the Five Primordial Elders in our Taoist School, revered as Ancestors of Five Qi, the Beginnings of Five Elements. Although there are those in the Taoist School who surpass them in the Path of the Five Elements, the accomplishments of these five in Five Elements cannot be questioned; they are absolutely among the foremost." The white-robed Taoist’s clothing flowed like snow, dancing in the wind, and he continued, "And this Five Elements Formation, though simple, is one of the hardest to break through formations under heaven."
"Indeed, the so-called simplicity of the Great Tao is exactly such. The flaw of the Five Elements Formation is how to sever the Five Elements. As long as the Five Elements can be severed, preventing their mutual generation and overcoming, naturally it cannot continue its operation. But this is the hardest part, for the Five Elements evolve from each other, and merely blocking one side barely suffices to dismantle it. At least, from my perspective, breaking the Five Elements Formation is not easy," Pang Hong expressed his thoughts.
Sometimes, the strength or weakness of an array does not lie in its complexity, but in the apparent simplicity that makes it difficult to break.
While the Shenxiao Sect is not known for its mastery in arrays, and his master is not an array grandmaster, over many years, inevitably some geniuses in the array path have emerged, giving the Shenxiao Sect its understanding of arrays.
To Pang Hong, the strength of an array often lies not solely in its composition but must be considered with heaven’s timing and geographical advantage. Many arrays derive strength from celestial phenomena, the terrain, and the strength of the arranger.
And undoubtedly, the Five Elements Formation is just such an array, with the Five Old Lords each cultivating the five energies and the Path of the Five Elements. Their strength is similar, their spirit in tune, and their intentions aligned. The array they form appears simple, yet it is not easily broken.
"Daoist Friend, you’re jesting. The Eight Trigrams Sword Array of the Shenxiao Sect is famous across the world. If you say you do not understand arrays, then no one does," the white-robed Taoist gently shook his head, thinking Pang Hong was being too modest.
Even though the Longevity Taoist Monarch claims not to excel in arrays, and the Shenxiao Sect’s strongests are not known for arrays, everyone knows the Shenxiao Sect possesses the Eight Trigrams Sword Array.
It is said that the Eight Trigrams Sword Array was the sword move deduced during the founding of the Sword Path by the Longevity Taoist Monarch, based on the Eight Trigrams Sword Diagram, establishing eight directions in space, with interlinked responses, making it exceedingly difficult to break.