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The three forbidden spell mages were already entangled with dense, almost tangible magical elements—thick yellow sand, azure clouds and water, and purple-gold lightning—like venomous serpents, not only wrapping around the mages' bodies but also continuously eroding their insides. This was the hallmark of the forbidden spell's lethality. It also signaled that the gods' curse had begun to act on the mages' bodies. From this moment on, the lives of the three grand mages were completely bound to the forbidden spell. When the spell ended, the gods would take away their lives and souls without any chance of mercy.

The vast wilderness spanning tens of thousands of square kilometers had now been divided into four parts by immense forces.

At the center was the area affected by the elves' "Six-Star Demon-Slaying Array." The six towering magical light pillars had now transformed into bridges for the descent of countless stars. Unlike the small-scale version of the array that humans had modified for the Six Great Sword Saints, this full version of the "Six-Star Demon-Slaying Array" summoned not just the power of a single star but the combined power of all the stars in the sky. Thus, as soon as the array was activated, it resembled a gigantic dandelion standing between heaven and earth, with the six colored magical light pillars as its stem. It bloomed from a height of about a hundred kilometers, spreading countless silver streams across the sky, connecting to every star in the heavens and densely covering half the celestial sphere. At the convergence point in the sky, a massive silver cocoon of stellar power formed, continuously compressing and condensing that terrifying energy.

To the east of the "Six-Star Demon-Slaying Array," the sky and earth had become a sea of thunder and lightning. The land within a radius of hundreds of kilometers had been blasted to a depth of over ten meters by purple-gold lightning. The sheer magnitude of this electrical power, if converted into ordinary magic, would require tens of thousands of lightning mages. However, the forbidden thunder spell, "Shattering Rhapsody," could alter the natural laws of electricity, using the attraction between positive and negative electrodes to allow each bolt of lightning to continuously draw new energy from the earth and clouds. This caused the spell's power to grow increasingly stronger and its range to expand until the mages no longer had enough mental strength to sustain it.

To the south, directly facing the forbidden spell mages, was the domain of the earth forbidden spell, "Desolate Sands." The power of this spell lay in its large-scale, indiscriminate erosion. Countless layers of yellow, turbid light swept across the earth and sky. Within the gloomy, desolate expanse, any animal, plant, stone, or even air that came into contact with the yellow light would immediately disintegrate—flesh turning to stone, stone to sand, and sand to dust. This dust then became the source of the spell's yellow, turbid light, continuing to erode other entities. Before long, the entire area covered by the spell was reduced to a sky-obscuring expanse of yellow sand and dust. Even hundreds of meters below the surface, nothing could escape the relentless, corrosive power of the spell.

From the west, the elves were attacked by the water forbidden spell, "Dreamlike Bubbles." Perhaps because all its casters had been women since the ancient Sage of the Vast Sea, the water forbidden spell was uniquely beautiful among the twelve forbidden spells. As the spell was activated, countless bubbles of various sizes and colors emerged in the sky, reflecting the light and shadows of the heavens, creating a dazzling, ever-shifting spectacle. However, this beautiful scene could not conceal the terrifying slaughter within. Each strange bubble had peculiar properties. Any object it touched would be enveloped, and with a "pop," the object would disintegrate into nothingness as the bubble burst. If the object was large, the bubble would attach to its surface, and upon bursting, it would carve out a hemispherical void. Each bursting bubble would then spawn many more, endlessly multiplying until they filled the entire space.

The rampage of lightning, the erosion of sand, and the cutting of bubbles converged into three powerful forces, determined to bring down the towering "dandelion" at the center. Yet, their target proved incredibly resilient, continuously emitting silver starlight and an unending stream of energy that completely repelled the attacks of the three forbidden spells, leaving no gaps.

Normally, the proper use of a forbidden spell would involve first locking the forbidden spell mark crystals at the center of the magical map, then twisting the laws of the entire space, gathering magical energy to form the spell, and finally unleashing it in a single burst to annihilate all life within a hundred-kilometer diameter without exception. However, the current situation was that the elves, firmly holding their returned capital and aided by dozens of golden trees, had an inexhaustible supply of magical energy. Although the defensive circle of the "Six-Star Demon-Slaying Array" had shrunk to a thirty-kilometer diameter, it had become even more robust, steadily resisting the advance of the forbidden spell's power. The three forbidden spell mages naturally dared not unleash the full force of their spells at this moment, for if they failed to break the elves' defense in one go, they would have no strength left to turn the tide.

However, forbidden spells were not like ordinary magic that could be controlled. Even the Twelve Sages could not direct the power of a forbidden spell to explode in a single direction. Thus, the three mages could only focus their energy, continuously pushing the forbidden spell mark crystals toward the center, hoping to accumulate enough power to break through the "Six-Star Demon-Slaying Array." Fortunately, the power of forbidden spells operated on a chain reaction—once initiated, it would grow stronger without the need for additional magical input. Therefore, the three mages still believed they had a good chance of victory.

The standoff continued, and others were not idle either.

To the north of the "Six-Star Demon-Slaying Array" was the only area not under attack by the forbidden spells. Although this direction was inevitably affected by scattered remnants of the spells, leaving it in ruins, for some, it remained a clear path.

For example, Xian Lan, the "Tide Knight" from the eastern grasslands.

The young Saint Master, known among his peers for his vast attack range, wielded his black "Seven Evils Dragon Whip," shattering all magical remnants that approached him as he charged straight toward the silver starlight defensive circle of the "Six-Star Demon-Slaying Array." Magic and combat energy each had their strengths, and while forbidden spells were forces that transcended natural laws, their single-point attack power could not match that of a Sword Saint. Thus, the stellar barrier that the three forbidden spells could not break might not withstand the Sword Saint's attack. And if a Sword Saint were to break into a group of casting mages, the impact would be self-evident.