These cultivators were mostly at the seventh or eighth levels of Body Refinement, occupying strategic points and completely blocking every path leading to the defensive array.

Song Shijun, being old in experience, immediately raised a hand: "These people are strange. Junior Martial Nephew Lu, let's wait a moment."

Lu Yuan had a good habit of listening to the seasoned advice of others, so seeing that the situation was peculiar, he naturally decided to wait.

After waiting a while longer, another person flew towards the defensive array. Song Shijun remarked, "I recognize this man. He is Senior Brother Yan Yu from the West Peak of the Qi Sect. He possesses the magic power of the ninth level of Body Refinement—his strength is astonishing. I believe he is also ranked within the top forty this time." As Yan Yu approached the defensive array, the cultivators guarding it, those at the seventh and eighth levels of Body Refinement, suddenly attacked.

All the assaults were directed straight at Yan Yu.

This was...

Yan Yu, the target of the attack, was suddenly startled, but he too was a man of deep experience. With a flick of his hand, he unleashed a supportive spell, enveloping himself in a 'Cloud Mist Defense Shroud.' This shroud could withstand numerous attacks, yet even so, having more than ten strikes land on him simultaneously made the protective barrier feel as if it were about to shatter.

The Cloud Mist Defense Shroud was formed by condensing the Cloud Mist Heart Method. He hadn't learned the 'Purple Mist Thousand Li Heart Method,' but rather a slightly inferior technique, the Cloud Mist Defense Shroud. This shield possessed considerable defensive power, yet now it felt on the verge of breaking almost instantly.

Yan Yu, thoroughly alarmed, shook his hand again and summoned a magic treasure: the Triple Pagoda of the Buddha!

Yan Yu was also a man favored by fortune. Once, while exploring an ancient site, he acquired profound techniques and a magic treasure—this very Triple Pagoda of the Buddha. His pagoda was a first-class treasure of this era. Once deployed, the Triple Pagoda enveloped him, simultaneously releasing boundless golden Buddha light, granting him inexhaustible defensive power.

This very treasure was enough to make cultivators in the Longevity Stage envious; many Longevity Stage practitioners did not possess a magic treasure of this caliber.

However, envy was one thing, but righteous sects could not resort to the demonic ways of robbery and seizing.

Now, seeing that his Cloud Mist Defense Shroud was useless, Yan Yu had no choice but to deploy the Triple Pagoda of the Buddha. The pagoda shot out countless rays of golden light, accompanied by resonant chanting emanating from within. This chanting carried tones of great compassion and supreme majesty, successfully fending off all manner of attacks.

But immediately, more cultivators gathered, and all the seventh and eighth-level Body Refinement cultivators surged towards Yan Yu.

Yan Yu was startled by the sight. He enveloped himself with the Triple Pagoda and pushed forward into the defensive array. At first, the Triple Pagoda held strong, but soon the golden Buddha light flickered precariously. Fortunately, Yan Yu finally managed to burst through into the protective formation at the core of the Fifth Layer.

Once inside the defensive array, he was safe.

Yan Yu let out a sigh of relief.

As Yan Yu exhaled, Lu Yuan and Song Shijun, watching from afar, both drew sharp intakes of breath. Now, even a fool could discern the plan of these cultivators. All the cultivators ranked in the top forty were now assembled, but the time limit had not yet expired. To reach the center of the Fifth Layer, one had to pass through this area. These hundred-plus cultivators had established this defense line. If they encountered anyone ranked in the top forty, they would attack—not necessarily to kill, but to seize the Battle Spirit Beasts. By doing so, they might acquire some Spirit Beasts themselves and rank in the top forty.

To enter the Sixth Layer of the Wusheng Legacy Palace, everyone was resorting to methods they usually kept hidden.

These methods were rarely used in normal circumstances, but when deployed, they weren't overly excessive. Even if they were censured after leaving the Wusheng Legacy Palace, a few reprimands were nothing compared to the treasures in the Sixth Layer.

They had initially assumed that achieving a rank in the top forty would guarantee a smooth passage into the Sixth Layer, but now it seemed far from easy. Entering the Sixth Layer of the Wusheng Legacy Palace was proving exceedingly difficult.

Fortunately, the defensive array covered a large, generally circular area. To defend all directions, these hundred-plus cultivators had to be spread out. This meant there was a window for impact. Anyone who couldn't break through the defensive array in the shortest time would likely fail here, not just a ninth-level Body Refinement cultivator, but perhaps even a tenth-level one, would fall to this tactic of overwhelming numbers.

Take Yan Yu of the Qi Sect, a cultivator at the ninth level of Body Refinement—without his Buddha Treasure, the Triple Pagoda, he would have certainly perished here.

Truly staggering.

Lu Yuan and Song Shijun exchanged glances. The situation was tricky. Even if they couldn't secure a top-forty spot, lingering here without entering the central defensive array of the Fifth Layer was useless. However, storming the central defensive array now seemed overwhelmingly arduous.

There was only one solution: wait.

After waiting for a long time, they moved to several different vantage points, even encountering a few other cultivators who were ranked in the top forty but hadn't managed to breach the defensive array.

Troublesome!

After this extended wait, not a single opportunity had materialized, and the deadline for the Tenth Trial was rapidly approaching. If they failed to enter the central defensive array by then, they wouldn't enter the Sixth Layer of the Wusheng Legacy Palace. Lu Yuan said, "It seems we have no choice but to fight for it. I plan to charge through."

Song Shijun nodded: "That's the only way. But we should coordinate with the other cultivators who ranked in the top forty but haven't entered the central defensive array to charge together. That might increase our chances." Song Shijun was older, more experienced, and knew more people, so this coordination fell naturally to him.

Moments later, the other four cultivators who hadn't breached the array gathered, making a total of six people including Lu Yuan and Song Shijun.

Among these six, one was at the ninth level of Body Refinement, and the other three were at the eighth level.

The six assembled, and Song Shijun explained the situation. The other five nodded in agreement. The end of the fifteenth day was drawing near, perhaps only an hour left; it seemed there was no time to spare—they had to make this final desperate push. If they failed, they would have to give up.

The final decision was made: the six would charge from six different directions to disperse the defensive cultivators' forces.

Lu Yuan charged out, and the other five cultivators burst forth simultaneously.

Whether they broke into the center of the Fifth Layer now would depend on fate.

Lu Yuan rushed forward and was immediately surrounded by several attackers. He had already drawn his Yangwu Sword, and while flying rapidly, he swept his blade, instantly deflecting the long swords of the few cultivators who challenged him, all while continuing his swift advance. But clearly, the defending cultivators were not going to let Lu Yuan pass so easily.

Instantly, more than ten cultivators converged on him.

More than ten cultivators at the seventh and eighth levels of Body Refinement—if Lu Yuan were to fight them head-on, even he would face utter defeat.

Lu Yuan knew that even a slight pause would bring more cultivators swarming in. Now, with more than ten attacking him, breaking through was no easy feat. He immediately unleashed the Sword Intent of Concealment, slowing the surrounding cultivators down, and then activated the Sword Intent of Speed.

With the Sword Intent of Speed unleashed, his sword was far faster than usual. The blade moved like a nimble serpent, parrying all the long swords of the surrounding dozen cultivators.

At this point, the defensive array was already in sight.

But the crowd of cultivators had reacted. Those who could reach him struck with their swords, those further away used sword control to attack from afar, and the ones even more distant launched tracking spells. In that instant, over twenty cultivators at the seventh and eighth levels of Body Refinement had surrounded Lu Yuan.

Lu Yuan’s nerves were taut. If he relaxed even slightly now, he wouldn't make it into the Protective Array.

It was time to unleash his full power.

This was the first time Lu Yuan’s nerves had been pulled so taut, facing the current combat situation with complete concentration.

What kind of sword move was that? The Sword Sect’s 'Thousand Illusions, Cloud Mist, Thirteen Hundred Forms'! Good, let me break it! In truth, the form used by this Sword Sect Elder was far more complex than that used by a true disciple—incredibly difficult to break. Even the Ninth Generation Sword Immortal would struggle to break this move without using his magic power. But now, Lu Yuan was operating in a subtle and profound state. Facing such a difficult technique, the Yangwu Sword carved a mysterious, subtle curve and shattered that sword move.

Simultaneously, the Yangwu Sword did not pause. This was the Wudang Immortal Sect’s 'Soft Cloud Sword Technique'—another renowned Wudang skill. Though not as potent as the 'One Hundred and Eight Swords of Wind and Cloud,' it was still quite arcane. Lu Yuan met this stance without thinking, his single strike sweeping through like a fierce gale, scattering the 'soft cloud.'

The Yangwu Sword thrust forward, aimed at the cultivator using the Qingcheng Sect's 'Six Absolutes: Sword Rain Driving Away Silk' technique. The sword momentum was like a sudden downpour, instantly overwhelming and extinguishing the fine drizzle of the 'driving away silk.'

This single strike was not finished.

The sword pointed straight ahead at the Qingcheng Immortal Sect cultivator wielding 'Seventeen Routes of Fast and Slow.' Your fast route of the Seventeen Routes? Excellent, I will be faster than you! His long sword slashed past, instantly disrupting the technique and causing the 'Seventeen Routes of Fast and Slow' to falter, leaving the cultivator in a very awkward position.

Cold sword light flashed, and the endpoint of this strike landed precisely above the palm of the Kunlun Immortal Sect cultivator. This cultivator had intended to summon the Fire Crow Gourd magic treasure from his hand, but with the sword pressing down, he found himself completely unable to deploy it.

In one stroke, he broke four peak sword techniques of renowned sects and suppressed the Kunlun cultivator's attempt to use his magic treasure.

Lu Yuan's nerves were incredibly strained, knowing that dealing with over twenty cultivators would be tough. If he couldn't break through in the fastest possible time, he would be trapped here.

Time, which had stretched into a single moment, would conclude in the moment after the next.

Two moments, containing infinite brilliance.