The blade was clear and resonant, cold and chilling. The edge was thin, yet slanted. The Sword Ranking was like the greedy wolf.

Lu Yuan stroked the Desolate-Slaying Sword in his hand. His goal for this stage was to cultivate the 'Kè' (Overcome/Slay) clone. He already had the 'Dào' (Way) clone, and cultivating the 'Kè' clone now would yield formidable power.

With a lift of his hand, the Desolate-Slaying Sword vanished into the Sword Space.

Lu Yuan received a message from the two Grand Elders, Ji Qianyu and Zhu Yan. He immediately rushed over, arriving at a secluded courtyard. This courtyard was situated precisely at the center point among the three factions, and it was also close to the Earth-rank Spirit Vein, serving as the temporary command post for the three-faction alliance. After Lu Yuan was seated, Ji Qianyu spoke, "We have secured Earth Dragon Star, but we cannot afford to be complacent. We must still establish some intelligence outposts. Regarding the arrangement for patrols, can the Sword Gate spare any manpower right now?"

Lu Yuan shook his head, "Everyone in the Sword Gate, besides myself, is heavily injured and temporarily cannot send anyone out for patrols. We will have to trouble the Thousand Water Gate and the Fire Controlling Gate to handle the patrols for us."

"That's no big issue," Ji Qianyu nodded. "Then the two of us shall arrange it."

Ji Qianyu and Zhu Yan immediately began dispatching people to patrol around the star. Meanwhile, Lu Yuan sent out a letter, asking the people from the Thousand Water Gate to help deliver it to a nearby Sword Gate outpost to procure some healing medicines. Qiu Qingshan and the others were severely wounded and would recover much faster with medicine.

The three leaders on Earth Dragon Star chatted casually for a while longer before planning to disperse.

It was at that very moment someone descended, reporting, "Reporting to Elder Ji... We cannot break out of this Earth Dragon Star; it seems there is a formation." This was the scout sent out by the Thousand Water Gate.

"Reporting to Elder Zhu, I cannot break through this Earth Dragon Star." This was the scout from the Fire Controlling Gate.

"Reporting to Elder Lu, I was ordered by you to retrieve medicine from the outpost near the Sword Gate, but I cannot get out." This was the person from the Thousand Water Gate whom Lu Yuan had just instructed.

The three individuals who tried to break out of the planet were all trapped within it; they simply couldn't escape, which signaled a serious problem.

Immediately, Lu Yuan, Ji Qianyu, and Zhu Yan all flew out of the small courtyard. Only after soaring out did they realize that at an altitude of ten thousand zhang above the entire planetary surface, a hazy, mist-like barrier had appeared. When it first appeared, they assumed it was just fog, as Earth Dragon Star was prone to mist, but now they saw it was absolutely not mist.

What on earth was this!

Zhu Yan moved his hand, launching a towering crimson flame straight up. This blast of fire struck the mist, but the mist showed no sign of dispersing at all. Zhu Yan couldn't help but be horrified. This was his Fire God's Seventh Tribulation Flame, yet it couldn't affect this mist. This gray, hazy mist was truly bizarre.

Ji Qianyu pressed down lightly on the void with her slender hand: "Myriad Water Great Art, Ten Thousand Waters Return to Origin, Mist Returns!" The Myriad Water Art could control all sources of water in the world. It was rumored that when perfected, it could even control the blood within an enemy’s body. Ji Qianyu couldn't yet control an opponent's blood, but controlling mist shouldn't be difficult. However, even after she utilized the Myriad Water Great Art, Ten Thousand Waters Return to Origin, and Mist Returns, the hazy gray mass did not move in the slightest.

Lu Yuan couldn't help but frown. He had previously sent a burst of sword energy piercing into the mist, but it disappeared as if sinking into the sea, having absolutely no effect.

What was going on?

"Dìe dìe dìe dìe... Dìe dìe dìe dìe." An extremely unpleasant laughter echoed out, "You people have been trapped. Oh yes, you must be wondering what kind of mist this is? This is the Mist of Lost Paths."

Mist of Lost Paths!

Lu Yuan had never heard of it, nor had Zhu Yan. But Ji Qianyu seemed to have heard of it. She explained, "Among the Ancient Beasts, there was a kind called the Lost Path Owl. This creature could emit a mist that could cause even the deities of ancient times to lose their way within it."

"And in the Savage Beast Sect, if my memory serves correctly, there was a World Realm Triple Heaven master named Bu Mi who cultivated using the soul of a Lost Path Owl," Ji Qianyu stated.

"Oh? Elder Ji Qianyu actually knows the origin of my cultivation technique. Not bad, not bad. Few people know of the Lost Path Owl in this age. I didn't expect you to know. I am Bu Mi of the Lost Path Owl." That strange, eerie laughter sounded again, "Originally, I was setting up a formation to guard Earth Dragon Star, but I never expected Lu Yuan to trespass into Beast Soul Mountain and kill Ancestor Xiong Zhan and Ancestor Teng Ba with such incredible means. Truly formidable. I knew I was no match for him, so I didn't act but hid instead."

"At the same time, I figured Earth Dragon Star would eventually be lost. So, before the star changed hands, I began modifying the formation, turning it into the current Maze Formation. You will be trapped within the Maze Formation and unable to leave." Bu Mi cackled sinisterly, "Of course, I know I can't starve you all to death. Your three factions will eventually send reinforcements if you stop communicating from Earth Dragon Star. So, I will act first. I plan to return to the Savage Beast Sect right now and seek the assistance of one of the two great Ancestors of the Savage Beast Sect to deal with you."

The two great Ancestors of the Savage Beast Sect, the War Beast Ancestor and the Tyrant Beast Ancestor, were both figures at the Fifth Heaven of the World Realm.

If either of these two arrived, everyone on Earth Dragon Star could be annihilated.

Ji Qianyu couldn't help but become enraged, "At the start, didn't we all seem to have a tacit agreement not to send Ancestor-level figures to battlefields like Earth Dragon Star? You are violating that agreement, and you will certainly face furious retaliation from our respective factions."

Bu Mi let out a strange, cackling laugh, "Tsk, once I kill you all, who will know that an Ancestor-level figure was involved? Moreover, our Savage Beast Sect recently became a subordinate sect of the Ancient Desolate Civilization and now possesses a true backer. Even if we violate the rules, what can you do? Truly foolish to think otherwise."

Civilizations rarely acknowledged subordinate sects.

Once acknowledged, that sect possessed an absolute guarantee of support.

Among the myriad sects in the Central Heavenly Dynasty, two types were truly formidable: one consisted of the Ten Great Sects, like the Blood Gate, the Tyrant Blade Gate, and the Puppet Sect, which possessed immense inherent strength, with their sect masters at the Heavenly Venerate level. The second type were sects subordinate to a Civilization, relying on the Civilization as their ironclad backer, making them naturally even more imposing.

It was no wonder the Savage Beast Sect dared to violate the rules now that it had gained the recognition of the Ancient Desolate Civilization.

"You all just wait here obediently to die. At most, in fifteen days, our Ancestor will personally arrive here to settle things," Bu Mi emitted a series of eerie cackles before finally vanishing.

Fifteen days! They only had fifteen days left!

Ji Qianyu, Zhu Yan, and Lu Yuan all understood the predicament they were in, so they immediately began searching for a way to break the formation. But the Maze of Lost Paths was indeed incredibly powerful. No matter how Zhu Yan attacked it with the Fire God's Seventh Tribulation Flame, it was useless. Ji Qianyu’s control over mist techniques also proved futile. They tried various other methods, such as trying to send out messages without leaving the planet, but nothing got through; instead, quite a few people were lost in the Maze Formation.

As for Lu Yuan, he could only sigh in helplessness. If the formation had been constructed using sword energy or bronze energy, he could have forcibly broken it with the Sword Dao Gourd. However, this Maze Formation was clearly not built from sword energy or bronze energy. Furthermore, he knew absolutely nothing about formations, making breaking it nearly impossible.

In the blink of an eye, five days had passed. During this time, everyone on Earth Dragon Star was trying every means possible, yet they could find no solution.

And undoubtedly, everyone understood that if they truly waited for the Savage Beast Sect Ancestor to descend, they would have no chance of survival. To be trapped in an absolute death situation, forced only to wait for death—this feeling was unbearably agonizing.

Lu Yuan also felt a distinct sense of waiting for death. With only ten days remaining, he had no solution. Truthfully, that fellow named Bu Mi, a genuine lone combatant at the Third Heaven of the World Realm, he was certain he could defeat. But the problem was that the opponent used a formation, employed trickery, and even invited a stronger master. This truly left him helpless.

Wait, he still had a path to survival. As long as he broke through to the Third Heaven of the World Realm, with the Desolate-Slaying Sword in hand, he could defeat the Fifth Heaven World Realm Ancestor of the Savage Beast Sect, given that his mastery over Primordial Chaos Power allowed him to fight one level above.

How could he reach the Third Heaven of the World Realm? He only lacked the Stone of Opening Heaven’s Time. Lu Yuan immediately asked those around him if anyone possessed such a stone, explicitly stating that if he had it, he might be able to contend with the Savage Beast Sect Ancestor. However, the Stone of Opening Heaven’s Time was an exceedingly rare item, and no one had one.

Another fruitless effort!

Lu Yuan was frustrated again. Damn it, why must he have the Stone of Opening Heaven’s Time to break through to the Third Heaven of the World Realm?

Just then, Lu Yuan perceived a sound transmission welling up in his ear: "An old acquaintance wishes to meet, at the foot of Beast Soul Mountain."

An old acquaintance? Which one?

Lu Yuan did not hesitate for an instant and flew straight towards the foot of Beast Soul Mountain to see which acquaintance it was. Lu Yuan flew rapidly and soon reached the base of the mountain. With a sweep of his divine sense, he quickly located an area to the east of Beast Soul Mountain’s foot. He flew straight over and discovered a figure in gray robes and a conical hat standing there with his hands behind his back.

"Oh, you've arrived," the gray-robed figure said faintly, his voice somewhat hoarse.

The man’s voice sounded familiar, but Lu Yuan couldn't immediately recall who it was.

The figure in the conical hat turned around; it was an old man with a white beard.

The Sect Master of the Hidden Sword Sect, Jian Ruhai!

Lu Yuan instantly recognized him. Jian Ruhai had trained him for a period, enabling him to finally defeat Lu Yuan. After such a long separation, he had finally met Jian Ruhai again.

"Greetings, Predecessor Jian," Lu Yuan saluted.

"No need for formalities now," Jian Ruhai said. "I am here to tell you how to break through to the Third Heaven of the World Realm."

Sect Master Jian Ruhai of the Hidden Sword Sect spoke with an extraordinary air, suggesting he had a way for Lu Yuan to reach the Third Heaven of the World Realm in a short time.

Lu Yuan was also curious why the Hidden Sword Sect Master, Jian Ruhai, was here.