I transmigrated to a chaotic world and became the sole player.

The Soul Nourishing Pill's medicinal power was gentle and sustained. Lu Zhao used all his strength to activate the [Spirit Refining Technique], and it took him a full half hour to completely absorb and refine the energy that nourished his soul.

When he opened his eyes again, the world seemed to have been washed clean, becoming clearer and more vibrant. The patterns on the distant ruins, the dust floating in the air, even the faint, malevolent energy flowing deep within the ruins, were several times clearer than before. This wasn't an improvement in eyesight, but a leap in perception brought about by the power of a "god"!

He looked at his attribute panel:

Name: Lu Zhao

[Level: 3 (10/300)]

【HP: 100%】

[Stamina: 100%]

[Attributes: Strength: 0.9, Constitution: 0.8, Agility: 1.0, Spirit: 2.5 (+0.5)]

[Skills: Turtle Breathing Technique (Beginner) Lv1 (18/100); Spirit Refining Technique (Beginner) Lv1 (20/100)]

[Title: Novice Hunter]

[Equipment: Worn-out linen clothes (Durability: 1/10), Rusty wood-chopping knife (Durability: 10/20)]

With his divine attribute reaching 2.5, the effect was immediate. He tried to concentrate again to observe a wandering level 3 Soul-Eating Puppet in the distance, and found that he could not only see its health bar, but also vaguely sense the areas on its body where the Yin energy was relatively dense and sparse. Those areas likely corresponded to its weaknesses or weak points in defense!

"This is the benefit of a strong spirit!" Lu Zhao thought excitedly. The high divine attribute not only enhanced his perception, but also seemed to have a hidden bonus to abilities such as "weakness perception".

He couldn't wait to test whether the [Refining Spirit Technique] could be effective in actual combat. He once again targeted a lone level 2 Soul-Eating Puppet.

This time, he did not rush to attack. Instead, he stood at a distance, activated the [Refining Spirit Technique], and extended a wisp of spiritual power like an antenna, gently "touching" the ghost puppet.

A cold, chaotic, and resentful thought returned, sending a chill down Lu Zhao's spine. But he endured the discomfort and maintained this faint sensory connection.

He discovered that in this state, the subtle signs of the puppet's movements, such as the shrugging of its shoulders and the shift in its center of gravity, seemed to be slowed down slightly, allowing him to react earlier. At the same time, the few points on the puppet's body where the Yin energy was relatively sparse became clearer in his perception.

"it works!"

With a firm resolve, Lu Zhao once again employed the kite tactic. With the aid of the [Refining Spirit Technique], his evasions became more effortless, and his attacks more precise, targeting any perceived weaknesses.

[Attack hits the weak point! Deals extra damage to Soul Eater Puppet (LV2)! HP -12%!]

[The Spirit Refining Technique is in progress; mental energy is slowly being depleted.]

The battle ended faster and more easily than the last one. Although maintaining the [Refining Spirit Technique] would continuously consume mental energy (the panel did not show a specific value, but Lu Zhao could feel a kind of "mental fatigue"), the benefits far outweighed the consumption.

[Successfully defeated 'Soul-Eating Phantom Puppet' (LV2)!]

[Experience points gained: 50!]

[Obtained: Broken Soul Core x1]

[Refining Spirit Technique (Beginner) Experience +5.]

The experience points became (60/300), and the proficiency of [Refining Spirit Technique] also steadily increased.

Having tasted success, Lu Zhao repeated the same tactic, eliminating the other two lone Level 2 Phantom Puppets. He only stopped to rest when he felt somewhat mentally exhausted.

The sun was already setting. He tallied his gains: two more soul cores, 160/300 experience points, [Refining Spirit Technique] had leveled up to Lv1 (35/100), the rate at which his mental energy was being consumed seemed to have slowed down slightly, and the recovery rate had also improved.

"It's time to leave." Lu Zhao made his decision as he watched the sun gradually set in the west.

Staying here at night is too risky. Besides, he has already obtained the greatest gains of this trip—the Basic Spirit Refining Technique and the Soul Nourishing Pill. It's wise to consolidate what he has already gained and digest this harvest rather than trying to take too much at once.

More importantly, he was still thinking about the group of refugees heading south and Master Zhao. While being alone offered freedom, in this dangerous and chaotic world, a supportive community might provide more information and opportunities. Moreover, he needed to know more about the outside world, such as the Qingyun Sect and the true state of affairs in this world.

He finished the remaining snake meat and then carefully checked his equipment and condition. His machete had only 10 durability points left and needed repair or replacement. His linen clothes were tattered and almost completely useless for protection.

"I need to figure out how to get some decent equipment," Lu Zhao thought to himself.

Before it got completely dark, Lu Zhao quickly left the abandoned border town that had brought him such a dramatic turn of events. He headed south along the official road, keeping an eye out for the markers that Master Zhao had mentioned.

Sure enough, after walking about five or six miles, he saw an arrow mark carved with a knife on a large tree by the roadside, pointing to a small path that branched off into the mountains. Next to it were a few blurry words: "Water... South..."

"They found water? They went into the mountains?" Lu Zhao's spirits lifted, and he turned onto the path without hesitation.

The path was rugged and difficult to traverse, but several similar markers were indeed found along the way. It seemed that the refugee caravan had found a water source and, for safety, had chosen to deviate from the main road and enter the mountains.

The sky darkened rapidly. The forest was even darker than the official road, with the hooting of owls and the low growls of unknown wild beasts rising and falling, adding to the sense of terror.

Lu Zhao lit the last bit of the torch and carefully proceeded. After walking for about half an hour, he faintly heard the sound of flowing water ahead, as well as... a faint light and human voices!

He quickened his pace, passed through a dense thicket of bushes, and suddenly the view opened up before him.

A clear stream flowed gently under the moonlight. On a clearing beside the stream, several bonfires burned, and dozens of refugees sat around them. Although they were still thin and emaciated, their faces showed a renewed vitality after surviving a calamity. They had finally found a life-saving water source.

Lu Zhao's appearance immediately alerted the night watchmen.

"Who?!"

"It's...it's Brother Lu!" Someone recognized him, their voice filled with surprise and a hint of barely perceptible awe.

Master Zhao stood up from the crowd and, seeing Lu Zhao return safely, a relieved smile appeared on his face: "Young friend Lu, you're finally back! I thought..."

Lu Zhao walked to the fire and smiled at Master Zhao: "I'm sorry to have worried you, Master. I was lucky enough to find a seepage well in town that wasn't completely dry, so I replenished it with some water. I found this place by following the markings you left behind."

He omitted the perils and gains from the ruins, only briefly mentioning them. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing him return safely. After the events of the past few days, Lu Zhao's status within this small group had subtly changed.

Master Zhao pulled Lu Zhao to sit down and handed him a warm tuber wrapped in a large leaf: "Try it. I found it in the forest. It's called taro. It's coarse, but it'll fill your stomach."

Lu Daoxie took it, took a bite, and found the texture to be rough, but with a sweet, starchy aroma. As he ate, he listened to Master Zhao and the surrounding refugees recount how they found the stream and how they decided to rest there temporarily.

"Brother Lu," a middle-aged vagrant who had previously received a favor from Lu Zhaodangying approached and whispered, "didn't you run into those hooligans when you came back?"

Lu Zhao's heart skipped a beat: "Zhang Kui and the others? I didn't run into them. What happened?"

The refugee said with lingering fear, "When we were heading south, we saw bloodstains and signs of a fight beside the official road. It looked like... like we had been attacked by some wild animal. It was quite a horrific scene. We didn't dare to look closely and quickly took a detour into the mountains."

Zhang Kui's group was attacked? Lu Zhao frowned slightly. Did they encounter an even stronger monster? Or... were they double-crossed? In this chaotic world, anything can happen.

He shook his head, deciding not to think about it anymore. The fate of those men was none of his concern.

After finishing the taro, Lu Zhao found a relatively quiet corner and sat down with his back against a big tree. He didn't go to sleep, but instead started circulating the [Refining Spirit Technique] and [Turtle Breathing Technique] again.

While recovering his physical and mental strength, he continued his "data-driven cultivation." Sensing the faint flow of qi and blood within his body, he guided the generation and nourishment of his spiritual power, reviewing the day's battle and the methods of the "Basic Spirit Refining Technique" in his mind.

The firelight illuminated his young yet already resolute profile.

The road ahead is still long and fraught with danger. But at this moment, he is filled with an unprecedented sense of security and anticipation.

Because he knew he had already grasped the first cornerstone to establish himself in this world. From now on, he would take each step more steadily.