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

The Contribution Hall remains one of the busiest places in the sect. Following the battle of Qingfeng Town, numerous cleanup, clearing, patrol, and repair missions have been issued, leading to a more frequent exchange of contribution points. The hall is bustling with activity and noise, with many disciples displaying signs of fatigue and urgency.

Lu Zhao's arrival didn't cause much of a stir. Although news of his "meritorious service" circulated in small circles, most people didn't know the specific details and simply considered him an ordinary outer disciple who had been lucky and performed reasonably well in the mission. However, his cultivation level at the mid-stage of the fifth level of Qi Refining attracted the attention of some fellow disciples. Reaching the fifth level of Qi Refining in just a few months was quite impressive for an outer disciple, but it wasn't unprecedented. After all, following the Great Calamity, resources were allocated more equitably, and many disciples had made breakthroughs.

Lu Zhao ignored this and went straight to the exchange window. He handed over his identity token, which contained 10,000 sect contribution points and 4500 dungeon contribution points that had not yet been exchanged (requires further action).

The person in charge of the exchange was a middle-aged deacon. He took the token, examined it briefly, a hint of surprise flashing in his eyes. He looked up at Lu Zhao, his tone becoming much more polite: "Junior Brother Lu, there are 10,000 contribution points in this token. What would you like to exchange it for?"

"Please transfer the 4500 contribution points from this jade slip to the token first." Lu Zhao handed over the special jade slip given to him by Elder Yun, which recorded the contribution points for the dungeon.

The steward took the document, processed it for a moment, and nodded, saying, "Transfer complete. Junior Brother currently has a total of 14,500 contribution points. What would you like to exchange for?"

Several disciples waiting in line nearby gasped upon hearing the number "14,500," their eyes filled with shock, envy, and even jealousy as they turned to look at Lu Zhao. 14,500 points! For most outer sect disciples, this was an astronomical figure! Enough to exchange for several decent cultivation techniques, a large quantity of pills, or even a decent first-tier magic weapon! Where did this kid get so many contribution points? Could it be a reward from the Qingfeng Town mission? But even if he had performed a great service, he shouldn't have this many, right?

Ignoring the stares of those around him, Lu Zhao quickly stated his needs. He already had a list of items he wanted to exchange:

First, there were the pills. Cultivation, combat, healing, and detoxification all required a large number of pills. He exchanged for fifty mid-grade Tier 1 Qi Gathering Pills, thirty high-grade Tier 1 Jade Dew Rejuvenating Pills, twenty high-grade Tier 1 Spirit Nourishing Pills, ten top-grade Tier 1 Meridian Protecting Pills, and a number of various healing and detoxifying pills. The total cost was approximately 2,500 contribution points.

Secondly, there were the talisman materials. His talisman skills needed improvement, requiring higher quality talisman paper, cinnabar, and spirit ink. He exchanged for fifty sheets of Tier 1 superior-grade [Fire Cloud Talisman Paper], thirty sheets of Tier 1 superior-grade [Golden Light Talisman Paper], twenty taels of Tier 1 superior-grade [Blazing Sun Cinnabar], ten taels of Tier 1 supreme-grade [Golden Essence Cinnabar], and some auxiliary materials needed to draw special talismans. The total cost was approximately two thousand contribution points.

Next, there was the jade slip containing spells. Although he had recently acquired the "Eight Extremes Demon-Sealing Hand Seal," it was mainly for suppressing and sealing. He still needed to supplement his skills in direct combat and movement techniques. He spent 1,500 contribution points to exchange for two spells he had his eye on on the first floor of the Scripture Pavilion: [Thunder Flash (Tier 1, High Grade)] and [Flowing Cloud Step (Tier 1, High Grade)].

[Thunder Flash] is a lightning-based attack spell, fast and powerful, with a paralyzing effect, perfectly suited to his strong mental power and precise control. [Flowing Cloud Step] is a movement technique, emphasizing elusive and unpredictable movements, like flowing clouds, greatly enhancing evasion and mobility, and its effect is even better when combined with [Swiftness Talisman].

Next, there were the magical artifacts. He already possessed the top-grade flying needles, the [Mysterious Yin Soul-Slaying Needles], but his magical artifacts for direct combat were somewhat lacking (his short sword was of average quality). He spent three thousand contribution points to exchange for a Tier 1 high-grade magical artifact, the [Azure Edge Sword]. This sword was light, agile, and sharp, with an "armor-piercing" attribute, suitable for his current agility and swordsmanship (although his swordsmanship was only at the basic level). He then spent another one thousand five hundred contribution points to exchange for a Tier 1 mid-grade defensive magical artifact, the [Mysterious Turtle Shield], which could be adjusted in size and had decent defensive capabilities.

Finally, he spent 500 contribution points to exchange for some basic materials and jade slips for refining and array formations, intending to try to study the use of [Abyssal Demon Iron] and lay a foundation for his future involvement in refining and array formations.

After the exchange, his 14,500 contribution points dwindled to a mere 4,000. Lu Zhao, however, felt no pity. Resources only became true wealth when converted into power. He felt his storage pouch (a human skin pouch) was fuller than ever before, and his confidence grew considerably.

"Junior Brother Lu is really generous." The disciple in charge counted out the items he had exchanged for, his tone tinged with envy.

"Senior brother is too kind. These are all rewards from the sect; I wouldn't dare waste them," Lu Zhao said politely, putting away the items and turning to leave. He could feel several gazes behind him, like venomous snakes, clinging to his storage bag, filled with greed. But he didn't care. As long as he didn't violate the sect rules, no one in the sect would dare to openly steal from him.

Leaving the Hall of Contributions, Lu Zhao headed straight for the Scripture Pavilion. This time, he was going to the second floor.

The second floor of the Scripture Pavilion was even more heavily guarded, requiring identity verification and entry permission. The guard was an elderly man with white hair and an unfathomable aura. He took Lu Zhao's identity token and the permission certificate from Elder Yun, glanced at Lu Zhao with his cloudy eyes, and said indifferently, "On the second floor of the Scripture Pavilion, the lowest level of cultivation techniques and spells is mid-grade Yellow Rank, and the highest is top-grade Yellow Rank. You have only one chance to choose, with a time limit of one hour. Damaging or copying the jade slips is strictly prohibited; violators will be severely punished."

"Disciple understands." Lu Zhao bowed respectfully and stepped into the second floor.

The second floor was smaller than the first, but more tranquil and solemn. The tall bookshelves, made of spirit wood, emitted a faint fragrance. There were far fewer jade slips on the shelves, but each one shimmered with spiritual light, clearly not ordinary. At this moment, only a few people were in the room, all quietly perusing the books, no one speaking.

Lu Zhao walked to the cultivation technique area. The cultivation techniques here were no longer based on the basic five elements, but included many techniques with special attributes or special effects.

"Yi Wood Everlasting Spring Skill" (Mid-grade Yellow Rank): A wood-attribute skill that, after cultivation, results in abundant true qi, vigorous vitality, and is adept at healing, support, and prolonging life.

"Gengjin Breaking Armor Technique" (Mid-grade Yellow Rank): A metal-elemental martial art, extremely sharp and unparalleled, specifically designed to break through protective qi and magical artifact defenses, with strong offensive power.

"Mysterious Water True Method" (High-grade Yellow Rank): A water-attribute cultivation technique, versatile and capable of both offense and defense. When cultivated to a high level, it can evolve into water-based supernatural powers.

"Burning Heaven with Blazing Fire" (High-grade Yellow Rank): A fire-attribute technique, violent and fierce. The true fire cultivated is incredibly powerful, but it consumes a great deal of energy and easily damages the meridians.

"The Scripture of Great Virtue Carries All Things" (Yellow Rank Supreme): A supreme earth-attribute cultivation technique with unparalleled defense. Its true qi is as thick as a mountain. The cultivation speed is slow, but the foundation is solid and the aftereffects are long-lasting.

Wind and Thunder Escape Technique (Mid-grade Yellow Rank): A rare escape technique with both wind and thunder attributes. It is extremely fast and contains a trace of lightning power, making it suitable for both offense and escape.

Ice Heart Technique (High-grade Yellow Rank): A special auxiliary technique. After cultivation, it can calm the mind and resist illusions and inner demons, enhance comprehension, and has a remarkable effect on breaking through bottlenecks.

……

Lu Zhao looked through the techniques, weighing his options. His main cultivation technique, *Hibernating Dragon*, was mysterious and unpredictable, its rank unknown, but its effects were excellent, so there was no need to change it for the time being. *Refining Spirit Technique* was an even more refined and irreplaceable secret art. What he lacked now was a powerful offensive technique, or a special technique that could greatly enhance his survivability.

"For offense, I have talismans and the Thunder Flash spell, which is sufficient for now. The Eight Extremes Demon Sealing Handprint has great potential, but it needs time to be fully explored. As for survivability... the Flowing Cloud Step is a movement technique, the Mystic Turtle Shield is a defensive magic weapon, and I have enough pills. But it seems I'm still lacking a means to deal with extreme situations or special enemies..."

His gaze finally settled on the two martial arts techniques.

One of the manuals is the "Blood Fiend True Explanation (Fragment)" (High-grade Yellow Rank). That's right, the Scripture Pavilion actually houses a fragment of the Blood Fiend Sect's cultivation technique! A note beside it reads: "This fragment was obtained by the sect during the suppression of a Blood Fiend Sect branch. It only records the Qi Refining stage, and it has many omissions. Practicing it is extremely easy to suffer from qi deviation, turning one into a blood puppet who only knows killing. It is for research and deciphering the Blood Fiend Sect's techniques only; disciples are strictly prohibited from practicing it."

The other is the *Minor Five Elements Sword Formation (Basic)* (Yellow Rank Supreme). This is a sword formation technique, not a simple cultivation method. It requires flying swords (or sword energy) of the five attributes—metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—as a foundation, arranged according to a specific formation to form a small sword formation that integrates offense and defense, with power far exceeding that of a single flying sword. However, the conditions for cultivation are harsh, requiring the simultaneous possession of the mental and spiritual power to control multiple flying swords, and a high level of perception of the five elements. (Note: This sword formation is a simplified version of an ancient sword formation, possessing immense power, but extremely difficult to cultivate. Those without exceptional talent and powerful spiritual sense should not attempt it lightly.)

Lu Zhao's gaze lingered between the two cultivation techniques.

The Blood Fiend True Explanation... He happened to possess items such as [Blood Fiend Crystal (Top Grade)], [Blood Fiend Essence (High Grade)], and even that [Unknown Black Token (Incomplete)] of unknown purpose. If he chose this incomplete chapter of the technique, he might be able to delve deeper into the power of Blood Fiend, and even attempt to "use evil to fight evil," laying the foundation for dealing with the Blood Fiend Cult in the future. However, the risks were also extremely high; if he lost control, it could backfire on him.

The "Minor Five Elements Sword Formation"...it's practically tailor-made for him! His mental strength is formidable (Refining Spirit Technique Lv5), allowing him to manipulate multiple objects simultaneously (mental tentacles, Soul Splitting Technique). While he lacks five-element flying swords, he possesses talismans! Moreover, he's a talisman master capable of drawing talismans of the five elements: metal, wood, water, fire, and earth! If he could replace his flying swords with talismans of the five elements and set up this "Minor Five Elements Talisman Formation," what would its power be? Combined with his Lv6 talisman drawing and deduction abilities, perhaps he could forge a unique path in "talisman formations"! This would undoubtedly maximize his talisman advantages!

Without much hesitation, Lu Zhao reached out and took the jade slip containing the "Minor Five Elements Sword Formation (Basic Chapter)".

"Are you sure you want to choose this technique? This formation is extremely difficult to cultivate, consumes a huge amount of resources, and has demanding requirements on spiritual sense. Many inner disciples have tried it but have had to give up." The old man guarding the pavilion's voice rang in my ears, carrying a hint of reminder.

"This disciple is certain. I am willing to give it my all," Lu Zhao said firmly.

"Alright, go ahead. Remember, don't tell anyone." The old man said no more.

Lu Zhao took the jade slip, walked to a quiet room, and placed it on his forehead. A massive flow of information flooded his mind; it was the complete cultivation method of the "Minor Five Elements Sword Formation (Basic Chapter)," including the condensation, control, formation arrangement, and changes of the five elements sword energy, as well as the core principle of "mutual generation and mutual restraint among the minor five elements." The information was profound and complex, but Lu Zhao had the foundation of [Rune Deduction] and [Spirit Refining Technique], so although it was difficult to understand, it was not entirely without clues.

"Indeed profound... Using talismans instead of swords has great potential!" After pondering for a moment, Lu Zhao's eyes gleamed, and his vision for the future became clearer.

An hour later, Lu Zhao returned the jade slip and left the Scripture Pavilion. He did not immediately return to his cave dwelling, but instead headed towards the Talisman Pavilion. After more than a month of seclusion, it was time to report in and see if he could borrow the Earth Fire Chamber or the Quiet Room in the Talisman Pavilion to try drawing more complex Five Elements Talismans in preparation for cultivating the "Minor Five Elements Talisman Array".

The Talisman Pavilion remained quiet, the air filled with the familiar scents of cinnabar and spiritual ink. Lu Zhao's arrival drew surprised glances from some of his familiar senior brothers and sisters. News of his breakthrough to the fifth level of Qi Refining had clearly spread, and coupled with the "rumors" from his previous mission in Qingfeng Town, he was no longer the unknown newcomer in the Talisman Pavilion.

"Junior Brother Lu! You've emerged from seclusion?" Wang Tie was the first to rush over, patting Lu Zhao's shoulder vigorously with a beaming smile. "Good heavens, you've reached the fifth level of Qi Refining! It hasn't even been that long! I heard you made a great contribution in Qingfeng Town? Is that true?"

"Senior Brother Wang," Lu Zhao greeted with a smile, "It was just luck; it was all thanks to the sect and elders' strategic planning. How have you been, Senior Brother?"

"What's so great about it? I'm swamped. Since Qingfeng Town, the demand for reinforcement, early warning, and exorcising talismans has skyrocketed. We nominal disciples are almost overwhelmed by the tasks," Wang Tie complained, but his eyes gleamed, clearly indicating that this busyness also meant an increase in contribution points and proficiency. "By the way, Deacon Zhou asked about you a few days ago. You should go see him."

Lu Zhao nodded and walked towards the quiet room where Deacon Zhou was. Deacon Zhou smiled upon seeing him: "Lu Zhao, you've come at the right time. Your cultivation has improved remarkably, congratulations! Elder Yun has already sent word to me, praising your talent in talismans. This is your quota for this month. Furthermore... the Pavilion Master is very interested in your 'Minor Five Elements Talisman Array' concept and has specially approved your use of Earth-Class No. 3 Earth Fire Chamber. The earth fire there is stable, and with the assistance of a spirit-gathering array, it's more suitable for you to experiment with complex talisman combinations and array deductions. Here is the token."

As he spoke, Deacon Zhou handed over a crimson token engraved with "Earth Three".

Lu Zhao's heart skipped a beat, and he quickly accepted the gift: "Thank you, Steward Zhou, and thank you for your kindness, Pavilion Master!" This was undoubtedly a timely help. The Earth Fire Chamber was generally only used by inner sect talisman masters or senior disciples, and its environment far surpassed that of his own cave dwelling.

"No need to be so polite. It is something the Pavilion Master is pleased to see that you have found a new path in the art of talismans. Prepare well for the sect competition in three months. If you can make achievements in the art of talismans and bring glory to our Talisman Pavilion, the Pavilion Master will surely reward you handsomely," Steward Zhou encouraged.

"This disciple will certainly do his best."

After leaving the meditation room, Lu Zhao did not immediately go to the Earth Fire Chamber, but returned to his own cave dwelling first. He needed to organize and categorize the resources he had exchanged, and also take care of some "personal matters".

However, when he reached the mountainside of Green Bamboo Peak where his cave was located, his brows furrowed slightly.

The entrance to the cave was a scene of utter chaos. Although the protective barriers remained intact, several large, crooked characters had been smeared on the stone steps in front of the entrance with a dark red liquid that emitted a faint, fishy odor:

"Get out of the sect!"

"A blood debt must be paid in blood!"

The handwriting was grotesque and filled with malice. The dark red liquid, seemingly the blood of some kind of beast, was half-dried and emitted a nauseating odor. What made Lu Zhao's eyes turn colder was that on the protective barrier of the cave, there was a tattered and stained talisman—judging from its appearance, it was a fragment of the [Warning Talisman (Good)] that he had once sold to Hou San! However, at this moment, the warning talisman was contaminated by the blood and had lost all its spiritual power.

Clearly, someone not only came to his cave to provoke and intimidate him, but also deliberately left behind "evidence" (albeit fragments) of his transaction with Hou San. This is a blatant warning and frame-up! It means, I know about your relationship with Hou San, and I also know about some of your "little tricks." This is just a warning, but next time it won't be so simple.

Several outer disciples passing by saw this scene and kept their distance, pointing and whispering with surprise and schadenfreude in their eyes.

Lu Zhao remained expressionless as he stepped forward, waving his hand to unleash a cleansing spell, washing away the bloodstains and writing on the door. Then, he took the tainted fragment of the warning talisman, placed it in his palm, and the perception of the [Refining Spirit Technique] quietly spread.

On the fragment, besides the filthy blood and the faint aura of himself and Hou San, there remained an extremely faint, cold, slippery, and slightly earthy unfamiliar scent. This scent was very faint and masked by the filthy blood; if Lu Zhao hadn't possessed strong mental power, it would have been almost impossible to detect.

"It's not Zhao Wuji's aura... Is it one of his subordinates? Or someone else?" Lu Zhao pondered. As a steward, Zhao Wuji wouldn't personally do such a despicable thing. But it's highly possible that he instructed his subordinates or hinted to someone connected to him to do it.

"Trying to scare me off with this? Or trying to provoke me and make me make a mistake?" A cold smile curled at the corner of Lu Zhao's lips. He put away the fragment, not immediately activating the cave's restrictions to enter, but instead turned and walked in another direction.

He arrived near Hou San's cave dwelling. From afar, he could see that the cave's gate was tightly closed, the protective barriers intact, but the entrance was also in disarray, showing signs of a struggle, and even a small pool of dried blood. He didn't see Hou San anywhere nearby.

Lu Zhao's eyes grew even colder. He walked over to a nearby disciple who was tending to a spirit field, handed him a low-grade spirit stone, and asked, "Senior brother, do you know where Junior Brother Hou, who lives here, has gone?"

The handyman disciple's eyes lit up when he saw the spirit stones. He then glanced at Lu Zhao's outer sect disciple robes and his fifth-level Qi Refining aura, and quickly whispered, "It's Senior Brother Hou... The night before last, there seemed to be some commotion here. Apparently, someone came looking for trouble, and a fight broke out. Later, the senior brothers from the Enforcement Hall came and took everyone away. Senior Brother Hou seemed to have been injured and was also taken away; he hasn't returned yet. I heard it was... a fight involving magic, violating the sect rules..."

Sure enough, Hou San also ran into trouble. It seems the other side not only warned him but also targeted those around him. Was it to cut off his "eyes and ears," or to warn him to mind his own business?

Lu Zhao nodded, asked no further questions, and turned to leave. He didn't go to the Enforcement Hall; going now might only bring more trouble to Hou San, or he might fall into their trap.

He returned to his cave dwelling, activated the restrictions, and went inside. Everything inside was normal; clearly, the other party had only threatened him from the outside and had not dared to actually break in (the restrictions on the cave dwelling were set up by the sect, and forcibly breaking in was tantamount to betraying the sect).

Lu Zhao sat on the stone bench, his fingers unconsciously tapping the table, his eyes deep.

"Zhao Wuji... or someone from his faction... they're quick on their feet. It seems the incident in Qingfeng Town not only didn't make him restrain himself, but it also drove him to desperation, or rather, made him resent me even more."

"The sect competition is still three months away... During this time, he definitely won't let me cultivate in peace. Secret provocations, harassment, and even framing will probably follow one after another."

"We must speed things up. Not only do we need to improve our cultivation and talismans, but we also need to master the 'Minor Five Elements Talisman Array' as soon as possible and develop it into a combat weapon. Furthermore, we need to become more proficient in controlling the [Mysterious Yin Soul-Slaying Needle]."

"Also... we need to find out about Hou San's situation. We also need to remind Wang Tie, Huang Ling'er, and the others to be careful and not get involved with me."

Lu Zhao took a deep breath, clearing his mind of distractions. He first took the pill, then regulated his breathing for a moment to bring himself to peak condition. Then, he took out the token for the Earth-level No. 3 Fire Chamber, along with a large amount of talisman materials he had exchanged.

"Instead of passively defending, we should take the initiative. Let's use our strength to shut up those rats in the shadows."

He stood up, a sharp glint in his eyes.

"Let's go to the Earth Fire Chamber first. The first 'Spell Sword' of this 'Minor Five Elements Spell Array' will start with... the Metal element!"