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

As dawn broke through the gaps in the forest, dappled sunlight streamed down. The babbling brook and the melodious birdsong temporarily washed away the weariness and despair of the refugees who had endured the past few days.

Lu Zhao awoke from the shallow practice of the [Turtle Breathing Technique], feeling refreshed and invigorated. A night's rest, coupled with the nourishment of his spirit from the [Spirit Refining Technique], had restored him to his peak condition. His gaze swept over the refugees lying haphazardly on the clearing by the stream; their faces still bore the pallor of death, but at least they no longer possessed the ashen look of someone on the verge of death.

Master Zhao had already stood up and was leaning on his bamboo cane, discussing in hushed tones with several young men who still seemed to have some strength.

"Although there is a water source here, it is not a place to stay for long." Master Zhao frowned. "Not to mention the wild beasts and poisonous insects in the mountains, if there is a heavy rain, the stream will swell and we will all become fish and turtles. We need to find a place with higher ground, easy to defend, and preferably where we can cultivate some land, so that we can make a long-term plan."

Everyone nodded, but their faces were filled with confusion. In this desolate wilderness, where could they find a place to settle down?

Lu Zhao walked over and said, "What you say is absolutely right, Master. Yesterday, I observed from that high slope over there and saw that about a few miles upstream from this stream, there is a valley surrounded by mountains on three sides, with a narrow entrance. The terrain inside the valley is flat, and there seems to be a meadow. Perhaps it would be a good choice."

His powerful divine attributes, which granted him keen observation skills, came in handy at this moment. Last night, during a break from his cultivation, he climbed to a high place and, with his extraordinary eyesight, vaguely made out the outline of that valley.

Master Zhao was delighted upon hearing this: "Oh? Young friend Lu's observation is remarkable! If that's true, then there's always a way out! Let's go investigate immediately!"

Hope was rekindled among the group. They packed their meager belongings and set off upstream along the stream. Lu Zhao volunteered to lead the way, as his agility and exceptional senses made him perfectly suited for the task.

Sure enough, after walking about three or four miles and rounding a mountain pass, a narrow valley entrance appeared before them. The entrance was only wide enough for two or three people to walk abreast, with steep cliffs on both sides, making it easy to defend and difficult to attack. Passing through the entrance, the view suddenly opened up, revealing a flat valley of several acres, covered in lush green grass and even a few wild fruit trees. A tributary of a stream meandered along one side of the valley, ensuring a good water supply.

"Excellent! Excellent place!" Master Zhao exclaimed, his beard trembling slightly with excitement. "This is truly a place where we can settle down and make a living!"

The refugees also showed smiles that they hadn't seen in a long time, and the children even started running and playing on the grass.

After selecting the location, the busy work of building the camp began. Everyone divided the work: some felled trees, some cut grass, and some built simple shelters. Lu Zhao did not stand idly by, relying on his strength, but actively participated. He was strong and agile, and was good at cutting down trees and carrying heavy objects, which gradually made the refugees who were initially somewhat afraid of him put down their barriers.

In building the shack, Lu Zhao intentionally incorporated his understanding of structure and the application of force, striving for stability even with simple mortise and tenon joints and bindings. He hoped to trigger a skill like "construction," but unfortunately, he didn't succeed. It seems that mastering life skills requires more professional and systematic practice.

After a busy day, a simple but rudimentary campsite was finally established in the valley. A dozen or so huts were scattered around, and a huge campfire burned in the central open space, with wild vegetable soup boiled in stream water and roasted taro and tubers on it. The aroma of food filled the air, bringing a rare sense of peace and warmth.

As night fell, the group gathered around the campfire, sharing their simple food. Although life was still hard, the shelter from the wind and rain, the stable water source, and the temporary safety rekindled hope in everyone's hearts.

Looking at the scene before him, Master Zhao felt a deep sense of relief. He stood up and said loudly, "Fellow villagers! Heaven has not forsaken us, allowing us to find this paradise! From this day forward, let us rest and recuperate here! I propose that this place be named 'Wang An Ju' (Hopeful Abode), hoping that we can find peace and tranquility here!"

"good!"

"Wang Anju! What a great name!"

Everyone chimed in, creating a lively atmosphere.

Lu Zhao sat at the edge of the crowd, watching the leaping campfire and listening to the laughter and chatter, a warmth rising in his heart. This collective strength truly brought a sense of security.

But he also knew clearly that this peace was fragile. The valley could keep out wild beasts, but it might not be able to stop bandits, marauding soldiers, or even... beings beyond the comprehension of ordinary people, such as the Soul-Eating Puppet, or cultivators like those from the Qingyun Sect.

He must improve his strength as soon as possible.

With that in mind, he made an excuse to stay on night watch, left the noisy crowd, and walked to a secluded spot behind a large rock at the edge of the camp. He took out the "Basic Refining Spirit Technique" and the remaining two soul cores again.

He had mastered the basics of the technique, but how to utilize the soul core remained a challenge. He tried holding a soul core in his palm while practicing the [Refining Spirit Technique], hoping to guide its energy.

The soul core remained cold, its internal Yin energy incompatible with the balanced and peaceful spiritual power of the [Refining God Technique], even producing a slight repulsion.

"No, attribute conflict?" Lu Zhao frowned. "Could it be that this soul core can only be used for demonic cultivation techniques? Or... does it require a special refining method?"

He recalled the game's mechanics from his previous life, where many materials required processing before use. Perhaps the "soul cores" of this world also needed "purification" or "refining"?

Having no clue what to do, he could only put away the soul core and focus on cultivating the [Spirit Refining Technique]. His spiritual power flowed slowly through his mind, sensing everything around him. The chirping of insects in the grass, the rustling of nocturnal animals in the distance, and even the extremely thin spiritual energy in the air were all countless times clearer than before.

[Refining Spirit Technique (Beginner) Experience +2...]

Time flies when you're cultivating. In the latter half of the night, when it was Lu Zhao's turn to keep watch, he sat cross-legged on a high ground at the entrance of the camp, cultivating while spreading his spiritual power out like a spider web, covering an area of ​​several dozen feet around the camp.

This kind of wide-ranging perception is very taxing, but the results are remarkable. No slightest disturbance can escape his mental scan.

Suddenly, he sensed a slight but unusual commotion coming from the edge of the woods on the west side of the camp, as if something was quietly approaching!

It wasn't a large wild beast, and it made very little noise, but it carried an aura of...greed?

Lu Zhao suddenly opened his eyes, a glint of light flashing within them. He silently stood up, picked up his woodcutter's knife, and slipped into the dark woods like a cat.

The first night in Wang'anju seemed anything but peaceful.