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

"Devour...it...!"

A dry, hoarse voice, a strange blend of two distinct tones, like two rough metals rubbing together, emanated from "Lu Zhao's" mouth, carrying a chilling and hollow quality that sent shivers down one's spine. Accompanying this voice was an even more violent, chaotic, and predatory terrifying suction force erupting from his body!

The suction force was not directed at flesh and blood beings, but precisely locked onto the empty shell of the demon soul light orb on the altar, which had become dim and was about to collapse due to the demon soul leaving its body, as well as the huge blood pool below that was still churning and contained a vast but chaotic blood evil resentment energy!

"Buzz—!"

The empty shell of the demonic soul orb on the altar trembled violently first, like a candle flickering in the wind. The pure demonic energy and soul power that remained inside, not yet completely taken away, seemed to be summoned by an irresistible force, turning into wisps of black smoke. They detached from the shell and surged wildly towards Lu Zhao, entering his brow and body! With each wisp absorbed, the chaotic and eerie aura on Lu Zhao's body grew stronger, and the gray flames and darkness in his eyes became even more intense. However, the sense of disharmony and instability became more and more obvious, like a powder keg that could explode at any moment.

Next came the enormous pool of blood. The viscous, dark red blood within churned and churned wildly as if boiling, massive amounts of bloodthirsty resentment essence mixed with the filthy blood, defying gravity and flowing upwards to form thick columns of blood that continuously poured into Lu Zhao's body! This energy was far purer and more abundant than what had passively impacted him in the previous turbulent energy currents, but it was also far more violent and filled with negative emotions!

"No! Stop! That's the Holy Lord's offering! It's the source of the Holy Church's power!" The Ghost Bone Venerable roared in despair and madness upon seeing this. He tried to stop it, but Elder Iron Punishment held him back, leaving him only able to watch helplessly as Lu Zhao devoured and plundered the blood pool's energy at a visible speed!

"He's devouring the remnants of demonic souls and the essence of the blood pool?!" "What...what's going on? Junior Brother Lu, he..." All the surviving disciples of the Qingyun Dao Sect were dumbfounded, their hearts filled with absurdity, horror, and deep unease. This scene before them was beyond their comprehension. How could a Qi Refining stage disciple possibly devour the power of a late-stage Foundation Establishment or even a Pseudo-Core Formation demonic soul? And how could he withstand such immense and violent blood pool energy?

"He's out of control!" Elder Yun's expression was extremely grave. She clearly sensed that the several chaotic and conflicting forces within Lu Zhao's body, under this frenzied devouring, not only failed to become peaceful, but instead burned even more fiercely and uncontrollably, like flames being fueled! Lu Zhao's own soul fluctuations were being frantically impacted, eroded, and overwhelmed by the powerful residual will of the demonic soul and the massive amount of negative emotions!

If this continues, Lu Zhao's self-awareness may be completely annihilated, turning him into a monster that only knows how to devour and destroy, or... be completely possessed by the remaining will of that demonic soul!

"We must awaken him! Stop this devouring!" Elder Yun's eyes flashed with determination. Without further hesitation, she flashed and appeared before Lu Zhao, ignoring the violent devouring force and chaotic energy impact. She stretched out her slender hand and pointed a finger at Lu Zhao's brow! At her fingertip, her pure Golden Core spiritual power was concentrated, along with her powerful divine soul power and a cool, ethereal moonlight Daoist charm that could cleanse inner demons and awaken the spiritual platform!

"Lu Zhao! Wake up!" Elder Yun's clear, cold voice, like a clear spring from the heavens, pierced through the chaotic roars, wails, and devouring sounds, and exploded directly in the deepest part of Lu Zhao's soul! At the same time, her finger steadily touched the gray dragon-shaped mark between Lu Zhao's eyebrows, which was flashing wildly and uncertainly!

"Buzz—!!"

The moment Elder Yun's finger, imbued with the Daoist essence of moonlight and powerful divine soul energy, touched the dragon-shaped mark, another unexpected change occurred!

The dragon-shaped mark, which had become chaotic and dim due to overdrawing and devouring demonic souls, seemed to be infused with a clear spring, trembling violently! Inside the mark, the annihilating dragon energy originating from the Nine Netherworld Evil Dragon seemed not to repel Elder Yun's moonlight power. On the contrary, stimulated by this pure and cold external force, it erupted like a giant dragon awakened, bursting forth with its final and purest gray light! This light was no longer a chaotic devouring, but carried an ancient, majestic, and primordial aura of annihilation of all things, instantly engulfing Lu Zhao's entire body!

Wherever the gray light passed, the surging bloodthirsty resentment energy, as if encountering its nemesis, hissed and was quickly purified, annihilated, and repelled! The remaining dark demonic energy of the demonic soul also seemed to have encountered its natural enemy, letting out a terrified silent shriek, and was firmly suppressed and driven into the corner of the sea of ​​consciousness by the gray light!

More importantly, this pure, extinguishing dragon energy seemed to resonate subtly with Elder Yun's moonlight power, working together on Lu Zhao's sinking self-awareness!

"I...am...Lu Zhao..."

"No...cannot...be...devoured..."

"My fate...is in my own hands..."

In that endless abyss of darkness, chaos, pain, and devouring desire, a faint yet incredibly clear and unwavering light, like a shooting star piercing the long night, suddenly shone brightly! It was the core Daoist thought of "My fate is in my own hands," imprinted deep within Lu Zhao's soul through countless trials of life and death! Under the dual stimulation of Elder Yun's awakening and the final, primordial power of the dragon-shaped imprint's annihilation, this Daoist thought finally erupted with tenacious strength once more, like a stabilizing anchor, firmly anchoring Lu Zhao's crumbling self!

"ah--!!"

Lu Zhao suddenly let out a long howl filled with pain, yet also carrying a hint of relief and clarity! His eerie eyes, the gray flames and darkness within them flickered and clashed violently. In the end, the gray flames seemed to gain the upper hand, temporarily suppressing and forcing back the deep darkness. Although a trace of black energy still remained, Lu Zhao's cold, firm, but no longer empty, spirit had reappeared in his eyes!

At the same time, the violent suction force on his body abruptly ceased as his consciousness returned! The pillars of blood and demonic smoke surging towards him instantly lost their pull, collapsed with a roar, and fell back into the blood pool or dissipated into the air.

"Pfft!" Lu Zhao spat out another mouthful of foul blood mixed with gray, black, and dark red. His body swayed violently, but finally, he was no longer in that stiff and strange posture. Instead, he stood up normally, although he was extremely weak and seemed like he would collapse at any moment.

"Lu Zhao!" Elder Yun rushed forward, supporting his swaying body. A stream of pure and gentle spiritual energy flowed into his body to examine his condition. She could sense that Lu Zhao's internal energy was still chaotic, his meridians were severely damaged, and his soul had also suffered heavy injuries. However, the most dangerous devouring will and the erosion of bloodlust and resentment originating from the demonic soul seemed to have been temporarily suppressed, and his own consciousness had regained dominance.

"I...I'm alright..." Lu Zhao said with difficulty, his voice terribly hoarse, but his eyes were firm. "Elder...quickly...destroy...the altar...the blood pool..."

He knew that his frenzied devouring earlier, while interrupting the demonic soul's plot and absorbing some energy, hadn't completely solved the problem. The altar and blood pool were still the root of the trouble and had to be destroyed immediately.

"Alright!" Elder Yun gave him a deep look, asked no further questions, and placed a healing pill in his mouth before handing him over to Hou San, Wang Tie, Huang Ling'er, and the others who had rushed over. "Take good care of him!"

Turning around, Elder Yun's eyes flashed with a cold light as his gaze fell upon the altar and blood pool, which had become even more unstable due to the massive plundering of energy and the loss of the demonic soul's dominance.

"Iron Punishment! Let's attack together and destroy this hellhole!" Elder Yun shouted, and the "Moonlight Sword" in his hand once again shone with a dazzling silver-white sword light.

"Just what I wanted!" Elder Tie Xing laughed loudly, forcing back Venerable Gui Gu, and also turned his gaze to the altar.

The two experts, one at the Golden Core stage and the other at the late Foundation Establishment stage, simultaneously unleashed their strongest attacks! Elder Yun's "Moonlight Sky Collapse," though slightly weakened, was still a world-destroying strike, fiercely slashing towards the empty demonic soul orb on the altar! Elder Tie Xing's "Wind and Thunder Slash" transformed into a sky-reaching, earth-shattering azure thunderous blade, carrying the momentum to destroy everything, fiercely cleaving towards the massive blood pool below!

"No—!!" The Ghost Bone Venerable roared in despair, trying to stop them, but it was all in vain.

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

Two terrifying attacks struck simultaneously! First, the demonic soul shell on the altar, under the purifying power of "Moonlight Overturning Heaven," melted and vaporized instantly, like ice and snow under the sun, leaving not a trace! Immediately afterward, Elder Tie Xing's "Wind and Thunder Slash" slammed into the center of the blood pool!

"Bang--!!!"

A deafening roar shook the entire underground space! The massive blood pool exploded violently under the destructive force of the blade energy and thunderous power! Countless viscous blood, bone fragments, and resentful thoughts erupted like a volcano, shooting into the sky and carving a huge gap in the cave ceiling! For the first time, sunlight streamed through that gap into this evil and bloody underground world.

The blood pool was destroyed, the altar collapsed, and the eight bone pillars were completely reduced to dust in the aftershocks. The pervasive stench of blood and evil began to dissipate and be purified rapidly under the sunlight and the residual spiritual power of the two elders.

"No... the culmination of the Holy Church's efforts..." The Ghost Bone Venerable stared at the devastation before him, his face ashen, utterly losing his will to fight. He knew it was all over.

"Take him down!" Elder Tie Xing shouted coldly, and together with several Foundation Establishment deacons, they easily subdued and sealed the Ghost Bone Venerable, who had no will to resist.

The battle is finally over.

The surviving disciples of the Qingyun Dao Sect looked at the ruins before them, then at Lu Zhao, who was being supported, his face pale but his eyes still resolute, and their hearts were filled with mixed emotions. This battle was too fierce and too thrilling. And Lu Zhao's strange "devouring" and "awakening" at the end left a deep mark on everyone's hearts.

"Clean up the battlefield, collect all valuable items and clues. Treat the wounded and tally the casualties," Elder Yun ordered, her voice tinged with weariness, but mostly cold. She walked to Lu Zhao's side, checked his condition again, and frowned slightly.

"The power within you is extremely chaotic and requires a long period of rest and refinement. This place is not safe to stay any longer; we must leave as soon as possible," Elder Yun said.

"Yes, Elder." Lu Zhao nodded weakly. He could feel that his body was like a pot of boiling porridge, with various forces clashing, especially the remnants of the demonic soul's will and energy. Although suppressed, they had not been eliminated and remained a huge hidden danger. He needed a safe place to slowly digest all of this.

Just as everyone began cleaning up the battlefield and preparing to leave, a Foundation Establishment deacon who was searching the edge of the Blood Pool ruins suddenly let out a surprised exclamation.

"Elder Yun, Elder Tie Xing! Something has been discovered here!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw the deacon standing at the edge of the huge crater blasted out of the blood pool, pointing to a spot at the bottom of the crater covered by blood and rubble. There, a section of black metal, engraved with complex runes, was exposed—it seemed to be a long-buried door! From the cracks in the door, a faint, colder, and more ancient aura, slightly different from the bloodthirsty aura of this place, seeped out in wisps.

"This is..." Elder Yun and Elder Tie Xing exchanged a glance, their expressions turning grave. They stepped forward, brushing aside the rubble and blood, revealing a heavy door, about ten feet high and five feet wide, forged entirely from some unknown black metal, its surface covered with rust and ancient runes. The door was tightly closed, but there was a noticeable crack in the middle, as if it had been opened before.

"These runes... are not from modern times, nor are they in the style of the 'Corruption Cult'." Elder Tie Xing carefully examined the runes on the door. "They do resemble... the restrictions used by certain ancient sects for sealing and suppression."

"The aura behind the door..." Elder Yun sensed the faint, ancient, and chilling aura emanating from it, a hint of doubt and wariness flashing in her beautiful eyes. "It seems to lead...deeper underground, or...somewhere else. Moreover, this aura reminds me of the descriptions in the sect's records about certain ancient forbidden areas deep within the 'Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range.'"

"The Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range?" Elder Tie Xing exclaimed in surprise. "You mean, this door might be a secret passage leading to the depths of the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range? That's a dangerous place teeming with demonic beasts! Did the Corruption Poison Cult establish a stronghold here not only for blood sacrifices, but also to enter the depths of the Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range through this passage?"

"It's not impossible," Elder Yun said in a deep voice. "The forces of the 'Soul Devouring Demon Lord' have always preferred to operate in various dangerous places and ancient sites, searching for ancient powers or seals. This passage must be investigated. But not now."

She glanced at the exhausted and heavily wounded troops around her, then at Lu Zhao, who was pale and in terrible condition, and shook her head.

"First, seal this place off and leave a mark. We'll take the prisoners and spoils and leave immediately, then return to our sect to report. This matter requires careful consideration."

"Okay." Elder Tie Xing nodded.

Soon, Elder Yun and Elder Tie Xing joined forces to set up powerful seals and warning arrays around the black metal portal. Then, leading everyone, escorting the prisoners, and carrying the spoils, they quickly withdrew from the blood-soaked and evil Blackwater Swamp.

The atmosphere was heavy on the way back. Although they had achieved victory and destroyed an important stronghold of the "Corruption Cult," the price they paid was not small. Moreover, the discovery of the secret passage that might lead to the depths of the "Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range," as well as the strange changes that had occurred in Lu Zhao, weighed heavily on everyone's hearts like a boulder.

Supported by Hou San and Wang Tie, Lu Zhao sat on a flying magical artifact. He closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, trying to calm the chaotic power within his body, while his heart was also churning with turmoil.

"The remnants of the demonic soul... the energy of the blood pool... and the changes in the dragon-shaped mark..." He examined himself internally, feeling an unprecedented sense of unease. This time, although he had benefited from the misfortune (perhaps?) and his strength had increased, the hidden dangers left behind were also unprecedentedly enormous.

"We must find a solution as soon as possible... and also, that passage leading to the 'Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range'..." Lu Zhao opened his eyes, gazing at the distant, majestic, undulating mountain range shrouded in mist, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes.

He had a premonition that his entanglement with the "Soul Devouring Demon Lord," the "Nine Netherworld Evil Dragon," and these ancient secrets was far from over. And that mysterious passage might just be the eye of the next storm.