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

After a day of rest, the exploration team set off again. Their target was "Dragon Bone Canyon", but after careful consideration, Elder Xuanjizi decided to take a relatively safe but longer route, which would pass through the outer area of ​​"Dragon Roar Valley" for preliminary exploration.

Deep within the mountains, ancient trees reached for the sky, their vines coiling like writhing dragons, making the terrain increasingly treacherous and complex. The spiritual energy permeating the air grew purer and wilder, carrying a primal sense of oppression. The roars of various demonic beasts rose and fell, as if proclaiming their respective territories. The group proceeded with extreme caution, the three elders constantly extending their divine senses, covering an area of ​​several miles, so that no rustling sound could escape their perception.

Lu Zhao walked in the middle of the group, his [Refining Spirit Technique] also operating at full power, working in conjunction with the [Spirit Detection Compass] to vigilantly scan his surroundings. The dragon-shaped mark and the Nether Dragon's Reverse Scale within him had been subtly pulsating ever since entering this area, especially as they headed towards "Dragon's Roar Valley," where the pulsation would intensify slightly. This made him even more certain that something related to him must be there.

"Stop." Elder Xuanjizi, who was walking at the front, suddenly raised his hand, and the group immediately came to a halt. Everyone held their breath and became alert.

Elder Xuanjizi frowned slightly, his gaze sweeping across a seemingly ordinary, moss-covered rocky forest ahead. "Three miles ahead, there are unusual spiritual energy fluctuations, extremely well concealed. If it weren't for my superior divine sense, I would have hardly noticed them. The aura... is cold and filthy, exactly like the 'Corruption Poison Cult' stronghold in the Blackwater Swamp."

"The Corruption Cult? They really came here!" Elder Tie Xing's eyes flashed coldly as he gripped his giant sword tightly.

"It seems their activity here is no accident. This passage and something deep within the 'Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range' are equally important to them." Elder Yun's cold voice carried a hint of murderous intent. "Prepare for battle; they may have already discovered us."

Before he finished speaking, a strange change occurred in the rocky forest ahead!

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh—!"

Dozens of jet-black arrows, exuding a pungent, foul stench, rained down from every tricky angle—rock crevices, underground, treetops—moving with lightning speed and covering a large area in front of the column!

"Form a defensive array!" Elder Xuanjizi reacted the fastest, waving his sleeve, and a huge silver light shield instantly formed, blocking most of the poison arrows. The poison arrows hit the light shield, making a "hissing" corrosive sound and emitting wisps of black smoke, but the light shield remained unmoved.

However, the attack wasn't a single salvo. Following the poisoned arrows, the ground suddenly bulged and exploded, unleashing dozens of tentacles—a mixture of sticky black mud, rotting plants, and the corpses of poisonous insects—like demonic claws reaching out from hell, frantically coiling towards the group from all directions! Dark green venom flowed from the tentacles, emitting a nauseating stench; wherever they passed, vegetation withered and rotted rapidly.

"It's the 'Earth Rot Demon Vine' of the 'Corruption Poison Cult'! Be careful, its tentacles are poisonous and incredibly strong!" a knowledgeable Foundation Establishment deacon shouted sternly.

"Hmph, child's play!" Elder Tie Xing roared, sweeping his giant sword horizontally, the violent blade energy severing several tentacles. The severed tentacles twisted and writh on the ground, oozing foul-smelling pus.

Elder Yun drew his "Moonlight Sword," its cold, crisscrossing light like moonlight. Any touch of the sword light instantly froze and shattered. Elder Xuanjizi, meanwhile, formed hand seals, sending out streaks of silver runes that disappeared into the ground, seemingly setting up some kind of formation to restrict the movement of the Earth-Corroding Vine.

The other disciples also joined the fray, unleashing various spells and magical artifacts, engaging in a fierce battle with the Earth-Rotting Demon Vines that surged forth from the ground and forest, as well as the hidden Corruption Cult cultivators.

The attackers were clearly premeditated, numerous, and held the advantage of terrain. Besides dozens of Corruption Cult cultivators (mostly in the mid-to-late Qi Refining stage, with a few in the early Foundation Establishment stage) clad in black robes and wielding bone staffs and poison sacs, there were also many more Earth Corruption Vines secretly manipulating the area. They didn't seem to be aiming to annihilate the Qingyun Dao Sect team, but rather to harass, delay, and wear them down, while attempting to divide the group.

The battle instantly became a stalemate. Although the Qingyun Dao Sect was stronger, with its three elders capable of overwhelming the enemy, the complex terrain and relentless harassment made it difficult to quickly break through. Moreover, the Corruption Poison Sect cultivators were unpredictable, skilled in using poison, repelling insects, and manipulating corpses (summoning decaying demonic beasts or human remains from the ground), making them difficult to defend against. Several Qi Refining stage disciples had already been poisoned or injured.

Lu Zhao, Hou San, Wang Tie, and Huang Ling'er stood back-to-back, forming a small battle formation. He wielded his [Azure Edge Sword], imbued with annihilating spiritual energy. The sword light he unleashed carried an aura of decay, possessing an additional restraining effect on the Earth-Corroding Vines and their corrosive poison; the tentacles struck by it withered far faster than those attacked by ordinary spiritual energy. With the support of Hou San's talismans, Wang Tie's brute force, and Huang Ling'er's water-based magic, the four cooperated seamlessly, temporarily stabilizing their position.

However, just as Lu Zhao severed a thick earth-corroding demon vine and the aftershock of his sword energy swept toward a boulder to the side, a sudden change occurred!

A dark figure suddenly darted out from behind the boulder! Its speed was astonishing, like a ghost, rushing straight at Lu Zhao! The aura emanating from the figure was clearly at the mid-Foundation Establishment stage! Moreover, its aura was cold and evil, somewhat similar to the Ghost Bone Venerable of the Blackwater Swamp, but more restrained and even more dangerous!

This is a mid-Foundation Establishment expert from the Corruption Cult, who has been lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to launch a fatal attack! His target seems to be Lu Zhao!

"Watch out!" Elder Yun noticed the strange situation and his expression changed. He wanted to help, but he was desperately entangled by several early Foundation Establishment cultivators of the Corruption Poison Sect and a large number of demonic vines.

The dark figure had already pounced on Lu Zhao. A withered hand, like a chicken claw, with glossy black nails, carrying a foul stench, was aimed straight at Lu Zhao's heart! Within the palm, a point of eerie green light spun rapidly, emitting a chilling wave of poison!

"Corrupt Heart Poison Palm!"

The shadow of death loomed over him instantly! Lu Zhao could even smell the nauseating stench of corpses mixed with deadly poison emanating from that palm.

There's no way to dodge it! The charged attack from a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator is too fast!

In a flash, gray flames and a wisp of black energy simultaneously burst forth in Lu Zhao's eyes! The suppressed remnant power of the demonic soul within his body seemed to be stimulated by this extreme danger and evil aura, and suddenly became restless! At the same time, the dragon-shaped mark between his brows also emitted a warning heat!

"roar--!!"

A low growl, seemingly from the depths of his soul, filled with violence and a devouring desire, rolled in Lu Zhao's throat! His right hand involuntarily rose, his five fingers forming a claw, and without dodging or avoiding, he fiercely grabbed at that venomous palm!

"Devour!"

The pitch-black demonic energy, seemingly capable of absorbing all light, mixed with the gray power of annihilation and a faint but extremely powerful dragon's might, erupted instantly in his palm! A small, unstable black vortex appeared in his palm!

"puff!**"

The two palms collided violently! There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a muffled thud. The eerie green poisonous light on the Corruption Poison Sect expert's palm, upon contact with the black vortex, was instantly swallowed and absorbed, like a mud ox sinking into the sea! Not only that, the black vortex seemed to possess a life of its own, spreading wildly upwards along the opponent's arm, devouring his spiritual power, vitality, and even... his soul!

"Ah! What...what the hell is this?!" The expert from the Corruption Cult screamed in terror and despair. He felt his strength being frantically drained away, his body rapidly shriveling, and the light in his eyes quickly dimming. He tried to break free, but the black vortex generated a terrifying suction force, firmly binding him to his body!

This scene unfolded in the blink of an eye. Everyone around, including Hou San, Wang Tie, Huang Ling'er, and even several nearby cultivators from the Corruption Cult, was stunned. They only saw Lu Zhao raise his hand and grab the imposing mid-Foundation Establishment expert, who seemed to have been drained of all moisture, quickly turning into a dried corpse, then into ashes, leaving only an empty black robe floating on the ground.

Quiet.

A deathly silence.

Even the others in the midst of the fierce battle couldn't help but stop and look over in shock.

Lu Zhao stood rooted to the spot, his right hand still in a grasping posture, the black vortex on his palm gone. His face flushed crimson, the gray flames and black energy in his eyes swirling and churning violently, emanating a strange aura of chaos, violence, and a hint of satisfaction. Having devoured the entire power of a mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, the already chaotic energy within his body boiled once more. The remnants of his demonic soul seemed to have been nourished, becoming even more active, even showing signs of retaliation and eroding his self-awareness.

"Senior Brother Lu..." Hou San's voice trembled, his eyes filled with fear and unfamiliarity as he looked at Lu Zhao. What had just happened was far too eerie and terrifying.

"Lu Zhao!" Elder Yun's voice was filled with anxiety and sternness. She had broken free from the entanglement and instantly came to Lu Zhao's side, grabbing his wrist and pouring pure moonlight spiritual power into his body without hesitation to help him suppress the boiling power.

Elder Xuanjizi's gaze immediately fell upon them. His eyes were no longer gentle and inquisitive, but had become more solemn and profound than ever before. He looked at the spot where Lu Zhao's hand had disappeared, at the empty black robe on the ground, and then at Lu Zhao's eyes, which were filled with chaos and struggle. His brows furrowed tightly.

"This power...is not simply 'restraining' evil spirits." Elder Xuanji's voice was low, as if he were talking to himself, or perhaps to Elder Yun, "This is... 'devouring.' It feeds on the power, life force, and souls of others to strengthen itself. This is a typical demonic, evil method! Moreover, it's extremely high-level, bearing a certain essential similarity to the aura of that 'Soul-Devouring Demon Lord,' but it's also mixed with other, more ancient and dangerous elements."

"Uncle-Master, Lu Zhao, he..." Elder Yun's face was pale. She could feel the chaotic and violent power within Lu Zhao's body fighting against her Moon Essence Spiritual Power.

"Suppress the turmoil within him first," Elder Xuanjizi said in a deep voice. "We can't stay here any longer. The ambush by the Corruption Poison Sect has been broken, but they may still have other plans. Take him with us and leave immediately to find a safe place to talk."

As he spoke, Elder Xuanjizi flicked his fingers, sending out several silver runes that imprinted themselves on Lu Zhao's forehead, chest, and dantian. The moment these runes entered his body, the surging power within Lu Zhao was powerfully suppressed, the gray flames and black energy in his eyes gradually subsided, and his mind began to clear. However, his face remained pale, and his body was weak; clearly, the "devouring" had taken a heavy toll and had a significant backlash on him.

"Withdraw!" Elder Tie Xing gave the order, and the Qingyun Dao Sect members stopped fighting and, under the cover of the three elders, quickly left the battlefield and sped off in the predetermined direction.

Seeing this, the remaining members of the Corruption Cult did not pursue, but quickly cleaned up the battlefield (mainly collecting the corpses and remains of their companions) and disappeared into the dense forest.

The sudden ambush came to an end. But what remained for the Qingyun Dao Sect members, besides the minor injuries of a few disciples and some losses, was shock, confusion, and...fear at the bizarre and terrifying scene Lu Zhao had just witnessed.

Elder Xuanjizi, in particular, looked at Lu Zhao, who was being supported by Elder Yun and looked exhausted, with an unprecedented level of scrutiny and vigilance in his eyes.

"The secrets and dangers surrounding this child are probably far beyond our imagination," Elder Xuanjizi thought to himself. "We must find out as soon as possible the source of the 'devouring' power within him, and... whether he himself is still the same 'Lu Zhao'."

The atmosphere within the group became unusually heavy and stagnant due to the ambush and Lu Zhao's sudden change.