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

pain.

Pain that is indescribable and transcends the limits of language.

It was a cycle of the soul being torn apart inch by inch, forcibly stitched back together, and then torn apart again. It was a process of flesh and bone being repeatedly scorched and tempered from the inside out by the most domineering fire, until reduced to ashes, and then, under a tenacious will and vitality, reshaped from the ashes. It was a process of two completely different, yet both destructive, powers within him—"annihilation" and "devouring"—using his body as a battlefield, engaging in the most primal, brutal struggle and… fusion.

"Roar!" The demonic soul's roar was filled with shock, rage, and resentment. It could feel its power being refined and decomposed bit by bit by that damned gray-gold flame, then forcibly plundered and absorbed by the will of that lowly host! This was a desecration of the "Soul-Devouring Demon Lord's" might! It was something that could never happen!

"Annihilation... All things... Return to nothingness..." The remnant will of the ancient dragon soul and the profound meaning of the "Nine Netherworld Annihilation Scripture" transformed into the most primordial Daoist rhyme, echoing in Lu Zhao's soul and providing him with "spark" and "laws".

"My fate...is in my own hands...to devour...to refine..." Lu Zhao's indomitable will became the "master" and "furnace" of this refining and fusion process.

His body was constantly cycling through collapse and reconstruction. Skin, muscles, bones, meridians, internal organs… everything grew stronger and more aligned with that new, eerie power—a power imbued with annihilation and devouring—through destruction and rebirth. His blood sometimes appeared dark gold, sometimes flowed with a jet-black sheen, ultimately settling on a deep, dark red, like congealed blood and fire.

Within his dantian, the original annihilating spiritual energy was completely dispersed and reconstructed. A small, constantly rotating, gray-black vortex was slowly forming at the center of his dantian. At the center of the vortex was an extremely condensed gray-gold light point (the origin of annihilation), while the vortex itself exuded a chilling aura of devouring. This vortex was the prototype of his new "Dao Foundation"! An unprecedented, bizarre Dao Foundation that combined the mysteries of "annihilation" and "devouring"!

His cultivation level kept breaking through and advancing during this process of destruction and rebirth! Mid-stage of the seventh level of Qi Refining... late stage... peak! Then, the insurmountable barrier that had blocked Qi Refining and Foundation Establishment actually began to loosen and crack in the face of this new and domineering power!

"boom!"

It felt as if something within him had been utterly shattered! The gray-black vortex in his dantian suddenly stabilized, its volume expanding several times over, and its rotation speed becoming even faster and more powerful! A surge of immense spiritual power, far exceeding that of the Qi Refining stage, mixed with the dual wills of annihilation and devouring, erupted from his dantian, cleansing his entire body!

Foundation building!

Moreover, this wasn't an ordinary Foundation Establishment! Relying on the primordial dragon energy of "Golden Radiance," the gifts of the "Silent Dragon Tomb," and the power gained from refining the "Soul-Devouring Demon Seed," his Foundation Establishment directly skipped the initial stage, firmly stepping into the threshold of the mid-stage! More importantly, his Dao Foundation was incredibly solid, radiating an ancient, eerie pressure filled with an aura of destruction and plunder.

At the same time, the "Demon Lord's Mark" between his brows, after the demonic soul was completely refined and fused, became much darker in color. It was no longer the pitch-black, aggressive mark it once was; instead, it formed a more stable, even... complementary balance with the gray dragon-shaped mark beside it. The two marks seemed to merge into one, transforming into a more complex, gray-black mark, somewhat resembling a coiled dragon, filled with a sense of annihilation and devouring... a dragon-shaped mark?

No, perhaps it could be called the mark of the "Destroyer of Annihilation".

It was unclear how much time had passed—perhaps several days, or perhaps several months. In the "Silent Dragon Tomb," the gray-gold and pitch-black light in the center of the enormous pile of bones gradually subsided and calmed down.

"call…"

A long, drawn-out breath, as if suppressed for countless years, emanated from the pile of bones.

Bones slid off, and a naked figure slowly stood up.

That's Lu Zhao.

His physique remained slender, but the lines of his muscles had become more fluid and explosive. His skin had a healthy bronze hue, but upon closer inspection, faint, grayish-black, dragon-scale-like patterns flashed beneath. His hair had grown considerably longer, reaching his shoulders, and the ends even possessed a touch of dark gold.

The most significant change was in his eyes. His pupils remained black, but a faint gray halo shimmered in the whites of his eyes. When he concentrated, a flicker of gray-gold flame and a trace of profound darkness would even flash simultaneously deep within his pupils, filling them with an indescribable sense of mystery, majesty, and…danger.

He stretched out his hand, looking at his palm. Within it, a wisp of grayish-black spiritual energy, seemingly capable of devouring light, writhed like a living snake. With a thought, this wisp of spiritual energy instantly transformed into a grayish-gold sword beam, radiating a sharp, annihilating sword intent; with another movement, the sword beam transformed into a small black vortex, emanating a chilling, devouring power.

"This is... my new power." Lu Zhao murmured to himself, his voice still his own, but with a touch of composure and vicissitude. "Nirvana is the essence, devouring is the means... or, devour everything and turn into annihilation."

He could feel that the conflict and sense of crisis that had threatened to erupt within him at any moment had vanished. In its place was an unprecedented sense of absolute control over his own power. Although this power itself was still fraught with danger and the unknown, at least the control was in his own hands.

He closed his eyes, sensing his own body. His *Sleeping Dragon Technique* had unknowingly broken through to Lv8; his blood and qi were like a sleeping dragon, powerful yet restrained. His *Divine Refinement Technique* had also reached the peak of Lv8; the strength and refinement of his divine sense were probably no less than that of a late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator. He had completely mastered the Foundation Establishment chapter of the *Nine Netherworld Annihilation Scripture*, and the introductory principles of the Golden Core chapter were imprinted in his mind. His knowledge of the *True Dragon Body Forging Technique* and the *Dragon Language Ancient Symbols* was also much clearer.

More importantly, his understanding of "annihilation" and "devouring" has reached a whole new level. He has vaguely figured out a few rudimentary methods to combine the two, the power of which must far exceed that of the simple "annihilation finger".

"Finally... I survived." Lu Zhao looked up at the desolate "Dragon Tomb of Annihilation." The thin layer of gray light still remained on the outer perimeter, isolating it from the bloodthirsty demonic energy of the "Nine Nether Blood Sea." In the center of the isolated island, the black rock tomb became clearer in his perception, and even... emitted a faint "call" from a power of the same origin.

"Is this the final resting place of the senior who left behind the rebellious scale and the gift?" Lu Zhao wondered to himself. This person had helped him refine the demonic seed, essentially saving his life and bestowing upon him an immense opportunity. Both out of duty and obligation, he should go and pay his respects.

Moreover, he could sense that there might be something else in that tomb that had a deeper connection with the newly formed Dao Foundation of the "Silent Demon Dragon" within his body.

"Alright, let's go take a look." Lu Zhao took out a spare blue robe from the [Human Skin Pouch] and put it on (his previous clothes had long since turned to ashes during the refining process). He also carefully put away the Nether Dragon Reverse Scale, whose luster seemed to have become more restrained and whose dark golden light spot in the center was brighter.

He strode towards the black tomb at the center of the isolated island. His steps were steady, each one firm and deliberate. Having endured a life-or-death ordeal, his mindset had undergone a profound transformation, becoming more composed and resilient, with a clearer and more determined vision for the future.

"No matter what lies ahead, I will keep going."

"First, figure out the secrets of this place, then... find a way to leave 'Nine Netherworlds' and go back."

"Elder Yun, Elder Xuanjizi, Hou San, Wang Tie, Huang Ling'er... and... those henchmen of the 'Soul Devouring Demon Lord'..."

In his eyes, the grey-gold flames intertwined with the deep darkness, a cold glint flashing within.

Repay kindness with kindness, and avenge wrongs with revenge.

When Lu Zhao arrived at the black rock tomb, he discovered that the entrance was a massive, tightly closed portal forged from some kind of dark golden metal. Carved above the portal was a ferocious yet majestic gray dragon, coiled and lowered its head, as if asleep, or perhaps guarding something.

In the center of the portal was a groove. The shape of the groove was exactly the same as the Nether Dragon's Reverse Scale in his hand…