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

After dealing with the Blood Fiend Puppet on the platform, Lu Zhao didn't linger and continued descending the crimson stairs. The stairs seemed endless, winding and twisting deeper and deeper into the earth. Along the way, he encountered several more waves of similar monsters, more numerous and slightly stronger. There were even a few mutated puppets with auras comparable to those of mid-Foundation Establishment cultivators, much larger in size, and covered in bone spurs.

But for Lu Zhao, these mindless monsters, fighting only on instinct, posed little threat. The Annihilation Dragon Qi's restraint over the Blood Fiend Qi was almost overwhelming, and his physical strength, speed, and reflexes far surpassed those of his peers. Often, in just one exchange, a flick of the Annihilation Finger or a punch would instantly destroy the core of the demonic puppet (usually its heart or head), reducing it to ashes.

He was like a reaper walking through a blood-red hell, leaving behind only a trail of rapidly dissipating ashes in his wake. The "Soul-Devouring Mark" between his brows throbbed more intensely as it penetrated deeper, faintly emanating a faint sense of satisfaction after a "full meal"—the corrupted bloodlust and fragmented souls within these demonic puppets seemed to have been partially absorbed and transformed by the mark. This discovery caused Lu Zhao to frown slightly, but he had no time to delve deeper for the time being.

After descending for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, a fork in the road appeared ahead.

One staircase leads downwards, wider and filled with a more intense crimson glow, from which one can faintly hear a low, rumbling sound like muffled thunder, along with an even more powerful evil pressure. The other is a narrower, darker passageway extending diagonally to the side. The passageway is also filled with the scent of blood, but it seems less intense and "fresher," carrying a rich life force and a pungent, bloody stench.

Lu Zhao stopped and carefully sensed the surroundings. The main passage led directly to the source of the strongest "Soul Devouring Seal" sensation, which was also undoubtedly the core area where the "Blood Dragon Fiend Pool" and "Vengeful Dragon Soul Crystal" were located. The Demonic Sect's "envoy" was likely also there. The side passage, based on the memory fragments obtained from the soul search, seemed to lead to a "backup blood pool" and a "blood prison." There, a large number of captured, yet-to-be-sacrificed beings were imprisoned, serving as "fuel" reserves for the "Blood Dragon Fiend Pool."

"Going directly to the core and encountering a demonic sect envoy at the Pseudo-Core or even Golden Core stage would be tantamount to suicide," Lu Zhao thought to himself. "The side passage, while it may also be guarded, should be much less dangerous. Moreover, among the beings imprisoned there, there might be people who know more about this place or who can be used. More importantly... we might be able to find a way to temporarily suppress or interfere with the 'Soul-Devouring Seal,' or obtain some more detailed information about the demonic sect's operation."

Without much hesitation, Lu Zhao flashed into the side passage.

The passageway was extremely dimly lit, illuminated only by eerie mineral stones embedded in the walls that emitted a faint, blood-red glow, adding to the sinister atmosphere. The air was thick with the stench of blood and excrement, a mixture of despair, fear, and pain. The rough stone walls on either side were replaced by rows of cages sealed with thick iron bars. Inside, the cages were crammed with ragged, numb, or terrified beings.

There were mortal men and women with tattered clothes and empty eyes; there were low-level cultivators whose cultivation had been destroyed and who were on the verge of death; and there were also some demonic beasts that were locked up by special restrictions and covered in wounds... They were imprisoned here like livestock, waiting to be thrown into that terrible blood pool to be drained of their last bit of essence and soul.

Lu Zhao walked quickly past without expression. He wasn't a savior. While the fates of these people were indeed tragic, rescuing them rashly would only alert them and put himself in danger. Besides, he couldn't save so many people on his own.

At the end of the passageway was a relatively spacious stone chamber. In the center of the chamber was a pool much smaller than the "Blood Dragon Fiend Pool" outside, churning with a viscous, dark red liquid that emitted a nauseating, sweet-smelling odor—this was the "Spare Blood Pool." Beside the pool lay piles of bones and unprocessed corpses. Four Soul Devouring Demon Sect cultivators, dressed in black robes and possessing auras ranging from late-stage Qi Refining to early-stage Foundation Establishment, lazily guarded the area. Two of them patrolled the pool, while the other two sat on a stone stool, conversing in hushed tones, wine jugs in their hands.

"...I heard that the main pool is almost finished. The 'Special Envoy' is personally overseeing it. Once the 'Vengeful Dragon Soul Crystal' is fully formed and absorbs the last batch of blood, it will be able to awaken that thing below," a shrill voice said.

"Hehe, when the time comes to reward those who have contributed, we who guard this backup pool might be able to get some scraps. I've heard that the essence of that blood pool is very beneficial for cultivating the 'Soul Devouring Technique'..." another rough, hoarse voice replied.

"Stop dreaming. Do you think we'll ever get any good stuff? We're lucky to even leave this hellhole alive. Smell this... Damn, I'm about to throw up from staring at this pool of blood every day."

"Keep your voice down! I heard that among the people they arrested a few days ago, there was a girl from the Yunmeng Sect. She's incredibly beautiful, and she's some kind of inner disciple. Tsk tsk, it's a pity she's under a restriction and can't be touched, otherwise..."

Listening to the guards' conversation, Lu Zhao remained hidden in the shadows at the entrance, his eyes cold. He scanned the stone chamber with his divine sense, confirming that only these four guards were inside, and no one else was there. As for the "Yunmeng Sect girl" they mentioned, he paid her no attention; rescuing her was not his primary objective at the moment.

What he needs is intelligence, and... perhaps to create some chaos, or to do something with this "backup blood pool".

Just as he was about to strike and swiftly eliminate the four guards, his divine sense inadvertently swept over a solitary iron cage in the corner of the stone chamber. That cage was smaller than the others, located in a more secluded spot, and seemed to be under a stronger restriction, with a faint glimmer of spiritual light.

A figure was huddled inside the cage.

It was a woman, her inner disciple's robes from the Yunmeng Sect tattered and stained with blood and dust, yet her original elegance and refinement were still evident. Her long hair was disheveled, obscuring most of her face, and her breath was extremely weak, like a candle flickering in the wind. But Lu Zhao's divine sense was incredibly sharp; in an instant, he detected the faint but still pure fluctuations of water-attribute spiritual energy remaining within the woman's body, and... a jade pendant hanging from her waist, its luster faded but its design familiar.

More importantly, when Lu Zhao's divine sense swept over her, she seemed to sense it and raised her head slightly with great difficulty.

Amidst her disheveled hair, a face as pale as paper, stained with blood, yet still retaining its once beautiful features, was revealed. Especially her eyes, though dull and filled with pain and despair, flashed with disbelief and astonishment the instant they made contact with Lu Zhao's consciousness, quickly transforming into extreme shock and... a faint, almost imperceptible glimmer of hope.

is her? !

Lu Zhao's heart skipped a beat. He recognized that face! It was the Yunmeng Sect female cultivator, known as "Fairy Lin," who had competed with Shen Qingqiu for the "Soul-Nourishing Wood" at the Black Stone Fortress auction not long ago, and who ultimately won the bid at a high price!

How did she end up here? And in such a state? Given her status and strength (the wealth she displayed at the auction suggests she's at least a core disciple), she should have guards with her. Was she ambushed by the Soul Devouring Demon Sect? Or did something happen while exploring this "Dragon Bone Wasteland"?

Several thoughts flashed through Lu Zhao's mind in an instant. He neither liked nor disliked this "Fairy Lin," having only met her once. But now, seeing her reduced to a blood-eating prisoner, on the verge of death, a ripple still stirred within him. Especially since she seemed to recognize him (or rather, recognized the subtle aura of "Lu Zhao" that might have leaked from his disguise, a aura that had appeared at the auction? This was unlikely; he had disguised himself very well. Or perhaps she had cultivated some kind of special perception technique?).

To save or not to save?

Rescuing them would greatly increase the risk of exposure, disrupt the original plan, and potentially attract the attention of the Demonic Sect guards or even that "envoy." Not rescuing them... seemed acceptable, after all, they were strangers, and on the path of cultivation, self-preservation was paramount.

In the instant Lu Zhao hesitated—

"BOOM—!!!"

A terrifying explosion, far more violent than any before, seemed to shake the entire underground palace, and came booming from the direction of the main passage! Immediately afterward, a dragon's roar, filled with pain, rage, and endless violence, pierced through layers of rock and restrictions, echoing in every corner! The dragon's roar contained a chilling evil demonic intent, but also carried a hint of... a kind of madness as if it were a release?

At the same time, the "Soul-Devouring Seal" between Lu Zhao's eyebrows suddenly twitched, sending a burning, stinging sensation through him, as if it had been intensely stimulated and attracted by something!

"It's started! The fighting has broken out over at the main pool!" The four demonic guards inside the stone chamber were also startled by the loud noise and dragon roar, and looked in panic toward the main passage.

Lu Zhao's eyes narrowed. The three major powers had already penetrated the core area and were confronting the demonic cultivators, or perhaps the corrupted "dragon"! An opportunity!

Without further hesitation, he glanced once more at the desperate yet pleading eyes of the "Fairy Lin" in the iron cage, and then at the four guards whose attention had been drawn by the loud noise.

Help! But do it as quickly and discreetly as possible!

His figure moved like a cheetah blending into the shadows, and he moved in an instant!