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

"Splash..."

The calm, dark surface of the pool was silently parted.

A ferocious head, as large as a millstone and covered in bluish-black scales, slowly emerged from the center of the pool. The scales were slippery and thick, gleaming with a cold, metallic sheen, and a few strands of seaweed clung to them. The head resembled a monitor lizard, but was much more robust, with a protruding snout densely packed with dagger-like, pale white teeth, between which remained bits of flesh from some unknown prey.

What's most chilling are the two rows of six eyes on either side of the head, gleaming with an eerie green light like will-o'-the-wisps! Each eye is the size of a fist, cold, cruel, and greedy, staring emotionlessly at Lu Zhao by the pool and the group of "food" behind him.

As its head emerged, a long neck, several meters long and as thick as a bucket, covered with rings of bony barbs, and a broad back partially covered with heavy scales, appeared. The portion above the water was already over three meters long; its entire body was likely over ten meters!

A dense, oppressive aura, carrying a watery and faintly sweet scent, spread like a tide, enveloping the entire area around the pool. This aura had clearly reached the peak of a second-tier demonic beast, seemingly only one step away from the third tier!

"Azure...Azure-eyed Mystic Water Lizard!" Chen Bai seemed to recognize the beast, his face instantly turning deathly pale, his voice trembling. "It's a peak second-tier beast! It possesses immense strength, its scales are impervious to blades and spears, it can lie motionless underwater for days, and it can spew highly poisonous water arrows that cause immediate decay upon contact! We...we're finished!"

Hearing Chen Bai's desperate cry, the already terrified crowd stirred up a commotion, and several timid mortals even collapsed to the ground with their legs giving way.

Lu Zhao's pupils contracted slightly, and his heart tightened. A peak second-tier demonic beast was equivalent to a human cultivator at the late or even peak Foundation Establishment stage. Moreover, demonic beasts were naturally physically powerful, often more difficult to deal with than human cultivators of the same tier. This Azure-Eyed Mystic Water Lizard, which roamed this place, was clearly the overlord of this cave and pool. In its eyes, these uninvited guests were nothing more than a delicious meal delivered to its doorstep.

Especially Lu Zhao, although the residual dragon aura of annihilation on his body was weak, the beasts had keen senses and could perceive the difference between him and the "food" behind him. Naturally, they regarded him as the primary threat and the most delicious prey.

"Everyone, back off! Stay close to the rock face and don't go near the pool!" Lu Zhao shouted in a low voice, forcefully suppressing the commotion in the crowd. At the same time, he stepped forward, blocking the crowd from the pool, facing the enormous creature that had emerged from the water alone.

Seemingly in response to Lu Zhao's actions, or perhaps out of impatience, the six eerie green pupils of the Azure-Eyed Water Lizard flashed with a fierce light simultaneously, and its massive, fang-filled mouth opened wide—

"laugh--!"

A jet of dark green water, as thick as a child's arm and with a pungent, fishy stench, tore through the air at a speed imperceptible to the naked eye, accompanied by a piercing whistling sound, heading straight for Lu Zhao's face! Even before the water jet arrived, the nauseatingly sweet and fishy poisonous fumes already assaulted his senses, and Lu Zhao could even see the dark green poisonous mist constantly churning and corroding the air on the surface of the water jet!

The poisoned arrow was extremely fast and covered a wide area, almost completely blocking Lu Zhao's space to dodge left and right. It was clearly intended to kill him in one blow, or at least force him back so that the attackers could then target the crowd behind him.

"You beast!" Lu Zhao's eyes turned cold, and instead of retreating, he advanced. He knew all too well that in such a confined cave environment, facing such a massive monster that was adept at using poisonous water, retreating and allowing it to get closer to the group would have unimaginable consequences. He had to use swift and decisive measures to intercept or even repel it!

His spiritual energy surged wildly, and the Annihilation Dragon Qi circulated at an unprecedented speed, a fleeting gray-gold light flashing across his body. Facing this deadly poisonous water arrow, he dared not be careless. He joined his right fingers like a sword, and with a flick of his fingertip, he concentrated the gray-gold Annihilation Dragon Qi to its limit, then pointed it at the incoming poisonous arrow in mid-air!

"Nirvana Finger!"

A highly refined, gray-gold finger strike, imbued with an aura of destruction, arrived first despite being delayed, precisely striking the tip of the poisoned arrow!

"puff!"

There was no earth-shattering roar, only a soft popping sound like a bubble bursting. The fierce, dark green poisoned arrow, upon contact with the gray-gold finger force, suddenly darkened at its tip. The potent poison and impact it contained were rapidly eroded, dissolved, and decomposed by that single point of annihilating power! The finger force, undiminished in its momentum, pierced through the poisoned arrow and continued its trajectory toward the head of the Azure-Eyed Mystic Water Lizard!

A hint of anthropomorphic surprise flashed in the six green eyes of the Azure-Eyed Water Lizard, clearly not expecting its poisoned arrow to be so easily deflected. But it reacted extremely quickly, its barbed neck suddenly retracting, and its massive head tilting to one side.

"Sizzle!"

The Annihilation Finger swept across the scales on its neck, leaving a charred, inch-deep burn mark on the hard, thick, bluish-black scales. A faint gray-gold aura of Annihilation clung to it, attempting to erode it inward.

"roar--!"

The Azure-Eyed Water Lizard, in pain, let out a deep, thunderous roar. The sound waves echoed through the cave, making everyone's eardrums ache, and causing rubble to fall from the ceiling. It was utterly enraged, its six green eyes fixed intently on Lu Zhao, its killing intent boiling. This "little one" had not only blocked its attack but also injured it! Unforgivable!

Its massive body surged out of the pool, sending sprays flying everywhere. Its powerful hind legs kicked off the water, and its forebody, brimming with terrifying force, lunged towards Lu Zhao on the shore! Its gaping maw, filled with sharp teeth, opened wide, a stench filling the air. Its two scaled forepaws, adorned with sharp hooks, lashed out with a piercing shriek, aiming viciously at Lu Zhao!

At the same time, its throat throbbed, clearly preparing for the next spit of poison arrows.

Faced with this overwhelming attack, Lu Zhao's eyes were solemn, but he showed no fear whatsoever. Instead of retreating, he advanced, using a strange and unpredictable technique. Like a ghost, he slipped through the gap between the two giant claws at the last second. At the same time, he pointed his fingers like a knife, and the gray-gold annihilation dragon energy condensed into a blade, slashing fiercely at the relatively soft abdominal scales exposed by the Azure-Eyed Xuan Shui Lizard after its missed attack!

"clang!"

A deafening clang, like metal clashing against metal, rang out! The blade of annihilation struck the scales, sending sparks flying! The scales were exceptionally tough, leaving only a white mark on the surface without breaking through. However, the annihilating aura clinging to them was like a leech, rapidly eroding the scales and quickly dimming their luster.

The Azure-Eyed Water Lizard, in pain, twisted its massive body, its thick tail like a steel whip, sweeping towards Lu Zhao beside it with a terrifying whistling sound! This strike was powerful and heavy, covering a wide area, sealing off most of Lu Zhao's evasive space.

Lu Zhao dared not take the attack head-on, and retreated hastily. At the same time, he formed hand seals, and streams of gray-gold annihilation finger energy shot out like a machine gun, pointing at the giant tail that was sweeping across.

"Puff puff puff puff!"

The force of the finger exploded on the hard tail scales. Although it did not cause any real damage, the accompanying destructive and corrosive power made the Azure-Eyed Water Lizard roar in pain and slowed down its attack.

A fierce battle erupted between the man and the beast on the sandy ground beside the pool. Lu Zhao moved with agility, his annihilating dragon aura sharp and domineering, targeting the relatively weak points of the demon beast, such as its joints, eyes, and mouth. The Azure-Eyed Mystic Water Lizard, on the other hand, relied on its thick hide and immense strength, spitting out poisonous arrows, swinging its claws and tail, stirring up clouds of sand and water vapor, turning the battlefield into chaos.

Chen Bai and the others had already retreated to the edge of the cave, pressed against the rock wall, and watched the battle that was a matter of life and death with bated breath.

However, Lu Zhao was secretly anxious. His injuries had not yet healed, and forcibly activating the Annihilation Dragon Qi to fight was extremely taxing. The Azure-Eyed Mystic Water Lizard's defenses were too strong; although the Annihilation Dragon Qi could break through its defenses, the opponent was enormous and possessed abundant vitality, making it extremely difficult to inflict fatal damage in a short time. If he were to exhaust himself or be struck by a poisoned arrow, the consequences would be unimaginable.

We must act swiftly, or... find a way to force it back into the water and buy it a chance to catch its breath!