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

"The exit... is just ahead?!"

In the darkness, Lu Zhao's voice was not loud, but it was like a thunderclap, exploding in the nearly depleted hearts of the crowd and rippling with hope.

Despair, exhaustion, numbness... all sorts of negative emotions receded quickly like a tide. In that instant, everyone's eyes lit up again, staring intently at Lu Zhao's blurry figure ahead, as if trying to pierce through the endless darkness to see the light that symbolized life.

"There's...there's wind! There really is wind!" a Qi Refining cultivator with keen senses exclaimed excitedly, for he could indeed feel that faint but real change in the airflow.

"It smells like grass! I can smell it!" A young man who grew up in the mountains and fields took a deep sniff, his eyes instantly filled with tears.

Hope is the most powerful force in the darkness.

Their previously weak and sore limbs seemed to have been infused with strength again. Their heavy breathing became rapid and filled with longing. No one complained anymore, no one cried anymore, and even the pain from their wounds seemed to lessen. Everyone, whether cultivators or mortals, gritted their teeth, supported each other, and quickened their pace of climbing.

"Stay close to me and watch your step!" Lu Zhao's voice came again, steady and powerful, like a pillar of strength.

Under his leadership, the team marched resolutely along the rugged and slippery path toward the source of wind and life.

The sound of the wind grew clearer and clearer. It was no longer a faint whistling, but a free-spirited roar unique to the mountains and forests.

The air is becoming increasingly dry and fresh. The suffocating dampness, musty smell, and earthy odor from underground are gradually being replaced by the fragrance of soil, the slightly acidic aroma of decaying leaves, and an increasingly distinct, fresh scent of plants.

Light! Faint yet incredibly clear daylight, like the sweetest lure, streamed in through the gaps in the vines and bushes at the end of the path ahead!

The light was so warm and so dazzling that, in the eyes of those who had endured a long period of darkness, it was more brilliant than the most precious gems.

"Light! It's light!"

"Exports! It's exports!"

Suppressed, choked cheers echoed softly through the corridor. Many people were already in tears, overjoyed at their miraculous escape from despair, an excitement beyond words.

Lu Zhao was the first to arrive at the light-filled cave entrance. The entrance was small, completely obscured by dense, ancient vines and bushes that had grown for countless years, leaving only a few gaps. Through these gaps, one could see a dense forest outside and a small patch of azure sky.

He carefully parted the vines, and his divine sense probed out first, quickly scanning the area within dozens of feet of the cave entrance.

There was no aura of demonic beasts, no fluctuations of spiritual energy from cultivators, only the rustling of the wind through the trees and the occasional chirping of birds. This place seemed to be a steep hillside rarely visited by humans, with exceptionally dense vegetation that perfectly concealed the cave entrance.

"It's safe, come out now, be quiet." Lu Zhao turned around and whispered to the crowd behind him who were staring at him expectantly.

Then, he was the first to turn sideways and squeeze through the narrow opening.

The long-awaited sunshine, with its warm touch, fell upon his face and body. The fresh air, carrying the fragrance of grass and earth, filled his lungs, invigorating him. Beneath his feet lay soft humus and a thick layer of fallen leaves, while in the distance stretched rolling, lush green mountains.

Behind him, Chen Bai emerged second, followed by a third, a fourth...

When the last person, almost tumbling and crawling, finally emerged from the dark cave and stood once more on solid ground, basking in the warm sunlight, many others could no longer hold on. They collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath of free air, letting tears flow freely. Some lay on their backs, gazing at the blue sky above, fragmented by branches and leaves, silently sobbing; others wept bitterly, releasing the overwhelming emotions of surviving such a catastrophe; still others looked around blankly, seemingly unable to believe they had truly escaped that nightmarish underground world.

Chen Bai slumped to the ground, leaning against a large tree, utterly exhausted, but with a relieved smile on his face. He looked at his weeping companions, his eyes glistening with tears.

Lu Zhao didn't disturb them. He knew that these tears and release were things they had to go through. He simply stood quietly to the side, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings to ensure their safety. At the same time, he also began to observe his surroundings.

This was clearly the outer area of ​​"Dragon Bone Hills," but not the area they had entered before. The surrounding mountains stretched endlessly, with towering trees and vegetation far more lush than in the core area of ​​the hills, and the spiritual energy was relatively thin and peaceful. In the distance, through the gaps in the trees, they could vaguely see the outline of the main ridge of "Dragon Bone Hills"—a gray-brown structure that undulated like the spine of a giant dragon—on the northern horizon.

Lu Zhao felt a little relieved. It seemed that the underground passage had actually taken them to another direction of the barren hills, quite a distance from the core area.

But then his gaze turned toward the depths of the barren hills.

Even from such a great distance, it was still clear that the enormous gray-black vortex formed by the gathering of earthly evil yin energy, which covered the sky and earth above the core area of ​​the desolate hills, had not dissipated but seemed to have become even more violent and dense! The vortex slowly rotated, stirring up the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, and faint dark red lightning flickered and flashed within it, emitting a destructive wave that made people's hearts palpable.

Even standing on this edge, Lu Zhao could vaguely sense the faint tremors coming from the ground beneath his feet, as well as the oppressive, chaotic, faintly bloody and eerie aura permeating the air.

The "Nine Netherworld Demon-Attracting Formation" is still operating! Moreover, judging from its momentum, it has probably reached the most critical moment, and may even be close to completion! Who knows what earth-shattering scheme that Blood Bone Demon is up to in the depths of the desolate hills!

This place remains dangerous! Moreover, as the great formation continues to operate, the changes deep within the desolate hills may affect the surrounding areas, and even attract more cultivators or forces with ulterior motives to come and investigate.

We must leave as soon as possible! Get as far away from "Dragonbone Hills" as possible!

Lu Zhao withdrew his gaze, his decision already made. He turned to the survivors, whose emotions were gradually calming, and spoke in a deep voice, not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears:

"This place is not safe to linger. The strange occurrences deep within the desolate hills have not ceased, and we fear we may be affected. We have escaped the cave, but we are not truly safe yet. Everyone, rest here for the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, treat your wounds, and replenish your fluids and food. After that, we must set off immediately; we must leave the 'Dragon Bone Desolate Hills' area as soon as possible!"