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

A tingling, itchy pain shot through the wound on Lu Zhao's back. The Yin Sha Corpse Qi and Blood Skull Poison gnawed at his flesh and meridians like maggots, attempting to invade his heart. Although the Annihilation Dragon Qi could withstand it, being distracted by two things would inevitably make the upcoming fierce attack from the Yin Skull cultivator even more dangerous.

"Boy, you killed a disciple of my Netherworld Sect! Today, I will surely extract your soul and refine it as a warning to others!" Seeing Lu Zhao injured, the Yin Skull cultivator's aura intensified, his eyes blazing with bloodlust. He formed hand seals and chanted incantations. The nine cartridge-sized skulls suddenly converged, spinning rapidly in the air, vaguely forming a strange array. In the empty eye sockets of the nine skulls, ghostly green flames merged, transforming into a gigantic, green-flaming skeletal phantom that exuded a sinister pressure several times stronger than before!

"Nine Netherworld Skull Flames, devouring souls and stealing spirits!"

The Yin Skeleton cultivator grinned maliciously, and the enormous green flame skeleton phantom let out a silent roar, opening its terrifying maw and carrying a terrifyingly high temperature that burned souls and corroded bones, along with a ghostly howl, as it lunged at Lu Zhao! Wherever it passed, the air distorted, vegetation withered and charred instantly, and even rocks seemed about to melt. This attack had already surpassed the scope of ordinary late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators, faintly touching the threshold of Pseudo-Core Formation!

Faced with this astonishingly powerful attack, Lu Zhao's eyes showed no fear, but rather a chilling killing intent. His mind raced, and the newly acquired dark golden dragon energy within him, imbued with the nourishing power of the land and water, was no longer merely used for nourishment and repair, but for the first time, he actively and fully activated it!

"Buzz—!"

A vast, profound, and ancient dragon's might, seemingly bearing the weight of the earth and rivers and encompassing all streams flowing into the sea, suddenly erupted from the dark golden dragon pattern between Lu Zhao's brows! This dragon's might was majestic and righteous, yet it contained an inviolable majesty, completely different from the destructive and murderous aura of the annihilating dragon energy, focusing more on suppression, domination, and protection!

The dragon's might is invisible, yet it is like a tangible tide, sweeping across all directions in an instant!

The menacing green flame skeleton phantom was suddenly halted by the overwhelming dragon's might. The ghostly green flames in the skeleton's eyes flickered wildly, like candles in the wind, emitting a hissing sound. The malevolent energy on it began to melt away rapidly, like snow meeting the sun! The ghostly howl was also mostly dispersed by the dragon's might.

"What?! This...this is..." The sinister smile on the Yin Skull cultivator's face froze instantly, replaced by unparalleled shock and horror! This pressure...so pure, so ancient, so vast! It was definitely not something a human cultivator could possess! This feeling was somewhat similar to the pressure from the ancient demonic dragon that he had seen recorded in the sect's secret texts and that his master, the Blood Bone Demon, occasionally revealed, yet it was even more majestic and righteous, filled with sacred majesty!

"Dragon's Might?! How... how can you possess such pure dragon's might?! Who exactly are you?!" The Yin Skull cultivator exclaimed in shock, his mind in turmoil, which caused his control over the Nine Nether Skull Fire Array to falter slightly.

When top players clash, they fight for every single advantage!

Just as the Yin Skeleton cultivator lost his composure and the Nine Nether Skeleton Fire Formation showed a flaw—

Lu Zhao made a move!

The ground beneath his feet cracked silently, and his figure shot forward like an arrow, charging headlong into the weakened green skull phantom! He channeled his Annihilation Dragon Qi to its fullest extent, causing slightly dimmed dragon scale phantoms to re-form on his body, protecting him. Simultaneously, he brought his right index and middle fingers together, forcibly merging the newly acquired dark gold dragon Qi with his original Annihilation Dragon Qi. Although not perfectly fused, it formed an even more violent and bizarre power—gray gold as its bone, dark gold as its marrow, a power that contained a hint of suppression and weight within its destruction!

"The Annihilation Dragon Emperor's Finger!"

Lu Zhao roared and pointed a finger at the center of the skull phantom that was so close at hand!

This finger strike was no longer silent; instead, it brought forth a deep and majestic dragon's roar! The force of the finger strike was chaotic in color, a mixture of gray and dark gold, and wherever it passed, even the air seemed to be frozen and then annihilated!

"boom!!!"

The chaotic finger strike landed hard on the green skull phantom's brow.

There was no earth-shattering explosion, only a crisp sound like shattering glass. The illusory Nine Nether Skull Fire Array, formed from nine skull-shaped magical artifacts and possessing astonishing power, shattered inch by inch under the Chaos Finger Force, as if made of paper! The eerie green ghost fire instantly extinguished, the nine skulls let out a mournful cry, their light dimmed, and they scattered in all directions, two of them even showing tiny cracks!

"Pfft—!" With his natal magic weapon damaged and his energy pulled away, the Yin Skull cultivator was struck as if by a heavy blow. He suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, his face turned as pale as paper, his aura plummeted, and his eyes were filled with unbelievable terror.

He never imagined that his strongest killing move would be so easily defeated by this strange dragon's might and that terrifying finger strike! This boy cannot be judged by ordinary standards!

Escape! We must escape immediately! Report this person's strange behavior to our master!

The Yin Skull cultivator was terrified and had no will to fight left. He didn't even bother to retrieve his damaged skull magic weapon. With a flash of bloody light, he was about to use the Blood Escape Technique to escape.

"Trying to leave? Too late!"

Lu Zhao's icy voice rang in his ears. The instant he unleashed his full power and shattered the Nine Nether Skull Fire Array, his figure had already approached like a ghost, his speed far exceeding the Yin Skull cultivator's expectations!

A hand covered in the phantom of gray-gold dragon scales, with its five fingers spread, exuded the dragon's might to suppress everything and the aura of annihilation of all things. It seemed to pierce through space and grabbed at the neck of the Yin Skull cultivator!

"No!!" The Yin Skull cultivator was terrified, and in his haste, he only had time to set up a thin layer of blood-red light shield in front of him.

"Crack!" The light shield shattered in response. Lu Zhao's hand, like an iron hoop, firmly gripped his throat, and the terrifying annihilation dragon energy instantly surged into his body, sealing his dantian meridians and preventing him from mustering any spiritual power.

"Heh...heh..." The Yin Skeleton cultivator's feet left the ground as he struggled in vain, his eyes filled with despair and resentment.

Lu Zhao, expressionless, slammed him to the ground as if he were a chick, placing a foot on his chest. The Annihilation Dragon Qi seeped into his body, completely sealing off any possibility of resistance. Only after doing this did Lu Zhao let out a muffled groan, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. The wound on his back had reopened during the intense movement, causing even more bleeding. Simultaneously activating two types of dragon qi, especially forcibly combining them to unleash the "Annihilation Dragon Emperor Finger," had placed a considerable burden on his meridians.

But his eyes remained cold and sharp as he looked down at the Yin Skeleton cultivator at his feet, who lay like a dead dog.

"Now, I ask, you answer. If there is even the slightest falsehood, or the slightest hesitation..." Lu Zhao's voice was calm, yet it carried a chilling coldness. He slightly pressed down with his feet, and the Yin Skull cultivator's sternum immediately groaned under the unbearable pressure. "I will let you taste what it's like to have your soul extracted and refined."

"Who...who are you? Why are you a dragon?" The Yin Skeleton cultivator gasped for breath, still trying to struggle.

Lu Zhao increased the pressure of his foot, breaking two of his ribs, causing him to scream in pain. "I'm asking you a question."

The Yin Skull cultivator was in so much pain that he was sweating profusely. Looking into Lu Zhao's emotionless eyes, he finally realized that this young man was definitely a ruthless and decisive killer. Falling into his hands would be worse than falling into the Netherworld Sect's punishment hall.

"...Ask away." He finally gave in, his voice hoarse.

"Is the Blood Bone Demon a member of the Netherworld Cult? What is his purpose in infiltrating Dragon Bone Hill and setting up the 'Nine Netherworld Blood Transformation Array'? What is that terrifying roar deep within the hill?" Lu Zhao asked the most crucial question, word by word.

The Yin Skull cultivator's expression shifted, a struggle flashing in his eyes. But the excruciating pain in his chest and Lu Zhao's icy gaze prevented him from hesitating for long. He said in a hoarse voice, "Elder Bloodbone... is one of the external affairs elders of my Netherworld Sect. This time, he infiltrated the Southern Wilderness and set up an array at Dragon Bone Hill to... to guide the 'Sacred Beast' fragment of my Netherworld Sect to descend, and to use the evil energy of the hill's veins and the blood and qi of countless living beings as a sacrifice to rebuild the foundation of its demonic body... That roar... was emitted when the Sacred Beast fragment was about to merge with the nascent demonic body... Once successful, the Sacred Beast fragment can initially manifest in this world through the demonic body..."

"A sacred beast's soul split? What sacred beast?" Lu Zhao's heart skipped a beat, and he pressed for an answer.

"It is...it is a remnant soul of the 'Nine Nether Demon Dragon,' who followed our Netherworld Sect's founder in battle in ancient times and perished in the great war..." The Yin Skull cultivator's voice trembled, filled with fanaticism and fear. "The elder used a secret method to summon this remnant soul by drawing upon the earth's malevolent energy, and then used the Blood Transformation Array to condense its blood and demonic body...If this succeeds, the strength of our Netherworld Sect will..."

A Nine Netherworld Demon Dragon?! A remnant soul? Reconstructing a demonic body?

A storm raged within Lu Zhao's heart. No wonder that roar was so terrifying, carrying both dragon might and an eerie aura! It was actually the remnant soul of an ancient demonic dragon! The Blood Bone Demon, no, the entire Netherworld Sect, their ambitions were so vast! Did they intend to recreate another demonic dragon?

"When will the great formation be fully completed? Where is the Blood Bone Demon now? Besides you, how many other Netherworld Cult members are active in the desolate hills?" Lu Zhao suppressed his shock and continued to press for answers.

"The grand formation... has reached its final stage. At the latest... by noon tomorrow, when the Yin energy of the Earthly Fiends reaches its peak, it will be completely successful, and the Sacred Beast's divided soul will begin to merge with the Demonic Body..." The Yin Skeleton cultivator coughed up blood as he spoke. "Elder Blood Bone... should be at the core ley line node of the desolate hills, presiding over the grand formation... There aren't many people from our sect here... Most of them are guarding the core of the formation. As for us, we are ordered to clear out any stragglers on the periphery to prevent the news from leaking out... I don't know the exact number..."

Tomorrow at noon? Time is so tight!

Lu Zhao's eyes sharpened, and he pressed down hard on his feet again: "One last question, how did you manage to track us down?"

"It's...it's the Blood Soul Disc...it can track the aura of living beings' blood essence...You...before, underground, one of your companions was injured and bleeding, and their aura was recorded..."

"I see." Lu Zhao understood. He didn't ask any more questions, raised his hand and struck the Yin Skull cultivator's crown with a palm strike. The Annihilation Dragon Qi surged in, instantly shattering the cultivator's soul.

He would show no mercy to such heretical practitioners.

After finishing all this, Lu Zhao quickly put away the Yin Skeleton cultivator's storage bag and the string of skull prayer beads with dim spiritual light. He then quickly disposed of the black-robed masked man's storage bag and the three refined corpses (including the destroyed one) (mainly checking for any tracking marks before burning them). Then, enduring the pain from his injuries and the swelling in his meridians, he quickly returned to the cave.

"Senior!" Chen Bai and the others had been on tenterhooks. When they saw Lu Zhao return, although he was injured and bloodied, he was still alive and the powerful enemy had been eliminated. They all breathed a sigh of relief and then looked at him nervously again.

"This place has been exposed; we cannot stay here any longer. Pack up immediately, and we must travel tonight!" Lu Zhao swallowed a healing pill and gave the order in a deep voice, his face more solemn than ever before.

The Netherworld Cult, the Nine Netherworld Demon Dragon, tomorrow at noon... We must get to Blackrock City as soon as possible and deliver this message! Or at least, we must escape to a place far enough away!