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

"roar--!!!"

That roar of the demonic dragon, filled with endless malevolence, hunger, and a destructive will, seemed to come from the deepest part of the netherworld, piercing through hundreds of miles of void and crashing into the minds of everyone who heard it.

Outside Blackrock City, the survivors who were just basking in the joy of escaping death were struck as if by an invisible hammer. The weaker mortals immediately rolled their eyes back, foamed at the mouth, and fainted. Even Chen Bai, a late-stage Qi Refining cultivator, felt his blood churning, his ears ringing, and his soul pierced with pain. He stared in horror toward the desolate hill.

Lu Zhao was the first to be hit, but with his peak Foundation Establishment cultivation and the protection of double dragon energy, his soul was far more resilient than others of the same level. However, his face paled slightly, and his eyes were sharp as knives as he stared intently at the indescribable and terrifying demonic shadow that emerged from the void rift.

Even a projection of a mere limb possesses such power! It's unimaginable what a cataclysmic scene it would be if its true form were to descend! Is this the "Nine Nether Demon Dragon" fragment and its initial demonic body that the Netherworld Cult is plotting? It's even more terrifying than anticipated!

"It's noon... Is the grand formation complete?" A chill ran through Lu Zhao's heart. The Yin Skull cultivator's words were true; the Netherworld Sect's plan had indeed succeeded at this moment! At least, the demonic dragon's divided soul had already begun to manifest in this world with the help of the "Nine Netherworld Blood Transformation Grand Formation"!

"Waaaaah—waaaah—!"

Within Blackrock City, the urgent and piercing alarm bells rang incessantly, echoing throughout the entire city. The previously somewhat tranquil city walls suddenly burst into a blinding light; a massive, pale blue defensive shield, enveloping the entire city, abruptly lit up, runes flowing across its surface, radiating powerful spiritual energy. Countless figures moved swiftly atop the city walls, various magical artifacts gleaming, and several powerful auras soared into the sky from within the city, hovering in mid-air, gazing solemnly towards the desolate hill—clearly the resident experts of Blackrock City.

Panic, like a plague, spread rapidly through the wilderness outside the city and within its walls. Even more cultivators fled from the desolate hills, rushing frantically towards the city gates, crying and shoving. The cultivators guarding the gates shouted orders, attempting to maintain order, but faced with this sudden upheaval and the oppressive aura of the demonic shadows, panic gripped the city, and order crumbled instantly.

"Quick! Get into the city!" Lu Zhao made a decisive call, shouting to Chen Bai and the others who were still in shock behind him. The area outside the city was no longer safe; who knew if the demonic shadow would move this way or trigger other chain reactions of disaster?

Chen Bai and the others snapped out of their daze and hurriedly helped their unconscious companions up. They stumbled and staggered along with the crowd, surging towards the gates of Black Rock City. Lu Zhao stood guard on one side of the group, releasing a slight pressure from his peak Foundation Establishment stage aura to separate the jostling crowd and ensure that his people could approach the city gates smoothly.

The gatekeeper initially wanted to stop and question Lu Zhao, but upon seeing the unfathomable aura emanating from him and sensing the faint dragon might that he unintentionally emitted, somewhat similar to the demonic figure in the distance (in fact, they were of the same origin but different in nature), he immediately felt a chill and dared not make things too difficult. He simply checked that Lu Zhao was not an evil cultivator (mainly to see if there was any obvious demonic energy), then waved his hand, signaling them to hurry in.

The group finally squeezed through the heavy city gates of Blackrock City.

Chaos reigned within the city. The streets were teeming with panicked cultivators and mortals, all gazing up at the terrifying demonic shadow in the sky above. A cacophony of voices—shouts, cries, and arguments—filled the air. Shops closed, inns were overflowing, and prices skyrocketed. The city guards, trying to maintain order, shouted orders in the streets, but to little avail.

"Senior, what are we doing now..." Chen Bai looked at the chaotic street, feeling lost and helpless.

Lu Zhao hesitated for a moment, then said, "Let's find a place to stay and settle down first. Your injuries haven't healed yet, so you need to rest. I'll go and gather information."

He found a small but clean inn on the main street of the city. The innkeeper, a shrewd middle-aged man, was also pale at the moment, but seeing Lu Zhao's extraordinary demeanor and the group of people he was with, he quickly forced a smile and cleared out several storage rooms in the backyard that were originally used to store miscellaneous items. Although simple, they were quiet and could accommodate everyone.

Lu Zhao paid with spirit stones (using those obtained from the Yin Skull cultivator's storage bag), instructed Chen Bai to take good care of everyone, especially the seriously injured, and left some pills and food. Then, he left the inn alone, blending into the chaotic crowd on the street.

He needed to find out the situation as soon as possible. Had the Netherworld Cult's plot succeeded completely? How was the Shadow Demon now? What were the reactions of Blackrock City and the surrounding forces? Had the Earthly Origin Sect received the news?

He didn't go to the chaotic restaurants and teahouses, but went straight to the center of Blackrock City, to the area with the richest spiritual energy, the tallest buildings, and the most powerful array formations. That was the core location of the Blackrock City Lord's Mansion and several major families and merchant guilds, and also the place with the best information.

Along the way, he heard all sorts of conflicting information circulating:

"Have you heard? Deep within Dragonbone Hills, an ancient demonic dragon has been resurrected!"

"What demonic dragon! It was the work of the Netherworld Cult! They set up a terrifying evil formation, sacrificing countless lives!"

"The city lord and the heads of several major families have all gone to the city walls! I heard they've already sent people to request reinforcements from the nearby Xuantian Sword Sect and Yunmeng Sect!"

"Call for reinforcements? Is it too late? If that thing attacks, can Blackrock City's formations hold it off?"

"Where is the Earthly Element Sect? Aren't they always in charge of monitoring the ley lines of the desolate hills? Why haven't they made a single move?"

"The Earthly Origin Sect? Hmph, I heard that several of their reconnaissance teams, including one of their elders, have been trapped inside. They're probably in grave danger..."

Lu Zhao's heart sank slightly. Something had indeed happened to the Earthly Origin Sect. Could it be that his nominal master, and Shen Qingqiu and the others, were also...?

He quickened his pace and arrived near the City Lord's Mansion. The area was heavily guarded, and unauthorized personnel were not allowed to approach. Lu Zhao sensed at least several Foundation Establishment stage cultivators monitoring the surroundings from the shadows.

He stopped, pondered for a moment, and took out an object from his robes—the tattered token he had obtained from Di Yuanzi, representing his identity as the guardian of the Di Yuan Sect. Although the token was broken, the ancient characters "Di Yuan" and the unique array patterns on it were unmistakable, especially in this southern wilderness, where those who studied earth vein arrays might be able to recognize it.

He walked to the side gate of the city lord's mansion, showed his token to the guards, and said in a deep voice: "Lu Zhao, a disciple of the Diyuan Sect, has important matters to discuss with the city lord or the person in charge of the city. It concerns the strange changes in the desolate hill and the conspiracy of the Netherworld Sect."

The guard, only at the Qi Refining stage, took the token and felt its weight and unusual material—neither gold nor wood, with ancient patterns and faint fluctuations of spiritual energy, yet he couldn't identify it. However, seeing Lu Zhao's composed demeanor and unfathomable cultivation (which he couldn't fathom), he dared not be negligent and quickly said, "Senior, please wait a moment while I announce your arrival."

Before long, an old man dressed in the robes of a steward, with the cultivation level of the early Foundation Establishment stage, hurriedly came out, took the token and examined it carefully. His expression changed slightly, and he looked up and sized up Lu Zhao a few times. In particular, when he sensed the faint but palpable pressure emanating from Lu Zhao, his attitude immediately became much more respectful.

"So you are the great-grandfather of the Earth Origin Sect. Fellow Daoist Lu, please follow me. The city lord and several family heads are discussing important matters in the council hall. I will lead you there now." The old man stepped aside to lead the way.

Lu Zhao nodded, put away the token, and followed the old man into the city lord's mansion. The atmosphere inside was heavy, and the cultivators coming and going hurriedly, their faces filled with worry.

After passing through several courtyards, we arrived at a magnificent hall. Before even entering, we could hear a heated argument coming from inside.

"...The most urgent task is to immediately activate the city's protective array at its highest alert level, and at the same time organize manpower to evacuate ordinary people and low-level cultivators from the city!"

"Evacuate? Where to evacuate? That demonic shadow is incredibly powerful; who knows what it will do next? If we leave the protection of the formation, we'll die even faster!"

"The distress signal has been sent, but the Xuan Tian Sword Sect and the Yun Meng Sect are both thousands of miles away. Even if a Nascent Soul Ancestor were to arrive at full speed, it would still take time! We can only hold our ground and wait for reinforcements!"

"Has the Earthly Origin Sect not replied yet? What on earth are they up to?!"

Just then, the old man who had led the way bowed at the door and reported: "City Lord, esteemed family heads, Lu Zhao, a disciple of the Diyuan Sect, requests an audience, saying he has important matters to report concerning the strange events at the Desolate Hill and the conspiracy of the Netherworld Sect."

The argument in the hall abruptly ceased.

"People from the Earthly Origin Sect? Quickly, invite them in!" A dignified yet urgent voice rang out.

Lu Zhao straightened his clothes (though stained with blood and torn, his demeanor remained undiminished) and strode into the hall.

Inside the hall, seven or eight people were gathered, each possessing profound auras, the lowest being the late Foundation Establishment stage. At the head of the table sat a middle-aged man in a purple robe, with a refined yet imposing appearance, who possessed the cultivation of a Pseudo-Core Formation cultivator; he was presumably the City Lord of Blackrock City. Beside him were several people of varying ages and genders, all leaders of the city's major families or merchant guilds.

All eyes instantly focused on Lu Zhao, who had just entered. When they sensed Lu Zhao's undisguised, powerful aura, typical of a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, and the unique blend of battle-hardened blood, murderous intent, and dragon's might on his body, many were astonished. When did the Di Yuan Sect produce such a young and highly skilled disciple? Moreover, the aura emanating from this young man faintly resembled that of the demonic figure outside the city (a resonance with dragon's might), yet it was purer and more restrained?

"This junior, Lu Zhao of the Diyuan Sect, greets the City Lord and all seniors." Lu Zhao bowed respectfully with clasped hands.

"Young friend Lu, there's no need for such formalities." The Black Rock City Lord's gaze swept over Lu Zhao like lightning, and he said in a deep voice, "What you just said concerns the anomaly in the Desolate Hill and the conspiracy of the Netherworld Sect. Is it true or false? And how did you know? Where are the other fellow Daoists of the Earth Origin Sect now?"

Facing the scrutinizing, anxious, and suspicious gazes of the crowd, Lu Zhao took a deep breath and slowly began to speak. He then gave a concise account of the information he had gathered, including the inheritance of the Earth Origin Child, his encounter with the Soul Devouring Demon Sect (outer periphery of the Netherworld Sect), the underground bronze giant gate, the Azure-eyed Xuan Water Lizard, and his encounter with the Yin Skull cultivator, from which he was interrogated. He omitted the parts that involved his core secrets (such as the Reverse Scale Pact and the True Dragon Reverse Scale Fragment).

He spoke slowly but clearly, explaining the Netherworld Sect's conspiracy to use the "Nine Nether Blood Transformation Array" to guide the remnant soul of the "Nine Nether Demon Dragon" and reshape its demonic body, as well as his deduction that the array had been initially completed and the demonic shadow had manifested at noon today.

As he spoke, the atmosphere in the hall grew increasingly heavy, and everyone's faces became more and more grim.

"...Everything I said is true. The storage bag and identity token of that Yin Skeleton cultivator are here, which can serve as proof. The Netherworld Sect has grand ambitions. Once that remnant soul of the demonic dragon completely controls the demonic body, it may cause more than just disaster to Black Rock City. I escaped by chance and came to report this news, hoping that the city lord and all the seniors will make a decision as soon as possible." After Lu Zhao finished speaking, he took out the token engraved with the Netherworld Sect's symbol and the broken string of skull prayer beads that he had obtained from the Yin Skeleton cultivator.

Immediately, a servant stepped forward to take it and presented it to the Black Rock City Lord and several family heads for inspection.

A moment later, the Blackrock City Lord put down the token, his face so grim it was almost dripping with water, and slowly said, "It is indeed the insignia of the Netherworld Sect's 'Blood Fiend Hall'... This matter is probably a hundred times more serious than we anticipated!"

He looked at Lu Zhao with a complicated expression: "Young friend Lu, the information you brought is of utmost importance. The Diyuan Sect... Alas, according to the latest information we have received, the team your sect sent to investigate the desolate hills, including your sect's Elder Qingxuan, has probably been killed by the Youming Sect, with very few survivors. It is truly remarkable that you were able to escape and bring such accurate information; it is a great achievement."

Lu Zhao's heart sank. Elder Qingxuan? Was it the elder who led the group? Something had indeed happened. Shen Qingqiu and the others…

"The most urgent matter is how to respond," a powerful-looking patriarch in brocade robes said in a deep voice. "Holding our ground and waiting for reinforcements is essential, but we can't just sit and wait to die. That demonic shadow has only just manifested and may not be fully stable yet. Should we organize an elite force to investigate, or even... attempt to disrupt and sabotage it?"

"Absolutely not!" another white-haired elder immediately objected. "The power of that demonic shadow is far beyond what anyone below the Golden Core stage can withstand! Going there rashly would be tantamount to suicide! We only need to hold our ground and wait for reinforcements. Master Liu of the Xuan Tian Sword Sect, 'Tianxuan Sword,' and Fairy Bibo of the Yunmeng Sect are already on their way and will arrive by tomorrow at the latest! When they arrive, with the combined strength of the two masters, we might be able to contend with it!"

"Tomorrow? Who knows what that monster will do tomorrow?" someone retorted.

The argument resumed in the hall.

Lu Zhao listened silently, his mind racing. The Netherworld Sect's conspiracy seemed to have exceeded his initial expectations of "passing on the message." This was no longer something he, or even Black Rock City alone, could handle. Involving the remnant soul of an ancient demonic dragon, it would likely require the intervention of a Nascent Soul or even a Deity Transformation stage expert to quell the unrest.

What he needs to do now is to contact the Earthly Origin Sect as soon as possible to confirm the safety of Shen Qingqiu and the others. At the same time, in this chaotic situation, he needs to protect himself and find opportunities to improve his strength. Although the "Nine Nether Demon Dragon" is terrifying, its remnant soul and demonic body may also contain unimaginable dangers and opportunities for him, who possesses dual dragon energy?

As the debate raged in the hall, and Lu Zhao pondered in silence—

"Report—!!!"

A city guard cultivator rushed into the hall in a panic, kneeling on one knee, his voice trembling: "Lord! From the direction of the desolate hills, that...that demonic shadow is moving again! It...it seems...it's moving towards Blackrock City! Moreover, on the outskirts of the desolate hills, a large number of demonic beasts corrupted by demonic energy and...and walking corpse-like monsters are swarming out, scattering and charging in all directions, some of them heading straight for Blackrock City!"

The hall fell into a deathly silence.

Everyone's expression changed completely.