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

Qingming Peak, Tingzhu Xiaozhu (Listening to Bamboo Cottage).

The morning mist hadn't yet dissipated, and dew clung to the bamboo leaves. Lu Zhao pushed open the stone door of the meditation room, welcoming the cool morning breeze, and took a deep breath of the spiritually rich air. A year of seclusion had passed in the outside world in the blink of an eye, but for him, it had been over three hundred days and nights of consolidation, digestion, and refinement. His Foundation Establishment cultivation had reached its peak, his aura harmonious and restrained, and every movement exuded a steadfastness like a mountain and agility like the wind.

He changed into a clean blue robe, typical of an inner disciple of the Diyuan Sect, and concealed his aura at the late Foundation Establishment stage before leaving Tingzhu Xiaozhu. He then rode a blue escape light towards the main hall of Cangming Peak.

Towering into the clouds, Cangming Peak is one of the most spiritually rich mountains in the Diyuan Sect. Its master, True Person Cangming, is one of the few late-stage Golden Core cultivators in the sect, holding a highly respected position. As his disciple, Lu Zhao rarely saw him, but he always held his master, a man of few words who had given him the opportunity to enter the Diyuan Cave Heaven at a crucial moment, in high esteem.

Upon arriving outside the main hall, a disciple announced his arrival. A moment later, Lu Zhao was led into the hall.

The main hall was ancient and spacious, paved with bluestone, its walls unadorned, save for a few bronze lamps that burned softly, emitting a tranquil glow. At the head of the hall, on a meditation cushion, sat an elderly man in a grey robe, with a gaunt face and slightly closed eyes, meditating quietly. This was none other than the Celestial Master Cangming.

Lu Zhao stepped forward and bowed, saying, "Disciple Lu Zhao greets Master."

Cangming Zhenren slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm as he looked at Lu Zhao. He lingered for a moment, a hint of surprise flashing across his eyes before returning to his usual composure.

"Hmm, Foundation Establishment Great Perfection, your aura is deep and your foundation is solid, not bad." Cangming Zhenren's voice was not loud, but it carried a power that penetrated straight to people's hearts. "It seems that you have had quite an opportunity on this trip."

"Master, you are wise. During my previous travels, I had a fortuitous encounter and managed to break through to the next level," Lu Zhao replied respectfully, without elaborating further. The matter of Black Rock City was far-reaching, involving Golden Core demonic cultivators, the remnant soul of a demonic dragon, and elders of the Xuan Tian Sword Sect. Furthermore, he himself harbored hidden demonic thoughts, making it inconvenient to discuss in detail.

Master Cangming did not delve into the matter. Every cultivator has their own destiny, and as long as they do not violate the sect rules or take the wrong path, he generally does not interfere.

"Now that you have reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, the next step is Core Formation," said True Person Cangming slowly. "Core Formation is the first major hurdle on the path of cultivation. Success grants five hundred years of lifespan and the initial manifestation of supernatural powers; failure destroys the foundation of one's cultivation and cuts off one's future path. What are your preparations?"

"Reporting to Master, this disciple is troubled by this matter. To form a Core, one needs the assistance of a Core-forming spiritual object, but the sect's contributions are insufficient, and the spiritual object I need may be rather special. Therefore, I wish to go out to seek opportunities and at the same time gain some experience to consolidate my mental state," Lu Zhao said truthfully.

"It's only natural to venture out to seek opportunities. The Earthly Origin Sect isn't a place to be confined; cultivators need to understand their own path through experience." True Person Cangming nodded slightly. "However, there are clues within the sect as well. You can first go to the Hall of Merit to see if there are any suitable sect missions recently. You might be able to exchange for some contribution points, or perhaps obtain clues about Core Formation spiritual items from the missions. In addition, the sect's minor competition will begin in a few months. The top three Foundation Establishment cultivators in this competition will all have the opportunity to enter the sect's secret vault to select treasures. There might be Core Formation spiritual items stored in the secret vault."

"The sect's minor competition? The secret vault?" Lu Zhao's heart stirred. According to the rules of the Diyuan Sect, a grand sect competition is held every ten years, and a minor competition every three years. The grand competition is extremely important, as it determines the number of true disciples and resource allocation. The minor competition is mainly for inner disciples, intended to encourage younger disciples and test their cultivation; the top three receive substantial rewards. The sect's secret vault, on the other hand, houses rare treasures, cultivation techniques, and secret arts accumulated by the Diyuan Sect over many years; entry is restricted to those with great achievements or special opportunities. If he could enter the secret vault, he might truly find a suitable Core Formation spiritual object.

"Thank you for your guidance, Master," Lu Zhao said gratefully.

"Hmm. Now that you have reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, you should have the idea of ​​a natal magic weapon. After forming your Golden Core, you need to nurture your natal magic weapon with your Golden Core, allowing it to cultivate with your own life force and thus increase its power. You can take this opportunity to look for suitable materials. If you have any questions, you can also ask me," Cangming Zhenren advised. A natal magic weapon is of utmost importance to Golden Core cultivators and needs to be planned in advance.

"Disciple understands," Lu Zhao replied. He had long planned for his natal magic weapon, and its compatibility with his own cultivation technique and dragon energy was of utmost importance; this matter could not be rushed.

"Go. On the path of cultivation, the Dao heart is fundamental, and external things are secondary. Remember this." Master Cangming gave his final instructions, then closed his eyes again and said no more.

"This disciple takes his leave." Lu Zhao bowed again and slowly withdrew from the main hall.

Leaving Cangming Peak, Lu Zhao already had a plan in mind. He would first go to the Hall of Merit to see if there were any suitable missions available, which would not only earn him contribution points but might also yield clues about Core Formation items or the "Soul-Stabilizing Flower." As for the sect's minor competition, there were still several months to go, so he could prepare early. If he could secure a top-three finish and enter the secret vault, his chances of success would be much greater.

The Hall of Merit is located halfway up the main peak of the Diyuan Sect. It is a magnificent stone hall, bustling with people coming and going. This is the core place for the sect to issue tasks, for disciples to hand over tasks, exchange contribution points, and exchange resources.

Lu Zhao stepped into the hall, which was extremely spacious. The walls were inlaid with countless jade discs of varying sizes, shimmering with different colored spiritual lights. On these discs, lines of text scrolled and appeared, displaying various tasks issued by the sect. These included gathering spiritual herbs, hunting specific demonic beasts, exploring secret realms, guarding mines, pursuing traitors, collecting materials, and so on, each with varying difficulty and contribution points. In the center of the hall were several rows of counters, where disciples were responsible for handing over tasks, exchanging contribution points, and exchanging resources.

Lu Zhao went straight to a jade disc that was used to issue high-level missions (usually corresponding to the late Foundation Establishment stage and above) and stared at it intently.

"Mission No. 3 (Type A): Go to the 'Golden Sand Sea' in the Western Desert and collect 10 jin of 'Mysterious Gold Sand'. Contribution Points: 800. Note: The sand sea environment is harsh, with quicksand and sand beasts appearing. It is recommended to go in a team."

"Mission No. 7 (Type A): Investigate unusual activity in the northeastern region of the 'Miasma Rainforest' in Southern Xinjiang, suspected to be signs of evil cultivation activities. Contribution Points: 1200. Note: Dangerous, teeming with miasma and poisonous insects. It is recommended that you be at least at the late Foundation Establishment stage and have sufficient antidote pills on hand."

"Mission No. 11 (Class A): Escort the sect's merchant caravan to 'Heavenly Craft Workshop,' round trip takes three months. Contribution Points: 600. Note: Must be proficient in combat; there may be ambushes along the way."

After reviewing each task, he found that most were time-consuming and laborious, offering a considerable amount of contribution points, but they didn't offer much help for the Core Formation spiritual items that Lu Zhao urgently needed. He was more interested in tasks that might provide clues to special treasures or directly reward Core Formation spiritual items.

Soon, a task caught his attention.

"Quest No. 19 (Type A): Explore the outer perimeter of 'Dragon's Abyss' and collect three 'Dragon Blood Grass' or one 'Earth Vein Dragon Crystal'. Contribution Points: Depends on the item's grade. Dragon Blood Grass (over 100 years old) yields 500 contribution points per stalk, and Earth Vein Dragon Crystal (low-grade) yields 1,500 contribution points per piece. Note: Dragon's Abyss is located at the border of Central Continent and Southern Frontier. It is extremely dangerous, often rife with spatial rifts, geomagnetic disturbances, and remnants of ancient beasts. Those without formidable strength, mastery of escape techniques, and keen spiritual sense should not approach the core area. Quest issuer: Elder Chisong of Danxia Peak. Special Note: If you find a 'Soul-Stabilizing Flower,' you can exchange it for one 'Golden Condensation Pill' or its equivalent value of 3,000 contribution points."

"Dragon Abyss? Dragon Blood Grass? Earth Vein Dragon Crystal? Soul-Stabilizing Flower? Golden Elixir?" Lu Zhao's eyes narrowed, and his mind raced.

He had heard of "Dragon's Abyss," an ancient forbidden land where, according to legend, a true dragon once perished, its blood staining the earth and creating a unique landscape. Therefore, its spiritual energy was chaotic and extremely dangerous, but it also nurtured rare treasures, such as Dragon Blood Grass and Earth Vein Dragon Crystals. Dragon Blood Grass was an auxiliary ingredient in refining various high-level elixirs and also had remarkable effects on body tempering. Earth Vein Dragon Crystals were rare stones containing a trace of earth vein dragon energy (not the energy of a true dragon, but the essence of the earth veins), which could be used for weapon crafting and array formation, and were highly beneficial for cultivating earth-based or earth vein-related techniques. Both of these might be useful to him, especially the Earth Vein Dragon Crystal, which might assist him in cultivating the "True Dragon Hundred Transformations" or help him sense the earth veins and track the remnant soul of that demonic dragon?

The "Soul-Stabilizing Flower" is the missing main ingredient in Fairy Bibo's elixir formula, and it's also the key to refining the "Soul-Nourishing and Spirit-Refining Pill"! If you can find it, you can not only ask Fairy Bibo to start refining the pill and resolve the hidden dangers of demonic thoughts in your sea of ​​consciousness, but you can also directly exchange it for a "Golden Core Pill"! The Golden Core Pill is one of the top spiritual pills that assist in the formation of the Golden Core. It can greatly increase the success rate of the Golden Core formation and improve the quality of the Golden Core. It is priceless!

"This mission...it's practically tailor-made for me!" Lu Zhao thought excitedly. He could earn contribution points, find useful Dragon Blood Grass and Earth Vein Dragon Crystals, and most importantly, he had a clear goal: to find the "Soul-Stabilizing Flower," plus the Golden Condensation Pill as an extra reward! Although the Fallen Dragon Abyss was dangerous, he was confident in his strength and possessed the top-tier escape technique, "Soaring Dragon Steps." As long as he didn't venture too deep into the core area, exploring the outer perimeter should give him a certain degree of confidence.

He continued looking down at the task list and saw several more tasks that might be related to Core Formation spirit objects, but they either required extremely high contribution points or the task locations were more dangerous and took longer to complete. None of them were as suitable for his needs as the "Dragon Abyss" task.

"This is it!" Lu Zhao made up his mind and walked to the counter where the task was handed over.

"Senior brother, I want to accept mission number 19 of the Jia series: explore the outer perimeter of Fallen Dragon Abyss and collect Dragon Blood Grass or Earth Vein Dragon Crystals," Lu Zhao said to a mid-Foundation Establishment disciple behind the counter.

The disciple in charge glanced at Lu Zhao, noticing his composed aura and the late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivation level he displayed. He nodded, took out a mission jade slip, and said, "Mission number nineteen, rated 'Upper Grade A'. It is recommended that at least two late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivators or one Pseudo-Core Formation cultivator form a team. Are you sure you want to take this mission alone, Junior Brother?"

"Confirmed," Lu Zhao said calmly.

The disciple in charge didn't try to persuade him further. He entered the mission information into Lu Zhao's identity token and handed him a specially made image-recording jade talisman and a sensing jade slip.

"This is a recording jade talisman. In a specific area outside the Fallen Dragon Abyss, it will automatically record your exploration route and key discoveries, and mark locations where Dragon Blood Grass and Earth Vein Dragon Crystals may exist. However, this is for reference only, and accuracy cannot be guaranteed. This sensing jade slip can generate a weak sense within a hundred miles of Dragon Blood Grass or Earth Vein Dragon Crystals, but this is also affected by the environment and may not be accurate. The mission has a six-month time limit. Failure to return or submit the mission items by the deadline will be considered a mission failure. In addition, Elder Chishong specifically instructed that if there are any clues about the 'Soul-Stabilizing Flower,' regardless of whether they have been picked, you can record them with the jade talisman and claim a portion of the reward upon your return."

"Thank you, Senior Brother." Lu Zhao accepted the jade talisman and jade slip and put them into his storage bag.

"Junior brother, please be careful. Falling into Dragon Abyss is no small matter; every year, fellow disciples perish there," the deacon said routinely.

Lu Zhao nodded his thanks and left the Hall of Merit.

After accepting the mission, Lu Zhao did not set off immediately. The Fallen Dragon Abyss was infamous, so he needed to be well prepared. He first went to the sect's market and purchased a batch of high-grade antidote pills, miasma-avoiding pills, spirit-restoring pills, and healing pills, as well as several high-grade talismans (including defensive, escape, and offensive ones). He also disposed of the materials and low-grade magic weapons he didn't need and exchanged them for spirit stones.

Next, he went to the Scripture Pavilion (the outer sect's Scripture Pavilion of the Earthly Yuan Sect) and consulted all the books, travelogues, and accounts of his experiences related to "Dragon Fall Abyss". Although most of the records were vague and warned of the dangers, they gave him a general understanding of the environment there (unstable space, chaotic geomagnetism, remnants of ancient beasts, special monsters, poisonous miasma, etc.).

Finally, he returned to Tingzhu Xiaozhu, adjusted his condition to its best, and checked all his belongings again: a black longsword (obtained from Diyuan Cave, made of extraordinary material), insights into the fragment of "Ji Mie Wu Sheng Sword" obtained from the Sutra Repository, experience with "You Long Jing Hong Bu", a mysterious bone fragment, "Qing Xin Qing Hun Dan" given by Fairy Bibo (one pill left), a life-saving sword talisman given by Liu Xuanfeng (one used, one left for a critical moment), and some miscellaneous items.

"That's about it." Lu Zhao opened his eyes, his gaze sharp and bright. The preparations were sufficient; all that remained was to adapt to the situation.

He got up, walked out of Tingzhu Xiaozhu, and without disturbing anyone, rode an inconspicuous cyan escape light, quietly leaving the Diyuan Sect's mountain gate, and sped off towards Zhuilongyuan, the border between Zhongzhou and Nanjiang.

The purpose of this trip is clear: Dragon Blood Grass, Earth Vein Dragon Crystal, and most importantly—Soul-Stabilizing Flower! If successful, not only will there be hope of forming a Golden Core, but the hidden dangers of demonic thoughts within the body can also be resolved.

Above the azure clouds, Lu Zhao glanced back at the receding mountain shadows, his gaze resolute. His escape light suddenly accelerated and disappeared into the clouds on the horizon.

Not long after Lu Zhao left the Diyuan Sect, in the Hall of Merit, the disciple in charge looked at the record of Lu Zhao's accepted missions and shook his head slightly: "Another one going to Fallen Dragon Abyss to try his luck... A high-level mission, all alone, sigh, I hope he can return safely."

Countless miles away from the Earthly Origin Sect, in a deep underground cavern, a dark red blood pool churned. A gaunt, twisted figure was immersed in the pool, greedily absorbing its essence. A terrifying hole remained in the figure's chest, but the dark golden demonic energy around its edges grew increasingly dense. He slowly raised his head, revealing a withered face covered in dark red demonic markings, his scarlet eyes filled with resentment and madness.

"You little beast from the Earthly Origin Sect...you can't escape...I sense...that wisp of demonic thought...is still here...Once my divine skills are fully mastered...I will definitely refine you...into a blood puppet..."

A deep, hoarse voice, like that of a night owl, echoed through the cave.