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

The main peak of Diyuan Sect is the martial arts arena.

This is the largest and most core martial arts training ground of the Diyuan Sect. It is located on an extremely open platform on the mountainside of the main peak, covering an area of ​​several miles. The ground is paved with special minerals, making it extremely solid. Furthermore, there are powerful restrictions set up by the sect's Golden Core elders over the generations, which are sufficient to withstand the aftershocks of battles between Golden Core cultivators.

At this moment, the martial arts arena was already bustling with activity, a dense, dark mass of people. Almost half of the Foundation Establishment disciples of the inner sect, whether or not they had registered to participate, had gathered here. Many Qi Refining disciples were also waiting anxiously at the edges, hoping to catch a glimpse of the inner sect's masters. Streaks of light continued to descend from the sky, joining the vast crowd. A rough estimate suggested there were no fewer than several thousand people!

Such a grand spectacle is rare among the inner disciples of the Diyuan Sect in recent years. The allure of the Yunmeng Ancient Marsh and the opportunity to condense the Golden Core have driven all Foundation Establishment disciples aspiring to the Great Dao into a frenzy.

In the center of the martial arts arena, ten enormous arenas had already been erected. Each arena was a hundred feet square and several feet above the ground, surrounded by a faint light barrier, serving both as protection and to prevent the aftershocks of the battles from leaking out. Wide passageways were left between the arenas. To the north of the arena, a high platform rose abruptly, upon which dozens of chairs were placed. Many figures were already seated, their auras profound—all were sect elders! Among them, Lu Zhao recognized several familiar faces—Elder Yan, Elder Chisong of the Pill Pavilion (he had actually returned!), Elder Liu of the Transmission Hall, and the gray-robed elder who had taken him to the third floor of the Scripture Pavilion, all of whom were also there, meditating with their eyes closed. In the center of the high platform, an elderly man in a purple Daoist robe, with a lean face and an imposing presence, was none other than the host of this selection—Lei Wanjun, the Hall Master of the Enforcement Hall of the Earth Origin Sect, a late-stage Golden Core cultivator!

On either side of the platform, there were special viewing seats, where some young cultivators with extraordinary auras sat, mostly true disciples, as well as distinguished guests from outer sects like Ye Qingyi. Ye Qingyi was still wearing a light blue dress, looking as aloof as an immortal, completely out of place with the noisy surroundings. Her gaze seemed to be looking down at the crowd, searching for something.

Lu Zhao landed at the edge of the martial arts arena, his gaze sweeping over the magnificent scene, and he was slightly shocked. This was the grandeur of a major sect! Thousands of Foundation Establishment cultivators had gathered, among them many with powerful auras, quite a few at the eighth or ninth level of Foundation Establishment, and dozens of auras that stood out like torches in the night, symbols of the completion of Foundation Establishment! Some of them were even more profound, their spiritual power restrained to the extreme, clearly veteran disciples who had been stuck at the completion of Foundation Establishment for many years and had accumulated extremely deep knowledge.

"The competition is even fiercer than I imagined," Lu Zhao thought to himself. Twenty spots, thousands vying for—it's like a thousand troops crossing a single-plank bridge. And among them are countless powerful individuals. However, he felt no fear; on the contrary, he felt a faint excitement. Clashing with experts, verifying what he had learned, was the best way to improve his strength and hone his Dao heart.

"Junior Brother Lu, over here!" A familiar voice called out. Lu Zhao looked in the direction of the voice and saw Zhao Yan and Li Yue waving at him from a short distance away, while Ye Qingyi nodded slightly in acknowledgment. Lu Zhao walked over.

"Junior Brother Lu, you've finally arrived! After half a month of seclusion, your cultivation seems to have improved again!" Zhao Yan, with his cheerful personality, patted Lu Zhao on the shoulder and laughed. His aura was robust, clearly indicating that he had not slacked off during these half months, and his cultivation had reached the peak of the eighth level of Foundation Establishment.

Li Yue nodded in acknowledgment. His aura was deep and his gaze sharp, clearly indicating that he had also made a breakthrough.

"I've gained some insights." Lu Zhao smiled slightly and looked at Ye Qingyi. "Senior Sister Ye, how have you been?"

"Fellow Daoist Lu's complexion is even better than before. It seems you've gained a lot from this seclusion." Ye Qingyi's beautiful eyes swept over Lu Zhao. She could sense that Lu Zhao's aura was more profound and restrained, giving her a faint feeling of danger, which made her secretly alarmed. In just half a month, this person's strength seemed to have improved considerably again.

"Just lucky," Lu Zhao said modestly, turning his gaze to the high platform. "Is Palace Master Lei presiding over this selection?"

"Yes, the fact that Palace Master Lei is personally overseeing this shows how much importance the sect attaches to this selection." Ye Qingyi nodded. "The selection rules are said to have been finalized and will be announced later."

As they were talking, Lei Wanjun slowly opened his eyes on the high platform. His gaze was like lightning, sweeping over the thousands of disciples below. Although he did not deliberately release any pressure, an invisible majesty instantly silenced the noisy martial arts arena, so quiet that you could hear a pin drop.

"Silence." Lei Wanjun's voice was not loud, but it rang clearly in everyone's ears, carrying an unquestionable authority.

"Today is the day our Di Yuan Sect selects disciples to enter the Yunmeng Ancient Swamp. The Yunmeng Ancient Swamp is an ancient secret realm, full of opportunities, but also extremely dangerous. All inner disciples of our Di Yuan Sect in the Foundation Establishment stage are eligible to apply for the selection. According to statistics, a total of 3,752 people have applied this time."

Three thousand seven hundred and fifty-two people! A low gasp rose from the audience. This was almost half of the inner sect Foundation Establishment disciples! The intensity of the competition was unimaginable.

"The purpose of this selection battle is to choose truly capable and promising disciples to represent the sect in the Ancient Swamp, vie for opportunities, and uphold the sect's prestige. Therefore, on the arena, life and death are irrelevant, but the competition among fellow disciples is primarily for friendly sparring. We hope you will stop short of causing discord. However, swords have no eyes, and magic is merciless. If anyone intentionally harms a fellow disciple, once verified, they will be severely punished!" Lei Wanjun's voice turned stern, and a sharp aura emanated from him, making everyone's hearts tremble.

The statement, seemingly contradictory—"stop when the point is made, regardless of life or death, yet severely punish those who intentionally cause harm"—actually provides the judges and sects with considerable leeway. They must ensure the intensity and authenticity of the selection process while minimizing unnecessary casualties and internal strife. Finding the right balance requires not only the disciples themselves but also the judges' discerning eye.

"The selection rules are as follows," Lei Wanjun continued. "The first round is a free-for-all elimination. All registered disciples will be divided into ten groups, each entering one of the ten arenas. The arenas are equipped with special restrictions that allow for random teleportation. You must remain on the arena for the duration of an incense stick burning. After that time, the top one hundred remaining on the arena will advance to the next round. Those who fall off the arena, voluntarily surrender, or lose their fighting ability will be eliminated."

A chaotic elimination round! Within the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, the top 100 from each group will be determined! This means that out of more than 3,000 people, over 2,000 will be eliminated in the first round! And this will happen on a chaotic arena, where participants will not only face attacks from all directions but also be wary of sneak attacks and encirclements from their own group members. This rule is extremely cruel, but it also tests a cultivator's overall strength, adaptability, and mental fortitude.

A commotion erupted below the stage. Many of the weaker disciples turned pale instantly. In such a chaotic arena, those lacking strength were likely to be eliminated in a flash. Meanwhile, those disciples who were strong, skilled in teamwork, or possessed unpredictable movements gleamed with excitement.

"Quiet." Lei Wanjun's voice once again silenced the commotion. "The second round is the arena battles. The one thousand disciples who have advanced will draw lots to determine their opponents, and they will fight one-on-one. The winners will advance, and the losers will be eliminated, until the top one hundred are determined."

"The third round is the ranking battle. The top one hundred disciples will compete in a round-robin tournament, and the top twenty will be selected to qualify for entry into the Yunmeng Ancient Swamp. The specific rankings will determine the allocation of resources and the assignment of tasks after entering the ancient swamp."

After the rules were announced, the crowd below the stage had various thoughts. The strong were eager to try; the weak were uneasy; those skilled in forming alliances were already secretly seeking allies; and the lone wolves were quietly adjusting their mindset.

Lu Zhao remained calm. The chaotic elimination rounds posed little pressure for him. With his current strength, he could protect himself unless simultaneously attacked by dozens of Foundation Establishment level eight or nine cultivators. His focus was more on the truly powerful individuals. His gaze swept across the crowd, quickly locking onto several targets with exceptionally strong auras.

On the high platform, Lei Wanjun said no more, and waved his hand: "Start the group assignments!"

A dazzling light simultaneously illuminated all ten arenas, revealing massive light screens displaying rapidly scrolling names. Moments later, the groupings were completed. Each arena corresponded to one group, comprising approximately 370 participants.

Lu Zhao's gaze fell on the light screen of the third arena, where he saw his own name. At the same time, he also saw several names, some familiar, some not so familiar, but all exuding a powerful aura:

"Qin Wuyai (Foundation Building Perfection)"

"Yin Jiuyou (Ninth Level of Foundation Establishment)"

"Lin Dong (Ninth level of Foundation Establishment, said to be an outstanding member of the younger generation of the Lin family)"

"Su Wan'er (Ninth level of Foundation Establishment, skilled in illusion and control)"

There were also some other cultivators whose auras were not weak.

"The third group..." Lu Zhao's eyes narrowed slightly. Qin Wuyai and Yin Jiuyou were indeed assigned to the same group as him. This was probably no coincidence. Moreover, there were as many as seven or eight people at the ninth level of Foundation Establishment or above in this group, making it a group of death.

"Junior Brother Lu, you're in the third group?" Zhao Yan leaned closer, glanced at the screen, and gasped, "Hiss—Qin Wuyai, Yin Jiuyou, Lin Dong, Su Wan'er… Your group has way too many experts! It's practically a dragon's den and a tiger's lair!"

Li Yue also looked worried: "Junior Brother Lu, be careful. Qin Wuyai and Yin Jiuyou will definitely target you in the chaos."

A hint of worry flashed in Ye Qingyi's beautiful eyes, but she didn't say much. She simply said softly, "Fellow Daoist Lu, in the midst of a chaotic battle, preserving your strength is paramount. Don't engage in a head-on fight with a powerful enemy too early."

Lu Zhao nodded: "Thank you for the reminder, Senior Sister. I know what I'm doing."

He felt little turmoil. He would meet force with force, and water with earth. Qin Wuyai wanted to target him, but didn't he also long to settle their score honorably on the arena?

"All disciples, proceed to the stage according to your groups!" Lei Wanjun gave the order.

An entrance opened in the light curtain surrounding the ten arenas. More than three thousand disciples surged toward their respective arenas like a tidal wave.

Lu Zhao nodded to Ye Qingyi and the other two, and in a flash, he appeared at the entrance of the third arena and stepped inside.

Inside the arena, the space was far more expansive than it appeared from the outside, clearly due to the use of a spatial expansion array. The 370-plus people distributed across the arena did not appear crowded. The arena floor was a dark golden metal, covered with intricate array patterns, emitting a faint spiritual light. A tense and deadly atmosphere permeated the air.

All the disciples subconsciously distanced themselves from one another, cautiously observing their surroundings, searching for potential allies, or assessing potential threats. Many glanced discreetly at the recognized powerhouses such as Qin Wuyai, Yin Jiuyou, Lin Dong, and Su Wan'er, while others sized up Lu Zhao, this "newly emerging nemesis."

Qin Wuyai and Yin Jiuyou stood in a corner of the arena, surrounded by a dozen or so cultivators, clearly all from their faction or disciples they had bribed or coerced. Qin Wuyai's gaze was icy, locked onto Lu Zhao like a venomous snake, a cold smile curving his lips as he made a throat-slitting gesture, his provocation undisguised.

Yin Jiuyou stood beside Qin Wuyai, his eyes cold and venomous as he swept over Lu Zhao, his killing intent undisguised. Several other cultivators, all at the eighth or ninth level of the Foundation Establishment stage, stood beside him, subtly surrounding Lu Zhao.

Lin Dong was a tall, resolute young man who carried a long spear on his back. He stood alone, his aura as deep and imposing as a mountain, seemingly oblivious to the gazes around him, as if everything outside was irrelevant to him.

Su Wan'er was a woman dressed in a pink dress, with a charming face and captivating eyes. She was surrounded by several female cultivators, and she was chatting and laughing with them with a smile, seemingly unconcerned about the tense atmosphere. However, Lu Zhao could sense that her seemingly casual glances were actually filled with scrutiny and calculation.

"It seems this first round won't be peaceful," Lu Zhao thought to himself, but his expression remained calm. He stood alone in a slightly off-center position on the arena, neither actively approaching anyone nor deliberately distancing himself from the crowd. The Annihilation Dragon Qi flowed slowly within his body, and his divine sense quietly spread out, covering a ten-zhang radius around him. No movement could escape his perception.

"Thump—!"

A deep, resounding bell echoed throughout the entire training ground, striking the hearts of every disciple on the arena.

"The first round of selection, a free-for-all elimination, now—begin!" Lei Wanjun's majestic voice resounded through the amplification array, echoing in every corner.

The words had barely left his mouth when an explosion erupted on the third arena!

"Let's get started! Clear out the weaklings first!"

"Join forces! Don't let yourselves be picked off one by one!"

"Get out of here!"

"ah--!"

Shouts of anger, screams of agony, the clash of magical artifacts, and the roar of spells erupted in an instant! Spiritual energy surged, and light flashed wildly as the entire arena descended into chaotic battle!

Almost the instant the bell rang, a cold glint flashed in Yin Jiuyou's eyes, and he shouted sharply, "Make your move! Cripple Lu Zhao first!"

The cultivators at the eighth and ninth levels of Foundation Establishment beside him, along with a group of people around Qin Wuyai, a total of seven or eight people, suddenly attacked at the same time. Various magical artifacts and spells, carrying a sharp killing intent, bombarded the isolated and helpless Lu Zhao from different directions!

Sword light, blade aura, fireballs, ice spikes, poisonous mist... instantly engulfed the location where Lu Zhao was!

"mean!"

"Bullying the weak with numbers!"

Below the stage, Zhao Yan and Li Yue couldn't help but curse aloud upon seeing this. Ye Qingyi also clenched her fists, a hint of anger and worry flashing in her beautiful eyes. On the high platform, some elders frowned slightly, but did not speak up to stop it. In the midst of the chaos, joining forces against the enemy was within the rules. As long as it did not violate the bottom line of "intentionally harming fellow disciples," they would not interfere.

The melee on other arenas also broke out at the same time, but the scene on the third arena, because it involved Lu Zhao, who had been in the limelight recently, and Qin Wuyai’s obvious targeting, instantly attracted most of the attention in the audience!

Everyone wanted to see how Lu Zhao, who had crippled the three Xiong clan members with a single punch, would cope with the combined attack of seven or eight cultivators of the same or even higher level. Would he be defeated instantly, or would he be able to create a miracle?

Faced with this sudden and premeditated attack, Lu Zhao showed no panic whatsoever. He even slowly closed his eyes.

The next instant, he suddenly opened his eyes, a flash of gray-gold light disappearing from them!

A terrifying aura—desolate, ancient, domineering, and desolate—burst forth from him!

Dragon's might! Dragon's might unleashed at full power!

The seven or eight cultivators who were besieging him suddenly felt an indescribable, terrifying pressure descend upon them, as if they were facing not a person, but a ferocious beast from ancient times! Their souls trembled, their blood surged, and even their spiritual energy stagnates! The power of their magical artifacts and spells decreased by thirty percent!

"What?!"

"What terrifying pressure!"

"It's Longwei?! How could he...?"

The attackers were all greatly alarmed, and their offensive involuntarily slowed down by half a beat.

In that split second, Lu Zhao made his move.

He did not retreat or dodge, but instead stepped forward to meet the barrage of attacks!

The moment his foot landed, a flash of dark golden light appeared around him, and dragon scales seemed to emerge beneath his skin. He had pushed the powerful physique granted by the first level of the Nine Dragons Qi Control Technique, "Qi Induction and Body Tempering," to its limit!

"Bang bang bang bang!"

Several attacks landed on his protective aura and faint dragon scale phantoms, producing dull sounds, but only caused the aura and phantoms to ripple violently, without breaking through his defenses! Meanwhile, Lu Zhao's figure, like a ghost, passed through the gaps in the attacks and appeared in front of a Foundation Establishment Stage 8 peak cultivator who wielded double hooks.

The cultivator was stunned by the dragon's might and lost his composure. Caught off guard, he saw a fist rapidly enlarging in front of him, carrying a terrifying power that distorted the air!

"No—!" He only managed to let out a short scream.

"Crack!" The sound of the nasal bone shattering was clearly audible. The cultivator's face was a mess, and he was thrown backward as if he had been hit by a battering ram, crashing heavily to the ground some distance away. He rolled a few times before losing consciousness, and the double hooks in his hands had already flown out of his grasp.

One punch, one person crippled!

Lu Zhao didn't stop moving; his figure flashed again, like a ghost, appearing beside another Foundation Establishment Level 9 cultivator who wielded a long whip. That cultivator reacted slightly faster; his long whip coiled like a venomous snake, lashing towards Lu Zhao's head. The tip of the whip made a sharp, piercing sound as it cut through the air, clearly demonstrating its considerable power.

Lu Zhao neither dodged nor evaded; his left hand shot out with lightning speed, grabbing the whip that was being lashed out! The spiritual energy contained within the whip tip exploded, but it was easily blocked by the pale golden dragon scale phantom covering his hand. He pulled hard, and the cultivator felt an irresistible force surge through him, involuntarily lunging forward, only to meet Lu Zhao's oncoming hand chop head-on!

"Bang!" A chop to the side of the cultivator's neck struck him. The man's eyes rolled back, and without uttering a sound, he collapsed to the ground.

One more person must be crippled!

In the blink of an eye, the two attackers were knocked unconscious and paralyzed, losing their ability to fight!

The remaining five or six people were terrified! This Lu Zhao was practically a human beast! His dragon-like might was awe-inspiring, his physical body was incredibly strong, his speed was ghostly, and his attacks were ruthless! How could they possibly fight him?

"Form the formation! Form the formation now!" Yin Jiuyou cried out in shock and anger, while shaking his mourning staff and releasing black ghostly shadows that emitted mournful shrieks as they pounced on Lu Zhao in an attempt to interfere.

However, Lu Zhao seemed oblivious to the ghostly figure. A slight movement of the sword intent of annihilation stirred within his sea of ​​consciousness, and the approaching ghostly shadow vanished like snow melting in spring. He moved again, his target now Yin Jiuyou!

"Stop him!" Qin Wuyai's face was ashen. He hadn't expected Lu Zhao to be so fierce; two of the seven or eight men attacking him were crippled in an instant. He couldn't stand idly by any longer, or his men would lose heart. He roared, his figure flashing as he personally took action! A golden longsword appeared in his hand, its blade crackling with lightning, carrying a majestic heavenly power, and he thrust it towards Lu Zhao's back! Even before the sword arrived, the sharp sword energy already sent chills down Lu Zhao's spine!

Qin Wuyai has finally made his move! And his first move was a killing blow!

At the same time, Yin Jiuyou gritted his teeth and spat out a mouthful of blood essence onto the mourning staff. The bell at the head of the staff shone with dark light and transformed into a huge ghost head. It opened its mouth wide and bit down on Lu Zhao with a piercing demonic sound and evil power that devoured souls!

A pincer attack! Qin Wuyai's Golden Light Thunder Sword and Yin Jiuyou's Ghost Head Soul Devouring Techniques are both incredibly powerful killing moves! Moreover, the two cooperated perfectly, sealing off all of Lu Zhao's escape routes!

A gasp rippled through the audience! Ye Qingyi couldn't help but stand up, her beautiful eyes filled with nervousness.

Faced with this seemingly hopeless situation, a cold mockery flashed in Lu Zhao's eyes.

His forward-rushing figure vanished without warning, like a bubble!

"Afterimage?!" Qin Wuyai and Yin Jiuyou were both startled.

The next moment, Lu Zhao's figure appeared like a ghost, three feet to Yin Jiuyou's left! It was the strange movement technique brought about by the combination of "Phantom Escape Technique" and the Sword Intent of Annihilation!

Yin Jiuyou paled in horror, wanting to dodge, but it was too late. Lu Zhao pointed his fingers like a sword, a point of gray light gathering at the tip, carrying a chilling sword intent that could annihilate all things, and silently pointed towards Yin Jiuyou's brow!

It was the Annihilation Sword Finger! This finger, seemingly ordinary, was more deadly than any ornate spell!

Yin Jiuyou felt an aura of great terror and annihilation lock onto him, freezing his very soul! He roared and held his mourning staff in front of him, while a layer of black light rose around his body, clearly indicating that he had activated a life-saving item.

"laugh--!"

A flash of gray light. The black light shield shattered instantly, like paper. The high-grade magic weapon, the Mourning Staff, broke in two silently, like rotten wood. The gray light continued its momentum, and in Yin Jiuyou's desperate, horrified, and incredulous gaze, it touched his brow.

Time seemed to freeze at that moment.

Yin Jiuyou's expression froze, and the light in his eyes quickly dimmed and died. He opened his mouth, as if wanting to say something, but no sound came out. A red mark on his brow slowly spread.

"Thump." Yin Jiuyou's body fell straight backward, crashing onto the arena with a dull thud. His eyes were wide open, his death unfulfilled. He died without understanding why he had been defeated so quickly and so miserably.

Yin Jiuyou, die!

The entire venue was deathly silent!