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

Two hours of rest were invaluable for the disciples after the fierce battle.

Throughout the training grounds, the 125 disciples who had advanced were either meditating to regulate their breathing or consuming pills, seizing every moment to recover their strength. The air was filled with the fragrance of pills and a faint smell of blood, the atmosphere heavy and tense. Those who had reached this stage were all among the best of the inner sect's Foundation Establishment disciples; every battle to come would be even more difficult.

Lu Zhao sat cross-legged, slowly circulating the "Nine Dragons Controlling Qi Technique," absorbing the spiritual energy of heaven and earth to replenish his energy. His battle with Lin Dong appeared clean and decisive, but in reality, it had taken a heavy toll, especially the final move, the "Dragon-Shaped Annihilation," which incorporated the sword intent of Annihilation, placing a considerable burden on his spiritual power and soul. However, this also gave him a clearer understanding of his own strength. Without using his trump cards like the "Blood Fiend Shield" and the "Phantom Escape Technique" for stealth and assassination, his regular combat power was already sufficient to suppress most Foundation Establishment Stage 9 cultivators, and even threaten those at the Foundation Establishment Perfection stage.

"Junior Brother Lu, you really are... more and more astonishing each time." Zhao Yan leaned closer, his face still flushed with excitement. "Even Lin Dong was defeated by you, now let's see who dares to underestimate you!"

Li Yue nodded in agreement: "That punch already showed the rudiments of a martial arts supernatural power, and its power was astonishing. Junior Brother Lu's body-refining technique is extraordinary."

Ye Qingyi didn't say much, but simply handed a bottle of pills to Lu Zhao: "This is the 'Rejuvenation Pill,' which can quickly restore spiritual power. It's better than nothing."

Lu Zhao accepted the pill without hesitation, saying, "Thank you, Senior Sister Ye."

"From now on, your opponents will only get stronger." Ye Qingyi's beautiful eyes held a hint of worry. "Qin Wuyai will never sit idly by and watch you advance so smoothly. He will definitely tamper with the subsequent draws, making you encounter strong enemies earlier, or... he will personally intervene."

Lu Zhao's gaze turned slightly cold: "I'll wait for him."

"Besides Qin Wuyai, there are a few others you need to be extra careful of," Ye Qingyi said in a low voice, transmitting her thoughts. "Qin Fairy Bai Suyi, her mastery of music has reached perfection, and she excels at soul attacks, making her impossible to defend against; Shi Dao Ren Mo, her corpse-refining technique is bizarre and vicious, and her own cultivation has reached the peak of the ninth level of Foundation Establishment. It is said that she once used corpse refining to exhaust a Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivator to death; Huo Yunzi Lieshan, born with a fire spirit body, her fire control technique is superb, and her attacks are incredibly violent; and Su Wan'er, this woman seems charming, but in reality she is cunning and has extremely high attainments in illusion techniques, and she seems to have another trump card, so she has never used her full strength."

Lu Zhao nodded, making a mental note of these people. These were among the top candidates in this selection, second only to Qin Wuyai, and their strength was probably no less than Lin Dong's, or even stronger.

"Furthermore," Ye Qingyi paused, her voice lowering, "I observed several elders on the platform who seem to favor the Qin family. If you encounter Qin Wuyai, you must be wary of their secret favoritism, or... their manipulation of the rules."

A cold glint flashed in Lu Zhao's eyes. Within a sect, there is no monolithic entity; factional infighting and conflicts of interest are inevitable. The Qin family is powerful and must have supporters within the sect.

"Thank you for the reminder, senior sister. I will be careful."

Ye Qingyi nodded and said no more. She had told him everything she knew; the rest was up to Lu Zhao.

Not far away, Qin Wuyai was also meditating, but his cold gaze occasionally swept towards Lu Zhao, carrying undisguised killing intent. Several trusted disciples surrounded him, whispering among themselves.

"Senior Brother Qin, Lu Zhao's strength has increased too quickly. He even defeated Lin Dong. What will happen next..." a trusted disciple whispered, his tone filled with worry.

Qin Wuyai snorted coldly: "Lin Dong is nothing but a brute who relies on his fierce spear technique. It's not surprising that he lost. Lu Zhao's physical body and sword intent are indeed strange, but they are not invincible."

"What does Senior Brother mean?"

"I've already made arrangements with Mo and Lieshan." A ruthless glint flashed in Qin Wuyai's eyes. "In the next round of the draw, I'll arrange for one of them to face Lu Zhao ahead of time. Regardless of who wins or loses, it will greatly weaken Lu Zhao. If Mo or Lieshan can severely injure or even kill Lu Zhao, that would be ideal. If not, by the time Lu Zhao reaches me, he will be at his last gasp, and then..." He made a throat-slitting gesture.

"Senior brother is wise!" the trusted disciple flattered, then hesitated, "But... will Mo and Lieshan agree? They are proud and arrogant people, and may not be willing to be used as pawns by senior brother."

"Hmph, I've offered them enough benefits," Qin Wuyai sneered. "A single 'Purple Heart Barrier-Breaking Pill' is enough to tempt them. Moreover, they're also interested in the secrets of Lu Zhao. That cultivation technique that resembles dragon energy, and that Annihilation Sword Intent, are both extraordinary inheritances."

"Purple Heart Breakthrough Pill!" The trusted disciple gasped. This was a precious pill that could help break through the bottleneck of the Golden Core stage. Qin Wuyai had really gone all out. However, considering the terrifying potential that Lu Zhao had shown, this deal seemed worthwhile.

"But... what if Lu Zhaolianmo or Lieshan also wins?" another trusted disciple asked cautiously.

Qin Wuyai's face darkened, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes: "Then he deserves to die even more! However, if he truly manages to defeat Lin Dong, Mo, or Lieshan in succession, his strength will inevitably be greatly diminished. At that time, I will personally take action and kill him with swift and decisive methods, eliminating any future threat! I refuse to believe that a mere Foundation Establishment Level 9 cultivator can maintain his spiritual power unscathed until now!"

Several trusted disciples exchanged glances, each seeing a chill in the other's eyes. Senior Brother Qin was determined to eliminate Lu Zhao on the arena at all costs.

"Furthermore," Qin Wuyai's gaze swept over Bai Suying and Su Wan'er, who were meditating with their eyes closed not far away, a lewd and calculating glint in his eyes, "we also need to keep an eye on Bai Suying and Su Wan'er. If necessary, we can use them. Especially that slut Su Wan'er, she seems aloof, but in reality, she's extremely vain. As long as we offer her a lot of benefits, it won't be difficult to get her to 'help' us at a crucial moment."

"Yes, senior brother."

Beneath the calm surface, undercurrents surge. Qin Wuyai's scheming, Mo and Lieshan's covetousness, the possible bias of certain elders, and the unpredictable nature of Su Wan'er... Lu Zhao's path ahead is destined to be fraught with thorns.

Two hours passed quietly in a tense atmosphere.

"The time has come! All disciples who have advanced, step forward and draw lots!" Lei Wanjun's voice, like a booming bell, roused everyone from their meditation.

One hundred and twenty-five disciples gathered in the center of the training ground. A huge lottery tube floated in mid-air, containing one hundred and twenty-five jade slips, each corresponding to its respective opponent.

"The lottery begins!"

The disciples stepped forward one by one to draw a jade slip. Once they had the slip, the name of their opponent would be displayed.

Lu Zhao stepped forward and casually drew one. The jade slip felt slightly cool to the touch, and two characters appeared on it—Lieshan.

"Fire Cloud Child Lieshan..." Lu Zhao's gaze narrowed slightly. Sure enough, Qin Wuyai had made a move. Or perhaps it was just luck? He glanced at Qin Wuyai, who happened to be looking over as well, a cold smile of triumph flashing in his eyes.

Lu Zhao understood. Qin Wuyai had indeed reached some kind of deal with Lieshan. However, this suited him perfectly. Only by clashing with experts could he improve faster. Lieshan, with his innate fire spirit body, was a perfect candidate to test the effectiveness of his Annihilation Dragon Qi in suppressing extreme flames.

"Round 4, Match 1, Lu Zhao on the third arena versus Lie Shan on the eighth arena! Move to the third arena!" the referee's voice rang out.

A murmur immediately arose from the audience.

"It's Lu Zhao again! He's up against Huo Yunzi Lieshan!"

"Lie Shan is a born fire spirit, his fire control techniques are unparalleled, and his attacks are incredibly ferocious, making him even more troublesome than Lin Dong!"

"This is going to be interesting! Fire versus... Lu Zhao's technique seems to lean towards metal, earth, or destruction attributes? I wonder which is stronger."

"Qin Wuyai played this move brilliantly, letting Lieshan wear down Lu Zhao."

"Lu Zhao has fought against powerful enemies, and his energy must be greatly depleted. Lieshan, on the other hand, is well-rested and waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out. The outcome of this battle is hard to predict."

"I don't think so. Lu Zhao's strength is unfathomable, and he may not be afraid of Lieshan."

Amidst the murmurs of the crowd, Lu Zhao and Lie Shan stepped onto the third arena at the same time.

Lieshan was a burly man, eight feet tall, with red hair and red eyes. His muscles were bulging like cast iron, and a faint crimson flame swirled around him, causing even the surrounding air to distort slightly due to the high temperature. His gaze toward Lu Zhao was filled with burning fighting spirit and a trace of undisguised greed.

"Lu Zhao?" Lie Shan's voice boomed like a bell, carrying a scorching aura. "I heard you have a strong physical body? Perfect, I, Lie Shan, love head-on clashes! I wonder if your so-called Dragon Form Fist can withstand my 'Burning Heaven Fist'?"

He grinned, revealing his gleaming white teeth, which, combined with his red hair and red eyes, made him appear wild and fierce.

Lu Zhao said calmly, "We'll know once we try."

"Good! That's awesome!" Lieshan laughed loudly, and the flames around his body surged several feet, making him look like a fire god descending to earth. The scorching heat wave hit the audience, causing the disciples who were close to the stage to feel a burning pain on their skin and retreat.

"Then let me see just how much you're made of!" Lie Shan roared, taking a step forward and leaving a charred footprint on the arena floor! He didn't use any fancy moves, just threw a punch!

"Burning Heaven Fist - Wildfire Spreads!"

With a punch, crimson flames erupted like an angry dragon emerging from the abyss, roaring and sweeping across the entire arena! Wherever the flames passed, the air crackled, the temperature soared, and even the arena floor began to glow red and melt! This punch was not only incredibly powerful, but also contained extreme heat, enough to incinerate metal!

A gasp of surprise rippled through the audience. Lie Shan unleashed his full power from the outset, showing no mercy! The raging flames left no doubt that a direct hit would instantly reduce even a Foundation Establishment Stage 9 cultivator to ashes!

Faced with this earth-shattering, sea-boiling punch, a trace of solemnity flashed in Lu Zhao's eyes. This Lie Shan was indeed worthy of his reputation. He was born with a fire spirit body, and his control over flames had reached a point where he could do whatever he wanted. The power of this punch was even more ferocious than Lin Dong's "Earth-Shattering Spear"!

However, Lu Zhao felt no fear. On the contrary, the annihilating dragon energy within him became faintly excited, as if he had encountered delicious "food".

He neither dodged nor met the attack head-on. Instead, he pointed his fingers like a sword, a point of gray light gathering at his fingertips, carrying a chilling sword intent capable of annihilating all things, and pointed it out at the raging fire dragon that was sweeping towards him!

"The Sword of Annihilation!"

The gray light left his finger, swelled in the wind, and transformed into a slender yet extremely refined gray sword aura, which silently shot into the flames.

There was no earth-shattering roar, nor any violent energy collision.

Amidst everyone's astonished and bewildered gazes, the raging, fiery dragon that seemed capable of incinerating everything vanished without a trace the moment it came into contact with the gray sword energy, as if it had encountered its nemesis! It was as if it had never existed!

The gray sword energy continued its momentum, like a gray lightning bolt, passing through the dissipating flames and shooting straight towards Lieshan's chest!

"What?!" Lie Shan's maniacal laughter froze instantly, his eyes filled with disbelief and horror! His "Wildfire" was powerful enough to incinerate metal and destroy ordinary magical artifacts upon contact, yet it was so easily broken by a seemingly insignificant gray sword aura from the other party? How could this be?!

In a moment of haste, Lieshan roared, and the flames around his body suddenly contracted, condensing into a thick shield of fire in front of him. At the same time, he crossed his fists and protected his chest.

"laugh--!"

The gray sword energy pierced through the flame shield without any hindrance, like a hot knife cutting through butter, and then struck Lie Shan's crossed fists with perfect precision.

"puff!"

With a soft sound, Lie Shan felt a chilling, deathly, and destructive aura surge wildly into his body through his arm! The flames around him, as if encountering their natural enemy, were instantly extinguished! His proud fire spirit body was utterly powerless against this annihilating sword intent; the fire attribute spiritual power within his body melted away rapidly, like snow being splashed with boiling water!

"Ah—!" Lieshan let out a shrill scream, his whole body flying backward like a kite with a broken string, crashing heavily onto the edge of the arena, spitting out a mouthful of blood, the blood even carrying wisps of gray mist! He struggled to get up, but felt his whole body was ice cold, his spiritual energy was stagnant, and he couldn't muster any strength at all, as if his life force was rapidly draining away!

"You... what kind of technique is this?!" Lie Shan looked up at Lu Zhao, his gaze filled with terror and despair. He had never encountered such a bizarre power, one that so effectively countered his Fire Spirit Body! That gray sword energy seemed capable of annihilating all life, even the fire within him was trembling!

Lu Zhao withdrew his fingers, his expression calm. The Sword Intent of Annihilation embodies destruction and annihilation, possessing a natural restraint on most energy attributes, especially the violent and active energy of fire. No matter how strong the flames of Lieshan are, they are like rootless duckweed before Annihilation, crumbling at the slightest touch. Moreover, Lu Zhao's Sword Intent of Annihilation is infused with the domineering power of dragon energy, making it even more formidable.

The audience fell silent once again.

Everyone, including the elders on the high platform, stared in disbelief at Lie Shan, who was weak and terrified, and Lu Zhao, who seemed calm and collected, as if he had just casually flicked off some dust.

Another trick!

Moreover, it seemed even easier and more bizarre than the punch that defeated Lin Dong!

The raging, incomparably powerful flames of Lieshan, capable of scorching the heavens and boiling the seas, crumbled as easily as paper before Lu Zhao's unassuming gray sword energy! This was completely beyond their comprehension!

"What...what exactly is that gray sword energy?!"

"Even the flames of a fire spirit can be easily extinguished?! How is that possible?!"

"Lu Zhao... just how many more tricks is he hiding?!"

"This is terrifying! Lieshan is as powerless as a child in his presence!"

Qin Wuyai's face instantly turned ashen, his clenched fists turning white at the knuckles. He hadn't expected Lieshan to be so utterly vulnerable before Lu Zhao! That eerie gray sword aura had even made him feel a chill! Could Lu Zhao truly be his nemesis?!

On the high platform, the elders looked at each other, their eyes filled with shock.

"That gray sword energy... is it the Sword Intent of Annihilation?" The gray-robed elder's eyes flashed with a sharp light. "Moreover, it seems to have incorporated some extremely domineering power, possessing a strong restraint against fire-attribute techniques!"

"This young man's understanding of sword intent has reached the point where he can control and unleash it at will, and his sword moves with his will. Moreover, this sword intent of annihilation seems to be purer and more domineering than ordinary sword intent of annihilation!" Elder Yan forgot to put down his hand that was stroking his beard, his face full of amazement.

"The Fire Spirit Body of Lieshan was completely suppressed in the face of this Annihilation Sword Intent... This child's potential is limitless!" Even the old-fashioned elder couldn't help but praise.

Lei Wanjun stared intently at Lu Zhao, lost in thought.

On the arena, the referee paused for a moment before loudly announcing, "Lu Zhao of the third arena wins!"

Lu Zhao nodded to Lie Shan, who lay on the ground, his face filled with resentment and terror, then turned and stepped off the stage. He didn't harbor much ill will towards Lie Shan; the man was straightforward, and had only been used as a pawn by Qin Wuyai. He had held back with that finger strike, only temporarily suppressing Lie Shan's fire spirit body with the Annihilation Sword Intent, rendering him unable to fight, without fundamentally harming him. He would recover in a few days.

"Thank you for your kind offer," Lu Zhao said indifferently, and then ignored him.

Lie Shan watched Lu Zhao's retreating figure, his eyes filled with complex emotions—shock, resentment, but mostly a sense of powerlessness. Faced with such an absolute disparity in strength, any scheming seemed utterly laughable. He struggled to his feet, staggering off the stage, no longer daring to glance at Qin Wuyai. The "Purple Heart Breakthrough Pill" promised by Qin Wuyai was indeed precious, but one needed to be alive to enjoy it. This Lu Zhao was someone he couldn't afford to offend!

Lu Zhao won easily once again, and in a near-crushing manner, which further boosted his standing in everyone's eyes. Now, no one doubts that he has the strength to compete for a top-five, or even top-three position! Defeating two top experts, Lin Dong and Lie Shan, in succession, and both times with a single move, is a truly brilliant record!

Qin Wuyai's face was beyond ugly; it was so dark it seemed to drip water. He stared intently at Lu Zhao, the killing intent in his eyes almost tangible. The stronger Lu Zhao appeared, the more threatened he felt, and the stronger his desire to eliminate Lu Zhao grew.

"Useless! All of them are useless!" Qin Wuyai cursed inwardly, extremely dissatisfied with the defeats of Lieshan and Mo (if Mo had faced Lu Zhao, the outcome probably wouldn't have been much better). But it was too late now; he could only hope that the upcoming draw would allow him to personally face Lu Zhao and, on the arena, kill him fair and square! He refused to believe that with his Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivation and numerous trump cards, he couldn't kill a Foundation Establishment Ninth Level cultivator!

The selection process continued. The remaining battles were still intense. Bai Suying used the "Pure Heart and Universal Benevolence Mantra" to trap her opponent in an illusion, making her dance gracefully before jumping off the stage herself, winning a bizarre and effortless victory. Shi Daorenmo, on the other hand, commanded three late-stage Foundation Establishment armored corpses to form the Three Talents Corpse Formation, trapping his opponent within and grinding him down until his spiritual energy was exhausted, forcing him to vomit blood and admit defeat—a ruthless and insidious method. Su Wan'er, meanwhile, continued to use illusions to subdue her enemies, causing them to fight each other on the stage (an illusion created by her magic), ultimately winning easily and sending chills down everyone's spine.

Qin Wuyai's opponent was a sword cultivator at the peak of the ninth level of Foundation Establishment. Qin Wuyai clearly vented his anger on his opponent, his golden lightning sword crackling with lightning and soaring with sword energy. In just five moves, he cut his opponent's flying sword in half and cleaved him off the stage with a single strike, leaving him coughing up blood and severely injured. His victory was domineering and cruel, as if he were venting something.

When the fourth round ended, out of 125 people, half were eliminated again, leaving 63 people (one person received a bye and advanced directly).

"All disciples who have advanced will rest for three hours. After three hours, the fifth round of battles will begin to determine the top thirty-two," Lei Wanjun announced.

Night had fallen, but the arena was brightly lit, and the atmosphere was even more intense. Only sixty-three people remained, getting closer and closer to the top twenty. Every match from now on would be a true clash of titans!

Lu Zhao sat down cross-legged and continued to regulate his breathing. The series of battles, though seemingly easy, had taken a toll on his mental strength. He needed to recover to his peak condition as quickly as possible to face the tough battles to come. He knew that Qin Wuyai would not allow him to advance so easily.

Sure enough, as the rest period was about to end, Qin Wuyai, surrounded by several trusted disciples, walked straight towards Lu Zhao. A cold smile hung on his face, and his eyes, like those of a venomous snake, were fixed on Lu Zhao.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Yan and Li Yue immediately stood up and stood in front of Lu Zhao, their expressions wary. Ye Qingyi also frowned slightly and stepped forward.

"Qin Wuyai, what do you want to do?" Zhao Yan said in a deep voice.

Qin Wuyai didn't even glance at Zhao Yan, his gaze passing over him and landing on Lu Zhao. His voice was icy, carrying undisguised killing intent:

"Lu Zhao, your luck has run out. Your opponent in the next round is me."