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

Qingyun Sect, Inner Sect, Qin Family Residence.

The Qin mansion, usually bustling with guests and filled with lively music, was now brightly lit and filled with a tense atmosphere. Deep within the mansion, in a heavily guarded secret room, several figures sat or stood, each with a gloomy expression and a cold glint in their eyes. The air was thick with a suffocating anger and murderous intent.

Seated at the head of the table was a middle-aged man dressed in a purple-gold python robe, with a dignified face and sharp eyes. He was none other than Qin Lie, the current head of the Qin family and the biological father of Qin Wuyai. His cultivation had reached the late stage of the Golden Core realm, making him the second strongest expert in the Qin family after the patriarch. Within the Qingyun Sect, he also served as the deputy head of the Punishment Hall, wielding immense power.

At this moment, Qin Lie's face was ashen, his hands gripping the armrests of the chair tightly, veins bulging. He had even managed to crush five clear finger marks into the armrests, which were made of thousand-year-old ironwood! This showed the intensity of his anger.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!" Qin Lie's deep voice, like muffled thunder, boomed in the secret chamber. "Wuya possesses the Fire Spirit Body, cultivates the Qin family's secret technique, and has a high-grade magic weapon protecting him, yet... he actually lost to a mere Foundation Establishment Stage 9 peasant! His natal magic weapon was even destroyed, leaving him critically injured and on the verge of death! You have utterly disgraced the Qin family!"

Below, several core members of the Qin family lowered their heads, not daring to speak. One of them was Qin Tianfang, who had been dismissed and punished to face the wall during the day. At this moment, his face was pale, his breath was weak, and his eyes were full of resentment and unwillingness.

"Brother, that brat Lu Zhao is incredibly wicked!" Qin Tianfang gritted his teeth. "The cultivation technique he practices is definitely not from our Qingyun Sect. His sword intent is bizarre, filled with destructive power, and is definitely not the righteous path! Moreover, the dragon-shaped sword energy he unleashed at the end carried the might of a dragon, suggesting a connection to the dragon race! This boy's origins are unknown, and he possesses extraordinary treasures; we absolutely cannot let him live!"

"Indeed, Patriarch!" another grim-faced elder chimed in. He was Qin Ming, the Qin family's external affairs elder, a Golden Core cultivator in the early stage. "That Lu Zhao not only severely injured Young Master Wuya, but also publicly humiliated Elder Tianfang, resulting in his dismissal and confinement! If this grudge isn't avenged, how can our Qin family maintain its reputation? How can we stand firm in the Qingyun Sect in the future?!"

"Patriarch, the combat power and potential that Lu Zhao displayed today are astonishing!" Another middle-aged scholar with a fair complexion and no beard said in a deep voice. He was Qin Wen, the strategist of the Qin family, and his cultivation was at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage. "To defeat Young Master Wuya, who is at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, with only the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, is a prodigy! If we allow him to grow, he will surely become a major threat to our Qin family in time! We must eliminate him before he becomes too powerful!"

"Eliminate? Easier said than done!" A red-faced old man sneered. He was Qin Wu, the Qin family's enforcement elder, with a cultivation level of mid-Golden Core. "Today, that old bastard Lei Wanjun clearly favored that brat Lu Zhao! Not only did he severely punish Tian Fang, but he also publicly protected him! With Lei Wanjun and Su Yuanshan protecting us, how can we make a move? Are we supposed to force our way into the Pill Hall and kill people? That would be no different from rebellion!"

"Lei Wanjun! Su Yuanshan!" Qin Lie's eyes flashed with cold light. "These two old bastards have always been at odds with my Qin family! They must be involved in today's events! Especially Su Yuanshan, Lu Zhao is a disciple of his Pill Hall, how could he sit idly by?"

"Patriarch, tomorrow's selection is our last chance." A cold glint flashed in Qin Wen's eyes. "Lu Zhao is severely injured today. Even with miraculous medicine, he can't possibly recover fully overnight. Tomorrow's battle will be a great loss of his strength, making it the perfect opportunity to eliminate him!"

"You mean..." Qin Lie's gaze sharpened.

"We can arrange tomorrow's opponents," Qin Wen said with a sinister smile. "Among the remaining thirty-two, some are on good terms with the Qin family, or owe the Qin family favors. As long as we offer them a large reward, we can get them to 'accidentally' kill Lu Zhao on the arena. Even if Lei Wanjun and Su Yuanshan investigate afterward, they can only blame Lu Zhao for his lack of skill and that it was his fate! On the arena, swords have no eyes, and life and death are preordained. This is the rule of the sect, and they will have no grounds for complaint!"

"Brilliant!" Qin Ming clapped his hands in praise. "This plan is brilliant! It eliminates Lu Zhao while simultaneously clearing my Qin family of any involvement!"

"But..." Qin Wu frowned, "Lu Zhao's combat strength today, even when he was seriously injured, should not be underestimated. An ordinary Foundation Establishment cultivator might not be able to defeat him easily. Moreover, Lei Wanjun and Su Yuanshan must be on guard."

"If ordinary Foundation Establishment Perfection cultivators aren't enough, then let's find something extraordinary." Qin Wen sneered, taking out a jade slip from his robes and handing it to Qin Lie. "Patriarch, please take a look. This is intelligence from the Shadow Tower. Of the remaining thirty-two, how many might be of use to me?"

Qin Lie took the jade slip, scanned it with his divine sense, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

"Blood Blade is extremely fierce, a Foundation Establishment cultivator at the peak of his cultivation. He comes from a rogue cultivation background, is bloodthirsty by nature, and his swordsmanship is ruthless. He will stop at nothing to achieve a breakthrough. He once owed my Qin family a favor. He is usable."

"The Ghost Scholar Wen Ruoxu has reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, is proficient in formations and talismans, uses unorthodox methods, and is greedy and lustful. He can be bribed with a large sum of money."

"Poisonous Lady Liu San Niang, a peak ninth-level Foundation Establishment cultivator, is skilled in using poisons and has a vicious heart. She has an old grudge against Corpse Daoist Mo. We can instigate her to be an enemy of Lu Zhao, or use her to kill someone."

"And..." Qin Wen paused, a ruthless glint in his eyes, "that girl from the Ye family, Ye Qingyi."

"Ye Qingyi?" Qin Lie frowned. "She and Lu Zhao seem to have a close relationship."

"It's precisely because of their close relationship that it's easier to make our move," Qin Wen sneered. "Tomorrow's draw will be auspicious. If we can arrange for Ye Qingyi and Lu Zhao to be in the same group... hehe, given Ye Qingyi's feelings for Lu Zhao, she'll definitely concede, allowing Lu Zhao to win without a fight and preserve his strength. But if we secretly manipulate things so that Ye Qingyi's opponent becomes someone as ruthless as Xue Dao Li Jue or Gui Shusheng Wen Ruoxu... Ye Qingyi will be in danger. How can Lu Zhao stand idly by? At that point, he'll either have to force himself into battle, further injuring himself, or he'll have to watch Ye Qingyi perish, his Dao heart damaged! Either way, it will benefit the Qin family!"

"Using someone else to do the dirty work, killing two birds with one stone, what a brilliant plan!" Qin Ming exclaimed.

Qin Lie pondered for a moment, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes: "Do as Mr. Wen says! At all costs, make sure that brat Lu Zhao dies on the arena tomorrow! And that Ye Qingyi, since she's close to Lu Zhao, eliminate her too! I'll handle the Ye family!"

"Yes!" Qin Wen, Qin Ming, and the others responded in unison, their eyes flashing with excitement and cruelty.

"Tianfang." Qin Lie looked at the weakened Qin Tianfang, his tone softening slightly, "Go to the Cliff of Repentance in peace. The family will not mistreat you. When you emerge in ten years, the family will reward you handsomely. As for Lu Zhao… he won't live past tomorrow!"

A venomous glint flashed in Qin Tianfang's eyes as he gritted his teeth and said, "Thank you, Patriarch! I only ask that brat Lu Zhao die a horrible death!"

"Don't worry," Qin Lie said coldly, "He is doomed."

On the Qin family's side, conspiracies and schemes were in full swing. Meanwhile, outside Lu Zhao's meditation room in the Pill Hall, things were far from peaceful.

Su Yuanshan paced back and forth outside the quiet room with a grave expression. He had just returned from the sect leader, bringing back unfavorable news.

"What does the sect leader mean?" Su Yuanshan looked at the old man beside him, who had white hair and a youthful face, and an air of otherworldly grace. This was none other than Su Xinghe, the Grand Elder of the Pill Hall, who was at the late stage of the Golden Core realm. He was Su Yuanshan's uncle and a pillar of the Pill Hall.

Su Xinghe stroked his long, snow-white beard and sighed, "Although the Sect Master admires Lu Zhao's talent and character, the Qin family is powerful and deeply entrenched within the sect, with far-reaching influence. Today, Hall Master Lei's severe punishment of Qin Tianfang is already the limit. The Sect Master's intention is that as long as the struggles between the younger generation do not violate the sect rules or endanger the sect's foundation, he cannot interfere too much. Tomorrow's selection will be based on individual ability, and life and death will be determined by fate."

"Each relying on their own abilities? Life and death are predestined?" Su Yuanshan gave a bitter smile. "Lu Zhao is seriously injured today. How could the Qin family let go of such a golden opportunity? Tomorrow's arena will definitely be extremely dangerous! Sect Master, are you... going to sit idly by?"

"It's not that we're turning a blind eye, but rather that these are the rules," Su Xinghe said, shaking his head. "As the head of a sect, the sect leader needs to balance the various forces. The Qin family patriarch is one of the Supreme Elders of our Qingyun Sect, and his cultivation has reached the mid-Nascent Soul stage. Even the sect leader has to be wary of him. Today, it was already difficult enough for Hall Master Lei to protect Lu Zhao. Tomorrow in the arena, as long as the Qin family doesn't openly violate the rules, the sect leader can't interfere."

"But..." Su Yuanshan wanted to argue.

"Yuanshan," Su Xinghe interrupted him, his gaze deep. "Whether this boy will bring fortune or misfortune remains to be seen. Although he is highly talented, he has made too many enemies and his brilliance is too exposed. Today, his defeat of Qin Wuyai seems glorious, but in reality, he has placed himself in the eye of the storm. The Qin family will never let this go. Tomorrow's arena will be both his tribulation and his opportunity. If he can overcome it, he will soar to great heights; if he cannot... then it is his fate."

Su Yuanshan remained silent. He knew Su Xinghe was telling the truth. The path of cultivation was inherently cruel. Lu Zhao had offended the Qin family and would have to bear their retaliation. The sect could protect him for a time, but not forever. Everything depended on himself.

"All we can do is offer him as much help as possible, giving him a better chance of surviving this ordeal." Su Xinghe took out a jade bottle from his robes and handed it to Su Yuanshan. "This is a Nine-Turn Rejuvenation Pill, a top-grade Earth-rank healing elixir that can heal flesh and bone and revive the dead. Give it to him; it might help him recover quickly. Also, pay close attention to the Qin family's movements during tomorrow's selection. If anything unusual happens, notify Palace Master Lei and me immediately."

"Yes, Uncle." Su Yuanshan accepted the jade bottle, feeling somewhat relieved. With this Nine-Turn Rejuvenation Pill, Lu Zhao's injuries should heal quickly.

Inside the quiet room, Lu Zhao sat cross-legged, his body surrounded by a swirling interplay of gray-gold and emerald-green light. The Nine Dragons Controlling Qi Technique and the Longevity Technique were operating simultaneously, frantically absorbing the medicinal power of the Life-Creating Pill to repair his damaged meridians, internal organs, and bones.

His face was still pale, but his breathing had become much more stable. Within his body, the raging, desolate dragon energy, nourished by the life force of the "Longevity Technique," gradually subsided, merging with the life force to form a delicate balance. His injuries were healing at a visible speed.

But Lu Zhao felt no relief. He knew the Qin family would not let this go easily. Tomorrow's battle would undoubtedly be even more dangerous. He had to recover his strength as quickly as possible, perhaps even... break through to a higher level!

Today's life-or-death battle with Qin Wuyai, though fierce, was also immensely beneficial to him. In that life-or-death moment, his understanding of the Nine Dragons Controlling Qi Technique and the Annihilation Sword Intent deepened. Especially the final dragon-shaped sword qi, which had begun to take shape, its power far surpassing the previous "Annihilation Slash." However, the consumption was too great, and with his current cultivation level, he could hardly sustain it.

"I have already mastered the second level of the Nine Dragons Controlling Qi Technique, 'Transforming Qi into Dragons.' But to fully unleash its power, I must break through to the third level, 'Dragon Qi Tempering the Body,' to completely integrate the extinguished dragon qi into my physical body, tempering my physique to make it indestructible, so that I can bear even more powerful dragon-shaped sword qi." Lu Zhao's mind raced.

"However, breaking through to the third level requires a massive amount of spiritual energy and a powerful external stimulus. I am currently still recovering from serious injuries, and if I rush into a breakthrough, I risk going into qi deviation."

"But time waits for no one. The Qin family won't give me time to recover slowly. Tomorrow will be a den of dragons and tigers. I must improve my strength as soon as possible, even if... I have to take a risk!"

A resolute glint flashed in Lu Zhao's eyes. He took a deep breath, took out a jade box from his robes, opened it, and inside lay three blood-red pills, each the size of a longan and radiating a violent energy fluctuation—Blood Fiend Pills!

This was something he obtained from the storage bag of a Foundation Establishment cultivator in the Blood Fiend Sect. It was refined from the essence blood of demonic beasts and fiendish energy. Consuming it could temporarily unleash potential and enhance combat power, but the side effects were severe, damaging meridians and foundations, and possibly even causing one to lose their mind and become a monster who only knew how to kill. He had never used it.

But at this moment, he had no other choice. Conventional methods were too late to recover from his injuries, or even break through to a higher level, overnight. His only option was to take a risky gamble: fight poison with poison, relying on the violent power of the Blood Fiend Pill to break through his bottleneck and temper his physical body!

"The Nine Dragons Qi Control Technique is the supreme inheritance of the Dragon Clan, incomparably domineering, capable of devouring and refining all energy, including this bloodthirsty energy! If I succeed, not only will my injuries heal, but my cultivation will also advance further, perhaps even breaking through to the third level of the Nine Dragons Qi Control Technique! If I fail..." A fierce glint flashed in Lu Zhao's eyes, "It's either success or death! How can I, Lu Zhao, sit idly by and wait for my demise?!"

Without further hesitation, he picked up a Blood Fiend Pill, tilted his head back, and swallowed it!

The pill entered his stomach and instantly transformed into a violent, scorching, and malevolent torrent that surged wildly through his body! It felt as if countless steel needles were piercing his meridians; as if raging flames were burning his internal organs; as if overwhelming malevolent energy was assaulting his sea of ​​consciousness!

"Ah—!" Lu Zhao groaned, his face instantly turning blood red, veins bulging, his whole body trembling violently, as if he were enduring excruciating pain! He gritted his teeth and forcibly circulated the "Nine Dragons Controlling Qi Technique" and the "Longevity Technique," guiding the violent medicinal power to circulate wildly according to the cultivation path!

"roar--!"

Within the dantian, the dragon-shaped spiritual energy, interwoven with dark gold and grayish-white, seemed to have smelled delicious food, letting out an excited roar, opening its mouth wide, and frantically devouring the violent bloodthirsty energy! The annihilation dragon energy was inherently domineering, capable of devouring and refining all energy. Although this bloodthirsty energy was violent, it was nothing more than nourishment in front of the "Nine Dragons Controlling Qi Technique"!

However, this nourishment was far too violent; the process of devouring and refining it was like being plunged into a mountain of knives and a sea of ​​fire, excruciatingly painful! Lu Zhao was soaked in sweat, and black, foul-smelling blood seeped from his skin—the impurities and stagnant blood being forced out of his body. His bones crackled and popped, as if they were being rebuilt; his meridians widened and strengthened through tearing and repair; his flesh grew stronger through destruction and rebirth!

The third level of the Nine Dragons Controlling Qi Technique – "Dragon Qi Tempering" – is in full swing!

The night was long and painful.

As the first rays of dawn shone through the window into the quiet room, Lu Zhao slowly opened his eyes.

A fleeting, grey-gold dragon-shaped phantom flashed before his eyes. His aura was restrained and profound, like a dormant volcano, poised to erupt with earth-shattering force! His injuries had mostly healed, his skin was as translucent as jade, faintly shimmering with a precious light. His cultivation had broken through to the peak of the ninth level of Foundation Establishment, just one step away from the perfection of Foundation Establishment! More importantly, the Annihilation Dragon Qi within his body was now purer and more condensed, and his physical strength was several times greater than before!

The third level of the Nine Dragons Controlling Qi Technique – "Dragon Qi Tempering Body" – has been initially completed!

Lu Zhao clenched his fist, feeling the surging power within him, and a cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"Qin family... I hope you won't let me down."