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

Deep within the Dan Hall, in a quiet room.

Ye Qingyi lay quietly on the cold jade bed, her face as pale as paper, her breath weak, like a candle flickering in the wind. Her once snow-white dress was now stained with mottled blood, her tragic beauty tinged with a shocking sense of devastation.

Su Yuanshan's expression was solemn. Pure, emerald-green spiritual energy swirled between his fingers, slithering into Ye Qingyi's body like a serpent, carefully smoothing her disordered and broken meridians and protecting her faltering heart meridian. Fine beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, clearly indicating that he had exhausted himself.

Outside the meditation room, Lu Zhao, Zhao Yan, and Li Yue waited anxiously. Lu Zhao stood straight, his fists clenched so tightly that his nails dug deep into his palms, leaving crescent-shaped bloodstains. His gaze was fixed on the tightly closed stone door of the meditation room, his eyes bloodshot, like a trapped beast suppressing a violent rage and murderous intent.

Zhao Yan paced back and forth, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked, his eyes bloodshot and filled with rage: "The Qin family! Li Jue! These beasts! Shameless!"

Li Yue leaned silently against the wall, his face ashen, his chest heaving violently. He was not good with words, but his tightly pursed lips and clenched fists betrayed the equally raging anger within him.

"Squeak—"

After an unknown amount of time, the stone door to the quiet room slowly opened. Su Yuanshan walked out, looking exhausted, his eyes filled with undisguised sorrow.

"Palace Master Su, how is Qingyi (Senior Sister)?!" Lu Zhao and the other two rushed forward, their voices trembling uncontrollably.

Su Yuanshan sighed heavily and said slowly, "My life is temporarily spared. But..."

"But what?!" Lu Zhaoxin's heart sank, his voice dry.

"But her meridians are severely damaged, and her dantian is cracked. Her foundation..." Su Yuanshan's voice was low and pained, "With her foundation damaged, her cultivation... may regress. Moreover, she burned her essence blood and used forbidden techniques, depleting too much of her source. Even if she can preserve her cultivation, her future path will probably be..."

Su Yuanshan didn't continue, but Lu Zhao and the others already understood. A damaged foundation, a severed path to cultivation! For a cultivator of exceptional talent, this was a blow more cruel than death!

"The Qin family! Li Jue!" Zhao Yan roared, his eyes bloodshot. "I, Zhao Yan, swear here and now that in my lifetime I will destroy the Qin family and personally kill Li Jue!"

Lu Zhao remained silent, standing still, his aura as cold as ancient ice, oppressive and suffocating. The bloodlust in his eyes slowly faded, replaced by a bottomless darkness and deathly stillness. It was an extreme calm, terrifyingly calm, like the stillness before a storm.

"Palace Master Su, is there any way?" Lu Zhao asked in a hoarse voice, enunciating each word clearly.

Su Yuanshan looked at Lu Zhao, a chill running down his spine. He had never seen such a cold, resolute look in the eyes of such a young disciple. That look seemed capable of freezing the soul.

"Difficult." Su Yuanshan shook his head, his voice bitter. "Unless there are heaven-defying pills like those for renewing the meridians or mending the heavens, or a powerful being above the Nascent Soul stage willing to sacrifice their own essence to rebuild its foundation, otherwise..."

"Heavenly-grade pills... Nascent Soul cultivators..." Lu Zhao murmured repeatedly, the darkness in his eyes growing ever deeper. Both of these were like pipe dreams to him now. But heavenly-grade pills were hard to find, and Nascent Soul cultivators were even harder to come by. Was he really going to just watch Ye Qingyi's path to enlightenment end?

No! Absolutely not!

"Master, is there really no other way?" Zhao Yan roared in frustration.

Su Yuanshan remained silent for a moment, a hint of struggle flashing in his eyes, before finally saying slowly, "There is a way..."

"What can we do?!" Lu Zhao, Zhao Yan, and Li Yue all looked at Su Yuanshan at the same time, a glimmer of hope burning in their eyes.

"At the border between the Eastern Continent and the Southern Wilderness, there lies a forbidden land called 'Dragon Abyss,'" Su Yuanshan said slowly. "Legend has it that in ancient times, a true dragon perished here, its blood staining the earth, its soul lingering, forming a strange place. Within it grows a rare treasure called 'Dragon Blood Creation Grass.' This grass contains a trace of the true dragon's power of creation, possessing the miraculous effects of reviving the dead, healing flesh and bone, and rebuilding one's foundation. If one can find this grass, it may be possible to repair Qingyi's damaged foundation."

"Dragon Abyss? Dragon Blood Creation Grass?" Lu Zhao's eyes lit up, like a drowning man grasping at a straw. "Where is it?!"

"In the far south of the Eastern Continent, on the edge of the Southern Wilderness, deep within the endless mountains," Su Yuanshan said in a deep voice. "But it's a forbidden zone, fraught with danger. Not only are there powerful demonic beasts, bizarre poisonous miasma, and complex terrain, but also remnants of ancient formations and spatial rifts—it's extremely perilous. Even a Golden Core cultivator would face a near-certain death if they ventured there. Moreover, the Dragon Blood Creation Grass is a rare treasure of heaven and earth, extremely difficult to obtain, and it is often guarded by powerful dragon blood demonic beasts, whose strength is comparable to Golden Core cultivators, or even Nascent Soul cultivators!"

"I'll go!" Lu Zhao answered without hesitation, his voice resolute. Even if it meant certain death, he would go! Ye Qingyi was injured because of him; how could he stand idly by?

"Junior Brother Lu, don't be reckless!" Zhao Yan said urgently. "Dragon Fall Abyss is a deadly place. With your current cultivation level, going there would be suicide! If anyone should go, it should be me!"

"I'm going too!" Li Yue said in a deep voice, his eyes full of determination.

"Stop arguing, all of you." Su Yuanshan shook his head, looking at Lu Zhao with a complicated expression. "Lu Zhao, I know your feelings, but Fallen Dragon Abyss is definitely not a place you can go right now. Moreover, the Dragon Blood Creation Grass is just a legend; whether it really exists is still unknown. Even if it does exist, finding it won't be a matter of a day or two. Right now, there are more important things to do."

"Something more important?" Lu Zhao frowned.

"This is an arrangement made by the sect for you," Su Yuanshan said slowly. "Your strength and potential, demonstrated by instantly killing Wen Ruoxu today, have attracted the attention of the sect leader and the elders. Moreover, you have offended the Qin family, and given their vengeful nature, they will never let this go unpunished. In order to protect you and to temper you, the sect has decided to let you enter the 'True Disciple Trial' ahead of schedule."

"The True Disciple Trial?" Lu Zhao, Zhao Yan, and Li Yue were all taken aback. The True Disciple Trial was the ultimate test for the Qingyun Sect to select true disciples, a test fraught with danger and opportunity. Only by passing the True Disciple Trial could one become a true disciple and receive the sect's full support. However, the True Disciple Trial was usually conducted after the inner sect selection was completed and the true disciple qualifications were confirmed. Now, it was being held earlier…

"That's right." Su Yuanshan nodded. "The sect leader has decided that the top thirty-two in this inner sect selection will directly qualify for the True Inheritance Trial. And the trial ground will be an ancient ruin deep within the 'Ten Thousand Beasts Mountain Range'—the 'Heavenly Sword Secret Realm'!"

"The Heavenly Sword Secret Realm?!" Zhao Yan and Li Yue exclaimed simultaneously, their eyes filled with shock. They had heard of the Heavenly Sword Secret Realm; it was an ancient ruin controlled by the Qingyun Sect, said to be the place where a great swordsman of ancient times passed away. It was said to be full of opportunities, but also extremely dangerous, and had always been the ultimate place for true disciples to undergo trials.

"The Heavenly Sword Secret Realm opens once every ten years, and each time it opens, only disciples under the age of thirty and above the Foundation Establishment stage are allowed to enter. It contains not only ancient inheritances and rare treasures, but also countless demonic beasts, restrictions, and traps, making it extremely dangerous. However, if one can emerge alive, the gains will be immense, perhaps even obtaining an ancient sword path inheritance, allowing one to soar to great heights!" Su Yuanshan looked at Lu Zhao and said in a deep voice, "The sect allowed you to enter the Heavenly Sword Secret Realm ahead of time for three reasons: first, to protect you and allow you to temporarily avoid the Qin family's sharp edge; second, to hone your skills and allow you to grow rapidly in the face of life and death; and third, to hope that you can find opportunities within the secret realm to solve the problem of your slow cultivation progress. After all, the cultivation technique you practice seems to be different from others, requiring a massive amount of resources."

Lu Zhao remained silent. He knew Su Yuanshan was right. If he stayed in the Qingyun Sect, the Qin family would definitely use any means necessary to deal with him, and might even implicate those around him. Entering the Heavenly Sword Secret Realm, though dangerous, also presented an opportunity. Moreover, perhaps a way to save Ye Qingyi could be found within the secret realm.

"When will the Heavenly Sword Secret Realm open?" Lu Zhao asked.

"Seven days from now," Su Yuanshan said. "During these seven days, prepare well. In the secret realm, life and death are determined by fate. The sect will not, and cannot, interfere. Everything depends on yourself."

"Seven days..." A sharp glint flashed in Lu Zhao's eyes. Seven days was too short. But he had to go! Not only for himself, but also for Ye Qingyi!

"Palace Master Su, Qingyi, she..." Lu Zhao looked towards the quiet room, his eyes filled with guilt and heartache.

"Don't worry about Qingyi," Su Yuanshan said in a deep voice. "I will use all the resources of the Pill Hall and the best pills to stabilize her injuries and slow down the deterioration of her foundation. As for the Dragon Blood Creation Grass... wait until you come out of the Heavenly Sword Secret Realm, if you have the strength, then you can go for it. Going now would just be suicide."

"I understand." Lu Zhao took a deep breath, suppressing his urgency and killing intent. He knew Su Yuanshan was right. Without strength, everything was just empty talk. He had to quickly improve his strength in the Heavenly Sword Secret Realm, obtain enough power and resources, before he could go to the Fallen Dragon Abyss to find the Dragon Blood Creation Grass and save Ye Qingyi.

"Palace Master Su, I entrust Qingyi to you." Lu Zhao bowed deeply to Su Yuanshan.

"Junior Brother Lu, don't worry! Senior Sister Qingyi, we'll take care of things here!" Zhao Yan said, patting his chest, his eyes filled with tears.

"Take care." Li Yue only said two words, but the determination in his eyes was self-evident.

Looking at his two loyal brothers, Lu Zhao felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He nodded emphatically, turned, and strode away. His back view was resolute, carrying an indomitable spirit.

"Lu Zhao." Su Yuanshan called out to him, took out a storage bag from his robes, and handed it to Lu Zhao. "Inside are some pills, talismans, and life-saving items. Take them with you. The secret realm is extremely dangerous, so be careful."

Lu Zhao accepted the storage bag and bowed again: "Thank you, Palace Master Su."

"Come back alive." Su Yuanshan looked at Lu Zhao, his eyes filled with expectation and worry. He knew that on this journey to the Heavenly Sword Secret Realm, Lu Zhao would face not only the dangers of the realm itself, but also assassination attempts by the Qin family. But he believed that this young man, who had repeatedly created miracles, would definitely come out alive, and even stronger!

Lu Zhao didn't speak, but nodded vigorously, then turned and strode away.

Watching Lu Zhao's disappearing figure, Su Yuanshan sighed deeply, his eyes filled with complex emotions. He knew that he had pushed Lu Zhao onto a more dangerous, but also broader, path. Whether he would soar to the heavens or perish along the way depended on Lu Zhao's own fate.

"Qingyi, you must hold on..." Su Yuanshan looked towards the quiet room, his eyes filled with sorrow. He knew that Ye Qingyi's injuries were extremely serious. Even with his best efforts to treat her, it was a miracle that she could survive. Restoring her foundation would be as difficult as ascending to heaven. Unless, of course, there was a heaven-defying treasure like the Dragon Blood Creation Grass.

"Dragon Blood Creation Grass..." Su Yuanshan murmured, a resolute glint in his eyes. Perhaps he should also use some connections to inquire about this legendary treasure.

Meanwhile, in the secret room of the Qin family mansion.

Qin Lie listened to his subordinate's report with a gloomy expression.

"Patriarch, that brat Lu Zhao was brought back to the Pill Hall by Su Yuanshan. That girl Ye Qingyi was critically injured and on the verge of death, but Su Yuanshan saved her. Wen Ruoxu was killed, and that good-for-nothing Li Jue was terrified by Su Yuanshan and fled." A black-robed elder bowed and reported.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!" Qin Lie roared in fury, smashing the sandalwood table beside him to pieces with a single blow. "Wen Ruoxu was utterly pathetic, and Li Jue was a coward! They couldn't even kill the heavily injured Ye Qingyi, and instead alerted the enemy, making that old bastard Su Yuanshan wary!"

"Patriarch, please calm down," Qin Wen said in a deep voice. "Although we failed to kill Ye Qingyi, we severely injured her, damaging her foundation and severing her path to immortality. Moreover, with Ye Qingyi seriously injured, that brat Lu Zhao will surely be thrown into disarray, which will be beneficial to our next plan."

"Hmph!" Qin Lie snorted coldly, his eyes flashing with killing intent. "Next? Next, that brat is going to enter the 'Heavenly Sword Secret Realm'! That's a true disciple trial; the sect won't allow us to openly make a move!"

"Patriarch, if open attacks don't work, we can try covert ones," Qin Wen said with a sinister smile. "The Heavenly Sword Secret Realm is a world unto itself, extremely dangerous. It's perfectly normal for a few people to die there. We can arrange for someone to eliminate him discreetly within the realm!"

"Oh?" Qin Lie raised an eyebrow. "Do you have a suitable candidate?"

"Yes." A cold glint flashed in Qin Wen's eyes. "Blood Shadow."

"Blood Shadow?" A hint of apprehension flashed in Qin Lie's eyes. "That madman? He's a remnant of the Blood Fiend Sect, ruthless and heartless, and he demands an extremely high price."

"It's precisely because he's ruthless and heartless that he won't leave any evidence against us," Qin Wen said. "Besides, no matter how high his price is, can it be higher than the reputation and future of the Qin family? Lu Zhao has too much potential; he must be nipped in the bud! Otherwise, the consequences will be endless!"

Qin Lie pondered for a moment, a fierce glint flashing in his eyes: "Fine! Then let Blood Shadow make his move! At all costs, Lu Zhao must die in the Heavenly Sword Secret Realm!"

"Yes!" Qin Wen bowed and replied, a glint of excitement and cruelty flashing in his eyes.

A conspiracy targeting Lu Zhao was quietly unfolding in the shadows. Lu Zhao, however, was completely unaware of it. At this moment, he was sitting cross-legged in his meditation room, focusing all his efforts on preparing for his journey to the Heavenly Sword Secret Realm seven days later.

He knew the road ahead was fraught with thorns and danger. But he was fearless. For himself, for Qingyi, he had to become stronger, he had to survive, he had to... fight his way out!