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

Time flies, and half a month has passed in the blink of an eye.

For the past two weeks, V Zhao has kept a low profile, rarely venturing out of his cave on Cloud Peak except to collect necessary resources. He has devoted most of his time to two things: refining the "Small Heavenly Cycle Sword Formation" array plate and attempting to break through to the Foundation Establishment Perfection stage.

On this day, the spiritual energy within the cave suddenly fluctuated violently, then quickly returned to calm.

V Zhao opened his eyes, a flash of brilliance in them. "Foundation Establishment complete, I've succeeded." He felt the spiritual power within his body surging nearly twice as much, a smile appearing on his lips. Although he was still a hair's breadth away from Core Formation, his strength had already made great progress.

He reached out and summoned nine palm-sized metal array plates, bronze in color and covered with intricate and mysterious patterns, from the stone table in front of him. Each array plate exuded a faint, sharp aura.

"The Lesser Heavenly Cycle Sword Formation Plate is finally complete." V Zhao gently stroked the plate. "Although it's the most simplified version, with all nine swords unleashed and the power of the formation, trapping and killing a mid-stage Core Formation cultivator shouldn't be a problem. It's just that it consumes too much spiritual energy and divine soul, so it can't be used lightly." This was his trump card prepared for Zhao Wuji, or rather, for a potentially stronger enemy.

Just then, the restrictions outside the cave were triggered, and a voice transmission flew in.

"Junior Brother Huang, tomorrow is the start of the Inner Sect Competition. All Inner Sect disciples must go to the Central Square to draw lots." It was Li Gang's voice.

"It's finally starting, isn't it?" V Zhao put the array plate into his storage ring, got up and walked out of the cave.

The next day, the central square of Qingyun Sect was packed with people.

The Inner Sect Grand Competition is a major event held every three years by the Qingyun Sect. It not only affects the ranking of inner sect disciples and the allocation of resources, but also provides an excellent opportunity for some disciples to distinguish themselves and gain favor with the sect's higher-ups. At this moment, thousands of inner sect disciples have gathered here, creating a lively and enthusiastic atmosphere.

On the high platform in front of the square sat a group of high-ranking members of the sect. Leading them was an elderly man with a refined appearance, dressed in a blue Daoist robe; he was none other than the sect leader of the Qingyun Sect, Master Xuanzhen. Beside him were the peak masters and elders of each peak.

"Silence." Master Xuanzhen spoke, his voice not loud, but clearly reaching everyone's ears, and the entire square instantly fell silent.

"The triennial Inner Sect Competition begins today." Master Xuanzhen's gaze swept over the disciples below. "The rules are the same as in previous years: opponents will be determined by drawing lots. The arena battles will be fought until the point is reached, and intentional injury is strictly prohibited. The top one hundred will all receive rewards. The top ten will be granted entry to the third floor of the Scripture Pavilion to choose one cultivation technique or spell, and will also gain the qualification to cultivate in the 'Cloud Sea Illusionary Realm' for one month."

"The Cloud Sea Illusion!" A chorus of exclamations erupted from below. That was a sacred cultivation ground of the Qingyun Sect, said to possess spiritual energy several times denser than the outside world, greatly aiding in enlightenment and having miraculous effects on breaking through bottlenecks. In previous years, only the top three in the competition qualified to enter, but this year the requirement had been relaxed to the top ten!

"Quiet," Master Xuanzhen continued, "There is one more matter regarding this competition. Three months from now will be the once-in-a-decade 'Seven Sects Martial Arts Tournament.' Our Qingyun Sect will select ten elite disciples to participate. The top ten in this competition will directly qualify for the selection."

Even some of the elders on the high platform showed surprise. The Seven Sects Martial Arts Tournament was a grand event jointly organized by the seven major sects in the surrounding area. It was not only a competition among the younger generation but also related to the resource allocation of each sect for the next ten years, so its importance was self-evident. Being able to participate was a great honor and opportunity in itself.

"It's actually linked to the Seven Sects Martial Arts Tournament..." "The competition is going to be even fiercer!" "We have to fight for the top ten!" The disciples were immediately filled with excitement, their eyes brimming with fighting spirit.

V Zhao stood in the crowd, a thought flashing through his mind. The Seven Sects Martial Arts Tournament… this was unexpected news. However, the most important thing right now was to deal with the Inner Sect Competition.

"Now, let's begin the drawing of lots," an elder announced.

The disciples stepped forward one by one to draw a number from a giant divination tube. The numbers were divided into two groups, Heaven and Earth, each with a number. Those with the same number would be opponents in the first round.

V昭 drew "Number 37 of the Earth"

"Junior Brother Huang!" Li Gang and Liu Ruyan walked over. After the Black Wind Mountain incident, their attitude towards Lu Zhao was noticeably closer and more respectful.

"Senior Brother Li, Senior Sister Liu," V Zhao nodded in greeting, "What numbers did you draw?"

"I'm number twelve in the Heavenly category," Li Gang said. "Junior Sister Liu is number sixty-three in the Earthly category. Junior Brother Zhao's injuries haven't fully healed, so he'll have to forfeit this competition." His expression was somewhat grave. "Junior Brother Huang, be careful. I just saw Zhao Wuji; the way he looked at you was strange."

Following his gaze, V Zhao saw Zhao Wuji surrounded by a group of disciples not far away, coldly staring at him with undisguised killing intent in his eyes.

"Thank you for the reminder, Senior Brother Li. I understand." V Zhao calmly withdrew his gaze.

"What number did you draw?" Liu Ruyan asked with concern.

"The character '地' (earth) has thirty-seven characters."

"The character 'Earth' is number thirty-seven..." Li Gang thought for a moment, his expression changing slightly. "Your opponent seems to be... Zhou Hu!"

"Zhou Hu?" V Zhao raised an eyebrow.

"He's Zhou Long's older brother!" Liu Ruyan exclaimed urgently. "He's at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage, ranked among the top fifty in the inner sect. His strength far surpasses Zhou Long's. Moreover, he's always fiercely protective of his own. You injured Zhou Long; he will absolutely not let you off!"

"Is that so?" V Zhao smiled faintly. "You've come at the perfect time." He was just worried about not having a suitable opponent to test his recent training results.

"You..." Liu Ruyan looked at Lu Zhao's calm demeanor, and for some reason, her worries lessened slightly. Perhaps, this mysterious Junior Brother Huang really could create a miracle once again.

"The draw is complete, the competition officially begins!" With the elder's command, dozens of arenas in the square simultaneously lit up with light screens.

"Earth No. 37 versus Heaven No. 37, Arena No. 3!" a disciple announced loudly.

"I'm going." V Zhao nodded to Li Gang and the other man, and strode towards the third arena.

A large crowd had already gathered around arena number three. Zhou Hu was a renowned expert from the inner sect, and Lu Zhao had recently garnered attention due to rumors of defeating Zhou Long and Black Wind Mountain. This battle had attracted considerable interest.

On the arena, a tall, rugged-looking young man who bore a resemblance to Zhou Long stood with his arms crossed. His eyes flashed with a fierce light when he saw Lu Zhao step onto the stage.

"You are Huang Zhao?" Zhou Hu's voice was like a muffled thunderclap.

"Exactly." V ​​Zhao looked at him calmly.

"Fine, very well." Zhou Hu gritted his teeth. "You injured my brother and still dare to show your face in front of me. Today, I'll show you the consequences of hurting members of the Zhou family!" He unleashed his full Foundation Establishment aura without reservation, pressing down on Lu Zhao.

A murmur rippled through the audience. "Senior Brother Zhou Hu's aura is getting stronger!" "It seems he's not far from reaching the Core Formation stage!" "That Huang Zhao is in danger. Although rumors say he's quite strong, he's no match for Senior Brother Zhou Hu..." Most people were pessimistic about Lu Zhao's chances.

V Zhao seemed oblivious to the overwhelming pressure emanating from him, simply looking at Zhou Hu calmly: "Enough talk, let's fight."

"You're courting death!" Zhou Hu roared in fury. He had intended to overwhelm his opponent with his imposing presence, but to his surprise, the opponent remained completely unaffected. Without further ado, he pushed off with his foot and charged towards Lu Zhao like a cannonball, unleashing a punch that whistled through the air, accompanied by the faint roar of a tiger.

"It's the Zhou family's 'Mountain-Splitting Tiger Roar Fist'!" someone exclaimed.

Facing this fierce punch, V-Zhao neither dodged nor evaded, but met it with his own fist. His fist had no luster and looked completely ordinary.

"He took it head-on? Is he crazy?" "Senior Brother Zhou Hu's punch could shatter a boulder!" The crowd below exclaimed in shock.

"Bang!" A muffled sound rang out as fists clashed.

The expected scene of Lu Zhao breaking bones and tendons did not occur. Zhou Hu's expression changed, and his body involuntarily staggered back three steps, while Lu Zhao only swayed slightly.

"What?!" A murmur of astonishment rippled through the audience. A late-stage Foundation Establishment cultivator clashing head-on with a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, and Zhou Hu was actually at a disadvantage?!

"You..." Zhou Hu felt a tingling sensation in his fist, and was even more shocked. The opponent's physical strength was terrifyingly powerful?

"Is that all the strength you have?" V Zhao flicked his wrist. "Then it's my turn." Before he finished speaking, his figure had already disappeared from the spot.

"So fast!" Zhou Hu's pupils contracted, and he tried to retreat, but it was too late.

V Zhao's figure appeared beside him like a ghost, striking out with a palm that seemed light and airy, yet carried a subtle and powerful force.

"Mysterious Yin Palm!" Zhou Hu recognized it as a common palm technique among inner disciples. Feeling somewhat relieved, he quickly channeled his spiritual energy to defend against the attack.

However, the moment the palm strike touched his body, Zhou Hu's expression changed drastically. The palm strike was not only subtle but also contained a domineering destructive force, instantly tearing through his protective spiritual energy and penetrating his meridians.

"Pfft—" Zhou Hu spat out a mouthful of blood, flew backward, and crashed heavily onto the edge of the arena.

"Impossible!" He struggled to get up, but found that his spiritual energy was disordered and he couldn't muster any strength.

V Zhao slowly walked up to him, lowered her head, and said in a voice only the two of them could hear, "Tell Zhao Wuji that this is just the beginning."

After saying that, he stopped looking at Zhou Hu, whose face was ashen, and turned to walk off the stage.

The whole process took only a few breaths. When the elder referee announced "Huang Zhaosheng," the audience below the stage were still somewhat taken aback.

"One...one move?" "Senior Brother Zhou Hu was defeated just like that?" "Just what is Huang Zhao's strength?" After a brief silence, there was an even greater uproar.

On the high platform, several elders also showed expressions of surprise.

"This young man's control over his strength is truly exquisite," a white-haired elder said, stroking his beard.

"The Profound Yin Palm can achieve such an effect; it's quite remarkable." Another elder nodded. "It seems the rumors about Black Wind Mountain are not unfounded."

Sitting in the front row was Zhao Tianying, an elder of the Zhao family and Zhao Wuji's uncle, whose face was somewhat gloomy. Zhou Hu was a member of his Zhao family lineage, and the fact that he had been so easily defeated by a newcomer made him lose face.

"He does have some skill." Master Xuanzhen glanced at Lu Zhao and said indifferently, then stopped paying attention to him.

Below the arena, Li Gang and Liu Ruyan came up to greet them, their faces full of surprise.

"Junior Brother Huang, you're amazing!" Li Gang gave him a thumbs up.

"I knew you could win!" Liu Ruyan smiled radiantly.

V Zhao merely smiled slightly, but his gaze subtly swept over Zhao Wuji in the distance. He saw that Zhao Wuji's face was ashen, staring intently at him, the killing intent in his eyes almost tangible.

"Just an appetizer," V Zhao sneered inwardly. "Zhao Wuji, I'll be waiting for you."

The first round of competition continued, with winners and losers constantly emerging. Li Gang and Liu Ruyan both successfully defeated their opponents and advanced to the next round.

As the competition progressed, the true powerhouses began to emerge. Especially the top ten inner disciples, who almost all won with overwhelming advantages, drawing cheers and applause.

Among them, Zhao Wuji's performance was particularly eye-catching. His opponent was a veteran inner disciple who had reached the peak of Foundation Establishment, but under his hands, the opponent couldn't even last three moves before being blasted off the stage by a sharp sword aura, causing a stir among the entire audience.

"Core Formation stage! Senior Brother Zhao is definitely at the Core Formation stage!" "Such a young Core Formation stage cultivator is truly a prodigy!" "The first place in this competition is probably none other than Senior Brother Zhao!" Various exclamations and compliments were endless.

Zhao Wuji stood on the arena, enjoying the spotlight. His gaze fell on Lu Zhao again, with a look of condescension and provocation.

V Zhao met his gaze expressionlessly, but her heart was ice-cold. "Core Formation stage... It seems this battle won't be easy. However, that suits me just fine."

The first day of competition has ended, and half of the participants have been eliminated. The remaining thousand-plus people will continue the competition tomorrow.

As night fell, V Zhao returned to his cave, sat cross-legged, and replayed the day's battle in his mind, especially Zhao Wuji's several sword strikes.

"His sword energy is condensed and incomparably sharp, truly at the Core Formation stage level. Moreover, his swordsmanship... is quite interesting." A thoughtful look appeared in V Zhao's eyes. "It seems we cannot be careless."

He took out the nine array plates and began the final warming and adjustments. They might be needed in tomorrow's battle.

As night deepened, the Qingyun Sect was far from peaceful. Undercurrents were quietly surging within the darkness.