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

The icy, violent mental shock was like a tangible tsunami, instantly overwhelming Lu Zhao's senses! The air seemed to freeze, carrying a viscous malice, threatening to crush and freeze his consciousness! If he hadn't been prepared and constantly protected his mind with the [Refining Spirit Technique], he might have been overwhelmed and turned into an idiot!

Even so, Lu Zhao still felt a "buzz" in his head, his vision went black, his ears rang, and his body trembled violently, almost causing him to collapse uncontrollably. His health points instantly dropped by 8%, and he was also afflicted with the [Mental Shock (Severe)] status, which slowed down his reaction speed and thinking.

"Damn it! We've been discovered! And this mental shock is far more powerful than the previous Yin Serpent attack!" Lu Zhao bit his tongue, the excruciating pain forcing him to stay awake. He knew his escape route was blocked; he had to act immediately!

"Hiss—! Die!"

The snake-headed demon roared angrily, abandoning its cultivation posture. It abruptly rose, its hunched figure instantly expanding, its black robes billowing without wind, and a chilling pressure far exceeding its previous power swept across the surroundings! Its eerie green snake eyes locked onto Lu Zhao behind the rock, and with a blur, it transformed into an unbelievably fast afterimage, rushing straight at him! At the same time, its withered claws clenched in the air, and several black arrows formed from Yin energy shot towards the rock where Lu Zhao was hiding, accompanied by a sharp whistling sound!

"Boom! Boom! Boom!"

The rock was struck by the black arrow, sending shards of rock flying and cracking open! Lu Zhao dared not be careless. Just before the arrow hit him, he rolled out from behind the rock, maximizing his [Turtle Breathing Technique]. His body moved like a nimble cat, rapidly dodging among the rocks at the edge of the depression.

"Ding!"

A throwing knife shot towards the demon's eye, but it was easily knocked down by a wisp of black energy.

Lu Zhao was perfectly clear-headed, knowing that a direct confrontation was futile. While dodging and weaving, he pulled out a [Demon-Slaying Talisman] from his robes, infused it with his spiritual power without hesitation, and hurled it forward!

"Buzz—!"

Crimson talisman light exploded in the air, forming a blazing halo that shot towards the pursuing demon! This power to ward off evil is the bane of all malevolent forces!

"Hmph! A mere inferior talisman, yet you dare to be so presumptuous!" The snake-headed demon snorted coldly, neither dodging nor avoiding, and his withered palm suddenly grabbed at the talisman light! Black energy surged in his palm, transforming into a ferocious black snake head phantom, which swallowed the talisman light in one gulp!

With a hissing sound, the black snake head phantom fluctuated violently and dimmed slightly, but it still managed to neutralize most of the power of the [Exorcism Talisman]! The remaining halo impacted the demon, causing its body to tremble slightly, and its health bar dropped by only a fraction, from 62% to 61.5%!

Lu Zhao's pupils contracted. The level difference was too great; a common-quality [Exorcism Talisman] would have limited effect on it! Moreover, the opponent could actively defend itself!

"Insect, you ruined my formation and destroyed my soul stone! Today I will extract your soul and refine your spirit to repair the damage to my soul pearl!" The snake-headed demon's voice was hoarse and venomous. He moved again, faster than before, closing to within three zhang in the blink of an eye. A claw covered in black scales, carrying a foul stench, went straight for Lu Zhao's face! Before the claw even arrived, a chilling aura had already invaded Lu Zhao's body, causing him to freeze.

Too fast! There's no way to dodge it!

"Drink!" Lu Zhao roared, no longer holding back, pouring all his spiritual power into his sea of ​​consciousness. He activated the [Refining Spirit Technique] to its limit, unleashing a condensed spiritual shockwave to meet the demon's chilling killing intent! At the same time, the [Protective Talisman] he was holding in his left hand instantly activated!

"Buzz—!"

A faint, pale golden light shield flashed across his body! The shield collided with the demon's claws, producing a piercing tearing sound, and then shattered! But it was this narrow escape that allowed Lu Zhao to turn to the side. The demon's claws grazed his shoulder, leaving several deep, bone-revealing bloodstains. A sharp pain shot through him, and his health dropped by another 10%!

[Attacked by both physical and Yin energy! Health -10%! Additional Status: Yin Energy Invasion (Continuous health loss, reduced movement speed)!]

"Hiss!" The demon seemed not to have expected Lu Zhao to have the means of mental shock and protective talisman. He was slightly stunned, but then his eyes flashed with fierce light and his other claw slammed down on his head!

A life-or-death situation! A ruthless glint flashed in Lu Zhao's eyes. He knew he couldn't retreat now; retreat meant death! He stopped dodging and instead lunged forward to meet the demon's claws, deliberately offering his body into the demon's embrace! At the same time, his right hand, already prepared with three throwing knives temporarily soaked in a mixture of realgar powder and strong liquor, was hurled with all his might towards the black soul bead floating above the demon's head, which was devouring soul power! This was the core of the formation, the source of the demon's power! He wasn't attacking the demon, but the soul bead!

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

Three throwing knives imbued with the scent of realgar shot towards the Soul Pearl in a triangular formation! Realgar is potent and can subdue snakes, insects, and evil spirits; it might also have a miraculous effect on this snake-headed demon!

"Damn it!" Upon seeing this, the demon let out a fierce roar filled with shock and anger. Its claws, which were grabbing at Lu Zhao, instantly retracted and instead slapped at the three flying knives! It clearly valued the Soul Pearl extremely!

"Bang! Bang!"

Two throwing knives were knocked away, but the third one grazed its claws and struck the Soul Pearl!

"Ding!"

With a crisp impact, the black light on the surface of the Soul Bead rippled violently, instantly interrupting the process of absorbing soul power! The bead itself was not damaged, but it was clearly disturbed; its light dimmed for a moment, and the soul power flowing inside became disordered! The demon's body trembled violently, as if it had suffered a backlash, and its health bar dropped again, from 61.5% to 60%! At the same time, it let out a painful groan, and its breath caught in its throat!

"Now!"

Lu Zhao had been waiting for this moment! He completely ignored the descending claws. In the instant the demon was distracted, injured, and his breathing became unstable, he used his full mental power to inject the last two exorcism talismans that were already clenched between his fingers. He then slammed them down on the demon's chest and abdomen, which were covered in scales and closest to him, one on each side!

"Explode! Explode!"

"Boom! Boom—!!"

The two [Exorcism Talismans] exploded at such close range! Two balls of crimson-gold light, several times brighter than before, burst forth on the demon's body like miniature suns! The supremely yang and powerful exorcism force clashed violently and irreconcilably with the extremely dense yin and demonic energy emanating from the demon!

"Aaaaaah—!"

The snake-headed demon let out a shrill scream that was inhuman! Its black robe instantly turned to ashes, revealing a twisted snake body covered in black scales! The scales hissed and emitted billowing black smoke as they were burned by the power of exorcism! The health bar above its head plummeted like a floodgate opening!

[Double runes hit vital points! Triggering critical damage! Greatly increased effectiveness against evil creatures!]

[Evil Cultivator - Snake-Headed Demon's Health: 60% → 35%!]

[Additional status effects: Severe injury, burning, and chaotic demonic energy!]

Success! Lu Zhao was overjoyed, but he dared not stop moving for a moment! He knew this was a life-or-death struggle, and he could not give the enemy a chance to breathe! He used the recoil from the explosion to retreat quickly, avoiding the scorching aftershocks of the exorcising attack. At the same time, he had already grabbed the last two [Tranquility Talismans] at his waist again—these talismans could calm the mind, dispel illusions, and perhaps even interfere with the demon's spirit, even if only for a moment!

"Hiss—!" The heavily injured demon went completely berserk. It abandoned all defense, roaring as black energy surged from its body, condensing into several thick black tentacles that lashed out at Lu Zhao, wrapping around him and lashing out! This was its desperate counterattack!

Lu Zhao's eyes were icy cold. He infused the last of his [Tranquility Talisman] with his meager spiritual power and hurled it at the countless black tentacles approaching from the sky, not seeking to kill, but merely to hinder them! At the same time, instead of retreating, he advanced. In the instant the black tentacles were blocked by the talisman's light and momentarily paused, he slipped through the gaps in the tentacles. The scent of realgar wine on his wood-chopping knife mixed with his remaining spiritual power, transforming into a resolute, cold glint, aimed directly at the demon's slightly open mouth, contorted by pain and rage—that might be its other vital spot!

"Pfft!"

The wood-chopping knife, imbued with realgar and spiritual energy, pierced deeply into the demon's cold, slippery mouth!

"roar--!"

The demon let out a deafening roar of pain, its body twisting and struggling wildly, its black tentacles flailing about, but Lu Zhao gripped the hilt of the knife tightly, his feet planted firmly on the ground, and with his last bit of strength, he slammed the wood-chopping knife into its mouth!

The demon's massive body convulsed violently, the green light in its eyes rapidly dimming. Finally, it let out a reluctant, indistinct groan before crashing to the ground, raising a cloud of dust. The suspended black soul bead, too, let out a mournful cry at the moment of its death, its spiritual light extinguished, and it fell to the dust.

[Successfully defeated the 'Evil Cultivator - Snake-Headed Demon' (LV7)!]

[Gained 800 experience points! Leveled up to level 7!]

[Items obtained: Damaged Evil Cultivator Soul Bead x1, Black Snake Sheath x1, Fragment of "Snake Sheath Transformation Technique" x1, Yin Sha Crystal (Medium Grade) x3.]

[Title Acquired: Demon Slayer (Deals damage to demons, ghosts, and evil creatures +5%, receives damage from them -3%)]