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

Deep within the Blood Wolf's lair lay a vast, damp, and dark cavern, filled with a pungent stench of decay and a strange, sweet medicinal aroma. Scattered everywhere were animal and human bones, some weathered and whitish, others still bearing traces of fresh flesh and blood—clearly the remains of a prey hunted by the Blood Wolves. At the very depths of the cave, near the rock wall, lay a murky, dark green pool of water, above which swirled a misty haze, emanating a nauseating miasma.

Amidst the silt and skeletons by the pool, a few peculiar plants grew sparsely. The plants were short, about half a foot tall, and entirely of an ominous grayish-white color. They had no leaves, only bare, bone-like stems, each topped with a few eerie, pale, skull-shaped flowers the size of rice grains, emitting a faint, sweet fragrance similar to bitter almonds. This was the "Bone-Rotting Grass."

"This is it." Miss Yun pointed to the few white plants and said, "The Bone-Rotting Grass grows with the aura of death and absorbs the yin energy of corpses. It can cure the poison of the Blood Wolf. However, this grass itself is also highly poisonous. It must be dug up with jade or porcelain objects and must not be touched directly with your hands. When picking it, hold your breath and do not smell its odor for too long."

Lu Zhao nodded, already prepared. He took out a small wooden shovel and a square handkerchief from his pocket. He first covered his mouth and nose with the handkerchief, then swallowed a miasma-clearing powder before cautiously approaching the pool. The mud around the pool was extremely soft and sticky; stepping on it almost reached above his ankles. The sweet, cloying smell of medicine mixed with a strong stench of decay assaulted his senses. If it weren't for the miasma-clearing powder and the handkerchief, an ordinary person would probably feel dizzy after just a few breaths.

He held his breath and carefully dug out three stalks of bone-rotting grass with a wooden shovel, roots and all, and placed them into a jade box that had been prepared beforehand, then sealed it. The jade box was hastily made from a piece of low-quality jade, but its advantage was that it could insulate the medicinal properties and toxicity.

Just as he dug out the last bone-rotting grass and was about to close the jade box, he suddenly caught a glimpse of an unusual dark golden light flashing past under a rock half-hidden by withered bones by the pool.

"Hmm?" Lu Zhao's heart skipped a beat, and he stopped what he was doing. The area around this pool was thick with poisonous miasma and heavy with yin energy; ordinary things couldn't possibly survive here. He carefully used a wooden shovel to clear away the bones and silt under the rocks and discovered that the dark gold was actually a strange metal fragment the size of a palm, shaped like a beast's claw, and covered with fine scale patterns! The fragment had sharp edges and a dark golden luster. Even in the dim environment, a faint halo of light flowed around it, giving it a heavy and sharp feel.

"This is..." Lu Zhao carefully picked up the fragment with a wooden shovel. It was unusually heavy, several times heavier than an iron block of the same size. The surface of the fragment was covered with fine, scale-like natural patterns, and there were signs of breakage at the edges, indicating that it had broken off from some object.

Unknown metal fragments discovered (suspected to be fragments of 'Dragon Scale Gold')

【Material:???】

[Attributes: Extremely heavy, hard, contains a faint dragon aura (most of which has been lost)]

[Status: Corroded, greatly diminished spirituality]

[Evaluation: This is a strange metal formed from the scales or bones of some higher organism over a long period of time. It is a superior material for refining high-grade magical artifacts and treasures. However, this fragment is severely damaged, with most of its spiritual energy lost, greatly reducing its value. It can be used as an auxiliary material for low-grade magical artifacts, or recycled to extract a small amount of essence.]

Dragon Scale Gold? Dragon Aura? High-Grade Material?

Lu Zhao's heart skipped a beat. Although the fragment was severely damaged and its spiritual energy greatly diminished, even a weakened camel is bigger than a horse; being rated "high-grade" on the panel meant its material was undoubtedly extraordinary. Even if it could only be used as an auxiliary material, its value far exceeded ordinary refined iron or black iron. More importantly, the fact that this fragment appeared deep within the Blood Wolf's lair, beside a pool of water, was highly unusual. Blood wolves, being low-level demonic beasts, clearly couldn't possess such a treasure. So where did it come from? Could it be the relic of a cultivator who perished here? Or perhaps…

He discreetly tucked the fragment into his robes, storing it separately from the jade box containing the bone-rotting grass. This matter was suspicious; there was no need to make a fuss about it for now.

"Have you finished collecting?" Yun's cool voice came from behind. She seemed not to have noticed Lu Zhao's little movements, but stood far away at the cave entrance, not approaching this poisonous miasma.

"Reporting to Senior, we have gathered three plants, which is enough." Lu Zhao closed the jade box, carefully put it away, withdrew from the pool area, and came to Miss Yun's side.

"Hmm. Once this matter is settled, leave immediately. There might be something fishy going on beneath this pool; it's not wise to linger." Miss Yun glanced at the pool that exuded an ominous aura, her brows furrowing slightly, and turned to walk away.

Lu Zhao's heart skipped a beat. Was there something fishy about the pool? Could these dragon scale gold fragments be related to the pool? He suppressed his doubts and followed closely behind.

Leaving the Blood Wolf's Den and returning to the cave entrance, dusk was already approaching. Killing the Blood Wolves and gathering the Bone-Rotting Grass seemed simple, but it actually took most of the day.

"It's getting late. The abandoned mine is in Lingxi, still nearly twenty miles of mountain road ahead, and it's inconvenient to travel at night. Let's find a safe place to rest tonight and continue our journey early tomorrow morning," said Miss Yun.

Lu Zhao had no objection. The two found a dry, sheltered cave nearby, cleaned it up a bit, set up some simple warning talismans, and then sat cross-legged to recover their energy.

Nothing was said that night. The next day, just as dawn was breaking, the two set off again, heading towards the abandoned mine in Lingxi.

The further west you go, the more rugged the mountain path becomes, and the trees gradually thin out, revealing large areas of bare, dark red rock. A faint smell of sulfur and metallic rust permeates the air. The terrain grows increasingly desolate, with occasional abandoned mine shafts, rusted railway tracks, and overturned mine carts silently recounting a past bustling scene.

"This is the former 'Hematite' mining area, which prospered for decades. Later, the veins dried up, and a mining accident killed many people, so it gradually fell into disrepair. Later, for some reason, evil spirits began to emerge from the depths of the veins, and evil spirits often appeared, so no one dared to come here anymore," Miss Yun said, pointing to a desolate valley in front of her.

Looking towards the valley entrance, Lu Zhao saw a broken stone tablet with the words "Hematite" faintly discernible on it. The valley was filled with jagged rocks, barren of vegetation, and utterly desolate. Most striking was the entrance to a massive, dark mine shaft deep within the valley, like the open mouth of a giant beast. Scattered around the entrance were decaying railway sleepers, rusted rails, and… a few scattered bones.

"That's it." Miss Yun stopped, her expression grave. "Deep within the mine, the Yin energy is dense, and some evil creatures dwell there, mostly Yin spirits and corpse puppets. Crimson Flame Gold Crystal, being of the highest Yang nature, usually grows near earth fire veins. This mine has been abandoned for many years, and the earth fire veins may have dried up, but some may still remain deep within the earth. We need to venture deep into the mine tunnels to find the remaining earth fire veins in order to locate the Crimson Flame Gold Crystal. But we must be careful; the deeper we go, the heavier the Yin energy becomes, and the stronger the evil creatures grow."

Lu Zhao nodded, already having made up his mind. The Yin Soul Corpse Puppet was precisely the target of the [Exorcising Talisman], making this perhaps his strong suit. Moreover, he possessed the [Sleeping Dragon Technique], which could resist mental erosion and counter the Yin energy.

"Before entering, you must take the 'Clearing Miasma Pill' to prevent the evil energy from invading your body. Also, this is for you; it can provide light and dispel weak yin energy." Miss Yun then handed over a luminous pearl the size of a pigeon egg, emitting a soft white light, and a green pill.

Lu Zhao took the pill; it melted instantly in his mouth, releasing a cool sensation that cleared his mind. The luminous pearl felt warm to the touch, its soft light illuminating a radius of several feet. Sure enough, the surrounding chilling aura seemed to have lessened somewhat.

"Let's go." Miss Yun said no more, gripping her longsword and stepping into the mine first. Lu Zhao followed closely behind, holding a luminous pearl in one hand and a [Demon-Slaying Talisman] in the other, cautiously observing his surroundings.

The mine was pitch black, with the glow of the luminous pearl illuminating only a limited area. Underfoot were slippery, moss-covered stone steps, flanked by rough rock walls, the faint traces of human excavation visible. The air was thick with the pungent smell of decay, rust, and earth, mingled with a faint, chilling aura.

The deeper they went, the dimmer the light became. The glow of the luminous pearl seemed to be swallowed by the darkness, illuminating only three steps ahead. The air became stuffy and damp, and the temperature dropped noticeably. Silence, a deathly silence, broke the silence, with only the faint echoes of their footsteps reverberating in the deep alley, sounding exceptionally clear and eerie.

"Be careful, there's a fork in the road ahead." Miss Yun suddenly stopped and pointed ahead. There, the mine tunnel split into two, one on the left and one on the right, both dark and deep, their destinations unknown.

"Take the left path." After a brief moment of sensing, Miss Yun made her decision. "There's a faint geothermal aura in the left passage, or perhaps a remnant of the earth's fire."

Lu Zhao had no objection. The two turned to the left passage and continued deeper. After walking for about the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, they heard a faint, teeth-grinding "crackling" sound ahead, as if something was rubbing against the rocks.

"Here it comes," Miss Yun said softly, her hand already on the hilt of her sword.

Lu Zhao stared intently and saw several distorted figures emerging indistinctly at the edge of the luminous pearl's light. They swayed and staggered, their bodies shrouded in gray-black mist, obscuring their faces. Only two scarlet points of light flickered in the mist, emanating a cold and venomous aura.

[Wandering Miner's Ghost, Level: 3-4]

[Status: Incorporeal, Mental Attack, Yin Evil Corrosion]

They really were ghosts! And there were more than one, five or six of them, blocking the way.

"It's a vengeful spirit, corrupted by the yin energy of this place, trapped here and unable to be reborn. Physical attacks are of little effect; use exorcising talismans, mental attacks, or extremely yang magical artifacts to destroy it." As Miss Yun spoke, she drew her longsword, a faint blue halo emanating from its blade, clearly imbued with the power to ward off evil.

Lu Zhao nodded without hesitation. With a flick of his hand, a [Exorcising Talisman (Good)] shot out, transforming into a beam of crimson-gold light that shot towards the foremost Yin spirit!

"laugh--!"

The exorcising talisman struck the evil spirit squarely in the chest, like boiling oil poured onto snow. The evil spirit let out a sharp shriek, its body twisting violently. The gray-black mist was quickly purified and dissolved, soon turning into a wisp of green smoke and dissipating.

[Use the "Exorcism Talisman (Good)"! Deals Holy Critical Damage to the "Miner's Ghost" (LV4)!]

[Successfully defeated the 'Miner's Ghost'! Gained 40 experience points!]

Instant kill! The exorcism talisman is extremely effective against ghostly monsters!

"Excellent talisman!" Miss Yun exclaimed, her longsword transforming into a streak of azure light as it pierced into the body of another vengeful spirit. Wherever the azure light passed, the spirit melted away like ice and snow, instantly collapsing.

The two worked together seamlessly. Miss Yun's swordsmanship was fierce, specializing in close-range attacks, while Lu Zhao used talismans to eliminate distant spirits. In no time, seven or eight spirits were wiped out, leaving only a few wisps of pure, pale gray soul power, which Lu Zhao quietly absorbed using the [Refining Spirit Technique], transforming into a meager amount of experience.

[Absorbed pure soul power, experience points +15, divine attribute slightly increased.]

"These vengeful spirits are the resentment of miners who died in mining accidents. Because the Yin energy in this place is not dissipated, their strength is not great, but their numbers are probably considerable. The deeper we go, the stronger the vengeful spirits may become, and even corpse puppets may appear." Miss Yun sheathed her sword, her brows slightly furrowed. "Moreover, I sense that the source of the Yin energy deep in this mine seems unusual. It doesn't seem to be naturally formed, but rather... it seems to have been attracted and gathered here by something."

Upon hearing this, Lu Zhao's heart skipped a beat. Attracted and gathered by something? Could it be some kind of evil object? Or... is it related to the "Dragon Scale Gold Fragment"? He remained expressionless, simply nodding, becoming even more vigilant.

The two continued onward, and sure enough, the deeper they went, the more frequently the ghosts appeared, and their levels increased to level 5. Several "Miner Corpse Puppets," wielding rusted pickaxes and with half-rotten bodies, even appeared, reaching level 6 and possessing defense and attack far exceeding those of the ghosts. However, they were all eliminated one by one by Yun's sharp sword light and Lu Zhao's precise exorcism talismans.

Rounding another bend, the space suddenly opened up into a massive, excavated underground cavern, seemingly the former main hall of a mine. In the center of the hall stood a half-collapsed stone platform, surrounded by scattered skeletons—human and animal remains. At the other end of the hall was a bottomless, downward-pointing shaft. The shaft's opening was dark and murky, constantly emanating a dense, almost tangible, grayish-black aura of malevolent energy, like thick smoke. At the shaft's edge, remnants of a rusted winch and thick iron chains remained.

"The Yin energy here is incredibly dense, almost tangible." Miss Yun said gravely, pointing to the vertical shaft from which the Yin energy was gushing out. "Below, the source of the Yin energy is probably the most likely place where the remnants of the earth fire veins exist. But... this Yin energy is far too unusual."

Lu Zhao sensed it too. The Yin energy here wasn't just cold; it carried a violent, chaotic energy, filled with resentment and unwillingness—ten times stronger and more complex than the Yin spirits outside! The light from the luminous pearl was suppressed here, only illuminating three feet in front of him. The [Tranquility Talisman] on his body automatically activated, emitting a faint white light to resist the Yin energy's erosion. Even so, he still felt his head was heavy and his breathing labored, as if he were in an ice cave.

"There's probably great danger down there," Lu Zhao said in a deep voice.

"Fortune favors the bold. The Crimson Flame Crystal might be down there." Miss Yun took a deep breath, a resolute glint in her eyes. "You wait here while I go down to investigate. If I don't return after an incense stick's time, leave immediately and do not linger."

Lu Zhao shook his head: "Senior, the situation down there is unclear. It would be too dangerous for you to go down alone. Although my cultivation is low, I have some methods to deal with evil spirits and demons, and I might be able to lend a hand. Besides, the place is strange and unpredictable. It would be better if we went together for mutual support."

Miss Yun glanced at him and saw that his gaze was firm and genuine. After a moment's thought, she nodded and said, "Alright. But you must stay close to me and never stray far. This well is of unknown depth, so we'll need a rope."

She took a bundle of sturdy hemp rope from her storage bag, tied one end to a thick stone pillar next to the well, and the other end around her waist. She then handed another bundle to Lu Zhao: "Tie it securely and stay close to me. Remember, if anything changes, immediately pull the rope to warn me!"

The two tied the rope securely, and Miss Yun leaped into the well first. With her long sword in hand, she moved with the agility of a cat, descending swiftly along the well wall. Lu Zhao followed closely behind, gripping the rope tightly in one hand and holding the [Exorcism Talisman] in the other. With a luminous pearl in his mouth, he carefully slid down, using the dim light as his guide.

The well walls were slippery and cold, covered in moss. The deeper one went, the heavier the Yin energy became, almost solidifying into a viscous mist, as sticky as mercury, making the luminous pearl's light even dimmer. Faint, indistinct weeping and wailing sounds drifted in his ears, as if countless wronged spirits were whispering in his ear, disturbing his peace of mind. Lu Zhao activated [Dragon's Hibernation] and [Spirit Refining Technique] with all his might, guarding his mind, and barely managed to resist this mental erosion.

After descending for about twenty feet, the well walls suddenly widened, as if they had reached the bottom. A soft thud could be heard below as the Cloud Maiden landed.

"We've reached the bottom, come down, be careful." Yun's voice came from below, somewhat low.

Lu Zhao loosened the ropes and landed gently. Beneath his feet lay soft ground, a mixture of gravel and mud. The light from the luminous pearl seemed even weaker here, illuminating only a zhang (approximately 3.3 meters) around him. All around was boundless darkness and an impenetrable, oppressive mist of malevolent energy. The air was thick with a biting chill and a pungent smell of sulfur, along with… a faint, strange metallic odor.

"This place... seems to be a huge underground cavern." Yun's voice rang out again, tinged with solemnity. "The aura of the remnants of the Earth Fire vein is just ahead, very faint, but definitely present. But... the Yin energy here is much denser, and... something is watching us."

Lu Zhao's heart tightened, and he followed Miss Yun's gaze. At the edge of the faint light of the luminous pearl, in the darkness ahead, countless eerie green lights seemed to flicker and drift. They weren't just ghosts, but more like… something tangible, lurking in the darkness.

"Be careful, they are corpse puppets, and... there are many of them." Miss Yun whispered, her longsword already drawn, its blue light particularly striking in the darkness.

Lu Zhao immediately drew his short sword, held the [Exorcism Talisman] between his fingers, and became fully alert. He could sense that the dense green light ahead emanated an aura several times stronger than the corpse puppets above, a chilling and bloodthirsty power. Moreover, deep within this endless darkness and malevolent energy, there seemed to be an even larger, more obscure, and more chilling fluctuation slowly awakening…