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

The cold, foul stench almost filled Lu Zhao's nostrils, and the corrupt soldiers' claws, covered in filthy nails, had already touched the skin on the back of his neck!

Am I going to die?

Do not!

At this critical moment, a blazing, undeniable light, like sunlight tearing through the dark clouds, suddenly burst forth from the direction of the breach in the city wall!

"Buzz—!"

Accompanied by a deep, soul-purifying hum, a golden beam of light shot out like an arrow, accurately hitting the corrupt soldier who was about to grab Lu Zhao!

"laugh--!"

Like a red-hot iron being branded into snow, thick black smoke instantly billowed from the corrupted soldier's body, emitting an extremely shrill shriek. The health bar above its head plummeted like a floodgate being opened!

[The corrupted soldier has suffered holy damage! Health -40%! Stunned!]

Lu Zhao could even feel the chilling aura behind him suddenly dissipate. He didn't have time to think about where this unexpected help came from; his survival instinct made him seize this fleeting opportunity!

He didn't turn around to see who had saved him, but instead focused all his strength and will on the corrupted soldier who had been briefly blocked in front of him. The soldier seemed to be stunned by the golden light as well, and his movements faltered for a moment.

It's now!

A fierce glint flashed in Lu Zhao's eyes, and he raised his woodcutter's knife once more! This time, he didn't pursue strength, but instead maximized the agility he had gained after the upgrade. The blade traced a tricky arc, bypassing the opponent's blocking arm, and stabbed straight into his empty eye socket—where a tiny yellow exclamation mark was flashing wildly!

[Launching a stab! Triggering a fatal attack! Hitting the weak point!]

"Pfft!"

The tip of the machete sank completely into the eye socket of the corrupt soldier, making a dull thud that made one's teeth ache.

[Deals critical damage to corrupted soldiers! -35% of their health!]

The corrupt soldier's body convulsed violently, emitting strange hoarse sounds, and the health bar above his head instantly dwindled to a pitiful sliver.

Without hesitation, Lu Zhao kicked it hard in the chest, using the force to pull out his wood-chopping knife. The corrupt soldier fell backward, more black smoke billowing from its body, its health bar completely depleted, and it lay frozen in place.

[Successfully defeated the 'Corrupted Soldier' ​​(LV3)!]

[Experience points gained: 80!]

[Ding! Congratulations on leveling up to level 2!]

A warm current surged through my body once more, dispelling the negative effects of the "Yin Qi Invasion" status, and my health and stamina instantly returned to full! My sense of power increased again!

At this moment, the corrupted soldier who had been severely injured by the golden light recovered from his stiffness, but he seemed to be filled with fear of that golden light. He stopped attacking Lu Zhao and instead let out a unwilling roar, retreating quickly back into the shadows of the ruins. The other two pale red dots that had just arrived also paused for a moment before disappearing just as quickly.

The crisis is temporarily over.

Lu Zhao leaned on his wood-chopping knife, panting heavily, not from exhaustion, but from the lingering fear of surviving a close call. Only then did he have a chance to look in the direction from which the light had come.

Two people had appeared at the breach in the city wall.

Leading the group was a woman dressed in an elegant, moon-white long dress, the hem of which was slightly dusty, yet it did not diminish her refined and graceful demeanor. Her face was beautiful, with a hint of weariness and aloofness between her brows, but what was most striking was the short staff she held in her hand, the milky-white gemstone at its tip slowly fading its reassuring golden glow.

Clearly, that life-saving blow just now came from her.

Beside her stood a young man dressed in a light blue outfit, with a long sword at his waist. The man was tall and handsome, but his sharp eyes scrutinized Lu Zhao, especially the woodcutter's knife dripping with black blood in his hand and the slowly decaying corpse of a soldier at his feet.

Above the two people, the floating health bars were pure white, unlike the white of the refugees; they were more solid, with a faint glow at the edges.

[Su Zhiyun, Inner Disciple of Qingyun Sect, Rank: ???]

Lin Feng, outer disciple of Qingyun Sect, level: 15

Qingyun Sect? Disciple?

Lu Zhao was shocked. These were the "cultivators" of this world? Their levels were so high that they were undetectable, and the other one was also level 15! No wonder their attacks were so powerful.

"Thank you for saving my life, fairy." Lu Zhao suppressed the turmoil in his heart, put away his wood-chopping knife, and bowed respectfully to the woman in the white dress, his attitude neither humble nor arrogant. After all, she had saved his life.

Su Zhiyun nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping over Lu Zhao before turning to the ruins behind him. Her cold voice rang out: "The Yin energy here has gathered, giving rise to the 'Soul-Eating Puppet.' It is not a place for mortals like you to linger. Leave immediately."

Her tone was calm, yet carried an undeniable air, as if she were stating a perfectly simple fact.

Lin Feng, standing nearby, snorted coldly and interjected, "Kid, you're lucky. If it weren't for Senior Sister Su's kindness, you'd already be a victim of the Youku's claws. This town isn't a place for you. Get those refugees out of here."

Lu Zhao's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly. The young man's words were very impolite, carrying a condescending sense of superiority. However, given his current weakness and the fact that the other party had just saved him, he couldn't very well refute him.

He said to Su Zhiyun again, "Thank you for the reminder, Fairy. We are just passing through and will leave after finding some food and water." He paused, then asked casually, "May I ask, Fairy, why did those... 'Soul-Eating Puppet' appear here? They seemed to fear your magic?"

Before Su Zhiyun could answer, Lin Feng waved his hand impatiently: "Why ask so many questions? How can you inquire about matters of the immortals? Senior Sister, let's go. The things Master instructed us to do are important. There's no need to waste time on these mortals."

Su Zhiyun glanced at Lu Zhao again, seemingly a little surprised by his composure and question, but ultimately said nothing more, only saying calmly, "This place is not safe to stay for long. Take care of yourself."

After saying that, she turned around and, together with Lin Feng, disappeared into the depths of the ruins in a few leaps, as if they had never existed.

Lu Zhao stood there, watching the direction the two had disappeared in, then turned back to look at the desolate ruins. Soul-Eating Puppet? Yin Fiend Qi? Qingyun Sect?

A series of unfamiliar words swirled in his mind.

"This... really is a 'dungeon'," he muttered to himself, his eyes growing brighter. "Moreover, it's a high-level dungeon with a 'background story.' Those ghost puppets aren't afraid of me, but rather the magic of the 'Qingyun Sect'..."

He bent down and picked up a gray crystal, about the size of a soybean, emanating a faint chill, from the almost completely vanished remains of the ghost puppet on the ground.

[Obtained: Fragmented Soul Core (Quality: Common)]

[Materials: Contains a faint trace of Yin energy, suitable for specific refining or decomposition.]

Looking at the soul core in his hand, and then thinking about Su Zhiyun's stunning golden light and Lin Feng's disdainful gaze, a thought began to grow wildly in Lu Zhao's mind.

"Cultivation... In this world, cultivation is truly possible!"

"If I could find the skill book for 'Cultivation'... or find a way to farm these 'Ghost Puppets'..."

He gripped the soul core tightly, feeling its icy touch. When his gaze returned to the depths of the ruins, it was no longer fear, but a desire to explore.

In his eyes, this abandoned border town had transformed from a death trap into a beginner's dungeon full of danger and opportunity!