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

The moon hung high in the sky, midnight approached, and the chill intensified. Huai Mountain Village was shrouded in a deathly moonlight; the shadows of the old locust trees stretched long, like menacing ghosts. Lu Zhao hid in a tree hollow, his [Dragon's Hibernation] technique activated to its limit. His aura was suppressed, his heartbeat nearly stopped, and he became one with his surroundings. Like a lifeless rock, he lay in wait, silently lurking, waiting for his prey to fall into his trap.

"Tap...tap..."

Light footsteps approached from the path east of the village. Unhurried, each step followed a fixed rhythm, carrying a rigid cadence. With each footstep, a cold, viscous, unfamiliar scent, tinged with a faint stench of blood and decaying incense ash, grew clearer and clearer as it drew nearer.

Lu Zhao's mind was highly focused, and his [Identification of Evil Aura (Passive)] was pushed to its limit. His senses, like an invisible spiderweb, captured every detail of the approaching person. There was only one person. The intensity of their aura... was around level 6, weaker than "Poison Claw," but much stronger than the mutated villager. The aura was mixed, carrying a heavy aura of yin energy and bloodlust, clearly indicating that they cultivated evil techniques and that their hands were stained with blood. Unlike "Poison Claw," this person's aura also carried a irritating fluctuation, like the whispers of countless tiny, resentful spirits, suggesting an expertise in mental erosion and control.

It's that man in black! He matches the old man's description!

Under the moonlight, a tall, thin figure appeared at the end of the path. He wore a large black cloak, the hood hanging low, obscuring most of his face, revealing only a pointed chin and withered lips. He walked with a slight limp, his left leg seemingly unaffected. His right hand hung naturally at his sides, and a dark red, centipede-shaped scar was faintly visible between his thumb and forefinger.

He walked straight to the old locust tree and stopped. Beneath the cloak, a cold gaze seemed to sweep across the surroundings, pausing briefly near the tree hollow. Lu Zhao's heart tightened, but his breathing remained steady. The man in black seemed not to have noticed anything, merely observing as if it were a routine matter, before shifting his gaze. He looked up at the waning moon in the sky, seemingly confirming the time, then began to slowly pace around the well.

One step, two steps, three steps...

Sure enough, he circled the well three times. With each step, he muttered some indistinct, sickening incantation. As he chanted, the faint, almost imperceptible aura of malevolence surrounding the well seemed to ripple slightly, but quickly subsided. The man in black seemed oblivious to anything amiss, simply completing the ritualistic circumnavigation before turning and walking towards the old man's wooden hut.

The footsteps, neither hurried nor slow, struck the silent night, and also struck the taut strings of Lu Zhao's heart.

"Tap, tap, tap."

Three knocks, neither too loud nor too soft, were exceptionally clear in the deathly still night.

The door to the wooden house creaked open a crack. The hunched figure of an old man appeared behind the door, his face pale, his body trembling slightly, and his hands empty.

The man in black seemed taken aback, clearly noticing that the old man hadn't offered him the blood vial as usual. From beneath the cloak, a cold gaze fell on the old man's face, and a hoarse voice rang out, like metal scraping against metal: "Where's the blood?"

"No...nothing more..." The old man's voice trembled as he lowered his head, not daring to look at the other person.

"No more?" The black-robed man's voice suddenly rose, tinged with displeasure and... vigilance. "Didn't we just collect them on the fifteenth of last month? It's not even the middle of the month yet, how could there be none? Are you perhaps... trying to deceive me?"

"No... I wouldn't dare! It's... it's..." The old man stammered, his body trembling like a withered leaf in the wind.

"Hmm?" The man in black robes clearly sensed something was wrong. He suddenly reached out, his withered hand flashing out like lightning, grabbing for the old man's throat! He wanted to seize the old man, interrogate him, or... search his soul!

The moment the man in black made his move, it was also the instant his attention was completely drawn to the old man, and his mind was most relaxed—

"call out--!"

A sharp whistling sound tore through the air from the direction of the old locust tree, shattering the silence of the night! A cold star, tracing a deadly path in the moonlight, shot straight at the black-robed man's unsuspecting side of the neck! It was Lu Zhao's poisoned crossbow bolt, already nocked and ready to fire!

"Who goes there?!" The man in black reacted extremely quickly. The moment he heard the sound of the wind, he suddenly shrank back and flicked his right hand. A talisman shrouded in black mist flew out from his wide sleeve and met the crossbow bolt!

"Pfft!"

The crossbow bolt pierced the talisman, which exploded in mid-air, turning into a foul-smelling black mist. However, the bolt's speed did not decrease, and it still pierced the black-robed man's shoulder! Although he dodged to avoid a vital spot, the arrowhead penetrated three-tenths of an inch into his flesh, and the steel needle coated with plague poison instantly released its toxicity!

"Ah!" The man in black robes groaned in pain, staggering backward. A tingling, itchy pain shot through his left shoulder—poison! A fierce glint flashed in his eyes, and with a hand seal, a hazy gray light shield instantly appeared on his body, blocking any potential follow-up attacks. At the same time, his gaze sharpened like lightning, instantly locking onto the direction from which the crossbow bolts had come—the old locust tree!

"You're courting death!" the black-robed man roared, raising his right hand. Several arrows formed from black energy shot towards the old locust tree like venomous snakes emerging from their holes! Their speed was astonishing!

But Lu Zhao was no longer there! The instant the crossbow bolt was fired, he had already darted out from the other side of the tree hole. With the [Dragon's Hibernation] combined with the [Concealing Breath Technique], his figure moved like a ghost, instantly teleporting behind a boulder several feet away. The black arrow struck the tree hole, blasting wood chips into the air, but it did not harm Lu Zhao in the slightest.

"You coward! Hiding your head and showing your tail!" The man in black robes was both shocked and furious. The tingling sensation in his shoulder was spreading, and this poison was no ordinary poison! He immediately took out a small porcelain bottle from his pocket, poured out a blood-red pill, and was about to swallow it to detoxify.

"Now!" Behind the boulder, a cold glint flashed in Lu Zhao's eyes. His mental energy was highly concentrated, and the last [Exorcism Talisman (Good)] that had been held in his palm was instantly activated, transforming into a dazzling stream of crimson-gold light. It did not shoot towards the man in black robes, but towards the ground in front of him!

"burst!"

"boom--!!"

A burst of crimson-gold light erupted three feet in front of the black-robed man! The violent power of exorcism, like the sun melting snow, instantly dispelled the protective gray light that the black-robed man had gathered, and completely cleansed the dense Yin energy around him! Caught off guard, the black-robed man was forced back by the shockwave, and the pill in his hand fell to the ground! More importantly, the power of exorcism had a strong restraining effect on the evil arts he cultivated! He groaned, his breath caught in his throat, and the circulation of evil energy within his body became sluggish!

"Mental shock!" Seizing this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, Lu Zhao leaped out from behind the boulder, his eyes blazing with divine light. His mental energy in his sea of ​​consciousness was highly concentrated, transforming into an invisible sharp cone that fiercely pierced the black-robed man's mind, which was slightly chaotic due to the backlash of evil power!

"Buzz—!"

The man in black felt a sudden dizziness, as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer. His vision went black, and his movements froze instantly! Although it was only for a brief moment, it was enough for Lu Zhao!

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

The poisonous steel needles, which had been lying in ambush in the grass and crevices of rocks, shot out from three tricky angles under the guidance of Lu Zhao's mental power, aiming straight for the black-robed man's eyes, throat, and heart!

At the critical moment of life and death, the man in black robes reacted with astonishing speed, forcibly suppressing the excruciating pain in his head. His body twisted backward in an eerie way, narrowly avoiding the two needles aimed at his eyes and throat. However, he could not completely avoid the needle aimed at his heart. It grazed his left rib, leaving a trail of blood. The plague virus invaded again!

"Pfft!" The man in black robes spat out a mouthful of black blood, suffering from both internal injuries and plague! Having been struck twice by poisoned arrows and needles, he was at his last gasp! His eyes flashed with shock, anger, resentment, and disbelief. He hadn't expected to encounter such a troublesome ambush in this remote mountain village. His opponent not only possessed talismans to counter evil arts, but also such vicious poisoned needles. Even more terrifying, they could unleash mental attacks! Moreover, the opponent's aura was clearly not strong; why were they so difficult to deal with?

"Who are you?! How dare you ruin my sect's important affairs!" the man in black roared, his right hand slamming down on a black cloth bag at his waist!

How could Lu Zhao give him a chance to catch his breath? The instant he unleashed his mental attack, he pounced on the black-robed man like an arrow released from a bow, his short knife, imbued with all his mental power, aimed straight for the man's heart! He knew that to deal with this kind of evil cultivator, he could not allow him to create distance and cast spells; he had to fight him in close combat, not giving him time to cast spells!

"die!"

A fierce glint flashed in the black-robed man's eyes. Instead of dodging or avoiding, he extended his withered left hand, his five fingers forming a claw, and grabbed at Lu Zhao's short knife! The claw whistled, black mist swirled, carrying a strong stench and resentment, as if he intended to exchange injury for injury!

"clang!"

The dagger clashed with the claws, producing a metallic clang! Lu Zhao felt an immense force surge through him, his tiger's mouth split open, and the dagger nearly slipped from his grasp! This black-robed man's physical body was incredibly resilient! But the spiritual energy attached to the dagger, enhanced by the [Refining Spirit Technique], acted like a red-hot iron, piercing fiercely into the opponent's claws! The spiritual energy impact was unleashed once more!

"Ah!" The man in black robes screamed in agony, his left hand wracked with pain, the black energy dissipated, and his grip loosened. Lu Zhao used the momentum to spin around and delivered a powerful kick to the man in black robes' chest and abdomen!

"Bang!"

The man in black robes groaned and flew backward, crashing heavily into the earthen wall behind him, raising a cloud of dust. He struggled to get up, but the combined effects of the plague and the mental shock made him sluggish. To make matters worse, his earlier action of retrieving the pill had been interrupted, and the poison was now beginning to erode his meridians. Coupled with the two consecutive mental shocks, his head was throbbing with pain, and his vision was blurring.

"It's over!" Lu Zhao pressed his advantage, leaping forward again, his short sword aimed straight for the black-robed man's throat! He would not give his opponent any chance to turn the tables!

"I'll fight you to the death!" Madness flashed in the black-robed man's eyes. Ignoring the short knife aimed at his throat, he suddenly opened his mouth and spat out a mouthful of foul-smelling blood, tinged with green light, towards Lu Zhao's face! This was his last desperate strike, containing his life essence and evil poison!

Lu Zhao was prepared; he suddenly ducked, the spurt of blood grazing his scalp before striking the earthen wall behind him, corroding a hole. Meanwhile, the short knife in his hand, like a venomous snake, pierced the black-robed man's chest!

"Pfft!"

The blade pierced flesh, but not the heart. The black-robed man used his last bit of strength to avoid a vital spot and instead pierced the lung! The black-robed man let out a shrill scream, his eyes dimming rapidly, but his resentment growing stronger. He stared intently at Lu Zhao, as if trying to etch his image into his soul.

"The Black Fiend Cult... will not... let you go..." He uttered his last words hoarsely, his head lolled to the side, and he died.

[Successfully killed the 'Outer Disciple of the Black Fiend Cult (Evil Gu Master)'! Level: 6]

[Experience points gained: 600!]

[Items obtained: Black Fiend Cult standard black robe x1, Human Skin Pouch (low-level storage magic item) x1, Blood Gu Pill x3, Soul-Guiding Incense x1, Unknown Evil Talisman (fragment) x2, Silver: Fifty taels.]

[Received: Black Fiend Cult Standard Token x1.]

[The title "Demon Slayer" is active, increasing damage dealt to targets by 8% and improving the quality of loot obtained!]

[Special Item Obtained: Blood Sacrifice Jade Slip (Fragment) x1]

[Level upgraded to Level 11!]

[Gained 1 free attribute point.]

Lu Zhao, panting heavily, drew his short sword and warily examined the black-robed man's corpse. Only after confirming the man was completely dead and lifeless did he slowly take two steps back, his chest heaving and cold sweat beading on his forehead. The brief but deadly fight had been incredibly dangerous. If he hadn't seized the initiative, ambushed him with a poisoned crossbow, broken his defenses with the evil talisman, disrupted his mental state with a mental shock, weakened him with the plague poison, engaged in close combat, used his mental strength to counter the attack, and caught his opponent off guard and underestimated him, the outcome would have been uncertain. Any misstep in any of these steps could have resulted in his own death.

"Phew...that was close!" Lu Zhao wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, still feeling lingering fear. Although this black-robed man was only level 6, his methods were bizarre, especially skilled in using poison and mental attacks. He was also quite strong in close combat. If Lu Zhao hadn't been well-prepared and hadn't taken advantage of Lu Zhao's surprise attack, the outcome would have been uncertain. It seems that none of the members of the Black Fiend Cult are easy to deal with.

He dared not be careless. Enduring the soreness in his shoulder (from taking that claw attack), he first checked the surroundings to make sure there were no other ambushes before approaching the old man's wooden hut. The old man was already slumped on the ground, his face deathly pale. Seeing Lu Zhao, his lips trembled, unable to utter a word. Lu Zhao nodded to him, signaling him to calm down, then quickly walked to the black-robed man's corpse and began searching him.

First, there was the black robe, icy cold to the touch, seemingly woven from some special silk thread, offering a weak defense against yin and evil energy, but it was badly damaged and of little value. Next was the black cloth bag, a [human skin pouch], a low-grade storage artifact, small in size, only a foot square, containing several items: three crimson [Blood Gu Pills], repulsive in smell, likely used to control Gu worms or cultivate evil arts; a jet-black [Soul-Guiding Incense] emitting a strange fragrance, seemingly for summoning souls and guiding spirits; two [Heretical Talismans (Fragments)] with twisted runes, their purpose incomprehensible, but the evil power they contained palpable; fifty taels of silver; and a palm-sized, black iron token engraved with twisted serpentine runes and the character "煞"—a [Black Fiend Cult Standard Token].

Finally, there was the jade slip—[Blood Sacrifice Jade Slip (Fragment)]. The jade slip felt warm to the touch, but its interior exuded a cold, bloody aura. Written in crimson script, it contained twisted runes and rituals, seemingly some kind of secret blood sacrifice technique, but it was incomplete. Lu Zhao glanced at it briefly and felt a chill run down his spine. This jade slip recorded how to use the essence and resentment of living beings to cultivate and control some kind of "Gu worm" or "evil spirit"—a dark art! The "Yin Sha Blood Eggs" of Huai Mountain Village were likely products of this method! This jade slip was crucial evidence!

Lu Zhao put everything into his storage bag, especially the token and jade slip, which he carefully hid close to his body. These things might be very useful in the future.

After doing all this, he went to the old man's side and helped him up: "Old man, it's alright. The evil man has been eliminated, you are safe now."

The old man finally came to his senses, tears streaming down his face. He was about to kneel down again when Lu Zhao stopped him.

"My benefactor... my benefactor's kindness is immense, I... have no way to repay it..." the old man sobbed uncontrollably.

"This place is no place to linger. Although the evil man is dead, there's no guarantee he doesn't have accomplices. Quickly pack your valuables and leave the village at daybreak. Seek refuge with relatives or friends elsewhere, or go to town. I'll give you some silver to settle down temporarily," Lu Zhao said in a deep voice. The Black Fiend Sect will not let this go after someone has died; we must leave as soon as possible.

"Yes...yes! We...we'll go right away!" The old man nodded repeatedly.

Lu Zhao left twenty taels of silver, gave a few more instructions, and then returned to the black-robed man's corpse. He used a short knife to make several cuts on the body, sprinkled on corpse-dissolving powder (which he had previously purchased from the Hundred Treasures Pavilion), and destroyed the evidence. Finally, he set the corpse and its belongings (except for the storage bag) on ​​fire, leaving only ashes.

Having finished all this, the sky was already beginning to lighten. Lu Zhao didn't linger, quickly leaving Huai Shan Village and speeding towards the western mountains. He needed to get away from this dangerous place as soon as possible, find a safe place to take stock of his spoils, heal his wounds, and study the [Blood Sacrifice Jade Slip (Fragment)]. Perhaps he could find more clues about the Black Fiend Cult and their schemes within it.

The ambush, though dangerous, was quite fruitful. Not only did it resolve the scourge of Huai Mountain Village, but it also resulted in the death of a Black Fiend Cult disciple, the seizure of key items, and a level increase to 11. However, Lu Zhao felt no joy, only a growing heaviness in his heart. The Black Fiend Cult's reach extended further than he had imagined, and their methods were far more bizarre and ruthless. First came the Poison Claw, then this evil Gu Master; moreover, they seemed to be collecting essence blood and resentment to cultivate some kind of evil entity—their ambitions were far from small.

"Black Fiend Cult... Blood Sacrifice... Black Wind Ridge... and that Bone Demon... Is there a connection between them?" Lu Zhao pondered rapidly as he walked through the forest. His intuition told him that this was no isolated incident. Huai Mountain Village was probably just the tip of the iceberg.

He needs greater strength, more information, and... a place where he can temporarily settle down and acquire resources.

"Tiangongfang...it seems I have to make a trip there."

A resolute glint flashed in Lu Zhao's eyes as he quickened his pace and disappeared into the pre-dawn forest.