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

"May this boundless sea of ​​blood send you all to the blissful realm of ultimate bliss!"

As the monk Ku Wu's fierce shout fell, the crimson light of his staff shot into the sky, and the blurry crimson phantom behind him suddenly solidified, transforming into a three-headed, six-armed, ferocious-looking, blood-soaked Arhat phantom! The phantom roared silently, and a thick, nauseating stench of blood mixed with a violent evil aura, like a tangible tide, instantly engulfed everyone!

"puff!"

"puff!"

Li Gang and the old man were the first to be hit. They groaned, staggered, blood seeping from their mouths and noses, their faces turning deathly pale. Clearly, they had been severely impacted by the evil pressure. Their cultivation was already inferior to Ku Wu's, and they were already seriously injured, making their situation even worse.

Lu Zhao felt a tightness in his chest. He activated the [Refining Spirit Technique] to its limit, his mental energy forming a barrier to protect his sea of ​​consciousness and resist the all-pervasive impact of the mad, murderous, and resentful intent. However, being the lowest in cultivation, he felt dizzy, as if countless vengeful ghosts were wailing in his ears. His mind was in turmoil, and he almost lost his footing. This monk really did have a backup plan! This blood-red phantom was probably a malevolent spirit condensed from some kind of evil cultivation technique, and its impact on the spirit and will was particularly terrifying!

"Hmph! Even a grain of rice can shine!" A fierce glint flashed in the eyes of the monk Ku Wu. He pointed his staff forward, and the blood-red Arhat phantom moved all six arms, bringing with it a sky full of blood shadows, like a sea of ​​blood from hell, descending upon everyone! Wherever the blood shadows passed, the air hissed and corroded, and the grass and trees withered and turned black instantly!

"Miss! Run!" The old man's eyes were bloodshot as he roared, forcing up his remaining inner energy. His palms were as red as branding irons as he faced the blood-red shadows! He was determined to die, to fight for a chance of survival for his young lady!

"Young Master Lu, be careful!" Li Gang gritted his teeth and drew his sword, its blade flashing as he thrust it straight at the core of the blood-red Arhat phantom!

"Step back!" Just then, a clear, melodious shout with a peculiar rhythm rang out. It was from the girl holding the jade flute! Her face was pale, but her eyes shone with an astonishing brightness. The jade flute was held to her lips, her ten fingers dancing across the holes like butterflies flitting among flowers. A clear, melodious, yet unassailable sound suddenly rang out!

"Whoosh—buzz—!"

The sound of the flute began, not high-pitched, but like a gentle stream, silently nourishing all things, instantly rippling through the air. These ripples were not tangible, but rather sound waves containing a strange power, which collided instantly with the bloody, violent, and malevolent aura!

"laugh--!"

Like a scorching hot iron thrown into ice water, the moment the blood-red shadows touched the ripples of the flute music, a violent, burning sound erupted! The blood-red shadows rolled, twisted, and dissolved, as if they had encountered their nemesis! The blood-red Arhat phantom also let out a silent roar, seemingly extremely wary of the flute music, and its attack slowed down!

"The Azure Sea Tide Song! First Stage—The Rising Tide!" The girl's clear, cold voice rang out amidst the flute music. Her face paled even more, clearly indicating that activating this piece had greatly exhausted her. But the flute music grew increasingly solid, the sound waves layering upon each other, surging towards the blood-red Arhat phantom like a tide. Wherever it passed, the evil aura dissipated, forming an invisible, vibrant barrier before everyone!

"Hmm?! This is... a righteous sonic technique from the Xuanmen sect, capable of purifying the mind and dispelling evil! You can actually activate such a treasure?!" The monk's expression changed slightly, his eyes filled with even greater greed, which then turned fierce. "Unfortunately, your cultivation is too low, and you haven't fully recovered from your serious injuries. How much power can you unleash? Break it!"

He suddenly bit his tongue, spitting a mouthful of blood onto the staff! The staff shone with a bright crimson light, and the crimson Arhat phantom roared silently to the sky, its six arms coming together to condense into a huge crimson demon-subduing pestle phantom, which, with the momentum to tear everything apart, smashed fiercely into the flute sound barrier!

"Boom—!"

The crimson vajra and the flute-sound barrier collided violently, unleashing a deafening roar! The shockwaves churned, carving deep furrows into the ground! The flute-sound barrier trembled violently, groaning under its strain. The girl's delicate body shuddered, a trickle of blood spilling from the corner of her mouth. The light on the jade flute dimmed slightly, but it still stubbornly held on!

"Now!" Lu Zhao's eyes flashed with sternness. He suppressed the dizziness and the corrosive evil energy in his mind and took advantage of the moment when the barrier of the flute sound weakened and the blood-red demon-subduing pestle was locked in a stalemate with the flute sound to make his move!

Instead of charging towards the monk, he lightly touched the ground with his feet, his figure moving like a ghost. He used a combination of [Dragon's Hibernation] and [Turtle Breathing Technique] to bypass the main battlefield at an unbelievable angle, heading straight for the point where the blood-red demon-subduing pestle and the flute barrier were colliding most intensely, where the energy was most chaotic and unstable! He realized that the girl couldn't hold on for long; he had to break the stalemate before she exhausted herself! And the key to breaking the stalemate was this weak point where the energy converged!

"Foolish! You're courting death!" Seeing Lu Zhao dare to rush towards the energy center, the monk Ku Wu sneered. He then focused on controlling the energy, and a blood shadow separated from the blood-red Arhat phantom, transforming into a giant hand that struck towards Lu Zhao's back! In his view, this Qi Refining stage kid was courting death by rushing into such a chaotic energy flow!

"Young Master Lu!" Li Gang exclaimed.

"Be careful!" The old man's eyes also showed anxiety.

Lu Zhao neither dodged nor avoided the bloody palm behind him, seemingly unaware of it, and continued to charge forward! Just as the bloody palm was about to strike his back, his eyes flashed with divine light, and his spiritual power in his sea of ​​consciousness frantically condensed, transforming into an invisible, sharp thorn, which fiercely stabbed at the bloody palm behind him!

[Mental Impact Technique (Fragment)] Activated! The target is not the monk himself, but the bloodthirsty aura he has divided and manipulated! Mental impact is formless and intangible, and it has a strong interference effect on pure energy bodies!

"Buzz—!"

The blood-red palm was struck by the invisible spiritual piercing, causing it to tremble violently and its structure to become instantly disordered. The trajectory of the palm was deviated by three points, grazing Lu Zhao's shoulder and only tearing a bloody gash, but it failed to stop its momentum!

"What?!" Monk Ku Wu was shocked. Although the mental impact was weak, its timing and angle were extremely tricky, interrupting his precise control over the clone and causing its energy to become disordered! This kid actually has such exquisite mental control skills? Just who is he?

In that split second, Lu Zhao had already reached the energy node! With a flick of his left hand, the last [Tranquility Talisman (Normal)] he had been holding in his palm transformed into a soft white halo, enveloping him and resisting the chaotic energy surges and mental erosion around him. His right hand, wielding a short sword, didn't pierce the energy center. Instead, using the sword as a pen and his spirit as ink, he instantly drew a strange trajectory in the air before fiercely stabbing into the most chaotic and unstable point where the energy converged!

This wasn't some profound martial art technique, but rather a combination of his perception from the [Refining Spirit Technique], along with his experience watching Miss Yun's swordsmanship and fighting the Blood Wolf. Under the pressure of life and death, he had a sudden inspiration and concentrated all his energy and spirit into a single point to create the simplest, most direct, and most precise destruction! The target wasn't the energy itself, but rather the weakest and most vulnerable "node" in the energy structure!

"puff!"

The dagger pierced the void, as if it had stabbed a bubble! Silent and still, but the next instant—

"Snap!"

A soft sound, like shattering glass, clearly reached everyone's ears amidst the violent collision of energy! At the center point where the blood-red vajra and the flute barrier intersected, space seemed to distort slightly, and then a violent surge of energy erupted from it!

"Not good!" Monk Ku Wu's expression changed drastically. He felt a momentary inconsistency in his control over the illusory Vajra Pestle! Although it was only for a second, in such a high-intensity energy collision, this momentary loss of control was enough to trigger a chain reaction!

"boom--!"

The crimson vajra and the flute-sound barrier collapsed and exploded simultaneously under the impact of the energy turbulence! The raging crimson energy and the fragments of the clear flute sound surged outwards like a flood bursting its banks!

"Whoa!" The girl was the first to be hit, and was violently thrown away by the backlash. She spat out a mouthful of blood, the jade flute fell from her hand, and she collapsed to the ground, her breath weak. The sound of the flute stopped instantly.

The monk Ku Wu also grunted, taking several steps back. His blood and qi surged, and the blood-red Arhat phantom behind him fluctuated violently, dimming considerably. The evil magic he was controlling had been forcibly disrupted, and he suffered a significant backlash.

Lu Zhao, located closest to the epicenter of the explosion, despite being protected by a calming talisman, was still violently thrown back by the raging energy turbulence, crashing heavily several meters away. His chest heaved, his internal organs throbbed with pain, and his vision blurred; his life force instantly dropped below 20%! Multiple negative statuses—[Severe Injury], [Weakness], [Internal Organ Concussion], and [Mental Exhaustion]—were stacked upon him! But a ruthless and resolute glint flashed in his eyes—he had won his gamble! He had broken the deadlock!

"Kill!" Li Gang and the old man, who had been waiting in ambush, seized this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, roaring and ignoring their injuries, they pounced on the monk! Li Gang's longsword was like a venomous snake, aimed straight for the monk's throat! The old man's palms were crimson red, and he slammed them hard into the monk's chest! This was their only chance, earned with their lives!

"You scoundrel! How dare you hurt me!" The monk was shocked and furious. In his haste, he could only swing his staff to block the longsword, while simultaneously throwing a punch at the old man!

"clang!"

"Bang!"

The clang of metal clashing against metal and the sound of fists colliding rang out simultaneously! Li Gang's longsword was deflected, his tiger's mouth split open, but the tip of the sword still left a bloody mark on the monk's shoulder! The old man and the monk clashed with a palm strike, and the old man spat out blood again and flew backward, but the monk's body also trembled violently, and blood spilled from the corner of his mouth again!

"Damn it!" Monk Ku Wu was completely enraged. He had actually been injured by a few ants! His eyes flashed with bloodlust. No longer caring about the backlash, he spat a mouthful of blood onto his staff. The blood-red Arhat phantom solidified again, its six arms extending out with overwhelming killing intent, ready to tear Li Gang and the old man to shreds!

"Miss!!" The old man's eyes were bloodshot, but he was too weak to fight anymore.

"It's over!" the monk with a sinister grin said.

"Yeah?"

Just then, a cold, weak, yet undeniable voice rang out from behind them.

It was Lu Zhao! He had somehow managed to get to his feet, clutching the Azure Sea Tide Flute that the girl had dropped! The flute was warm and smooth, its radiance restrained, yet the immense spiritual power it contained shook his very soul. Though he knew nothing of music, much less the "Azure Sea Tide Melody," he possessed the [Refining Spirit Technique]! He could clearly sense the purest, most abundant, and most refined water-attribute spiritual power contained within the jade flute, along with a righteous, cleansing, and evil-purifying intent! This jade flute was a supreme treasure! A sacred object for warding off evil!

"What are you doing?! Stop!" Monk Ku Wu's pupils constricted as he saw Lu Zhao pick up the jade flute, a strong sense of unease rising within him! This jade flute required specific musical techniques to unleash its power, and this brat clearly didn't know how! But... what if...?

Lu Zhao did not answer. He simply took a deep breath, suppressing his surging blood and the dizziness in his mind, and poured all his spiritual power into the Azure Tide Flute in his hand without reservation and with madness! He did not understand music or martial arts, but he wanted to use the most primitive and brutal method—to forcibly activate the instinctive power to purify evil spirits contained in this treasure with his spiritual power!

"Buzz—!"

The flute, like a rising tide over the azure sea, suddenly trembled! A purer, more vast, and more majestic azure halo, even more magnificent than when the girl played it before, burst forth from the flute's sound! The halo instantly spread, enveloping Lu Zhao, as well as the girl, Li Gang, the old man, and the charging monk Ku Wu, all within it!

"No—!" Monk Ku Wu screamed in terror! This azure halo was like the scorching sun melting snow to him! The crimson aura around him melted and evaporated rapidly, as if it had encountered its nemesis! The crimson Arhat phantom behind him let out a mournful, silent roar, and under the illumination of the azure light, it melted and collapsed as quickly as ice and snow!

"Aaaaaah—!"

The monk Ku Wu let out a piercing scream, his blood-red aura rapidly dimming, and large patches of charred marks, as if burned, appeared on his skin! He frantically circulated his internal energy, attempting to resist, but the Azure Sea Tide Flute was a supreme treasure of the orthodox Xuanmen sect, extremely effective against evil spirits. Furthermore, he had forcibly activated its purifying power, and the power it unleashed at this moment far exceeded expectations! Especially since he had previously been injured by the [Exorcism Talisman], his evil energy was already damaged, making this situation even worse!

"Strike while the iron is hot!" Li Gang and the old man, enduring their injuries, charged forward again! Long swords and iron palms mercilessly slammed into the monk!

"Pfft!"

"Snap!"

A long sword pierced his chest! An iron palm shattered his bones! The monk Ku Wu let out a final, unwilling roar. The light in his eyes quickly dimmed, and the blood-red aura around him completely dissipated. As if all his energy had been drained, he collapsed limply, lifeless! He never imagined, even in his death, that he would be defeated by a young man with low cultivation but audacious and unconventional ways. He also never imagined that the young man would activate the purifying power of the Azure Sea Tide Flute in such an almost barbaric manner!

[Successfully defeated 'Blood-Clad Arhat - Kunwu (Black Fiend Cult Deacon)', Level: 7!]

[Experience points gained: 1200!]

[Level upgraded to Level 12!]

[Items obtained: Broken Nine-Ringed Staff x1, Evil Buddha Blood Bead (Inferior) x1, Blood Fiend Technique Fragment x1, Unknown Map Fragment x1, Silver: 200 taels.]

[Title Acquired: Enemy of Buddha (Deals +5% damage to enemies practicing Buddhist (pseudo) or heretical techniques; receives -3% damage from such enemies)]

【Azure Sea Tide Flute (Special): Temporarily bound, its spiritual energy has been excessively depleted, causing it to enter a state of dormancy. It can only be restored by nourishing it with pure water/wood attribute spiritual energy or mental power.】

"Huff... Huff..." Lu Zhao collapsed to the ground, panting heavily. His body felt like it had fallen apart, his head was throbbing, and his mental energy was almost completely depleted. His hand holding the Azure Sea Tide Flute was trembling. That last move was a gamble with his life. If it weren't for his divine attribute being as high as 4.1, his mental energy far exceeding that of his peers, and the [Refining Spirit Technique] protecting his mind, he probably would have been turned into an idiot by the backlash the moment he activated the jade flute. Even so, he felt as if his sea of ​​consciousness had been hollowed out, with waves of sharp pain.

After defeating the monk Ku Wu, the Azure Sea Tide Flute's light quickly dimmed, returning to its original emerald green and warm appearance, but its spirituality was greatly damaged, as if it had fallen into a deep sleep and could no longer be used for the time being.

"Miss! Are you alright?" The old man, disregarding his own injuries, rushed to the girl's side, helped her up, and fed her a bright green pill.

"I'm fine...cough cough..." The girl weakly opened her eyes, looking at Lu Zhao with shock, gratitude, and a complex mix of curiosity. She hadn't expected this unfamiliar young man to possess such courage and skill, and even less had she imagined that he could unleash a portion of the power of the Azure Sea Tide Flute in such a way!

"Brother Lu... Brother Lu! How are you?" Li Gang struggled over and helped Lu Zhao up, his face full of worry and lingering fear.

"I... won't die." Lu Zhao forced a smile, took out a blood-replenishing pill and a calming pill, sat cross-legged, and began to circulate the [Dragon's Hibernation] technique to recover. His injuries were too severe; he needed to regulate his breathing immediately.

"Thank you... young hero... for saving our lives." The young girl, supported by the old man, walked over and bowed gracefully to Lu Zhao. Her voice was still weak, but filled with sincere gratitude. "If it weren't for the young hero... risking his life to activate the Azure Sea Tide Flute, we... would probably not have survived today."

"You flatter me, young lady. If it weren't for your flute playing, we would have been defeated long ago." Lu Zhao shook his head, looked at the girl, and asked, "May I ask your name, young lady? Why is this Blood-Clad Arhat chasing after you? And this Azure Sea Tide Flute..."

The young woman hesitated for a moment, then looked at the old man, who nodded slightly. She then said, "My name is Su Qingqian. This is Uncle Fu, my family's steward. Chief Escort Li is a镖师 (bodyguard/escort) from the Changfeng Escort Agency. He was entrusted by my father to escort me to Luoxia County to visit relatives. This Blood-Clad Arhat, Ku Wu, is a steward of the Black Fiend Sect's 'Blood Fiend Hall.' He was chasing me to steal this 'Azure Sea Tide Flute.' This flute… is a family heirloom, extremely effective against the Black Fiend Sect's evil arts. They've always coveted it. We were chased all the way, suffering heavy losses. If it weren't for… if it weren't for meeting you today, young hero, I'm afraid…" As she spoke, a trace of sadness and lingering fear flashed in her eyes.

"Black Fiend Cult! Blood Fiend Hall!" Lu Zhao's heart trembled. It really was the Black Fiend Cult! Moreover, this Su Qingqian actually possessed a treasure capable of countering the Black Fiend Cult's evil arts; no wonder she was being hunted down. But how could her family heirloom attract such covetousness from the Black Fiend Cult? This jade flute was probably more than just a "counteracting evil arts."

"Young hero, we have no way to repay your life-saving grace. The Su family will forever remember this kindness." Su Qingqian thanked him solemnly again, then looked at the dim jade flute in Lu Zhao's hand, a trace of heartache and worry flashing in her eyes, "However... the Azure Sea Tide Flute's spiritual power is greatly damaged, and it will probably need time to be nurtured to recover. This flute is a treasure of the Xuanmen sect, extremely effective against evil spirits, young hero... could you please return it? The Su family will surely reward you handsomely."

Lu Zhao looked at the warm yet restrained jade flute in his hand, nodded, and handed it back: "Miss Su, you flatter me. Returning it to its rightful owner is only right. However, the damage to this flute was also due to my fault..."

"Young hero, please don't say that!" Su Qingqian quickly took the jade flute, carefully put it away, and shook her head, saying, "If it weren't for you, young hero, this flute would have already fallen into the hands of thieves. However... now that our whereabouts have been exposed, the Black Fiend Sect will definitely not let this go and will surely send more people. This place is not safe to stay for long, we must leave as soon as possible."

"Excellent!" Uncle Fu nodded, looking at Lu Zhao with gratitude and admiration in his eyes. "Young hero, your skills are extraordinary, your courage is remarkable, and you even possess... a unique ability to activate the Azure Sea Tide Flute. May I ask your name and where you are headed? If it's on your way, you could travel with us, so we can look after each other. Also, Miss's injuries are quite serious, and she needs to find a doctor and medicine as soon as possible."

Lu Zhao pondered. He was originally going to Luoxia County City, and now that he had rescued Su Qingqian and her group, he had established a good relationship with them. The other party seemed to be of high status and might be able to provide assistance. Moreover, he was already a mortal enemy of the Black Fiend Sect, and if he could borrow the power of the Su family, he might have a better chance of protecting himself. However, Su Qingqian was being hunted down, and traveling with her would be extremely risky.

"My name is Lu Zhao, a rogue cultivator, who also wishes to travel to Luoxia County." Lu Zhao finally nodded, "If Miss Su, Uncle Fu, and Chief Escort Li do not mind, I am willing to accompany you on your journey."

"That's great!" Li Gang exclaimed happily. "Young Master Lu is very skilled. With you here, the journey will be much safer!"

Su Qingqian and Uncle Fu also showed their delight. They had already witnessed Lu Zhao's strength and methods, and having him with them certainly provided an extra layer of security.

"In that case, there's no time to lose. Pack up and set off immediately!" Uncle Fu made a decisive move, calling to the guards who were still able to move. They quickly bandaged the wounds, cleaned up the scene, buried the body, and looted all of the monk Ku Wu's belongings (except for the broken staff and a few evil items, which Lu Zhao had secretly taken away). He also fed him a few healing pills, which barely restored his mobility. As for the carriage, the horses had been startled and run away, so they had to proceed on foot.

Lu Zhao forced himself to his feet and, with Uncle Fu's help, treated the wound on his shoulder and took a Jade Dew Rejuvenating Pill to stabilize his injuries. Looking at the ravaged corpse of the monk Ku Wu, he thought to himself, "The Black Fiend Sect's Blood Fiend Hall deacon… it seems the Black Fiend Sect's power is far greater than I imagined. This Su Qingqian is probably no ordinary person. This trip is unlikely to be peaceful."

Supporting each other, the group quickly left the ravaged battlefield and hurried towards Luoxia County. Behind them, only a few gradually cooling corpses and the lingering stench of blood and azure light remained in the air.

(A long chapter of nearly 6,000 words, please give it a good review, urge me to update, and give me your support. It's a new book, so please give me all kinds of support.)