Projection of the Heavens: I prove my immortality through slaughter.

Having solidified his Qi Refining Stage 3 cultivation and made initial progress in mastering the "Star Step" and "Protective Star Shield" techniques attached to the "Star River Qi Refining Technique," Lin Xuan was not satisfied. The increased strength brought him temporary peace of mind, but it also made him more acutely aware of the scarcity of resources. Those fifteen low-grade spirit stones seemed like a lot, but for the "Star River Qi Refining Technique," which required a massive amount of resources, and for his future cultivation path, they were merely a drop in the ocean.

He ventured deeper into the Azure Mist Mountains once more, relying on his enhanced strength and more refined concealment techniques to move like a ghost through the perilous forest. This time, his target was clearer: he specifically targeted demonic beasts equivalent to the mid-stage of Qi Refining. The process was still dangerous, but his life-or-death battle with the Crimson Flame Tiger had given him invaluable experience. With the enhancement of the "Star River Qi Refining Technique," the Star Finger technique was twice as powerful, and combined with his unpredictable Star Steps, he could often kill a demonic beast with a single blow before it could even react.

A few days later, carrying several valuable materials from demonic beasts and the herbs he had previously accumulated, he carefully avoided routes that might lead to Zhao Gan and his spies, and re-entered the bustling market. He didn't linger, quickly finding a familiar buyer and selling all his materials in exchange for fifteen low-grade spirit stones and some gold and silver. Holding the heavy spirit stones, imbued with pure spiritual energy, he felt somewhat relieved; this "huge sum" had at least temporarily alleviated his resource shortage.

He did not linger in the market, but immediately left and found a new place to stay on the outskirts of the mountains—a huge ancient tree that required several people to encircle. Its interior had a natural tree hole formed by the erosion of time. After some modifications, he turned it into a more comfortable and safe temporary residence.

As night fell, starlight, like a gentle veil, filtered through the leaves and dappled the tree hollow. Lin Xuan did not immediately begin his cultivation as usual, but instead sat cross-legged, took out two black auxiliary tokens from his body, and placed them in his palm.

Under the moonlight, the two tokens appeared even more profound. One, obtained from a dilapidated temple, was a turning point in his destiny; its ancient patterns resonated with the stars, aiding his cultivation. The other, acquired from the remains of an ancient cave, bore the blurred character "辅" (fu), connecting him to a grand heritage and ancient secrets called "Star Palace." They were his greatest reliance, and also his greatest enigma.

"Besides aiding cultivation and resonating with each other, what other secrets are you hiding?" Lin Xuan murmured to himself, his fingertips tracing the cool, smooth surface of the token. The "Ancient Starry Sky Road" and "Gathering the Nine Tokens" mentioned in the remnant memory of the ancient cave elder were like pebbles thrown into a lake, creating ripples in his heart but leaving no trace. This feeling of knowing the facts but not the reasons behind them was somewhat unsettling for him.

He took a deep breath and decided to try again. This time, he didn't simply input spiritual power, but instead gathered his divine sense, which had been greatly enhanced after breaking through to the third level of Qi Refining, and slowly, simultaneously, probed into the two tokens like the most delicate tentacles.

At first, there was still an empty obstacle, and divine consciousness seemed to sink into the sea.

But just as he was about to give up—

"Buzz—!"

The two tokens, which had been resting in the palm of his hand, suddenly began to tremble violently without warning! A deep, dark light burst forth, not to illuminate the surroundings, but rather like two miniature black holes, frantically devouring all the light around them, distorting and dimming the space inside the tree hollow! Countless fine, star-like, and extremely complex runes emerged from the surface of the tokens, breaking free from their restraints, and rapidly flowing, colliding, and combining as if they had come to life!

A terrifying, overwhelming, chaotic force, completely beyond his imagination and irresistible, suddenly emanated from the core of the two resonating tokens! This force did not act on his resilient physical body, but directly on his consciousness and his soul!

"What?!"

A storm raged within Lin Xuan's heart, a fear stemming from his very survival instinct instantly gripping him! He tried to forcibly sever the connection of his divine consciousness, but found that his consciousness was as if bound by invisible shackles, utterly powerless to break free! He could only watch helplessly as his consciousness, like a fragile boat in a raging storm, was brutally torn from its anchor point by an irresistible force and swept into a violent vortex composed of countless distorted lights, shattered scenes, and chaotic noises—a vortex that seemed capable of annihilating everything!

The world spins and the world is filled with bizarre and wonderful sights.

He felt as if he were being frantically torn and tossed about in a time warp. Countless fragmented images flashed before his "eyes": steel behemoths roared along smooth, mirror-like roads; people in strange costumes muttered to themselves while looking at glowing, cube-shaped objects; swords clashed and banners fluttered above ancient cities; mages in magnificent robes chanted obscure spells; starships traversed and exploded in the boundless universe...

The chaotic flow of information, like a flood bursting its banks, assaulted his nearly shattered senses. The pain of his soul being torn apart far exceeded the limits of his body, as if he were about to be completely disintegrated and annihilated in this endless chaos at any moment.

I don't know how long they endured that inhuman torment; it may have been just a fleeting moment, or it may have been a thousand years.

The terrifying tearing force vanished without warning.

"Well……"

Immediately following was an excruciating pain far more intense and real than when he transmigrated to the cultivation world, which instantly overwhelmed him like a tidal wave! Every part of his body ached, as if he had been crushed and then barely pieced back together. The pain in his chest was particularly piercing, with several ribs clearly broken, and each weak breath carried the metallic taste of blood and searing agony.

Cold, weak, the shadow of death was as thick as ink, clinging to him and threatening to drag him into eternal darkness.

With an extremely tenacious will, he laboriously struggled to open his eyelids, which felt as heavy as a thousand pounds.

The blurry vision gradually cleared.

What came into view was an unfamiliar wooden bed canopy carved with intricate and beautiful patterns. The air was filled with a strong, pungent smell of medicine, mixed with a faint, sandalwood-like calming fragrance that tried to soothe the pain but only added to the oppressive atmosphere.

This isn't his treehouse! It's not the Azure Mist Mountains! It might not even be the cultivation world anymore!

With great difficulty, almost using all his strength, he slowly turned his eyes to survey his surroundings. It was an elegantly furnished, antique-style bedroom. The rosewood tables and chairs, the screen embroidered with landscape paintings, and the celadon vase in the corner—everything spoke of the owner's noble and extraordinary status. However, at this moment, this magnificent bedroom was a mess, as if it had just been ransacked. Tables and chairs were overturned, porcelain shattered on the floor, and even the exquisite screen was askew, stained with glaring dark red bloodstains.

He lay on the soft brocade bed in the center of this mess, covered with a silk quilt, but he could not escape the excruciating pain emanating from within his body and the weakness of his life rapidly slipping away.

"Cough cough... Heh..." He tried to speak, but his throat was like a broken bellows, only able to produce hoarse and unpleasant breaths. Accompanied by violent coughing, more sweet and metallic liquid surged into his throat, which he forced down, but a trace of bright red still spilled from the corner of his mouth.

At the same time, a faint, desperate fragment of memory, filled with overwhelming injustice and deep-seated resentment, flowed uncontrollably and slowly into his chaotic and weakened consciousness, like a trickle or a final flicker of light.

The young man, Lin Xuan (a name so coincidentally it startled him), was fifteen years old. He was the only son of the Zhenbei Marquis's family in the "Great Qian Dynasty" of this world, of noble birth and had been pampered since childhood. His father, Lin Tianhao, was a military genius, with unparalleled martial arts skills and brilliant military tactics. He had been guarding the northern border for many years, resisting foreign invaders. He was highly respected in the army and regarded by the people as a pillar of the nation.

However, just three days ago, shocking news came from the northern frontier: Marquis Lin Tianhao of Zhenbei was ambushed and killed due to underestimating the enemy and advancing recklessly. His 100,000 elite Lin family army, which had fought a hundred battles, was also completely wiped out, and their blood stained the battlefield!

When the news reached the capital, the entire nation was shaken, and the court and the public were in uproar. His Majesty the Emperor, seated on the dragon throne, was overcome with grief in the court, beating his chest and stamping his feet, lamenting the loss of a pillar of the state! Immediately, under the pretext of "investigating the responsibility of the Marquis of Zhenbei for his defeat and pacifying the border," he ordered the confiscation of the Marquis of Zhenbei's residence!

When a tree falls, the monkeys scatter; when a wall collapses, everyone pushes it down. The former glory and splendor have turned into a death sentence in an instant.

About an hour ago, a group of masked, agile, and wielding black-clad intruders stormed into the already sealed-off and heavily guarded Marquis's mansion. Their purpose was clear, their methods ruthless—they killed indiscriminately! The loyal guards and servants within the mansion fought desperately, but it was like a mantis trying to stop a chariot; they fell one after another in pools of blood. In the chaos, the old steward, who had watched his young master grow up, used his familiarity with the mansion to, at the last moment, hide the young Lin Xuan—already terrified by the sudden turn of events and critically injured by the black-clad men's attack—into a secret room behind the bedroom wall.

However, the men in black seemed to know the Marquis's residence inside and out, or rather, they had received an unquestionable order. They quickly cleared away the resistance outside and headed straight for the master bedroom. They found the secret mechanism almost effortlessly and forced their way in! The leader, his gaze as cold as a venomous snake, gave the boy no chance to speak, and with a single, chilling palm strike, he slammed it into the chest of the boy huddled in the corner, his face filled with terror and despair!

My heart and pulse are shattered!

The memory finally settled on that black-gloved hand, shrouded in the aura of death, and those cold, indifferent eyes that seemed to look down on an ant. Then came boundless darkness, and that overwhelming, resentful, unresolved grievance and hatred that lingered until death! This hatred was remarkably similar to the original owner's dying resentment in the cultivation world, even more so and overwhelming due to the vast difference in their status and the possible hidden conspiracies!

"Another... pitiful person who lost their family and died unjustly?" Lin Xuan (the main consciousness) sighed silently from the depths of his consciousness, or rather, he was almost losing the strength to even sigh. He could clearly feel that the vitality within this body named "Lin Xuan" was rapidly disappearing like the receding tide, and his consciousness was gradually becoming blurred, cold, and heading towards eternal silence.

Could it be that his inexplicable journey through the heavens, before it has even truly begun, is about to end in this strange world in such a frustrating way?

Do not!

An intense, overwhelming sense of resentment erupted from the depths of his soul like a volcano! The unbreakable Dao heart, forged through countless trials and tribulations in the cultivation world, played a crucial role at this moment! The indomitable spirit he displayed in the face of a terminal illness in his past life, the resilience he showed in his struggle for survival in this dilapidated temple, the opportunity to receive a legacy in the ancient cave, the ferocity he displayed in his battles against demonic beasts in the Qinglan Mountains… how could he possibly accept his fate with such a forged will?!

He can't die! At least, he can't die here so pathetically after just seeing a glimmer of hope for transcendence!

He frantically tried to gather his consciousness, which was about to completely dissipate! He attempted to sense his dantian—it was empty. It seemed that there was no spiritual energy in this world, a barren desert for cultivation! He tried to communicate with his sea of ​​consciousness and contact the black token that had brought him there—it was like a stone sinking into the sea, with no response, as if there was an endless spatial and temporal barrier between him and the token, which he could not reach.

Despair, like a cold, venomous snake, coiled around his heart.

Just as the last moment before the brilliance of his consciousness was about to be completely swallowed by the darkness of death—

Perhaps it was his indomitable will, which remained undiminished in both worlds, that shook some kind of unseen rule; or perhaps it was the "Star River Qi Refining Technique," a cultivation method that directly points to the origin of stars, that resonated with the transcendent divine power contained within the mysterious black token, creating a resonance that transcended boundaries...

A faint, almost imperceptible, icy-cold yet indescribably pure and lofty energy seemed to traverse the endless void, ignoring the physical barriers and the walls of the world, and quietly descended, directly merging into the mental path of the "Star River Qi Refining Technique" that he was maintaining with his powerful willpower!

This energy is not the spiritual energy of the cultivation world, but a more fundamental power, closer to the fundamental rules of the universe—the purest stellar power! Although it is only a tiny, insignificant wisp, its rank is extremely high!

This wisp of primordial star power was like planting a seed of life on parched, dead land! It flowed and permeated slowly along the profound path of the cultivation technique, and wherever it passed, the previously broken, withered, and lifeless meridians seemed to be infused with miraculous vitality, beginning to wriggle, repair, and regain their radiance at a visible speed! The shattered bones in his chest were quietly put back in place and reconnected by an invisible and gentle force, and the severe injuries to his internal organs were gently nourished and healed by this extremely pure energy…

A powerful, new vitality, like the warm current of early spring, quickly replaced the dense deathly aura and began to surge and flourish within this dilapidated body that had already stepped into the gates of hell!

"Buzz!"

A clear, resonant sound rang in his mind, as if some obstacle had been completely broken down and some channel had been formally established.

He felt his consciousness perfectly and completely merge with the body named "Lin Xuan," and the sense of separation and rejection between soul and body vanished instantly. At the same time, a faint but incredibly clear and tenacious soul connection was established in the deepest part of his consciousness. The other end of the line connected remotely to the two black tokens in the palm of his original body in the ancient tree cave in the cultivation world, which still emitted a faint glow and seemed to have completed some kind of mission.

The projections of all heavens, in this realm, have now officially awakened!

His consciousness, Lin Xuan's consciousness, successfully crossed the world barrier, projected and descended into this realm, occupied this already dead body, and established a mysterious connection with the cultivation body using it as a stable coordinate!

After a long while, Lin Xuan (in his projected form) opened his eyes again.

Those eyes, once belonging to the young master of the Marquis's mansion, perhaps brimming with arrogance or fear, were now replaced by a deep, calm gaze, a wisdom and vicissitude that seemed to encompass the vastness of the cosmos. The excruciating pain had greatly diminished; though his body remained extremely weak and required a long period of recuperation, the lingering, chilling shadow of death had completely vanished. In its place was the relief of surviving a catastrophe, a boundless vitality akin to rebirth, and… within his dantian, a wisp of internal energy, countless times finer than a strand of hair, yet undeniably real, slowly rotating and emanating a cool aura—transformed from the power of the primordial stars!

He struggled to prop himself up with his still-weak arms, leaning against the cold bed railing. He looked down at his hands, which had become pale and slender but were now slightly weak due to blood loss and serious injuries. A complex and inscrutable light flashed in his eyes. In the end, all his emotions subsided, turning into a deep and unfathomable calm and resolve.

"The Zhenbei Marquis's Mansion... Lin Tianhao's son... Lin Xuan..." He murmured these names, as if trying to completely integrate the heavy burden of inherited injustice and hatred into his very bones. "The blood debt of over a hundred people in the mansion, the mystery of my father's death on the battlefield, this overwhelming injustice..."

He took a deep breath; a faint smell of blood still lingered in the air.

"Very well, since I have taken your body and your karma, from this day forward, I am you, and you are me." His voice, though still hoarse and weak, carried an undeniable firmness. "Your revenge, I will avenge! Your injustice, I will clear! The glory and blood debt of this Marquis's mansion, I will bear!"

He raised his head, his gaze seemingly piercing through the dilapidated roof, looking at the night sky of this unfamiliar world, slightly obscured by dark clouds, yet still stubbornly shining with starlight.

In this realm, he is also Lin Xuan.

In this realm, he will use the stars as his source to reopen the path of martial arts and forge an unprecedented path!

In this realm, he will unravel the mystery of the Marquis's downfall and eliminate all the enemies behind it!

All these experiences, insights, and gains will, through that mysterious soul connection, nourish the supreme path of cultivation!

A cold and confident smile slowly curved the corners of his mouth, like a sharp blade silently drawn from its sheath in the dark night.

I have arrived in all the heavens and myriad realms. And this Great Qian Dynasty will be the first testing ground for my rise on the path of cultivation!