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

Inside the Sword Tomb, twilight completely descended, and stars gradually lit up the sky, like countless eyes peering into its mysteries.

Situ Jiannan remained standing in the same spot, his figure seemingly transformed into yet another stone statue in the Sword Tomb. His eyes were closed, his brows sometimes furrowed and sometimes relaxed, his aura fluctuating unpredictably, like the sea before a storm, sometimes as fiery and turbulent as a volcano about to erupt, and sometimes as still and restrained as a deep pool.

His face, etched with the marks of time, was a tapestry of pain from tearing apart old perceptions and the ecstatic enlightenment of glimpsing a new world. Lin Xuan's finger, imbued with the Daoist essence of another realm, the birth and death of stars, and the myriad phenomena of the mortal world, seemed to have forcefully carved a crack in the door to his Daoist path, which had been tightly shut for thirty years, allowing him to glimpse a more expansive, yet more unfamiliar, and unknown world beyond.

The impact was so enormous that he needed enough time to digest this earth-shattering gain and to re-examine the swordsmanship he had pursued all his life.

Lin Xuan did not disturb him, but stood quietly to the side, like a silent protector. He carefully felt the surging star energy within his body, which had nearly doubled. The power was like a gentle silver river flowing joyfully through his expanded meridians, and every move he made contained power far exceeding that before.

Even more wondrous is the mysterious sense of clarity brought about by the connection between the soul and the origin of the world, as if a thin layer of separation from this world has been erased, allowing one to perceive more clearly the flow of the wind, the breath of the grass and trees, and even the steady pulse of the earth beneath one's feet.

In this realm, he not only gained a foothold and the ability to protect himself, but also, through his discussions with Situ Jiannan and the gifts of the world's origin, he gained the potential to influence the fate of the world's top experts and the direction of martial arts.

However, just as he was immersed in this wonderful feeling of merging with heaven and earth, and savoring the subtle affinity and favor that this world felt for him because of that trace of primordial gift, an invisible, grand, and repulsive force originating from the rules of the world itself, like a gradually rising tide, began to slowly but firmly act on the core of his consciousness.

This rejection was not malicious; rather, it was more like an "immune response" and a "correction" at the level of the rules of the universe. His consciousness, projected through the power of the black token, was ultimately an "anomaly" within the laws of this world. After a long stay, especially after carrying and merging with a trace of precious world origin, its very existence had begun to slightly disturb the delicate energy balance and causal lines of this world.

At the same time, the invisible causal thread deep within his consciousness, connecting him to his cultivation body, became brighter, more solid, and hotter than ever before, emanating an increasingly strong and irresistible sense of "returning home." It was as if a ship on a long voyage had received a powerful call from its home port, and it had to return to resupply, or risk being lost in the endless void.

"Is the time up..." Lin Xuan understood in his heart, without much surprise. The projection was not a permanent state, especially since it was the first awakening, the strength of his consciousness was still limited, and after experiencing such a huge consumption and impact as the peak debate with Situ Jiannan, triggering the world's consciousness, and enduring the gift of the origin, this projected consciousness urgently needed to return to the main body for a complete "anchoring," fusion, and settling. The insights and gains from the other world needed to be completely transformed into a part of his own Dao foundation.

He glanced one last time at Situ Jiannan, who was still deeply engrossed in enlightenment, oblivious to his surroundings. His gaze swept across the desolate valley filled with ancient swords, and he seemed to see again the small shrine in the western market of Qinglan City, the grateful faces of the Zhang family, and the magnificent landscapes and resilient lives he had witnessed along the way. In this world, he had sown seeds, established connections of varying depths, and reaped faith and the most precious source. This was not the end, but a new beginning, one with even greater potential.

He did not resist the increasingly strong pulling force. With a thought, he finally imprinted this alien starry sky deep in his memory, and his consciousness, like the receding tide, gently but firmly withdrew from the body named "Lin Xuan," which had become closely integrated with him, and along the increasingly dazzling thread of cause and effect, crossed the endless void barrier, heading towards that distant and familiar path home.

……

In the cultivation world, on the outskirts of the Azure Mist Mountains, in a hidden treehouse.

Lin Xuan, who was sitting cross-legged like a clay or wooden sculpture, suddenly shuddered violently!

Like a sleeping dragon awakening from an ancient dream, an immense aura, several times stronger and purer than before his consciousness left, erupted uncontrollably from his body! The air around him seemed to be stirred by an invisible hand, and spiritual energy gathered wildly, forming a small, visible vortex of spiritual energy that rushed into his limbs, bones, and dantian!

He suddenly opened his eyes!

With each blink of his eyes, a tangible glint flashed and disappeared! His eyes were no longer simply reflections of stars, but rather seemed to contain miniature, real galaxies, constantly arising and ceasing, endlessly revolving, appearing incomparably brilliant and profound, carrying a sharp edge that pierced through illusion and illuminated reality! A powerful divine sense, far exceeding that of a mid-stage Qi Refining cultivator, spread out from him like mercury spilling onto the ground, or like invisible radar waves, instantly covering a radius of a hundred feet around the treehouse with precise clarity!

Within this range, everything—from the faint chirping of insects and the movement of ants, to the rustling of grass blades in the breeze, to the wriggling of earthworms deep in the soil and the subtle sounds of roots drawing water—was reflected in his perception with unparalleled clarity, as if he were looking at the lines on his palm!

"This is... the fifth level of Qi Refining?! No, it's more than just cultivation level..."

Lin Xuan was shocked. He suppressed his surging blood and immediately calmed his mind to examine himself.

Within his dantian, the silver vortex that had been slowly rotating had now expanded several times, its rotation speed increasing dramatically, driving an even more powerful surge of stellar spiritual energy. The vortex's structure had also become more stable and solid, with a faint, almost imperceptible golden luster even appearing at its core—a trace of the world's origin merging into it.

The total amount of spiritual energy has increased several times compared to when I left for Tianyuan Realm! Its purity and condensation are far beyond what ordinary Qi Refining Level 5 cultivators can achieve, carrying the unique ancient and vast aura of stellar spiritual energy, as well as a trace of sharpness that can destroy all laws!

Moreover, he could clearly feel that his spiritual strength had undergone a qualitative leap! The range of his spiritual sense had expanded from tens of feet to hundreds of feet, and his perception had become more delicate and subtle, far surpassing that of others of the same level. His thoughts moved with lightning speed, and his control over every bit of spiritual power within his body had reached a completely new, effortless, and perfectly transparent state! This kind of enhancement of the spiritual soul was far more precious than a simple increase in spiritual power!

This is far more than just the improvement brought about by breaking through to the fifth level of Qi Refining! The wisp of world origin power from the Tianyuan Realm has a baptismal and nourishing effect on the essence of the soul, which is nothing short of miraculous!

He tried to circulate the "Star River Qi Refining Technique." As soon as the technique was activated, the vast and pure stellar spiritual energy immediately surged and flowed through his meridians, which were noticeably wider and stronger than before, emitting a faint roar like surging rivers. The feeling of exhilaration was unprecedented.

The time required to complete a major cycle has been reduced by nearly half compared to before! And the efficiency of absorbing and refining external stellar spiritual energy has increased by more than tenfold!

"Hoo..." He exhaled a long breath of stale air. This breath was condensed and did not dissipate. It was like a white solid arrow of air that shot out a foot away with a hiss, stirring up tiny ripples in the air in front of him before slowly dissipating into the air.

Feeling the surging, seemingly inexhaustible power within his body, and the vast divine sense in his mind that far surpassed others of his level and clearly perceived everything around him, Lin Xuan's eyes shone with astonishing brilliance, and a powerful confidence arose spontaneously.

This seemingly accidental trip to the Tianyuan Realm yielded far more benefits than he had initially imagined!

Not only did he resolve the fatal crisis of his projected body and gain a foothold and prestige in that world, but more importantly, he brought back the direct gift of the world's origin. This high-level energy could ignore the boundary barrier and directly affect his cultivation body, causing his cultivation to break through two levels and reach the fifth level of Qi Refining in one fell swoop! His soul was also fundamentally strengthened and transformed!

This means that his survival skills in the perilous world of cultivation have been dramatically improved! Facing Zhao Gan and even the Qingyun Sect forces that may be behind him, he has more confidence and room to maneuver!

With a thought, he immersed his consciousness into the expanded sea of ​​consciousness.

Within the vast sea of ​​consciousness, besides the two black auxiliary tokens that floated silently, their eerie light flowing between them and their resonance becoming even closer, there were some other significant changes.

Dozens of milky-white, warm, and pure points of faith, like miniature stars that have come to life, slowly swirled around the two auxiliary tokens, forming a mysterious array.

Although each of these individual points of light was extremely faint, when gathered together, they continuously emanated a gentle and persistent power, nourishing and soothing his soul and dispelling his mental fatigue. At the center of these points of faith, a wisp of pale golden energy, countless times finer than a strand of hair, yet radiating an indescribable ancient, vast, and supreme aura, coiled quietly like a miniature dragon in slumber, forming a profound connection with the core of his soul.

The power of the world's origin!

Although most of its power was absorbed by his soul and body upon his return, used to forcibly break through his realm and comprehensively strengthen himself, this most refined and active core essence settled down and merged with his soul essence, becoming the most precious resources, foundation, and... possible opportunity for his future path!

He could even vaguely sense that, using this wisp of origin as a "coordinate" and "bridge," he had established an extremely subtle yet stable connection with the distant Tianyuan Realm, a connection that transcended ordinary spatial distance. It was as if, if he were willing, and if his own strength was sufficient to support it and he was willing to pay the corresponding price, he could easily project his consciousness there again!

"Projecting the heavens..." Lin Xuan murmured to himself, his heart pounding uncontrollably. Only now did he truly begin to understand the terrifying and heaven-defying power granted by this mysterious black token! This was not merely acquiring resources from other worlds and gaining human experience; it was clearly plundering and merging the essence of all worlds, using the power of all heavens and myriad realms to nourish himself, paving a shortcut to the supreme path!

He forcibly suppressed the excitement and surging thoughts in his heart, and began to focus on consolidating his newly broken through to the fifth level of Qi Refining, and concentrated on familiarizing himself with the surge of divine sense and physical strength, striving to master this new realm as soon as possible.

He pointed his fingers like a sword and unleashed the Star Finger technique. With a thought, starlight instantly condensed at his fingertips, solidifying like a real metal needle. It carried a chilling coldness and sharpness, easily piercing a smooth hole through the ancient ironwood trunk beside him, which was harder than iron. The concentration and penetrating power of his finger force far exceeded that of before!

With a slight movement, he used the Wind Control Technique, transforming himself into a wisp of intangible green smoke. He swiftly traversed the dimly lit, branching forest, moving faster and more agilely and unpredictably, while consuming less spiritual energy, making him appear to be handling the situation with ease.

He attempted to use his powerful and refined divine sense to simultaneously manipulate seven or eight pebbles of different shapes scattered on the ground, making them fly in complex and intricate trajectories, collide precisely, and even form simple formations. The entire process was effortless and precise, without the slightest hesitation. This meant that in the future, if he were to control flying swords or other magical artifacts, both in terms of quantity and sophistication, he would far surpass cultivators of the same level!

"With my current Qi Refining Level 5 cultivation, pure and profound stellar spiritual power, coupled with a soul strength far exceeding that of others of the same level and precise control over power, if I combine this with the Concealing Breath Technique to launch a surprise attack, even if I am no match for them head-on, if I seize the opportunity, I might not be without the power to fight even against a Qi Refining Level 6 cultivator!" Lin Xuan calmly assessed his current maximum combat strength, and his confidence increased greatly.

Zhao Gan is at the third level of Qi Refining, while his servant is at the fourth level. What previously seemed like an insurmountable gap has now been significantly narrowed by him thanks to this fortuitous encounter, and he may even have surpassed him!

The flames of revenge burned calmly and resolutely in his eyes, but deep within those flames lay absolute reason, not blind impulse.

However, he was not overwhelmed by this sudden surge of power. He knew that rapid advancement in cultivation, especially breakthroughs aided by external forces, required sufficient time to refine and solidify the foundation; otherwise, it would be nothing more than a castle in the air. In particular, the precise control over his surging spiritual sense and physical strength needed to be honed through constant practice and real combat to transform it into true fighting power.

Moreover, his experiences in the Tianyuan Realm, his discussions with Situ Jiannan, and his contact with the world's consciousness all elevated his understanding of "power" to a more macroscopic level. Cultivation is not simply about accumulating spiritual power and improving one's realm; it is also about exploring and transcending the rules of heaven and earth, the origin of the world, and the essence of one's own life.

He decided not to rush back to the refugee settlement to settle scores with Zhao Gan. Instead, he would remain in the sparsely populated Qinglan Mountains to thoroughly consolidate his Qi Refining Level 5 cultivation, hone his spells, and refine his strength. On the other hand, he also needed to calm down and properly digest and absorb all the gains from his trip to the Tianyuan Realm, especially the vague insights about "existence" and "rules" brought about by the trace of the world's origin, as well as the possibility of using the power of faith at a deeper level.

His gaze fell once again on the black token pressed against his chest, his fingertips feeling its cool touch, his eyes burning with intensity.

"First stop, Tianyuan Realm, the gains far exceeded expectations." "So, what bizarre world will the next projection take? What opportunities and challenges await me?" "And behind this mysterious token, the so-called 'Star Palace' inheritance, the secret of the 'Ancient Starry Road,' the mission to collect all nine tokens… what ancient secrets are hidden within?"

Numerous thoughts, like stars, swirled and collided in his deep sea of ​​consciousness, ultimately transforming into an even more steadfast and unwavering heart toward the Dao.

The road ahead is long and arduous, but only the power we possess can truly guide us to explore, protect, and transcend all things.

He closed his eyes again, clearing his mind of distractions. The "Star River Qi Refining Technique" naturally began to circulate, and his acupoints seemed to resonate even more strongly with the stars in the night sky. Strands of starlight, invisible to the naked eye, descended and swirled around him. He entered a deep state of cultivation, like a dormant dragon awaiting its next moment of soaring.

The night in the Qinglan Mountains was still fraught with danger, with the roars of demonic beasts occasionally audible. But for Lin Xuan at this moment, this mountain range, which he once had to explore with great care, was no longer a perilous place, but rather the starting point and training ground for him to accumulate strength, hone his skills, and step into a wider world.