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

Half a month passed quietly as Lin Xuan devoted himself to cultivation, neglecting sleep and meals. Inside the treehouse, only starlight remained as his constant companion, and the increasingly refined silver light at his fingertips occasionally pierced the darkness.

His Qi Refining Level 6 cultivation was now completely stable. The celestial vortex within his dantian, like a miniature Milky Way, slowly rotated, each rotation releasing a massive amount of pure stellar spiritual energy that flowed ceaselessly through his increasingly wide and resilient meridians. He had also just begun to grasp the first level of the Star Finger Technique, "Finger Ray." Although far from mastery, and unable to solidify the ray three zhang away from his body without dissipating, the restrained starlight at his fingertips possessed an extreme sharpness and penetrating power far exceeding ordinary low-level spells, making it his current trump card. Combined with his increasingly refined and unpredictable Star Steps, the less energy-consuming and faster Wind Control Technique, and his powerful divine sense, nurtured by the world's origin and the power of faith, far surpassing his peers, Lin Xuan was confident that even if he faced a Qi Refining Level 7 cultivator head-on, he could easily contend with them, and even find an opportunity to defeat them.

On this day, before dawn, Lin Xuan was guiding the last wisp of star power to complete its cycle when a magnificent and long bell tolled unexpectedly from the distant, misty place, breaking the last silence before dawn.

"Thump—thump—thump—"

The bell's sound was no ordinary sound; its ancient and desolate tone contained a strange spiritual energy, like tangible ripples that pierced through mountains, disregarding distance, clearly echoing in every corner of the Qinglan Mountains, and striking heavily in the hearts of every refugee in the settlement, yearning for a change in their fate. The bell's sound carried an undeniable majesty and a call that transcended social classes.

In an instant, the entire lifeless refugee settlement, like an ice surface thrown with a scalding boulder, exploded and came to a complete boil!

"It's Qingyun Zhong! The selection has begun!" "Quick! Get up! Don't be late!" "My son, you must live up to his expectations!"

Countless figures surged forth like a tide from the low, dilapidated shacks and the stone houses that barely provided shelter from the wind and rain. Men, women, and children alike wore expressions of excitement, longing, barely suppressed tension, and a deep-seated, humble expectation. Most numerous were young boys and girls aged twelve to eighteen, their bodies radiating varying degrees of spiritual energy. Their fists clenched tightly, knuckles white from the effort, their eyes burning with an intense intensity, all gazing in unison towards the direction from which the bell tolled—a direction symbolizing hope and the future.

The triennial selection of outer disciples for the Qingyun Sect has begun!

This is the only chance for these descendants of rogue cultivators struggling at the very bottom of the cultivation world, or even ordinary people without any foundation, to change their predetermined fate and achieve the miracle of leaping over the dragon gate! Even if the hope is as faint as a firefly, it is enough for them to do everything they can to pursue it.

Lin Xuan stepped out of the treehouse, standing lightly on a gnarled branch, gazing in the direction of the Azure Cloud Sect. The morning breeze ruffled his slightly oversized but clean blue robe, his black hair fluttering slightly, revealing his handsome face and deep, calm eyes, a stark contrast to the surging crowd below.

He didn't have much of a worldly sense of belonging or a vain sense of glory in joining the sect; rather, it was a calm, almost cold, consideration of reality.

Resources! System techniques! A relatively safe haven! And... a "ticket" to leave this land filled with poverty, chaos, and despair, and reach a wider world!

He had already begun to experience the path of a rogue cultivator, and it proved to be far too difficult and fraught with peril. Without a systematic lineage to guide him, and without a stable supply of resources for cultivation, he was like a rootless duckweed, adrift in the wind and rain, his path to immortality and destruction constantly threatened by an accident or a struggle. The Qingyun Sect, however, as the undisputed hegemon within a radius of ten thousand miles, possessed everything he desperately needed: the vast collection of scriptures in the Scripture Pavilion, the abundant resources in the alchemy and weapon-forging rooms, guidance from masters at the Foundation Establishment stage and beyond, and an identity that could reasonably conceal his many secrets (the black token, the ability to project). Only by entering and establishing a foothold within it could he more quickly improve his strength, better explore his own mysteries, and ultimately, gain access to the far more magnificent world of cultivation beyond the sect.

Zhao Gan is dead. The Foundation Establishment deacon behind him might investigate secretly due to the loss of face, but he would never dare to act recklessly in public, especially during the highly anticipated sect selection. The sect's rules are not just for show. This identity, on the contrary, can provide him with a temporary period of protection and development time.

"It's time." Lin Xuan took a deep breath of the air, which was filled with the coolness of grass and trees and the restlessness of the crowd. His figure floated down, silently merging into the crowd that was rushing towards the Qingyun Sect's mountain gate like a flood. His steps were steady, which was out of place with the young people running and sprinting around him.

The selection process took place on a vast plaza paved with massive blue rock outside the Qingyun Sect's mountain gate. At this moment, the plaza, large enough to hold tens of thousands, was already packed with people, the noise reaching the heavens and making eardrums ring. A rough count revealed that there were thousands of young men and women participating in the selection! A sea of ​​heads, a dense, bustling mass. Based on past experience, only a hundred, or even fewer, would ultimately be selected for the outer sect; the competition was as fierce as a thousand soldiers trying to cross a single-plank bridge.

At the end of the plaza stands a towering archway, entirely carved from spirit jade, bearing the ancient characters "Qingyun" in bold, flowing strokes that exude a powerful spiritual pressure that inspires awe. Beyond the archway lies the Qingyun Sect's mountain gate, shrouded in endless mist that obscures its inner workings. The mist itself seems to form a protective array, further enhancing its mystique and supreme majesty.

Dozens of Qingyun Sect cultivators, dressed in uniform blue cloud-patterned Daoist robes and with stern expressions, stood scattered like javelins, maintaining order in the square. The spiritual energy emanating from them was at least at the late stage of Qi Refining. Their invisible pressure was like ice water, extinguishing the fervor in many people's hearts and preventing the noisy crowd from acting too recklessly.

Lin Xuan concealed his aura, skillfully suppressing his cultivation level to around the fourth level of Qi Refining. This level was neither too outstanding nor too low to be underestimated or easily eliminated in the first round of the selection process. He stood silently in the surging crowd, like a drop of water flowing into a river, inconspicuous. Only his overly calm eyes occasionally flashed with a subtle and profound depth.

"quiet!"

Suddenly, a clear shout, like a thunderclap from the heavens, resounded in everyone's hearts. A middle-aged cultivator, dressed in a dark blue elder's robe and with a dignified face, appeared out of thin air on the white jade platform beneath the archway. He didn't even need to use any magical artifacts; simply by standing there, the immense spiritual pressure of a Foundation Establishment cultivator spread out like a tidal wave, instantly suppressing all the noise and commotion in the area. The square instantly became deathly silent, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. All the youths instinctively held their breath, looking at the figure on the platform with awe, reverence, and tension.

The Foundation Establishment elder's gaze, cold as lightning, slowly swept over the dark mass of people below, carrying an indifferent, condescending air as if scrutinizing ants: "The selection of outer disciples for the Azure Cloud Sect begins now! The first test: bone age measurement and cultivation level verification! Anyone whose bone age exceeds sixteen, or whose cultivation level has not reached the second level of Qi Refining, must leave immediately. Do not harbor any illusions and invite humiliation!"

As soon as he finished speaking, dozens of circular magic circles emitting soft white light suddenly lit up around the square. Beside each magic circle stood a Qingyun Sect disciple holding an ancient bronze mirror, his expression solemn.

"Everyone, line up in order and place your palms on the 'Spirit-Testing Mirror'! Anyone who disobeys will be expelled!"

As the order was given, the massive crowd began to slowly and laboriously split into dozens of long lines, like a writhing snake, moving in turn toward the white light arrays.

The testing began, with various colored lights flashing from the ancient bronze mirrors, accompanied by the cold, emotionless pronouncements of the Qingyun Sect disciples, like a judgment of fate: "Bone age seventeen, too old! Unqualified! Next!" "Qi Refining Level 1, not up to standard! Unqualified! Next!" "Bone age fifteen, Qi Refining Level 2, qualified, proceed to the eastern area to await the next stage!"

A stark contrast of joy and sorrow instantly emerged from the crowd. Those who passed were overjoyed, their excitement almost unbearable, as they stumbled towards the qualifying area. Those who were eliminated, however, were struck dumb, their faces turning deathly pale. Some were utterly dejected, some wept, and others roared and struggled in despair, only to be ruthlessly dragged away from the plaza by the indifferent enforcement disciples, leaving behind a scene of chaos and desperate wails. The cruelty of reality and the cold threshold of the path to immortality were laid bare in this moment.

Lin Xuan stood in the middle of a queue, waiting calmly. His gaze occasionally swept over the despairing, numb faces of those eliminated, but he felt little pity or emotion. The path of cultivation, defying the heavens, was a struggle among billions for a sliver of life; talent, perseverance, opportunity, and temperament were all indispensable. Today's outcome might have already been the result of yesterday's actions.

The wait wasn't long, and it was soon his turn.

He stepped forward as instructed and placed his right hand steadily on the cold-to-the-touch spirit-testing mirror, which was covered with strange runes.

The disciple in charge of the inspection habitually channeled a wisp of spiritual energy into the mirror. A flash of light appeared on the surface of the bronze mirror, like ripples on water, and then two lines of faintly glowing characters clearly emerged:

[Bone Age: 15] [Cultivation Level: Qi Refining Level 4]

The disciple, who had been proceeding with his usual routine and nonchalant demeanor, couldn't help but show a clear hint of surprise as he looked up and carefully examined Lin Xuan. At fifteen years old, with a cultivation level of the fourth stage of Qi Refining, Lin Xuan was definitely considered above average among the selectees, who were mainly descendants of refugees and rogue cultivators! What particularly caught his attention was the young man's calm and restrained aura, his composed and profound eyes, and his lack of panic in the face of his scrutiny—unlike most rogue cultivators who were either timid or restless.

"Hmm, not bad. Passed. Go to the east area and wait for the next test." The disciple's tone softened slightly, even carrying a hint of approval, as he pointed to the area where those who had passed were gathered.

Lin Xuan's expression remained unchanged. He simply nodded slightly in acknowledgment and calmly walked over as instructed, showing neither elation nor trepidation.

Those who passed the first round of screening were now fewer than five hundred, an astonishing elimination rate compared to the initial thousands. These remaining hundreds could be considered the "best of the best" among the younger generation in the area who had barely squeezed through the threshold. Their eyes met, revealing a subtle tension of scrutiny, comparison, and competition.

Lin Xuan ignored the overt and covert stares, found a relatively quiet corner to stand in, lowered his eyelids as if to rest and shut out all the disturbances around him.

His goal, his vision, was never to compete with his peers or flaunt his insignificant cultivation. His gaze had long since passed over these young faces, turning towards the inner sect deep within the clouds, representing a higher level, and towards the vast and boundless world of cultivation beyond the Qingyun Sect, teeming with powerful figures.