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

The biting wind, like countless icy knives, scraped across Lin Xuan's cheeks, yet it could not cool the raging fire burning within his chest. The speed gained from using the Wind Control Technique sent the withered trees and rocks on either side flying backward, but the arrogant and smug face of Zhao Gan, and the desperate and unwilling look in the original owner's eyes before his death, remained as clear as if branded, repeatedly intertwining and colliding within his mind.

The poisonous flames of hatred licked at his reason, and an impulse to immediately turn around and fight Zhao Gan to the death, regardless of everything, roared wildly in his heart like the whispers of a demon. So what if he's only at the third level of Qi Refining? So what if he has servants and guards? At worst, he'd rather die than suffer this humiliation!

While speeding along, he suddenly slammed his fist into a blue stone about half a person's height beside him.

"Bang!"

A muffled thud. The stone didn't shatter, but the rough edge of the rock cut his fist, and blood mixed with stone chips trickled down. The intense pain actually stifled his surging rage.

He stopped, standing on the desolate ridge, panting heavily. His white breath quickly dissipated in the cold air. He looked down at his bleeding hand, the crimson blood glaring and chilling.

"Dying... is easy."

A cold voice echoed deep within his mind; it was his own rationality, honed through two lifetimes.

"Like the original owner, like countless neglected skeletons in this wilderness, die easily and be forgotten. Your hatred, your resentment, and your chance to be reborn will all vanish like smoke."

"And your enemy, Zhao Gan, will step over your corpse to enter the Qingyun Sect, step by step climbing to higher levels, enjoying a longer lifespan, greater power, and even... mocking your overestimation of your abilities."

"Is this what you wanted?"

Lin Xuan's body trembled slightly.

No! This is absolutely not what he wants!

In her past life, she was powerless to struggle on her sickbed and ultimately died with regrets. In this life, she is reborn carrying the original owner's deep-seated hatred and obsession. If she were to impulsively rush to her death, how would she be different from her past life? How would she be different from the original owner?

He slowly raised his head and looked at the gray sky. In his deep black eyes, the raging anger gradually subsided, replaced by an almost cold clarity.

A small act of impatience can ruin a great plan!

These seven words, like the resounding toll of a great bell, echoed deep within his Daoist heart.

Revenge is not a momentary outburst of anger, nor is it about spilling blood. That is the behavior of a beast.

True revenge is to plan carefully before acting, to accumulate sufficient strength, and to deliver the most fatal and desperate blow to the enemy with absolute power at the most opportune moment! It is not only about taking their life, but also about destroying their hope and crushing everything they cherish!

Like a shrewd hunter, before hunting a powerful prey, one must patiently lie in wait, sharpen one's claws and teeth, and look for the best opportunity.

At this moment, his strength was vastly inferior to Zhao Gan's. Zhao Gan himself was at the third level of Qi Refining, and he also had servants and guards at the fourth level of Qi Refining, and possibly a distant cousin who served as a steward in the Qingyun Sect. He, on the other hand, was all alone, at the first level of Qi Refining, and had nothing of value.

Acting impulsively at this moment will not only fail to bring revenge, but will also lead you into a trap; it is utterly foolish!

"Power... I need absolute power!" Lin Xuan clenched his bleeding fist, letting the stinging pain constantly remind him of his weakness and the choices he had to make.

He closed his eyes and looked inward. Within his dantian, the wisp of stellar spiritual energy swam slowly like a gentle silver fish. It was because of it that he was able to embark on the path of cultivation; it was because of it that he saw the hope of revenge.

In this fierce clash between reason and impulse, his Dao heart was not damaged; instead, it was tempered and refined to become even more transparent and indestructible. All distracting thoughts—anger, resentment, humiliation—were forcibly stripped away and compressed, transforming into a cold core that sank to the deepest part of his heart, becoming the driving force that supported him forward, rather than emotions that interfered with his judgment.

He calmed down completely.

When he opened his eyes again, his gaze was calm and still, like a bottomless, icy pool, reflecting not a ripple. Only in the deepest part of his eyes, a single, cold starlight shone persistently—the inextinguishable flame of revenge and the heart yearning for the Way.

"Zhao Gan... I'll let you live a little longer," he muttered to himself, his voice calm and utterly emotionless. "The day I come knocking on your door will be the day you pay for your debt in blood!"

The goal is clearer than ever before.

First, spare no effort to improve your strength! Break through to the second level of Qi Refining as soon as possible, or even higher.

Second, acquire resources! Spirit stones, pills, cultivation techniques, spells—anything that can enhance yourself.

Third, join the Qingyun Sect! Only by joining the sect can he obtain a more systematic inheritance and a broader stage, and only then can he... get closer to his enemies!

Having figured everything out, Lin Xuan no longer hesitated. He treated the wound on his hand, determined the direction, and instead of returning directly to the abandoned stone house, he headed towards the edge of the Qinglan Mountains, a more remote area where monsters might roam, in contrast to the refugee settlement.

He could no longer easily venture into the market; Zhao Qian's presence increased the risk of exposure. And that stone house wasn't entirely safe either. He needed to find a more secluded, undisturbed place as a temporary training ground. Meanwhile, he might be able to find some low-grade spiritual herbs on the edge of the mountains, or… hunt some weak demonic beasts. The flesh, hides, and inner cores of demonic beasts were all resources!

Using his wind manipulation skills and extraordinary perception, Lin Xuan moved through the mountains and forests like a ghost, avoiding some obviously powerful auras. Finally, he found a narrow cave entrance under a cliff with dense vines covering the front.

The entrance to the cave is only wide enough for one person to pass through sideways. Inside is a small, natural stone chamber that is dry, secluded, and seems to have a slightly richer spiritual energy than the outside.

"This is it."

Lin Xuan cleaned up the traces at the entrance of the cave, crawled inside, and used a stone to slightly block the entrance from the inside, leaving only a small gap for ventilation.

He sat cross-legged and first took out the book "Detailed Explanation of Basic Spells." His attack methods were too limited; relying solely on close combat and his immature "Star Finger" was too risky. He needed a ranged attack spell.

His gaze fell on "Fire Spell".

According to the instructions, he mobilized the spiritual power in his dantian, made hand seals, and concentrated his mind on his fingertips.

"Awesome!"

puff--

A tiny flame, barely larger than a matchstick, flickered and then went out from his fingertip.

Lin Xuan was not discouraged and tried again. He failed, but tried again…

After an unknown amount of time, when nearly half of his spiritual energy was depleted.

call!

A crimson tongue of fire finally shot out from his fingertip. Although it was only about a foot long, it was steady and scorching, causing the air in the stone chamber to distort slightly.

Fire spell, complete!

Next, he began practicing more refined applications of "object manipulation," attempting to control heavier objects and manipulate multiple items simultaneously...

Time flew by as I devoted myself to my intensive training.

When hungry, they would nibble on a few hard, dark steamed buns or chew on a few slightly sweet grass roots they found on the mountain; when thirsty, they would fetch water from a nearby mountain stream.

He devoted all his time and energy to cultivation. He repeatedly circulated the basic cycle of the "Star River Qi Refining Technique," absorbing the sparse stellar spiritual energy and the few remaining low-grade spirit stones in his hands; he practiced fire techniques, object manipulation techniques, and wind control techniques repeatedly, striving for proficiency so that they were as easy to use as his own limbs.

Cultivation is tedious and painful. The exhaustion after depleting his spiritual energy, the needle-like headache after overdrawing his divine sense, and the frustration from countless failures constantly test his will.

But whenever fatigue and lethargy struck, Zhao Gan's arrogant face and the original owner's tragic death would clearly appear before his eyes, like the most effective stimulant, prompting him to refocus his mind and throw himself into frantic cultivation.

Hatred became his most powerful driving force.

Five days later.

When the last low-grade spirit stone turned to dust in his hand, and the last trace of spiritual energy within it was completely devoured.

Lin Xuan's dantian suddenly trembled!

The wisp of starlight spiritual energy, which was originally as thin as a hair, suddenly expanded and solidified, becoming as thick as a chopstick. It surged and circulated joyfully within his dantian, emitting an aura nearly twice as strong as before! His pores opened, and an invisible wave of energy spread out slightly from him, stirring up some dust on the ground.

Qi Refining, Level Two!

He suddenly opened his eyes, and a flash of silver starlight, sharp as a sword, appeared deep in his pupils.

Feeling the surging power within him and gaining more skillful control over several basic spells, Lin Xuan knew that he had successfully taken the first step in his period of patience and preparation.

He stood up and stretched his body, which had become stiff from sitting for so long; his bones made a faint cracking sound.

His gaze pierced through the crack in the stone, looking out at the dim sky, his eyes cold and resolute.

"It's time to get out and get some exercise."

Being patient and patient is not about cowering in fear. Once you have a certain level of self-defense capability, taking the initiative to hunt for resources is also an indispensable part of improving your strength.

He pushed aside the rocks at the cave entrance, his figure blending into the night like a cheetah, silently disappearing into the darkness surrounding the Qinglan Mountains.

The path to revenge begins with a single step.