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

With his cultivation firmly established at the late Foundation Establishment stage and his divine sense comparable to a pseudo-Core Formation cultivator, Lin Xuan was not satisfied. The existence of the virtual godhead had raised his thirst for resources to a new level. Whether it was further refining his true intent of destruction, nourishing his projection abilities, or simply improving his cultivation, he needed a massive amount of high-quality resources.

In Chenxi Ancient City, the fastest ways to acquire resources are nothing more than joining a major faction, exploring dangerous secret realms, completing high-value bounties, and—competing in the arena.

Lin Xuan chose the last option. It wasn't that he enjoyed fighting, but rather that the arena competition was simple and direct, with the winner taking all, and it was the fastest way to establish a reputation, facilitating future actions. His target was the prize for first place in the Foundation Establishment stage competition held every three months at the Chenxi Ancient City's "Starfall Arena"—ten drops of Star Essence Liquid!

Star Essence Liquid is a rare treasure of heaven and earth, made by collecting the core essence of stars and refining it with secret methods. A single drop is enough to save a Foundation Establishment cultivator several years of hard work. It can also purify spiritual power, nourish the soul, and is beneficial for breaking through to the Golden Core realm. It is priceless.

The Starfall Arena is located in the "Battle Zone" on the outer ring of the ancient city, a floating giant island shrouded by an independent formation. The island contains dozens of arenas of varying sizes, the most central being the main arena, a thousand feet in diameter, forged entirely from dark star iron. At this moment, the circular spectator stands surrounding the arena are bustling with activity, tens of thousands of cultivators gathered here, creating an incredibly enthusiastic atmosphere.

The Foundation Establishment Stage Competition is a grand event for low-level cultivators in Chenxi Ancient City, not only for its generous rewards but also for its excellent opportunity to make a name for themselves. Participants come from various forces and numerous independent cultivators, a diverse mix of talents, but also many skilled individuals.

Lin Xuan paid the registration fee, received a jade token for the competition, and then waited quietly in the waiting area. His aura was restrained, like that of an ordinary person. Among the many contestants, some flamboyant, some nervous, and some murderous, he stood out from the crowd, attracting many scrutinizing and contemptuous glances.

"Where did this brat come from, all delicate and frail, daring to come to the Starfall Arena to die?" A burly man, nine feet tall, with bulging muscles and exuding the aura of a peak mid-Foundation Establishment cultivator, crossed his arms and glanced at Lin Xuan with disdain. He was known as "Mountain Rift," a regular at the arena, famous for his ferocious strength.

Lin Xuan didn't even lift his eyelids, as if he hadn't heard anything.

Seeing this, Lieshan snorted coldly and was about to say something when the referee on the stage called out his number.

"Number 3 of Class A, Lieshan, versus Number 17 of Class B, Lin Xuan!"

Lie Shan grinned maliciously and leaped onto the arena. The immense force caused the platform, forged from Dark Star Profound Iron, to tremble slightly. He beckoned with his finger towards Lin Xuan's direction, his provocation palpable.

A burst of laughter and whistles erupted from the stands; clearly, no one had high hopes for the handsome but thin-looking cultivator in the green robe.

Lin Xuan remained calm, took a step forward, and his figure appeared silently on the arena like a ghost, facing Lie Shan from afar.

"Boy, admit defeat now and kowtow, and I might go easy on you!" Lie Shan said in a deep, rumbling voice, his body surging with earthy yellow spiritual light, his muscles swelling again, making him look like a ferocious humanoid beast.

Lin Xuan finally looked up at him, his eyes calm and expressionless: "Make your move."

"You're courting death!" Lie Shan roared, stomping his feet hard. The arena roared, and he was like a cannonball, carrying the force of a mountain collapsing and rocks splitting, as he punched Lin Xuan in the face! The fist wind solidified, transforming into a roaring earth dragon, shattering the air and producing a piercing sonic boom!

This punch is enough to blast a small hill into dust!

Many people in the stands held their breath, and some female cultivators even closed their eyes in unbearable pain.

However, facing this earth-shattering punch, Lin Xuan remained standing, neither dodging nor avoiding. Only when the earth dragon fist was about to strike him did he slowly raise his right hand and extend one index finger.

A wisp of gray-black aura swirled around his fingertips, carrying the desolate and ephemeral meaning of the end of all things.

He gently tapped the roaring earth dragon.

There was no earth-shattering explosion, no devastating energy surge.

Under countless horrified gazes, the terrifying earth dragon, upon contact with the gray-black fingertip, vanished silently, like a burst bubble! Even the mountain-splitting fist's violent force melted away instantly, like ice and snow meeting the sun!

The massive body that had been charging forward across the mountain suddenly froze, its sinister smile freezing on its face, transforming into utter astonishment and disbelief. It felt as if its power had been plunged into endless nothingness, without stirring up the slightest ripple.

Immediately afterwards, a chilling, deathly, and terrifying aura, seemingly capable of freezing the soul, spread throughout his entire body from his fist!

"puff--!"

As if struck by a heavy blow, Lieshan's massive body trembled violently, and he suddenly spat out a mouthful of blood, which turned into ice shards in mid-air and fell to the ground! The light in his eyes quickly dimmed, and the violent spiritual light around him was extinguished like a candle in the wind. As if his bones had been removed, he collapsed softly to the ground and fainted.

One finger!

With just a single finger, he casually pointed, and a peak Foundation Establishment cultivator, known for his strength, was instantly defeated, his fate unknown!

The entire Starfall Arena fell into a deathly silence in an instant!

You could hear a pin drop!

Everyone stared wide-eyed, as if they had seen a ghost, at the figure in the green robe who still stood calmly on the arena.

What just happened?! That grayish-black aura... what kind of power is that?! How could it have defeated Rift Mountain so easily?!

After a brief silence came a commotion as loud as a volcanic eruption!

"Instant kill! It was an instant kill!" "What kind of divine power is that? I've never seen such a bizarre and domineering force!" "Lin Xuan? I've never heard of that name! Where did this ruthless person come from?" "Late Foundation Establishment stage! He's definitely a late Foundation Establishment stage cultivator! And not just any ordinary late Foundation Establishment stage cultivator!"

The referee was stunned for a moment before reacting and loudly announcing, "The winner is Lin Xuan!"

Lin Xuan didn't even glance at the unconscious Lie Shan on the ground. He turned around, walked off the stage, returned to the waiting area, and closed his eyes to rest again, as if he had just casually swatted a fly.

However, after this battle, no one dared to underestimate this seemingly ordinary green-robed cultivator anymore. All gazes directed at him were now filled with deep apprehension and scrutiny.

The following matches almost became a one-man show by Lin Xuan.

Whether the opponent is an assassin skilled in unpredictable escape techniques, a cultivator proficient in talismans and formations, or an alien race with special bloodline talents, they all appear utterly vulnerable before his unparalleled divine insight and attacks imbued with the true meaning of destruction.

He could break through all laws with a single finger, suppress the soul with a single thought, or shatter spiritual light with a single punch... His methods were not many, but they were all based on absolute power to crush everything!

No battle lasted more than three breaths! No opponent could force him to take a second step! He swept through everything in his path, winning battle after battle!

"A vicious man! An absolute vicious man!" "His eyes are terrifying, as if they're devoid of any emotion!" "He's ruthless and merciless; did this guy crawl out of a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood?"

Lin Xuan's fearsome reputation spread rapidly throughout the Starfall Arena and even among the low-level cultivators of the entire Chenxi Ancient City, with each decisive victory. The title "Black-Robed God of Slaughter" became widely known (although he wore a green robe, the ruthlessness and destructive aura he exuded reminded people of the color of death).

On the high platform, the expressions of some observers from various forces also became solemn.

"This boy is no ordinary rogue cultivator. That destructive power... seems to be some kind of extremely strong true meaning?" "To have such combat power at the late Foundation Establishment stage, if we could recruit him..." "Hmph, don't forget, he rejected recruitment offers from all forces. Such a temperament may be difficult to control."

Finally, after dozens of battles, Lin Xuan stood on the final stage without any doubt.

His opponent was an elite disciple from the "War God Temple" named Lei Gang, whose cultivation was at the Great Perfection of Foundation Establishment, just one step away from attempting to condense the Golden Core! He was tall, with a resolute face, surrounded by lightning, and his aura was violent and domineering. He was the undisputed favorite to win the championship in this competition.

"Lin Xuan?" Lei Gang's voice boomed like a bell, his eyes sharp as lightning, carrying the warlike confidence unique to the Temple of War. "Your strength is not bad, you are qualified to be my opponent! However, this ends here! I will show you what true power is!"

Lin Xuan remained calm, simply uttering a single word: "Please."

Lei Gang roared and said no more. He slammed his hands together, and lightning flashed all around him, transforming into a lifelike, ferocious thunder dragon with scaly claws. It roared and tore through the air, carrying a destructive aura as it pounced towards Lin Xuan! This was his signature move—Thunder Dragon Slaying Strike!

The power of this strike had already faintly touched the threshold of the Golden Core stage, causing countless people in the spectator stands to change color!

Faced with this terrifying attack that could severely injure or even kill an ordinary Foundation Establishment Grand Perfection cultivator, Lin Xuan finally... made a move.

He stepped forward and took the first step.

At the same time, with fingers pointing like a sword, gently slash forward.

A jet-black sword aura, condensed to its extreme and seemingly capable of swallowing even light, appeared silently and met the roaring thunder dragon.

There was no sound, no explosion.

Before everyone's incredulous eyes, the terrifying thunder dragon, upon contact with the pitch-black sword energy, was as if thrown into the Land of Ruins, annihilated inch by inch from head to tail, turning into the finest lightning particles and dissipating into nothingness!

The sword energy continued its momentum, and in Lei Gang's terrified eyes, it swept across the top of his head, severing his golden crown and several strands of hair at the root!

Strands of hair fell down, and Lei Gang stood frozen in place, his face ashen, cold sweat pouring down his forehead. In that instant, he had truly felt the approach of death!

The entire venue was deathly silent.

Lin Xuan withdrew his finger, not even glancing at the distraught Lei Gang, and turned his gaze to the referee.

The referee jumped, then hurriedly announced in a loud voice, his voice trembling slightly: "The winner of the finals... Lin... Lin Xuan! Congratulations to Fellow Daoist Lin Xuan for winning the championship of this Foundation Establishment stage arena competition, and for receiving the reward—ten drops of Star Essence Liquid!"

At this moment, countless eyes, both inside and outside the Starfall Arena, were focused on the figure in the green robe.

The name of Lin Xuan, the Black-Robed God of Slaughter, along with his ruthless and merciless style and terrifying destructive power, resounded throughout Chenxi Ancient City!