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

Lin Xuan did not descend directly to Kunwu Star.

Like a wanderer in the starry sky, he lingered in the void beyond Kunwu Star, with the enormous, life-bearing star shrouded in pale blue spiritual energy beneath his feet, and the deep universe dotted with countless points of light in the distance. He chose a meteorite, only a hundred miles in diameter, floating on the edge of Kunwu Star's gravity, as his temporary foothold.

This move carries profound meaning. A direct arrival would declare sovereignty, but could also be seen as an invasion, unnecessarily increasing conflict. Remaining outside the territory is a stance—a detached, observer's stance. He is waiting, waiting for the reaction of the land's inhabitants, and also waiting to see what choice those forces disturbed by his divine will will make.

He sat cross-legged on the meteorite, eyes closed, meditating to consolidate his Nine-Turn Golden Core cultivation. His aura subtly blended with the vast starry sky, as if he were an integral part of this cosmic landscape. Yet, the invisible majesty emanating from him, like that of a celestial ruler, made his presence impossible to ignore by anyone capable of sensing it.

Sure enough, he didn't have to wait long.

First, several streaks of light flew out from the direction of Kunwu Star. The light subsided, revealing five figures. The leader was an elderly man with a refined face, wearing a blue Daoist robe and a jade crown. His aura was profound, clearly indicating that he was a late-stage Golden Core cultivator. Behind him were four people, three men and one woman, all with cultivation levels between the early and middle stages of the Golden Core realm. Their clothing varied, clearly indicating that they belonged to different sects and forces on Kunwu Star.

These five individuals were chosen by the top sects of Kunwu Star to investigate Lin Xuan's true strength after sensing his undisguised and immense aura. Their faces showed obvious awe and tension, and they stopped a hundred miles away from Lin Xuan in the void, daring not to approach further.

The old man in the green robe took a deep breath and bowed respectfully from afar. His voice, enveloped in magical power, came through clearly: "This junior, Xuan Cheng, an elder of the Qingyun Sect of Kunwu Star, along with four fellow cultivators from the Kunwu Cultivation Alliance, pays our respects to Senior. May we ask what brings you to Kunwu Star? If there is anything we can do, we will do our utmost to serve you."

They adopted an extremely humble posture and spoke with utmost respect. Facing an existence whose divine sense could cover three star regions and whose aura was unfathomable, they had no choice but to be cautious.

Lin Xuan did not open his eyes, but spoke calmly, his voice seemingly resounding directly in the souls of the five people: "I wish to reside temporarily on this star, to find a place to establish a Daoist temple, and not to disturb your worldly affairs."

The words were simple, yet carried an undeniable authority.

Upon hearing this, Xuan Chengzi and the other four were all taken aback. Temporary residence? Establishment of a Daoist temple? It sounded easy, but with this man's abilities, if he were to establish a Daoist temple, the existing power structure of Kunwu Star would be completely overturned! But did they dare to refuse?

Just as Xuan Chengzi was carefully considering his words, preparing to express his welcome tactfully and probe for his specific intentions—

"Buzz!"

A distinct aura, different from the Kunwu Star's spiritual energy system, carrying a cold metallic texture and spatial fluctuations, suddenly emanated from the depths of the distant starry sky.

The next moment, the void a thousand miles in front of Lin Xuan rippled like water. A silver light gate suddenly opened, its edges flashing with runes, stabilizing the spatial passage. Immediately afterward, a magnificent starship, about a hundred feet long, forged entirely from dark silver metal, shaped like a spear, and with the ancient seal characters "Tian Shu" engraved on its prow, slowly sailed out.

The surface of the Starship shimmered with light and emitted powerful energy shield fluctuations. Its level of technology and craftsmanship far surpassed that of the ancient flying artifacts of Kunwu Star.

The starship came to a stop, and the hatch slid open silently. The first to emerge were two rows of sixteen cultivators, dressed in standard silver armor, their faces expressionless. Each of these cultivators exuded a powerful aura, their cultivation levels uniformly at the peak of the Foundation Establishment stage. Their movements were synchronized, their eyes sharp as eagles—clearly well-trained soldiers.

Then, a young man dressed in brocade robes, with an arrogant face and an innate sense of superiority in his eyes, slowly walked out. A jade pendant engraved with a war fortress pattern hung at his waist, indicating his status as a formal member of the Tian Shu Sect. His cultivation level was clearly at the mid-stage of the Golden Core realm, but his aura was slightly exaggerated, obviously achieved through the accumulation of vast resources, and his foundation was far less solid than that of his peers on Kunwu Star.

The man's gaze first swept over the five people, including Xuan Chengzi, who looked on high alert in the distance, a hint of undisguised disdain playing on his lips. Then, his gaze fell on Lin Xuan, who was sitting cross-legged on the meteorite.

When he sensed Lin Xuan's seemingly peaceful yet profoundly deep aura, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by his inherent arrogance. In his view, in the Xuan Tian Star Domain, the Tian Shu Sect was heaven itself, was the law! No cultivator, no matter how strong, could surpass the will of the Tian Shu Sect.

He cleared his throat, and instead of bowing like Xuan Chengzi, he merely raised his chin slightly, his voice carrying a deliberately crafted air of authority, and said in a clear voice:

"I am Zhao Gan, an officer of the External Affairs Hall of the Tian Shu Sect. I am here by order of the Sect Master to patrol the star field and recruit talented individuals." His gaze locked onto Lin Xuan. "Your cultivation is extraordinary, capable of arousing the fluctuations of divine sense in the star field, which shows that you are also a hero. Our Tian Shu Sect is eager for talent, so we are granting you an opportunity to enter our outer sect, starting as a guest elder. If you make meritorious contributions in the future, you may be able to advance to the inner sect and be taught the supreme Dao."

His words were spoken as if it were a charity, as if allowing Lin Xuan to join the outer sect of the Tian Shu Sect was some immense favor. The sixteen warriors remained expressionless, but the indifference in their eyes was exactly the same as Zhao Gan's. The five people, including Xuan Chengzi, in the distance, immediately turned extremely ugly. They cursed the Tian Shu Sect envoy in their hearts for being foolish and arrogant, daring to speak to this unfathomable senior in such a way, but intimidated by the power of the Tian Shu Sect, they dared not speak their anger.

Lin Xuan finally slowly opened his eyes.

He didn't look at Zhao Gan, but instead cast his gaze into the endless depths of the starry sky, as if admiring the magnificent spectacle of stars rising and falling. His eyes were calm and profound, like the unchanging starry sky, without the slightest ripple.

However, at the very moment he opened his eyes—

"boom!"

An indescribable, terrifying pressure, like the weight of the entire universe, suddenly descended and precisely enveloped Zhao Gan!

That wasn't a magical impact, nor a soul attack, but an absolute, instinctive crushing of a lower life form by a higher life form! It was the invisible aura containing a trace of the true meaning of "Dao" that Lin Xuan possessed after achieving the Nine Revolutions Golden Core!

Zhao Gan's arrogance froze instantly, replaced by utter fear and disbelief. He felt as if he had become a tiny insect, being stared at by a blazing star! His magical power instantly solidified, like a frozen river, impossible to mobilize even a fraction. His magnificent brocade robe offered him no sense of security, and the jade token representing his identity as a member of the Tian Shu Sect now seemed utterly ridiculous.

He tried to open his mouth, to shout, to beg for mercy, but he couldn't utter a single sound. His eyes bulged out, bloodshot, and his body trembled violently uncontrollably.

"puff--"

A soft yet chilling cracking sound rang out from his dantian.

The next moment, Zhao Gan's aura rapidly deteriorated like a punctured balloon, his face instantly turning deathly pale, and he vomited a mouthful of blood mixed with fragments of internal organs. He collapsed limply onto the deck of the starship, as if his bones had been removed, his eyes unfocused, filled with despair and deathly stillness.

His golden core shattered.

It was crushed from a distance by the supreme pressure contained in Lin Xuan's mere glance!

silence.

A deathly silence.

The sixteen Heavenly Pivot Sect warriors on the star raft, who had previously been indifferent, were now deathly pale, their pupils constricted, and their hands gripping their magical weapons trembled slightly. Their gazes towards Lin Xuan were filled with boundless fear, as if they were looking up at an ancient demon god.

The five people, including Xuan Chengzi, were utterly terrified, their bodies turning ice-cold. They knew this senior was strong, but they never imagined he was this incredibly powerful! A single glance shattered the golden core of a mid-stage Golden Core cultivator from afar! What kind of divine power was this? What kind of might? Even a Nascent Soul ancestor might not be able to achieve such effortless ease!

Lin Xuan's gaze then returned from the depths of the starry sky, sweeping lightly over the Tian Shu Sect's starship and the limp Zhao Gan.

"Tian Shu Sect?" he said softly, his tone calm, yet carrying a chill that seemed to freeze the stars. "Even if your sect leader were here in person, he wouldn't dare speak to me like this."

"roll."

A single word uttered is like a decree of the Great Dao.

The sturdy starship shuddered violently, as if the surrounding void itself was repelling it. The sixteen soldiers, relieved as if granted a reprieve, dared not hesitate for a moment, hastily lifting the unconscious Zhao Gan and rushing back into the starship. The runes on the starship's surface flashed wildly, its power at full throttle, as it practically fled for its life, rushing through the silver portal from which it had come. The portal immediately closed and vanished, as if it had never existed.

In the void, only that lonely meteorite remained, and sitting cross-legged on it was Lin Xuan, with black hair, black eyes, and a handsome face as before.

He closed his eyes again, as if he had just casually brushed away a speck of dust.

However, this time, when Xuan Chengzi and the other four looked at him again, their eyes had completely changed. It was no longer simple awe, but a mixture of boundless fear and an indescribable fanaticism.

They knew that the heavens of Kunwu Star were about to change.

The name "God of Slaughter" will surely spread like wildfire throughout the entire Xuan Tian Star Domain following today's events.