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

Lin Xuan established his authority with an iron fist, annihilating the Seven Kill Demon Sect with thunderous methods. His fearsome reputation, like a biting winter wind, instantly froze the greedy hearts of most of the small and medium-sized forces in the allied forces.

Panic spread, desertion broke out everywhere, and the once mighty allied forces visibly thinned out, with morale plummeting to rock bottom.

The three Nascent Soul stage masters were furious and killed dozens of deserter leaders. They used bloody methods to forcefully suppress the enemy and barely managed to stabilize the core team.

However, the size of the allied forces has shrunk considerably. More importantly, an invisible fear and suspicion, like a poisonous vine, entwines the hearts of every surviving cultivator.

Everyone understood that Lin Xuan, the "Rebellious Immortal of All Heavens," was no ordinary person. His unpredictable ability to make his words law and his ruthless decisiveness were enough to make any Nascent Soul cultivator feel despair.

The battles to come are destined to be brutal, and no one can guarantee that they will live to see the Celestial Court's rewards.

Just when the morale of the allied forces was low and everyone was on edge, Lin Xuan's next move was not the bloody raid that everyone had expected, but a different kind of attack that was even more bizarre and aimed directly at people's hearts.

On this day, the main fleet of the allied forces was carefully adjusting its formation in a relatively open star field, on guard against Lin Xuan's surprise attack.

Suddenly, a peaceful yet supremely majestic Daoist voice, seemingly born from the void, disregarded the warship's protective array and resounded clearly within the consciousness of every allied cultivator:

"I am Lin Xuan, the ruler of reincarnation."

His voice was indifferent, without the slightest hint of killing intent, yet it sent shockwaves through the minds of all the cultivators who heard it!

"Allied cultivators, you have been misled by the Celestial Court, raised an unjust army, and invaded our Netherworld. Your crimes are unforgivable. You shall be annihilated and never be reincarnated."

His words were like a cold judgment, turning countless cultivators pale and filling them with despair. After repeated setbacks, they had no doubt that Lin Xuan possessed the ability to "annihilate their souls."

However, Dao Yin immediately changed his tone:

"However, Heaven has the virtue of cherishing life, and there is still a glimmer of hope for reincarnation."

"I established the Underworld not for slaughter, but to give all living beings a place to belong and to establish an order of good and evil."

"Today, I grant you a glimmer of hope—"

"From this moment forward, any cultivator in the allied forces who lays down their weapons, leaves the allied forces, and departs on their own will be spared by me, and I will forgive and forget past grievances."

"Those who die in battle, regardless of their good or evil deeds in life, as long as they were not extremely wicked, their souls will be received by the underworld, cleansed by the Yellow Springs, and judged for their merits and demerits. If they meet the standards, they can be given priority to be enrolled in the celestial realm, enjoy blessings, attain purity, and lay an unparalleled foundation for their cultivation in the next life!"

"These words are witnessed by Heaven and Earth, and testified to by the cycle of reincarnation!"

The Daoist voice faded, and the starry sky fell silent.

But within the coalition forces, a psychological tsunami, far more intense than the previous panic, instantly erupted!

"The...the Path of the Celestials?!" "After death...can one enter the Path of the Celestials?!" "Is what he said...true?"

Countless cultivators, especially those at the lower levels of Golden Core and Foundation Establishment, and even many Nascent Soul elders, were stunned by this sudden "promise".

The path of cultivation is fraught with difficulties and dangers, a struggle against fate! Only one in ten thousand can ultimately attain immortality and ascend to the celestial realm! The ultimate fate of the vast majority of cultivators is simply the exhaustion of their lifespan, their physical body and their Dao dissipating. Those who are lucky enough to retain a trace of their true spirit and reincarnate may not know whether they can embark on the path of immortality again in their next life. Most of them simply vanish completely into the world or become lonely ghosts.

The Celestial Path is a legendary land of blessings second only to the Immortal Realm! Those born into the Celestial Path are naturally endowed with long lifespans, pure bones and roots, and their cultivation is twice as effective with half the effort. It is the reincarnation destination that countless cultivators dream of!

Now, Lin Xuan is actually promising that as long as one dies in battle (or even just leaves now), there will be a chance to enter the Heavenly Path?!

This is simply... simply opening a back door to a bright future for these cultivators who are destined for a difficult path!

"He...he controls reincarnation, perhaps...he really can do it?" a cultivator murmured, his eyes flickering. "The rewards from the Celestial Court are illusory; even if we win, it might not be our turn. But the Path of Heaven and Man...that's a real destination!" another whispered to his companion, his voice wavering. "We cultivate, seeking nothing more than longevity and freedom. If we can truly enter the Path of Heaven and Man after death, starting anew, it might not be a path to heaven!" an elderly Nascent Soul elder stroked his beard and sighed, his Dao heart in turmoil.

Panic began to take a different form. It was no longer just fear of Lin Xuan's power, but also mixed with a yearning for "future destiny" and... a choice!

Compared to the unattainable rewards from the Celestial Court, this tangible "guarantee of reincarnation" is far more attractive to these cultivators struggling on their path of cultivation!

"Damn it! Don't listen to this scoundrel's lies!" On the Immortal Slayer, the howling moon wolf's furious roar echoed throughout the fleet through the magic array. "Reincarnation is the authority of the Celestial Court. What right does a rebellious immortal have to judge reincarnation? This is a trick to undermine morale! Anyone who dares to retreat will be killed without mercy!"

The Ancestor Xuanming also transmitted his voice coldly: "How can the Netherworld and the Evil Realm represent the orthodox cycle of reincarnation? Death and the dissipation of your Dao, your souls scattered and your spirits dispersed, that is your destiny! Guard your minds and follow me to kill the enemy, and the rewards of the Celestial Court will be right before your eyes!"

The Arhat of the Golden Pool chanted Buddhist mantras, his voice seductive: "This is a demon's art of bewitching the mind! Only by taking refuge in the Buddha and upholding the Vajra mind can you avoid being invaded by external demons! Subdue demons and protect the righteous path, and after death you will surely be reborn in the Western Paradise!"

The three Nascent Soul cultivators exerted their utmost efforts to suppress the unrest and stabilize morale.

However, Lin Xuan's words of "psychological manipulation" were like the sharpest dagger, deeply piercing the most vulnerable and desired corner of the allied cultivators' hearts.

Once a crack in trust is formed, it is difficult to mend.

That night, a small fleet patrolling the outer perimeter of the allied forces, consisting of thirteen warships and nearly ten thousand cultivators, with the tacit approval of the Nascent Soul elder in charge, collectively shut down communications, changed direction, and quietly broke away from the main force of the allied forces, disappearing into the depths of space... They chose to believe in Lin Xuan's "sliver of hope."

Then, similar incidents began to occur sporadically but continuously. Sometimes entire squads fled, and sometimes individual cultivators deserted during patrols or breaks in battle.

Even more alarming was the growing sense of passivity and apathy within the allied forces. Many cultivators became hesitant and timid during subsequent small-scale engagements or reconnaissance missions, putting in minimal effort and retreating at the slightest sign of trouble in the Netherworld, refusing to engage in prolonged combat. Deep down, they may have come to view death as a potential opportunity, rather than pure fear. After all, if they could die in battle and successfully enter the "Celestial Path," it seemed... not a bad deal?

Despite the allied high command's best efforts to suppress the unrest and the execution of several groups of deserters and those who were passively resisting, the effect was minimal. The complex emotions woven from fear and temptation, like a plague, were impossible to eradicate. The overall combat effectiveness and cohesion of the allied forces suffered a devastating blow.

The three Nascent Soul stage masters were both shocked and furious, yet helpless. They could kill deserters, but they could not extinguish the fear and desire in everyone's heart.

At that moment, Lin Xuan's indifferent yet domineering Dao voice struck the hearts of every allied cultivator like a heavy hammer, and also resounded in the ears of all the heavenly forces that were watching this battle:

"Those who obey me will be blessed with reincarnation and may attain the Great Dao in their next life!" "Those who defy me will be annihilated, body and soul, their true spirits forever lost to nothingness!" "The choice is yours...!"

Winning hearts and minds is the best strategy; it's about subduing the enemy without fighting!

Lin Xuan did not use a single soldier, but with just a few words, he almost destroyed the morale and fighting spirit of most of the allied forces! He turned the benefits of reincarnation into the sharpest weapon, directly targeting the fear of death and the desire for blessings in the afterlife in the depths of people's hearts!

Throughout the myriad realms, countless powerful beings secretly observing were all awestruck. This young man was not only incredibly strong and decisive in his killings, but also possessed a profound understanding of human nature and unpredictable methods! This "Rebellious Immortal of the Heavens" was far more troublesome than they had imagined!

The allied forces are on the verge of collapse!