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

Time flies, and more than a month has passed since Lin Xuan returned from the Netherworld and began his secluded cultivation in the Northern Foothills Herb Garden.

The herb garden remained remote and sparsely populated with spiritual energy, seemingly forgotten by the sect in a corner. But within the stone house, Lin Xuan's aura, refined and tempered over the past month, had become increasingly profound and restrained, like a dragon lurking in the abyss. His cultivation at the peak of the sixth level of Qi Refining was as solid as a mountain, his spiritual power surging and flowing within his dantian, just one opportune moment away from breaking through the barrier and entering the seventh level. Furthermore, his powerful divine sense, which had surged due to devouring soul fire and the essence of death, comparable to the early stages of Foundation Establishment, had been honed to perfection. With a thought, he could perceive everything within a radius of over three hundred meters—the chirping of insects, the scurrying of ants, the rustling of grass, even the most subtle flow of spiritual energy—as if observing the lines on his palm. His control over his own spiritual power had reached a state of perfection; with the slightest thought, his spiritual power could react with exquisite precision.

On this day, before dawn, while the herb garden was still shrouded in the last darkness before daybreak, a melodious yet menacing bell toll suddenly shattered the tranquility of the outer peaks of the Qingyun Sect!

"Thump! Thump! Thump!"

The bell tolled rapidly, its sound different from the solemn summons during the disciple selection process, now carrying a sense of urgency and excitement, like the beating of war drums, inspiring the disciples to fight.

"The Outer Sect Grand Competition begins immediately! All outer sect disciples, assemble at the central training ground immediately! No delays are permitted!"

A loud and authoritative voice echoed in every corner, reverberating across every mountain peak, every cave, and even in remote places like the medicinal garden on the northern slope.

The Outer Sect Grand Competition, held every three years! It is the most important event for the outer sect disciples of the Qingyun Sect, without exception! It not only concerns the resource allocation and sect status for the next three years, but is also the most crucial path for countless outer sect disciples to leap over the dragon gate and enter the inner sect for cultivation!

Rumor has it that those who perform exceptionally well in each competition may even be noticed by a Golden Core elder in the clouds and directly accepted as a disciple, which would be a meteoric rise to the top with a limitless future!

In an instant, the entire outer gate area erupted into a frenzy, like water boiling in a cauldron! Countless sword lights and streaks of light of various colors rose up from every peak and corner, the sound of air being torn apart incessant, surging towards the central martial arts arena located in the core area of ​​the outer gate like rivers flowing into the sea. A restless, tense, and eager atmosphere filled the air.

Lin Xuan slowly walked out of the simple stone house, still wearing the plain blue robe that had been washed until it was slightly faded. His aura was cleverly suppressed to around the fourth level of Qi Refining, making him inconspicuous in the crowd. He looked up at the direction where the escape lights were most concentrated and the noise was most intense, his gaze calm and unwavering, his deep eyes revealing neither tension nor excitement.

In his heart, participating in this outer sect competition was of little significance. With his current strength and vision, competing with these outer sect disciples who were still struggling in the mid-stage of Qi Refining was like a strong man playing with an infant—a complete waste of time. However, a few days ago, Master Mo Yuan had sent a brief telepathic message: "The competition is necessary. It can hone your skills, observe the strengths and weaknesses of others, and examine your own shortcomings."

He would obey his master's orders. Moreover, he thought that he could take this opportunity to see the overall level of the outer sect of Qingyun Sect and witness the skills of the so-called genius disciples. Perhaps he could also get a glimpse of the inner sect or even the core disciples, which might be beneficial to his future actions within the sect.

He did not ride the escape light, but still used the wind control technique that had reached its peak. His figure was as elusive as smoke. He seemed to be moving slowly, but his speed was not slow at all. As if taking a leisurely stroll, he headed towards the noisy core area.

The central training ground was far more magnificent than the plaza used for selecting disciples. The entire ground was paved with massive white marble, smooth as a mirror, and could easily accommodate tens of thousands of people. Surrounding it were tiered viewing platforms, like flower petals, which were already teeming with people. In addition to most of the outer disciples, there were also many inner disciples who had come to watch the battle, and even some senior disciples who had been in seclusion for many years had shown up.

At the very top of the platform sat several figures with auras as deep as the sea; all were sect elders. Mo Yuan was among them, and he was speaking in hushed tones with an elder beside him whose hair was as red as fire and whose temper seemed rather volatile. More Foundation Establishment stage deacons were scattered throughout the arena like javelins, their sharp eyes scanning the entire area to maintain order.

In the arena, thousands of outer sect disciples stood in rows according to their respective peaks or administrative areas, each with sharp eyes and concealed spiritual energy, like swords about to be drawn. Their gazes met, filled with scrutiny, apprehension, and undisguised fighting spirit; the air was thick with tension, almost ready to ignite at any moment.

Lin Xuan's arrival was like a drop of water flowing into a river, causing little ripple. He silently walked to the end of the line representing the "idle areas" (including disciples in remote positions such as herb gardens, mines, and library pavilions), stood with his head bowed, minimizing his presence, as if he were just there to watch the show.

However, some curious or inquisitive glances still fell on him, accompanied by murmurs of discussion.

"Hey? Look over there, isn't that Lin Xuan from the North Mountain Medicinal Garden? He's actually here for the competition too?" "Which Lin Xuan? Oh... I remember now, he's the one who caused quite a stir when he entered the sect and was exceptionally accepted as a disciple by Elder Mo? I heard he was later assigned to guard the most remote North Mountain Medicinal Garden, and I thought he had faded into obscurity."

"Judging from his aura, he seems to be only at the fourth level of Qi Refining? He dares to participate in the competition with such a low cultivation level? He'll probably be eliminated in the first round of the free-for-all."

"Hehe, who knows? Maybe Elder Mo sent him here just to go through the motions and get a feel for the situation, so he won't embarrass the sect later."

Though the whispers were faint, Lin Xuan's powerful divine sense picked them up without missing a single one. His expression remained unchanged, he paid them no heed, and his heart was utterly unmoved. Falling out of favor? Criticism? These were precisely the pretense he desired. To remain low-key, to blend into the crowd, would make his actions much easier.

Soon, a Golden Core elder dressed in purple robes with a solemn face flew over the martial arts arena. His gaze swept over the dark mass of people below, and his voice, like a booming bell, clearly reached the ears of every disciple, announcing the rules of the competition.

The competition consists of two rounds. The first round is a free-for-all elimination tournament! All participating disciples will enter the "Illusory Battle Realm," constructed using the sect's magical artifacts. The realm simulates an ancient, desolate mountain forest environment, randomly containing various levels of phantom monsters and battle phantoms simulating opposing disciples. Defeating them will earn corresponding points. Disciples can also attack each other; the loser's points are halved, and they are immediately teleported out of the competition. Ultimately, only the top 500 disciples will advance to the second round.

The second round is the arena ranking battle! The five hundred disciples who advanced will draw lots to determine their opponents and engage in one-on-one arena duels. The winners will advance and the losers will be eliminated until the final rankings are determined.

After announcing the rules, the purple-robed elder said no more and suddenly waved his sleeve, injecting a surge of powerful spiritual energy into the core of the formation in the center of the training ground.

"Buzz—!"

A colossal portal, radiating intense spatial fluctuations, slowly condensed and opened in the center of the arena! Beyond the portal lay a misty, ancient, and deadly forest landscape—the very same Illusionary Battle Realm!

"The Qingyun Sect Outer Disciples Grand Competition now begins! All disciples, enter the secret realm!"

With a command given, thousands of outer disciples, who had been unable to contain themselves any longer, burst forth like a floodgate being opened, unleashing a deafening roar as they surged forward, transforming into streaks of light and charging into the gate of light! The scene was incredibly spectacular.

Lin Xuan followed at the back of the surging crowd, still unhurried, like a lone boat going against the current, stepping into the gate of light amidst countless impatient figures.

The scene before him suddenly changed, and he found himself in a vibrant yet perilous primeval jungle. Towering ancient trees blocked out the sun, and thick vines coiled and hung down like pythons. The air was filled with the pungent smell of earth and a faint demonic aura. In the distance, the low roars of demonic beasts, the violent booms of spells, and the angry shouts or mournful screams of his disciples could be heard continuously.

Lin Xuan's powerful divine sense instantly spread out like mercury, reflecting every detail of the situation within a radius of over three hundred feet in his "mind lake." He could "see" dozens of disciples fighting fiercely against ferocious wolf-shaped demonic shadows and agile leopard-shaped demonic shadows;

You can "see" people ambushing each other, teaming up and betraying each other in an instant to fight for a glittering token that floats in mid-air and represents points; you can "see" people full of vigor, their swords flashing, cutting down powerful enemies one after another, the numbers on the scoring jade token at their waist jumping rapidly.

You can also "see" someone accidentally caught in the siege of demonic beasts and enemy disciples, their protective spiritual power shattered, and they are teleported away by the rules of the secret realm with resentment and despair...

The law of the jungle, where the strong prey on the weak and the fittest survive, is vividly demonstrated in this fantastical battle realm.

Lin Xuan didn't rush to gain points. He moved subtly, silently gliding onto the canopy of an extremely tall, lush ancient tree, finding a natural hiding place formed by intertwined branches, perfectly blending his aura into the surrounding environment. Even if disciples hurriedly passed by under the tree, or scanned him with their divine sense, it would be extremely difficult for them to detect his presence.

He remained quietly hidden, like a detached observer, using his divine sense as his eyes to coldly scrutinize the madness and slaughter that belonged to the outer disciples.

During this time, several disciples accidentally discovered his hiding place. Some thought he was easy to bully because he was alone and easy to gain points; others simply wanted to eliminate potential competitors; still others were angered by his "hiding" behavior and attacked him.

However, the result was as expected.

Facing these disciples who were at most at the fifth level of Qi Refining, whose spells and combat skills were full of flaws in his eyes, Lin Xuan didn't even bother to use the Star Finger.

He casually flicked out a few extremely refined and silent spiritual energy finger strikes, or used his mysterious and unpredictable movement technique, incorporating the concept of Star Step, to easily evade all attacks within a small space. Then, with a casual strike, he precisely hit the weak point of the opponent's protective spiritual energy, "sending" them out of the secret realm. The entire process was effortless and smooth, without even the slightest disturbance to his green robe.

His points also increased slowly and steadily through this passive yet efficient "counterattack." He deliberately controlled the pace, keeping his points hovering around the edge of the advancement line (500th place), just enough to ensure his advancement, but without attracting any attention.

He was like a director hidden behind the scenes, calmly observing the various characters on stage. Under his divine sense, he could clearly see which disciples had solid foundations and abundant spiritual power, which disciples had exquisite and ingenious magic, which disciples were ruthless and good at enduring hardship, and which disciples were outwardly strong but inwardly weak and vulnerable.

He even noticed several disciples whose auras were exceptionally strong, standing out like cranes among chickens in the melee.

A young man with an ancient longsword on his back and a cold, icy face, whose swordsmanship is fast, accurate, and ruthless, often defeats his opponent in the blink of an eye. His points have soared and he is one of the biggest favorites to win the championship in this competition. His name is Leng Feng.

A seemingly elegant young man, holding a white jade folding fan and dressed in brocade robes, is actually quite unpredictable in his spells. He often sets traps while chatting and laughing, manipulating his opponents with ease. His score is also close behind. His name is Liu Bai.

There was also a burly man with an unusually large build, muscles bulging like rocks, resembling a humanoid bear. His fighting style was wild and direct, relying purely on his unparalleled physical strength and violent spiritual power to charge around recklessly, invincible and awe-inspiring. He was named Shi Bao.

These individuals had all reached the seventh level of Qi Refining, making them the undisputed top figures in the outer sect and considered the most promising candidates to enter the inner sect.

"His skills are decent, and his foundation is solid enough to be considered outstanding among the outer sects. But... that's all." Lin Xuan commented inwardly. With his current perspective and strength, the attacks of these so-called geniuses had clear trajectories, and the sluggishness and flaws in their spiritual energy circulation were obvious to him, still appearing immature.

Time flew by amidst the fierce battle, and the number of disciples in the secret realm was rapidly decreasing.

When only five hundred people remained in the secret realm, a vast and irresistible force of rules descended, enveloping all the survivors.

The light and shadow shifted again, and Lin Xuan's figure reappeared in the central martial arts arena, still positioned towards the back, inconspicuous. His expression was calm, his breathing steady, and his green robe was neat, as if the chaotic battle in the secret realm just now was merely a casual stroll for him. The number displayed on the scoring jade talisman at his waist was exactly "498," narrowly missing the advancement threshold.

This ranking undoubtedly reaffirmed the onlookers' opinion that he "relyed entirely on luck" and "barely managed to get by." Almost no one regarded him as a worthy opponent; most looked at him with pity or mockery.

On the high platform, Elder Mo Yuan's gaze seemed to sweep unintentionally in the direction of Lin Xuan, a barely perceptible smile of satisfaction flashing in his eyes before returning to its usual calm and expressionless state.

Meanwhile, the most anticipated contenders for the championship, such as Leng Feng, Liu Bai, and Shi Bao, were surrounded and flattered by numerous disciples. Their gazes swept over potential competitors, but never lingered on the "lucky one" ranked 498th.

Lin Xuan paid no attention to this, standing alone at the edge of the crowd, his eyelids slightly lowered, like an old monk in meditation, waiting for the next round to begin.

A dark horse? He never intended to be some kind of overnight sensation. He only needed to demonstrate absolute power, enough to silence all doubts and disdain, when necessary.

The second round, a real, hard-fought arena battle, is about to begin. For Lin Xuan, this competition has perhaps only just begun to pique his barely significant interest.