After finally opening a portal and pushing a still-boasting Xu Que through it, Shi Jian let out a sigh of relief.

"Finally, he's gone," Shi Jian muttered, rubbing his temples. That member of the 'Exploding Heavens Faction' was a handful, a vortex of non-stop boasting and scheming.

He shook his head, a slight smile on his face. Now, for the main event.

Shi Jian began to seriously try out the chat group's new function.

"Projections of the Heavens."

Shi Jian eagerly opened the system function. His consciousness was instantly pulled from the vast desert of the Perfect World.

He appeared in an endless, dark, void-like space.

In front of him, a massive, ancient stone arena floated silently, like a sacrificial altar from the beginning of time.

[Do you wish to participate in a matched battle?]

A cold, mechanical voice echoed in his mind.

Shi Jian looked at this message and chose to participate without hesitation.

A boundless holy light suddenly erupted in front of him, solidifying into several lifelike projections, like statues in a grand hall of heroes.

Several information panels appeared before him.

[Emperor Ye Tian]

[Cultivation: Sixth Life (Red Dust Immortal Path)]

[Possible Drops: Heavenly Emperor Cauldron (Fragment), Dragon-Pattern Black Gold (Trace), Nine Secrets (Random Insight), Major Achievement Saint Body Essence Blood (One Drop)]

[Inorin's Note: 'Emperor Ye Tian' (Ye Tiandi) is the title of Ye Fan, the protagonist of Shrouding the Heavens (Zhe Tian). 'Sixth Life' refers to his state after his 6th reincarnation, on the verge of becoming a 'Mortal World Immortal'.]

[Ji Ning]

[Cultivation: World God (Single-Step)]

[Possible Drops: [Starseizing Hand] (Insight), [Sword Dao of Tracelessness] (Insight), Karmic Lotus Seed...]

[Chen Qingfeng]

[Cultivation: ...]

[Drops: ...]

A series of figures appeared before his eyes.

A clear look of surprise appeared on Shi Jian's face.

Among these challengeable figures, some he knew, some he didn't.

Unexpectedly... among these people, there was even Ye Fan?

And looking at this projection, it was Ye Fan from the original timeline, at one of his most powerful moments.

"Then this 'Projections of the Heavens' function is interesting," Shi Jian mused. "It can not only cross the heavens... but also cross different timelines."

With a burning curiosity in his heart, Shi Jian chose Ye Fan's projection.

The arena in front of him continuously expanded. The dark void dissolved, instantly evolving into a vast, desolate world under a starry sky.

A figure in his twenties, with thick black hair, a powerful and imposing physique, appeared before Shi Jian. He seemed to be naturally looking down at the vast world, his presence alone warping the space around him.

An unimaginable, terrifying aura rushed towards Shi Jian.

"Ye Fan?"

Shi Jian looked at this figure, his gaze becoming slightly solemn.

This aura... it was terrifying.

Ye Fan's cultivation in this body had now lived out his sixth life. He was only one step away from true Immortal Ascension in the Mortal World.

His battle intent was terrifying beyond imagination. He was, at this moment, similarly invincible beneath a true Immortal.

Ye Fan stared coldly at Shi Jian. This was a projection, without sentience, but it possessed a terrifying combat instinct.

An aura of an invincible warrior, one who had crushed all enemies, emanated from him.

Without needing words, Ye Fan's aura—an aura honed from dominating the world for tens of thousands of years and reigning supreme among mortals—rushed forth.

His gaze was cold, causing a chill to rise in one's heart.

In an instant, Ye Fan made his move.

His entire body glowed with a blinding golden light, illuminating hundreds of millions of miles. He was as dazzling as if cast from divine gold, his golden Qi and blood flowing out like a roaring river, shaking the virtual world.

The entire virtual space and the newly formed world vibrated with a deafening roar.

He was like a Heavenly God, looking down at the vast earth, possessing supreme grace and power.

With one strike, he unleashed myriad killing lights. His hand, infused with the 'Dou' (Fight) secret, swiped forward, and endless sword qi spread out like mercury, incredibly sharp!

"Good!"

In battle with Emperor Ye Tian, Shi Jian's own battle intent was also boiling.

Innumerable motes of holy light condensed around his palm, forming the Hand of God, which began to vibrate at a high frequency.

The Blood of God between Shi Jian's eyebrows transformed into a divine flame, circulating through his meridians and emanating from his pores.

The void around his fist was burned into collapse.

In the depths of that collapsed void, a single, pure divine light appeared.

The Hand of God, turning clouds and stirring rain, shattering eternity, bringing light to the long night!

Wherever Shi Jian's palm passed, the void disappeared, and the world tilted.

The two attacks crashed into each other.

BOOM!

Countless forces splashed out, golden light and holy light exploding like millions of suns and rainbows.

The entire virtual world shook, and the universe seemed to be destroyed.

After one strike, the aura of both men reached their absolute peak.

Shi Jian pushed with all his might, and faintly, a Supreme Dominator phantom appeared deep within his palm, controlling the gods, engraving myths, like the creator of time's origin and history, the opener of the universe.

Ye Fan stood proudly, surveying the world, looking down at the vast earth, his grace supreme and untouchable.

The two struck again, instantly erupting with hundreds of millions of rays of light.

With a hum, an ancient cauldron—ancient, simple, and mottled, with surging auspicious Qi, towering immortal light, and chaos qi flowing like a sea—rose from the top of Ye Fan's head.

Clusters of runes appeared on it, complex and profound like a heavenly book. These were the formation patterns inscribed within by the Heavenly Emperor.

This cauldron could attack and defend, integrating offense and defense. It was his Heavenly Emperor Cauldron.

[Inorin's Note: Ye Fan's cauldron is primarily known as the 'Cauldron of All Things' Mother Qi' (Wanwu Muqi Ding), but is also referred to as his 'Heavenly Emperor Cauldron' (Tiandi Ding).]

Shi Jian grasped with both hands. The Nethergod Spear appeared in one hand, while the Daluo Sword Embryo appeared in the other.

One spear and one sword. Both erupted with brilliant divine light.

The two instantly held divine weapons and clashed, the sword and spear striking the cauldron.

Ye Fan's projection was at his prime. Each strike shook the past and present, possessing unimaginable power.

As Shi Jian fought him, he grew more and more surprised.

His cultivation had now also reached its peak, terrifying beyond imagination. One move from him could annihilate dozens of Supremes.

That's why he was known as invincible beneath an Immortal.

And Ye Fan, having now lived out six lives, was about to become a Mortal World Immortal, but was still one step away.

He was also terrifying to the extreme.

The two had somewhat different cultivation systems. However, both were currently in the realm just beneath a true Immortal.

Shi Jian felt that Ye Fan's current state was somewhat overpowered...

"Is this the path of the Mortal World Immortal?" Shi Jian pondered as he fought, his sword art becoming more profound as he parried another blow.

"Each time one lives out a life, their strength undergoes a qualitative transformation... infinitely approaching a true Immortal!"

There were also differences between Immortals.

Though both were True Immortals, an ordinary True Immortal who ascended was weaker than a Mortal World Immortal who broke through in the red dust.

Whether it was the Arrogant Heaven Emperor (Shi Hao) or Emperor Ye Tian (Ye Fan), both walked the path of Immortal Ascension in the Mortal World.

Shi Jian was also about to break through to the Supreme Realm. After that, he too would have to consider Immortal Ascension.

He was also considering his own path to Immortality. The Mortal World Immortal path was within his consideration.

Now, meeting Ye Fan, who was precisely on this path, Shi Jian naturally had to seize the opportunity to carefully study the Dao of the Mortal World Immortal.

The battle between the two grew increasingly fierce.

Ye Fan opened his phenomenon. The golden sea, the chaotic green lotus... visions from the Emperor Heaven Scripture appeared. Emperor characters floated in the air, surrounding him like a divine immortal realm.

He stood alone within it, seemingly immune to all laws, with the Heavenly Emperor Cauldron floating above his head. He charged straight forward.

The Emperor characters flashed. Rumbling. Like streaks of Heaven-opening divine thunder, they shot towards Shi Jian.

Shi Jian's body also did not stop, following like a shadow, charging straight forward. His Pure Land of the Gods unfolded, all incoming energy being analyzed and refined by him.

His body flickered and flew like a ghost, his speed reaching the extreme, existing between presence and absence.

Invisible, emotionless, his speed was exquisitely superb, as swift as lightning.

The two clashed.

The void was shattered again and again.

The sun and moon sank, and the world inverted.

The place where they were fighting was a virtual world simulated by the chat group. Although it was a virtual world, it was incredibly real in this space.

This world could not withstand the power of these two.

"Terrifying Qi and blood... terrifying Divine Power!" Shi Jian silently sensed Ye Fan's current state.

Up until now in the battle, he had gained some deeper understanding of the Mortal World Immortal path.

This realm... it was somewhat similar to the principle of Shi Hao's Supreme Bone regeneration.

Rebirth from decay. Born anew from death.

It greatly aligned with the core philosophy of the Shrouding the Heavens trilogy.

Living nine lives in reverse, exhausting all essence, Qi, and spirit in each life, moving towards a new life in a state of extreme decline.

After each life, one's entire essence, Qi, and spirit would undergo a transformation.

Life after life. After nine lives, nine qualitative transformations.

Nine qualitative transformations would lead to an even greater, final qualitative transformation.

Directly transforming into a Mortal World Immortal.

Ye Fan's current state was having lived out six lives, about to transform.

In his current state, Shi Jian, even fighting with all his might, felt a sense of being unable to parry.

"The Dao of the Mortal World Immortal, though strong... it's not suitable for me," Shi Jian sighed internally, dodging a golden fist.

The Mortal World Immortal must decline to usher in new life.

But the problem was, Shi Jian simply couldn't decline like ordinary people.

Shi Hao and Ye Fan, being beneath an Immortal, no matter how terrifying their strength, were still limited by the laws of their world. Their Qi and blood would dry up with the passage of time.

This was related to their cultivation Dao.

As for Shi Jian, with his Hell Furnace, his Dominator Domain, and nearly a hundred million Cave Heavens within his body...

His current state was already similar to an 'Undying' being in the Swallowed Star universe.

Undying and indestructible. His state was eternal.

Rebirth from decay? He had to be able to decay first.

If he couldn't decline, how could he usher in new life?

And more importantly, the cycle was too long.

Even if Shi Jian could truly decline... with his state, each life could last at least several million years.

Nine lives stacked up... that would be tens of millions of years, just to break through to a Mortal World Immortal?

That was too much of a loss. This path was clearly not suitable for him.

If the Mortal World Immortal path wouldn't work, then he could only take the path of the Battle Immortal.

The Battle Immortal path didn't have a clear, step-by-step standard like the Mortal World Immortal.

However, since it was a Battle Immortal... then it must be to prove the Dao through battle.

"In that case, my future cultivation path is very clear... fighting, fighting!"

"And it's still... f*cking... fighting!"

Shi Jian already had some thoughts about his path to Immortality.

Fight against Heaven, fight against the Alien Realm, fight against the projections of countless protagonists in the Heavens and Myriad Realms.

Keep fighting. Fight until Immortal Ascension!

If he were to become a Battle Immortal, then the chat group's "Projections of the Heavens" function would be a great help to him!

With this thought, Shi Jian's gaze towards Ye Fan instantly became even more fervent. This was no longer just a fight; it was a whetstone.

All the essence qi in his body surged wildly, and the two clashed fiercely.

Throughout the entire area, laws intertwined and roared. Various Dao runes flashed, their power peerless.

Ye Fan's projection was solemn, continuously forming seals. A terrifying aura appeared between Heaven and Earth, with one Great Dao flower after another blooming, all evolved from the Great Emperor Scriptures he had mastered.

Sparkling dots of light flew all over the sky.

He unleashed a fierce strike, a brilliant light flying from his fingertips, tearing apart the universe, its power peerless.

This was the Emperor Heaven Finger!

Clang!

Shi Jian's Nethergod Spear was shattered by this finger. Countless rays of light soared into the sky, and blood splattered from Shi Jian's hand.

The divine might of the Emperor Heaven was evident!

Shi Jian instantly condensed the Nethergod Spear again, charging straight forward, fiercely crashing into Ye Fan's Heavenly Emperor Cauldron.

Ye Fan was repelled by the immense force, and even as a projection, he couldn't help but cough up virtual blood.

The two's moves were simple, but each move shattered all laws. They were simple, direct, and violently terrifying.

The two clashed. There was a terrifying, extreme, violent aesthetic.

Ye Fan spun his left leg, then swept out with a fierce whip kick, aimed at Shi Jian's head.

Shi Jian was not to be outdone, placing his hands in front of him, intercepting the blow.

A sound like divine steel clashing emanated from where the two met.

Both of them let out a muffled groan, then clashed again, fists and feet flying.

The surrounding space was continuously torn apart by their battle, as if Heaven and Earth were wailing.

Both possessed terrifying Great Power.

The Emperor Heaven's divine might was unparalleled. In his first life, he slew Supremes like slaughtering dogs, standing at the peak of the Human Dao, lonely and invincible, reaching the pinnacle.

And now, he was in his sixth life. Only a few steps away from completely transforming into a Mortal World Immortal. His battle intent was terrifyingly powerful.

Similarly, Shi Jian was not weak in the slightest.

Although his Human Dao cultivation was only at the Escape One Realm, the Divine Elephant-Suppressing Prison Strength brought him the power of hundreds of millions of giant elephants.

[Inorin's Note: The 'Escape One Realm' (Dùn Yī Jìng) is the final stage of the Supreme Realm in Perfect World before Immortality.]

His strength was terrifyingly powerful.

The two clashed, naturally, incredibly fierce, dazzling, with light rain filling the sky, the entire virtual world and the vast galaxy burning.

Ye Fan, now in his sixth life, was even stronger than Shi Jian in terms of raw, accumulated power.

This was the first time Shi Jian had encountered an opponent who numerically overwhelmed him.

Ye Fan in his sixth life... truly terrifying!

However, in terms of mechanics, Shi Jian had the upper hand. The techniques he mastered—from the Dominator Domain to the Hell Furnace—were all top-tier in the heavens.

And this original Ye Fan, though the techniques he mastered were also powerful, compared to Shi Jian's arsenal... they were still a bit lacking.

Each had their strengths and weaknesses. After several clashes, both were injured, but it was difficult to determine a winner.

...

"Phew... This is probably the most difficult battle I've ever fought. Two months? A fight that lasted two months?"

Within the Emperor Pass, Shi Jian's consciousness returned to his body. He let out a long breath.

His battle with Ye Fan did not result in a clear winner.

Ye Fan in his sixth life was simply absurdly strong. The Mortal World Immortal path, where each life brought an extreme transformation, indeed had its unique, heaven-defying aspects.

No wonder, once one broke through to become a Mortal World Immortal, they could directly become invincible in the True Immortal Realm.

Ye Fan was now in his sixth life, only a thin line away from that realm.

However, that thin line was a world of difference. Infinitely close, but ultimately not equal.

But even so, he was terrifyingly strong.

If it weren't for the Five Emperors' Canopy, the Dominator Domain, the Gods' Battle Robe, and his many other divine abilities protecting him, Shi Jian himself would have been shattered long ago.

But the cunning, grinding nature of the Divine Elephant-Suppressing Prison Strength lay in this: as long as he wasn't instantly killed, he would never be defeated.

Ye Fan in his sixth life was strong, but he wasn't strong enough to instantly kill Shi Jian.

This also led to the two-plus-month stalemate, where neither could do anything to the other.

If they continued fighting, Shi Jian estimated it was possible to fight for hundreds of years... and ultimately, he could win.

But obviously, it wasn't worth it. So, he voluntarily withdrew.

Shi Jian carefully sensed his surroundings, then noted thoughtfully:

"Indeed, this Projections of the Heavens function, like the Heavens Instance Dungeon function... both have time anchor points!"

"Two months in Projections of the Heavens, but no change whatsoever in the outside world!"

After experiencing the Projections of the Heavens function, Shi Jian opened the chat group.

The people in the group, clearly, had also been experiencing the chat group's new functions by now.

[Lin Dong: 'This Projections of the Heavens function is... quite useful. The opponents I can challenge are quite novel. I met someone named Li Huowang, who immediately bared his heart and soul to me!']

[Inorin's Note: 'Li Huowang' is the protagonist of Path of the Adept (Daogui Yixian). He is famously and severely schizophrenic, blurring the lines between reality and illusion.]

[Meng Qi: 'Bared his heart and soul? That sounds... surprisingly sincere for a projection?']

[Lin Dong: 'No. He literally tore his chest open with his bare hands and showed me his beating heart, asking if it looked real. That guy is a complete lunatic.']

[Luo Feng: 'I met a very disgusting opponent here, seems to be called Queen Mother Demon…']

[Inorin's Note: 'Queen Mother' (Xi Wangmu) is a supreme goddess in Chinese mythology. A 'Queen Mother Demon' (Yaozu Xi Wangmu) implies a demonic, possibly seductive, version.]

[Li Changshou: '???']

[Li Changshou: 'Queen Mother Demon? Is it the Queen Mother Demon I know? Brother Luo, elaborate. How... how did you defeat her? Be specific. For research purposes.']

[Xiao Yan: 'Why are you so interested, Changshou? It's just a projection. And "disgusting"? What did she do?']

[Luo Feng: '...I'd rather not say.']

[Li Changshou: 'Brother Luo, please elaborate.']

[Shi Jian: 'No, this is Projections of the Heavens. It's for PK (fighting). What are you guys trying to do in there?']

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