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[Simulation Ended]
...
Li Fan regained consciousness.
He stared intently at the scene on the screen where the Great Derivation Boat had shattered, a deep fear lingering in his heart, refusing to dissipate.
"What on earth was that thing?" Li Fan wondered.
Previously, when Kou Hong and Daoxuanzi crossed the Heaven-Severing Array, they did not encounter this creature in the Darkness Layer. Why was it different for him?
Could it simply be that his luck was bad?
Li Fan didn't think so.
The Darkness Layer within the Immortal-Barring Array was vast, and the tiny Great Derivation Boat was like a grain of sand in the ocean.
Yet, this unknown entity had found him with such precision...
"It's most likely a targeted method aimed at Mortals."
"It seems I should wait until the fog clears and light shines from the bottom of the Ruin Abyss before exploring further."
"Although I ultimately failed, the gains from my previous life far exceeded my expectations..."
Li Fan pondered to himself and decided to retain the "Great Derivation Boat."
Name: Li Fan
Realm: Mortal
Biological Age: 20/86
Psychological Age: 333/1113↑
Void Transformation Charging Progress: 0%
Anchor Charging Progress: 1%
Current Anchor Points: 1
Bound Items: Thousand Mechanisms Jade Ring Golden Chapter, Great Derivation Boat
...
Seeing the increasingly smaller psychological age limit, Li Fan felt a subtle pressure.
Fortunately, the Cultivation World was within reach. As long as he left this Immortal-Barring land, the sky would be the limit!
In this anticipation, Li Fan's seventh life began.
Before the [True Illusion] was fully charged, Li Fan was determined not to take any risky actions.
Therefore, he planned to follow the script he had experienced several times to get through the first twenty years.
Anchored for 3 years, Li Fan returned to Wen County, Jiangnan to lie low.
Anchored for 4 years, he led his confidants to Qian Hong's Tomb in secret.
This time, he used a spray containing Mortal Immortal Miasma to slowly erode the Halt Broken Stele until its power weakened to the point where it could no longer penetrate steel armor.
Li Fan, clad in steel armor, entered the tomb and placed his hand on the stele.
"Detected Rechargeable Item: Halt Broken Stele (Damaged)."
"Do you wish to recharge it?"
The [True Illusion] prompt appeared at the right moment.
"It's a pity it's still somewhat damaged," Li Fan regretted, but he chose yes.
The Halt Broken Stele gradually dissolved into nothingness and disappeared.
After absorbing the Halt Broken Stele, the [True Illusion]'s Anchor Charging Progress increased by 25%.
"Just three more times, and I can unlock the second anchor point?" Li Fan was overjoyed, but he also had a feeling it wouldn't be that simple.
"Excessive speculation is useless; I'll find out in my next life."
The other items in Qian Hong's Tomb had no value to Li Fan. After ordering the tomb to be resealed, he left.
Anchored for 5 years, Li Fan couldn't resist and came to the Eastern Ruin Abyss.
"I'll just take a look, not go down," Li Fan said to himself.
Gazing at the endless fog sea, his vision seemed to pierce through the infinite space, reaching the bottom of the Ruin Abyss.
Standing there for a long time, with the wind howling, the thick fog gradually dissipated, and the once perilous Heaven-Severing Array seemed less dangerous.
"At this moment, if I were to pilot the Great Derivation Boat, I could smoothly reach the Cultivation World, right?" A thought suddenly sprang to mind and couldn't be suppressed, rapidly expanding and dominating Li Fan's entire mind.
"Yes, I've waited so long, should I wait another fifteen years?"
"What if the [True Illusion] isn't fully charged? How can I achieve the Great Dao if I'm so timid?"
"I already tested it in my previous life. As long as I carefully avoid the unknown monster in the Darkness Layer, I can leave this place!"
...
Various voices echoed in Li Fan's ears, his eyes gradually losing focus, turning blood red, as if bewitched by these voices.
Li Fan walked step by step toward the endless Ruin Abyss.
Just as Li Fan was about to be drawn in and fall to his death, a light suddenly burst from the bottom of the Ruin Abyss, piercing through the Heaven-Severing Array and shining into Li Fan's eyes.
The blood-red haze in his mind was momentarily suppressed, and the four large characters "The Immortal Path is Lost" appeared in his field of vision.
"Boom!"
All the fervent, reckless thoughts in his mind, the desire to pursue the path of cultivation and leap into the abyss, vanished completely.
"What's happening?" Li Fan, now clear-headed, broke out in a cold sweat.
In his eyes, the calm Ruin Abyss suddenly transformed into a lurking beast, its massive mouth open, ready to devour him.
Li Fan immediately turned and fled without looking back.
After a long time, the fog reformed.
From the bottom of the Ruin Abyss, a faint angry roar echoed.
...
Fifteen years later, anchored for twenty years.
The [True Illusion] was finally fully charged.
With renewed confidence, Li Fan returned to the Ruin Abyss.
Recalling that incident, even after so much time, Li Fan still felt a lingering fear.
"It seems my guess was right. The monster in the Darkness Layer indeed harbors great malice toward Mortals. Perhaps its mission is to devour all Mortals who approach this place."
Although dangerous, Li Fan could not abandon the path to immortality.
Without hesitation, Li Fan piloted the Great Derivation Boat, navigating through to the Thunderstorm Layer without incident.
He did not proceed further, stopping above the Darkness Layer to wait patiently.
"Whistling..."
The wind gradually picked up.
The frenzied thunderstorm, influenced by this mysterious wind, began to subside, slowly weakening.
Points of light emerged from the darkness, gradually forming a vast, continuous panorama.
Li Fan did not look at this inverted wonder but used this precious and fleeting light to search for the monster lurking in the darkness.
Unfortunately, he found nothing!
Seeing the light about to fade, Li Fan gritted his teeth, no longer hesitating, and piloted the Great Derivation Boat with full force, dashing toward the bottom of the Ruin Abyss.
The strange cry sounded again, instantly reaching his side.
At this moment, Li Fan suddenly changed the direction of the Great Derivation Boat's charge.
After a beautiful curve, the Great Derivation Boat, which had been charging straight down, now flew upward at several times its previous speed!
Up, and up!
With the Great Derivation Boat's engines at full power, it returned to the Thunderstorm Layer amidst a furious roar.
Taking advantage of the last bit of light about to fade, Li Fan, now at a higher vantage point, finally saw the true face of the monster in the darkness.
It was a Giant Whale, so massive that it defied description. Even from a distance, Li Fan could not see its entire form.
Even just its open mouth filled his entire field of vision.
Seeing its prey return to the Thunderstorm Layer, the Giant Whale became furious but could not advance further.
After roaring a few times to vent its frustration, it reluctantly closed its mouth and disappeared into the darkness.
(End of Chapter)