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Li Fan steered the Great Derivation Boat back above the Ruin Abyss.
"What the hell is that thing..." Li Fan's face was somewhat grim.
Although he had used a few tricks to see the monster's true form, he had no idea how to escape its sight and successfully cross the Darkness Layer.
"That Giant Whale is so huge, while the Great Derivation Boat is so small. Every time I approach, it always finds me like a cat spotting a mouse..." Thinking about this, Li Fan was quite troubled.
"I can only try other methods. At least I have plenty of opportunities to try." Li Fan sighed helplessly.
...
Fifteen years later, it had been thirty-five years since the anchoring.
Li Fan had long entered the Thunderstorm Layer.
During these fifteen years, he had tried to force his way through the Darkness Layer several times.
However, in these days, the time it took for the Giant Whale to discover him after he entered the Darkness Layer had greatly decreased. At the Great Derivation Boat's flying speed, he couldn't escape in time. So, he could only return in a sorry state after each encounter with the Giant Whale.
"Only on the Day of White Mist Dissipation does the Giant Whale seem to be delayed by something, taking a while to notice me. With this extra time, I might be able to fly to the bottom of the Ruin Abyss."
This time, Li Fan decided to take a bold leap, crossing the Darkness Layer at the fastest speed before the Giant Whale could react.
A strong wind began to rise.
The Great Derivation Boat's engines were fully engaged, bursting with astonishing speed.
The illusory scenery drew closer, almost within reach, but the terrifying cry of the Giant Whale sounded again.
And it was rapidly approaching.
"There's still about a quarter of the distance left, it's too late." Li Fan made his judgment.
Narrowing his eyes, Li Fan was roused to aggression.
Deciding not to head for the bottom of the Ruin Abyss, he turned around and charged fiercely in the direction of the Giant Whale's cry.
Unfortunately, being aggressive was of no use.
There was no collision. Li Fan only felt the surroundings turn dark and knew he had been swallowed by the Giant Whale again.
"True Illusion!"
Li Fan roared viciously.
...
[This simulation has ended]
Li Fan sighed in frustration.
After a while to calm down, Li Fan chose to accelerate the charging progress this time.
Name: Li Fan
Realm: Mortal
Biological Age: 20/86
Psychological Age: 368/1116
Psychological age has reached its limit and will not increase further.
"At least I have 748 years to indulge in." Li Fan could only comfort himself this way.
Eighth reincarnation.
Anchored for four years.
Li Fan activated Qian Hong's Tomb again.
"Discovered rechargeable item: Broken Stele of Halt."
"Do you want to recharge?"
Seeing the [True Illusion] prompt, Li Fan's mood finally improved a bit.
At this moment, the anchoring charging progress had reached 51%.
"At least this life wasn't in vain..." Li Fan said with a hint of self-mockery.
Anchored for five years, on the Day of White Mist Dissipation, the Virtualization Charging progress was almost 90%. But less than 100% made no significant difference to Li Fan. He could only choose to wait patiently.
Anchored for twenty years, Li Fan tried and failed.
Anchored for thirty-five years, Li Fan tried again and still failed.
However, these attempts were not entirely useless. At least he became more skilled at controlling the Great Derivation Boat and could endure the Giant Whale's pursuit for a longer time.
Anchored for fifty years, Li Fan did not choose to force his way through the Darkness Layer again.
He was old, with a significant decline in reaction and mental acuity. There was no possibility of success.
So he chose to visit two old friends, hoping to get some clues from them.
On Li Fan's seventieth birthday, Kou Hong and Daoxuanzi arrived on time.
"Daoxuanzi, don't push me too far!"
...
Listening, Li Fan suddenly felt a bit nostalgic.
Still using the Golden Core Cultivation Technique as a pretext to lure the two to the Grand Tutor's Mansion, after a few rounds of drinks, Li Fan took out a scroll.
The painting looked old, depicting a terrifying and enormous Giant Whale hidden in the darkness, only revealing its monstrous mouth, ready to devour someone.
"Have you two ever seen such a monster? My ancestor said before his death that if we ever had the chance to escape this deadly place, we need not worry about anything else. With the protection of our sect's Great Derivation Boat, we would be safe. Only the last layer, where the Giant Whale lurks, requires utmost caution," Li Fan asked.
"A vast, pitch-black area has such a ferocious beast?" Kou Hong frowned, somewhat disbelieving, "Why haven't I seen it?"
"Could it be..." Daoxuanzi seemed to recall something.
"Oh? Fellow Daoist seems to know about this beast?" Li Fan asked, somewhat hopeful.
Daoxuanzi shook his head: "I only read about it in an ancient text. It says that in ancient times, there was a sect called the Beast Taming Sect. The Beast Taming Sect had no profound cultivation techniques but could control the strange beasts of the world with their Beast Taming Technique, making them fight for them. At the height of the Beast Taming Sect, they were said to be on par with the Supreme Sect and the Great Way Sect, the top sects of the realm."
"Unfortunately, during the great calamity, the Beast Taming Sect, which cultivated only one technique, was the first to perish."
"Among the most famous strange beasts controlled by the Beast Taming Sect, there seems to be this Giant Whale."
"Now that you mention it, I remember. It's called the Rift Whale, right?" Kou Hong clapped his hands and said hurriedly.
Li Fan's heart stirred, and he hurriedly asked: "Do you two know how to avoid this Rift Whale?"
Kou Hong and Daoxuanzi both smiled awkwardly: "We only heard a few words about it. Such a strange beast has been extinct in the Cultivation World for thousands of years. How could we know its habits?"
Li Fan couldn't help but feel disappointed.
In the end, it still comes down to relying on myself, doesn't it?
Handing over the Thousand Mechanisms Jade Ring Golden Chapter to Daoxuanzi and sending the two away, Li Fan chose to end this life.
...
Name: Li Fan
Realm: Mortal
Biological Age: 20/86
Psychological Age: 418/1116
Ninth reincarnation!
In this life, Li Fan opened Qian Hong's Tomb again, hoping to absorb the Broken Stele of Halt for charging.
Unfortunately, [True Illusion] showed no reaction.
Although he was disappointed, Li Fan was already prepared for this.
Thus, the anchoring charging progress of [True Illusion] was fixed at 51%.
Anchored for twenty years, anchored for thirty-five years, anchored for fifty years, Li Fan tried various methods but could not break through the Darkness Layer under the watchful eye of the Giant Whale.
Anchored for sixty-five years, Li Fan was eighty-five years old, nearing the end of his life.
This time, he did not choose to end early because he didn't know how many more attempts it would take to break through the Heaven-Severing Array.
Every additional attempt was a good thing.
Unfortunately, he was too old this time, his thinking had slowed, and his reactions had dulled.
Unable to outwit the Giant Whale, Li Fan didn't force it. He completely abandoned the control of the Great Derivation Boat, letting it slowly drift toward the bottom of the Ruin Abyss.
Gale Layer, Illusion Light Layer, Inversion Layer, Flowing Fire Layer, Mystic Ice Layer, Thunderstorm Layer, Darkness Layer...
Li Fan dozed off and, upon waking, was shocked to find that the Great Derivation Boat was almost at the bottom of the Ruin Abyss!
"What's going on? Why didn't the Rift Whale appear this time?" Li Fan was very puzzled but didn't hesitate to speed up, accelerating toward the place where the faint light appeared.
But as Li Fan accelerated, the roar of the Giant Whale suddenly appeared!
"Why did it notice me now?" Li Fan frowned deeply.
Then, as if a lightning bolt illuminated the night sky, Li Fan suddenly realized.
"Of course! The Rift Whale can't see or ignores objects moving at a constant speed! As long as I maintain the same speed, I can safely pass through the Heaven-Severing Array!"
Realizing this, Li Fan couldn't help but laugh.
With this, the last obstacle to leaving this deadly place was finally removed!
Amidst Li Fan's maniacal laughter and the roar of the Giant Whale, the Great Derivation Boat broke through the rift between the two worlds, about to return to the Cultivation World.
The surroundings became blurry, as if crossing the distance of several worlds in an instant. Under the immense pressure, Li Fan groaned, blood streaming from his nose and eyes.
But he paid no attention to it.
Looking back at the place he had come from, due to the great distance, the perspective was stretched infinitely. Li Fan saw a scene that would stay with him for the rest of his life:
Hundreds, thousands, tens of thousands of Rift Whales, moving in groups, day and night, carving out vast, dark spaces in the void.
And the place where Li Fan had come from, the deadly place, was getting farther and farther away from the Cultivation World.
(The chapter ends here)