Chapter 19: The Abyss Wants to Devour
[End of simulation]
...
Li Fan regained consciousness.
He stared intently at the scene of the Tai Yan Boat shattering on the screen, a thick fear lingering in his heart, refusing to dissipate.
"What exactly was that?" Li Fan was puzzled.
When Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi traversed the Immortal Extinction Formation earlier, they did not encounter this entity in the dark layer. Why was his experience different?
Could it be that his luck was simply bad?
Li Fan didn't think so.
The dark layer of this Immortal Extinction Formation was vast. The small Tai Yan Boat was like a drop in the ocean within it.
Yet this unknown entity found him with such precision...
"Most likely, it's a method targeting mortals."
"It seems safer to wait until the mist clears and light shines at the bottom of the Abyss before exploring."
"Although the last attempt failed, the gains from the previous life were indeed beyond expectations..."
Li Fan pondered to himself, then decided to preserve the "Tai Yan Boat".
Name: Li Fan
Realm: Mortal
Physiological Age: 20/86
Mental Age: 333/1113↑
Progress in Qi Condensation: 0%
Progress in Anchoring Qi: 1%
Current Anchor Points: 1
Bound Items: "Jade Cosmos Thousand Variations Sutra", Tai Yan Boat
...
Looking at the increasingly limited upper limit of his mental age, Li Fan also felt a sense of pressure.
Fortunately, the realm of cultivation was within reach. As long as he left this place, the sky was the limit!
In this anticipation, Li Fan's seventh life began.
Before [Truth] had recharged, Li Fan was determined not to take any risky actions.
So, he still planned to live through the first twenty years according to the script he had experienced several times.
In the 3rd year, Li Fan returned to Wen County, Jiangnan.
In the 4th year, he secretly arrived at Qian Hong's tomb with his trusted subordinates.
This time, he slowly eroded the tomb using mists filled with Immortal Mortal Plague, gradually weakening the Stone Tablet of Prohibition until it was too weak to penetrate steel armor.
Li Fan, wearing armor, entered the tomb and placed his hand on the stone tablet.
"Detected chargeable item: Stone Tablet of Prohibition (Damaged)."
"Consume to recharge?"
The prompt from [Truth] popped up as expected.
"Unfortunately, it's a bit damaged." Li Fan sighed, choosing yes.
The Stone Tablet of Prohibition gradually turned into nothingness and disappeared.
And after absorbing the halting script, the progress of anchor creation in [Truth] directly increased by 25%.
"Just three more times, and I can unlock the second anchor point?" Li Fan rejoiced, but also had a vague feeling it wouldn't be so simple.
"Speculating too much is useless; I'll know in the next life."
The other things in Qian Hong's tomb were of no value to Li Fan now. After instructing someone to seal the tomb again, Li Fan left.
After 5 years, Li Fan finally couldn't hold back and went to the Ruins Abyss.
"Let's just take a look, and not go down." Li Fan told himself.
Gazing at the endless sea of mist, his vision seemed to penetrate the infinite space barriers, reaching the bottom of the Ruins Abyss.
Standing for a long time, as the strong wind howled, the dense fog gradually dispersed. The once treacherous Immortal Extinction Formation now seemed less threatening.
"At this moment, if I were to pilot the Tai Yan Boat, I could smoothly reach the realm of cultivation, right?" A thought suddenly popped into Li Fan's mind and could no longer be restrained. It rapidly expanded, swiftly occupying all of Li Fan's attention.
"Yes, I've waited for so long; do I have to wait another fifteen years?"
"What does it matter if [Truth] hasn't completed its charge? Hesitating like this, how can I achieve the great Dao?"
"In the last life, I tried it once. As long as I carefully avoid that unknown creature in the dark layer, I can leave this accursed place!"
...
Voices chimed in Li Fan's ears incessantly, and his eyes gradually lost focus, becoming bloodshot, seemingly ensnared by these voices.
Li Fan continued to move forward step by step, getting closer to the Ruins Abyss.
Just as Li Fan was about to be drawn by the Ruins Abyss and crushed to pieces.
At the bottom of the Ruins Abyss, a burst of light suddenly erupted, breaking through the Immortal Extinction Formation and reflecting into Li Fan's eyes.
The red, frenzied state was temporarily suppressed. The words "The Immortal Dao is Dead" suddenly appeared in Li Fan's vision.
"Boom!"
All those fanatical thoughts in his mind, the desperate desire to pursue the path of cultivation, and even the impulse to leap forward, all dissipated in an instant.
"What's going on?" A now clear-headed Li Fan was startled.
In his eyes, the calm Abyss suddenly turned into a lurking beast, its huge mouth open, ready to devour him.
Li Fan turned around immediately and fled without looking back.
After a long while, the dense fog recondensed.
At the bottom of the Abyss, a faint, angry roar could be heard.
...
Fifteen years later, in the twentieth year.
[Truth] finally completed its charge.
With newfound confidence, Li Fan returned to the Ruins Abyss.
Recalling the scene from years ago, even though much time had passed, Li Fan still felt a lingering fear.
"It seems my guess was correct. That creature in the dark layer truly harbors great malice towards mortals. Perhaps its mission is to devour any mortals approaching this place."
Although it was dangerous, Li Fan was not one to give up on the path to immortality.
Without hesitation, Li Fan piloted the Tai Yan Boat and smoothly arrived at the Thunderstorm Layer.
He didn't descend further; instead, he stopped just above the dark layer, patiently waiting.
"Woo..."
The strong winds began to blow.
The raging thunderstorms, affected by this unknown strong wind, began to subside and gradually weaken.
They slowly faded away into speckles of light.
Li Fan didn't look at this wonder; instead, he sought to find the lurking monster in the darkness while making use of this precious and brief light.
Unfortunately, he found nothing!
Seeing the light about to fade, Li Fan gritted his teeth, no longer hesitating. He drove the Tai Yan Boat at full throttle and rushed towards the bottom of the Ruins Abyss.
The strange cry sounded again, and in an instant, it was right beside him.
At this moment, Li Fan completely changed the direction of the Tai Yan Boat's charge.
After drawing a beautiful curve, the Tai Yan Boat, which was originally charging straight down, now moved at a speed several times faster, continuously flying upwards!
Upwards, and upwards!
The Tai Yan Boat was at full power, and amidst a roar of fury, it soared back into the Thunderstorm Layer!
Utilizing the last wisp of disappearing light, Li Fan, now positioned high above, finally saw the true appearance of the creature lurking in the darkness.
It was an enormous whale beyond description in words. Even from this far away, Li Fan couldn't fully see its whole form.
Even just its open huge mouth filled Li Fan's entire field of vision.
The whale, frustrated at its prey returning to the Thunderstorm Layer, roared angrily but could only return to the darkness layer.
After a few roars to vent its dissatisfaction, it reluctantly closed its mouth and disappeared into the darkness.
*****
TL Note: trying out a new engine for the next few chapters, let me know what you guys think. Notice any difference? Better? Worse?