Li Fan piloted the Tai Yan Boat and returned to the top of the Ruins Abyss.
"What on earth is that...," Li Fan's face turned somewhat dark.
Although he had used some tricks to see the true form of the creature, he had no idea how to escape its sight and successfully traverse the dark layer.
"That whale is so huge, and the Tai Yan Boat is so small. Every time I pass by, it always manages to find me like a cat finding a mouse..." Thinking about this, Li Fan was a bit frustrated.
"I can only try other methods. Fortunately, I still have plenty of attempts left." Li Fan sighed in resignation.
...
Fifteen years later, in the thirty-fifth year.
Li Fan had infiltrated the Thunderstorm Layer.
During these fifteen years, he had attempted to forcefully break through the dark layer several times.
However, in these attempts, the whale found him significantly quicker. Considering the Tai Yan Boat's flight speed, he was unable to escape. He could only return in a sorry state after struggling to evade the whale each time.
"On the day the white mist disperses, the whale seems to be delayed by something and takes a while to notice me. With this extra bit of time, perhaps I can fly to the bottom of the Ruins Abyss."
This time, Li Fan decided to take a gamble, speeding through the dark layer before the whale could react.
The strong wind picked up.
The Tai Yan Boat was at full throttle, bursting at an astonishing speed.
The illusory scenery grew closer and closer. He was about to arrive, but the terrifying roar of the whale resounded once again.
And it was approaching swiftly.
"Only about a quarter of the distance left, not enough time." Li Fan made a judgment.
He squinted, and a fierce determination was ignited within him.
He decided not to fly to the bottom of the Ruins Abyss this time. Instead, he turned around and charged fiercely toward the direction from where the whale's roar came.
Unfortunately, being fierce didn't help.
Without a collision, Li Fan only felt darkness all around, knowing he had been swallowed by the whale again.
"Not again!"
Li Fan roared angrily.
...
[End of simulation]
Li Fan sighed in frustration.
Taking a long time to calm his emotions, this time Li Fan chose to accelerate the charging progress.
Name: Li Fan
Realm: Mortal
Physical age: 20/86 Mental age: 368/1116 Mental age had reached its limit and would not increase further.
"Fortunately, I still have 748 years to spare." Li Fan could only console himself this way.
The eighth life.
After four years.
Li Fan once again opened Qian Hong's tomb in this life.
"Detected chargeable item: Stone Tablet of Prohibition (Damaged)."
"Consume to recharge?"
Seeing [Truth]'s prompt, Li Fan's mood finally improved a bit.
At this moment, the charging progress for the anchored charge had reached 51%.
"At least I haven't come to this life in vain..." Li Fan said somewhat self-deprecatingly.
In the fifth year, the white mist dispersed. The charging progress for the virtual absorption was approaching 90%. However, if it wasn't 100%, it didn't make much difference for Li Fan. He could only choose to wait patiently.
In the twentieth year, Li Fan tried and failed.
In the thirty-fifth year, Li Fan tried again, but still failed.
However, these attempts were not completely in vain. At the very least, he became more proficient in controlling the Tai Yan Boat and began enduring longer under the whale's pursuit.
In the fiftieth year, Li Fan didn't choose to forcefully break through the dark layer again.
He had grown old, and his reactions and spirit had significantly declined. It was impossible for him to succeed.
So he chose to meet two old friends and see if he could get any clues from them.
On Li Fan's seventieth birthday, Kou Hong and Dao Xuanzi arrived on time.
"Dao Xuanzi, do not overstep your bounds!"
...
Li Fan listened and suddenly felt a bit nostalgic.