However, things did not go as planned.
After thoroughly exploring the entire maze, Li Fan and his two companions still could not find an exit. They had no choice but to return to the black spherical object once more.
“It seems that if we want to get out, we’ll have to figure out something from this thing,” Huangfu Song said, his expression somewhat grim.
“Could the exit be inside this thing?” Dongfang Yao shuddered.
“What exactly is this black sphere? You two are knowledgeable and well-traveled—do you have any clues?” Li Fan stared at it for a long while before voicing his question.
“I know of some things that cannot be sensed with divine perception, but clearly, none of them match this thing!” Dongfang and Huangfu were both at a loss.
After another moment of silence, the black talisman light above Li Fan’s head gradually dimmed as its energy was depleted.
“Standing around won’t do any good. We might as well test its nature first.”
Replacing the exhausted talisman with a new one, Li Fan cautiously approached the tentacles protruding from the black sphere, gently touching one.
“It’s as if it doesn’t exist. But why can it trap the Samantabhadra True Boat?” The three exchanged glances, utterly perplexed.
After a brief hesitation, Li Fan shielded himself and flew straight toward the massive black sphere.
Huangfu and Dongfang hesitated for a moment but quickly followed suit.
The writhing mass of viscous black substance coalesced, filling the entire field of vision with an overwhelming sense of pressure.
Suppressing the uneasiness in their hearts, the three gritted their teeth and “dove” into the sphere’s interior.
Though neither divine sense nor physical touch could detect the black substance, once their bodies were fully enveloped, a bizarre sensation washed over them.
It felt like their entire bodies were crawling with cold, slimy insects—clammy and nauseating.
Fortunately, aside from the unnerving feeling, the viscous black substance did not seem to cause any other harm.
The three of them trudged forward as if walking through a muddy swamp, cautiously making their way toward the center.
Time seemed to lose meaning as they advanced through the endless black sea, until finally, a faint glow appeared in the distance.
“Quick! That must be the exit ahead!” Huangfu Song transmitted through divine sense, his voice tinged with excitement.
Just as Li Fan and Dongfang Yao were about to respond, the previously calm black sea suddenly boiled over.
The viscous black substance, as if coming to life, surged madly toward Huangfu Song.
What was once an untouchable, ethereal substance had seemingly found an outlet to pour into—rushing toward Huangfu Song’s seven orifices, forcibly invading his body.
“Ugh… ugh…”
His face twisted in utter terror, and his body began to swell like an inflating balloon.
“Help me!”
Unable to utter a sound, Huangfu Song frantically transmitted his plea through divine sense to his companions. However, his panic only seemed to accelerate the black substance’s invasion.
A savage and agonizing expression appeared on his face.
Countless treasures emerged from his body, and he even retrieved the Dissociation Disc, instantly setting up a formation around him.
But…
All efforts were in vain!
In a flash of lightning and sparks, his body swelled more than ten times its original size.
Boom!
Finally, under the horrified gaze of Li Fan and Dongfang Yao, it exploded with a thunderous roar!
There was no flesh and blood flying everywhere—just a massive amount of black, viscous substance spraying in all directions.
According to common sense, cultivators at or above the Nascent Soul True Lord level, even if their physical body perishes, can instantly revive as long as their Cave Heaven remains intact.
But at this moment, a terrifying situation unfolded before their eyes.
After waiting for a while, there was still no sign of Huangfu Song’s physical rebirth.
Instead, they seemed to notice a speck of dim light breaking through the void, vanishing into the unknown.
“Is… is he dead?” Li Fan suddenly froze in disbelief.
“Huangfu!” Dongfang Yao’s eyes widened in rage as he rushed forward, trying to find any trace of Huangfu Song.
However, at the spot where the explosion occurred, he only found Huangfu Song’s personal belongings, like the Heaven-Measuring Mirror and the Dissociation Disc—nothing else remained, not even a single hair.
Recalling the sudden incident in his mind, a bold speculation surfaced in Li Fan’s heart.
These black, viscous substances… could they be…
Materialized Divine Spiritual Sense!
A cold shiver ran down his spine as Li Fan shouted, “Brother Dongfang, remember—do not let your spiritual sense leave your body! Communicate only through words!”
Dongfang Yao immediately understood, his face turning pale.
Li Fan flew to Dongfang Yao’s side and collected Huangfu Song’s relics.
Then he spoke in a low, urgent tone, “This place is too dangerous. We must leave—now!”
Grabbing Dongfang Yao, he sped toward the center of the Black Sphere Spiritual Sense.
Just outside the black sphere, the Spiritual Consciousness Aggregates were relatively dispersed. Thus, even when they probed with their own spiritual senses, it did not trigger any unusual reactions.
But within the core of the black sphere, the density of spiritual sense had reached an unimaginably horrifying level.
Huangfu Song recklessly transmitted his spiritual sense, which was like poking a hornet’s nest, giving these condensed materialized spiritual senses a breakthrough point.
Before Huangfu Song could even resist, the overwhelming spiritual sense poured into his Sea of Consciousness.
Even with the tenacity of a Soul Transformation True Monarch’s soul, it was utterly impossible to withstand such an immense influx of spiritual sense.
He exploded on the spot, with his soul scattered and perished!
Dongfang Yao was overwhelmed with sorrow while simultaneously breaking out in a cold sweat.
If it had been him whose divine sense had left his body just now…
Li Fan led Dongfang Yao through the glowing central layer, entering a relatively empty inner space.
Although this place had not formed substantial black spiritual sense, countless transparent faces floated around.
Joy, anger, sorrow, fear.
The expressions on these countless faces varied, yet none of them had eyes.
Like a school of fish, they lingered and wandered ceaselessly.
Dongfang Yao was deeply terrified, frantically avoiding the drifting transparent faces.
However, Li Fan casually reached out and captured one of the faces, absorbing it.
Moments later, a vague image appeared in his mind.
Wailing and sobbing echoed from all directions.
Under the blood-colored sky, the shadow of death rapidly devoured every living being it encountered.
But as if his vision was veiled, he could only make out a rough outline of the scene.
When the shadow moved from the horizon to right before him, everything turned pitch black, and the vision in his mind abruptly shattered.
Li Fan carefully contemplated for a moment, unsure whether the strength of his soul and spiritual sense had increased.
However, the sudden disappearance of the transparent face had alerted the other existences in the area.
They seemed to become restless and agitated, wandering even faster.
After pondering for a while, he refrained from acting recklessly.
“Let’s go!”
With Dongfang Yao in tow, Li Fan headed to the highest point in the space, where the light shone the brightest.
There, he found the exit of the Maze Zone.
His vision blurred, and moments later, the two of them had returned to the outside of the Maze Zone.
“Brother Huangfu!”
It was only then that Dongfang Yao came to his senses, bursting into tears.
T/N: For anyone finding it tough to read My Longevity Simulation on Patreon, check it out on: [Scribblehub] The comment section there is also super active, so you can jump in for discussions and share theories.