Bi Fan had lost count of how many times he had awakened from a state of shattered soul fragments. The one thing that was much better now was that when he opened his eyes, he saw the kindly face of the old man.
Not the cold, silent, utterly still space where he had been alone in the whole world.
After spending so many days together, he had come to deeply respect this senior. The first thing he did upon waking was clasp his hands and bow to the old man.
At first, the old man had smiled and waved him off, signaling that there was no need for such formalities. Gradually, though, he had grown used to it and simply nodded in acceptance.
Bi Fan glanced at the time markers he had made, then found his gaze drifting toward the place where he had been tossed into the Space Storm. He murmured, "Xiao Lian and the others should be getting ready to leave, shouldn't they?"
The old man's weathered eyes turned that way too. He nodded. "Yes. His aura is gradually growing more distant."
He let out a quiet sigh. For some reason, he felt as lonely as someone who had been left behind.
Seeing the wistful look on his face, the old man said gently, "Young one, life's journey is often full of hardship and pain. But if those hardships and pains come with opportunities, then perhaps it will all be worth it."
With that, he closed his eyes and said no more.
Bi Fan gazed silently ahead. The starry nebula still glittered brilliantly in the endless darkness, but he seemed to see the familiar faces of his companions, carrying his faith and hopes as they steadily made their way toward the exit.
They were about to venture into