Lightning Is the Only Way

Joyce and Gravis looked at each other with uncomfortable expressions. They remained silent for a couple of seconds.

"I'm sorry," they both said at the same time, eliciting a look of surprise by the other.

"What are you sorry about?" Joyce asked in surprise. "You showed me a truth about the cultivation world. I should be the sorry one since I let my emotions guide my actions." Joyce was a little red in the face due to embarrassment. "I also didn't mean what I have said previously. Those words were uncalled for."

Gravis sighed. "Don't worry about it. I didn't take them to heart. Also, I should apologize for saying it that directly. I didn't take your cultivation path into account. After all, everyone's experiences are different."

"Hey, don't steal my line!" Manuel grumbled.

Gravis only smiled slightly. "Your wisdom is my wisdom now," he said with a smirk.

Manuel rolled his eyes, but inside, he was happy. He felt proud of himself. After all, not everyone was able to teach the Lightning Calamity something.

Joyce looked with confusion at both of them but then turned to Gravis again. "Anyways, I'm sorry for my words. I know that you only wanted to help me."

"Water under the bridge," Gravis said with a dismissive wave.

Joyce smiled happily, and, for some reason, Gravis also felt a bit happy when he saw her smile. Yet, he quickly caught himself. 'I might actually feel attracted to her,' he thought. 'This could become dangerous. If I get too close to her, I might have doubts about my future path. I don't know how I will act in such a situation. I can't take the risk into account that I might decide to not leave this lower world. I can't get too close to her.'

Joyce was quite confused about Gravis' involuntary changes in expression. For a second there, she could've sworn that Gravis showed a genuine smile, but it had quickly vanished. Now, he only looked troubled. 'I really don't get him,' she thought.

Manuel watched them while cultivating, and he could only muster a troubled smile. 'I think I know what's going on with Gravis. No matter what he chooses, he will lose,' Manuel thought. 'For once, I'm happy that I'm not him.'

Who didn't want to be a powerful genius? Just imagining the possibility to fight two Stages above oneself would elicit feelings of longing. Yet, everyone had their own problems, even powerful people like Gravis. Nearly no one had an easy life.

Like this, time passed.

Stage of Energy Gathering and immediately broke into the Spirit Forming Realm.

Sect arrived. One of them was the person that went over to fetch the new person, while the other, obviously, was the new

him off. He saw his actions as more selfish than selfless, so he didn't really feel comfortable with accepting the

a full day after that,

Brrr!

opening slowly, creating an uncomfortable sound of stones grating together. The groups all stood up and readied themselves. Many people retrieved their

about the Lightning Sect's absence, and only Joyce's group knew that no group from the Lightning Sect would come. After

of groups didn't increase. That was because the groups from the Water, Light, and Darkness Sect had left. They decided against taking the risk of fighting Gravis. Even if they survived all the trials, fighting Gravis at the

Sects took part in this year's resource war. One was the Wind Sect, while the other was the Fire Sect. The Fire Sect was comprised of battle-hungry maniacs, while the

one group after another charged in until only

as she pointed forward with a long and thin

he saw that. "That pose would look better if

and pouted. "Hey!

walked forward. "Let's

Heaven's Trial. The rest of the group quickly followed. A long, dimly lit

left and right. The construction of the corridor resembled

than a kilometer with my Spirit. On a straight path, I could see further with just my eyes,' Gravis thought. 'Well, it actually makes sense. If everyone could investigate the paths,

walking for a while, the group reached a small hall. Two braziers stood in the middle, illuminating the surroundings. The stones were brownish, and the design reminded people of an old temple or the ruin of one. Two old gates stood before them. Above each gate was a sizable stone tablet, which was inscribed.

are also weird," Manuel said

supposed to meet in a gigantic hall with a lot of gates. In the hall,

the other groups entered, Heaven quickly changed the path just for us. The other groups are probably really confused about a sudden wall appearing behind them. If we went in

a suspicion. "Let me guess. The numbers

be a lot of different paths available. It is also incredibly strange that we don't have an option to choose. We

walked to the gate with the big '1'. "This is where we part ways," Gravis said as he looked at his

taking this a little too casual? Something is seriously wrong here! Let's first talk about this before we