Lightning Is the Only Way

"So, what do you guys plan to do next?" Gravis asked Stella and Liam.

Stella went over to Gravis and leaned her head on his shoulder. Gravis smiled warmly at Stella and stroked her head.

"I will go wherever you go," she said peacefully. "You are my home, and I will follow you to the ends of the earth. No matter what you decide to do, I will forever be by your side."

Gravis' heart warmed as he heard her, and he kissed Stella lovingly. "I don't know what I have done to deserve someone as wonderful as you," he said.

Stella's eyes became blurry as she felt the deep love Gravis held for her. "That's what I'm asking myself every day," she said quietly.

"Urgh, get a room," Liam gagged from the side. "That's my sister. I really don't need to see that!"

Gravis chuckled and looked at Liam. "So, what's your plan?"

This question made Liam shut up as he took a deep breath.

Stella and Gravis both looked at him with concern. Judging by Liam's actions, he was probably making an important decision right now.

Some seconds later, Liam closed his eyes and released a deep breath.

Then, he opened his eyes and looked at Stella with conviction.

"I can't always lag behind you," Liam said.

"What do you mean?" Stella asked. She felt like Liam was about to say something that she wouldn't like.

"You both know the Law of Empathy, and Gravis knows far too many level four Laws," Liam said. "Just by being with Gravis, your Battle-Strength is destined to reach legendary powers. Fighting three levels above yourself will no longer be impossible."

"I'm far outclassed in that category," Liam said as he took another deep breath.

"As long as I remain with you, I will always lag behind. I'm bound to watch on as you reach impossible heights of power, leaving me behind."

Liam's eyes became compassionate as he looked at Stella. "Eventually, your power will grow so vast that you will leave me behind."

"Liam," Stella said with a worried voice as she went over to hug him. "You know exactly that I would never leave you behind. You and Gravis are the most important people in my life. I would never want to lose you."

Liam took another deep breath, but he didn't return Stella's embrace. Instead, his fists curled in frustration. "I know that," Liam said. "However, Gravis won't stop. If I don't become far more powerful, you would have to choose between us, and I will never want you to do that. Such a choice would be far too cruel!"

Liam gently pushed Stella away from him and looked into her eyes with conviction.

"Happiness is our main priority, but strength immediately comes after that," Liam said slowly. "I want to be part of your life, but I also want to become powerful."

"You have always been the Holy Maiden of the Nine Elements Sect, but what have I been? I didn't even manage to become a Holy Son Candidate. I was only a mere Core Disciple my entire life."

"The gulf between us is too large, and it will only grow wider with time if things remain as they are."

"I can't always chase after your footsteps. I don't have the talent to reach the heights of Battle-Strength that you will reach."

Stella's insides shook as she listened to Liam. She had expected that Liam was feeling like this, but she couldn't have been sure since Liam had never truly shared these feelings with her.

Was this truly how Liam felt?

Had he always felt inferior to her?

Had he always feared that Stella would leave him behind and that he wouldn't be able to keep up anymore?

you behind," Stella said with sad eyes. "You have been with me for my entire life, and I

with a nod. "And that's why I can't stop you. I know that you love me, but exactly that is the reason why I can't put

Then, I only need to increase my Realm. As long as I don't try to push my Battle-Strength too much, my Realm can still keep up with yours. In fact, my Realm might

still be in the same world. Life will continue as it

need to go through hell and temper myself. I can't be

always afraid that something would happen to you. I was always scared that you would have

Battle-Strength have stagnated during that time because of my worry for you, while your Battle-Strength increased due to the mandatory tournaments. I had nearly

which is why I need to

Liam looked at each other while Gravis kept himself

"I was against your relationship with Gravis,

first time, Liam was not speaking

all the resources he has granted me, but the fact that I don't need

Gravis, but I know that he truly loves you and that

most certainly can't do any better. You don't need

of that, I will leave you two and will join the

Love and Cultivation were always opposed to each other. It was incredibly difficult to have both of them at once. The only way one

Liam and Stella had always been together ever since they

Stella had to sigh.

reach her own. Yet, Liam still felt like it was his duty to protect her. Stella couldn't imagine how frustrating it must have been for Liam, knowing that he was too weak to protect

have been hard

"I understand," Stella said.

"In order for us to stay together, I must leave you now. I don't know when

nodded. "I know,"

sorry," Liam said

fine," Stella said. "I

talking with

didn't want to intrude on their last moments

Stella, but he also knew that Liam was just as important

of some idiotic

talked with Mortis. Gravis

might be assaulted by a ton of loving feelings for

no

fact, the opposite

weaker. Mortis believed that he had

the assault of these loving feelings as a form of

these feelings, he would try to

would no longer have any

he

a mindset

feel guilty for feeling these feelings anymore. After all, Mortis had

It doesn't matter if I think that his path is a dead-end or not. It's his

later, Liam left, and Stella returned

embraced her and stroked her

person that had been with her for her entire life, but she wasn't weak-willed. She

Major Law

surprised that he asked such a question

entirely. I'm still missing a

"Then, let's

BOOOM!

along in his embrace as he shot

face as she looked at the sky, which was slowly turning from