Lightning Is the Only Way

Gravis wasn't sure how he should feel. He had just realized that the children he had fathered and loved for millions of years had actually never existed.

Yet, on the other hand, it only felt natural not to have strong emotional attachments to things that weren't real.

It was just like a long dream.

"How was it?" Mortis asked from the side.

Gravis looked at Mortis with a bitter smile. "Just like you would think. However, I really don't feel much attachment to the things I have experienced and the people I have met. It really feels like a dream."

Mortis took a deep breath.

He knew that Gravis' personality was very stable, and he knew that Gravis wouldn't feel any issues.

However, what about Mortis?

Would he react this calmly?

"Now, it's your turn," Orthar said to Mortis. "Are you ready?"

Mortis took another deep breath and nodded.

Orthar nodded and extended his hand towards Mortis.

And then, Mortis' eyes became vacant.

Gravis looked at Mortis with interest.

"I thought this was instantaneous," Gravis said.

"I can only make time move so fast," Orthar explained. "Samsara doesn't need to invent things. All the perceived realities are already there, and it only has to replay them. That's why Samsara is instantaneous."

"In comparison, I have to continually manage the perceived reality Mortis is currently experiencing. I can only make it move so fast without endangering the management of the actual Cosmos," Orthar explained.

"Huh, so even you can't do anything," Gravis added with a smirk.

"Of course not," Orthar said. "I'm not some omnipotent being. I'm a Cultivator, just like you and everyone else. The only difference is that you can create life via procreation, while I can create a Cosmos. It's not very different. It's only on a grander scale."

"Okay, so how long will Mortis take?" Gravis asked.

"About five years. That's how long it took you."

"Five years? That's pretty fast," Gravis answered.

Orthar didn't answer for several seconds.

"What did you feel during the end of your perceived reality?" Orthar suddenly asked.

"Tons of regret," Gravis answered immediately. "However, that's only natural. I want to cultivate anyway, and I knew from the beginning that I wouldn't truly be happy if things turned out this way."

"Sure, living a fulfilling life with all my friends and family is great, but it's simply too short. I want to cultivate, but when I have been in the perceived reality, it was like I've simply accepted that I wouldn't cultivate anymore."

"Now that I'm awake, it feels so stupid. Why wouldn't I just continue cultivating? That would've solved all my regrets," Gravis said. "In a sense, I feel like I've never had the chance to do what I wanted, which makes the entire dream feel surreal. It's like someone else has lived my life."

Orthar nodded. "That's a good response. Someone with strong convictions won't feel attached to the dream since it forces you into doing something you don't truly want to do. That's also why the dream has basically no effect on you."

"What about Mortis?" Gravis asked.

Orthar only looked at Mortis.

"Huh?" Mortis said in confusion as he opened his eyes.

sitting on a beautiful

Azure asked with a frown. "You said you wanted to see

Mortis quickly said as his memories

was now his

survival no longer hinged

Orthar had gotten over their

with Stella, while

watch the sunset together with

never had to be apart

memories had returned to Mortis, he felt a deep

of in the past

no longer needed to fear his future since he and Azure would spend their time together from now

by each other's side. None of the two of them spoke during all of this. In comparison to Stella and Gravis, Mortis and Azure were on the quiet

to complain about.

Azure simply enjoyed being in each other's

Eternal Fire Sect since they wouldn't cultivate anymore. Staying in the Cultivation world

the entire world, and they looked at all the different things

in weaker beings, but as soon as

and weak

started to think of them

have some children," Azure said at one

and weak

"Yes, let's," Mortis answered.

children, but these new children

her children back then, but things were

from a distance. Since Azure was a beast and Mortis counted

and Mortis looked

time, the kids didn't feel

Azure and Mortis were used

had to

selfless feeling, and they didn't mind that their children

been like that in the past, and she

of them had died, others managed

Gods apologized to Azure and Mortis for their previous conduct, and Azure

day, it was time for the

Mortis felt a

three million as

a long

point,

time together with their family, and eventually, it was time to become

million years of my total life have passed, and ten million are

'I'm still young.'

as more time passed, Mortis

death came closer, Mortis felt more

for so long, and only this little bit of

Death was coming closer.

last couple of years, Mortis and Azure

didn't want to

to stay

However, they couldn't.

happiness, they would always look towards the

just started, people already looked towards the end, knowing that it would

as time dragged on, they would keep in mind how long they had

end drew closer, the person

Mortis wasn't ready yet.