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.

was currently sitting on a beautiful

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

yeah, right, sorry," Mortis quickly

was now his

no longer hinged on

and Orthar had

Stella,

sunset together with Azure to commemorate their

never had to

memories had returned to Mortis, he felt a deep

dream he had dreamed of in the past

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

just staying by each other's side. None of the two of them spoke during all of this. In

complain about. As soon as she could

and Azure simply enjoyed being in each other's

they wouldn't cultivate anymore.

traveled throughout the entire world, and they looked at all the

soon as he

instincts of young and weak animals and beasts worked. It almost intrigued

started to think of them as

have some children," Azure said

about simple and

"Yes, let's," Mortis answered.

new children would

attachments to her

them from a distance. Since Azure was a beast and Mortis counted as half a beast, the children were born with beast bodies, just like

time, Azure and Mortis looked at

like the last time, the kids

Mortis were

only had to

was a selfless feeling, and they didn't mind

been like that in the past, and she

had died, others managed to

Azure and Mortis for their

for the two of them to become

it happened, Mortis felt a

have 13 million years in total left, three million as an Ancestral God, and ten million as a Divine God,'

have a long

one point, it will

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

my total life have

'I'm still young.'

passed, Mortis

as the years passed and death came closer, Mortis felt more and

time left. I've already lived for so long, and only this

Death was coming closer.

years, Mortis and Azure only embraced each

want to

to stay

However, they couldn't.

experiencing a limited time of happiness, they would always look towards the end. School holidays

already looked towards the end, knowing that it

would keep

end drew closer,

Mortis wasn't ready yet.