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.

currently sitting

Azure asked with a

right, sorry," Mortis quickly said as his memories

now his

no longer hinged

Opposer and Orthar had gotten

with Stella, while Mortis had decided to

had planned to watch the sunset together with

had to be apart

to Mortis, he felt a deep

of in the past had finally become

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

two of them spent many days on the cliff, just staying by each other's side. None of the two of them spoke

to complain about. As soon as she could complain

simply enjoyed being in each other's

Eternal Fire Sect since they wouldn't cultivate

entire world, and they

interested in weaker beings, but as soon as he had decided to stop cultivating, he

was so interesting how the instincts of young and weak animals and beasts worked.

of that, Mortis started to think

children," Azure said at one

had realized that all these thoughts about simple and weak

"Yes, let's," Mortis answered.

of children, but these new

her children back then,

children, and they watched them from a distance. Since Azure was a beast and Mortis counted as half a beast, the children were

this time, Azure and Mortis looked

the kids didn't feel any kind of familial love

and Mortis were used to

only had to be

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

like that in the past, and she had

sure enough, while some of them had died, others managed to become

to Azure and Mortis for their previous conduct, and Azure and Mortis accepted their

one day, it was time for the two of them

it happened, Mortis felt

years in total left, three million as an Ancestral God, and ten

still have a long life ahead of

point, it

and Mortis spent their time together with their family, and eventually,

life have passed, and ten

'I'm still young.'

time passed, Mortis

death came closer, Mortis felt more and

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

Death was coming closer.

years, Mortis and Azure

didn't want

wanted to stay together

However, they couldn't.

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

it just started, people already looked towards the

on, they would keep in mind how

drew closer, the person would

Mortis wasn't ready yet.