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

asked with a frown. "You said you

Mortis quickly said as his memories

now his own

survival no longer

and Orthar had gotten over their

to continue cultivating with Stella, while Mortis

planned to watch the sunset together with Azure to

finally never had to be apart

the memories had returned to Mortis,

he had dreamed of in the

fear his future since he and Azure would spend their time together from now

staying 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

Azure didn't have something to complain about.

enjoyed being in each other's

Opposer City. They didn't want to stay in Eternal Fire Sect since they wouldn't cultivate anymore. Staying in the Cultivation world would only invite danger, and the two of them only

Azure traveled throughout the entire world, and they looked at all the different things

hadn't been interested in weaker beings, but as soon as he had decided to stop cultivating, he had become interested

interesting how the instincts of young and weak

to think of them

have some children," Azure said

had realized that all these thoughts about simple and weak beings had been a

"Yes, let's," Mortis answered.

of children, but these new children would be

to her children back then, but things

Since Azure was a beast and Mortis counted as half a beast, the children were born with

Mortis looked at their children

the last time, the kids didn't feel any kind of

Azure and Mortis

had to be there for

selfless feeling, and they didn't mind

that in the past, and she had

while some of them had died, others managed

to become Star Gods apologized to Azure and Mortis for their previous conduct, and Azure and Mortis accepted their

it was time for the two of them to become Ancestral

happened, Mortis felt

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

have a long life ahead

point, it will

spent their time together with their family,

of my total life have passed,

'I'm still young.'

more time passed, Mortis

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

for so

Death was coming closer.

Mortis and Azure only embraced each

didn't want to let

wanted to

However, they couldn't.

of happiness, they would always look towards the end. School holidays and

started, people already looked towards the end, knowing

as time dragged on, they would keep in

the end drew closer, the

Mortis wasn't ready yet.