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 on a

with a

Mortis quickly said as his

now his own

survival no longer

Orthar had

continue cultivating with Stella, while Mortis had decided

to watch the sunset together

never had to be apart

returned to Mortis, he felt

dreamed of in the past had

since he and Azure would spend their time together from

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

didn't have something to complain about. As soon as she could complain about something,

enjoyed being in each other's

Eternal Fire Sect since they wouldn't cultivate

and Azure traveled throughout the entire world, and they

as soon as he had decided to stop cultivating, he had become interested in

and weak animals and beasts

started to think of them as cute and

have some children," Azure said

about simple and

"Yes, let's," Mortis answered.

had had plenty of children, but these new children would be completely different from the old

no emotional attachments to her children back then, but things

soon saw their first batch of children, and they watched them from a distance. Since Azure was a beast and Mortis counted as

and Mortis looked

them, and just like the last time, the kids didn't feel any kind

Mortis were used to

had to be

didn't

had also been like that in the

them had died,

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

day, it was time for the two of them to become

Mortis felt a

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

still have a long life ahead of

at one point, it will

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

life have

'I'm still young.'

more time passed, Mortis felt

death came closer, Mortis felt

only have so much time left. I've already lived for so long, and only this little bit

Death was coming closer.

years, Mortis and Azure only embraced each

want to let

to stay together

However, they couldn't.

limited time of happiness, they would always

started, people already looked towards the end,

time dragged on, they would keep in

the end drew closer, the

Mortis wasn't ready yet.