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

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

quickly

was now his

no longer hinged on

the Opposer and Orthar

decided to continue cultivating with Stella, while Mortis had decided to

watch the sunset together with Azure

had to

had returned to Mortis, he felt

had dreamed of in the past had finally become a

he and Azure would spend their time together

spent many days on the cliff, just staying by each other's side. None of the two of them spoke during all of this. In comparison to Stella and Gravis,

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

and Azure simply enjoyed being in each other's

Sect since they wouldn't cultivate

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

weaker beings, but as soon as he had decided to stop

and weak animals and

Mortis started to think of them as cute

have some children," Azure

and weak beings had been a manifestation of his desire

"Yes, let's," Mortis answered.

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

to her children

batch of children, and they watched 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 Gravis'

time, Azure and Mortis looked at

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

Azure and Mortis

only had to be

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

like that in the past,

while some of them had died, others managed to

and Mortis for

the two of them to become

it happened, Mortis felt a bit

total left, three million as an

long life ahead of

one point, it will

their time together with their family, and eventually,

my total life have passed, and ten million are

'I'm still young.'

as more time passed, Mortis felt

the years passed and death came closer, Mortis

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

Death was coming closer.

years, Mortis

want to let

wanted to

However, they couldn't.

always look towards the end. School holidays

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

dragged on, they would keep in mind

drew closer, the

Mortis wasn't ready yet.