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

asked with a frown.

sorry," Mortis quickly said as

was now his

survival no longer hinged

and Orthar had

cultivating with Stella, while Mortis had decided to

planned to watch the sunset together with Azure to commemorate their

finally never had to be apart

memories had returned to

dream he had dreamed of in

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

staying by each other's side. None of the two of them spoke

something to complain about. As soon as she

simply enjoyed

Eternal Fire Sect since they wouldn't cultivate anymore. Staying in the Cultivation world would

world, and

the past, Mortis hadn't been interested in weaker beings, but as soon as he

how the instincts of young and weak animals and beasts worked. It

Mortis started to think of them as cute

children," Azure said at

and weak beings had

"Yes, let's," Mortis answered.

had plenty of children, but these new children would

no emotional attachments to her children back then,

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

time, Azure and Mortis looked

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

Mortis were used

to be

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

also been like that in

had died, others managed to

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

for the two of them

Mortis felt a

13 million years in total left, three million as an

still have a long

point, it

their family, and eventually, it was time to

of my total life have passed, and

'I'm still young.'

as more time passed, Mortis

and death came closer, Mortis

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

Death was coming closer.

couple of years, Mortis and Azure only embraced

didn't want

to stay together

However, they couldn't.

time of happiness, they would always

towards the end, knowing that

dragged on, they would keep in

drew closer, the person would feel

Mortis wasn't ready yet.