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

are you paying attention?" Azure asked with a frown.

sorry," Mortis quickly said as

now his own

longer

and Orthar had

to continue cultivating with Stella,

to watch the sunset together with Azure to

finally never had

had returned to Mortis, he

dream he had dreamed of in the past had

needed to fear his future since he and Azure

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, Mortis and Azure were on

didn't have something to complain about. As

Azure simply enjoyed being

Fire Sect since they wouldn't cultivate anymore. Staying in the Cultivation world would only invite danger, and the two of them only

throughout the entire world, and they looked at

been interested in weaker beings, but as soon

interesting how the instincts of young and weak

started to think of them

have some children," Azure said

realized that all these thoughts about simple and weak beings had been a manifestation of his desire

"Yes, let's," Mortis answered.

these new children would be completely different from the old

attachments to her children back then, but

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

Mortis looked at their children

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

and Mortis

only had to be

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

that in the past,

had died,

that managed to become Star Gods apologized to Azure and Mortis for their previous

was time for the two of

happened, Mortis

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

have a long life ahead

at one point, it will

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

years of my total life have passed, and

'I'm still young.'

as more time passed, Mortis felt

the years passed and death came closer, Mortis

already lived for so long,

Death was coming closer.

last couple of years, Mortis and Azure only

want to

wanted to stay together

However, they couldn't.

someone 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 end,

time dragged on, they would keep in mind

closer, the person

Mortis wasn't ready yet.