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 on

with a frown.

yeah, right, sorry," Mortis quickly said as his

now his own

survival no longer

the Opposer and Orthar

decided to continue cultivating with Stella, while Mortis had decided

the sunset together

finally never had to

the memories had returned to Mortis,

dream he had dreamed of in

he and Azure would spend their time together from

two of them 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, Mortis and Azure were

Azure didn't have something to complain about.

simply enjoyed being in each other's

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

world, and they

been interested in weaker beings, but as soon as he had decided to stop cultivating, he had become

young and weak animals and beasts worked. It almost intrigued

to think of

some children," Azure said

all these thoughts about simple and weak beings had been a

"Yes, let's," Mortis answered.

had had plenty of children, but these new children would

had no emotional attachments to her children back

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

this time, Azure and Mortis looked

met them, and just like the last time, the kids

Azure and Mortis were used to

to be

didn't mind

like that in

sure enough, while some of them had died, others

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

the two of them to

it happened, Mortis felt a bit

left, three million as an Ancestral God, and

a long life ahead of

one point, it

and Mortis spent their time together with their family, and

my total life have passed, and ten million are

'I'm still young.'

time passed, Mortis felt more

death came closer, Mortis felt more and more

already lived for so long, and only this little bit of time

Death was coming closer.

years, Mortis and

want to

wanted to stay

However, they couldn't.

limited time of happiness, they would always look towards the

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

keep in

end drew closer, the person would feel

Mortis wasn't ready yet.