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.

sitting

a

quickly said as his

was now his

longer

and Orthar had gotten

had decided to continue cultivating with Stella, while Mortis had

planned to watch the sunset

never had to

to

dream he had dreamed of in the

he and Azure would spend their time together from now

cliff, just staying by each other's side. None of the two of them

about.

enjoyed being

them moved to Opposer City. They didn't want to stay in Eternal Fire Sect since they wouldn't cultivate anymore. Staying in the Cultivation

and they looked at all the different things

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

young and weak animals and beasts worked. It almost intrigued

that, Mortis started to

some children," Azure

all these thoughts about simple and weak beings had been a

"Yes, let's," Mortis answered.

children, but these new children would

attachments to her children

and Mortis soon saw their first 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

Mortis looked at their

met them, and just like the last time, the kids didn't

and Mortis were

only had to be there

they didn't mind that

like that in the past, and she had eventually

while some of them had died, others

Azure and Mortis for their previous conduct, and Azure and

the two

Mortis felt

total left, three million as an Ancestral God, and

have a long life ahead of

one point, it will

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

my total life have passed, and ten million are

'I'm still young.'

time passed, Mortis felt more

as the years passed and death came closer, Mortis

for so long, and only this

Death was coming closer.

couple of years, Mortis and Azure only embraced

want to

to

However, they couldn't.

happiness, they would always look towards the end. School holidays and vacations were

looked towards the end,

they would keep in mind how long they

the end drew closer, the

Mortis wasn't ready yet.