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

Azure asked with a frown. "You said you wanted

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

now his own

no longer hinged

and Orthar

cultivating with Stella, while Mortis had decided to

sunset together

finally never had to

the memories had returned to

had dreamed of in the past had

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

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

simply enjoyed being

they wouldn't cultivate anymore. Staying in the Cultivation world would only

world, and they looked at all

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

the instincts of young and weak animals and beasts worked.

that, Mortis started to think of them as

Azure

thoughts about simple and weak beings had been a manifestation of his desire

"Yes, let's," Mortis answered.

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

had no emotional attachments to her children back then, but things were different

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

time, Azure and Mortis looked at their

the

and Mortis were used to

to

didn't mind that

like that in

some of them had died, others managed to

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

the two of them to

Mortis felt a bit

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

a long life ahead

point,

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

million years of my total life

'I'm still young.'

time passed, Mortis

passed and death came closer, Mortis felt more

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

Death was coming closer.

of years, Mortis and

want to let

to

However, they couldn't.

happiness, they would always look towards the end.

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

they would keep in

drew closer, the person would feel

Mortis wasn't ready yet.