Lightning Is the Only Way

Stella was still in shock as she watched the gigantic network of roots right in front of her.

This was a plant, right?

Yet, how powerful did a plant have to be to kill an Ascender this easily!?

This plant even had to be more powerful than a normal Ancestor, which was crazy.

She had no idea that the beasts had someone with such an insane power. 

She was even more shocked that Gravis actually knew that plant. How could Gravis even build a connection with such a powerful plant?

They had nothing in common, and there was a massive gap in power. According to her understanding, beasts and plants generally didn't talk with beings much weaker than them.

"This is Narcissus," Gravis said to Stella with a smile as he introduced the root network. "He keeps watch over the underground of the beast territory."

"He keeps watch over everything?" Stella asked.

"The underground, yes. He has quite a sizable body," Gravis said with a nod.

"Wait, so you mean like, everything everything?" she asked.

Gravis nodded.

Stella's eyes widened.

A plant could become this huge?

No wonder no human ever returned from an underground excursion to the beast territory. They had to pass through this ridiculously powerful being!

"Anyway," Gravis said. "For now, we are out of danger. I think it would be better to talk to Liam for a while. You two probably hadn't had enough time to chat with each other openly in the Nine Elements Sect. You can also come to some decisions on how to continue on from here."

"Gravis," Stella said with a worried voice.

"That can wait," Gravis said, interrupting her. "Talk to Liam for now. We can talk about everything else when I brought you all far away from here."

Stella still seemed like she wanted to say something, but she also understood that Gravis had a point. So, in the end, she nodded and entered the Life Ring.

Liam was probably dying to know what was currently going on. He was probably still under the assumption that they were fleeing from the Nine Elements Sect.

Gravis put the Life Ring away and traveled towards the east, along the root network.

Whoop!

However, Mortis suddenly appeared beside him.

"You're quite worried," Mortis commented.

Gravis laughed bitterly and nodded. "How couldn't I be? The person I want to be with for the rest of my life still hasn't made her stance clear. I don't know if we will ever talk to each other again after this."

"Right now, I'm on the cusp of losing someone I love dearly, and I'm more than worried. I don't want to lose Stella, but I also don't want to force her to stay with me. It's her decision."

"How troublesome," Mortis said with a sarcastic voice. "All of this is needlessly complicated. That's also why I prefer Joyce. According to what I have seen and heard, I only need to be more powerful than Joyce to secure a relationship with her. That's far easier."

"You are you, and I am I," Gravis said. "We are no longer the same person that shares the same Spirit. I prefer Stella."

"Hm," Mortis uttered, unimpressed. "That's not the reason why I came out anyway. Since my other body is still imprisoned, I'll take this time to finish the Soft Pure Law. You don't need the power of your Avatar in the near future, which gives me more time to comprehend Laws."

"However, I don't want you to slack off if Stella decides to be with you," Mortis said in a slightly threatening tone. "Currently, I'm the only one working on our Battle-Strength, while you've been busy saving your little princess. I don't want you to spend the next thousands of years just being all lovey-dovey with her."

"I hate carrying dead weight," Mortis said coldly.

"Dead weight, huh?" Gravis said with a smirk. "I wonder, what would happen if I used Samsara on you? Not even I am certain if I can resist its effects, but you will be under the additional effects of the Shadow's Illusion Law and the Deep Wood's Destruction Law."

Mortis narrowed his eyes at Gravis.

Gravis only smirked.

"Don't call me dead weight when my Battle-Strength is currently more powerful than yours."

"Is such a double-edged attack like Samsara something you can truly add to your Battle-Strength?" Mortis asked emotionlessly. 

"I don't know, can I?" Gravis asked with a smirk.

Both of them thought about how a fight would go between them.

The result was…

Complicated.

Far too complicated.

The fight would be so immensely complex with so many thoughts to consider.

Gravis was immune to lightning, which was Mortis' most powerful weapon, but Mortis could also stop Gravis from using Divine Lightning. Even more, Mortis could attack Gravis' Spirit with Divine Lightning. 

Then, there was the thought of Samsara and their Will-Auras. Both of them could also suppress the other with the several different Laws of Frost, Storm, and Graphite.

Neither Gravis nor Mortis had any clue of how a fight between them would go.

There were too many connections and counters between them.

It was a complete unknown.

"Fine," Mortis said after some seconds. "I won't call you dead weight for the time being, but I still want you to get back to comprehending Laws in the near future."

"I was planning on doing that anyway," Gravis said. "We currently only know two level five Laws, which is not nearly enough for our Realm. There are probably even Holy Sons and Holy Daughters that know two level five Laws. For the first time in a long while, the powers of our Laws are at the cusp of being weaker than our opponents. We can't have that."

"Good," Mortis said with a nod. 

SHING!

Mortis teleported away without another word. 

He wanted to get back to comprehending the Soft Pure Law.

While Gravis was traveling towards the east, the Nine Elements Sect and Underworld were dealing with each other.

Sadly, Gravis had no way of knowing of what was actually happening.

No one was around to ask except for Narcissus, and Narcissus also wouldn't know.

Gravis also couldn't just come out and ask around. After all, it could be that powerful Immortal Emperors were constantly keeping watch over the borders, just waiting for Gravis to appear. Even with his Law of Perceived Reality, he couldn't hide from such scrutinizing eyes.

It would also be a risk for Stella to scout for information. She was probably also being hunted by the whole world right now.

Mortis didn't care.

That only left Liam, but that could wait.

It wasn't even certain if Stella and Liam would stay with him. Gravis didn't care about Liam, but he knew that wherever Stella would go, Liam would follow.

Moving underground was far harder than just teleporting above the ground. After all, Gravis' Spirit Sense was severely blocked by all the forces in the earth. 

Gravis traveled for many days.

Neither Liam nor Stella had tried to contact him during this time. If they wanted, they could leave the Life Ring. 

Gravis guessed that the two of them were probably fiercely discussing their future plans.

After around twelve days, Gravis stopped.

His brows furrowed as his Spirit noticed something just two kilometers in front of him.

It was water.

A lot of water.

'Seems like I've arrived at the northeastern river that separates the northern continent from the eastern one,' Gravis thought.

'This place should be far enough from the Nine Elements Sect.'

CRRRR!

Gravis used his Spirit to create an open space in the underground.

Then, he retrieved his Life Ring nervously.

'Well, now's a good time.'

'I wonder what Stella's decision is.'