novelraw Chapter 1356 - 1355 - Milestones
Chapter 1356 - 1355 - Milestones
There was no clue which path led to a good result, just a divergence of major proportions. Unlike the other areas, the stream literally diverged in 2.
There was still the main stream that was slightly thicker but the other branch was not that far off.
"A single choice has such drastic consequences? Why not others?" He looked back and was intensely curious about the other thin threads.
He found he could move once more and moved back along his life.
It was strange to be able to look at his life, even more so that he realized what the multiple threads were.
"So, time is not a single constant but a multitude of alternatives being pulled along until a decision comes up. Then the weight of the majority moves most along but a few–" He came to a lone thread and looked at it carefully.
It was from when he faced he chose to isolate himself. The thread showed a version of him that did not relent and kept going. The events were crystal clear as they were tragic.
His family scorned him and his allies, willing to tolerate him before, realized what he had done to his past connections. Those that had respected his strength abandoned him and he was treated like a rogue cultivator only.
Tolerated at best, but looked down upon usually.
He followed the thread until he saw an unshaven and depressingly gaunt figure freezing in the Icy Path. Bears were closing in but he had no life in his eyes.
It was disturbing to watch but death was not allowed. The bears were too weak even for him in that pathetic state.
He was hurt, yes, but he endured. The life of isolation was destroying him in spirit and the Fiends were starting to unleash their plans too.
He acted then but when he died, he was just a soul that was left abandoned by all.
He would live out his days without the ability to make a body.
It was depressing seeing such a life but he did not understand. He had not made such a choice so why was he able to see such an existence?
Alternate realities were the essence of science fiction but so far as he had learned, there were no such things in the cultivation world. There were those that claimed higher worlds revealed a variety of possibilities but everything narrowed as they advanced.
The myriad mortal realms all lead to the Heaven Realm lands that led to the Celestial Fields. While that narrowed down to a single massive land, it still never once hinted at more.
He had read treatises on Time, Space, and even Dimensional Laws but nothing had ever indicated what he was seeing in front of him.
His recent encounter also began to make some sense if what he was seeing was true.
"My future is not set but at the same time I am me. There are no alternatives. How does that reconcile?" A Divine Inheritance was not an incompetent thing in any way. The access to higher realms led to higher comprehension.
Dao was obvious but he knew there was more to it. His power, for all that it impressed Immortals, was nothing in front of true Divine Realms.
He moved farther back and began to study where divergences occurred. Aside from Teylin and his current circumstances, there were only single threads leaving the main stream.
Why? What was the point of such singular branches?
He moved back and saw when he arrived in the 2nd layer. Instead of going north, he went south. That created an entirely different unfolding of events.
He met other races, sects, and Clan. He never even went near the Fionan Empire. His eyes narrowed as his Master was alive! She was healthy and safe!
In exchange, however, the Corruption never seemed to be resolved. The bloodline array also became stronger! Yet, it was not without hope. He grew stronger and at least purified the layer many millennia later.
He lived out a life with his Master as she reunited with her family.
He kept going back and found various themes but there was something that stood out.
Each thread, whether happy ending, neutral, or horrific, always ended in the location he was currently living.
His Frey Clan dominated the 1st layer but he never ascended nor made an alliance with the Elementals.
He ran the Sanctuary Empire for close to 500 thousand years and drove the Fiends back farther than anyone could remember.
He lived out his life inside the Law Binding, never making the Law Gate to escape.
Each and every major milestone in his life had at least a single thread diverging away from the main stream.
It was almost as if, despite the vast majority of his alternatives going the same way, a single thread had to deviate from major choices.
A sudden realization dawned on him.
"Future Trial is not just about my future but about the paths I did not walk!" It was entirely possible he was not just looking at random alternate futures but the only alternatives if he did not live the life he had!
It had to affect his current situation as well which meant the major divergence was not simply a test but the true trial. He had to understand the alternative futures he could have lived to make the best decision in the trial.
He was about to meditate when he froze. All his instincts screamed at him but also tried to deny what he felt.
The sound of footsteps came to him and he slowly looked downstream to see a woman with ash grey skin and pure white hair tied back in a single braid smile as she walked towards him. Her disturbing eyes were just as he remembered.
Her dark robes were also just the same, but she was dead!
"Well, well, well, I see you have come far for an ant. Hmm, this body is the strongest you have a connection to? She was not bad but too narrow minded." Xing had been the true ruler of the Law Binding when he ascended as a Moon Tier!
She was the same as he remembered but her aura was not quite right. His eyes narrowed in recognition.
"Great Bastard, I take it?" Anger flittered over her impossible beauty. She then smiled before posing with her voluptuous body.
"I can't come here, myself. The damned Heaven and Earth prevents me, but my minions are a different matter. This one had a connection to you and thus I am here. Unlike in the physical world, I am not so limited here!" An aura far above Xing's slammed into him but LInd sneered at the figure as his harmony easily dispersed it.
The pair stared at each other but Xing then glanced at the stray threads along the main stream.
"So indecisive? You are an annoyance but clearly a fool. There is zero chance you will pass this trial." Lind felt anger but also amusement. Did the monster really think that would phase him?
"You are wrong. I am seeing what I could have chosen to help me decide what to do going forward." He preened but the twisted laugh grated on his ears. Xing was holding her stomach as she nearly fell over laughing.
"You really are an ant! You do not know where we are, do you?" Lind narrowed his eyes but said nothing more. Xing sneered but she then casually touched the main stream.
Lind's heart suddenly throbbed and he stumbled as he felt extremely dizzy.
"You are too naive. This is not simply a mental exercise but your actual life. I could snuff you out with a thought!" Emerald light suddenly flared along the main stream and Xing jumped back.
Lind sneered.
"Not so easy, is it?" He had been shocked that Xing could affect the streams where he could not but the selfish bastard controlling her was the true danger. Still, it seemed his existence did not take it lying down either.
"A simple defensive response. I will be able to wipe you out before you ever became a–" Lind moved. He knew if he gave the bastard a chance again, it really could destroy him in the past.
The 2 fought hand to hand. His fists tried to strike Xing but despite her supposedly being a Sun Tier, she was able to not only dodge but easily counter him.
Fist and body slammed into each other but no blood was drawn. Xing tried to steal his lifeforce but his harmony protected him.
He sent her flying but Xing came right back and slammed him into whatever passed for the ground in the strange space they were in. The shockwaves did not affect the streams at all but suddenly Xing shimmered with vile Qi.
He saw her try to touch his lifetime but then she was sent flying but a lightning bolt out of nowhere.
Even Lind had no idea what happened until the angry voice came from the darkness.
"Showing favorites as always, Heaven and Earth! I will destroy your champ–" Lind landed a high kick right to Xing's head. She finally bled the dark ichor as all Fiends had but her eyes never wavered. They stared at him coldly and he understood the Great One could control other Fiends but did not feel their pain.
"You talk too much!" Lind stood over the sprawled Xing but then he felt danger behind him!
Three more Fiends had appeared that were all too familiar. The Fiend that made the Void of Heaven in his Mortal realm. The other 2 were once thralls but turned by the Fiends that controlled them!
He was now 4 vs 1! How?!