As they moved forward, Arslan focused on his Innate Energy, generating momentum with each step. With intent to disrupt, he side-bumped Lyra, gripping her bark-like hands. However, her current form rendered his momentum insufficient.
Before Lyra could corrupt his skin with her left hand, which he had caught, he had to release her due to an attack on his left ribs. Pulling back, he increased his momentum and attacked Kante in the same way he had with Lyra. This time, Kante, in his light form, couldn’t change course. However, he didn’t need to as he attacked Arslan head-on.
Arslan, sensing they were both finding a rhythm, followed suit. They exchanged varying attacks with knees, fists, and elbows, but Arslan parried them with ease, thanks to his rising momentum. The world howled, enraged by a Mortal using its power. However, it could do nothing, as it had no complete existence.
Arslan noticed Lyra growing desperate and saw that the places she touched had some corrupted skin that threatened to dissolve. However, with Innate Energy inside his body, he didn’t fear damaging their Existence with his Domination. He focused on the Corruption until it obeyed, and with his will, it all exited through his pores.
Healing took a few seconds due to the strange concepts and the limits of mortality, so he still bled. Kante chose this moment to attack his face with two rays of light aimed at his eyes. With a smirk, Arslan sent a palm, ignoring the burning sensation, and grabbed Kante's light form, slowing him so much that he managed to deliver a blow to his right rib, folding him.
Taking this chance, he wanted to snap Kante's neck, but he also anticipated the attack Lyra was sending. He thought the target she aimed for wasn’t very ladylike. Arslan squeezed his bottom cheeks, parrying the dirty move with muscles, and pulled Kante, smashing them together. Reeling back, they both punched his chest simultaneously, disrupting his momentum, but not completely.
However, all the smashing had started to take a toll on them. Their stamina was fine, but Existence is something that can’t be displayed at Mortal stages without a focus that would ascend the Mortal realm. The heavenly tunes in the air started lagging, runes and glows dimming, and the indescribable outlines of their Existence began becoming describable, though only leaking limited information.
However, this didn’t stop Dante from already memorizing these mistakes. A strike from him could exploit these weaknesses in their Existence if he ever wanted to.
Chris, on the other hand, shuddered at the sight of these two fools. This was dangerous! If they sought death, he could kill them. He couldn't comprehend their reasons or the will driving them to do this. He decided to keep his distance from them, fearing he might catch their mental illness of seeking death. He had seen many people like this and knew they wouldn’t meet a good end, especially Dao Cultivators. Just remembering the Dao Cultivators from the past who went around challenging others while atop a sword made him shiver even more.
Arslan finally decided to wrap things up. Noticing Lyra releasing a greenish light and how Kante was stabilizing, he attacked her by dominating the space, preventing any more of that light from healing Kante by blocking its path. His will flared up, sensing Cosmic forces around them. Although they weren’t in space, after reaching the 8th stage of Cosmic Resonance, cultivators could resonate with them. Rarely did a being emerge that could touch the space and time aspects of the universe because if they had the necessary comprehension to manipulate them, they would directly become Peak Immortals at the Eternal Independence stage.
However, one of the main ways for a cultivator to strengthen their Existence and Mind Energy, thus raising their comprehension, involved comprehending these forces earlier. There were some special beings who followed a path that resulted in this exact outcome.
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One of them were Buddhas, terrifying existences that followed an amalgamation of Dao Cultivation, Existence Cultivation, and Magic. They cultivated what they called spirit and the truth of the universe. Buddhas, in their cultivation, aimed to transcend the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth, known as Samsara, by attaining Enlightenment. This involved understanding the true nature of reality, overcoming desire and attachment, and cultivating virtues like compassion and wisdom. They believed this path would lead them to Nirvana, a state of perfect peace and liberation.
Their cultivation not only affected their spiritual development but also deepened their understanding of Time and Space. By purifying their minds and bodies through past deeds and present actions, they gained insights into the universe's fundamental principles. Central to their path was realizing the Four Noble Truths, which outlined the nature of suffering, its causes, its cessation, and the path to liberation. The First Noble Truth acknowledges the existence of suffering in life, including physical and mental pain, sorrow, and despair. The Second Noble Truth identifies the causes of suffering, which are rooted in craving, attachment, and ignorance. The Third Noble Truth teaches that the cessation of suffering is possible through the cessation of craving and attachment. The Fourth Noble Truth describes the Eightfold Path as the way to end suffering and achieve Nirvana.
As Buddhas progressed, their comprehension of Time and Space expanded. They transcended linear time and three-dimensional space, perceiving the interconnectedness of all things. This heightened awareness enabled them to navigate the universe in unique ways, ultimately leading to Nirvana, a state of perfect peace and liberation. Freed from the cycle of birth and death, Buddhas existed outside Time and Space, becoming timeless beings whose existence transcended the physical universe, much like an Eternal Independence stage cultivator.
This demonstrated to every being in the universe that Existence works in mysterious ways. To those with the Will, Heaven makes way!
Arslan was also one of them. Although he didn’t follow the Four Noble Truths or other Buddhist paths, he had his own way of moving the Heavens: Domination. As long as he could feel and resonate, this would always be true. He might not have the superior Existence development of Damon or the selflessness of the Buddhas. However, his iron will was made to Dominate. He was just built that way, even before reaching Eternal Independence, and that included Time and Space.
With the trigger of his Mind Spark touching his very Existence, unearthing Domination, Time slowed, Space hardened, and a gaze from him commanded submission. With a ripple, Time changed to create a paradox that overwhelmed Kante and Lyra, giving them a sensation similar to what those who comprehended Time and achieved Eternal Independence felt, even if only halfway. This made it hard for them to bear the full brunt of this paradox, and thus, they fell.
The group that watched all this happen was protected thanks to the construction of the room. Damon, who observed silently, knew what his Emperor was capable of. He might be known as Indestructible, but that didn’t necessarily mean he would win. He could be bent, controlled, and submitted.
Angel sighed with a melancholic look. His path couldn’t yet perceive Time. It was frustrating to know that if an Eternal attacked, they would be doomed. He knew it. His sister Scarlet knew it. Even Dante, who was always searching for fun, knew it.
Chris was the most frustrated of all. He could cry tears when he comprehended how helpless he really was. Safety shouldn’t be this hard to achieve. He decided that he had only one chance to solve this problem completely: breakthrough to the Immortal stage and upgrade Guardian’s Embrace to unlock new abilities related to Time and Space or find a powerful wife. The first option wasn’t something that could be done in a day. The second option was daunting because he didn’t even know whom to propose to. However, he was confident in his looks and just needed to search. He decided to find powerful women when they went to the starry sky.
Derin just watched their reactions and then gazed at Arslan, who was also doing the same. She knew that this was one of the challenges they would have to bear in the upcoming future. If an Immortal at the last stages attacked, survival was not a sure thing. Although the competition, which was the most innocent way to name it, had no immortals, this road was a treacherous path that everyone would try to win at all costs. It had happened in the past and would continue to happen in the future.
Dogs die for food; humans die for wealth. This journey would both feed and grant riches, and it was inevitable that it would be a bloody affair.