Lightning Is the Only Way

Gravis looked at Zero's Essence, and he noticed that he could now see far more clearly what others were thinking. Gravis couldn't read the Law fragments yet, but he had a very good inkling as to what other people were thinking.

At the moment, Zero's Essence looked at Gravis like an annoying novelty.

On one hand, Gravis had caused a lot of issues, and he had even destroyed two Law Comprehension Areas for level nine Laws. On top of that, he had also killed several Cultivators and had put the Lightning Peak Sect at risk.

Yet, on the other hand, Gravis had shown incredible powers, and Zero's Essence was intrigued as to what Gravis would do next. She was also very interested in what Gravis could do and how his powers worked.

One could say Gravis was like an exotic animal in someone's home. It definitely was interesting to see such an animal up close, but it couldn't possibly remain in the home, and it had already ruined some pieces of furniture.

Zero's Essence didn't much care for the Lightning Peak Sect's fate, but she knew that, as the Ancestor, it was her responsibility to keep the Sect alive.

"The Ancestor of the Lightning Peak Sect, Zero's Essence," Gravis said with a slight smirk.

Zero's Essence furrowed her brows.

Ancestral Gods wouldn't recognize her, and it was even more unlikely that they knew her title.

Yet, this Ancestral God knew her position and title, even though they had never met before.

"You caused quite a ruckus," Zero's Essence commented emotionlessly.

"I did," Gravis answered with a slight smirk.

Zero's Essence intensified her Will-Aura. Yes, Gravis was unparalleled in his Realm, but he was still far below her in power and Battle-Strength.

In her mind, power was everything, and Gravis definitely didn't have the power to look into her eyes on equal footing.

Yet, he acted like he did.

Gravis felt the Will-Aura become more powerful, but he didn't care.

The Law of Perceived Reality was a level ten Law, and it boosted the power of the True Law of Freedom also to the power of a level ten Law.

Only true Heaven's Magnates could suppress Gravis.

Gravis slowly raised his hand and cleaned some hot iron from his shirt, which was a senseless action since he was currently surrounded by hot iron.

Yet, the action had still fulfilled its intended purpose.

Zero's Essence's eyes released a cold light as she looked at Gravis.

"How can you move under my Will-Aura?" she asked with a cold voice.

"Why should I tell you?" Gravis answered with a smirk.

Zero's Essence didn't react. "I'm not up for games."

"This is not a game," Gravis said. "I simply won't tell you."

"You should know how power works," she answered. "Your compliance isn't a factor."

"Does power change anything in the current situation?" Gravis asked.

This took Zero's Essence by surprise, but she didn't let it show on her face. It was like Gravis denied a fundamental truth of how the world worked.

"Yes, it does," she answered.

Gravis only smirked.

And then, he continued going downward.

Zero's Essence only snorted as she summoned a powerful cage of Heavenly Zero around Gravis, which forced Gravis to stop.

Or did it?

Gravis simply passed through the cage as if it didn't exist.

Zero's Essence narrowed her eyes.

"The True Law of Freedom, huh?" she commented.

WHOOOOM!

Suddenly, the space in front of Gravis expanded to a ridiculous degree. Gravis was still shooting downward, but it was like he didn't even move.

"Was that your reliance? The True Law of Freedom? I know that Law myself, so I know how to counter it. As long as I don't directly impede your movement, your Law of Freedom is useless," she said.

"So, we are at a stalemate now," Gravis answered with a grin as he stopped moving. "What now?"

"What do you mean with what now?" Zero's Essence scoffed. "I have the power, and I want to know about your powers."

"Or what?" Gravis asked.

"Or I will kill you," she said. "I won't miss the bit of Karmic Luck I will lose."

"Then, go ahead," Gravis said with a grin.

Zero's Essence's eyes narrowed.

"You think I'm bluffing?" she asked.

"Yes," Gravis answered.

"What makes you so sure?" she asked.

"Because of your current situation," Gravis answered.

She scoffed again. "What do you know about my current situation?" she asked.

"You know all of the Laws, but you are missing the True Law of Control," Gravis said, shocking Zero's Essence.

It was secret which Laws Peak Divine Gods were missing. Not even Silver Seer knew which Law Zero's Essence was missing. He only knew that she was one of the most powerful Peak Divine Gods in existence.

"Pfft," she snorted with derision. "Stop guessing randomly."

"That wasn't a guess," Gravis answered with the Law of Honesty. "I know that for a fact." © 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

When she felt Gravis' Law of Honesty, she became shocked.

How could he know that for sure!?

Zero's Essence didn't have any real friends, and nearly no one else should know about this secret of hers.

Unless…

"Are you the disciple of a Heaven's Magnate?" she asked with furrowed brows.

"What's it to you?" Gravis asked with a smirk.

"So, that's what you're relying on," Zero's Essence said. "You're certain that your teacher or family will intervene if someone on my level acts against you."

"No," Gravis answered with the Law of Honesty. "They won't."

This took Zero's Essence by surprise again.

Gravis became more and more mysterious as more time passed.

The more she learned about him, the less sense it all made.

Why didn't he fear her?

"Then, why do you believe that my threat is empty?" she asked.

"I've already answered that question, but I will repeat it just for you. It's because of your situation," Gravis said.

As all of this was going on, Gravis remembered the time the Red King had caught Gravis.

Gravis had acted similarly back then.

"And what does my situation have to do with your survival?" she asked.

Gravis' smirk widened.

"Your freedom is suppressing you."

Zero's Essence furrowed her brows.

That sentence made no sense. Yet, for some reason, she felt like Gravis was talking about something very important.

"That isn't possible," she said.

"Depends on the viewpoint," Gravis answered. "Sure, you will do whatever you want, and in that sense, freedom isn't suppressing you. After all, it allows you to do what you want."

"However, if we look at freedom in a different way, it can also suppress you."

"After all, you're doing what you want, but you're not doing what you don't want."

"That's a nonsensical argument," she answered with a cold expression. "Freedom is doing what I want. Not doing what I want is not freedom but suppression."

"Correct," Gravis said. "In your mind, you are free."

"Yet, what about me?" Gravis asked.

"You don't want to kill me, and since you are doing what you want and not doing what you don't want, I won't die."

"You're not going to do something you don't want because you enjoy freedom, and your mind has a great affinity for freedom."

"And exactly because of that, you have no choice but to not kill me," Gravis said with a smirk.

Gravis' words appeared almost nonsensical to Zero's Essence.

It was like Gravis was warping logic to the extreme.

Because she was free to do whatever she wanted, she didn't have the freedom to choose to kill him?

That was incredibly contradictory.

"You make no sense," she said.

"If I do or don't will show itself as more time passes," Gravis said.

"You're delusional," Zero's Essence said with a dismissive tone. "Are you willing to die a senseless death?"

Gravis didn't answer.

He only smirked.

Silence.

More silence.

"You really want to die?" she asked again, her eyes narrowing.

Silence.

"Fine," she said.

SHING!

An icicle of Heavenly Zero formed, and she threw it towards Gravis.

Gravis only looked at the approaching icicle.

He didn't even move his body.

BANG!

Gravis' Will-Aura destroyed the will upon the icicle. However, it had still been launched by another Cultivator, making it impossible for Gravis to control it with his Elemental Synchronicity.

Essentially, Gravis made it impossible for Zero's Essence to pull her attack back.

Zero's Essence's eyes shot open in shock.

BANG!

An explosion of Heavenly Fire appeared between Gravis and the icicle.

However, Gravis wasn't the one that had unleashed it.

It had been Zero's Essence.

This entire exchange had thrown her into confusion and shock.

Meanwhile, Gravis only grinned at her.

Gravis knew everything about suppression, freedom, and control.

All of the concepts of control of the current situation made perfect sense in Gravis' mind, and they painted a logical picture.

Gravis felt the feeling of control, and by looking at it, he knew for a fact that Zero's Essence didn't want to kill him.

Gravis only looked into Zero's Essence's eyes.

"Who's in control?" he asked.