Chapter 1778 - 1778. Nostalgia

"Who would have thought that knowing you could have led to these spectacles?" Daniel laughed when he sensed Noah nearing him.

The group had stopped at the edges of the stormy regions. It was time to turn back in a different direction and repeat the process. They had already done that multiple times, and they had to continue until they covered the entirety of the old magical beasts’ domain.

Daniel was admiring the stark separation between the emptiness of the area illuminated by the sky and the thick currents of chaotic laws. The edges of the windy region were quite clear in that spot. It was as if two different worlds were meeting on a line that stretched for thousands of kilometers.

"You have arrived here with your own strength," Noah replied in a plain tone while floating next to him. "I can’t generate talent. Not yet, at least."

"Did I?" Daniel asked as his voice gained a tinge of desperation. "I feel that I’ve spent the past millennia chasing you. My path should represent complete purity, but I keep seeing your darkness ahead. I don’t know how June handles this."

"She doesn’t handle it," Noah continued. "Her path requires an opponent. I’m her endless battle."

"And my undying curse apparently," Daniel scoffed. "I don’t know how useful I’ll be in the final battle, but you’ll probably be fine anyway. You always are."

Noah couldn’t help but feel sad seeing his old friend in that state. Daniel was near the peak of the gaseous stage, but he was failing to approach the breakthrough. His cultivation level was on point, but he required more time.

Daniel embodied one of the most tragic aspects of the cultivation journey in Noah’s eyes. Every expert had a different training speed. It was only normal for some to grow faster than others, but that inevitably led to separations.

Daniel wasn’t alone in his situation. Dreaming Demon, Flying Demon, and Faith were in the same condition. They were falling behind while Noah was pushing his power toward the end of the cultivation journey.

They were even among the experts who had performed better among Noah’s old friends. Others like Elder Julia had never reached the Immortal Lands according to their knowledge, and June and the others rarely talked about her anymore. Too many millennia had passed. There was a chance that she had died in the lower plane.

"Comparing yourself to others blinds you," Noah sighed.

"I know my flaws," Daniel revealed. "I’m not a lost kid anymore, Noah. I’m just contemplating the inevitable consequences that my pace will create."

The situation wouldn’t have been harsh on Daniel if the final battle against Heaven and Earth didn’t feel so close. Everyone close to Noah knew that something massive was about to happen, but only a few chosen would have the chance to take part in it.

That slower growth speed had become a fixation after accepting that knowledge. Daniel knew that he would probably miss important events, which would increase the distance between Noah and him even further. Improvements usually took longer to arrive in the higher stages, but that feature didn’t seem to apply to Noah.

"The cultivation journey is solitary," Noah sighed. "We have always known that. We are already lucky enough to have someone able to stand by our side and travel similar paths."

"A path that forces us to leave most of our long life behind," Daniel shook his head. "We are gods, but we struggle to keep friends. One step toward the higher stages makes us forget about thousands of acquaintances."

"Are you regretting it?" Noah asked. "I won’t patch your law together if you fall apart."

"I’m not sure I can," Daniel laughed. "Is it me in control of my law, or is this power that rules my existence? Where does Daniel Udye end and purity begins? Can you even separate your mind from your ambition?"

"My ambition is the result of Noah Balvan’s evolution," Noah exclaimed. "I don’t think human words can fully express this change. We have long since stopped being humans in the end."

"It would have been easier if we couldn’t catch up at all," Daniel sighed. "You are the constant reminder of perfection shining above us. Our power can only hope to remain under your light."

"You are one of the few existences in the entire world who has seen my flaws since the beginning of my cultivation journey," Noah laughed. "Perfection doesn’t exist in this world. I’m better at something, worse at others, nothing more than that."

"The great Defying Demon is trying to be humble for the sake of his old friend," Daniel scoffed. "I would almost believe you if I didn’t see you taming an upper tier magical beast by raising your hand."

"You forgot about its pack," Noah pointed out. "Those Winged Turtles are cowards. I’ll probably put them in the frontlines in the next war if they don’t improve."

Daniel laughed, and the two experts fell silent at that point. They enjoyed the sound of the raging currents in front of them while nostalgia and other emotions surged in their minds.

"The cultivation journey is wrong," Daniel eventually exclaimed, "This version at least. The separate planes, the Tribulations, the forced fairness, everything makes experts divide themselves due to a mere difference of power."

Noah remained silent since Daniel seemed about to get somewhere. The best he could offer to his friend was an attentive ear.

"Look at this purity instead," Daniel continued while waving his arms and pointing at the emptiness behind him. "You are the leader of the last organization in the world, but magical beasts, hybrids, and humans at every level can speak to you. Everyone can touch your existence. This is how the world should be."

Noah glanced at the emptiness behind him before focusing on the chaotic laws again. He disagreed with Daniel, but that was fine. Different existences had to have various beliefs at their core. They wouldn’t even reach the divine ranks otherwise.

"I will create it, Noah," Daniel said after taking a deep breath. "I will create a world where the cultivation journey doesn’t have to respect such stupid rules."

"Do you want to become Heaven and Earth?" Noah asked.

"Heaven and Earth have seized the world for their own benefits," Daniel snorted. "I want to make things right. This light should unite, not divide, and I’ll prove it."

"I can’t wait to see it," Noah laughed, but Daniel lowered his head at those words.

"You won’t," Daniel eventually said as his eyes fell on Noah and a sad smile appeared on his face. "You probably won’t be here by the time I reach that level."

"You can always find me," Noah replied.

"That’s June’s path, not mine," Daniel commented. "You won’t come back, and I won’t look for you. It seems that our existences exist to have many opposites."

Daniel turned to return toward Shafu, but Noah interrupted him with a question. "Will you take care of the others once I’m away?"

Of course," Daniel announced while shooting a wide smile toward Noah. "I’ll take care of everyone."

Daniel turned again at that point, and Shafu soon welcomed him back. Noah inspected his figure jumping on the dragon and becoming faint among the darkness. His words still resounded in his mind, and he knew why they were so heavy to hear.

Noah was a harsh leader, but he was good, and he forced his underlings to grow. However, Daniel was beyond him in that field. The cultivator took care of the experts’ minds before attempting to increase their level. Moreover, his actions were selfless. Daniel truly wanted the best for his peers.

’They will be in good hands,’ Noah sighed in his mind before glancing at the chaotic laws again.

’We should return in only a few more centuries, a millennium at max,’ Noah thought as destructive plans formed in his mind. ’The attack on Heaven and Earth’s system should begin right after.’