'There's something I'm not understanding that's making my entire thinking process useless… is it that I don't understand or that I can't understand? I mean, we're talking about gods, beings who transcend logic…'
'Mother's Original question was how can a True God make their cultivation advance after their Dao plateaus. This question led to another question, how does a cultivator's Dao plateau in the first place? Through foundational runes.'
'She also said that a True God's runes are branded in their inner world so they can't increase the amount they have past a certain point.'
Looking at the technical and factual side of things seemed to be totally out of Orion's current mental abilities so he decided to look at it from another angle.
'What would I do if my path reached a dead end? I'd either give up or…'
"Restart? They want to reshape their Dao?" Asked Orion in complete shock.
Hera only smiled as she calmly looked around, appreciating the beautiful paysage Vilgax was taking them through.
'What?! To reshape your own dao? How would that even be possible? You'd need to reshape your entire identity, path and ego. Would it even be you by the end of it? Wait… does Karma play a part in this? I heard people regularly wash their Karma when they want to be reborn, maybe it's the same when some- wait! Maybe the person's dao in itself could go through a rebirth? Fuck, how would that work? If that's possible does that mean that…'
Orion's mind was plunged in total Chaos as he went deeper and deeper into the possibilities his mind offered him.
"We're here."
To his surprise, no longer was he on Vilgax's large back as they traversed the skies. He was now in a beautiful garden full of a myriad of exotic flowers and insects as an aura of life and peace diffused around.
As they walked along a carved path of stones and clay, Orion noticed something peculiar.
'It's weird. It feels like I'm in the void.'
Before he could think further, a horrifying wave of power washed over him.
Immediately, his back became akin to a waterfall as his entire figure was covered in sweat, his heart wildly beating as he looked around, trying to find the source of such a terrifying amount of power.
Even faster than the wave of power had hit him, it disappeared as a hand reached his shoulder.
"Calm down, we're here." Calmly uttered Eros as he magically appeared.
Orion's state instantly stabilised as any form of fear within him seemed to dissipate.
"Oh my, despite the effort I put into that seal, you still managed to crack it. Impressive feat, boy." Said a melodious voice.
Turning around, Orion gazed at the being that had appeared with his father.
With long clear blue hair and smooth dark blue skin covered in circular white runes, Pillar Brimstone looked nothing like what she did all those years ago. She looked no older than thirty.
Her pupils still held a form of unchallengeable vicissitude but it was now accompanied by an inexhaustible spring and vigour that only youth could offer.
Hearing her voice, Hera immediately gave a formal slight bow to her.
"Congratulations on your breakthrough elder!"
Any step within the realm of Pillars, whether major or minor was worth celebrating. Their path was difficult beyond words, so difficult it could only be explained in god tongue.
Ignoring Hera's words, Pillar Brimstone stepped forth as she picked Orion up and looked deep into his eyes.
Within the endless silver world that were Orion's pupils, a totally different world existed.
Pits of burning dark blue flames accompanied by storms of obsidian lightning raged as a single blurry being stood unfazed amidst this chaos, creating an strange yet fitting contrast.
"Hahaha, kid's got the same eyes as that old bastard!" She happily exclaimed as she let out a laugh that shook the space around them.
"Who?" Asked Orion in confusion.
"Pillar World Storm of the Virvios Clan." She casually answered.
Hearing this, both Eros and Hera felt their hearts stop and hairs stand on end as they felt something beings of their ranks rarely felt…fear.
"Who's that? Is he related to us?"
"You'll meet him soon enough so I'll let you find that out yourself. Anyways, let's go."
The earth beneath their feet shifted as it became an enormous flying wind dragon that soared across an ashen landscape.
'Reality manipulation…?' Thought Orion in shock.
"Do you know what life artefacts are and why they are important to us Divienor?" She asked.
"No but if I had to guess it's probably a weapon that grows alongside the cultivator's strength. I don't know how that links with our bloodline though." Answered Orion as his eyes couldn't help but wander around the strange world they were in.
"Close enough. Life artefacts are objects that resonate with the original realms of sanctity and have been shaped after primordial phenomenons. Our bloodline is the embodiment of The One's origin so only we are worthy of wielding phenomenons of nature." She explained.
'Why is she saying this as if I understand who The One is and what the Original realms of sanctity are?' Thought Orion.
"We Divienor were also a clan of warriors very much like the Spartans of Olden so it's extremely important to us that our youngins chose their weapons early and have a symbiotic relationship with it."
"Anyways, we're here. Welcome to my Hall, the Hall of Ash. The place where all our clan Artefacts reside."
With humongous ash tinted pillars wider than planets and high ceilings, carved in intricate runic designs, the place was spectacular to say the least.
The air was thick and humid as a perpetual sense of doom lingered around, perfectly accompanied by the gloomy rays emanating from the white sun that hung in the middle of the dark grey skies of the realm.
As Orion walked in the Hall, multiple grand gates carved in stone greeted him as archaic ashen runes danced around.
"Walk forth and touch the gate in front of you. The rest will be relatively instinctive."