Remembrance is a path that tackles memories.
Nihility, on the other hand, explores the futility and meaninglessnessof one's experience.
These are two of the Paths I have the most experience with… and they became my biggest help in overcoming the process of cutting down karma.
Nihility…
No matter how much it sought to render everything without a purpose, it has also brought together people.
Hysilens.
I never expected to meet someone whose circumstances with Nihility bear great semblance to my own. It goes to show that, when used right, it becomes a force that brings together others.
Hum.
The familiar sensation of deep powerlessness arose from my heart. The countless karmic lines connected to my being gradually turned translucent. From the lightest connections down to the deepest, I chose to bring them together to a brand new network—one untouched by the world.
Nihility no longer exists within me, but not its teachings. The clear state of mind it brought during my time inside IX bore fruit.
Gradually, these karmic lines transitioned in a state of existence and non-existence.
To the world, it no longer exists.
To me, it does.
That is all that matters.
Hum-!
I did not know how much time had passed. When I came back to my senses, I felt as if I was unshackled. The karmic lines connected to me all existed on a special plane. It no longer ties me down to this world, effectively becoming karma-less.
Simultaneously, my status which reached a breaking point soared. The weight I possessed could affect all eleven dimensions greatly. I am no longer bound by this world, instead overlooking it with unprecedented calmness.
So this is emptiness…
Rumble-!
My thoughts came to a halt. I looked upwards. The disrupted spiritual qi and Dao gave rise to a special phenomenon—tribulations.
Looking at the forming thunder tribulation, an idea took root inside my mind.
What if I try using my newfound powers against it?
*****
"He did not need it at all."
"Better to be safe than sorry."
"True…"
Shi Tian's Void Refinement breakthrough took a total of fifty years. Thirty years to fully merge his three aspects. Twenty years to complete the process of becoming karma-less.
"Nihility… It is not purely bad."
"Only in his case." Kiana added. "Remember our time in Amphoreus."
Sirin fell silent.
The "huge mess" everyone made at Amphoreus weighed heavily in Sirin's mind. That was their first confrontation against the major powers of this world.
The eleven chosen to simulate various Paths under Shi Tian's Remembrance understood their nature better.
Similar to the Dao in immortal cultivation, they are entities embodying a necessary "law" of the universe. They are entities that should have been at the Dao Integration Realm, but due to certain reasons, they are not.
"This world… something's wrong with it."
Sirin wasn't speaking metaphorically. She meant it literally.
Kiana did not disagree with her line of thought. She also feels that the answer is closer to it.
Aeons are Dao Integration Realm cultivators, yet they do not possess the full power of one. Either there is something wrong with them…
Or it is their Dao that has a problem.
Their idle chatter ensued. While they waited for Shi Tian to finish his tribulation, they either chatted or cultivated on the spot. The dozen or so seventh-grade formations are flawlessly constructed to be able to handle the full load of five cultivators breaking through the Void Refinement Realm.
If it wasn't enough, there was the sole eighth-grade formation on the inside of the imaginary barrier. These foolproof arrangements removed the possibility of weakening the imaginary barrier from the inside. Only outside attacks would work.
The arrival of several familiar faces added liveliness to their chatter.
"How clever! Tsk, tsk. I admit defeat."
Sin Mal shook her head as she looked at the Tuna duo with a hint of grievance. She wasn't dumb enough to overlook "crucial" matters. Given their nature, there is a high chance they tag-teamed against Shi Tian.
"You won't say anything about it?"
Sin turned to look at Bronya. The familiar silver drills and busted figure matched well with her inherent calmness.
"Wouldn't it be the same?"
Her words halted Sin's words.
Bronya struck the truth.
It would not matter whether they dual cultivated with Shi Tian before or after his breakthrough.
After all…
They like to be dominated.
Kiana overheard everything. She gave Sirin a strange look. Beyond the usual "teasing" she did while Kiana plunged herself into Shi Tian, Sirin was still dominated by him. When Kiana joined in the teasing while she was down, Sirin's tendencies flared up even more.
"What? W-will you judge others' preferences?"
Seeing Sirin's oddity, Sin Mal gave her one look and understood it all. All she gave was a knowing look.
Others might not have noticed it, but she did a long time ago.
They have the same bed preferences!
"It is a tribulation now. Tian is faster than us."
Bronya commented as they saw the thunder tribulation form. Unlike any other weather phenomenon, it is akin to a cosmic cloud with lightning arcs spanning in dozens of light years. They had to designate a good portion of the solar system, cover it with dozens of seventh-grade formations, and perform meticulous spatial folding to expand the entire space.
Without it, the tribulation clouds would have encompassed the entire solar system.
"Our connection too. It's isolated now."
Kiana's star-like pupils stared at the karmic lines tying her and Shi Tian. The sensation of being unshackled from the world's web of karma is inexplicable. The best description that encompasses it is the ascension of one's "status".
Four people stared at Shi Tian overcoming his tribulation. The next thing he did went beyond their expectations.
"...He created another thunder tribulation."
"The Dao of All Creation…"
Bronya and Kiana watched intently.
Using his Dao of All Creation, Shi Tian created a genuine thunder tribulation from scratch. It was unstable at first, but when the influence of Remembrance was added, any cracks disappeared. It became as real as it could ever be.
Boom-!
Buzz-!
The two thunder tribulations clashed simultaneously. The end result was mutual destruction… and discordant spiritual qi inside the formation barrier.
The next tribulation that came was the flame tribulation.
This time, he did not create a brand new flame tribulation to combat the original.
He hijacked it.
'So that's how it is. All Creation… what a fitting name.'
Only now did Shi Tian truly understand the Dao he is treading…