Chapter 14: Chapter 13 – Lonely Voyage.

Far, far from home—a lonely traveler sped on through the infinite expanse of the universe.

It traveled amidst glittering stars, under the steady shine of the sun, and inside the infinite expanse of emptiness.

It also traveled… alone.

Only now did the rock truly understand what that meant.

It was a solitary thing, used to spending eons calmly resting in place, letting the world pass on. But. There had always been something.

In the narrow crevice between two boulders, the rock had watched the rabbits frolic, evading hunters and foraging for the scarce offerings of autumn.

In the deeps of the dungeon, it had watched as little spiders crawled about, spinning their webs in a myriad of infinite patterns, a fragile tapestry upon the dark ceiling.

Even before it had truly known consciousness, when it had just been a normal rock, it had in some way watched the clouds roll by above, and the eagles dance among the winds.

Always, there had been something. Life.

But now, it only had a silent congregation of gravel and stone following it, mindlessly attracted along by a skill, a [Meteor Shower]. But it was not life.

However, the rock did not despair, nor did it get depressed. Because… it had never truly understood life. Why did the spiders spin those webs, when they were always reduced to dust in a matter of months? Why did the rabbit frolick and produce offspring, when they too would all pass in a short few years?

They did not truly grow. A short burst of life, before inevitably succumbing to the tyranny of time.

The rock did not care for time, so it knew itself to be superior. It had traveled a long time by now. Was the wizard who had cast it out here already dead, reduced to dust?

That was why it carried no hostility, no ill will. Why worry about revenge or such when one could just wait their enemies out?

A lesson many other immortal [Cultivators] could have learned much from.

But the rock did not know that, so it focused on its one true traveling companion. Because… were you ever really alone in this world?

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