Chapter 289: Joyces Conviction (2/2)
Another step.
”Old Man Lightning is like half a teacher to me, and I would risk my life for him.”
With another step, Gravis stood right before Joyce and looked into her eyes. ”I consider all of them my friends, and they share this sentiment with me. Additionally, I have a family I love. I have a lot of close people around me, and they share my so-called, cruel, and cold outlook.”
Joyce remained silent and felt nervous, but impressively, she didn't look away from Gravis' eyes. ”All of these people are incredible talents that won't be stopped in this lower world because they are strong enough to realize the truth of the cultivation world. Coldness and cruelty are necessary to rise to power.”
”They don't have the luxury to remain in an ivory tower, surrounded and worshipped by everyone around them because they don't know any hardships,” Gravis said coldly, ”unlike you.”
WHOOOM!
Joyce released her Will-Aura, and it hit Gravis. Her Will-Aura was a fully condensed normal Will-Aura, which was very impressive for someone at the initial Stage of Spirit Forming.
”HOW DARE YOU!?” Joyce shouted in anger.
Joyce stepped forward and looked coldly into Gravis' eyes as their eyes were only ten centimeters apart from each other. ”I have a Will-Aura! I went through hardships! I have also gone through a lot of pain in my life! The fact that I am very close to having a Unity Will is proof of that! I have seen more companions die than you! I am absolutely certain of that fact!”
”SO!” she shouted. ”Don't talk to me like I am some little girl that knows nothing about the world! I have forged many bonds and consider many people as very close friends, yet I still managed to become this powerful! Your cruelness isn't born out of necessity, but out of choice!”
Gravis remained silent as he looked into her eyes. Her eyes didn't show even a small inkling of uncertainty or faltering. Her eyes were clear and showed her conviction. Everything that she said came from her heart and was the absolute truth.
”Do you even know how the Freya Clan tempers their will?” She asked, still looking coldly into Gravis' eyes.
Gravis didn't answer.
”We can't fight people on the same Stage because we only have our physical body as a weapon. So, how do we temper our wills? Well, as you might already know, there are more ways to temper one's Will-Aura than simply killing others!” Joyce said.
”Enlighten me,” Gravis said.
”Every person of the Freya Clan goes outside and works as a mercenary! Groups and other Sects buy our services because having someone with Life Lightning is very useful. But such a partnership is not temporary! We stay in this partnership until either everyone dies or the group disbands. We forge a deep bond of friendship and comradery with everyone! We genuinely feel for each other and grief heavily when someone dies!”
Joyce's eyes remained cold, but she stepped back a little. Apparently, she had calmed down somewhat. ”We see our comrades die in their tempering. Every time someone in the group dies, we feel incredible pain. We want to never get close to anyone again because that is the only way how we can avoid such pain. But avoiding that pain would mean that we can't cultivate anymore!”
Joyce pointed to her window. ”Look outside! Every single member at the Spirit Forming Realm has seen dozens of their comrades and friends die in front of them, yet their hearts still remain open and compassionate! I've also had dozens of my companions die, and I still remember their names, how they looked, how they acted, and I can remember the scene of their deaths in minute detail! All of them were like brothers and sisters!”
After that tirade, she stepped closer to Gravis again. ”Every single member of my Freya Clan managed to remain compassionate through all these deaths, yet you, who had, how many people die? Five? Ten? You say being cruel is a necessity to progress!”
She stepped closer again and looked coldly into Gravis' eyes. ”You are only justifying your escape from the pain of grief by saying that being cruel is a necessity! You flee from the eventual pain of grief while the people in my clan confront it!”
”In my opinion, you are weaker than everyone in my Freya Clan!”