The key difference between Charlie and Balin was simple—Charlie had no desire for immortality or ascension.
To him, ascension felt like an endless cycle of schooling. Like moving from kindergarten all the way to university, step by step, without ever truly finishing. He had once been a bully in kindergarten, then transferred schools, where he even chased a dog and bit it twice.
What was so meaningful about a life like that?
He didn’t crave immortality either. The price was too high. Most of that endless lifespan would be spent in repetitive cultivation. How could anyone truly experience life that way?
—
Balin, meanwhile, was still trying to understand Charlie’s words.
After a moment, he sighed, his voice filled with resignation.
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