Teetering On The Edge

It didn't matter if she would rather have chosen to go through the doors of death than the gates of the Sage Realm.

It didn't matter if she did not want to break through to the Sage Realm.

It didn't matter if she didn't want to become a Martial Sage.

Unlike the breakthroughs to the Senior and Master Realms, the breakthrough to the Sage Realm was not driven by desire.

It was driven by understanding.

It was driven by cognizance.

By enlightenment.

Her desire to remain a Martial Master was strong, but once she understood exactly how much it defined her, the final piece of the puzzle of who she was fell into place. The moment she understood that her fear of obsoletion was the network of emotions, memories, desire, and a myriad of other forces that came together to make her who she was, she gained the Enlightenment of Self.

In that moment, she gained endless clarity.

And with it, endless peace and harmony with who she was.