Way of the Knights

Chapter 738

The Celestial Ascension Platform had definitely changed since the first time Raven arrived. 

Before, the platform was in the middle of a dense forest. There's a large circular space made out of ancient metals and was filled with carvings. In the middle of this, there is a tall obelisk that pierced the sky. 

The more trials Raven clears, the platform started rising. Right now, the platform was raised so high that it is almost as high as the clouds. Still the obelisk's tip can't be seen, it extends all the way up to the space. Raven never managed to caught a glimpse of it. 

Amidst the silence, a sound of a mirror breaking can be heard out of nowhere. Cracks appeared out of thin air, they spread far and wide until they covered the entire platform. 

*BOOM!!*

A loud explosion occurred and the sound of shattering glass echoed everywhere. This was followed by a blinding brilliance of gold and silver that flooded the entire forest. 

A silhouette can be seen in the middle of that brilliance. As the light faded, the silhouette became clearer and clearer.

It revealed a man with a long aqua-marine colored hair. He looks young, probably somewhere around 20-25 years old. He was extraordinarily handsome, the type that can make someone dream of his face on lonely nights. His shoulders were broad, had a narrow waist, he was tall as well. He was wearing a golden colored robes and was surrounded with a calm and benevolent aura. 

The moment he appeared, he became the center of the world. It was as if he was the only existence that mattered. Hymns filled profundity appeared, singing praises for his arrival. The laws bent down, welcoming him and a expression of absolute serenity was plastered on his face.

This man, was none other than Raven himself. 

He just returned in a grand manner after clearing his last trial. He didn't need to double check since he was completely confident about his decision. Raven released a soft sigh which can be heard from a mile a way. 

He retracted his aura, keeping it all within his body, appearing like any other mortal. He landed on the platform and the peace of his surroundings returned. He looked towards his left and saw the Trial Administrator smiling at him. 

"Congratulations on clearing your final trial. How do you feel?" 

"…" Raven can't answer at first. He looked as his hands and carefully thought of the most accurate way to describe what he's actually feeling right now. After a moment, he parted his lips and murmured:

"Invincible." 

The Trial Administrator had a hearty laugh at that. He didn't mind the audaciousness of Raven since he was probably being honest. And from what he saw so far, that might not be difficult from the truth. 

"I'm probably exaggerating. I still have and a long way to go. I know that but…this feels nice." Raven replied as he clenched his hands.

"Well, it's up to you anyways." The Trial Administrator said.

"I have something to ask you." Raven turned to the trial administrator and asked: "The Celestials…who/what are they?"

"I would love to tell you if it weren't for the fact that I have no idea myself." The Trial Administrator admitted while shrugging. "You'll have to figure that out yourself. I'm just their lackey. I haven't even seen them nor heard them talk to me personally, they're just sending me letters."

"…that being said. You've changed as well. I'd say, you're a Half-Celestial right now. As for what that entails, well…you have to figure that out on your own."

"I see." Raven nodded, well it can't be helped if that's the case then.

"There's still something missing…" Raven murmured in a cryptic manner. The Trial Administrator heard him and had a vague idea of what he's talking about. However, he remained silent.

Whatever Raven was looking for, the Trial Administrator can't interfere even if he knows as this doesn't fall under his jurisdiction. 

"Can you tell me the total amount of time that passed outside?" Raven asked. 

He thought that since he already cleared his last trial, he might as well ask, that way he can prepare himself for what he will see once he got out of here. 

"A little bit over 30 years." The Trial Administrator replied. 

Raven nodded to himself and set his expectations. He then asked: "I'm ready to leave." 

"Already?" The Trial Administrator laughed, "You don't want your rewards?" 

Raven blinked and said: "…I thought I was already collecting the rewards as I cleared the trials. You know, the parts of the Scepter of Wisdom? I thought they were my rewards? Are they not?" 

Yes, Raven indeed thought that he already received his rewards for passing the trials. He had this idea once he cleared the 3rd Trial. There was this trend where every time he finished a trial, he will receive a piece of the Scepter of Wisdom. This trend continued until the final trial, he already fused everything with the brush. 

"That's only a part of it…" The Trial Administrator said, "Your other reward, is this."

Raven saw the Trial Administrator giving him a piece of tiny black crystal. It flew towards Raven who caught it and inspected it briefly. 

"Is this…a Planar Seed?" Raven was pleasantly surprised. 

"It is." The Trial Administrator nodded, "The Celestials gave it to you since they knew what you're aiming for. They said that this will be the best reward they can give you for persevering this far."

A Planar Seed is a priceless treasure. Anybody who find it will never think about selling it. This item is something that can help a world evolve, just like how a Newborn Star evolves to an Independent Star and so on, with the help of the Planar Seed, they can bypass the time consuming process and directly evolve into the next stage without any risks of failure. 

With the help of the Planar Seed, Raven can assist his home world to evolve into a Great World. Heck, it might even jump to a higher state.

"Do tell them that I am extremely grateful for this." Raven replied solemnly as he kept the Planar Seed on his Spatial Ring. 

"I will." The Trial Administrator replied. "I've already opened the exit for you. But before you leave, there is something that the Celestials told me to inform you." 

"What is it?" Raven asked. 

"They said: 'Don't be in a hurry.' And, 'We are looking forward to our eventual meeting.' "

Raven's eyes gleamed for a bit and he became silent. After a while, he nodded and said: "I see. Thank you for telling me. I'll keep it in mind." 

He then bid farewell to the Trial Keeper and walked towards the exit. Once he made his way out, the portal disappeared and the platform sank back to the ground, the Trial Administrator gazed towards where Raven disappeared for a moment and disappeared as well. 

Peace and silence returned to this place. 

—

"I'm back." Raven muttered as he took a deep breath in. 

He looked around and saw the familiar appearance of the sect. He stood on the spot for quite sometime, inspecting his surroundings and allowing himself to reminisce for a little while. 

The sect remained rather peaceful. He can still see the disciples running to and from everywhere, busy with their training and errands. He can see new faces and familiar ones. The buildings, the atmosphere…it truly has been a while. Though the Trial Administrator said that only 30 years had passed here, to Raven who lost all sense of time, if felt like forever. 

There was nobody around.

Well, he's not really expecting a welcome party once he returned, he thought that at least the Sect Master and the Grand Elder will be alarmed of his return but apparently not. 

Raven started walking around. He kept a low profile by minimizing his presence. He arrived back at the Storm Dweller's Peaks, the home and office of the Sect Master and the Grand Elder. 

He figured that it would be wiser to let them know of his return first since he took a long time to clear his trials. 

The vintage design of their home didn't change. It still looked like the way Raven remembered it. Raven went through the backyard to check if there's someone around. 

Well, there wasn't. Not a soul can be seen in there. The backyard was open but there's nobody around. Just to be sure, Raven did check inside but yeah, no one. 

He connected to the Avatars he left at his pocket dimension, the ones that are monitoring the movement of their enemies. He asked them where the Sect Master and Grand Elder went and they told him that they were out for official business, they said that the two should be returning any time soon. 

With that in mind, Raven decided to wait for them right here. He didn't intend to make a big deal out of his return anyways, that has never been his style. He just simply meditated and waited for them to arrive. 

A couple of moments later. Two blurring silhouettes appeared right in front of him with unfriendly gazes, the moment they appeared, they questioned him. 

"Who are you!?"