Way of the Knights

Chapter 749

"Damn! Really, guys? A whole month? Come on!" Paul whined 

"Oh shush it you, leave them be. This is the first time they met after all these years." Ellen pinched Paul's arms.

"Plus, you're not really in any position whine. The moment you arrived here you started ordering food and alcohol left and right, expecting him to pay for all that." Mark shook his head.

"What? It's isn't it, Bro?" Paul looked at Raven with a pitiful expression. "I mean the servants says to order anything we like so I did just that. What's wrong with it?" 

Raven just chuckled at Paul's antics. Well, some things never change really. 

Their reunion finally happened. Most of them were in touch with one another but it's just different when Raven and Luna was with them. 

Raven decided to be selfish and just spent the rest of the month with Luna by his side. They kept trying to conceive a child but it's going to be a little difficult. Surely, there are ways that can help them, Raven knew some but they wanted to have it all natural if it's possible. 

There are still time but once the deadline is about to arrive, these two wouldn't mind looking for other options. 

Raven looked at his friends and saw the massive changes in them, appearance-wise and strength-wise. They truly have come a long way even without him by their sides. 

Paul was huge. He stood for about 13 foot tall, he retained his bronze colored skin but he became more sinewy from the last time they saw each other. He carried an aura of a king, that unspeakable majesty as well as his sharp expression could intimidate anyone he meet. From what Raven can tell, Paul was already an early stage Empyrean Knight. The bloodline of the Snake Tailed Black Tortoise in him reached at least 99% potency, he's missing the last bit in order to Transcend. 

Ellen had a huge change in her temperament. She was a short-fused young woman when they parted but now she's a had the elegance and maturity of a true noble. She was beautiful. Her long crimson hair was tied into a braid decorated with numerous hairpins that increased her charm. She was fair-skinned, soft spoken and wore a sleeveless vermillion gown. She was radiating a gentle heat that can comfort anyone near her. She too is an Empyrean Knight but her bloodline is no longer that of a Vermillion Bird – she now possess the bloodline of a True Phoenix. That's unmistakable. 

Mark retained his rather unassuming appearance. He did look like a gentle scholar but beneath that lies a deadly edge won't hesitate to kill when its necessary. Raven was impressed because he almost couldn't discover his cultivation. If it weren't for the fact that he's aware of his activities in the Divine Realm, he wouldn't have guessed that this guy was just a smidge away from reaching the Divine Knight Realm. 

Anne was the direct opposite of her husband. She was proud of her appearance and never hesitated to flaunt it. She was someone that others can look but can never touch. Calling her the Emerald Fairy was the perfect way to address her. She is fickle and she was most attuned to her femininity, she keeps her secrets close but Raven can she the real even beneath that. Anne was a late stage Empyrean Knight but her skills allow her to defeat a Divine Knight if she caught them dropping their guard. 

While Raven felt happy and contented about the growth of his friends, them on their other hand was rather alarmed when they saw Raven again. 

They were expecting him to still be handsome, and he still is, so there's no need to talk about that. What really alarmed them is that none of them can truly see Raven's cultivation level. They used all sorts of spying tools in their possession but they all failed. 

Raven's guard was totally down. Every gesture he made was relaxed and laid-back. They knew that this was because he doesn't see them as his enemy or someone to be wary about. Still, they had a premonition that he was someone they can't go against. Be it individually or a group, they won't stand a chance against him. Thankfully, he wasn't an enemy. 

"So, have you guys asked permission from your respective sects?" Raven asked as he took a sip of his tea. 

"I did." Paul answered first. "I mean, I worked really hard during these past decades, barely taking a break and all so when I asked for it, they felt rather relieved actually."

"Me too." Mark followed, "I think the same can be said for everyone here." 

The girls nodded in succession as well. Indeed, all of them really worked tirelessly during the past decades. If it was someone else, they probably wouldn't be able to function well at this point. Additionally, it's not like they just spent 30-40 years, all of them here used time enchantments of their respective sects to reach their currently level as fast and as stable as they could. 

Else, it wouldn't be possible for them reach the Empyrean Knight realm within 3 to 4 decades. That's just absurd. 

"That's perfect then." Raven nodded. "Well, be out for a while."

"Where are we going anyway?" Anne asked, "The invitations you sent to us were vague, If it weren't for the fact that it was sent by the Oriental Dragon group, I might've declined." 

"Same here." Mark agreed, "It wasn't until we saw each other that we began to suspect that it was you who called us here. But what's with all of this secrecy? Are we going somewhere illegal?" 

"Wait! Don't tell we're going to the Outer Worlds!?" Paul looked at Raven with wide eyes. 

"No you idiot." Raven snorted, "It's a little too early for us to go there." 

"Then where do you plan on taking us? Is there a place where you cannot go without needing our help?" Ellen asked. 

"I mean…" Raven wore a playful expression, "It's not like I really needed your help with wherever I'm going, in fact it would be fine with just us two. Right?" 

Luna giggled and nodded. 

"We'll totally be fine." Raven reassured them. "So if you guys don't want to go to the Grand Ancestral Plane, it's totally fine. I can understand. I mean, there surely something else that you have to do here yeah? Then you don't have to go really." 

He said while smirking and sipping on his tea. 

The look on their faces was priceless. They stared at Raven in disbelief, its as if their brains stopped working for quite sometime. It was Mark who let out a chuckle and said:

"You're an asshole." 

Raven and Luna giggled at that. 

"You guys are so bad." Luna commented, "You already forgot that you've left some people behind home. I guess Divine Realm's scenery really grew on you huh?"

"Not at all!!" Paul exclaimed, "I miss my Old Man and my Older Brother you know! I was just thinking of visiting them, actually. What are we waiting for then?" 

"So shameless." Ellen snorted beside him. 

"Home, huh." Anne muttered, "It truly has been a while. When do we leave?" 

"Calm down for a bit, okay?" Raven chuckled, "I've scheduled it next month actually." 

"Eh? Why?" Ellen was puzzled. 

"I just figured that you guys might need sometime to shop for some souvenirs, you know?" Raven smiled at them, "Especially you guys are about to see some new faces." 

"New faces?" Mark frowned, shortly after his eyes widened, "Y-you mean…"

"Yes, Mark." Raven nodded, "I meant that you have a little sister. You too, Anne. A little brother for you Ellen. And for you Paul, it'll be a cute little niece." 

Raven then turned to Luna and said: "You have a little brother and a nephew, Wife. I guess they missed us greatly and they got a little jealous of my parents. I mean, I do have Nina and Tori left from my parents you see." 

Everybody was shocked, Luna included. This was news to them. 

"A niece…" Paul muttered, "Big Bro is already married? To who?" 

"My thoughts exactly." Luna muttered, "Who's the poor lass that my Older Brother conned?" 

"You will hurt his feelings, you know." Raven chuckled. 

"Isn't this great!?" Anne looked incredibly excited, she shook Mark's arms and continued: "We have siblings!! Ah, I'm so excited! I wonder what's her name, what she looks like? How old is she? Oh gosh I can't wait! Come on, let's go shopping! I have so many things I want to buy." 

"Okay, okay. Chill. I get it. I am excited too." Mark smiled while being shook by his wife. He then looked at Raven and asked: "But wait, how did you know this? Have you already returned?" 

"Nope!" Raven shook his head, "I purchased a Planar Writ. Meaning that our home is bound to me and under my protection. It allowed to me to see them despite the distance, I've been observing from afar and it's been a torture. I figured that if I'm going to go back, I might as well have everyone return with me." 

"So you guys go ahead! Buy some souvenirs. I already bought some. I'll wait for you guys here."