Chapter 1331
I’ll Handle Your Ritual
Eivass’s ascension ritual this time was completely different from all his previous ascension experiences.
It was neither the serene feeling of being immersed in his mother’s embrace like the Full Moon Ritual, nor did it possess the blood-scented darkness and heaviness of the New Moon Ritual.
It wasn’t even like the experience of the Eclipse Ritual—Eivass remembered that his last Eclipse Ritual had involved him directly entering a dungeon after regaining consciousness. When he woke up, he was even dazed for a few seconds before gradually recalling that he was in a dream.
This time, Eivass’s consciousness was exceptionally clear.
He hadn’t fallen asleep at all. Instead, he felt his spirit body hurtling through a black tunnel at an almost uncontrollable speed.
It was like a roller coaster traveling through the darkness at extreme speed. An icy chill penetrated Eivass’s chest, like riding an electric bike on a cold night wearing only a drafty sweater. Cold wind poured into his body through the gaps in his clothes, causing his thoughts to freeze and his consciousness to blur.
Eivass continuously felt as if he had bumped into something, yet he was immersed in a hazy state between sleep and wakefulness, unable to accurately think about what those things were. The outer layer of those things was covered by a soft membrane, which didn’t injure Eivass but merely slowed him down.
The sensation was like driving over speed bumps. His body jolted abruptly, but he sustained no damage. Only a flash of pure white moonlight erupted at the moment of impact.
After passing through a passageway, the collisions suddenly intensified. As Eivass’s speed gradually decreased, his consciousness returned, and through reason, he realized what those things were—
—they were sleeping spirits.
To be precise, these were the spirits of others undergoing the ascension ritual and preparing to enter the Dream Realm.
Some power from Hengwo protected them, preventing these spirits from getting injured even when they collided in the tunnel leading to the Dream Realm; yet, they had fallen asleep, rendering them completely unaware of what had happened during the journey.
“……So that’s how it is.”
Eivass finally understood why the experiences of the Full Moon Ritual and the New Moon Ritual were so different. One felt like soaking in a hot spring, while the other was like being caught in the rain and becoming a drowned rat… It was because the strength of this protective power varied.
During the New Moon, Hengwo’s power was at its weakest, so the power protecting these spirits was also diluted, leading to that bone-chilling cold and occasional discomfort from residual collisions.
Upon realizing this, Eivass imitated the posture of those “cocoons” and unleashed his Path power.
As warm light slowly illuminated the black tunnel, the feeling of his thoughts freezing as if blown by the cold wind gradually subsided, much like putting on a thicker coat while riding a bike.
There were no lights or road signs in this passageway. Only the road, which narrowed sharply at intervals, became tighter.
What was originally as wide as a plaza narrowed several times until it could only accommodate one person.
At this point, the speed of travel began to accelerate. Accompanied by a growing sense of suffocation, Eivass felt the speed increasing, faster and faster—
Finally, with a swoosh, he instantly passed through the black passageway, piercing a window that was the only source of white light in the darkness.
Eivass opened his eyes.
He regained a physical form, with eyes and a sense of touch.
—However, this was not the Dream Realm, but rather resembled the waiting hall for an ascension ritual.
Eivass was sitting on a giant stone chair.
But…
Compared to all the waiting halls Eivass had entered before, this hall seemed abandoned.
Except for the chair Eivass was sitting on, which was intact, all the other chairs were incredibly dilapidated. It was like an ancient castle, centuries or even more in age, that had not been maintained and had thus become a ruin of broken walls and crumbling foundations.
…Including the one beneath him, there were a total of eight chairs.
Eight? Eivass quickly counted the number of chairs and felt a chill.
An Absent Seat Ritual?
But this didn’t seem rational… because the ascension ritual was a performance for the Nine Pillar Gods and a ritual for them to increase “possibility.” Therefore, in theory, there shouldn’t be eight chairs—this would imply one Pillar God was excluded and could not witness the ritual.
This was precisely why, if everyone rejected a certain path and triggered the rule for the Absent Seat Ritual, one would face the most difficult and stringent ascension ritual—and even be deliberately obstructed by the Host.
He hadn’t entered the Dream Realm directly; could this be a PVP Ritual?
If that were the case, Eivass would actually feel relieved.
Eivass now was no longer as timid and subservient as he was in the past—confronting others was definitely simpler than dealing with uncertain elements like exploration, collection, and decryption.
He was ascending two paths simultaneously this time. According to the rules, did that mean he had to fight seven opponents? That wouldn’t be impossible…
“You aren’t thinking of fighting seven, are you?”
Just then, a somewhat familiar deep voice suddenly sounded, “Dreaming pretty.”
Eivass’s pupils constricted slightly.
Although the voice was different from his own… the moment Eivass heard it, he had already guessed the identity of the speaker.
Like walking alone in the deep night, wearing leather shoes on a wooden floor, with slow, deliberate steps.
The exceptionally clear footsteps carried a silent pressure.
Not far away, at the intersection of darkness and light, a familiar yet somewhat unfamiliar figure walked out as if “refreshing.”
Unlike Eivass’s current handsome and elegant, perfect posture like an avatar of beauty—this figure exuded a complete, extremely pure masculine aura.
His hair color was different from Eivass’s; it was pure black. Its length was less than a third of Eivass’s, not even reaching his ears.
Compared to Eivass, his facial features were noticeably more rugged, with very defined lines. He wore a gray suit over a purple-red plaid shirt, looking like a CEO.
Just from the way his suit shoulders were fully filled, one could discern the formidable muscles beneath. His skin was a tanned, almost coffee-colored wheat complexion. The slender hands visible below his cuffs showed clear vascular traces.
Unlike Eivass’s halo and wings, his skin bore visible scales. On his ears, collarbones, jawline, forehead, and the backs of his hands… Behind him was a slender, snake-like dragon tail that swayed behind him as he moved.
His pupils were as indifferent as ice, his back was straight, and his aura was imposing. A dim yellow hue with a hint of death aura covered his pupils, inexplicably giving him the appearance of an old man.
Although his appearance was almost identical to Eivass’s, and even his height was exactly the same… he inexplicably gave the impression of being at least ten years older than Eivass.
He stopped at the periphery of the ritual circle, standing outside the eight corresponding stone seats, facing Eivass on the farthest seat from him.
“…Nice to meet you, Ah Huan.”
After a long silence, Eivass opened his mouth, closed it, and finally spoke slowly and gently, “This should be our first meeting, right?”
“It’s your first time meeting me.”
Ring Heavenly Envoy adjusted his bow tie, saying calmly and distantly, “But it’s not my first time seeing you.”
“Is that so…”
Hearing this, Eivass didn’t panic.
It seemed that Ring Heavenly Envoy was not in a good mood—or at least, not in the mood to chat.
Would he not give any information at all?
“If I remember correctly, the ritual should be presided over by an Apostle of the Nine Pillar Gods, right? It doesn’t seem to be your turn as a Heavenly Envoy…”
He leaned back slightly, looking at Ring Heavenly Envoy as if he were a judge, tilting his head slightly, “So, what’s your purpose in coming here? To kill me?”
Ring Heavenly Envoy was equally unceremonious.
There was no reminiscing, nor any pretense. He simply walked forward, raising his right hand and clenching it as if grasping Eivass’s throat from a distance.
Merely by doing so, Eivass suddenly felt darkness before his eyes.
The intense suffocation made Eivass involuntarily clutch his own throat.
He felt his body being slowly lifted, even off the stone chair.
A strong sense of detachment made Eivass’s consciousness gradually blur, as if he were dreaming.
“Regrettably, your Host is already dead outside the door.”
In the darkness, Ring Heavenly Envoy’s calm voice grew closer, and he said slowly, “From now on, I’ll handle your ritual.”
And finally, the thought that flashed through Eivass’s mind was:
—He didn’t even bother to introduce himself… How rude.
(End of Chapter)
