Shocked? Flabbergasted? Could these words even begin to describe how Damien was feeling at the moment? It wasn't just him, even Ruyue was in the same position.
To them, Tian Yang was both their master and a kind old man that provided them support and helped them grow into the people they were today. As people so close to him, they naturally understood that he was strong.
This point was further illustrated by how easily he crushed Xue Yebai. The strength he revealed truly was at the extreme peak of 4th class.
But the difference between the extreme peak of 4th class and scraping the bottom of 5th class was still like Heaven and Earth. Divinity wasn't something that a mortal could compare with.
How could it be easy for these two disciples to suddenly accept that their master was a Demigod?!
Damien's mind raced. Logically, Tian Yang's status made sense. Damien was already aware that the Celestial Star Palace had a Demigod ancestor.
The problem was, when Damien first found out about this, he'd asked Yun to do a comprehensive search for every Demigod in the world. Even Tang Lingzi was discovered through this search.
But Yun didn't say anything about Tian Yang. According to the information Damien received, the Celestial Star Palace's old ancestor was residing many kilometers below the sect, submerged in meditation.
The confusion on Damien's face was evident even through his paralyzed state. Naturally, Tian Yang noticed it too.
He grinned mischievously. "Brat, you're ten thousand years too early to compete with me. I'm a Demigod specializing in Spatial Laws, you know? Do you think I've never had contact with the World Core before?"
Realization struck Damien like a truck. Of course Tian Yang would've spoken to Yun before. Even if they couldn't communicate as thoroughly as he and Yun could, Tian Yang had more than enough power to roughly understand Yun's intent.
As for Yun, why wouldn't it favor the Demigods born on its surface? Back then, Damien had only recently formed a contract with it, so their relationship wasn't solid at all. Choosing to protect Tian Yang's identity wasn't even something he could blame Yun for.
Compared to Damien, Ruyue's reaction was even more exaggerated. She's been with Tian Yang far longer than he had, and she didn't have nearly enough information to draw the same conclusions as him.
It was only after Tian Yang gave a brief explanation through mental transmission that she was able to somewhat calm down, but she forced him to promise an in-depth explanation when things were done and over. She wouldn't be resigned until she knew everything.
Tian Yang smiled wryly as he dealt with his two disciples, but at the moment, his priorities lay elsewhere.
His eyes focused on Wrath who was standing before him. A savage grin spread across his face.
"I've been wanting to meet you for a long time." He said slowly.
Wrath's eyes narrowed. "And why is that?"
"Hahaha!" Tian Yang chuckled. "Do you see anyone else around who can entertain me in battle? I finally found a worthy opponent, and he's a scummy Nox as well. How can I not be excited?"
"Your confidence is massive for someone who hasn't even given his name yet. Don't you think you've bitten off more than you can chew?" Wrath spat back.
"Hm? Ah, I didn't think your kind was civilized enough to care about such things. Mm, I am called Tian Yang, as for my title, I am the Void Old Immortal."
Damien dearly wished he could move at the moment so he could slap Tian Yang silly. If anyone was going to have that title, shouldn't it have been him?!
But Damien had lost relevance in the current matter. All eyes were focused on Tian Yang and Wrath.
The Void Old Immortal of the Cloud Plane. While this wasn't a name Damien had ever heard before, to the native Cloud Plane denizens that joined the operation against Niflheim, this title was like an explosion going off in their heads.
He wasn't just a legend, he was a mythical existence that surpassed anyone and everyone who had ever existed on the Cloud Plane! His name was known by every child, decorated glamorously in the books they were read by their parents.
For that figure to be standing before them...these denizens felt as if they were dreaming, floating on cloud nine.
"To use the void's name in your title is quite bold. Don't you think you'll incur its wrath by doing so?" Wrath sneered. He didn't know anything about Tian Yang, so naturally, his title wouldn't matter either.
Tian Yang scoffed in return. "If you want to test my qualifications, I'd be more than happy to show you. What, did you not hear me the first time I challenged you?"
Wrath gritted his teeth. No matter how enraged he was at Tian Yang's constant rebuttals, he couldn't move rashly. Tian Yang wasn't someone he could bully like the rest of the Demigods present.
The conversation between the two naturally progressed from this point, with many verbal blows being exchanged. Wrath didn't have the confidence to directly face Tian Yang yet, so this was the most he could do to maintain his face.
But standing below them quietly, Damien could no longer hear them.
His mind was buzzing, a high-pitched ringing resonating in his ears and blocking out all other sounds. Even his eyesight was taken from him.
The World Energy whirlpool around his body flared up again, the energy that was keeping him paralyzed dispersing back into the atmosphere.
Yet, Damien still didn't move at all.
Within his body, a change was occurring. Damien was already aware of what this signified.
Whatever mode the Void Physique wanted to make, it was making it now.
Bang!
An explosion occurred within. Damien's left side, just below his ribs, was blasted into pieces.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
Both legs were turned into mush in an instant, but they soon began to regrow under the effects of Transcendent Regeneration.
While Damien's body randomly combusting was a strange and harrowing sight, in reality, it was nothing more than a byproduct of the processes taking place within his internal systems.
Massive changes were taking place. The true effects of the World Energy that wracked his body moments prior began to show.
If Damien had to put it into words, that influx of World Energy was a primer. By adapting to the flow it forced into his body, bai circuits were already heated and his bodily systems working at full power. Even the World Core Fusion Reactor hungrily interfered with his body, attempting to consume every trace of World Energy it found.
The reason his body was changing was because it was finally adapting to the pathways laid out by World Energy. The combustion was due to major changes that completely inverted or countered the existing flow of energy through his body, creating a naturally chaotic reaction.
Yet, this was only the primer. While his body rapidly changed, Void Essence leaked from his mysterious connection to his physique, randomly appearing in his body like black clouds.
'This...what does it want to do?' Damien questioned, his expression becoming dignified. Despite the pain, he was still clear-headed. By this point, he'd gotten used to losing limbs every once in a while.
What he questioned was the Void Essence's purpose. For it to intrude into his body without his control, there had to be some sort of plan.
And soon enough, this plan was introduced to Damien in a bout of pain so unimaginable that he didn't think it was possible.
While the entire battlefield was paused and focused on Tian Yang and Wrath, a tense silence had enveloped it.
But in that moment, the silence was interrupted by a harrowing scream of agony.
