A golden chariot landed in a world painted in platinum.
This was none other than the Ancient God Clan's Hidden World. Located within the folds of space roughly 30 million kilometers away from Eien, this world had remained undiscovered for over a hundred thousand years, no matter what kind of illustrious existence passed through the area.
The world was similar to the concept of Elysium. It was a truly beautiful sight, filled with brilliant color and various strange structures Damien had never seen before.
But when it came to architecture, he was a bit jaded. At this point, after visiting so many worlds and experiencing their cultures, he'd come to a realization.
Regardless, it all served the same purpose, didn't it?
Architecture was a large part of culture, but all cultures were rooted in other cultures. When it came to the universal scale, even hidden clans like the Ancient God Clan could be influenced by others.
Particularly if they'd been raised by an outside force from the beginning.
'Even though there's a lot of unnecessary nonsense added, these structures basically mimic Earth. However…'
When the Ancient God Clan was formed, humans didn't even exist on Earth yet.
'Well, it's probably that old bastard's doing.'
Damien waved off the thought, instead activating his eyes and peering into the folds of reality, clearly following the countless intricate linear patterns that interweaved in the air and created the grand formation that concealed this world.
'This kind of workmanship, is it even possible for a Demogod?' He wondered.
Powerful Demigods could easily create phenomena on a world scale, but this type of grand formation was different. The amount of effort and skill that went into this creation was far more impressive than its scale or power.
As Damien continued to observe the formation, Xinyue and Elize led him through the clan, headed for the main building situated in the southeastern hemisphere of the world. The trio was flanked by the remaining elders who entered the Void Corridor, however, each and every one of them was silent at the moment.
After all, of them, not a single one approved Damien's continued existence. It was merely due to Elize and Xinyue's order that they stayed their hand.
This group eventually made their way through the shining metallic world and entered the main building, traversing the halls until they came upon a humble dining room, in which a table was already set for them.
"Please take your seats. The Lord will be with you in a moment." A nearby maid stated, flicking her fingers and causing all the seats at the table to pull out.
The invited guests took their seats, with Damien at the foot of the table. Xinyue and Elize separated from him, taking their seats nearest to the head of the table.
Just as they finished arranging themselves, a beautiful woman appeared in the room. With her beautiful snow-white hair and skin and her piercing light blue eyes, she was almost like a version of Xinyue that had already reached her prime and sat stably there.
"Mother."
""Clan Head.""
The Ancient God Clan members stood up and bowed with respect as she entered.
Damien watched them in amusement, not bothering to follow their example.
The woman glanced at him for a second before waving her hand, ordering the elders and Xinyue to take their seats.
"Xinyue, you seem to have brought something interesting." She commented after taking her seat at the head of the table.
Damien glanced at her, but chose not to speak. As he was in someone else's territory at the moment, he at least had to give them a chance before he responded in kind.
'Still, what an attitude to have towards a guest.' Damien thought sarcastically as he watched Xinyue explain his existence to her mother.
As the story progressed, the white-haired woman's expression crumpled further and further, and when it finally got to the point where Elize got involved, all of the other elders were immediately dismissed from the room.
Damien sat and watched her try to rationalize his existence in real-time. Her expression changed at least 16 times within a single second as she decided how to deal with him, and the number of times her killing intent spiked was roughly half of that.
'It doesn't look like I'm as welcome as Xinyue and Elize expected. Then again, this woman could also be the problem.'
Damien stopped paying attention to them and spread his awareness, blanketing the entire world in his perception.
From what he understood about the Ancient God Clan, it wasn't an inherently matriarchal or patriarchal clan. Instead, they had two clan heads, one from each gender, who ruled together.
This woman was one of them, and though she wasn't Xinyue's birth mother, she was being called "Mother" all the same.
Damien was looking for her "Father."
He wanted to have a conversation with the Ancient God Clan, and that didn't seem like something he could achieve with this woman.
After all, despite his continued presence in the room, she had yet to acknowledge him besides her small provocation when she first entered.
'Haa, stuck-up people exist everywhere. I'm too old to be dealing with this shit, especially when it's coming from a Demigod who should be old enough to know better.'
Damien knew that searching for a Demigod with his awareness was futile, but he still did so in hopes that the second Demigod of the clan would notice his intentions.
And as he wished, within a single second, a strange fluctuation decorated the corner of his perception.
He glanced sideways at Xinyue and her mother, and seeing as how that woman was still trying to find ways to show her superiority, he gave up on it.
He didn't even bother to listen to the details of their conversation.
He simply…left.
"You…!"
An exclamation followed his disappearing figure as the woman shot to her feet and flared her aura, but just as she did…
Kacha!
A second aura fluctuation broke her pressure.
Her eyes sharpened. She gritted her teeth in frustration, but she didn't move, glaring daggers into Damien's soul as he disappeared.
When he materialized again, Damien found himself at the edge of what seemed like a forest that was made entirely of a platinum metallic substance.
A man stood within. His figure wasn't robust and was instead more feminine, especially when it came to his facial features, but his beauty couldn't be denied.
This man was the type of person who could make people fall in love with him by merely walking down the street.
"So you are the successor prophesized by future generations?" The man asked, moving his perception along Damien's body
Damien shrugged in response. "That's what it looks like. I also only learned of this a bit ago, so it's not like I can give you answers you don't already have."
The man nodded with a slight smile. "However, isn't this quite a strange way to carry yourself in this situation? I am either a hostile Demigod or a subordinate, and you are currently treating me like neither."
"Then, what do you want me to act like?" Damien asked.
The man paused and shook his head wryly. "It is not important."
"I have observed your bloodline, and I can say with confidence that you are the one prophesized by the ancestors. Such a unique bloodline identity is not something a regular genius can possess."
The man turned around to face Damien, closing the fan in his hand matter-of-factly.
"I am Di, the primary head of this Ancient God Clan. Today, I shall decide whether you are worthy of the mantle you have been gifted."
