The Gamer's Den, one of the most popular places at the Inn, was no longer managed just by Z. Instead, Z became the assistant manager, still under the command of the ever elusive manager named Leo, with a host of new workers under him.
This only added to the popularity of the Den, however, as not everyone came to it to play games. With millions of guests coming to the Inn every day, things really had become very hectic. The stringent control Lex had over the minor details occurring every day had loosened, resulting in the Inns staff suffering from various kinds of harassment.
Usually security would handle the matters, but not all troublemakers would take drastic actions. Sometimes it would just be persistent teasing and pestering. Due to the fact that all the Inn's workers started with no cultivation, they were inherently weak even after they started cultivating, making them easy targets.
When situations like this happened, all the workers had begun going to 'big brother' Z to handle matters. As a naturally introverted person, Z was not one who could resolve matters by talking and having lengthy conversations anyway.
Fortunately, with Z's love for going to the arenas, a new method to resolve problems became available. Moreover, due to his effectiveness with his bloodline, he had yet to lose a battle. In fact, while his bloodline level was below that of Gerards, everyone agreed that Z had better control over the bloodline itself.
Keeping this in mind, when Luthor was unable to find Z at the Gamer's Den, he went directly to the arena, and indeed arrived just in time to watch Z finish yet another battle. This time, his weapon of choice was not a trading card, but a spinning top BaysideBlade.
His opponent, a beaten and battered alligator standing on its hind legs and wearing boxing gloves, took one last hit on its snout before collapsing for good.
The heat in Luthor's heart burned even stronger as he watched this. He was not as excited as the crowd at Z's victory. Instead, he lamented that the staff had to rely on a mere child to protect their honor. He completely ignored that he himself was only a few days old while Z was already nearing the ripe old age of 1 year.
He waited silently until Z exited the arena, before approaching him. Luthor made no grand declarations about wanting to change the future of the Inn. Instead, he buried his edge and humbled himself before asking Z for a loan.
Z, startled at how polite this new worker was, accepted the request and gave Luthor the amount he wanted. After that Luthor did not waste any time on superfluous words, and directly went to the meditation room, with his eyes having turned completely scarlet now. For the first time ever, he activated his bloodline, Anachronistic Ignition, and began cultivating like a madman. He would first burn away all his weakness, then he would burn all the Inn's enemies.
*****
Though the ballroom looked as pristine as the moment they stepped in, Lex's grandfather no longer carried the same pois. His face was pale and his eyes dug deep into his skull. In front of him stood Serene Williams and her husband, completely fine, as if nothing had happened.
"You have always been rebellious, but not this much…" said Lex's grandfather, doing his best to keep his knees from trembling. He was a dignified immortal, his pride did not let him lose face by falling to the intimidation of one who was still in the Nascent realm.
"I can understand I have not been the best father. I can understand how our relationship became estranged when you married this… lesser born." There was a hint of disgust and disdain in the man's voice when he said the last line, his eyes momentarily glancing at Serene.
"But though she may be of common stock, I acknowledged her when she proved her worth with her sharp mind. I especially became appreciative when she gave you three talented children, using her sharp mind to ensure that each was born with special talents and skills. I can even understand how that whole fiasco with little Moon… upset you."
He had to be careful with his words, for the matter with his son's youngest daughter, Moon, actually nearly tore their family apart. The wedge created that day still had not been healed and, ironically, it was that lowborn woman who convinced his son not to leave the Williams family forever. For that, he was genuinely grateful to her. After all, he was the most talented Williams family child of his generation - it would be a shame to lose him.
"But no matter how bad things have gotten, you have never behaved this way before. Even going as far as hiding the existence of your son for two decades, depriving him of his family heritage… you of all people know the disadvantage of not cultivating with the aid of a strong enough family. What could it be that prompted you to do this?"
The air in the hall was still as everyone waited for the man to continue with his words.
Damian Arban Williams, Lex's grandfather, finally said the only thing that possibly made sense.
"The only thing I can think of… is a matter related to bloodlines."
He felt a great amount of fear in his heart as he spoke, and an equally great amount of hope. The Williams family had a great history, and should have been one of the top four families of the Jotun Empire, directly alongside the prestigious Butt family which Noman Butt belonged to, under only the royal family.
But while the Williams family shared a sufficiently powerful background, there was one major flaw that prevented them from ever reaching that status. Other than the founder of the Williams family, one of the four advisors to King Jotun himself, no one from their family had been able to unlock the bloodline their family carried.
"But that should not be a reason to hide him," Damian continued in confusion, "but instead bring him to light. He would directly be named heir of the family, and raised with the utmost care. So then, what could it be?"
"It does not matter," Lex's father replied, after slashing one more time and cutting yet another hole in space. "You have already seen what my sword can do. Search for my son and I will personally end the Williams family, the Jotun agenda be damned!"
The couple exited through the slashed space, leaving behind an utterly confused old man. But though the old man was confused, he was not poltroon. Hidden deep in his exhausted eyes was ambition. The fact that his grandchild had been hidden from him meant that there was something special about him, and Damian was not about to let that go.