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While others were staring and gaping at the goddess of beauty, only one god remained uninterested.

He pinched the area in between his brows and he looked totally tired and bored. He just wanted to take a rest after the long journey from war.

Ares' action of course, didn't go unnoticed by the ruler, Zeus. He had a subtle smirk on his face once he realized that the god of war might be the one suitable for Aphrodite. But he still didn't know how Ares would react when Aphrodite opened her veil.

Aphrodite took her steps towards the throne. She paid her respect to Zeus with a smile. Then her attention went towards the queen, Hera. Although the two couldn't see her smile in between her veil, they knew Aphrodite was a very gentle soul.

"Lift your head, Aphrodite." ordered Zeus. His voice sounded so powerful that it sent the surrounding boulders in the great hall to shake slightly.

"It has been a long time since you last went out of your mansion, hasn't it?" asked Hera. She was feeling a bit guilty for giving Aphrodite the blessing without consulting her first.

But now that everything went back to normal, Aphrodite didn't hold any grudge. She answered Hera with a calm demeanor and a polite bow.

Then suddenly, Zeus asked for the impossible.

Everyone present couldn't fathom why he would ask Aphrodite to do it.

Aphrodite herself didn't know how to react.

Why did Zeus suddenly ask her to lift her veil and show her face..?

Other gods in this hall would be enamored by her in an instant and that wasn't good. She stared at Zeus' place for a while but Zeus just smiled.

"Just do it, Aphrodite. I'll take care of it afterwards." he said.

Then with a dark chuckle, he continued "You also want to look for that one person who won't fall for you straightaway, right?"

Zeus' words were only directed towards Aphrodite alone. He casted a spell so that only she could hear.

And when Aphrodite heard him, she gulped inwardly. Was Zeus trying to help her find the one? She had been trying to find a man for herself but she always failed in the end.

Aphrodite took a minute to think and eventually, she agreed. It wasn't her fault if every god in this hall fell for her after she showed her face.

Aphrodite knew that her face and her whole figure was her own power. The beauty in her could create perfect spells suitable for illusionary, dreams, and hallucinations.

Her power was soft but lethal. That was why it came to the point that the mere sight of her face could cause others to be subjected under one of her spells and be enchanted.

Aphrodite took one glance towards Hera and she nodded. Hera had come to know about her oath from Zeus recently so she also wanted to support the goddess of beauty.

Then, as if time was infinitely stopped- the veil came loose. As it slowly fell on her palm, Aphrodite took a deep breath and she turned around.

A wave of gasps and the sound of others sucking in a deep breath was heard. It created a commotion right at the moment as if a dose of stimulus was suddenly injected onto the gods present.

Aphrodite swept her gaze around the entire hall. She was beginning to feel sad and to lose hope. She saw how the gods were literally ogling her from head to toe. She saw the blind attraction in their eyes. And she also saw the desire in those who couldn't suppress it.

'Everyone is the same..' she thought to herself, feeling dismayed.

But then- her eyes glanced over one figure who was crossing his arms over his chest. She looked into his eyes and she couldn't believe it at first.

She saw.. nothing?

Wait.. she didn't just see nothing in his eyes! But she saw.. hate?

Hatred..??

Why??!

Aphrodite stared at Ares in bewilderment. She looked at his eyes again and she could swear the hatred was intensifying!

Ares who was crossing his arms, clicked his tongue in annoyance. So this was the goddess of beauty?

He admitted she was pretty, she was a real beauty, alright!

But his initial feeling and first impression towards her still didn't change. It would never. He was a man of rules. He wouldn't change his thoughts just because he saw her face. He really didn't like her.

Ares pursed his lips and mentally rolled his eyes. Just because she took off her veil, everyone was in chaos. Such a waste of time.

He didn't want to linger there anymore and just turned around to leave. Aphrodite was shocked!

This had never happened before. Never did any gods walked away after seeing her face! They were all stoned in their places as if there were rocks on their feet. But he- he just went away?!

He went away and never did he turn back!

Oh by the gracious of Olympus.. Aphrodite swore she fell for him right at that moment!

Everything instantly went back to normal after Zeus clicked his thumb with his index finger. Aphrodite clumsily wore her veil back and turned to face Zeus and Hera. She seemed to be very happy but at the same time, lost.

Hephaestus who was standing beside Ares just now, stood there alone by himself with his brother nowhere in sight. With Zeus' power, he had just recovered from falling under Aphrodite's beauty but he still couldn't stop himself from looking at her.

He himself didn't know why. He convinced himself that it was because his love for her was true and pure.

As he turned to look at his side, he belatedly realized that Ares was no longer there. He didn't notice him going away!

Hera and Zeus exactly saw Ares' reaction as clear as day. They internally decided that the god of war would be the fitting man for Aphrodite.

And as they took a glance at Aphrodite, the goddess in question, they couldn't help but smirk playfully. She was pursing and biting her lip under the cover of the veil. She looked so much like a girl who just discovered her first crush.

And this.. was the first ever meeting of Ares and Aphrodite. Whom were known as the incarnation of Ji Haishan and Bai Yulin two millenniums of years later..