“Thank you, Ancient One, for your kindness.”
The Ancient One personally pouring tea was not a privilege everyone could enjoy.
Chen Yu wasn't surprised that the Ancient One could instantly distinguish between his clone and his true body.
After all, the Ancient One's cultivation was high, and the Images of Ikonn was a secret art Chen Yu learned at Kamar-Taj. It was normal for the Ancient One, as the Sorcerer Supreme, to directly see the difference between the clone and the true body.
Chen Yu sat cross-legged opposite the Ancient One, holding the teacup with his thumb and forefinger, and supporting the bottom with his middle finger, steadily picking up the strong tea the Ancient One had poured for him.
This posture was called “Three Dragons Guarding the Cauldron,” making it both stable and elegant to hold the teacup this way.
Ever since the Ancient One personally poured him tea last time, Chen Yu had carefully studied how others elegantly drank tea after going offline, all so that he wouldn't drink tea like a cow chewing peonies in front of the Ancient One again.
He lightly sniffed the tea's aroma, which was refreshing.
He took a small sip, no longer swallowing it hastily, allowing the tea to fully contact all parts of his tongue, front, back, left, and right, carefully discerning its flavor.
First, it was slightly astringent, then sweet, and finally, a faint, clear fragrance permeated his mouth.
Then he swallowed the tea, feeling the lingering fragrance on his lips and teeth, savoring the hint of sweetness, as if the sweet tea, after being swallowed, went straight to... his chrysanthemum?
Wait, something seemed wrong!
Chen Yu instantly turned pale with fright, feeling his stomach rumble. It felt as if a Monkey King had entered his stomach, churning it upside down. Some gas seemed to be rapidly forming in his intestines, then desperately charging towards his chrysanthemum.
Chen Yu looked at the Ancient One in disbelief.
Since when did the Ancient One enjoy pranks?
And putting a strong laxative in the tea!
Feeling his stomach churning, making rumbling sounds like a tiger's roar and a mountain collapsing, Chen Yu dared not gamble that what came out would definitely be a fart. His face flushed, he desperately squeezed his sphincter to prevent it from moving even a step.
He no longer cared about being reserved or his image. He quickly pulled out his wand, drew a Dimension Door, set the location to the nearest toilet, and plunged in.
Shameless old thief, I wanted to discuss matters of life and death with you, but you harmed me instead!
Chen Yu glared at the Ancient One resentfully, then immediately closed the Dimension Door to prevent the Ancient One from peeking.
After letting out several satisfyingly stinky farts in the toilet, he quickly used a Cleaning Charm to remove the odor from his body.
Then he opened the Dimension Door again, returned to the Ancient One's side, and looking at the Ancient One's expressionless face, Chen Yu suspected this old hag had definitely secretly smiled just now.
He should have known better than to use the Cleaning Charm to remove the odor from his body just now; he should have let her smell the waste gas expelled from his body.
Before Chen Yu could speak, the Ancient One, with a mysterious and rhythmic voice, said, “Clear tea soothes the years, sitting quietly listens to time. Whether a master or a wizard, cultivation itself is a long and transcendent path. This Soul Cleansing Tea can help you cleanse the impurities attached to your soul, allowing you to see yourself clearly and resist the temptation of darkness.”
The Ancient One's pretense was so fresh and refined. So, I should thank her?
Although Chen Yu didn't feel the effect of removing soul impurities that the Ancient One mentioned, after calming down, he could indeed feel his spirit soaring.
But his mind felt as if it had been washed by a tranquil power, making his state of mind more peaceful and serene.
With his soaring spirit and peaceful state of mind, experiencing the changes in his soul, Chen Yu decided not to argue with the Ancient One for now.
Mainly because he couldn't defeat her; if he really argued, he would most likely be the one making a fool of himself.
Moreover, the other party was also being kind. This kind of Soul Cleansing Tea, which could cleanse the soul, clearly belonged to the level of heavenly treasures. Being offered it as hospitality also showed the Ancient One's regard for him.
Chen Yu tried hard to convince himself with the spirit of Ah Q, attempting to not get angry.
“Few people have only this reaction the first time they drink Soul Cleansing Tea. Even innocent children would experience an upset stomach after drinking this tea.”
“Your reaction surprises me. Just expelling some waste gas and then nothing shows the purity of your soul and body. This is very good; a pure soul and body will allow you to go further on the path of cultivation.”
“But don't worry, Soul Cleansing Tea only has the effect of cleansing the soul on the first sip; after that, it can only be used to refresh you.”
The Ancient One smiled, holding the teacup in her hand, slowly savoring it.
Her fingers rubbed the rim of the cup, her movements gentle and natural, as if enjoying the moment of tranquility brought by the tea, or perhaps recalling the past.
Her tone was peaceful and slow as she said, “Many masters in Kamar-Taj have followed the Sorcerer Supreme for generations. They began learning magic with me when they were very, very young. When they started, I would always invite them to drink a cup of Soul Cleansing Tea, blessing them not to fall into darkness and go astray...”
Watching the Ancient One lost in thought, Chen Yu suddenly felt a little guilty.
Didn't Chen Yu know whether his body and soul were pure or not!
If he could understand the purity of his body, after all, it was a character created by a game system. Although it wasn't a data-based body, it had only existed in the game world for about a year. Even if he ate and drank excessively, his body wouldn't accumulate many impurities.
As for the purity of his soul... Chen Yu thought about the 500GB of unmentionable classic action movies on his cloud drive in the real world. Chen Yu guiltily averted his eyes, not daring to meet the Ancient One's gaze.
At this moment, the Ancient One didn't notice Chen Yu's expression. Instead, a hint of recollection flashed in her eyes, which she quickly wiped away. She gently placed the teacup on the table and said to Chen Yu, “By the way, what brings you here this time?”
The Ancient One had observed Chen Yu's clone at Kamar-Taj for so long, so she naturally knew Chen Yu's habit of only showing up when he needed something.
Hearing the Ancient One finally ask about the main topic, Chen Yu immediately threw his slight guilt to the back of his mind.
Having been sidetracked by the Ancient One for so long, he almost forgot the main business.
Chen Yu immediately put on a serious expression, focused and profound.
“Ancient One, have you seen fate? Do you understand what might happen in the future?”
The Ancient One raised her eyebrows, a little surprised.
It had been a long time since anyone dared to discuss the topics of future and fate with the Sorcerer Supreme.
The Ancient One looked down at the Eye of Agamotto she was wearing, straightened her posture, and prepared to listen carefully to what Chen Yu was about to say.
“Please don't be afraid, Ancient One, when I tell you what I'm about to say.”
Seeing that the Ancient One was ready to listen carefully to his grand discourse, Chen Yu cleared his throat and asked in a low voice, “In the future, Kaecilius will kill you.”
Hearing Chen Yu's statement, the Ancient One seemed to choke on her saliva, her mouth twitching slightly, her expression complex, as if she wanted to laugh but couldn't.
Looking at the Ancient One's expression, which seemed to want to laugh, Chen Yu continued seriously, “Ancient One, I'm telling the truth! Kaecilius really will kill you, this is truly not a joke!”
To emphasize the truthfulness of the matter, Chen Yu accentuated his tone.
The Ancient One waved her hand, and countless star-fires formed an image: “Which Kaecilius? Is it this one?”
Chen Yu looked at the Spanish football player, known as “Saint Casillas,” wearing a Spanish football uniform and holding up the European Champions League trophy.
“No, not the football player Iker Casillas Fernández!”
The Ancient One waved her hand again, and the image changed: “Then is it this Kaecilius?”
This time, the image generated was a tall, horned Ghost-Tribe swordsman with a protruding belly, wearing two long, slender swords at his waist.
The Ancient One's drawing skills were indeed impressive. Even though it was just an image formed by star-fires, Chen Yu could feel a murderous aura emanating from it.
Looking at the second image the Ancient One created, Chen Yu continued to shake his head: “Nor is it the Fourth Apostle, Conqueror Kaecilius!”
Huh?
How did the Ancient One know about the Fourth Apostle, Conqueror Kaecilius?
Could it be that there was also “Poisoned Milk Powder” in this world?
Chen Yu was about to ask the Ancient One if she had also played “Disconnected Dungeon and Weak Warriors,” and also wanted to ask if there was a fox-headed, scamming planner in this world.
However, the Ancient One waved her hand again, and the image transformed into a cultivation world bigshot with severe dark circles under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept for three days and three nights—Kaecilius.
“Is it Master Kaecilius, who was tempted by Dormammu and fell into darkness?”
Seeing the familiar face, Chen Yu immediately forgot about the “DNF” matter, and excitedly pointed at him, saying, “Yes! Yes! Yes! It's him!”
Seeing Chen Yu's strong reaction, the Ancient One sighed and dispersed the pattern formed by star-fires.
“Alright, Master Chen Yu, it seems you do have the ability to glimpse the future... But how do you want me to face him?”
The Ancient One's rhetorical question made Chen Yu, who was about to organize his words to make the Ancient One more vigilant against Kaecilius, hear the Ancient One say, “Kaecilius was not a master who followed me from a young age. Before coming to Kamar-Taj, he had a relatively happy family, with a loving wife and son. But fate played a trick on him; his son and wife passed away one after another, which was a significant blow to him.”
“At that time, Kaecilius, consumed by grief, constantly drowned his sorrows in alcohol. He got into an argument with someone in a bar, was beaten and thrown out, and then met Master Mordo.”
“It was Master Mordo who actively sought out Kaecilius. He saw that Kaecilius possessed extraordinary magical talent, so he came to Kamar-Taj to study magic with me.”
“He was heartbroken at the time, seeking answers in magic. People always unleash infinite potential when focused. He learned magic very quickly, and soon his strength surpassed most of my apprentices. Now his strength is even close to Master Mordo's.”
“I admit he is a talented student, but he is also arrogant and stubborn. He questioned my teachings and rejected my theories during class. But I don't mind; geniuses always have their own ideas, and Kamar-Taj is not a concentration camp; it's not a place where only my voice is allowed to exist.”
“I once said I would help him broaden his horizons, help him learn to break free from past pain, and walk the righteous path.”
“Currently, Kaecilius has not yet been corrupted by darkness, and not long before our conversation, he accepted a mission to eliminate dimensional invaders and will depart soon.”
“Chen Yu... perhaps you have glimpsed the trajectory of fate, but never assume that things are destined to happen just because you know the direction of fate.”
“You must know that fate is unpredictable. I will not question my disciple for things that have not yet happened. If a single butterfly can cause a storm, who is to say that the direction of fate is absolute?”
“I once used the Eye of Agamotto to glimpse the future and witnessed countless branches of fate. Even Thanos, who was full of evil, had the potential to save the world, and even Stephen Strange, whom I look most favorably upon in the future, would have a day when he would destroy the world.”
“Kaecilius is the same. I have observed Kaecilius living a solitary life, and I have seen Kaecilius falling into darkness, Kaecilius becoming the Sorcerer Supreme, Kaecilius the Dark Lord, Kaecilius the Demon...”
“Male, female, old, young... In countless worlds, there are countless possibilities... Not just Kaecilius, everyone is actually a seed. What kind of magnificent flowers this seed will bloom in the future depends on his choices.”
Watching the Ancient One liken Kaecilius to a seed, and drop it into a teacup.
Observing a virtual flower growing from the teacup, then the flower growing into a large tree, with each branch displaying Kaecilius's different choices in different worlds.
There was a scene of him refusing Master Mordo's invitation and living a lonely life, growing old with white hair.
There was the familiar scene of him falling into darkness.
There was a scene of him dressed exactly like Doctor Strange, just with a different face.
There was a scene of him, in turn, devouring Dormammu and becoming the new Dark Lord... Male, female, old, young, countless scenes flashed on the tree branches before Chen Yu's eyes.
Chen Yu even saw a dog-headed person, wearing Kaecilius's clothes, sitting and cultivating like a human.
Watching countless faces, which the Ancient One called Kaecilius, flash before his eyes, and then listening to the Ancient One's words, Chen Yu wanted to complain.
Even if Kaecilius had countless possibilities, Chen Yu saw that the vast majority of Kaecilius's chose the path of falling into darkness.
Just because it hasn't happened yet, she chooses to continue observing Kaecilius?
Not caring that he might use a small knife to cut her and kick her from a building in the future?
Can you tolerate that?
Anyway, if it happened to him, he couldn't stand it.
However, since the Ancient One knew she might die, yet still chose not to eliminate the danger of Kaecilius in advance, she was indeed deliberately sacrificing herself. Seeing that Doctor Strange had more potential than her, would be stronger in the future, and could better protect the world, she chose to let Doctor Strange take her place, right!
I remember you telling Doctor Strange in the movie that you spent too many years glimpsing the future, couldn't see beyond a certain point, prevented countless terrible futures, but they all led you to the moment of your death. You also said that the timing is not ours to choose, and then something about death giving meaning to life... This was all to trick Doctor Strange, just to make him take your place so you could go and live out your golden years with Eternity?
Alas, poor Doctor Strange, played like a fiddle by the Ancient One.
But what does manipulating Stephen Strange have to do with me? Since the Ancient One has chosen her own path, Chen Yu naturally respects her choice.