Chapter 82: Ancient One's Intentions, The Sanctum
"What did you do?"
Facing the mysterious Ancient One, Xi Nian asked, startled.
He realized something was off. The pedestrians on the sidewalk didn't just fail to see Ancient One.
They didn't see him either.
Some of the passersby walked straight through them, as if they were air, completely ignoring their presence. Xi Nian and Ancient One appeared intangible, ghostlike.
"I didn't do much. I just pulled you, and the little creature in your backpack, into a mirror space," Ancient One said with a faint smile.
"Mirror space?" Xi Nian frowned.
At that moment, the traffic light at the intersection turned green. Only the two of them stood on the sidewalk, while the cars began moving.
Xi Nian instinctively dodged a car starting to drive past him, but Ancient One remained perfectly still. Cars accelerated toward her—
But they didn't collide!
They passed through her body, just like the pedestrians did earlier.
Xi Nian reached out to touch a passing car. His fingers met nothing but a fractured glass-like illusion.
"Are we… inside a mirror?" Xi Nian muttered, half to himself.
Ancient One nodded slightly. "More precisely, we are in another dimensional space. It is very close to our reality, separated as if by a mirror. That's why we call it 'mirror space,' useful for observing the real world."
"You… you and who else?" Xi Nian raised an eyebrow.
"Yes. We," Ancient One said, gazing steadily at him. "I am from the Kamar-Taj Sanctum, a Supreme Sorceress."
"Sorceress…"
Xi Nian considered this, his hand still on the zipper of his backpack. "Ancient One, may I ask why you seek me?"
If an emergency arose, he could have Xiao Huang bite him to activate his superhuman abilities.
But Xiao Huang's body still contained dormant venom. If she bit him, it could trigger the three-in-one superhuman state, distorting his personality and reason, making him act more like a villain.
Another option was to let the little Devourer beast act…
"I bear no ill will. I only wish to invite you to Kamar-Taj," Ancient One said calmly, as if reading his mind. "Though, I doubt you'd believe me just from my words."
She glanced at the backpack on his chest and proposed, "Very well. Let it act first."
"This is your idea," Xi Nian said without hesitation. "Xiao Huang!"
A bright orange figure shot out from the backpack. Xiao Huang, the Devourer Beast cub, lunged at Ancient One!
Its tiny jaws opened wide, several tentacle-like teeth aimed at Ancient One.
Ancient One remained calm, eyes on the approaching tentacles and fangs. Suddenly, her right hand shot forward in a palm strike.
Boom—
As her palm hit Xiao Huang, a yellow silhouette resembling the Devourer Beast, and a black liquid-like shadow, were both pushed away.
Xiao Huang's real body fell unconscious back into Xi Nian's arms, returning to the form of a normal kitten.
The spirit of Xiao Huang floated midair, letting out a surprised "Meow?"
The venom shadow remained still, hovering like it was lifeless.
"They are unharmed. I only separated their souls," Ancient One explained calmly.
"That seems a bit extreme…" Xi Nian twitched at the corner of his mouth. Even the three-in-one form might not be enough to match her.
After all, she wasn't playing physical games.
Right. Aunt Diana's truth lasso could bind anything—it might be the only way to contend with soul-based beings.
Ancient One continued, "Now, do you believe me? I mean no harm. I only wish to invite you to Kamar-Taj."
If this were witnessed by those aware of the secret, it would seem unbelievable.
Kamar-Taj.
The legendary Sanctum of Miracles, a place of the unknown. Many seek it all their lives but never enter. And yet this boy was invited by the Supreme Sorceress herself.
"All right, let's go. Where is it?" Xi Nian saw the sincerity in her eyes and, curious about the mysteries of magic in this world, agreed.
"Here." Ancient One pointed, merging the spirits of the Devourer Beast and the venom back into Xiao Huang's body.
She then drew circles in the air, and sparks formed and rotated, creating a round portal for them to pass through.
Ancient One stepped through first.
Xi Nian, holding the gradually awakening Xiao Huang, followed without fear.
…
Kathmandu, hidden sanctum of Kamar-Taj.
In the open training ground, a black-robed Mordo trained a group of sorcerers of various ages in magic.
Suddenly, ripples like broken glass appeared in the air.
The mirror space.
Even Mordo, with his profound magic, could not see inside the mirror space clearly.
Realizing something, he and the sorcerers bowed respectfully to the rippling side of the air. "Supreme Sorceress!"
"Continue," came Ancient One's voice from within the mirror space.
"Understood! Let's continue our training!" Mordo said, visibly excited. It had been a long time since the Supreme Sorceress personally observed them, and they immediately resumed their magical exercises.
What they didn't know—
Inside the mirror space, besides Ancient One, there was a boy holding a cat.
The mirror space mirrored the real training ground. Xi Nian carefully watched the sorcerers, noting their strange rings, which seemed to channel magic, forming golden energy shields, whips, and even the spectacular portal from before.
Xi Nian thought to himself.
Besides superhero teams, there were hidden magical factions of considerable scale in the world.
He pondered. The spells alone looked highly practical.
For instance, with portals, he'd never be late for school again…
"How do you find our spells?"
Ancient One smiled faintly at him, guiding. "If you want to learn, I can teach you."
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