The first ray of morning sunlight streamed into the bedroom through the glass curtain wall of the Arbitrator Tower. 2B's soft voice sounded in Chen Tian's ear: "Master, it's 7:30 AM. The 'silver wing star' has completed pre-flight preparations and is expected to arrive at Kamar-Taj in about 40 minutes."
Chen Tian rubbed his eyes and stretched: "Is Wanda ready?"
"Miss Wanda is already waiting in the hangar." 2B handed him a steaming cup of plain water. "She seems very much looking forward to this trip."
Chen Tian took a sip of water: "It's good to let her see real magic." He put down the cup and suddenly asked as if remembering something: "What about Tony? He couldn't have stayed up all night working on his Jarvis, could he?"
Data streams flashed in 2B's eyes: "Mr. Stark was still working in the laboratory at 4:17 AM. According to energy monitoring, he should be remotely connected with Dr. Banner discussing AI infrastructure issues."
"This workaholic..." Chen Tian shook his head, put on his hoodie and jeans, "Let's go, don't let Wanda wait too long."
In the hangar, Wanda sat inside the 'silver wing star'. She was yawning, having tossed and turned too late with Chen Tian last night, and then hearing that she was going to meet a great Sorcerer today made her so excited she barely slept all night.
"Wanda, still sleepy?" Chen Tian and 2B boarded the cabin.
Wanda chuckled and stood up, hugging Chen Tian, her finger playfully poking his chest: "I'm a little excited."
Chen Tian chuckled softly and pecked her on the lips: "I already felt it last night." He patted her on the hip, "You can rest for a while later."
2B coughed lightly at the appropriate moment: "Master, Wanda, the flight path has been set."
Wanda gave 2B a flirtatious look: "Don't be jealous, Yorha." She linked her arm through Chen Tian's, "Last night, didn't you also..."
"Wanda!" Chen Tian interrupted her, not because it couldn't be said, but because he didn't dare to say it. The most powerful River Crab God in the void was watching this conversation.
The moment the cabin door silently closed, the "silver wing star" slowly ascended with the hum of its engines. As the aircraft transformed into a silver light streaking across the sky, the indicator light on the control panel quietly lit up, showing that autopilot had been activated.
------
During the flight, Wanda leaned against the porthole, gazing at the snow-capped mountains and sea of clouds passing below. Chen Tian, meanwhile, was reviewing the dimensional anomaly report compiled by Jarvis on a holographic projection.
"What are these red dots?" Wanda curiously pointed at the dense markings on the projection.
"Demon god cultist incidents that occurred globally over the past month." Chen Tian zoomed in on one of the points, "Since the East Capital incident, these cultists have once again gone into hiding."
2B added: "The Arbitrators have handled 85% of these incidents, but 15% are still at large."
Wanda wasn't very interested in these incidents. She gently leaned her head on Chen Tian's shoulder, her fingertips unconsciously twirling a strand of her red hair. Since meeting Chen Tian, her life had undergone earth-shattering changes—her adoptive parents were alive, her beloved was by her side, and now, she just wanted to quietly accompany Chen Tian.
Wanda's only annoyance was that recently, a tall, mature woman had appeared, constantly teasing Chen Tian in front of her.
"Master, we are about to arrive in Kathmandu." 2B's voice came from the side.
Chen Tian closed the holographic projection and ruffled Wanda's hair: "We're here. Get ready to meet a true magic master."
The fighter jet slowly landed on a hidden helipad on the outskirts of Kathmandu. As she walked down the gangway, Wanda took a deep breath of the crisp, high-altitude air, the sunlight illuminating her bright face.
Chen Tian, familiar with the area, led the two through the bustling streets and finally stopped in front of an unassuming small teahouse. However, unlike his memory, the teahouse door was tightly shut, with a thin layer of dust accumulated at the entrance.
"Strange..." Chen Tian frowned and stepped forward, gently knocking on the door, "Is anyone there?"
The door creaked softly and slowly opened a crack. An old man with white hair and beard peered out, his wrinkled face showing a wary expression. He spoke in heavily accented English: "Today... not open."
Chen Tian frowned slightly and took a step forward: "We're not here for tea. Is Ancient One here?"
The old man's pupils suddenly constricted, and a Strange light flashed in his cloudy eyes. He subconsciously looked back into the depths of the teahouse, his withered fingers tightly gripping the doorframe.
Just then, a familiar figure appeared at the end of the dim corridor. Wang's rounded body almost filled the entire passageway.
"Mr. Chen?" Wang's voice held clear surprise, "How did you..."
"To see Ancient One." Chen Tian interrupted him, "What happened? Why is the teahouse closed?"
Wang and the old man exchanged a glance, and the old man silently stepped aside. Wang sighed and made a 'please come in' gesture: "Follow me."
Wang led Chen Tian and his party through the corridor, where the flickering candlelight on both sides cast unsettling shadows in the air.
Along the way, the apprentices they passed were still carrying out their respective practices, but a tense atmosphere permeated the air—their movements were stiffer than usual, and their eyes held unconcealed anxiety.
Wanda keenly sensed the abnormality. She instinctively moved closer to Chen Tian, her fingers gently gripping his sleeve. 2B maintained a vigilant posture, her gaze sweeping every corner, seemingly assessing potential dangers.
Finally, Wang stopped in front of an ancient wooden door. He took a deep breath, turned to look at Chen Tian, his voice low: "Ancient One is waiting for you inside."
Chen Tian nodded and pushed the door open.
—Then, his pupils suddenly constricted.
Ancient One still sat before the familiar tea table, tea fragrant, a characteristic serene smile on her lips.
However, her body had withered beyond recognition—skin clinging to bones, deep wrinkles, like a mummified corpse dried by the wind. Her eyes were already cloudy, like the body of a corpse entering a coffin.
"Chen Tian." Her voice was still gentle, but with a hint of hoarseness, "Long time no see. I thought you'd come to find me the first chance you got after returning."
Chen Tian quickly stepped forward, observing Ancient One's appearance, "You... it's even worse than before."
Ancient One gently raised her hand, motioning for him to sit down.
"Yes," her fingers trembled, finding it difficult to push the teacup in front of her towards Chen Tian. "I thought I could hold on, but the rampant demon god cultists have affected this World. I had no choice but to act again to stop their activities."
Saying that, she chuckled softly: "Fortunately, you and the Arbitrators continuously eliminated three core points of the demon gods on Blue Star, which allowed me to catch my breath."
Chen Tian sighed, "What's next? If you continue to use magic in the future, I estimate you won't last until Strange arrives."
Ancient One slowly raised her head after hearing Chen Tian's words. Her cloudy eyes scanned back and forth between Chen Tian and Wanda, finally settling on Chen Tian's face, a bitter smile pulling at the corners of her mouth.
"Yes, I won't last." Her voice was so soft it was almost inaudible, yet it hit Chen Tian's heart like a heavy hammer, "Kamar-Taj itself is also fraught with worries. I believe you've seen the expressions of those apprentices outside; they are very nervous."
Chen Tian's brows furrowed, his fingers unconsciously tapping the tea table: "Because of your condition? Or..."
"Mordo left." Ancient One sighed slightly, "I knew he would leave, but I didn't expect it to be so soon."
Chen Tian's brows furrowed deeply: "Mordo discovered you were drawing power from the Dark Dimension?"
Ancient One slowly nodded, "My aging... can no longer be hidden." She spoke as if describing something unrelated to herself, "Mordo is a perceptive person; he detected the anomaly."
Wanda stood behind Chen Tian, her red lips pressed together. She could feel the heavy atmosphere, the residue of shattered beliefs.
"He questioned me, asking why I violated the precepts of Kamar-Taj." Ancient One raised her cloudy eyes, looking out at the snow-capped mountains beyond the window, "I told him, sometimes, we must borrow the power of darkness to fight darkness."
Chen Tian sneered: "And then he collapsed?"
"Not entirely." Ancient One gently shook her head, "What collapsed for him was... that I had deceived all of them." Her gaze swept over every magical artifact in the tea room, those instruments she had once used to teach apprentices, "Mordo always regarded me as a symbol of Eternity, believing I was a pure Guardian of light."
She gave a bitter smile, her chapped lips trembling slightly: "When he discovered that I was merely... a mortal prolonging my life by stealing from the Dark Dimension, his faith collapsed."
Chen Tian was silent for a moment, then sighed: "Alas, I understand, and I can imagine it, but just as you said, I didn't expect it to be so soon."
"Mordo didn't just leave, did he?"
Ancient One nodded, and chuckled, "Your intuition is sharp. He took away a group of people whose beliefs had also collapsed, just like his."
"Alas, so now Kamar-Taj urgently needs a leader to step forward, but you're worried that your current appearance will be seen by others, making them even more worried, especially since the next Sorcerer Supreme is nowhere to be found, right?" Chen Tian looked at Ancient One helplessly.
Every force fears this: the old leader is about to pass away, and there's still no news of a new leader, leaving the group without a head and people unsettled.
"Smart child, Chen Tian, would you like to take over for me for a while? Until Strange arrives." Ancient One teased slightly.
"Me? You're joking, right? Well, you are indeed joking." Chen Tian looked at Ancient One's half-smile.
"Ancient One, tell me about your plan B."
"Didn't you bring it to me?" Ancient One looked at Wanda.
Chen Tian looked at Wanda, "Wanda? I originally wanted her to come here to study for a while, and now you're setting your sights on her?"
Ancient One slowly raised her withered finger,
"Wanda is indeed not the best choice." Her words caused the air in the entire tea room to momentarily still. "Chaos magic originates from Chthon's curse; this power itself is a dangerous contract."
"But during the time before my passing..." Ancient One's cloudy pupils suddenly rippled with gold, and the ancient runes on the four walls of the tea room lit up one after another, "I can teach her how to tame this curse."
She looked at Chen Tian meaningfully: "You know, Chthon has already noticed her."
Chen Tian pressed his brows, headache-inducing, "That's the problem. Can you, in your current state, stop Chthon?"
Ancient One mischievously blinked, "I can't, but you can."
"Me?" Chen Tian shook his head, "I can't stay with Kamar-Taj for long, you know that."
"Why don't you let your companions come and accompany Wanda? Like the giant Black Dragon and the noble White Dragon." Ancient One slowly picked up her tea and took a sip.
Chen Tian raised an eyebrow, "How did you know? You can't even use the Time Stone anymore, can you?"
Ancient One merely smiled without speaking.
Chen Tian sighed, and with a casual wave, two cards were clipped between his fingers.
Chen Tian held the two cards up to his eyes, his fingertips gently caressing the exquisite dragon patterns on the card faces.
The scales of the True Red-Eyes Black Dragon shimmered darkly in the light, while the azure pupils of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon seemed capable of piercing through souls.
"Ancient One," Chen Tian frowned slightly, "These two dragons are indeed very strong, but Chthon is..."
Ancient One let out a soft chuckle. "But they at least 'look' very impressive, don't they?" A hint of cunning flashed in her eyes. "Especially their characteristics—no one can see through what they truly are. If you hadn't shown me, I wouldn't have known they actually came from two... small cards."
Chen Tian raised an eyebrow. "You mean..."
"Deterrence." Ancient One slowly stood up, her frail body appearing particularly fragile beneath her loose yellow robes. "Kamar-Taj doesn't need absolute power right now; it needs a 'symbol' that can deter petty villains." She walked to the window, gazing at the snow-capped mountains in the distance. "The True Red-Eyes Black Dragon's flames can burn away falsehoods, and the Blue-Eyes White Dragon's radiance can pierce through darkness..."
Wanda curiously leaned closer to the cards in Chen Tian's hand, her red hair falling onto his shoulder. "Are they really that powerful?"
Chen Tian tilted his head and whispered in her ear, "At least they look very powerful." He turned to Ancient One. "But if Chthon descends personally..."
Ancient One suddenly turned around. "That's why we need to buy time." Her clouded eyes looked directly at Wanda. "Before the Chaos Witch grows, before Strange comes to Kamar-Taj, these two dragons are the best 'smoke screen.'"
2B suddenly spoke. "Master, according to calculations, the success rate of this deterrence strategy is approximately 67%." She calmly added, "However, if appropriate performance elements are added, it can be increased to 85%."
Chen Tian couldn't help but laugh. "Performance?"
Ancient One also showed a long-lost smile. "Exactly." Her slender fingers drew a complex rune in the air. "Let them occasionally circle above the Himalayas, appearing and disappearing in the clouds..."
"And cooperate with some 'accidental' sighting events." Chen Tian picked up the conversation, a mischievous glint in his eyes. "For example, let the Blue-Eyes White Dragon save suffering people? Or perhaps the Red-Eyes Black Dragon punish evildoers?"
Wanda suddenly clapped her hands excitedly. "I can add some special effects for them! magic can make the flames look more..." She made an explosive gesture. "More impactful!"
Ancient One nodded approvingly. "Clever girl." She looked at Chen Tian. "So, have you decided?"
Chen Tian shrugged. "Having an elder at home is like having a treasure, so I think I'll still listen to the elder's advice."
As he spoke, he looked around. "If you release them here, your house will probably collapse."
Ancient One gently tapped the tea table, and the wooden door opened in response. Wang's round face peered in, his forehead still glistening with fine beads of sweat.
"Wang," Ancient One's voice, though weak, was still majestic, "open the portal to the summit of Mount Everest. Remember to shield the dimensional and spatial fluctuations."
Wang's eyes widened in surprise. "Master, your body—"
"I know the condition of my body." Ancient One interrupted him. "Just do as I say."
Wang took a deep breath and drew complex runes with both hands in front of his chest. Golden sparks swirled in the air, gradually forming a circular portal three meters in diameter. Through the portal, the glistening white snow on the summit of Mount Everest could be seen shining in the sunlight.
"The shielding is complete." Wang wiped his sweat. "But it can only be maintained for thirty minutes at most."
Ancient One nodded slightly and turned to Chen Tian. "Show them."
Chen Tian nodded and stepped into the portal first. A bone-chilling cold wind immediately assailed them, and the thin air made Wanda frown uncomfortably.
Ancient One, however, seemed completely unaffected—or perhaps, she was already too weak to feel these things.
They stood at the top of the World, with an endless sea of clouds stretching beneath their feet. The sunlight poured down unobstructed, casting long shadows of everyone.
Chen Tian took out two cards from his pocket, his fingertips gently caressing the exquisite dragon patterns on the card faces. The True Red-Eyes Black Dragon's card face gleamed with a dark red metallic luster in the sunlight, while the Blue-Eyes White Dragon shimmered with a pearly glow.
Chen Tian took a deep breath—then suddenly flung the first card into the air.
"Appear! True Red-Eyes Black Dragon!"
The card drew a graceful arc in the air, then suddenly erupted in a blinding red light.
"Roar—!!!"
A dragon's roar that shattered the sky suddenly echoed between heaven and earth, and the accumulated snow on Mount Everest cascaded down in the sound waves.
The black shadow continuously expanded in the red light, finally transforming into a colossal behemoth that blotted out the sky—its body almost covered half the sky, its streamlined dragon body covered in shimmering black scales, each dark dragon scale as large as a shield, reflecting captivating light in the sunlight.
The True Red-Eyes Black Dragon slowly stretched its wings. When its massive wings, large enough to cover all of Kamar-Taj, were fully spread, they cast a huge shadow over the Himalayas.
Its crimson dragon eyes seemed to burn with raging flames, revealing a majestic and inviolable aura. Its sharp dragon horns were like two giant scimitars, glinting coldly in the clouds; and its claws, capable of tearing mountains apart, seemed to rip through space with every retraction and extension.
When it raised its head and roared, the flames it spewed formed a pillar of fire reaching the sky, burning a huge hole in the clouds above. Its massive body appeared and disappeared among the clouds, and an occasional flick of its dragon tail could churn the entire sea of clouds into turmoil.
Before everyone could recover from their shock, Chen Tian had already thrown out the second card.
"Descend! Blue-Eyes White Dragon!"
In an instant, blinding white light tore through the clouds, countless electric arcs moved through the void, and a deafening dragon roar, accompanied by a hurricane, swept across heaven and earth. The True Red-Eyes Black Dragon also seemed to feel the pressure of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon, letting out roars towards the sky!
When the light dissipated, a giant dragon, pure white like snow, stood proudly in the clouds. Its slender dragon neck was elegantly raised, its silver-white scales shimmering with a diamond-like luster in the sunlight, each one like a meticulously polished mirror, reflecting a dazzling white halo.
What was most shocking were its azure dragon eyes—like the purest gems embedded in its dragon head, emitting a captivating magical radiance.
Unlike the destructive ferocity of the True Red-Eyes Black Dragon, every line of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon exuded a sacred and inviolable nobility.
Its spread wings were as thin as cicada wings yet indestructible, with mysterious magic patterns flowing on the wing membranes. Each flap brought a biting cold wind, and its slender dragon tail swayed elegantly.
When it fully stretched its body, the entire Mount Everest was enveloped in the pure shadow it cast. When it lowered its head to look at everyone, a wise light flowed in its dragon eyes, as if it could see through all illusions in the World.
Two giant dragons circled above Mount Everest, one black and one white, forming a breathtaking contrast. Each flap of their wings caused small-scale air current changes, and the sea of clouds churned beneath their feet.
Wang's jaw almost dropped to the ground. "This... this..."
Ancient One's clouded eyes reflected the figures of the two giant dragons, and the corners of her mouth curved slightly upward. "A perfect 'symbol.'"
Chen Tian turned to Ancient One. "Now what?"
2B suddenly interjected. "Master, multiple satellites are detected adjusting their orbits."
Chen Tian raised an eyebrow. "It seems our performance already has an audience."
Ancient One revealed a mysterious smile. "Perfect." She turned to the two giant dragons. "Go, let this World know—Kamar-Taj's new Guardian has arrived."
Both giant dragons looked at Chen Tian. Chen Tian smiled and said, "For this period, listen to this bald man and," he pointed at Wanda, "her. Protect them well."
The True Red-Eyes Black Dragon snorted a ball of flame from its nostrils, while the Blue-Eyes White Dragon nodded elegantly.
"They... have consciousness?" Wanda asked in surprise.
Chen Tian smiled and ruffled her hair. "To some extent, yes."
The True Red-Eyes Black Dragon let out an earth-shattering roar, while the Blue-Eyes White Dragon let out a graceful long cry.
The two giant dragons flapped their wings and soared high at the same time. After circling Mount Everest a few times, they suddenly flew in different directions—the True Red-Eyes Black Dragon flew towards the depths of the Himalayas, while the Blue-Eyes White Dragon soared towards Kathmandu.
Wanda watched their retreating figures, her eyes sparkling with excitement. "That's amazing!"
Ancient One coughed a few times, her body swaying slightly. Wang quickly stepped forward to support her. "Master, we should go back. The air here is not good for you."
Chen Tian nodded and looked at 2B. "Did you record the satellite reactions?"
Data streams flashed in 2B's eyes. "Military satellites from 37 countries have been detected adjusting their monitoring parameters."
"Perfect." Chen Tian smiled with satisfaction. "Let them guess."
Ancient One waved her hand weakly, and Wang immediately opened the portal back to Kamar-Taj.
Everyone passed through in turn. Chen Tian, the last to leave, looked back at Mount Everest—in the distant clouds, the elegant figure of the Blue-Eyes White Dragon could vaguely be seen soaring.
When the portal closed, the tea room returned to quiet. Ancient One slumped into a chair, her breathing rapid. Wang quickly brought a cup of hot tea, but she waved it away.
"Is it worth it?" Chen Tian suddenly asked. "To expend your remaining life force for this 'performance'?"
Ancient One smiled weakly. "To buy time for Kamar-Taj, it's worth it." She looked at Wanda. "Now, it's time to fulfill my promise."
Wanda nervously clutched Chen Tian's sleeve. "Start now?"
Ancient One nodded. "Every day is precious." She struggled to stand up. "Wang, take Wanda to the library. Start with 'The Nature of Chaos.'"
Wang looked at Ancient One worriedly. "Master, you need rest..."
"No time." Ancient One interrupted him. "Go."
Wanda looked at Chen Tian, who gave her an encouraging look. "Go, Ancient One and I still have things to talk about."
When Wang and Wanda left, the tea room fell into a brief silence. 2B discreetly stood outside the door, gently closing it.
"Is she really ready?" Chen Tian asked softly.
Ancient One shook her head. "No one is truly ready." Her clouded eyes looked directly at Chen Tian. "But you have a way to protect her, don't you?"
Chen Tian did not answer immediately. He walked to the window, looking at the vaguely visible figure of the Black Dragon above the distant Himalayas.
"Mm, I will." He finally said.
Ancient One showed a satisfied smile. "That's enough." She suddenly coughed violently, her frail body trembling uncontrollably.
Chen Tian quickly stepped forward to support her. "You need to rest."
Ancient One nodded weakly, allowing Chen Tian to help her to a nearby lounge chair. Her breathing gradually steadied, and her clouded eyes slowly closed.
"Chen Tian..." Just before she fell asleep, she suddenly whispered, "It's up to you now."
Chen Tian frowned. "What do you mean?"
But Ancient One had already fallen into a deep sleep, leaving only those words echoing in the tea room.
2B gently pushed open the door. "Master, Stark has sent an urgent communication."
Chen Tian sighed. "Now what?"
"He said..." 2B paused, "Arbitrators satellites detected 'two unidentified flying objects' appearing in the Himalayas. Governments around the World are concerned about another incident similar to East Capital and hope we return as soon as possible."
Chen Tian couldn't help but laugh. "Tell Tony, I'll be back soon."
He looked out the window again. In the clouds, sunlight shone on the White Dragon, reflecting a rainbow of colors.
-----------------------
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(End of Chapter)