Ancient Master's Shock
"You don't need to worry about this kind of thing, Master," Xu Mo said firmly.
"I live in this world too—I can't just watch it be destroyed."
The Ancient One shook her head slowly.
"No. Protecting this world is the responsibility of every Sorcerer Supreme. Since you've agreed to help, I will pay the corresponding compensation. Tell me—what do you want?"
Her gaze was calm but sharp, fixed on Xu Mo.
Hearing this, Xu Mo froze. Something about her urgency felt wrong—like she was deliberately trying to hand him something. But with his current strength, he had no fear of being forced into anything.
"Anything?" he asked cautiously.
"Speak your desire."
"I need the Time Stone," Xu Mo declared. His eyes hardened. "Since I've chosen the path of time and space, I must obtain those two Infinity Stones myself. They'll be invaluable to my comprehension of the higher laws."
To his surprise, the Ancient One didn't hesitate.
"Granted."
Xu Mo blinked, his expression shifting mid-sentence. "Wait… what did you just say?"
He thought he had misheard. The Eye of Agamotto—the very core of Kamar-Taj, forged around the Time Stone—was something she agreed to give him so easily?
Seeing his disbelief, the Ancient One coughed lightly.
"…But it will take a few years before I can pass it on. In the meantime, you'll have unrestricted access to Kamar-Taj's library."
Xu Mo narrowed his eyes, studying her carefully.
In the original timeline, she died suddenly—passing her mantle to Doctor Strange. The great Sorcerer Supreme, felled by a single fall from the Astral Plane… it had always seemed suspicious. Now she was freely offering the very Stone that anchored her power.
Her motives were murky. Perhaps she planned to pass her mantle sooner than expected. Perhaps she even intended to fake her own death. Still, Xu Mo reassured himself: whatever her designs, as long as the Stone eventually ended up in his hands, it didn't matter.
Even if the worst happened, he could always play along, pass the title, or disappear entirely.
He nodded in agreement without hesitation.
For now, comprehension of the laws was far beyond him—requiring at least a cosmic-level existence to touch, especially the superior domains of time and space.
Seeing his acceptance, a trace of relief crossed the Ancient One's face. She rose.
"Come. I'll take you to the library."
---
They soon arrived at the rear building of Kamar-Taj.
"This is the library," the Ancient One explained as they entered. "Every text of our order is stored here."
The chamber was dim, lined with tall bookshelves. Each book was sealed with a clasped lock. At the center sat a wooden desk, behind which a slightly heavyset Asian man read with quiet concentration.
Xu Mo instantly recognized him—Wong, the librarian.
The sound of the door stirred him. Looking up, Wong quickly stood and bowed.
"Supreme One."
The Ancient One nodded, gesturing to Xu Mo.
"This is Xu Mo. From today forward, he may borrow and study freely from this library."
Though surprised, Wong offered Xu Mo a respectful nod. No one questioned the Sorcerer Supreme.
Xu Mo strolled to a shelf and pulled out a book at random.
"That is the Book of Cagliostro," the Ancient One explained. "Many of its spells trace back to the Book of Vishanti itself."
Xu Mo recognized the name immediately. In another time, Kaecilius had torn a page from this very book to commune with Dormammu, triggering the invasion of the Dark Dimension.
Flipping it open, Xu Mo skimmed through. His interest peaked at a section on Mirror Dimension magic—the very technique that could fold reality into an isolated space where the caster dictated terrain and basic rules such as gravity.
Without hesitation, Xu Mo closed the book, lifted his hand, and released cosmic energy through his blade. The world rippled—and suddenly, he, the Ancient One, and Wong were inside a Mirror Dimension shaped exactly like the library.
But here, Xu Mo bent gravity and space itself to his will.
The Ancient One froze, stunned.
"…Whose disciple is he?" she murmured.
Wong turned to her, wide-eyed.
"To wield the Mirror Dimension so skillfully… he's already at the level of a master! Only the greatest among Kamar-Taj can manage such control."
Half a day passed before the Ancient One's composure fully returned.
"This was his first attempt," she finally said.
Wong's shock deepened.
"What?! Impossible!" Even Mordo, one of her finest students, had required years of training to stabilize the Mirror Dimension. Yet Xu Mo had succeeded on his very first try.
No wonder the Ancient One had brought him here herself—his magical talent was monstrous.
But the Ancient One's gaze sharpened.
"That's not the most important thing. Didn't you notice? He did all of this without a Sling Ring."
Wong stiffened. "What?! But… that's not possible!"
Every sorcerer relied on a Sling Ring to channel power from the Vishanti, like a key granting permission. Without it, no magic could manifest—except for the Ancient One herself, the Vishanti's chosen conduit.
Yet Xu Mo stood there, calm, reality bending around him without aid.
Even the Ancient One, with all her insight, felt a rare shock stirring within.
Visit patreon.com/Akeyno to get 30+ chapters