The True Teachings of the Sorcerer Supreme? Salomon's expression was one of surprise and doubt.
After his journey through the Dark Dimension, he wasn't naive enough to assume that the Sorcerer Supreme's True Teachings referred to the magic of the Vishanti line.
The Book of Vishanti sat prominently on a shelf in the library, accessible to any Kamar-Taj wizard.
Kamar-Taj wasn't Hogwarts; there were still final exams to take, and learning as much magic as one wanted was entirely up to them. The Supreme had made the Vishanti line of magic available to all members of the sect, keeping nothing secret.
The hidden portion, however, concerned the magic of the Dark Dimension. Salomon knew the dangers of that knowledge. While the library contained some information on how to communicate with Dormammu, the more advanced secrets were firmly hidden by the Supreme.
Seeing Salomon's somewhat uneasy expression, Athena laughed out loud. Youth is still youth, after all.
She said, "The Sorcerer Supreme before me is also young, barely over a thousand years old. The Dark Dimension is no great secret to a being like me."
Salomon wanted to flee… He truly couldn't imagine how the Sorcerer Supreme would face these immortals.
The knowledge gained from their long lifespan made everything ordinary people knew perfectly clear. Moreover, Athena was the goddess of wisdom. Salomon was certain that this woman's magical proficiency was not low.
"But I respect the Sorcerer Supreme's strength. She has the power to stand on equal footing with the All-Father." Even when sitting on the sofa, Athena looked like an Amazon warrior. Though charming and alluring, her words still held strong aggression.
She said, "I abide by the contract, but that doesn't mean the other Greek gods are happy to do so. They are simply forced to bow to the Sorcerer Supreme's magic… Haven't you considered that the Sorcerer Supreme has already achieved immortality through magic, so why would she train you?"
"You mean…" Salomon narrowed his eyes, a lot of thoughts swirling in his mind in an instant.
The Supreme's plan to abandon her physical body had already begun. For the Supreme, she had shouldered the safety of Earth for over a thousand years.
This responsibility had indeed worn her down, and coupled with the encroaching effects of the Dark Dimension, Salomon readily agreed that the Supreme should enjoy a quiet retirement and explore the mysteries of the universe.
But Salomon also considered Odin. Odin's longevity was no secret among the Nine Realms. In the past, when Odin and the Sorcerer Supreme were evenly matched, Earth became a vassal state of Asgard, maintaining its independence.
However, Asgard's Highest Prince, Thor, had failed to demonstrate the wisdom expected of a crown prince. It was unclear whether Odin had reached some kind of agreement with the Supreme. The All-Father might have feared that Earth would escape from the Nine Realms after his death, leading the Sorcerer Supreme to lead the Order of Mages in a counterattack against Asgard. Therefore, the Supreme synchronized his escape with Odin's death. Otherwise, it was unclear whether Odin, at the end of his life, would have targeted Earth as a warning to others, as a demonstration of Asgard's authority.
Moreover, for powerful beings like Odin and the Supreme, physical death does not necessarily mean the end of life…
Meanwhile, Salomon somewhat understood why the Supreme had chosen him to study the Dark Dimension.
Besides the stigmata, Salomon's personality was also perfectly suited—he was incredibly lazy, his near-absence of desire truly elusive. If Dormammu offered him power, Salomon wouldn't even look him in the eye. If Dormammu whispered in Salomon's ear, he might even unleash a barrage of obscenities, even targeting any female member of Dormammu's eighteen generations.
So many times, when Salomon was discovered by Dormammu while navigating the Dark Dimension, even knowing he couldn't resist, he would resort to brutal mental attacks against the Dark Dimension's master. Since they were destined to fight to the death, why would he be polite?
But faced with the Sorcerer Supreme's accusations, Salomon could only excuse himself by saying those were words he had seen online, and that the fact that Kamar-Taj had been offline for several days was none of his business.
If Dormammu tempted Salomon with knowledge, he might have taken the bait, for magic was the only thing that piqued his interest.
The Supreme was training Salomon in this area. Moderation and balance—how to properly curb one's curiosity—were precisely what the Supreme was trying to teach him. It was precisely because of this balance, along with the magic of Vishanti and Dormammu, that the Supreme reached his current power.
Salomon had also considered what Athena had said.
When the Supreme laid down her burden, the multiverse would know of it. The demons previously suppressed by the Supreme would likely unleash a revelry, a gluttonous feast to devour the Earth.
The new Sorcerer Supreme was still immature, so Salomon would be needed to uphold Kamar-Taj's image, just as the Sorcerer Supreme had done in her time. Even with his utmost malice, Salomon could have guessed the attitude of the Greek pantheon; it was hard to say they wouldn't harbor resentment towards the Sorcerer Supreme.
By then, both Zeus and Hades would tentatively rebuild Mount Olympus on Earth.
The young wizard looked at the blonde goddess with suspicion, unsure whether Athena's relationship with the other Greek gods was good or bad.
It was hard to say whether Athena wasn't a spy for the Greek gods, testing the Sorcerer Supreme's attitude toward their return. But now that the Sorcerer Supreme had agreed to Athena's stay on Earth, it meant there was still room for negotiation.
"The Sorcerer Supreme's foresight is indeed correct. It seems you've guessed something." Athena nodded after noticing Salomon's changing expression. Although she couldn't read his thoughts, her wisdom was enough to deduce a good idea.
"I hope you can continue the Sorcerer Supreme's mission and keep those gods out of Earth."
"I don't think that's enough to convince you to lend a hand to me at the British Museum," Salomon said expressionlessly. He didn't believe in free lunches. Any seemingly harmless offer of help could easily conceal a hidden motive.
"I will continue to live under your permission, and this is a deal." Athena held out her palm. In its center was a small white sculpture, half the size of her hand, depicting a lifelike Pegasus. Atop the white horse's head was an intricately gilded bridle.
Salomon couldn't discern the material; the surface was smooth as marble, yet not as cold as he'd imagined.
"Pegasus?" Salomon could only think of that. Pegasus was the only Pegasus associated with Athena. "Isn't that Pegasus?"
"Do you think it's possible? I told you not to confuse human myths with reality. You should read my books; that's the truth." Athena was a little disgruntled, but her awe of the Sorcerer Supreme and Salomon's apology softened her expression. She said, "Even Zeus doesn't have the power to arrange the stars, and the so-called Pegasus is nonsense. Pegasus is just my exclusive summoned creature.
I once lent this horse to Bellerophon to help him get rid of the Chimera. And now, I lend it to you for a period of… until the end of your life."
-End Chapter-
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