In Marvel, people are slime Chapter 112

“Of course, you can change the appearance of the Cloak of Levitation with a simple spell, I can teach you.”

“So you’re going to give it to me?”

Laimu was a little unsure; this cloak should be very important to the future Doctor Strange.

The Ancient One glanced at the Cloak of Levitation, which was crumpled into a ball, and smiled gently, shaking her head, “It’s a very fickle little guy, but also a bit picky. If it likes you, I have no reason to refuse.”

“Thank you, Ancient One.”

Looking at the Cloak of Levitation, which was twisting into a pretzel with joy, a new doubt arose in Laimu’s heart, “…Then the gift you said you’d give me a few days ago, was it this?”

“No, it’s another one. You’ll know in a moment.”

The Ancient One deliberately kept him in suspense, blinking mysteriously. A touch of playfulness appeared on her solemn and dignified face, “…Please follow me first.”

She led the two into a quiet corridor.

The Cloak of Levitation followed quietly behind the three.

The wooden corridor was adorned with many classical murals. Some depicted figures and animals from Western mythology: Medusa with snake hair, Griffins with eagle heads and lion bodies, and Nidhogg, the black dragon gnawing at the World Tree.

Others were Eastern-style auspicious clouds and legendary creatures: soaring dragons, flying phoenixes, Nine Infants, Black Tortoises, and Zhu Yan.

There were also landscapes: mountains and rivers, bamboo forests and streams, carp, dragonflies, large shrimp, skyscrapers, cars, and airplanes.

The styles varied greatly.

“I’ve been observing you for a long time. At first, your arrival made me uneasy…”

The Ancient One, walking ahead, suddenly turned back and glanced at him, meaningfully, “Until I saw something very interesting.”

But she turned her head away again, clearly not intending to say what she saw.

Having her words cut off twice in a short time, Laimu subconsciously gritted his teeth, annoyed.

However, Laimu was not overly surprised or panicked by what the other party said. He knew that the Ancient One possessed the Time Stone, so it was not strange for her to see anything.

Moreover, if he were to cause some great disaster at some point, the Ancient One would have already traveled through time to strangle his past self in the desert. There was no way he would be standing here perfectly fine, receiving a reception from the Ancient One.

His fingers brushed over the reliefs on the corridor, feeling their unevenness. In his wandering thoughts, he suddenly remembered something, “May I ask you some questions?”

“Of course, I will tell you everything I know.”

Looking at the other party’s back, Laimu pondered for a moment before speaking his question.

“Why… don’t the Sorcerers step forward and lead humanity? There’s such a powerful group of people on Earth protecting the Earth and humanity, yet they always hide silently in the dark.”

“I mean, those in the shadows are heroes too, but if someone like the Sorcerer Supreme had stepped forward in human history to provide guidance, it should have prevented many detours, right? Wars, massacres, revolutions, and the progress of human science…”

The Ancient One, walking ahead, merely smiled and did not turn back, her voice sounding very light, “I’ve seen myself walk through this corridor with you thirteen thousand six hundred and seventy-nine times, and you’ve asked this question six thousand five hundred and thirty-one times…”

Laimu was somewhat startled.

Alice also withdrew her gaze from the mural reliefs, looking curiously at the Ancient One’s back… Seen? How?

The Ancient One’s steady words continued to flow, unhurried, neither fast nor slow, with a sense of certainty.

“Magic is very wondrous; its power is almost omnipotent. It can bring you here in an instant from thousands of miles away… But, to sway people’s hearts, even magic finds it difficult.”

“Perhaps we could forcefully change the course of history through military might, but we cannot change people’s inner thoughts. And in the end, history will revert to its original trajectory, making everything done futile.”

Laimu nodded thoughtfully… Indeed, even if one could see through the flow of time, it would be almost impossible to guide tens of millions, hundreds of millions, or even billions of people with different thoughts down the same path.

“Do you know?”

The Ancient One suddenly stopped and turned to look at the two. There was a hint of weariness on her face, but her eyes were soft and clear.

“I have always admired great thinkers. They live only for a few decades, yet they can continuously influence people’s thoughts for hundreds or thousands of years, guiding them towards the right path. I have lived fruitlessly for hundreds of years, achieving only in repelling invasions from outer dimensions.”

Laimu chuckled and shook his head, “You are too humble.”

If even the Ancient One had lived fruitlessly, then others weren’t living at all.

Alice, however, was thinking about another question… Had this person lived for hundreds of years?

She looked at the Ancient One with some surprise but did not speak to interrupt their conversation.

The group exited the corridor.

Outside was a spacious training ground, surrounded by a complex of buildings with the classical charm of a temple: main halls, corridors, side rooms, bell towers, and drum towers, all present.

A group of apprentices were training in the arena. They wore simple white short-sleeved uniforms; some used their hands to draw golden patterns in the air, while others practiced hand-to-hand combat in pairs.

A person with a ponytail wearing a yellow vest moved among the apprentices, strictly correcting their movements and offering guidance.

Laimu recognized him: Karl Mordo, a turncoat who would betray the Ancient One and side with a demon in the future.

Another stern-faced sat on the outskirts of the crowd, holding a book and reading, as if everyone owed him nine pounds fifteen pence.

This person was Wong, who theoretically would be the next Sorcerer Supreme… because Doctor Strange never became Sorcerer Supreme.

These people did not notice the Ancient One and her companions passing by.

By the side of the training ground, turning left again and walking for a while, they reached the tea room.

The walls and floor of the tea room were made of classical and elegant wooden structures, with a strong Eastern ambiance. The chairs, tea tables, tea sets on the tables, and various decorations were mostly made of wood as well.

From the New York Sanctum to Kamar-Taj, it was easy to see that the Sorcerers preferred natural, rustic things.

Many places and objects in the room were adorned with patterns of unknown meaning, giving the place a religious feel.

Dim sunlight streamed in through the wooden windows, falling into this quiet room, further enhancing its tranquility and mystery.

“Please sit.”

The Ancient One guided the two to sit on the floor cushions and personally poured each of them a cup of tea.

She enthusiastically invited them to taste her tea, “This is tea we grow ourselves at the foot of Mount Everest. It has a fragrant aroma and is refreshing and invigorating.”

Drinking the bitter yet sweet tea, Laimu asked teasingly, “Is it Everest black tea?”

The Ancient One sat opposite them across the small tea table, pouring herself tea as she asked, “That sentence seems to have another meaning? I’ve seen myself ask you three hundred and forty-three times, but you’ve never explained it once.”

“Uh… didn’t you see why I didn’t explain?”

The Ancient One shook her head helplessly, “I can see through the changes in time with the power of the Stone, but even so, I cannot fully understand another person’s inner thoughts and feelings.”