Superior Magic

"Marvel's Magnetic Field Rotation"

He was a former colleague who worked at a rehabilitation center. Perhaps he had accumulated some good karma as a doctor, because apart from being trapped under the rubble for several days, he only had some minor injuries that could be treated with disinfection. On the third day, when he was so hungry and thirsty that he could barely hold on, he found an unopened bottle of mineral water. The water was cool, as if it had just been taken out of the Fridge.

This former colleague, who had also become homeless due to financial problems, mentioned while chatting with Strange over cheap drinks that he had once handled a case of a man who was paralyzed from the waist down and had given up on treatment because of his poor family background.

But that patient had recently been active at the disaster relief site, rescuing one survivor after another from the rubble, including this former colleague.

Strange immediately went to inquire about the patient, and after several twists and turns, he actually ran into this man Bambou Pamphon—who worked in a unit under Tony Stark's "Disaster Control Bureau".

As a former paraplegic patient, Bambou's medical records must have passed through the hands of this former top neurosurgeon in New York. Even if Strange, who had handled too many cases, didn't remember Bambou certainly remembered Strange, who was his last hope.

Seeing his former doctor reduced to such a state, Bambou generously shared his method of recovery with Strange —using the power of magic.

However, Bambou revealed the truth to Strange beforehand: magic and miracles exist in this world, but they come at a price. His joining the Disaster Control Bureau to carry out disaster relief and rescue operations was paying that price— Bambou even used the authentic Chinese term "Yin Virtue) here.

Although Strange didn't understand what it was, he did learn about the place that would change his current grotesque appearance— Kamar-Taj.

At this point, to use a phrase often used in early Western fantasy novels, the gears of fate began to slowly turn, and Strange ushered in his destiny.

But then another problem arose: penniless Strange couldn't afford a plane ticket to Nepal. As for why he didn't buy a ticket to China —according to Bambou, Kamar-Taj is located halfway up the Himalayas, and he was carried up there by a group of people. Strange, whose legs were still intact, certainly wouldn't enjoy that treatment and would definitely climb up himself.

Climbing the Himalayas from the south slope is much easier than from the north slope.

However, every cloud has a silver lining. Strange's problem was solved when he found a luxury watch—a gift he had given to his fiancée, Christine. Christine's family found it while sorting through her belongings and returned it to Strange as a keepsake. Strange then sold the watch, used the cash to buy a plane ticket to Nepal, and officially embarked on his journey.

"He's been in town for three days already, and I've had Mordo bring him over."

Inside Kamar-Taj, the Master Gu Yi used magic similar to the "round mirror" in fantasy novels, drawing a circle in the air to project a distant scene onto the map. Mordo, putting on a mysterious air, was leading Strange toward Kamar-Taj.

Looking at Strange in the video, Wei Xiuming nodded—the 1.8-meter height with the 1.6-meter face was definitely him.

Mordo led Strange through an inconspicuous wooden door in the temple, instantly transporting him from the small town at the foot of the mountain to Kamar-Taj, located halfway up the mountain. Strange, caught off Strange, almost fainted from altitude sickness, but a cup of hot tea handed to him in time relieved his symptoms.

"We just performed a space jump. I've only ever seen this technology in science fiction movies and magazines—no, wait, aliens opened a portal Battle of New York too."

"Master Gu Yi." Mordo immediately bowed to the Master Gu Yi.

After finishing his hot tea, Strange looked at the Ancient One in surprise—although Mordo had given him a brief introduction to the Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One, on the way, he wasn't prepared for his mentor to be a bald woman.

"Doctor Strange, are you here seeking a treatment for your hands?" the Ancient One asked.

After a moment's hesitation, Strange looked at his scarred hands and said, "Yes, I heard that you used a power called magic to heal a man named Bambou. I want to regain my health, no matter the cost."

"Yes."

By possessing the Eye of Agamotto, the Master Gu Yi could glimpse the future to some extent. Healing Bambou was a way to lure Strange up the mountain, which is why she readily opened the door to it.

"But after you learned of the existence of magic, you wanted more than just the self-healing of your hands; you also wanted the power of revenge, didn't you?" As if she could see right through Strange's heart, the Ancient One said.

Strange paused for a moment, then pondered for a long time, unsure how to answer the Master Gu Yi's question, and could only evade the question, "Good tea."

The long-faced doctor wasn't drinking tea, but a magical potion. Otherwise, if a cup of hot tea could cure altitude sickness, this kind of tea would have been selling like hotcakes. However, since it's a magical potion, the raw materials used are definitely not things that ordinary people can tolerate. If Strange knew what he was drinking, he would definitely throw up.

"Doctor Strange, tell me, do you want to heal your hands, or do you want the power to avenge everything you've lost?"

Ancient One questioned Strange, each question piercing the long-faced doctor's heart like a sharp blade.

"I...I don't know." Strange suddenly became confused.

"Or choose the third option: use magic to understand the truth of this world, glimpse hidden and mysterious knowledge, and along the way, obtain a way to heal your hands and wield great power—but by then, your hatred will have faded, and higher-dimensional knowledge will have changed your view of the entire world."

A deep voice came from the corner of the room. Strange turned his head and saw a tall man in a white lab coat—could someone of that size really be human?

In the end Strange still couldn't make a decision, but the Master Gu Yi kept him there, with Mordo arranging his food and lodging, so that the long-faced doctor could adjust his condition before starting his introductory teaching.

After Strange had stayed in Kamar-Taj for two days, freshened up, changed into his apprentice robes, and eagerly awaited his lessons, Mordo didn't take him to a library or anything like that. Instead, he took him to a spacious courtyard where a group of people were practicing various spells in neat rows. Magical energy was being shaped into all sorts of forms in their hands, which made Strange incredibly envious, and he couldn't wait to join in.

However, Mordo told Strange that he was a transfer student with no prior knowledge and would be unable to keep up with the course. Therefore, he found another teacher to tutor him, and once he had a solid foundation, he would join the other students for intensive classes.

Strange arrived at the location, he discovered that his tutor was the same tall man from yesterday. His attire was completely out of place in the retro Kamar-Taj, but the broad-skinned doctor could tell that the man's clothes under his white coat were high-end custom-made, clearly indicating that he held a prominent position in the secular world.

Wei Xiuming smiled and said, "Strange, I have three different levels of magic here, high, medium, and low. Which one would you like to learn?"

Strange paused, surprised that magic was categorized into levels. The wizard's smile resembled a shark's, reminding him of a shark character from a certain animated film. Composing himself, he asked, "What about these three types of magic?"

Wei Xiuming said, "Lower-level magic is difficult to cultivate, and unless one has a great opportunity, the magician usually doesn't live long; middle-level magic is even more difficult to cultivate, but one can live longer, although those without great wisdom and perseverance can usually only enter the realm and cannot master it."

"Superior magic is the easiest to cultivate, but it tests one's aptitude and perseverance the most, and it's also the fastest way to progress—however, I advise you to choose inferior magic instead."

After sizing up Strange, Wei Xiuming's face revealed a look of utter disdain for this Marvel re-employed worker in Middle-earth, as if he were nothing but a piece of trash.

Strange's pride was immediately ignited, and he said, "I choose to learn superior magic."

Although it's unclear whether the sorcerer was exaggerating and calling the most difficult the easiest, Strange was going to choose the best option.

"Very good, very energetic."

Wei Xiuming was very satisfied with Strange's choice.

"What kind of magic do you study?" Strange felt a chill run down his spine when he saw Wei Xiuming's smile again.

"I don't know magic," Wei Xiuming straightened his white coat collar and said, "Besides, can't you tell what I do from my clothes and appearance?"

Strange didn't show his grumbling. Teaching in a magical mecca couldn't exactly mean he was a scientist, so he tentatively asked, "Are you perhaps a scientist?"

"Bingo, congratulations on getting it right." Wei Xiuming Strange a very fake clap of applause. "I am Tian, the chief scientist of the Osborn Group, in charge of all scientific research. Recently, I have been leading the cell cloning and transplantation project, which successfully performed a heart transplant on Tony Stark —this is a huge step forward for the medical industry, you may have heard of it."

Strange had used medical equipment produced by Osborn, and those high-tech products even caused considerable medical reforms. However, he had never heard of cell cloning and transplantation technology. After squandering his fortune, he spent his days trying to find a place where he wouldn't be robbed or beaten by other homeless people. He had no time to pay attention to developments in the medical field.

"Then you must have a way to heal my hands!" Strange stretched out his trembling hands; he saw a glimmer of hope.

Wei Xiuming also extended his hand to him. "Advance payment, twelve million US dollars, cash."

This was a number that drove Strange to despair. Not to mention twelve million, he couldn't even come up with twelve hundred dollars. Moreover, according to Wei Xiuming, this was a very mature technology that even a tycoon like Tony Stark could use on himself, so there was no need for him to sacrifice himself as a test subject.

He should just stick to learning magic—wait, there's a problem here.

"As a scientist, why are you in a magical sanctuary?"

Strange hesitated for a moment before finally speaking his mind.

"Who told you that magic and technology cannot coexist?" Wei Xiuming refuted Strange's ignorance.

"WuxiaWorld, I often read it there," Strange said. After losing everything, he could no longer be as carefree as before. Browsing websites using the free Wi-Fi at fast food restaurants was one of his few pastimes. In the process, he became obsessed with all kinds of fast food articles. Only when he was engrossed in reading those articles could he forget the pain in the real world. This was also the reason why he was able to quickly accept the existence of magic and souls.

Of course, this also led him to some misunderstandings about magic.

Wei Xiuming explained, "Just like the various electrical appliances in Kamar-Taj, aren't they just technological products? You didn't see the sorcerers smashing and burning them like the English resisted 5G. Besides, in this mountainside location, where would you run electrical wires without considering the cost? All the electricity, including the hot water for your shower, is provided by a nuclear reactor—but don't worry, Kamar-Taj uses a cold nuclear reactor that uses a magnetic field to confine palladium and hydrogen for fusion, so there's no risk of radiation."

"Magic and science are both ways of discovering, understanding, and using the rules of the universe, only their starting points are vastly different. The mystery of magic stems only from the fact that our technology is too backward."

Wei Xiuming clenched his fist, and a ball of blue light emanated from it. The dazzling light caused Strange to instinctively shield his eyes with his hand.

"Then, Doctor Strange, please tell me, is this magic or technology?"

Wei Xiuming asked.

"Magic." Even though Wei Xiuming had said before that he didn't know magic, Strange still believed that this was something only magic could do.

"No, this is science. It's the phenomenon of light emission produced by the ionization of gas. I created a strong electric field. Within this field, the electrons outside the nuclei of gas atoms absorb energy and jump from a low energy level to a high energy level. Electrons at the high energy level are unstable and will spontaneously jump back from the high energy level to the low energy level. During this transition, the high and low energy levels release energy in the form of photons, thus forming light."

You're telling me that creating a strong electric field with your bare hands is science?!

But Strange didn't say it aloud; instead, he bowed his head and said, "Please teach me, Master."

He would learn anything that could help him, whether it was magic or science.

After exchanging a glance with Mordo, Wei Xiuming said, "To learn superior magic, one must train one's body to be as strong as iron and steel. Only by breaking through the limits of human nature can one master extraordinary power!"