Kamar-Taj

Qin Yi stepped out of the golden portal and followed the Ancient One to Kamar-Taj.

After walking down a corridor, the two entered a quaint Chinese-style room.

The Ancient One laid Phoenix on the bed, then turned to look at Qin Yi.

Qin Yi paused, then raised his hand. A beam of pure white light flew toward Phoenix and slowly sank into her body.

When Phoenix still didn't wake, Qin Yi cast another Healing Spell on her.

"She's just lost too much energy. There's nothing wrong with her body. Let her rest."

The Ancient One had used the Time Stone more than once to examine Qin Yi's past and future.

But all she found was chaos.

It wasn't just Qin Yi. The future of the entire universe seemed shrouded in mist, no longer clear.

The Ancient One studied Qin Yi for a long while.

Then she murmured to herself,

"Pure healing magic that doesn't require a spell, and dark magic that can devour energy. Where did you come from, little one?"

Qin Yi looked up, recalled the information the system had sent into his mind, and drew three circles.

"I was in this circle before, and you're in this one, Sorcerer. I was planning to go to that other circle, but I accidentally fell into your circle on the way. Does that make sense?"

The Ancient One pondered for a while after hearing his explanation.

"The Multiverse?"

"No, no, no."

As Qin Yi replied, he waved his hand. The three circles turned into three spheres.

"The sphere you're in has countless faces. Each face is a universe, a dimension.

"All those faces are on this sphere, and they can only exist on this sphere.

"I'm from another sphere, though I'm not sure whether mine has countless faces too.

"The sphere I was headed to is on a higher level. I don't know what it's like yet."

After hearing Qin Yi's explanation, the Ancient One stared at him in silence for a long moment.

"Incredible... So your arrival was an accident?"

"Yeah, exactly. Sorcerer, can I leave now?"

Qin Yi looked at the Ancient One expectantly.

Just a passerby, then? The Ancient One fixed him with her wise, radiant gaze for a moment before saying,

"Stay here and study magic with me."

The Ancient One still wanted to observe Qin Yi as they studied magic together and see whether he meant any harm to Earth.

"That sounds great, but I need to go tell my family first, Sorcerer."

After spending the past few months together, Qin Yi had come to think of Aunt Maria as family. He had been alone before the system dumped him in the Marvel Universe.

Remembering the golden portal from earlier, Qin Yi couldn't help feeling envious. He hinted to the Ancient One,

"Um, Sorcerer, how do I leave here and come back later?"

The Ancient One smiled and explained how to open a portal.

She figured that even with a Sling Ring, Qin Yi might need several months to master it. For now, she could have him travel from the New York Sanctum. She would give him the address later.

Suddenly, her eyes widened as she stared at the golden portal Qin Yi casually drew in the air. She watched him step through it, leaving only his voice drifting back from afar.

"Sorcerer, I'll go tell my family. I'll come back in a few days."

The Ancient One couldn't help thinking, His talent for magic is terrifying. As for Stephen... I should think it over carefully before making a decision.

Outside the Mutant Control Center

The X-Men, led by Professor X, stood in a circle around Tony.

Tony protested, "How many times do I have to tell you? I just came to look at the aliens."

Charles and the others clearly didn't believe him. Just as Charles was about to read Tony's thoughts,

a golden portal appeared in front of them. Qin Yi stepped out.

Through the portal, they could faintly see the Ancient One's shocked expression and Phoenix lying on the bed.

"Jean!" Cyclops couldn't help trying to rush over.

Qin Yi casually closed the portal. Seeing the X-Men about to make a move, he quickly said, "Don't worry. Phoenix is much safer there than at your school."

Faced with the X-Men's distrust, Qin Yi couldn't be bothered to explain. He waved his hand and took Tony away through the portal.

"Professor..." Cyclops said excitedly. Charles calmed him down before he could lose his temper.

"From what we can tell, Jean is safe. Let's head back for now. I'll talk to Stark tomorrow."

A golden portal opened in Tony's room.

Tony stepped through and excitedly grabbed Qin Yi by the arm.

"Holy crap, Qin! Is this some kind of space-folding technology?"

Watching Tony get carried away, Qin Yi wondered, What have I done?

"Sorry, Tony. The alien was destroyed. There's not even a speck of it left."

"No, no, that's not what I mean. We went straight from the Mutant Control Center to our house? Is this space-folding technology? How is that possible? You figured it out in no time!"

Faced with Tony's disbelief, Qin Yi silently reminded himself, I'm a cheater.

"Okay, bro. Aunt Maria said I have to start school tomorrow. After school, I'll teach you this magic. How does that sound?"

Qin Yi coaxed and cajoled Tony until he agreed, then went back to his room to sleep.

The next morning,

Maria looked surprised to see Tony getting ready to take Qin Yi to school.

"Tony, why don't your father and I take Qin to school?"

Tony looked at his mother and quickly replied, "Mom, I can take my little brother to school. You and Dad should stay home and get some rest."

"All right. Be careful on the way, Qin. Auntie made you some fruit pie. If you don't like the food at school, I'll talk to Howard about changing the cafeteria menu. And try not to pick on your classmates too much."

Qin Yi hugged Maria.

"Don't worry, Auntie. I'll be good."

Outside the Howard Estate, Maria watched until Tony and Qin's car disappeared before turning back toward the courtyard.

On the way to school, Qin Yi teased Tony, who was dressed in a suit and tie.

"Hey, bro, don't you think you're overdressed? Have you got your eye on another teacher at school?"

Tony drove his Audi and replied earnestly,

"This is a major event that's about to change my whole life. It deserves some respect."

Qin Yi thought helplessly, Is Magic Iron Man on the way?

I definitely can't bring Tony along next time.

I'll probably keep steering Tony further and further off course. I should stay out of the other plotlines if I can. Who knows what effects my little butterfly wings will have?

What if Thanos shows up with the Heart of the Universe instead of the Infinity Gauntlet?

GG...

"We're at school."

Tony pulled over, handed Qin Yi his backpack, and said quietly, "I'll be waiting for you at a café nearby."

Qin Yi glanced at the phone in Tony's hand. "Tony, get moving on that phone I told you about yesterday."

"We'll talk about that after I learn magic." Tony was clearly confident about mastering it.

"See you, Tony."

Qin Yi slung on his backpack and looked at the school gates before him.

New York City No. 1 Primary School

He shook his head helplessly and walked inside.

He spent the entire morning daydreaming. Apart from introducing himself as a transfer student, Qin Yi sat at his desk and contemplated life.

It was 1992. His body, infused with the Fairy Force, was already seven years old. With his black hair and dark eyes, he stood out among the students, all of whom had blond hair and blue eyes.

Qin Yi looked around at the roughly twenty white students. There wasn't a single Black kid in the class.

Qin Yi remembered that racial discrimination was pretty bad in the United States in his previous life. Never mind. That's beyond my pay grade. I'd better not say anything.

Maybe Howard, as the school's biggest board member, had arranged for him to be in the best class.

Did he really have to go through school all over again in the United States of the Marvel Universe?

There should be a way home in this world, too. When would he get to go back and have a look?

Never mind. Better to leave the danger in the United States.

His Fairy Force integration had reached 31%. He had also acquired the Phoenix Force, along with the D'Bari leader Vuk's shapeshifting and other abilities.

He should plan for the Infinity Stones later and wait for the system to wake up.

According to the timeline, the Space Stone should be in Mar-Vell's laboratory in Earth's outer space, aboard that cloaked Kree Empire cruiser. He might be able to get near the Time Stone while studying magic.

Improving his own strength was still the most important thing. He could think about everything else later.

As Qin Yi daydreamed, the school day ended.

There were no classes that afternoon, and parents crowded outside the school to pick up their kids.

Qin Yi looked around and spotted Tony chatting up a beautiful reporter. He walked over.

"Hey, Tony, who's this?" The blonde, blue-eyed reporter with a generous bust asked when she saw Qin Yi get into the car.

"My brother. We'll continue this another time." His desire to learn magic had clearly won out over his plan to exchange exercise tips with the reporter.

As Tony got into the car, the reporter snapped a photo.

They had driven a long way before Tony finally asked, "Where to first?"

"Somewhere private. We can go through a portal."

Tony thought it over, parked at Stark Industries, and led Qin Yi to his office.

Qin Yi looked around Tony's office curiously. After Tony urged him several times, a golden portal appeared out of thin air. The two of them stepped through.