Celebration of Ruin, Ritual of the Faithful

After hearing this, Lin Du raised an eyebrow slightly, then nodded calmly, his eyes gleaming with resolute determination.

"Alright, since it was a summons from Master Ancient One, I will naturally give it everything I have."

With that, he swiftly adjusted himself and followed closely behind Wong and Mordo as they sprinted ahead.

Yet even as he raced along, Lin Du's heart was remarkably calm. Silently sensing the firm, powerful energy radiating from Wong and Mordo, a determination to weather the storm together rose within him.

Their past experiences had given Lin Du a thorough understanding of his two companions' abilities—old Wong's mountain-shattering techniques, every strike steeped in the flavor of ancient martial arts;

As for Mordo, he was an expert in spatial magic, capable of crossing into another world in the blink of an eye.

Watching the two tightly clutch his arms, Lin Du did not hesitate in the slightest. He immediately decided to experiment within his own body, blending these two vastly different powers together.

Lin Du took a deep breath as an indescribable energy quietly surged through his body.

This was an unprecedented exploration. Under his control, diverse magical powers began to intertwine in a delicate, subtle dance.

Mordo's spatial magic and old Wong's martial essence seemed to be searching for a fusion unlike anything before.

"It worked!" Lin Du opened his eyes and murmured.

He could clearly feel that this newborn magic had not only inherited the traits of attack and defense, but had also gained an indescribable agility and depth.

It seemed capable of perceiving the essence of all things, slipping through the smallest cracks in space and time, manipulating the boundary between reality and illusion.

Then, Lin Du turned his gaze toward Mordo and Wong.

At their current speed, they would not reach the Sanctum until the year of the monkey.

"Open a Portal. Tell me the exact location."

Lin Du stopped and made the suggestion to the two of them.

Wong and Mordo exchanged a glance, clearly surprised that Lin Du had found a solution so quickly.

But at this moment, every second counted. Wong hurriedly gave him the precise coordinates of the Hong Kong Sanctum.

The moment Lin Du heard the coordinates,

he waved his hand without hesitation, and a Portal appeared at once. There was no lengthy incantation, only clean, decisive action.

The two watched Lin Du create a Portal in an instant, their mouths hanging open in astonishment.

Their shock did not last long. They knew full well how unfathomable Lin Du's power was, and they understood the urgency of the situation even more.

Thus, they stepped through the Portal without hesitation. Their figures vanished in an instant, and when they reappeared, they were already inside the Hong Kong Sanctum.

The three stepped out of the Portal, and the sight before them left them speechless with shock.

The once bustling downtown streets of Hong Kong were now filled with ruins. Skyscrapers had either collapsed or tilted over, cracks crisscrossed the streets, and devastation lay everywhere.

The air was like oil-soaked cloth, carrying an indescribable burnt stench and a crushing sense of despair.

Ruins covered the ground, and corpses lay scattered among broken walls and shattered debris, silently recounting the disaster that had taken place not long ago.

Even more chilling were the groups of fanatical believers in strange clothing, kneeling upon this dead-silent land.

They chanted incomprehensible spells as they carried out a bizarre ritual.

It was as though they were welcoming the arrival of an indescribably terrifying being—Dormammu.

Madness and desperation flickered in Kaecilius's eyes.

When he suddenly caught sight of Lin Du and the other two, tension flashed across his face before being swallowed by overwhelming fear.

Gripping his staff tightly, he led a group of trusted followers who had likewise been corrupted by dark power and hurried toward Lin Du, determined to block their path.

"Lin Du! How dare you show yourself at a time like this?"

"Our god, Dormammu, is about to set foot in this world. Your fate has long been decided: death! But if you give up resisting now, perhaps I can still pray to our god and let you escape that endless suffering."

Kaecilius's words echoed through the ruins, every word heavy as a mountain and beyond refutation.

In his mind, Dormammu was the supreme existence in the universe.

So what if Lin Du had defeated him after only three days of study? Dormammu was someone Lin Du could never defeat.

At this moment, he felt that his fate had already been sealed. All he could do was await the end here.

Yet even in the face of Kaecilius's naked threat, Lin Du merely raised the corner of his mouth.

His gaze pierced through layer upon layer of gloom, reaching straight into Kaecilius's heart. There was a glimmer of pity there, intertwined with icy indifference.

Lin Du gently shook his head. His tone was neither hurried nor slow, every word seeming carefully considered. "Kaecilius, you were once a shining star in the world of magic. Why insist on stepping into this boundless night?"

"You believe Dormammu has promised you eternal power, but you do not realize that it is merely emptiness and despair within a bottomless abyss."

A subtle flicker of hesitation passed through Kaecilius's eyes, but it was quickly swallowed by flames of determination.

He waved his staff as though conducting an invisible orchestra. More dark energy answered his command, surging toward Lin Du and the other two.

Seeing this, Lin Du's eyes sharpened. With a casual wave of his hand, an invisible barrier formed in the air, blocking all the rampaging dark energy outside.

He then looked toward the believers who were eager to move, intending to attack him, and curled his lips into a disdainful sneer. "Dormammu's lowly servants dare dream of challenging me?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Lin Du lightly waved his arm. Vast energy burst from his palm, sweeping across the battlefield like raging waves.

One moment, those believers were charging at him like hungry wolves. The next, beneath that irresistible force, they were like fallen leaves in an autumn wind.

They were sent flying, tossed aside, and slammed heavily to the ground, no longer possessing even the slightest strength to struggle.

The moment Kaecilius saw this, his expression changed drastically, and terror filled his heart.

He had never expected Lin Du's strength to have become so terrifying.

What shocked him even more was that Lin Du had not even used the legendary Infinity Stones.

Only a few days ago, the two had clashed, yet now Lin Du's strength had undergone another tremendous leap.

"Y-you... how did you do it?" Kaecilius's voice trembled slightly. What he was witnessing had surpassed his imagination, leaving him unable to believe it.

Hearing this, Lin Du's lips curved into a cold smile.

His gaze fell upon the Time Stone in his hand, which emitted a deep blue glow, and a resolute gleam flashed through his eyes.

"Everything will restart." Lin Du's low voice fell.

The Time Stone in his hand slowly rotated, releasing rings of mysterious ripples.

These ripples spread at an astonishing speed, crossing the boundary between reality and illusion.