Overwhelming Grief

Chen Xu was about to return to Earth as well.

Thor and the Asgardians stood before him, with Odin and Queen Frigga personally seeing Chen Xu off beside the Bifrost. Chen Xu looked at them all.

"Everyone, I've had a wonderful time during these past few days in Asgard. Thank you for your hospitality and care. But my time as an exchange student is up, and I have to return to Earth."

Thor spoke up.

"The gates of Asgard will always be open to you. Come visit often when you get the chance!"

"Mm, I will."

"Then goodbye, everyone."

"Goodbye."

With that, Chen Xu returned to Earth through the Bifrost, teleporting directly to the New York Sanctum. In truth, with Chen Xu's current command of space, he could have teleported directly back to New York and had no need for the Bifrost at all. But he had not done so. Why? Naturally, for the sense of ceremony.

Earth, New York Sanctum.

Chen Xu had already been back on Earth for several months. He no longer went to the New York Sanctum's library, because he had practically read those books to pieces. He spent nearly every day holed up in his dorm, organizing and digesting the knowledge he had gained from the Asgardian library.

However, as he continued to understand and absorb that knowledge, he increasingly felt that the claim that Ancient One had driven the Asgardians off Earth was simply false. The deeper Chen Xu's understanding became, the more he sensed Asgard's power. The idea that Ancient One had forced Asgard off Earth was something he truly found a little hard to believe now. It would have made more sense if they had left Earth of their own accord.

Suddenly, Chen Xu's phone rang, pulling him straight out of meditation and back into reality. He picked it up and saw that it was Iron Man, Stark. After the Battle of New York, they had exchanged phone numbers after finishing their barbecue at the Korean grill.

"Hey, Stark. What's up?"

"Hey, Chen Xu. I need help right now. I hope you can come help me out." At that moment, Stark had summoned dozens of his suits of armor and was fighting some bioengineered humans.

"Oh, sure. Describe your surroundings to me, and I'll be right there."

"Oh, okay..."

The next second, Chen Xu appeared directly behind Stark. Seeing Stark's tattered clothes and bedraggled appearance, like a beggar, Chen Xu gave him a pat. Stark was so startled that he immediately aimed the energy beam in his hand at Chen Xu. Fortunately, he recognized him in time.

"Hey, Stark, it's me."

Stark froze.

"Chen Xu, how did you get here so fast? I called you only two seconds ago."

"Never mind that. What happened? You brought out so many suits of armor. Were you planning to throw a party?"

"Oh, God, of course not. Pepper was kidnapped by someone who had a crush on her. I..."

"I get it. You couldn't beat him, so you called me for help."

"More or less."

Chen Xu had not expected the plot of Iron Man 3 to begin so soon. Pepper was practically half a lifesaver to him, so there was no way he could refuse to help.

Chen Xu immediately unleashed his mental power, powerful enough to pierce the multiverse. In an instant, every bioengineered human felt an immense pressure that left them unable to move. Chen Xu spotted a man in a white suit with a twisted expression, holding a strange object and preparing to inject Pepper with it.

"I found Pepper. Let's go."

With that, Chen Xu grabbed Stark and opened a portal, appearing directly before them in an instant.

"Let's evolve together, Pepper."

"What? Who do you think you are?"

Pepper's admirer heard the voice as well. He turned around and stared at Chen Xu in terror. From what people said, he knew there were seven Avengers. Chen Xu was the most mysterious among them, as well as the strongest. He was absolutely no match for Chen Xu.

"This is my love for her. Let's evolve together and gain immortality. Isn't that wonderful?"

"Become neither human nor ghost, like you?"

Pepper's pursuer thrust the needle into Pepper's body at top speed, about to inject the serum. Seeing this, Stark was instantly overcome with grief and shouted:

"NO!!!"

In an instant, everything froze. Time within dozens of kilometers around Chen Xu came to a complete stop. Naturally, this was Chen Xu's doing. Unhurriedly, Chen Xu walked over, scooped Pepper up in his arms, and carried her over to Stark. Looking at Stark's pained expression, he found it rather amusing. Then everything instantly returned to normal, and Pepper's pursuer discovered that Pepper had vanished. His needle had stabbed straight into his own thigh.

"What? What happened?"

Stark was stunned as well. Then he noticed Pepper in Chen Xu's arms and immediately understood that Chen Xu had done it. He rushed forward and embraced Pepper. Seeing this, the admirer instantly realized that injecting Pepper with the serum today was impossible. He turned to run, but would Chen Xu give him that chance? Of course not. Chen Xu used the Phoenix Force and reduced him to ashes. The admirer turned to dust in terror.

Watching the two of them cling to each other and cry their hearts out, Chen Xu said awkwardly,

"Ahem. Since you're both fine, I'll be leaving first."

"Oh, Chen Xu, thank you so much for today. If it weren't for you, Pepper might have turned into one of those monsters."

"Thank you. I never thought we'd meet under circumstances like this."

"Ah, it's nothing. You took me to the hospital last time, and I went. We're even now."

With that, Chen Xu opened a portal and returned to the New York Sanctum.

Chen Xu lay on the bed in his dorm, feeling somewhat uneasy about Loki's disappearance. He had never expected Thanos to dare attack Asgard, working both inside and out, allowing Loki to escape. He had no idea where Loki was hiding now, but he was still a hidden danger.

At that moment, Loki was on Earth. He had used the Mind Scepter to control Kingpin and was forming his own Dark Alliance, preparing to take revenge on the Avengers.

"Master, I found something good."

As a gang leader, Kingpin also knew that someone had developed a serum capable of making people evolve.

Naturally, it was the same kind that Pepper's admirer had been holding. He was dead, but his product had been taken by someone else. And the person who took it was, naturally, Kingpin's gang.

"We can use it to attract others to join us, make them stronger, and increase our power. Then we can go after the Avengers and take revenge."

"Mm." Seeing his forces grow stronger by the day, Loki felt delighted that the day of his revenge and the fulfillment of his goal were drawing ever closer.

After returning to the New York Sanctum, Chen Xu did not go back to his dorm. Instead, he went to ask the Sorcerer Supreme, Ancient One, some questions.