Only when the third diamond appeared did purple light illuminate Li Ang's delighted expression.
As the purple light slowly faded, a seed floated above it. It was the size of a fist, covered in rings of strange markings.
They looked like the writing of some peculiar alien civilization.
[Magic Divine Tree Seed ×1]
"A Magic Divine Tree???" Li Ang looked bewildered. Only after opening the item description did he understand just how impressive this thing was.
[Magic Divine Tree: Once planted, it absorbs surrounding magical energy to nourish its host, continuously strengthening the host's physique. Its magic-rich leaves can heal injuries when eaten, and its fruit can greatly improve magical affinity, enhancing the user's magical aptitude and resistance.]
"Gasp!" After reading the description, Li Ang sucked in a sharp breath. He had been worrying about how to face magical enemies!
Previously, the Magic Resistance Cloak had been his only safeguard, which was why the matter of Mephisto still troubled him.
Now he finally had some means of countering him. Given enough time, even Mephisto would ultimately be unable to do anything to him!
If he could draw more magical items later, or magic he could learn, his strength would increase even further!
Not daring to delay, Li Ang hurried to the garden, intending to take out the seed and plant it, when the system spoke.
[Host, the seed does not need to be planted outside. It can be planted within the system space.]
Hearing that he did not need to worry about it being stolen, Li Ang sighed in relief. After he opened the system panel and planted the seed, he distinctly felt it begin to work.
If Li Ang had previously been soaking in a pool of clean water, there were now many bubbles he had never been able to sense before.
These bubbles were magical energy.
Now that Li Ang had the seed inside him, he instinctively began absorbing this energy, slowly strengthening himself!
In other words, Li Ang could now grow stronger just by basking in the sun, like Superman!
Once he confirmed this, Li Ang was so excited that he wanted to rub Nick Fury's big bald head. It really lived up to being a purple item drawn with three diamonds.
Now that he had magic inside him, Li Ang felt it was very necessary to put it to use.
Otherwise, it would be no different from having money and not spending it.
When it came to magic, one figure in the Marvel Universe could not be overlooked: Ancient One.
Before Strange, also known as Doctor Strange, succeeded her, she absorbed magical energy from the Dark Dimension to sustain her life while defending against its invasions.
Li Ang came to the garden and sat back down on his lounge chair, thinking about paying a visit. He could drop by and farm some favorability; if he could steal... learn some magic, that would be even better.
At that thought, Li Ang stood up.
Just as he was about to fly off and try searching, a spark suddenly appeared beside him. More and more sparks followed, gradually forming a circle!
The circle slowly expanded, with a woman in yellow robes standing inside.
The woman was thin and frail, looking as though a gust of wind could knock her over. Behind her stretched a bitter snowstorm with no end in sight.
Indeed, the visitor was Ancient One.
"We finally meet," she said softly.
The instant he saw Ancient One, Li Ang's pupils contracted slightly, surprised that she had actually come to him.
Speak of the devil. After saying that inwardly, Li Ang feigned surprise. "You are?"
"We know each other so well. Surely there's no need to pretend?" As Ancient One spoke, she raised her head, revealing the lower half of her face and an utterly inscrutable smile.
Li Ang was even more baffled. Know each other? Did we meet back in Hiroshima?
"I know you, Li Ang." Without waiting for him to continue, Ancient One stepped out of the portal and said, "In the future I saw, you weren't supposed to appear here."
Hearing this, Li Ang inexplicably felt that she had come looking for a fight. She's not here with good intentions!
[Master, you're the one who came here.]
The system offered a quiet reminder, while Li Ang remained outwardly unruffled. "Is that so?"
Ancient One removed her hood and clasped her hands behind her back. "After you appeared, time branched in many directions. Some were good, and some were terrifying."
Among the futures Ancient One had seen, some showed Li Ang fighting invaders to protect the world, while others showed him slaughtering other heroes.
She clearly understood Li Ang's strength. After her death, there would probably be no one capable of stopping or guiding him.
So she decided to intervene.
To preserve balance, she could draw on Dormammu's energy. And because of the variable that was Li Ang, she intended to postpone her retirement plans.
"So, you came today to do something about me being a variable?"
"I'd like to make a deal with you. I'll teach you to use magical energy, and you'll fulfill a sorcerer's responsibilities."
Ancient One's words were exactly what Li Ang wanted to hear. How considerate!
What did Li Ang lack most right now? That was right-skills!
The previous gamma rays had given him Freeze Breath, but even so, his means of attack were still too limited.
Whether against Iron Monger or Abomination, he had won through overwhelming stats.
One could say that Li Ang was now a stat monster.
Against an opponent with special mechanics, he could still brute-force his way through with stats. But if he encountered one whose stats were no lower than his own, he could only drop dead.
Just as he was thinking this, the system notification sounded in his mind.
[Mission 7: Magic apprentice] [A berserker who cannot use magic is not a qualified superhero. The best way to deal with a sorcerer is to become one. Begin your apprenticeship and learn and master a sorcerer's basic skills!] [Mission reward: 10 attribute points, one Trait Sling Ring]
Hearing the mission notification in his mind, Li Ang immediately agreed. "All right, I agree. After learning magic, I'll definitely punish evil, uphold good, and protect Earth."
Ancient One was very satisfied to hear this. With her hands still behind her back, another portal appeared without any visible movement from her. "That would be best. Come with me."
With that, she stepped through the portal first.
Li Ang kept feeling that Ancient One was like a child abductor holding a magic book and saying things like, "I can see you have an extraordinary physique. The great responsibility of saving the world rests on your shoulders," and so on.
Stepping through the portal, Li Ang distinctly felt the surrounding temperature drop by at least a dozen degrees.
The other side of the portal looked like a training hall, its spacious grounds completely deserted.
He did not feel cold, though. With his physical strength, he could now easily take a flight through space; he just could not fly for too long.
"I can sense that the magical energy inside you is very pure, and it's growing stronger. We'll skip the sensing stage." Ancient One walked ahead, leading Li Ang to the library.
The library here was enormous, with rows of shelves organized by category. Many books were locked in midair.
Here, Li Ang met a chubby young man.
Wong.
The future Sorcerer Supreme did not yet have the heavy jowls he had in the movies and looked somewhat younger.
Seeing Ancient One lead Li Ang inside, the chubby young man bowed to her before taking a book from a shelf.
"This book records many basic spells. You'll stay here and study for a while."
Just as Li Ang accepted the book Ancient One handed him and prepared to flip through it, footsteps sounded behind him.
Li Ang turned his head and saw a familiar figure.
"Holy shit, Hannibal!"