The snow on the stone steps reflected the moonlight.
Chen Mo sat down opposite the Ancient One, took the cup of hot tea, but did not bring it to his lips.
The tea was clear and bright, with steam rising slowly.
"Master, let's talk about something practical first."
Chen Mo looked down at the reflection in the glass and asked, "Can you find Tiamut's exact location?"
The Ancient One looked at him.
You want to get in touch with it beforehand.
"The one who truly understands me is the Sorcerer Supreme."
Chen Mo raised his hand, a few strands of dark red blood appearing in his palm. "That thing isn't fully developed yet; it's like a premature baby in the Celestials. Before it opens its eyes, I'll solve the problem first; it'll be better for everyone."
Of course, the most important thing is to devour the Celestials.
The enhancements the Eternals brought him were already significant enough, but they were ultimately just life forms created by the Celestials. Whether it was Cosmic Energy or those different abilities, the source was the creator.
Tiamut is currently sleeping inside the Earth.
If the Blacklight Virus can make contact with the other party, it will have the opportunity to analyze the true life structure of the Celestials.
That would be an unprecedented leap forward.
The Ancient One did not refuse immediately.
"In fact, your method might work, but I can't find it."
Chen Mo raised his eyes.
This white-bearded version of the Ancient One can foresee the future, borrow dimensional power, and silently sever communications with the Celestials.
How could we not even be able to find him?
" Tiamut is not hidden in some fixed hollow in the Earth's core."
The Ancient One raised his hand and brushed across the stone table, several golden lines spreading from his fingertips, outlining the shape of the Earth in the air.
Countless tiny points of light covered the land and sea.
Each point of light corresponds to a life.
"It is connected to the life energy of the entire planet. The birth, growth, and reproduction of humankind provide it with the power needed for its awakening."
The golden lines converged towards the Earth's interior, but upon reaching the vicinity of the mantle, they merged into a vast expanse of light, making it impossible to discern their origin.
"Before the Emergence begins, it will not release its full life force, making it almost impossible to detect its location."
Chen Mo stared at the light.
What If...? I drilled a super huge hole to the center of the earth?
"Like I said, its physical location doesn't actually exist."
"Never mind then."
Chen Mo answered quickly.
In other words, we can only wait for it to show itself.
"That's how it is for now."
Chen Mo picked up his teacup, took a sip, and his brow twitched slightly.
There's no sugar; the hospitality at Kamar-Taj is as austere as the food.
He put down his teacup.
"Alright, the treasure hunt is temporarily canceled. What I promised you still stands; I'll step in if you can't handle it."
The Ancient One stared at him, "Even if the opponent is Celestials?"
"A deal that's been agreed upon can't just be abandoned at the last minute because the client is too big."
Chen Mo leaned against the stone pillar behind the steps. "Besides, if it really dares to climb out, I might not be willing to run away."
The Blacklight Virus's yearning for higher life forms has entered consciousness.
It wasn't just simple hunger, but the instinctive pursuit of evolution by every cell.
Chen Mo suppressed the restlessness within him and looked at the Ancient One again.
The Ancient One's hand slowly swept across the top of the table.
A golden magic circle rapidly unfolded, with layers of rings rotating between the two. At the center of the rings, a city appeared in the darkness, its streets and buildings being encroached upon by surging shadows.
In the depths of darkness, a pair of enormous eyes slowly opened.
Where the shadows fall, the buildings detach from reality and plunge into an endless Dark Dimension.
The image then changes.
The wreckage of a warship floated in the starry sky, and a tall, purple giant stood in the center of the ruins. He wore golden armor, and a heavy double-edged sword lay beside him.
In the last image, the Earth's surface is covered with cracks.
A giant golden hand pierced through oceans and continents, reaching into the universe. Magma spewed from between its fingers, the atmosphere was torn apart by the impact, and cities fell into the earth in patches.
Dormammu, Thanos, Tiamut.
The Ancient One clicked on the three images in turn.
"These are just the crises I can see right now. Any one of them would come at an unbearable cost to the Earth."
Chen Mo looked at the figure of the purple giant.
"You can't beat them?"
"No one can guarantee they'll always win. I can win countless times, but if I lose just once, it's all over."
The Ancient One's answer was confident and without the slightest hesitation.
"Understood, the monk doesn't offer any after-sales service."
Chen Mo leaned forward, his gaze fixed on the first image. "Can Dormammu be truly killed?"
"It coexists with the Dark Dimension. As long as that dimension exists, it will be difficult for it to experience death as you understand it."
"Absorbing a dimension? That's a bit of a pipe dream right now, but I'll find a way."
The Ancient One glanced at him but offered no comment.
How powerful is this purple sweet potato spirit now?
" Thanos, his future is uncertain. I've seen him die, and I've seen him step over countless corpses, grasping power enough to change the entire universe."
Chen Mo's gaze lingered on Thanos's empty left hand.
He doesn't have the Infinity Gauntlet in the picture.
That's good news.
"And Tiamut, how much longer will it sleep before it wakes up?"
The Earth within the magic circle slowly rotated, and the Ancient One remained silent for a moment.
"The original time has lost its meaning. Its awakening is being interfered with by external forces; some futures are being brought forward, while others are disappearing completely."
Chen Mo turned to look at him.
"Is this external force from you or someone else?"
The Ancient One picked up the teacup and took a small sip.
There was no response.
Chen Mo stared at the Ancient One's white beard for two seconds.
"Are all monks like this? They drink water when they can't answer. If I put a water dispenser next to you, your riddle might even give you water intoxication."
The Ancient One put down his teacup.
Some answers change the moment they are spoken.
So you have the answer, but you can't say it?
Chen Mo picked up his teacup, preparing to finish the rest of his tea.
Suddenly, ripples appeared on the surface of the water.
His reflection split from the center, into two, ten, hundreds.
Countless images fill the cup.
Chen Mo stood on the fractured continent, with a extinguished city beneath his feet.
Chen Mo floated outside the shattered Earth, with black and red matter surging behind him.
Chen Mo reached out and grabbed at the golden giant rising from the earth's core, the surrounding atmosphere burning.
Many more scenes flashed by.
His presence can be seen in every future.
In every future, the Earth is already shattered.
A faint cracking sound came from the inside of the cup.
Chen Mo did not let go, but looked at the Ancient One.
The Ancient One also gazed upon those crumbling futures.
"I have seen many people who are destroying the earth."
He raised his eyes.
"But you are the only one who remains standing after every destruction."