Chapter 138: Rest Assured, I Will Only Watch for One Day (Bonus Chapter for Donations)

"One moment."

Old Wang reached out, and all the magical items on the corpses detached and flew into his hands: a full dozen sling rings, along with a few artifacts that looked of poor quality at a glance.

The magical system of this world was truly subpar. Almost no one understood alchemy, enchanting, or runecrafting. Aside from the essential sling rings, artifacts were even scarcer than mages.

In the World of Warcraft, what mage would dare set foot outside without a full set of over a dozen enchanted items, a bag of alchemical potions, a bundle of glyphs, a pile of food, and gems socketed into every piece of gear?

Not only was the quantity low, but the quality was concerning—merely sealing certain spells into special materials, a crude and primitive method.

The truly good items were all in Kamar-Taj or the three Sanctums. Only sufficiently powerful artifacts were deemed "relics," and the New York Sanctum alone housed no fewer than ten. That was a rogue's paradise.

*I should have chosen the Rogue class back then...*

Meeting the Ancient One’s inquisitive gaze, Old Wang responded nonchalantly, "These are my spoils of war."

As soon as he spoke, the artifacts vanished, stored away into the Heart of Azeroth.

The Ancient One was a woman of profound wisdom and worldly experience; she would not bicker over such trifles with Old Wang, nor did she have any interest in them. Having transcended life and death, why would she concern herself with mere worldly possessions?

Leaving her beautiful silhouette and polished scalp to Old Wang’s view, the Ancient One turned and stepped into a portal.

"Wang, are you okay?"

The Mirror Dimension dissipated. Skye, Daredevil, and the others hurried over. If they hadn't perceived that the Ancient One wasn't an enemy, they would have attacked long ago.

Fortunately, they hadn't.

"Master Wang, who was she? Her heartbeat and breathing were steady, yet her body was incredibly weak. Her vital state is bizarre—she should have been dead long ago," Daredevil said, looking puzzled.

The Ancient One’s physical condition was beyond his comprehension. How could someone with such feeble life force still be alive? Was it not life force sustaining her, but something else? Was she even a living person?

Hearing this, Simmons' eyes lit up instantly, eager to drag that person back for a thorough study. Fitz pulled her back, looking nervous.

"I'm fine. Be careful while I'm away. Kaecilius escaped, and he may return."

"That was the Sorcerer Supreme, the Ancient One, guardian of Earth and the most powerful of mages."

"Continue the brain mapping and memory uploading until I return."

"The dead deserve respect; find a place to bury these bodies properly," Old Wang instructed, then took a step, and in the blink of an eye, he was ten thousand miles away.

...

...

Kathmandu is nestled on the southern slopes of the Himalayas, with the mountains acting as a natural barrier against the cold northern winds. The climate here is pleasant with year-round sunshine, earning it the reputation of a "mountain paradise." The scenery is distinct from everywhere else, filled with exotic charm.

Building a sanctuary for mages in such a place showed the Sorcerer Supreme had an excellent eye.

On the surface, Kamar-Taj was located in a bustling area, but in reality, it occupied an independent space that couldn't be entered without a guide. Old Wang could clearly perceive the shifts in space-time here; while far less mesmerizing or dangerous than the Caverns of Time or Karazhan, it had its own unique features—like being able to see the outside world, the ability to make phone calls, and even Wi-Fi.

He arrived in the courtyard, where a sturdy Black man was training dozens of apprentices. He was stern, cold, and meticulous. The magical boots on his feet and the staff in his hand identified him: Baron Mordo, the most valued disciple of the Sorcerer Supreme—the one still alive.

He had joined even earlier than Kaecilius; he was youthful, healthy, robust, full of energy, and brimming with a sense of justice, duty, and... tragedy.

"Sorcerer Supreme."

Seeing the Ancient One appear, all the mages bowed respectfully. As for Old Wang standing beside her, their attitudes varied—some were curious, others dissatisfied. *We aren't qualified to stand beside the Sorcerer Supreme; this is insolence, disrespect, a desecration of the goddess!* Of course, no one said anything; they were all adults, and one doesn't accuse someone to their face. They could only whisper after the parties had left.

The Ancient One smiled and nodded, kind to everyone, before leading Old Wang to the library.

The library of Kamar-Taj wasn't particularly large. Its collection couldn't compare to national or university libraries, but every volume was a masterpiece, and a large portion consisted of rare or unique editions. Any single book taken out for auction would fetch at least seven figures, and it would be priceless.

Successive generations of mages had added to the library, forming its current scale. One could basically assume that this library contained the richest magical knowledge in the universe, documenting the most spells and the most detailed, extensive history of magic.

And among these, the most important and precious were, of course, in the Restricted Section—the private collection of the various Sorcerers Supreme.

On the sparse shelves, invisible magical wards covered everything. Every book was shackled by magical chains, forbidding casual reading. The pursuit of knowledge is a human instinct, but sometimes knowledge is harmful to those not qualified to wield it.

"Please place it here," the Ancient One said, pointing to a spot.

It was an empty space between two books that looked different from the others.

"The Book of the Vishanti, the origin of all white magic; the Book of Cagliostro, the book of time."

The Ancient One tempted him: "As long as you are willing to join Kamar-Taj or the three Sanctums, you may read all the books here. Your spirit is almost as powerful as mine, and your body even surpasses most Iron Fists in history. These two books will also be open to you. I believe you can handle it."

"You overestimate me."

Old Wang knew very well that he definitely couldn't handle it. If he really got his hands on them, he might just toss them into the Heart of Azeroth for exchange immediately—he wasn't cut out to be a mage anyway. But there would be only one result: being hunted by the Sorcerer Supreme to the ends of the earth.

Placing the *Darkhold* on the shelf, Old Wang thought for a moment and asked, "If I pay, or offer other things, can I borrow them or copy them?"

The Ancient One smiled and shook her head. "Knowledge is priceless."

"I know there are reading websites on the internet where you can read if you pay, and I also know there are many pirate sites where you can read for free," Old Wang countered.

The Ancient One: "..."

After a pause, she said, "If you consider this the price for handing over the *Darkhold*, my answer is 'yes.' But you must do it here, you cannot copy them, and there is no time limit. All books in the Restricted Section have magical protection that forbids any form of copying or transcription."

"What about these?" Old Wang reached out, and his previous spoils appeared in his hand, leaving only the sling rings behind. Those were still useful.

The Ancient One shook her head again. "They cannot compare to the *Darkhold*."

Old Wang smiled. "I'll just read for a day."