The Ancient One’s words struck right at the heart of Sean Quinn’s concerns.
However, Sean didn’t dare go just yet.
Taking advantage of the Ancient One’s presence, he brought up the question that had troubled him for a long time.
The Ancient One paused thoughtfully after listening.
To be frank, Sean’s situation was a truly isolated case.
Across the vast cosmos, while there were plenty of unique dimensional outsiders, most of them harbored a distinct deity or entity within themselves that guided their actions.
Outsiders like Sean, who relied purely on instinct without any guidance, were exceptionally rare—which was also why they were far more prone to tragic ends.
They were simply too reckless and unbridled.
In comparison, Sean’s cautious nature was actually rather appealing.
That being said, the Ancient One couldn’t offer much direct advice.
Even after consulting Ancient Ones from other timelines, none of them could provide an answer to this specific dilemma.
It could only be said that the System possessed true cosmic prestige; Sean was simply the one lacking it.
As for how to balance the intake and consumption of energy in the body to establish a perfect cycle, the Ancient One—who survived solely by siphoning life from Dormammu—felt a bit helpless.
*How should I know?
Just staying alive takes immense energy for me.
I rely entirely on stolen energy from Dormammu to sustain my life.
The more I siphon, the longer I live.* *As for exploding from an overload?
Not a chance.* Keeping herself alive already required every bit of energy she could muster.
In truth, the Ancient One had never once gorged herself on Dormammu’s dark magic.
The reason no one had discovered her connection to the Dark Dimension in hundreds of years was that virtually all the dark energy she drained went straight into prolonging her life, leaving almost none stored within her body.
It would have been a miracle if anyone had noticed.
After pondering for a while, relying on her centuries of wisdom, the Ancient One offered a path forward.
“In my search for survival all those years ago, I studied countless methods, including the Chinese arts of immortality.
Though I eventually discovered that such immortality comes with unacceptable costs, the core concepts remain intriguing.
Humans are inherently frail creatures, unlike the born gods of Asgard who rely on divine godhood and faith.
Humans have no such foundation.” The Ancient One extended her right hand, displaying several distinct mystical diagrams.
One of them looked vaguely familiar to Sean, and it was the final diagram she left behind after her explanation.
“Yet during my research, I discovered a unique group of people.
Within their bodies existed a special form of energy fundamentally different from magic.
It was not drawn from external dimensions, but cultivated through self-discipline and an intimate understanding of the body—a method that allows one to absorb energy factors, release them, and even evolve over time.
They called these ‘cultivation techniques.’ “In ancient times, these people were called gods and shamans.
Later, as traditions broke down, they were known as immortals, and in more recent eras, grandmasters.
I happen to know a few such individuals.
If you are interested, I can introduce you, though after so many years, I cannot say if any of them are still alive.” The Ancient One sighed helplessly.
That was one of the drawbacks of living for centuries—long-standing relationships were hard to keep.
Even lifelong friends couldn’t last across hundreds of years.
Sean nodded eagerly.
He definitely needed this.
Having a powerhouse set up connections for him was exactly what he required.
He had long considered returning to China to visit famous mountains and search for secluded sects, hoping to apprentice under a master and acquire a cultivation technique to manage the Immortal’s Touch.
But that process took far too long.
Sectional bias in China ran deep, and traditional apprenticeship placed heavy emphasis on etiquette and time; without years to invest, one could never learn anything of real substance.
With Master Ancient One’s recommendation, however, he could bypass most of the obstacles.
Even a simple internal energy breathing technique would give him the confidence to address the Immortal’s Touch.
As long as it produced tangible results, Sean could work with it.
After a brief thought, the Ancient One pulled out a few tokens along with two Sling Rings and handed them to Sean.
“It seems you’ve determined your path.
Visiting Kamar-Taj can wait a while.
Still, I can teach you a few things first—spells that will make your life much easier.
I’m certain you’ll take a liking to them.” Sean had coveted the portal magic for ages and certainly wouldn’t refuse.
He was merely puzzled by the two Sling Rings in his hand.
“I only need one.” “You’ll put both to use.
Do you think I chose Gwen merely because she was your classmate?” Hearing this, Sean realized the second Sling Ring was intended for Gwen.
It made sense.
The Ancient One was a veteran player in the grand scheme of things.
Even when pairing someone up with Sean, she wouldn’t just grab anyone off the street.
She had picked the absolute best candidate in her eyes: Gwen possessed magical talent, was beautiful, and shared a class with him, making her the natural choice.
The Ancient One explained the mechanics of portal magic and the dimensional knowledge of Earth to Sean.
While deep dimensional theory wasn’t strictly necessary for basic casting, understanding it was essential for precise control—ensuring one wouldn’t end up like Ned summoning Spider-Man and accidentally opening a gateway to another universe.
Wenqu’s response was remarkably swift this time.
Without needing a genetic template, it designated a clean section of his mind for magic data, forming a virtual book titled *Essentials of Teleportation Magic and Earth’s Dimensional Knowledge*.
Wusheng showed no reaction, leaving the comprehension entirely to Wenqu; this was purely theoretical and magical knowledge.
Sean gained a fresh appreciation for Wenqu’s potential—it was capable of even greater things.
For instance, without even wearing a Sling Ring, Sean successfully opened a rock-solid portal straight to the Parker residence on his very first attempt after hearing the Ancient One’s explanation.
What was more, the optimization progress for Divine Power and Blitz ticked up by 1%.
The influx of new knowledge clearly fueled the progress—and it didn’t have to be magic.
If he acquired a cultivation technique later, Sean estimated it would boost his optimization progress as well.
Watching Sean’s performance, the Ancient One wore an expression that said *as expected*.
“See?
I told you that you had the talent of a sorcerer.” Sean scratched his head and glanced down at the double-ring design in his hands.
The heavy, antique feel gave the Sling Ring a grand aesthetic.
He turned to the Ancient One.
“Master Ancient One, is the design of the Sling Ring fixed?” “No.
It was created by Agamotto, the first Sorcerer Supreme, carved with magical runes to stabilize space, channel magic, and assist casting.
Because there was no need, I never altered it.
If you wish to change its appearance, you’ll first need to study those subjects.
I saw the surgery you performed on Tony—your hands are steady.
You are certainly capable of crafting your own.
I can supply the raw materials, but designing the shape and engraving the spell runes will require you to master the theory and craft it yourself.” Sean indeed had an idea.
In a few months, he could present a custom Sling Ring as an engagement ring for Gwen.
Since the Ancient One wasn’t carrying magical metals on her, she promised to have someone deliver them to the Parker house in a couple of days.
The Ancient One then clapped her hands, bringing Sean out of his thoughts.
“Don’t get lost in thought, Sean.
You are the star of the show today—don’t spend all your time chatting with me.
I shall take my leave so you can enjoy your life.
No need to see me off.” With that, she took a few steps back, stepped into a newly formed portal, and returned to Kamar-Taj.
Having resolved a major anxiety, Sean felt deeply refreshed.
Ever since arriving in this world, the Ancient One had hung over Sean’s head like a heavy mountain.
He had walked on eggshells, constantly worried she might pop up out of nowhere and strike him down.
Fortunately, everything was progressing in a positive direction.
With a clear direction established for researching the Immortal’s Touch, Sean’s main focus was now simply enjoying his life.
The engagement party wrapped up quickly.
Since it wasn’t the actual wedding, a few hours of mingling and chatting brought the proceedings to an end.
The next big gathering would be his wedding in August, though there was no need to send out formal invitations so early while preparations were still underway.
Tony and Pepper took their leave as well.
Tony invited Sean to drop by Stark Industries whenever he was free, even if just to chat, as he wanted Sean’s input on his armor designs.
Meanwhile, Sean used wedding preparations as an excuse to decline his professor’s overtime request for a second time.
Once the party ended, Uncle Ben settled the remaining bill, and both families returned to Norson Farm.
After thinking it over, Sean felt it was time to come clean about a few things.
Besides, everyone present was family.
First was his status as a shareholder in Stark Industries—the foundation of his wealth and comfort.
He wanted Uncle Ben and the Norson family to know that he was truly far from poor, so they wouldn’t stretch their budgets thin or place undue financial pressure on themselves or Sean and Gwen.
Next came the hidden world unknown to ordinary people.
He disclosed the existence of sorcerers and mentioned that Master Ancient One wanted him to study under her due to his natural aptitude.
He even demonstrated a portal on the spot.
“That’s unbelievable!” The Norson and Parker families accepted the reality of magic surprisingly well.
Uncle Ben, in particular, had long felt a pang of regret over never seeing Sean ride a flying sword; seeing the portal now fulfilled that old wish.
The Norsons adapted quickly too, after all, the one wielding magic was a family member they knew so well.
Uncle Charles and Aunt Tina merely smiled.
They were happy for him, but given their high-level positions, they were far more informed than Henry or Uncle Ben, which explained why they weren’t overly shocked.
Naturally, now that Sean had the backing of Kamar-Taj, it served as a major asset for Uncle Charles.
While Charles had no desire to plunge into that bizarre supernatural world himself, having a powerful pillar support his political ambitions was invaluable.
Sean’s importance in Charles’s mind instantly soared to top priority.
At this moment, the faction centered around Sean had gained immense influence across both political and commercial spheres.
As for the military, they craved advanced clean energy technology—most of which was held by Stark Industries.
Consequently, Sean had little reason to fear military aggression, given his significant voice within Stark Industries.
Sean had achieved his immediate goals; all that remained was to guard against the rats lurking in the dark shadows.
To guarantee the safety of both the Norson and Parker families, what they needed now was a secure compound and adequate security.
Sean had already thought this through.
He and Gwen were getting married, so buying a marital home was an absolute necessity.
Purchasing a luxury estate would solve housing and security in one stroke.
Gwen was thrilled as well.
To her, Sean mastering portal magic meant they wouldn’t have to live apart, a prospect far more exciting than him handing over the family finances.