Although she entered without knocking, barging in quite abruptly.
Judging from the fact that she brought a gift, it was obvious that the Ancient One was not a malicious visitor deliberately looking for trouble.
Having confirmed this point, the pressure in Shi Xiaolei heart eased considerably, and his mood relaxed significantly.
Subsequently, the exchange between him and the Ancient One became much more fluid.
"...So."
After a cup of tea, Shi Xiaolei asked again with a troubled expression.
"You really just came to say hello? Not because I disturbed fate and caused some bad consequences?"
"No."
The Ancient One gently shook her head, with a serene smile filled with sincerity.
"In fact, I'd like to make a deal with you."
"Phew, that's a relief."
Letting out a deep breath, Shi Xiaolei unconsciously raised his arm and scratched the back of his head.
"Master, tell me, what kind of deal?"
"Don't rush. Before that, I'd like to ask you to accompany me somewhere."
The Ancient One put down her teacup, stood up, and while gesturing to conjure a portal, she extended an invitation to Shi Xiaolei.
"...Alright."
Following the Ancient One through the 'ring of fire' the next second, the two appeared in a hospital.
Although it was quite late and there were no patients or medical staff moving around, judging from the reaction of the nurse behind the distant duty station, he and the Ancient One were clearly still within the Mirror Dimension.
"Where is this?"
Looking around, unable to understand why he had been brought here, Shi Xiaolei couldn't help but ask.
"Follow me."
With a beckoning gesture, the Ancient One took the lead.
Scratching his head, Shi Xiaolei followed, walking through a long corridor until they reached the door of an office.
Without seeing the Ancient One make any gesture, the solid wall suddenly split open from the middle, revealing a gap wide enough for two people to pass through side by side.
Standing outside the gap, the Ancient One raised her hand and pointed at a man sitting behind a desk, with his legs propped up on the tabletop, casually talking on the phone.
"I guess you've already recognized who he is, haven't you?"
"..."
After a moment hesitation, Shi Xiaolei nodded with an embarrassed smile.
"Strange, your chosen successor."
"Perhaps."
The Ancient One shook her head, fixing her gaze on Shi Xiaolei face, and smiled playfully.
"Your appearance has caused some changes to the predetermined events."
"!!"
Hearing this, could it mean that Strange future has been altered by me?
At the thought that the birth of Doctor Strange might be erased, countless thoughts raced through Shi Xiaolei mind.
Without Strange countless time-loop perseverance, with the Ancient One already gone, who could resist Dormammu invasion?
Without Strange acting as a mediator, allowing Thor to see Odin one last time, would he still be able to truly awaken the Thunder God power hidden deep within his bloodline?
If the Thunder God failed to evolve and upgrade, Asgard would most likely fall to Hela after she broke free from her seal.
Then, given Hela personality, she would certainly launch an invasion against Earth, which is also part of the Nine Realms, and if that happened.
Without Strange involvement in the final battle against Thanos, Stark would have absolutely no way to return from the distant cosmos to participate.
And without Iron Man, would there still be a chance to snap that finger that saved the entire world?
From "Doctor Strange" to "Thor 3: Ragnarok" then to "Infinity War" and "Endgame."
Because of Strange absence, many plot points would be affected, with far-reaching implications, possibly even overturning the entire world.
Growing increasingly uneasy, Shi Xiaolei quickly asked.
"Master, do you mean that Strange won't succeed you and become the Sorcerer Supreme?"
"Who knows?"
The Ancient One very pragmatically shrugged her shoulders.
"After all, with you added to the equation, the future has countless new possibilities. Perhaps one of your companions might be more suitable than him to be my successor."
As the possessor of the Eye of Agamotto or the Time Stone, each Sorcerer Supreme is an undisputed master of prophecy.
For Sorcerer Supremes, observing the flow of the time river and selecting the best future from countless candidate answers is both a habit and an obligation.
Just like becoming a police officer means you must catch thieves, becoming a Sorcerer Supreme means you must shoulder the responsibility of protecting Earth.
And for a Sorcerer Supreme who possesses the Time Stone, there is no method more convenient or efficient than utilizing the power of the Time Stone.
In contrast, the title of "Supreme" is obviously much more prestigious than "police officer."
As the saying goes "Uneasy lies the head that wears a crown" and in the process of protecting Earth, the threats that Sorcerer Supremes need to face are far beyond those faced by law enforcers in the everyday world.
Not everyone has the talent to forge themselves to a level capable of shouldering this burden, nor does everyone have the perseverance to carry such a heavy responsibility.
In fact, the reason why the Ancient One chose Strange as her successor was based on these two considerations—if his talent wasn't so exceptional, allowing him to quickly learn and master various forms of magic, Strange definitely wouldn't have been chosen.
Similarly, if he didn't have such resilient perseverance, unable to endure the pain of repeated deaths and reloads, he might not have been favored by the Ancient One.
Both qualities are indispensable.
But coming back to the question, was Strange the Ancient One only choice?
Not necessarily.
As is widely known, the Marvel Cinematic Universe is just a part of the multiverse.
In the infinite spacetime, there are countless parallel universes with similar backgrounds.
For example, the Marvel Zombie Universe numbered 2149, the universe numbered 2192 where Red Skull ultimately unified the entire world, the universe numbered 12101 where Deadpool broke through the dimensional wall and slaughtered all heroes and villains, and so on.
There are even bizarre parallel universes where superheroes have been gender-swapped, or where everyone has become a comedic character.
There may not be a Sorcerer Supreme in every parallel universe.
But with such a large base number, there are certainly plenty.
In a minority of parallel universes, the Ancient One did not choose Strange as her successor.
For example, the parallel universe numbered 9810 is one such case.
Similarly, it was a car accident causing disability to both hands, but Strange experience was caused by Tony Stark.
It was Stark who invited Strange to joyride in his newly bought Lamborghini at a party, and it was Stark who caused the accident while driving drunk.
Then, out of guilt toward Strange, Stark vowed to save Strange hands.
The process of finding Kamar-Taj had no significant changes, except that instead of Strange alone, it became him and Stark together.
Because of this variable, it led to a change in destiny—simultaneously exposed to the magical side, Stark also developed curiosity about this mysterious and fascinating knowledge.
Additionally, with his inherent trait of being "cursed by knowledge" Stark not only learned faster and better than Strange, but his immersion in the ocean of magic was also more absolute than Strange.
Achieving greater accomplishments than Strange, Tony Stark became the successor to the Sorcerer Supreme.
Conversely, feeling that Stark was too obsessed with magic and had completely forgotten his promise to "heal his hands" Strange instead grew resentful, fell into darkness, and became Dormammu accomplice.
Compared to the developments in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, the two are not just different; from a certain perspective, they could be described as diametrically opposed.
Back to the main topic, if the event of "Strange not being selected" occurred in the parallel universe numbered 9810, is there a possibility of the same happening in the Marvel Cinematic Universe?
The answer is definitely yes.
Just as the top student in a class may not be the top in the grade, and the top in the grade may not secure first place in a multi-school joint examination.
Strange was merely the best option among the 7 billion Earth natives in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
Honestly, if the Ancient One hadn't adhered to the principle of "those not of our kind must have different intentions" and hadn't considered candidates from beyond Earth, even within the Marvel Cinematic Universe alone, there could have been more suitable candidates than him.
"My companions?"
Surprised by the Ancient One sudden statement, Shi Xiaolei widened his eyes in shock.
"You misunderstand."
Noticing Shi Xiaolei thoughts, the Ancient One smiled and shook her head.
"You are an outsider. I cannot see through your destiny, nor do I know what companions you will meet in the future."
"Then you..."
"One more possibility means one more hope and expectation."
The Ancient One calmly said.
"This world fate is very tumultuous, and the threats it needs to face are too numerous to count. Every additional help makes me happy. So, if there's a better choice, I certainly won't refuse."
"What about him?"
After pondering for a moment, Shi Xiaolei pointed at Strange, who was still unaware he was being observed and was wholeheartedly focused on his phone call, trying to charm a girl.
"Has his future already changed?"
"Perhaps it has, perhaps it hasn't."
The Ancient One tilted her head.
"Let's go, we'll talk somewhere else."
Leaving Strange office, the two came to a quiet, deserted rooftop.
Looking at the brightly lit buildings around, the Ancient One eyes held endless affection, and her face also showed an intoxicated smile.
"This world is beautiful, isn't it?"
"..."
Rubbing his nose, Shi Xiaolei agreed, not quite understanding.
"Yes, it's quite nice."
"Well, it seems you're not in the mood right now, so let's continue our previous topic."
Sensing the confusion in Shi Xiaolei tone, the Ancient One smiled with slight resignation.
"Strange destiny has indeed been influenced to some extent. You might not know this yet, but he has already received an invitation from Stark."
"Stark invitation..."
After pondering for a moment, Shi Xiaolei suddenly understood.
"You mean, Stark has decided to accept surgical treatment? And then, to find a more reliable doctor for himself, he chose Strange?"
"Because of the medicinal potions you gave to Stark."
The Ancient One nodded.
"So that means..."
"Yes."
After exchanging a glance, responding to the inquiry in Shi Xiaolei eyes, the Ancient One answered.
"Because he came into contact with the potions you gave him, when the accident occurred, his 'approach to solving the problem' also changed."
"Will he come looking for me?"
"Performing surgery for Stark left a favor owed. Strange called Stark, inquiring about the source of the potion."
As if describing events that had already happened, the Ancient One narrated the future development.
"He's a doctor; he won't inconvenience your daily life. Adding the fact that Stark owes him a favor... from Stark standpoint, there's no reason to refuse his request for help, is there?"
"..."
"As your friend, Stark decided to give you the choice. He didn't directly resell the potion you gave him to Strange, but instead brought him to you, making an introduction."
Turning to face Shi Xiaolei, the Ancient One face showed some resignation.
"If it were just the potion, the impact might not be so significant. But if during this time, you've attracted another companion with healing abilities... I really can't be sure if you could heal his injury. So, to be safe, I had to find you first and make a deal with you."
"I understand. You mean you hope I won't intervene, to avoid changing his destiny of seeking out Kamar-Taj, right?"
"That's right."
Snapping her fingers, the Ancient One smiled and nodded.
"He has great talent; it shouldn't be wasted."
Perhaps Shi Xiaolei could summon a more suitable companion to serve as Sorcerer Supreme, perhaps not.
If it's the former, that's fine; after all, if Strange is out, there's still a better candidate to step up.
But what if it's the latter?
If they can't wait for Shi Xiaolei answer and miss out on Strange as well... with both sides falling through, then what's the point?
To be safe, an insurance policy must be put in place in advance—ensuring that Strange can come into contact with Kamar-Taj and become a magic apprentice.
"I understand."
Having clarified the key points, Shi Xiaolei gave his promise.
"If he really comes to me, I'll definitely follow your instructions and absolutely won't interfere."
"No."
To Shi Xiaolei surprise, the Ancient One shook her head.
"It's not that you can't interfere, but that you need to be methodical about it. After all, you might become comrades in the future, fighting together against threats from the outside. If this rejection leaves a rift that affects your relationship... you understand."
"Then what should I do?"
"I need you to help introduce him, to point out the path to Kamar-Taj."
The Ancient One answered.
"In return, I'll fulfill one of your requests. Of course, provided that I can do it, and it won't threaten the safety of this world, nor affect the normal operation of the world."
"...I understand."
"So do we have a deal?"
"Deal."
"Very good."
Seeing that Shi Xiaolei had agreed, the Ancient One expression suddenly relaxed, becoming more lively.
What surprised Shi Xiaolei was that the Ancient One actually proposed a new suggestion.
"Now that business is settled, let's talk about something else. Rock, apart from money, would you be willing to accept other forms of compensation?"
"Hmm?"
"Your potions are indeed quite good. Could you supply a batch to Kamar-Taj? Emmm, preferably on a long-term basis."
(T/N: Like the story fellow daoist?you can read 20 chapters ahead on my P@treon [[email protected]/DaoistRongyi] Thanks for your support! 😊)