Chapter 112: The Departure of the Ancient One

Shortly after the evolution of the script concluded, the Ancient One arrived at Yang Qiu’s home. However, the Ancient One’s spiritual form appeared somewhat translucent, as if she had suffered from extreme exhaustion.

“Master Ancient One, what is going on with you?” Yang Qiu asked, unable to help himself as he observed her.

“It is nothing, do not worry.” The Ancient One seemed indifferent to her own condition. “I just had a chat with some of my creditors and reached a harmonious agreement. They will no longer pursue the issue of my past use of their related powers. As for the rest, given their vast influence, they would only come after me according to the rules, so I have already resolved that problem for you.”

Harmonious agreement?

Yang Qiu was at a loss for words; this harmony probably wasn’t quite so harmonious.

“The main reason I came this time is to give you the bottom line,” the Ancient One continued, her spiritual form leaning back into a chair in a remarkably relaxed posture.

“Please, go ahead.” Yang Qiu began to listen intently. This universe was complex, and having served as its guardian for five hundred years, the Ancient One possessed far more information than he did.

“First, you have seen the timeline, so you should know that Thanos poses the greatest threat to us in the future. But do you know why Thanos has neither come to Earth nor gone to Asgard yet?”

“Why?” Yang Qiu played the supportive listener.

“To be honest, it is rather embarrassing: Thanos has not come here simply because he is afraid I would hold him back.”

“Thanos and the forces he has conquered are among the elite in the entire universe, and his own strength is at the absolute pinnacle. I am not confident I could defeat him in a one-on-one duel, even with the Eye of Agamotto. However, if he were to come and cause trouble, I could use the Eye of Agamotto to stall him for decades. That amount of time would be more than enough for his enemies to stir up chaos in his own backyard.”

“These enemies naturally include Odin and his Asgardian armies. The biggest reason they have been spared from Thanos’s harassment, aside from their remote location, is the Bifrost. The Bifrost is a marvel constructed by Asgard over five thousand years of conquest, using all kinds of top-tier resources.”

“At the time, it was designed to compete with the Space Stone. It can transport Asgard’s armies to any known location in the universe at superluminal speeds, so its effectiveness as a planet-killing weapon is merely an auxiliary product; troop transport is its primary purpose.”

“About three hundred years ago, Odin and I reached a strategic defense agreement: if either side were attacked by Thanos or his forces, we would launch a simultaneous counterattack. The plan was simple: I would be responsible for neutralizing or stalling the invading enemy, while Odin would lead the Asgardian army to strike directly at the enemy’s heart, forcing them to retreat!”

“This strategic defense agreement, which was made public to the universe, along with the number of Infinity Stones held by Earth and Asgard, are the key factors that have allowed us to develop peacefully until now. If the Space Stone currently held by S.H.I.E.L.D. were to fall into my hands or Odin’s, we would likely choose not to accept it. Two Infinity Stones appearing on Earth at the same time is enough to draw Thanos here to stir up trouble.”

“Our joint strikes come at a high cost for Thanos, but if the benefits ever outweigh the costs, he will not hesitate to launch an attack. If a third Infinity Stone appears within the Nine Realms in the future, I personally suggest that if you lack sufficient strength, you should send the Infinity Stone to other top-tier powers in the universe.”

“The best-case scenario is for the six stones to be held by six different cosmic civilizations. That way, no matter who Thanos attacks, the gain will be less than the cost. Besides, he is a long-lived being with extreme patience, so with a little bit of balance, a few hundred years will pass in the blink of an eye.”

Yang Qiu nodded, signaling his understanding. This explained why the Ancient One never took the Space Stone while it was on Earth, and why, in the mainstream timeline, Asgard eventually handed over the extra Infinity Stones to the Collector rather than keeping them.

“I have a question: why doesn’t Thanos just pursue the Space Stone? If he obtained it, the current check-and-balance system relying on geographical advantage would be at least half-broken, wouldn’t it?” Yang Qiu asked.

“It is simple. The Infinity Stones are actually just switches for cosmic authority, utilizing the power already present in the universe. Ordinary use is fine, but if he tries to push them to their absolute limit, even if Thanos collected all six, he might not be able to complete his plan. He does not really know how to use the Space Stone, unless the other five stones are gathered within a relatively small area.”

The Ancient One looked at Yang Qiu and said slowly, “Therefore, do not treat the Infinity Stones as infinite energy sources. Thanos will go mad. Even if he does not come himself, his subordinates will come to cause trouble, and they will ensure that whoever does such a thing finds that the cost far outweighs the benefit.”

“I understand, and I have no such intentions,” Yang Qiu said with a smile. The Infinity Stones seemed to be products of authority partitioned by someone else; using them as a primary energy source would be like handing one’s lifeblood over to someone else.

“Secondly, I have brought you a gift from Asgard. I told Odin that I would be retiring early and that Master Kiran would be my successor.” As she spoke, the Ancient One waved her hand, and colorful bricks piled up to fill the entire living room.

“These are energy bricks produced by Asgard’s energy harvesters, usually used to maintain the Bifrost. Additionally, I have left you the methods for borrowing power from other dimensions. You can occasionally use them when you are truly lacking in resources. Of course, if you do not want to deal with creditors, you can choose to draw from dimensions that lack a collective consciousness or those that have not yet birthed a dimensional manager.”

Yang Qiu nodded in understanding. The Ancient One now felt like a parent about to go on a long journey, wanting to explain everything before leaving.

“Furthermore, you do not need to follow my path. I was overwhelmed because I was alone; your methods are clearly superior to mine. Under your influence, Earth’s development speed has already surpassed my five hundred years of work. I am very gratified.” There was a hint of reluctance in the Ancient One’s tone. Retirement was a happy thing, but leaving a post she had held for five centuries felt a bit sorrowful.

“I will manage. I have already prepared plans for the future,” Yang Qiu said, looking at the Ancient One. “Why don’t you stay for a few more years and see how things progress?”

“No, the burden is in your hands now. I have no reason to meddle in these messy affairs anymore.”

“By the way, my personal advice is to continue strengthening the development of education. Earth has seven billion people...”

Even though the Ancient One claimed she would stop meddling, in the final moments before her spiritual form dissipated, she kept chattering away, offering her own development suggestions to Yang Qiu.

Regardless of whether these suggestions fit his plans, Yang Qiu did not refute her. At this moment, refutation had no meaning; he simply listened.