Chapter 157 : Alliance with Kamar-Taj, the Celestials intervene!
Wang and Strange exchanged glances, simultaneously raising their hands to form seals. Golden magic runes condensed before them, forming a contractual light screen.
"I, as the Sorcerer Supreme of Kamar-Taj, swear never to restrain or deceive Li Yu in the capacity of a Protector. Should I violate this oath, magic shall backlash, and I shall be forever unable to use mystic arts."
"I, as a Protector of Kamar-Taj, swear that if Li Yu assumes the role of Protector, I will assist him with all my strength and never harm him due to dark powers. Should I violate this oath, my soul shall be extinguished."
Li Yu then swore his oath.
"I, Li Yu, as an Aquarius Saint, swear that if you two truly assist me, I shall assume the position of Protector of Kamar-Taj. As long as I exist, the legacy of Kamar-Taj shall endure!"
As the oaths concluded, the light screen transformed into three golden rays: one merged into Li Yu's body, and two merged into the bodies of Wang and Strange.
The next second, a prompt from the Reincarnation Space appeared before Li Yu.
[You have obtained the identity of Protector of Kamar-Taj. Kamar-Taj reputation has increased to "Friendly." Your relationship with Sorcerer Supreme Wang has increased to "Friendly." Your relationship with Strange has increased to "Friendly."]
[Kamar-Taj mystic arts are open to you. All books in the Kamar-Taj library are available for you to read!]
[In exchange, you must protect and pass on the mystic arts legacy during times of crisis for Kamar-Taj! If you violate this, you will incur the hatred of Ancient One, Strange, and others, and your relationship will become hostile!]
Li Yu's heart stirred. He hadn't expected to gain faction reputation this way.
If he were to fight the Sentinels now, could he summon the Kamar-Taj mages to help set up a Mirror Dimension trap?
This thought had barely surfaced before he suppressed it.
The immediate priority was still to find the Soul Stone and resolve the hidden danger of the True Spirit imprint.
"Now, can you tell me the whereabouts of the Soul Stone?"
Li Yu looked at Strange, his tone calm.
Strange nodded, then turned and opened a portal leading to the Kamar-Taj headquarters.
"Come with me. Although you are a Protector, we still need to confirm that you have a necessary reason to use the Soul Stone. In fact, I am also a master of soul magic; perhaps you won't need to borrow the Soul Stone after all!"
Deep within the Sanctum Sanctorum's forbidden library, countless pale golden magic runes floated in mid-air, like fireflies frozen in time, slowly rotating.
The air was filled with the musty scent of ancient parchment, mixed with the cool aroma of mystic spices. Li Yu could feel the magic energy flowing before his eyes.
A crystal platform in the center of the stone chamber glowed with a soft white light. Strange stood before the platform, his fingertips tracing the void, and a magic projection instantly unfolded.
It was a three-dimensional model of Li Yu's soul.
The mystic arts of Kamar-Taj were indeed exquisite, able to directly penetrate his powerful physical body and clearly display the internal state of his soul.
Li Yu's soul appeared as a vibrant Cosmo, with stars burning within it, Planets orbiting, and galaxies spreading out in brilliant light bands. Every part exuded vigorous vitality.
However, at the core of the Cosmo, there was a dazzling golden spot, like an alien Planet that shouldn't exist, strikingly out of place.
Strange's expression instantly became focused, as if he had transformed into a top surgeon, his nimble fingers manipulating the air.
With his movements, the golden spot was continuously magnified, eventually filling the entire room.
The brightness of the golden spot far surpassed all the stars in the Cosmo, composed of the purest divine energy. The light and heat it emitted almost scorched one's vision.
At this moment, Strange, Wang, and Li Yu could all clearly see Athena's True Spirit imprint restlessly stirring within the golden spot, like a trapped beast.
The True Spirit repeatedly impacted the [Immovable Spirit Pivot Lock God Ring] and [Formless Return to Void] barrier set up by Ade, causing subtle ripples to appear on the deep blue barrier.
It wouldn't be a problem in the short term, but over time, the True Spirit would eventually break through the seal.
Strange quickly cast a spell with both hands, and a pale purple beam of light enveloped the soul projection, instantly suppressing the golden spot's agitation somewhat.
But he shook his head, his face so grim that water could drip from it.
"This is difficult. This imprint has completely coexisted with your soul's origin, and can even assimilate the external energy you absorb to strengthen itself."
Strange paused.
"That is to say, the stronger you become, the stronger the power of this imprint will also become."
He looked up, his gaze fixed on Li Yu, his voice carrying a hint of imperceptible gravity.
"One could even say that this True Spirit imprint came first, and only then did your current soul form exist. If I remove this imprint, it might cause irreversible damage to your soul."
Li Yu's heart sank. If Strange's analysis was correct, was he merely a personality derived from this imprint?
No! He suddenly remembered his identity as a transmigrator, and fragments of his life on Earth flashed through his mind: his youthful days in school, the soft lips of his first love, the drunken nights after graduation when life didn't go his way.
These real memories could not be false.
Without the True Spirit imprint, in the years before his transmigration, he had already been an independent individual.
"Wait, that's not right..."
Strange suddenly frowned, reaching out to adjust the projection angle, his gaze lingering on a pale gray area in the Cosmo.
"Within your soul, there is also a hidden presence, like... the remnant of another soul. It seems my judgment was wrong; you are an independent individual, but your soul was forcibly bound by the imprint."
His tone shifted, his expression becoming even more severe.
"But this doesn't change the core issue. The essence of the Soul Stone is transaction and control, while the imprint deep within your soul is a higher-level divine contract."
"Using the power of the Soul Stone to strip away the imprint is essentially of the same nature as the contract within your soul, of the same level, and will be useless."
"A single Stone certainly won't work!"
Wang suddenly closed the ancient tome in his hand, slamming its spine onto the stone table with a dull thud.
He waved his sleeve, unfolding a star map. Six-colored light streams intertwined into a ring within the map, emitting awe-inspiring, infinite energy.
"But what if it's the power of the law formed by all six Infinity Stones combined?"
Strange's eyes widened, exclaiming in surprise.
"Wang, you mean?"
Wang's large face looked exceptionally solemn.
"Exactly. Only by gathering all six Stones and snapping your fingers can the will of this Universe override the divine contract. This is currently the only way to painlessly strip away the imprint!"
Strange stopped his actions.
"Gathering all six Infinity Stones... that's unlikely in a short time."
Wang pointed to the constantly vibrating barrier chains in the soul projection, his voice tinged with urgency.
"Look at those sealing barriers! Their energy is being eroded by the imprint every day... There's no time to find other methods!"
Watching the two mages argue, Li Yu remained silent, a strong desire to return suddenly rising within him.
The next second, the golden spot in the projection suddenly erupted with dazzling light.
A blurry phantom of Athena appeared in the light, and her sacred whisper penetrated the Cosmo, directly echoing in Li Yu's mind.
"Return to the Sanctuary, Li Yu... You are my Saint, the Holy War is about to begin..."
"Buzz!"
Lightning flashed in Li Yu's eyes, and an icy mist instantly spread. He raised his hand, dispelling the phantom, his tone carrying an undeniable resolve.
"Six Infinity Stones... Tell me their locations."
Strange's fingertips traced the void, and the projection instantly switched screens.
"After the decisive battle with Thanos, to prevent anyone from obtaining the six Infinity Stones again, we divided them into six parts. The Time Stone is currently in Kamar-Taj; you can borrow it anytime."
"The Space Stone is stored in Asgard's treasury. Asgard was destroyed, and their new home is also on this Planet, so it shouldn't be difficult to obtain."
"The Reality Stone was taken by Hulk for scientific research!"
"The Power Stone was taken by Star-Lord..."
"The Mind Stone was taken by Wanda, using the excuse of her deceased husband'sRelics. Barring any surprises, it should be in Westview. Although that place is blockaded by S.W.O.R.D., with your strength, entering shouldn't be difficult."
"As for the Soul Stone!"
Strange's voice deepened, and the image froze on a giant, six-eyed God.
The God looked down at the Sanctum Sanctorum from space, with six-colored light swirling in its eye sockets, exuding suffocating pressure.
"After I frequently used the Soul Stone, the Celestials suddenly appeared. They took the Soul Stone, preparing to permanently seal it away!"
The stone chamber instantly fell silent, and the runes' light seemed to dim a bit.
Celestials, huh? I really do have a connection with Gods... Li Yu chuckled and shook his head, then looked up and asked Strange.
"The emergence of Gods on this Planet hasn't happened yet, has it?"
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