If he couldn't offer direct guidance, he could at least offer some general advice.
One minute before the ceremony officially began.
"Sorcerer Supreme, everyone is here. We can prepare to start."
Mordo, dressed formally in a blue sorcerer's robe, spoke with a serious expression to Qingshui, who was seated at the head of the table.
"No, everyone from Earth is here, but we're still missing one from off-world."
Qingshui shook his head slightly at Mordo, then stood up.
In the distance, a seven-colored ray of light suddenly descended from the sky, landing outside the gates of Kamar-Taj.
Three figures appeared on the mysterious Rune Magic array.
One was a big oaf wearing a red cape, armor, and carrying a hammer and a jug of wine.
Beside him stood a handsome, elegant man in green.
In front of the two men was a middle-aged woman in a luxurious blue dress, wearing a crown and holding a branch with only a few leaves, a smile on her face.
"All-Father is truly getting old. It's just a mortal sorcerer; why do we and Mother have to bring a gift? I think we should..."
"Shut up, Loki."
Queen Frigga glared fiercely at her second son.
Loki immediately fell silent, looking as wronged as a young wife.
"Aha, Watt! We're here!"
Thor, grinning like an idiot, happily scurried through the door.
Many representatives from the magic world curiously turned their gaze towards Thor and the others.
Over the past thousand years or so, communication between Earth and Asgard had not been extensive. Before Thor was stripped of his divine power and exiled, the Asgardians' impression of Earth was still of the Vikings from northern Europe before the eleventh century.
Therefore, those who could recognize the Asgardians were sorcerers with a certain historical lineage.
At least they weren't self-taught.
Qingshui's eyes lit up even more.
The gifts brought by Asgard couldn't possibly be bad, could they?
So, Qingshui warmly embraced Thor.
"Look! This is a gift I carefully selected from thousands of treasures in All-Father's treasury!"
The Crown Prince of Asgard immediately showed a simple, honest smile, raising the jug of wine in his hand triumphantly.
"A ten-thousand-year-old fine wine that has been sealed since my grandfather Bor's time!"
"So, what's the effect of this wine...?"
"This wine can get anyone drunk. Even gods with the best alcohol tolerance will get drunk, so we can have a good, hearty drink together."
Qingshui: ...
Why does it feel like this wine is less practical than the magical materials sent by ordinary sorcerers?
Never mind, this strong liquor can also be used as an alchemical ingredient, as a base for some potions.
"Alright, Thor, put that wine away."
Frigga walked forward with a smile, stopping Thor.
"Your Majesty the Queen, and the Second Prince."
Qingshui smiled and exchanged bows with Frigga.
"Bor's wine is a personal gift from Thor as a friend. This branch from Yggdrasil is the gift from Asgard to the new Sorcerer Supreme."
Frigga handed the Yggdrasil branch in her hand to Qingshui.
I knew it!
How could the wealthy Asgard be so stingy?
"Hmph, an ignorant mortal sorcerer."
Loki mumbled quietly, looking at Qingshui, pretending to be indifferent and turning his head away.
As someone who had been beaten by Qingshui, it was normal for him to be annoyed with Qingshui.
Qingshui took the Yggdrasil branch, ignored Loki, and instead, smiling, led the group to the VIP seats.
The Sorcerer Supreme's coronation ceremony officially began!
[Current Fortune Value: 12.53%.]
[Worlds Opened: 6]
Fortune Value surged again!
A new world had opened.
Qingshui remained expressionless, leaving other matters to his main body, focusing on the present.
The so-called ceremony was largely just a formality, and could be arranged however they wished.
It wasn't like an ancient emperor's succession, with a series of fixed, complex procedures, nor did it have any mystical symbolic requirements.
So the entire ceremony didn't last long; it was only half a day, just to emphasize its official nature.
The remaining time was naturally for eating, drinking, and socializing.
There were only so many sorcerers on Earth, and many of them held grudges against each other. Even those who didn't were wary of being tricked or scammed. Now, with the Sorcerer Supreme commanding the space, no one dared to act out, making it a good opportunity for interaction.
Three more days passed.
Most of the guests had already left.
"Hmm, so in another week, Thor will truly inherit the throne?"
Qingshui sat at the table and snapped his fingers.
The beer in the large mug on the table immediately flowed back upwards, thanks to the Time Stone.
Thor chuckled as he took the mug and chugged it down.
"Yes, my husband hopes you can come to Asgard in a week to witness the ceremony."
Frigga sat elegantly across from him, nodding slightly at Qingshui.
As the queen, she knew very well that Odin's time was drawing near, and she also knew what kind of crisis Asgard would face after Odin's death.
But she wasn't sure if the current Thor truly had enough ability to take over the kingship, secure the Throne, and protect Asgard.
At this moment, it was certainly necessary to win over the Sorcerer Supreme, who could be a powerful ally.
Frigga knew that Odin possessed the divine power of prophecy and could foresee parts of the future. Therefore, she took Odin's instructions before his departure very seriously, even bringing the remaining Yggdrasil branches from when Odin forged Gungnir.
There were few treasures in the universe more precious than this.
Previously, Qingshui had traveled to the Altos Dimension with Odin's help, incurring a debt of gratitude. Now, with such a generous gift before him, Qingshui had no reason to refuse.
With two Infinity Stones in hand, he could even stand his ground against Dormammu. There was almost nothing in the entire universe that could threaten him, so what was there to fear?
"I will go to Asgard to witness the new king's coronation."
Qingshui nodded.
"Clatter!"
Not far away, Loki, sitting in a chair, unconsciously tightened his grip, breaking the Rune Magic Tool Qingshui had personally made as a return gift into two pieces, his face expressionless.
Thor turned to look, a helpless expression on his face.
"Oh hey, Loki, you're still breaking toys like when you were a kid, but this is a gift Watt gave us. I think we should keep it safe. By the way, can you send us a few more? I think Loki really likes it; he's been fiddling with it over there. What's that thing for, anyway?"
"It's a Magic Tool that can be used multiple times. Its function is to break through Genjutsu effects that rely on light and sound. Besides the Runes on it, the core inside the Magic Tool has also been enhanced by me. Unless there's a sorcerer stronger than me in this aspect, they shouldn't be able to hide from this Magic Tool. Just press the switch on it when you use it."
Qingshui extended his hand, flipping it over. A green light immediately enveloped the Magic Tool in Loki's hand, restoring it.
The core of the Magic Tool had been reinforced by him using Divine Mechanism Hundred Refinements.
Because of its special function, this item could barely be considered high-end throughout the universe, and only Qingshui could produce it in small batches.
Those who received such a high-caliber return gift were the ones whose initial gifts had pleased Qingshui the most.
The lesser ones, naturally, were ordinary Rune Magic Tools made by the common sorcerers of Kamar-Taj.
"It can break through Genjutsu?"
Upon hearing Qingshui's explanation, Loki's face immediately darkened.
A Magic Tool specifically designed for me, is it?
You bastard!
"Hmph, I'd like to see if you're just boasting. How could something like this Magic Tool possibly..."
"Beep..."
An invisible ripple spread from the Magic Tool.
Loki's fitted black suit instantly transformed into the green horned armor he wore when he first arrived on Earth.
"Alright, it has some use, but I wasn't serious."
Loki snapped his fingers defiantly. The light on his green armor rippled for a moment, but it only blurred slightly before returning to its original state.
Loki: ...
Frigga also reached out curiously, trying to cast Genjutsu.
Loki's Genjutsu magic had all been taught by her.
Even though Loki had exceptional talent in Genjutsu, the older Frigga was still slightly stronger in that area.
A colorful flower appeared in Frigga's hand, but it was just a hazy illusion, existing for only a breath before dissipating with the wind.
"A very useful item, and very suitable for Thor."
Frigga smiled.
It wasn't that Thor couldn't break through Genjutsu-related magic. It was just that he was single-minded, always rushing into things first, then suffering a minor setback, enduring it with the resilience granted by his Asgardian God-King bloodline, and finally defeating powerful enemies with his rich combat experience.
That's why Loki could always trick Thor with Genjutsu.
Now, with this Magic Tool, it solves a small weakness Thor has.
"As long as you're satisfied."
Qingshui smiled.
The value of this item, of course, couldn't compare to a small branch from Yggdrasil; it was more a gesture.
Asgard probably offered such a treasure this time because they needed his help with something significant.
Considering the current timeline, Qingshui already had a rough idea.
Frigga continued, "Then, we shall take our leave, Sorcerer Supreme. One week from now, at noon, Thor will ascend the Throne. On the morning of that day, you simply need to call out to Heimdall from any location on Earth not covered by magic or enchantments, and the Rainbow Bridge will take you to Asgard.
At that time, my husband will also awaken from Odin's Slumber. He has much he wishes to discuss with you."
"Of course, I'll be there on time."
Qingshui shook hands with Frigga, then with a boisterously laughing Thor, and finally with Loki, who reluctantly offered a fake smile. He saw the three out of Kamar-Taj and watched until the Rainbow Bridge descended from the sky again, taking them away.
"Wong, have all the items been tallied?"
Qingshui turned to Wong, who had just emerged from the doorway.
"Master Watt, everything has been sorted, categorized, and placed in the treasury. Oh, and Strange wants to see you. He wishes to request access to the Book of Cagliostro."
Qingshui raised an eyebrow slightly.
"So he's already mastered Astral Projection and Oshthur's Curse?"
"I believe so. He demonstrated Astral Projection to me a week ago. As for Oshthur's Curse, I'm not particularly skilled in mental magic, so I couldn't effectively test it."
Wong replied to Qingshui with a wry smile.
He was astonished by Strange's magical talent.
He had only been at Kamar-Taj for a few months. While others were just beginning, Strange's magic had already reached a certain level of proficiency. Now, he was even starting to delve into advanced magic, some of which even master-level Secret Technique mages hadn't been able to learn.
Perhaps in a few more months, he could truly become a master of the mystic arts, like a Sanctuary Guardian.
Sometimes, Wong even wondered if, without Master Watt, Strange might have become the Sorcerer Supreme.
Qingshui, however, wasn't surprised by Strange's learning speed.
This speed was already considered slow.
Without access to the Time Stone, a top-tier cheat in the Marvel Universe, and without negotiating and leveling up in the Dormammu instance, Strange's growth, even with his high talent, would have a limit if he followed traditional mages' cultivation methods without mortgaging his soul, organs, and a host of other things to various demons and Dimensional Demon Gods.
Fortunately, Qingshui had enough time to cultivate Strange.
Afterward, he could become a hands-off boss and let this kid and Mordo handle most of the magical affairs for him.
Inside the meditation room, sandalwood incense wafted.
"Sorcerer Supreme, I meet the prerequisites to view the Book of Cagliostro."
Strange bowed respectfully to Qingshui.
In both the magical and secular worlds, Qingshui was his superior.
"Whether you meet them or not, we'll have to test it first. Sit down. You can project your spirit. Without the protection of a physical body, the soul's resistance to the endless temptations in the infinite multiverse will be very weak. Many spells in the Book of Cagliostro are related to Dimensional Demon Gods, and the temptations encountered when casting them will be even greater. Only by mastering sufficiently powerful soul defense methods can you resist. If your Oshthur's Curse isn't proficient enough, it will be very dangerous."
Qingshui said, looking at Strange, who was sitting on the meditation cushion.
A spirit body, invisible to the naked eye and only perceivable by powerful, detachable mental energy, floated out of Strange's body.
"I'm ready, Sorcerer Supreme!"
Strange said solemnly.
A faint golden mystic energy, borrowed from Vishanti, enveloped Strange's soul.
This spell could provide protection and perception on the mental and spiritual levels, its strength depending on the caster's own mental fortitude.
If one's mental fortitude wasn't strong enough, even if they learned it, the power might not be ideal.
Strange became the Sorcerer Supreme in so many worlds, which indicated his mental fortitude was quite high. As long as he improved his technique and proficiency, Qingshui didn't think there would be any major problems.
No sooner had he spoken than the Eye of Watt on Qingshui's chest slowly opened, casting the golden light of the Mind Stone onto Strange's spirit body.
Qingshui wasn't a Genjutsu specialist like Uchiha or Yūhi Shinkō, but his inherent mental power was there, so his technique wouldn't be bad.
Coupled with the ability to use the Mind Stone to cast mental seduction and mind control skills, the effect of his Genjutsu was still top-notch.
-----------
Machine Translation by: https:// beta.randomtranslator.com/
Read 1111+ original & fanfic translations in English, Español, Português, Deutsch, Français, or Русский at: https:// beta.randomtranslator.com/
Join our Discord: https:// discord.gg/NSWvfN7vua
-----------