SWWW Chapter 209: Xi Nian's Gem Artifact, Seeing the Past
New York Sanctum.
Dim beams of light slipped through the gaps of the old church windows. The air inside was so clean that not a speck of dust floated about. The strange, ancient western architecture and decorations looked like they hadn't changed for centuries.
In the main hall on the first floor.
Xi Nian lowered his head, staring at the silver metal necklace now hanging around his neck. The corner of his eye twitched slightly. He couldn't shake the feeling that the Ancient One had dumped her responsibility on him in the most troublesome way possible.
Guardian of the Gems? That's the last thing he wanted to be!
After all, in most stories, that role was always the prime target of villains.
The Ancient One said, "I sealed the Space Stone within this artifact and added a layer of enchantment to make it appear like an ordinary silver necklace. You can wear it without anyone noticing what it really is."
"Do I really have to wear this gem necklace…" Xi Nian flicked the pendant with a miserable face.
The Ancient One didn't know how to respond.
The Cosmic Cube, the Space Stone.
Out in the wider world, it would cause chaos and turmoil. Countless civilizations across the universe fought endlessly over such a treasure…
And yet, the boy in front of her treated it like an unwanted burden he wanted to toss aside.
Almost as if worried Xi Nian really would just throw it into a drawer at home, the Ancient One quickly added, "The necklace has become the vessel of the Space Stone. While it keeps the gem sealed and restrained, the artifact itself now carries the element of space.
"Even an ordinary person wearing it could use some basic space magic."
She gestured for Xi Nian to try. "Grip the pendant."
Xi Nian did as told.
The moment his hand closed over the cold, metallic pendant, faint blue light spilled from between his fingers—
Compared to the destructive energy he'd felt before, this was much gentler.
A strange, wondrous sensation rose within him.
"This is…" Xi Nian's eyes widened.
The Ancient One explained, "This artifact necklace will record the places you've been. By holding it, no matter where you are, you can cross space and return to one of those recorded locations."
"No distance limit?"
"Yes. No distance limit."
She nodded calmly. "Even if you are billions of light years away, at the far end of the cosmos, as long as you hold it, you can cross space instantly. But it can only be used three times per day."
So basically… teleportation.
Xi Nian thought for a moment, then asked curiously, "What if I'm in another dimension?"
"…"
The Ancient One stared at him silently, then said, "You could try."
"…Forget it."
Xi Nian shrugged. He had zero interest in testing that. He tucked the pendant into his shirt and sighed. "Guess I'll reluctantly wear it then."
"As for the other stone…"
Her eyes fell on the Mind Stone, glowing faintly yellow in the open air. "I will also forge it into an artifact to seal and conceal its power. But a person can only wear one gem artifact. If someone wears two, the stones will resonate and awaken. You should choose someone else strong enough to serve as its guardian."
"But before that," she paused, then asked, "Can you lend me this stone for a time?"
"Borrow the gem?" Xi Nian blinked in confusion.
He had been ready to hand the stone over to her for safekeeping, but she'd refused and shoved the Space Stone back at him. And now she wanted to borrow the Mind Stone instead?
From his perspective, a spatial gem was far more useful than a mind-based one.
Still, he waved it off. "If you need it, take it."
The Ancient One raised her hand, drawing the Mind Stone into the mirror dimension. Calmly she said, "Since I'm borrowing something from you, there should be an exchange. You may pick any artifact here in the New York Sanctum. Think of it as compensation."
Xi Nian thought briefly, then nodded. "Then I won't be polite."
…
"What's this?"
He was first drawn to an object near the wooden staircase: a cauldron-like vessel.
Placing both hands on its edge, he peered into the hollow interior. It was pitch black, showing nothing at all.
"That is the Cauldron of All Things," the Ancient One said. "It allows its user to see everything that has happened in the past across all timelines. The Sanctum uses this artifact to understand the past of the world, so we can make the best possible choices for its future."
"To be able to see the past…" Xi Nian's eyes widened in shock.
This was the ultimate encyclopedia of history!
No wonder the Sanctum had such depth and power. If they wished, they could know everything about your past, down to the smallest detail!
"But," she added, "the Cauldron of All Things can only be used by the guardian of the New York Sanctum. It is the most vital artifact here. Apart from that one, you can choose anything else."
"Master!"
Xi Nian suddenly thought of something important. His expression turned serious as he quickly said, "Help me use it to observe a certain place, during the battle in New York a few months ago. I'm willing to give up my right to choose another artifact!"
The Ancient One gave him a surprised look, then answered, "You wish to use the Cauldron of All Things to search for the boy named Pietro."
"That's right." Xi Nian nodded.
Last time, despite Alice the AI hacking into Dr. Zola's systems and pulling Hydra's personnel files, there was nothing about Pietro.
That alone showed how important Hydra considered him.
Zola's final self-destruct program had buried much of the information with him.
The trail had gone cold.
But now Xi Nian realized the Ancient One possessed a divine artifact like this Cauldron!
What science couldn't achieve, mysticism could!
The Ancient One shook her head. "I cannot."
"Why not?"
Xi Nian froze, staring at her in confusion. "Didn't you just say it shows all past timelines? That's what you said."
Unfazed, she began weaving spells over the Cauldron and replied calmly, "Because Wanda already came to me two weeks ago. She asked me to use it to find her brother."
Above the Cauldron, projections appeared like a three-dimensional movie. Light and shadow formed an image of a house, with a boy and girl walking home from school…
The boy had goggles on, silver hair short and messy, dirt smudged on his clothes.
The girl wore a dress, scarlet hair brushing against her schoolbag, quiet and gentle.
Xi Nian recognized them instantly.
That house was Wanda's—before it had been destroyed by alien fire in the New York battle.
The boy and girl were twins. Wanda and Pietro.
This was—
The timeline from three months ago!
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