After putting away the treasure gourd, a beaming William thanked Celia, then flew into the sky to inspect the defense facilities Sunday had installed at the various mountain entrances to the elven valley.
Looking at the camouflage seamlessly integrated into the rockface and listening to Sunday's detailed briefing, William nodded in satisfaction.
What reassured him most was that there was now a spaceship stationed in the outer orbit of Planet X17, loaded with high-yield destructive weapons.
With just one order, hundreds or even thousands of red mercury nuclear warheads could rain down from above, blasting any threat into nothingness.
Landing back on the ground, William gave Celia a casual nod and opened a portal to Asgard.
Neither he nor Odin had brought up the idea of consuming an entire Blood Orchid to test whether its effects would be stronger.
William didn't ask because, as the Blood Orchid's owner, doing so would be akin to killing the goose that lays golden eggs.
And Odin didn't ask because he couldn't. The last thing he wanted was to reveal the true extent of his declining lifespan or risk upsetting William's delicate balance of trust.
Back at the Rainbow Bridge Hub, before William could speak, Odin said, "Let's get to the point. You followed me here because you want compensation for the magical nectar. Considering you thought of me first when you got the benefit, as long as your request isn't outrageous, I'll agree."
Now that Odin had made it clear, William actually found himself unsure what to ask for.
Star coins meant nothing to him. As for energy crystals—thanks to past deals with the Predators and Odin himself, he already had more than two million of them.
With his dozen or so 35-meter ships and several hundred-meter cruisers, it would take centuries to burn through that many energy crystals.
His thoughts drifted toward the Einherjar, but the stonewing beasts were controlled by the angels of the Tenth Realm.
After thinking for a while, he suddenly said, "How about this—you give me part of the crafting method for the Infinity Gauntlet. I'll take it to the dwarves and have them forge something that can bind the Reality Stone as a backup."
"Not a bad idea," Odin laughed, nodding. "But let's save that for another time. Farewell, child."
With a smile, Odin turned and walked away. "Our business isn't finished yet. Think carefully about what kind of reward you truly want—and then come speak to me."
He wasn't wrong. There was no rush. William greeted Heimdall, opened a portal, and returned to the underground lab of his estate.
As he ascended the stairs, gourd in hand, Sunday's voice chimed in with a report: there was a guest waiting in the house.
William scanned the living room with his spiritual sense—and froze in surprise.
"Isn't that Wang the Fatty?"
Then he frowned. "Who let him in?"
"Apologies, SIR," Sunday replied. "Prior to Mr. Wang's arrival, Lady Lena received a call from the Ancient One and returned home shortly afterward. Mr. Wang followed soon after and was welcomed inside. Based on their conversation, it seems he was sent on the Ancient One's behalf."
That explanation reassured William. But it also reminded him that, while his defenses on the technological side were first-class, his magical security still had major gaps.
He began considering magical wards and defensive enchantments as he approached the living room—just in time to hear his mother making small talk with Wang in an awkward attempt at conversation.
William deliberately made his footsteps heavier, which immediately alerted the portly mage—better known as Doctor Strange's loyal sidekick.
Wang stood up at once and looked toward the sound of William's approach.
Lena turned her head, surprised to see William walk in holding a small green gourd.
"William, why haven't you been answering your phone?"
"Sorry, Mom." William raised the gourd with a smile. "I was in the final stages of an experiment, so I asked Sunday to shut off all communications to avoid accidents."
"Oh my God, that fast?" Lena took the gourd and muttered, "Just like Abigail said—you really do need someone pushing you."
She was about to open the lid when she remembered there was a guest in the house. Gripping the gourd tightly, she said, "This gentleman is Mr. Wang. He was sent by your mentor, the Ancient One, to see you."
"I know, Mom. Sunday already told me. Why don't you go find Abigail and Selene?"
William gestured toward the gourd. "The process of extracting this new medicine is incredibly difficult. I only managed to make three drops this time—Nyssa, Jessie, and Lara will have to wait till next month."
Lena nodded happily, gave him a kiss on the cheek, and turned to Wang. "Sorry to leave, Mr. Wang. I'll let you two talk."
"Please, Madam, wait," Wang said quickly. Then, seeing William's gaze shift toward him, he placed a hand over his chest and bowed. "Forgive my intrusion, Lord Devonshire. But I beg you to help my friend—Dalton, the master of the New York Sanctum."
"The New York Sanctum? I knew you people weren't here for anything good."
Lena froze mid-step. Then, after a moment of hesitation, she returned the gourd to William. "If your teacher is asking for help, then saving lives takes priority. But… are you sure that stuff can really save someone?"
"Well…" Wang hesitated, unsure whether to tell her the truth—that the gourd in her hands was made from the branch of the Tree of Life. Forget saving lives—with some magic and a bit of water, it could literally prolong them.
He now fully understood why the Ancient One had sent him to William. This gourd alone justified it.
William, meanwhile, still didn't grasp what Odin meant when he said the nectar would be tenfold—or even a hundredfold—more potent for humans than for gods.
But if just one drop could extend Odin's life by two months, then even if its effect diminished for powerful human sorcerers, it should still be enough to save a life.
"That's enough, Mom. Some things are better left unknown."
Lena had long suspected William was a magician—ever since she'd seen the Ancient One in full robes at a Chelsea VIP box. But since her son never admitted it, she never asked.
Now, watching William and Wang speak so cryptically, her curiosity nearly boiled over. But in the end, she held back.
"All right. Let Sunday notify me when you're done so I can make you something special for dinner."
She straightened William's collar, gave him a fond smile, and then turned to Wang. "Excuse me, Mr. Wang. I'll leave you two to talk."
"Thank you, ma'am."
As Lena walked out of the living room, William headed for the liquor cabinet, pouring himself a drink as he asked, "So? What happened? Why did the Ancient One send you instead of coming herself?"
The tone made Wang frown. Now he was sure—William wasn't a student of the Ancient One. Anyone who had been taught by her would never refer to her so directly.
Still, Wang was here on her orders, and more importantly, he was the one asking for help. So he had no choice but to ignore the slight.
"The Sorcerer Supreme is currently stationed at the New York Sanctum. If you want the full story, it would be best to come with me to New York.
She also asked me to pass along a message: if you hadn't been dragging your feet, the spatial rupture in the Americas wouldn't have occurred.
We magi wouldn't have had to clean up your mess—or lose one of our own in the process."
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