Going to K'un-Lun was a massive time sink. According to Iron Fist, he had spent over a decade training in martial arts there. Peter had neither that kind of time nor the inclination. He simply wanted to visit the Kingdom of Spiders and ask the Mountain Spider a straightforward question: Could you let me beat you up and then hand over your heart?
Though it sounded incredibly bizarre, that was the reality. Peter had no intention of lingering in K'un-Lun or the Kingdom of Spiders, so he fully intended to resort to brute force if diplomacy failed. Because of this, he wasn't in a desperate rush to depart. Besides, Danny needed some time to settle company matters before they could leave.
Thus, Peter decided to take a moment to unwind.
"I really wish your idea of unwinding didn't involve lounging around in my sanctuary."
Strange couldn't help but complain helplessly. He was reading a book, occasionally flicking his fingers to turn a page or cast a minor spell. Peter replied with equal helplessness, "I have to consult someone who actually knows the layout. I figured, since Kamar-Taj and K'un-Lun are so close geographically, maybe you'd know something about this Mountain Spider?"
Strange sighed with profound exasperation. Kamar-Taj was indeed close to K'un-Lun, but the problem was that aside from K'un-Lun, the other locations among the Seven Capital Cities of Heaven had been lost to time for ages. There was virtually no intelligence available on them, and even the records that did exist were incredibly superficial.
"If you really want to know, the only thing I can tell you is that the last Immortal Weapon from the Kingdom of Spiders to appear in historical records was a Tang Dynasty general named Pei Min." Strange casually picked up another book and tossed it to Peter. "Other than that, there is almost zero documentation regarding the Kingdom of Spiders. Some theories suggest that the Seven Capital Cities of Heaven were originally part of a much older pocket dimension. When they converge, they form a massive, singular extra-dimensional realm known as the Heart of Heaven."
"I know about that. Iron Fist mentioned it happens once every 88 years."
Strange nodded. "And that's the extent of it."
Noticing Peter's bewildered expression, Strange let out a soft sigh. "The Heart of Heaven is the realm where the Chinese pantheon—the so-called Gods and Immortals—reside. There is a slight distinction between a 'God' and an 'Immortal' there. The earliest Eastern Gods, much like the deities of other mythologies, were born from ancient humanity's lack of understanding of the natural environment, giving rise to various mythical figures. But later on, an Eastern monarch did something known as the Jue Di Tian Tong—the Severing of Heaven and Earth."
"Simply put, he completely severed the connection between the gods and the mortal realm. The gods could no longer interfere with mortal affairs, and consequently, the ancient myths rapidly lost their influence over the earth. It wasn't until much later that a newer mythology, or rather, legends of Immortals, emerged. These new deities were based on actual humans of that era whose stories were passed down. A significant portion of them were originally ordinary mortals who, after death, merged with their legends and achieved godhood through similar esoteric means."
At this point, Strange paused, emphasizing his next words deliberately. "And it was during this transition, when these newly ascended Immortals sought out K'un-Lun, that they discovered the divine capitals were utterly abandoned. The heavenly realm had shattered, leaving only a few immortal divine beasts residing within their respective fragments, waiting for a brief realignment that occurs for just a few days every 88 years. So you tell me, Peter, what exactly happened to the Eastern Pantheon? The old gods vanished entirely, the new Immortals are far too young, and whatever transpired in the interim was completely wiped out by the Severing of Heaven and Earth."
Therefore, Kamar-Taj knew absolutely nothing. As for what had occurred within the Heart of Heaven to cause it to splinter into the Seven Capital Cities of Heaven, not only was Kamar-Taj in the dark, but the Immortals themselves didn't know either. They were simply too young; a vast majority of them were less than two thousand years old, making it impossible for them to know what had transpired before their time.
"What about the current Seven Capital Cities of Heaven?"
"The current celestial bureaucracy is basically centered around K'un-Lun. They strictly adhere to the traditions of their ancestors. Following the principle of the Severing of Heaven and Earth, they maintain virtually no contact with the mortal world. Aside from occasionally recruiting a few servants and disciples—a practice locals refer to as 'seeking the path to immortality'—they almost never interact with the outside world."
Strange had essentially laid bare the situation regarding the Seven Capital Cities of Heaven: no one knew what it was really like inside. Perhaps even Iron Fist himself didn't fully comprehend it, considering he had merely trained inside and left the moment he claimed the mantle. After absorbing this information, Peter nodded thoughtfully and sank deeper into the Sanctum's sofa.
While these secrets seemed incredibly monumental, hinting at massive historical conspiracies, the current Peter had reached a state of numbness. He already harbored knowledge of so many terrifying, impending crises that were bound to strike one after another. He simply didn't have the luxury of time to worry about ancient divine mysteries.
It was far better to ask about more pressing matters.
"By the way, do you really not want this Bloodstone Amulet? I keep feeling like this thing is a massive safety hazard. We're only one Bloodstone from our universe away from being able to summon Chthon. Keeping it with me doesn't exactly feel secure."
"Keep it. I'm actually quite curious about what Madame Web mentioned. If you ever find yourself facing an exceptionally dangerous adversary who cuts off your ability to cast magic normally, you can use the Bloodstone. Trust me, it can help you resolve a lot of problems."
Peter looked down at the Bloodstone Amulet in his hand, asking with a note of shock, "Isn't this thing forged from human souls?"
"Yes. If the original owner were still alive, we could perform a reversion ritual with the Bloodstone to repair her soul. For instance, Magik is currently preparing such a ritual. Once it's complete, she'll be able to reclaim the human portion of her soul and forge a new weapon using the remaining half-soul from Limbo."
Strange turned around and shrugged. "But the problem is, the Bloodstones inside your amulet were crafted by Belasco all the way back during the Renaissance. The original owners of those souls are long dead, and you have nowhere to return them to. If you forced a restoration, they'd only have half a soul left, which would easily lead to a catastrophe. While it might sound a bit unscrupulous, since they're already in this state, you might as well use them to channel your spells."
Hearing this, Peter couldn't help but sigh with deep emotion.
"You really are a former doctor through and through."
Strange initially began to nod, but as the general reputation and standard practices of American doctors crossed his mind, he paused and shot Peter a piercing look. He stared at him for a long moment before turning back. "Sometimes, the responsibilities we shoulder are far more vital than the rigid morals we try to uphold, Spider-Man. At the very least, these minor ethical dilemmas are meant to be cast aside when the situation truly demands it."
"Just like what you did when dealing with Chthon?"
Strange pondered for a moment. "No. Far worse than that."