Ch: 182-189
Chapter 182
Bai Ye suddenly felt a little speechless—there were still so many people who could insta-kill him.
But he quickly stopped caring; the Multiverse was already pretty good.
He'd deal with the rest later. After shoving those worries out of his head, Bai Ye landed; only then did the three women approach.
Wanda looked at Bai Ye, reached out and pinched his cheek. "Are you still my darling?"
There was a faint tremor in her voice.
Susan also stared at him, waiting for an answer.
Bai Ye raised an eyebrow and teased, "What's wrong? Don't recognize me after a short while apart?"
That familiar tone, laced with banter and gentleness, instantly relaxed the two women.
Wanda burst into laughter; Susan exhaled in relief.
Bai Ye opened his arms and pulled Wanda and Susan into an embrace.
The two women hugged him tightly, as if to confirm he was really there.
Then Wanda and Susan turned in unison to look at Ju Ziyun, who was standing to one side.
As their eyes met, Wanda suddenly smiled, a sly glint in her eyes. "So, another sister?"
Susan also pursed her lips in a smile, her gaze full of curiosity.
Bai Ye shook his head in denial; he'd only brought Ju Ziyun along because he saw great potential in her—nothing more.
"Let me introduce Ju Ziyun, a witch from another World."
Ju Ziyun, rarely flustered, still offered her hand politely. "Hello."
Ignoring Bai Ye's denial, Wanda stepped forward, took her hand and winked. "Welcome to the family."
Susan studied her curiously; after a quick Force Field scan she said bluntly, "Your genes are kind of similar to a Kryptonian's!"
Bai Ye stopped paying attention to the three of them and turned to Robert Reynolds, who was slumped on the ground.
The former Sentinel, now an ordinary man, had a tattered golden suit and only confusion and exhaustion in his eyes.
"I remember there was no Sentinel in my Universe."
Looking at Robert, Bai Ye spoke calmly.
"So how did you end up in this Universe?"
Robert lifted his head with a bitter smile. "I don't know."
wifeII（{three）O Four "Guilt Enterprise+麒麇"You don't know?"
Not far away, Wanda—done exchanging pleasantries with Ju Ziyun—changed her expression; Chaos Magic condensed into a greatsword.
"You popped up, attacked us, and now you say you don't know?"
Robert hugged his head in pain and said in distress,
"I really don't know! One second I was on a mission with Norman and the others; Thor's hammer came down, and suddenly the Void broke free."
"By the time I came to, I was already in this godforsaken place!"
Susan folded her arms, hovering in mid-air, and stared at him coldly.
"You're saying that big oaf Thor hammered you across Universes?"
"Sounds absurd, but that's what happened," Robert shook his head.
"Once the Void took over, I couldn't stop him. If it weren't for you guys…"
Saying that, Robert looked up at Bai Ye with gratitude in his eyes.
"If it weren't for you, he might have kept on ravaging everything."
Bai Ye stared at him for a few seconds, quickly analyzing the possibilities.
"The barriers of the Multiverse have been weakening lately," Bai Ye murmured.
"Some powerful energy impacts may have caused brief rifts, and the Void just seized the opportunity."
"So what do we do now?" Ju Ziyun asked. "Send him back?"
Robert's eyes lit with hope at that, but soon dimmed again.
He knew the things he'd done couldn't be forgiven so easily.
Bai Ye glanced at him and said flatly, "From now on, you'll live as an ordinary man."
Robert jerked his head up, stunned. "What?"
"Your power has been stripped away by me," Bai Ye said calmly. "Consider it your punishment."
Robert opened his mouth as if to argue, but only lowered his head with a bitter smile. "I understand."
He knew he no longer deserved that power.
The Void's rampage and the countless innocent casualties—all of it had started with him.
Without another word, Bai Ye raised his hand and tore open a golden Portal.
Through it, the outline of Avengers Tower was visible; Captain America and Iron Man were warily watching this side.
"Go back," Bai Ye said.
"From now on, live honestly as an ordinary person."
Robert took a deep breath, nodded, and walked toward the Portal.
Just as he was about to step through, he paused, looked back at Bai Ye and said, "Thank you."
Bai Ye didn't reply; with a casual wave the Portal closed and Robert vanished completely.
The Mirror Dimension fell into a brief silence as Robert departed.
Wanda exhaled and rubbed her temples. "So, right now we need to worry about the Multiversebarrier?"
"Not for the moment." Bai Ye shook his head.
"This was only an accident; the real crisis hasn't arrived yet."
Wanda raised an eyebrow. "Sounds like you know something."
Bai Ye smiled faintly, a deep glint flashing in his eyes.
"Just a hunch—some people will seize the chance to make their move."
Susan folded her arms and regarded him with a half-smile. "Your hunches usually spell trouble."
Bai Ye shrugged, giving a non-committal "Perhaps."
He looked around; the shattered Mirror Dimension had already begun to repair itself.
But the aftermath of this battle had clearly rippled into the real World.
Outside, news choppers still circled; the global media must be in an uproar.
"Let's go."
Bai Ye stretched out his hand, golden energy enveloping the three of them.
"Time to leave."
In the next second their silhouettes vanished from the Mirror Dimension, leaving only the slowly sealing spatial rift behind.
The Mirror Dimension dissolved, and the four reappeared above New York in the real World.
Below, the city remained scarred; people amid the rubble stared skyward at the figures suspended in the air.
Media helicopters filmed the breathtaking scene frantically.
Bai Ye gazed down at the devastated city and simply snapped his fingers.
"Restore."
Reality rewound: collapsed skyscrapers rose anew, cracked streets leveled, and every shard of glass shattered by energy shockwaves reassembled.
Those resurrected stared at their intact bodies, as if the catastrophe had been mere illusion.
"A miracle!" a reporter stammered into his camera.
"A god!"
"A god!"
"A god!"
Ordinary citizens spotted Bai Ye and cheered with raised arms.
But Bai Ye paid them no heed; with a thought he folded space, and the four of them were instantly back in the Villa's living room.
Dijiang was first to pounce, its six tiny claws hugging Bai Ye's leg.
The plump creature rubbed against him, as if complaining they'd been gone too long.
Phoenix landed gracefully on Susan's shoulder and affectionately pecked her earlobe.
Ink Qilin walked steadily to Bai Ye's side, its jade horn glowing softly, conveying calm reassurance.
Outside the window the setting Sun cast golden rays into the living room.
Bai Ye leaned back on the sofa, watching the three women quickly warm to one another's company.
Wanda was showing off Chaos Magic tricks, Ju Ziyun recounted her recent adventures with Bai Ye, and Susan excitedly asked Ju Ziyun to demonstrate her abilities.
Dijiang sneakily drank everyone's juice and was chased around the room by Phoenix.
Ink Qilin lay at Bai Ye's feet and lazily yawned.
Everything seemed back to normal.
Yet Bai Ye knew his evolution had reached the Multiverse level; a far vaster World awaited exploration.
For now… "dear!" Wanda suddenly called to him.
"Stop day-dreaming—come help us decide what to have for dinner!"
Susan raised her hand. "I want Chinese food!"
Ju Ziyun added in rustic fashion, "And a side of kimchi."
Bai Ye rose with a smile. "Whatever you say."
After dinner Bai Ye sat on the living-room sofa, gaze sweeping across the three women.
"So the issue is clear."
He began, naming their individual shortcomings:
"Your upper limits are actually extremely high, but you lack a systematic way to advance."
Susan hugged a cushion and tilted her head. "You mean our fighting style is too crude?"
"Exactly." Bai Ye nodded bluntly.
"Take Susan: since the Life Equation evolved you, you possess the highest-ceiling physique among Mutants and could theoretically grow infinitely with the Power Stone's energy, yet right now you only throw raw force and Force Field blasts."
Susan scrunched her lips. "Force Field energy is super useful!"
"That's because the enemies you've met aren't strong enough."
Bai Ye snapped his fingers, projecting an image of the Celestials.
"Against beings of this caliber your attacks are like tickles."
Wanda mused, "So you're going to teach us how to use our powers properly?"
Chapter 183
"Not only that."
Bai Ye stood up, spreading his hands, and three energy spheres of different colors condensed in his palms: "I want to help you all become stronger."
He first looked at Wanda: "Chaos Magic is your core ability, but you currently only use it to twist reality and emit energy waves."
Wanda blinked, curiously asking, "Isn't that enough?"
"Far from enough."
Bai Ye shook his head and said bluntly: "The essence of Chaos Magic is to rewrite rules. Theoretically, you can do…"
He snapped his fingers, and Wanda suddenly found herself floating in mid-air, the surrounding space beginning to twist and reassemble.
"What is this?"
"I just simulated advanced applications of Chaos Magic using the Game Space."
Bai Ye explained: "Space Folding, Dimension Creation, Concept Erasure—these are the abilities you should truly master."
Wanda looked at her hands in shock, scarlet energy flowing within them.
Then, Bai Ye turned to Susan, who was beside him, and said directly:
"As for you, Susan, the potential of a Mutant goes far beyond this."
With that, Bai Ye raised a hand and pointed, and a golden light entered Susan's body.
Susan immediately felt the cells in her body begin to boil, every molecule cheering with joy.
"Try it now. I've activated your Force Field Ability Potential."
"Force Field energy is very powerful, you can do it like this!"
As he spoke, Bai Ye demonstratively raised his hand, and the surrounding air began to twist, forming a transparent Force Field Shield.
Susan tried to imitate him and soon condensed a small Force Field Sphere in her palm.
"Wow!"
Susan looked at this new ability with a surprised expression.
Finally, Bai Ye looked at Ju Ziyun and said directly:
"Your situation is quite special. As a product of genetic modification, your upper limit was originally locked."
Ju Ziyun's eyes darkened, but Bai Ye's tone shifted:
"However, your unique traits, the Second Genetic Mutation, coupled with the Vitruvian genes and my enhancement, make you a blank slate now."
With that, Bai Ye reached out and pointed his finger at Ju Ziyun's forehead.
"I'm going to teach you how to absorb and convert various energies."
Ju Ziyun suddenly felt a warm current surge into her body, and her skin began to glow with a faint golden light.
"What is this?"
"Stellar Energy Conversion."
Bai Ye smiled and nodded in satisfaction, as if looking at an item full of unknowns.
"From now on, you can also absorb sunlight to become stronger, just like a Kryptonian."
The three women exchanged glances, seeing the surprise in each other's eyes.
"Wait."
Wanda suddenly thought of something and said to Bai Ye:
"I remember the darkhold mentioned the Underworld God Chthon. Could that Underworld God…"
Bai Ye chuckled, his face filled with confidence as he said:
"If he dares to come, I'll drain his Chaos Magic and give it to you as a supplement."
"Aside from his Dimensional Universe, he can't beat me."
"Alright, let's not talk about this annoying guy. We'll discuss it when he breaks free from his seal someday!"
Thinking that Chthon was still sealed, Bai Ye, who had originally wanted to get even, felt a bit uninterested.
Bai Ye looked at the three people in front of him, his expression serious as he said:
"Now, I'm going to truly help you all grow stronger!"
"Getting stronger? Wasn't that just now?" Susan asked, somewhat puzzled.
Wanda and Ju Ziyun also looked at Bai Ye, awaiting his answer.
Bai Ye's fingertip gently touched Wanda's brow, and a golden stream of light merged into her skin.
Wanda felt a blur before her eyes, and the surrounding scenery disintegrated like a shattered mirror.
"Where is this?"
She looked around blankly, finding herself standing on scorched earth.
The sky was an ominous dark red, and the air was filled with the smell of gunpowder and blood.
In the distance, a blue energy beam shot into the sky, illuminating a figure suspended in the air.
Suddenly, an angry roar came from the other side, and Wanda immediately turned her head to look.
"No, this is impossible!"
Wanda stumbled backward. She saw Susan's golden figure rush towards the blue figure like a meteor.
However, Susan was pierced through the chest by a blue light the moment she made contact.
The girl's body quickly fell, creating a deep pit at Wanda's feet.
"Susan!"
Wanda knelt on the ground, her trembling hands wanting to touch her face, but passing right through it upon contact; she was merely an observer.
The tragic state of the battlefield suffocated her. The Avengers charged one after another, but fell one by one.
Hulk was eliminated, Iron Man's armor exploded, and Black Widow, there was no need to say more... Wanda couldn't bear to watch.
At this moment, a silver figure caught Wanda's attention.
"Pietro?!"
Wanda suddenly widened her eyes. The silver-haired youth's lightning-fast figure darted across the battlefield.
Her heart almost stopped beating, and she shouted: "Run! Don't go over there!"
But her warning went unheard. Pietro was gripped by the neck with one hand by a person in green armor.
With a crisp snap, Wanda's World seemed to collapse with it.
"No! No!"
Wanda knelt on the ground, scarlet energy uncontrollably overflowing from her body.
Just then, a familiar roar echoed across the battlefield.
Bai Ye's figure descended like a God, his black battle robe flapping in the energy storm.
Hope reignited in Wanda's eyes, and she pleaded: "dear, save them quickly!"
But soon, this glimmer of hope vanished instantly.
Wanda watched helplessly as Bai Ye's fierce battle with the blue figure flattened the battlefield, and finally, a blue light pierced through Bai Ye's chest.
"No!!!"
Wanda screamed to the heavens, Chaos energy erupting like a volcanic eruption.
Her hair moved without wind, scarlet energy formed a vortex, and the surrounding space began to twist and collapse.
"You! All of you will die!"
...In the real World, inside the Villa living room.
Ju Ziyun stared at Wanda, who was floating in mid-air, and asked in confusion: "What's wrong with her?"
Bai Ye crossed his arms, golden light flowing in his eyes, and said seriously: "She is undergoing a necessary metamorphosis."
Suddenly, a dazzling red light burst forth from Wanda's body, and the entire Villa began to shake violently.
Cracks appeared on the walls, furniture turned to dust, and space cracked like glass.
Bai Ye snapped his fingers, and a Bio-Force Field instantly expanded, protecting Susan, Ju Ziyun, and the three little Divine Beasts within it.
Soon, all the collapsing scenes returned to their original state like a film played in reverse.
Wanda slowly opened her eyes, scarlet energy flowing in her pupils.
When she saw the three people in front of her clearly, tears instantly streamed down.
"dear!"
Wanda instantly threw herself into Bai Ye's arms, her trembling hands clutching his clothes tightly.
"That wasn't real, tell me that wasn't real!"
Susan and Ju Ziyun looked at each other, completely unaware of what had happened to Wanda.
Bai Ye gently stroked Wanda's back, his voice soft yet firm:
"Of course, those were all illusions, to awaken the dormant power within you."
Wanda then noticed her own changes; Chaos energy obeyed her every command, and the threads of Cosmic Rules were clearly visible in her eyes.
She gently raised her hand, and the living room chandelier instantly transformed into a swarm of flying butterflies. She waved her hand again, and the Villa became a grassland.
"This is incredible." Wanda murmured to herself.
Bai Ye watched Wanda's display, nodding in satisfaction, and said directly:
"Now you have only truly grasped the basics of Chaos Magic. Remember the pain just now, but don't be bound by it. That power belongs to you, not Chthon."
Wanda took a deep breath, the scarlet in her eyes gradually fading, but the newfound power still flowed within her body.
After understanding all this, Wanda looked at Bai Ye with a more complex gaze, complaining:
"Next time, can we try a gentler method?"
Bai Ye smiled and said, "True potential can only be unleashed between life and death."
This wave was a tribute to the classics: sacrificing loved ones, boundless magic power.
After initially stimulating Wanda's potential, Bai Ye looked at Susan and Ju Ziyun.
"Now it's your turn."
His gaze shifted between Susan and Ju Ziyun.
Susan excitedly floated off the sofa, her golden hair shimmering in the sunlight.
"It's finally our turn! How will we train? Like Wanda, experiencing illusions?"
Ju Ziyun silently stood beside Susan, a dangerous glint in her eyes: "I'm more looking forward to combat training."
Bai Ye chuckled softly and snapped his fingers.
In an instant, the scene of the living room peeled away like a shattered mirror.
When they regained their senses, the three of them were suspended in the vast Universe, with the burning Sun before them.
"Wow!"
Susan exclaimed. Although she had traveled in space many times, she had never been here.
Susan curiously reached out to touch a Solar Prominence erupting from the Sun's surface, but the millions of degrees of heat only made her feel warm.
Ju Ziyun narrowed her eyes, feeling the energy from the solar radiation: "You've set up a Force Fieldaround us?"
"I just temporarily modified the rules of reality, however…"
Chapter 184
Bai Ye smiled and shook his head, offering Ju Ziyun a brief explanation.
Before he finished speaking, Susan had already sped toward the Sun.
"I don't need it at all! I can feel it calling to me!"
Not to be outdone, Ju Ziyun followed suit with a flash of her figure.
The two were like meteors, piercing through the Sun's outer atmosphere.
Meanwhile, Bai Ye and Wanda remained where they were.
Wanda's Chaos Energy formed a protective layer on her body as she looked worriedly at the two figures receding into the distance: "Will they..."
Various energies flickered in Bai Ye's eyes as he analyzed something, then stated plainly:
"Don't worry!"
"I accelerated the flow of time around them. Only a few minutes might pass for us, but they will experience a very, very long time."
"Wait, isn't that exploiting a glitch? They can both absorb external power to strengthen themselves now."
Wanda suddenly realized this and burst out laughing.
"Exactly." Bai Ye nodded.
While Bai Ye and Wanda were chatting, Susan had already broken through the Corona.
Wild plasma washed over Susan's body, every inch of her skin greedily absorbing energy.
She felt her cells cheering, and her DNA strands were restructuring.
"This feeling is amazing!"
Susan cried out in her heart, her speed increasing instead of decreasing as she flew toward the Solar Core.
Ju Ziyun followed closely behind, arriving at the Sun's Corona.
Unlike Susan, whose X-Gene continuously raised her limits, Ju Ziyun's body was undergoing a more miraculous transformation.
The combination of Vitruvian and Kryptonian genes resonated with the solar energy, causing golden energy to appear on her skin.
Suddenly, Ju Ziyun's figure paused, and she curled up into a sphere, encased by a crystalline shell.
"She has begun her metamorphosis."
Bai Ye watched the scene and nodded. Immediately, his voice echoed directly in Susan's mind.
"Keep going. The energy at the core will help you break through your limits."
Susan gritted her teeth, enduring the increasingly strong energy turbulence as she continued to dive deeper.
Finally, after traveling hundreds of thousands of kilometers, she reached the Solar Core Region.
The pressure here was enough to crush planets, but for Susan right now, it was the most comfortable cradle.
"I need to sleep."
As soon as this thought arose, Susan felt her consciousness starting to blur.
Her body automatically adjusted into the optimal posture for absorbing energy, and a golden Energy Cocoon wrapped around her layer by layer.
Outside, Bai Ye glanced at their situation, then nodded: "That's about enough."
He raised his hand and cut open a spatial rift, pulling two dazzling Energy Cocoons out from the depths of the Sun.
Mysterious Runes flowed across the surface of the cocoons, and the powerful energy fluctuations warped the surrounding space.
"How far have they evolved?" Wanda asked curiously.
Just as Bai Ye was about to answer, Ju Ziyun's Energy Cocoon shattered first.
Her figure broke free from the cocoon, residual golden energy lingering on her skin, and her eyes shone like two miniature stars.
"This power!"
Ju Ziyun clenched her fist, and tiny cracks actually appeared in the surrounding space.
"It's incredible."
She suddenly vanished from the spot, appearing next to an asteroid several light-years away the next second.
Ju Ziyun gave it a gentle push, and the entire asteroid was knocked out of its orbit like a toy.
Most importantly, the asteroid was not pierced through by Ju Ziyun's power.
"You can already use a Bio-Force Field. It seems you have fully adapted to the Kryptonian genes."
Just then, Susan's Energy Cocoon also began to vibrate violently.
The moment the cocoon shell shattered, a blinding golden light swept out.
When the light dispersed, Susan, hovering in place, was completely transformed.
Her Battle Suit had transformed into a flowing golden energy body, and star-like sparks flickered among her hair.
Susan's eyes seemed to contain the starlight of the entire Universe.
"I saw..." Susan's voice carried a strange resonance.
"The Universe's essence."
She gently raised her hand, and a miniature Nebula condensed on her fingertip.
Within the tiny Nebula, countless stars were born and destroyed, seemingly enacting the cycle of the Universe.
Seeing this, Wanda gasped and asked Bai Ye: "What is her current energy level?"
"She is already very close to a Cosmic Deity."
A trace of satisfaction flashed in Bai Ye's eyes. Clearly, the potential of the Mutant's X-Gene was extremely high.
As expected of the experiments conducted by the Celestials, the upper limit is definitely capable of rivaling them.
It must be said that many film, television, and comic works are like this.
Sometimes, even a fraction of the power, once developed, can rival the original possessor's overall strength.
Speaking of the Celestials... "Now, let's do something else first."
Bai Ye raised his hand and drew a golden circle of light in the void.
"Then let us test your new abilities."
The moment the circle of light expanded, the four of them were transported to an unfamiliar Star Field.
In the distance, a red giant star was collapsing, and a furious energy tide swept across several light-years.
"What is that?" Ju Ziyun's pupils contracted slightly.
"A Celestial."
Bai Ye stood with his hands behind his back, a mischievous smile on his face: "It's perfect to use as a test subject."
Starlight flowed within Susan's golden eyes. She gently raised her right hand, and a miniature Suncondensed on her fingertip.
A complete projection of a Galaxy appeared inside this energy sphere.
"Not bad."
Bai Ye raised an eyebrow at the sight and praised Susan: "You can already use Force Field abilities to materialize stellar-level energy."
That's very good. It rivals a portion of the power from my Cosmic Chronicle.
Wanda's Chaos Energy unconsciously surged. She looked at Susan's power and nodded.
"dear, you were right. Susan's current energy fluctuations truly are approaching the Cosmic Deity level."
Susan didn't immediately respond to Bai Ye's praise. Her figure suddenly blurred, and the next second, she appeared above the red giant star.
The sleeping Celestial member seemed to sense a threat.
Its massive metal head slowly lifted, and dangerous red light flared in its eye sockets.
"Threat detected. Clearance procedure initiated."
The Celestial's voice was like the whispers of billions of people, shaking the entire Star Field.
Susan merely smiled slightly, and her body suddenly erupted with light brighter than a star.
The moment the Celestial raised its arm, she softly snapped her fingers.
The entire red giant star suddenly collapsed into a Singularity, and then immediately exploded into a Supernova.
Amidst the terrifying energy torrent, the Celestial's metal shell began to melt.
It let out a deafening roar, and realizing the danger, attempted to initiate a space jump to escape.
"Hmph, trying to escape?"
A flash of golden light crossed Susan's eyes. She clenched her hand in the air, and the space spanning several light-years instantly solidified.
The Celestial's movement froze just before its leap, like an insect trapped in amber.
Ju Ziyun was shocked: "She can even manipulate spatial rules?"
Bai Ye glanced at Susan's action, saw through its essence, and stated plainly:
"No, she is using pure energy to warp localized spacetime."
Susan slowly descended onto the Celestial's massive head, her slender finger lightly touching its metallic shell.
"Crunch, crunch..."
A horrifying crunching sound rang out. The Celestial's body began to collapse like a sandcastle, eventually turning into a cloud of metallic dust scattered throughout the Universe.
"How does it feel?" Bai Ye instantly appeared beside her.
The golden light in Susan's eyes gradually receded: "It's like suddenly being able to understand the operating rules of the Universe, but..."
Stopping there, Susan looked at her hands confusedly: "I always feel like I'm missing the final step."
Just then, Wanda suddenly looked up alertly: "Something is approaching!"
In the depths of space, figures even larger than planets slowly emerged.
Their appearance was similar to the Celestial from before, but ancient Runes flowed across their surfaces.
The energy fluctuations they emitted caused the stars in nearby Galaxies to dim.
"The Judicator Celestials."
Bai Ye smiled at the sight and said to Susan: "It seems the one you just killed was their scout."
The leading Judicator let out a space-shaking roar: "Godslayer detected. Initiating ultimate erasure."
Susan's golden hair moved without wind. She was about to step forward, but Bai Ye stopped her.
"This is a good chance to test the current coordination abilities of you three."
Bai Ye turned his head toward Wanda and Ju Ziyun, giving them instructions.
"Wanda, use Chaos Magic to disrupt their defense matrix. Ziyun, you are responsible for cutting off their energy supply."
After instructing Wanda and the other, Bai Ye looked at Susan: "You will be responsible for delivering the final blow."
The three women exchanged glances, simultaneously showing smiles full of fighting spirit.
Wanda's hands traced complex trajectories, and scarlet energy enveloped the three Celestials like a spiderweb.
Ju Ziyun's figure split into thousands of afterimages, each one accurately striking the Celestials' energy nodes.
The instant the Judicators' movements lagged, Susan's figure turned into a streak of golden light that shot across the Universe.
Her fist landed seemingly lightly on the chest of the leading Judicator.
Chapter 185
An indescribable Impact swept across several galaxies. The bodies of the three Celestial Judgesinstantly fell apart like glass artwork struck by a heavy hammer.
Their metallic fragments scattered in space, eventually being completely swallowed by a black hole casually created by Susan.
"Nice teamwork."
Seeing this, Bai Ye applauded, his eyes filled with admiration.
"Now, you truly possess the strength to stand firm in the Universe."
Just then, Bai Ye sensed something and said to the three of them:
"Let's go back. Someone has been waiting at home for a long time."
Wanda and Ju Ziyun withdrew their states and nodded.
Bai Ye smiled and opened a Portal. Amidst the golden light, the figures of the four gradually disappeared from this star field.
Only shattered space and dim stars remained, bearing witness to this battle that surpassed the level of Gods.
The golden Portal slowly closed in the Villa living room. As soon as Bai Ye and his group stepped back onto Earth, they felt two familiar magic fluctuations.
Sorcerer Ancient One and Dark Doctor Strange were standing in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, the twilight glow plating the edges of their cloaks with gold.
"Greetings, two."
Bai Ye snapped his fingers casually, and a set of antique tea ware appeared out of thin air in the center of the living room, with steam curling up from the celadon teacups.
"Wuyi Mountain Da Hong Pao, care for a taste?"
Sorcerer Ancient One was about to speak when suddenly her pupils contracted... her eye of agamottobegan to tremble violently, its emerald light flickering.
Strange also frowned. In the perception of them as sorcerers, Bai Ye standing before them was like a non-existent black hole.
He was clearly visible to the naked eye, yet they couldn't perceive any energy fluctuations whatsoever.
"It seems you have broken through another boundary."
Ancient One quickly regained her composure, took the floating teacup, and sighed with emotion.
Strange rubbed the rim of the teacup, his voice dry as he said:
"The last time we met, I could still sense your energy level, but now..."
At this point, Strange shook his head with a wry smile: "It's like an ant trying to comprehend human civilization."
Bai Ye leaned comfortably on the sofa, gestured for the three women to sit down, and then smiled:
"So, what is the purpose of your visit this time? Surely you didn't come just to warn me not to mess with reality?"
Ancient One put down the teacup, her expression grave: "Do you remember when I mentioned last time that the timeline was already in chaos?"
Her fingertip lightly tapped the surface of the tea, and countless fragmented images of time flashed within the ripples.
"The situation is worse now."
In the image, Thanos from a certain Universe, wearing a gauntlet with six Infinity Stones, was roaring at the air.
In another Universe, Iron Man, wearing Anti-Phoenix Armor, was falling through the void.
The most bizarre sight was Earth in one Universe hanging upside down in space, with continental plates misplaced like building blocks.
Seeing this, Wanda couldn't help but frown: "Are all these things really happening?"
"Worse than reality." Strange's black robe billowed without wind.
"These were supposed to be absolutely stable Anchor Universes, and now even they are starting to disintegrate."
A flash of golden light crossed Bai Ye's eyes, and those fragmented images immediately reorganized and analyzed on his retina.
Then Divine Talent quickly analyzed them, and Bai Ye stated frankly:
"Someone is deliberately disrupting the order of the Multiverse."
At this moment, Ancient One's voice changed, becoming ethereal, and she stated frankly:
"The Great God Eternity gave me a revelation: a power transcending dimensions is twisting the trajectory of all timelines."
"If this continues, the Multiverse will collapse, and reality will turn into nothingness."
Susan leaned closer to the images displayed by Ancient One, her face full of curiosity, and asked:
"Why doesn't Eternity deal with it himself? Isn't he the personification of the Multiverse?"
Strange and Ancient One exchanged a look, both showing a wry smile.
Ancient One shook her head, her expression somewhat puzzled as she said:
"That's what puzzles us. All Cosmic Deities seem to tacitly allow this to happen, for reasons unknown."
Bai Ye put down his teacup: "So you are here to ask for aid?"
"Not entirely." Strange's dark circles were deeper than before.
"We just resealed Dormammu's dimensional rift, but the erosion rate of the Dark Dimension is ten times faster than expected."
Saying this, Strange turned his head and looked at Wanda.
"Recently, Chthon's Chaos Energy has also appeared, and it's running rampant. These two events are probably connected."
Bai Ye suddenly chuckled softly, saying with slight interest:
"Interesting. First, Sentinels from other Universes inexplicably cross over, and now the Cosmic Deities aren't intervening."
He looked at Ancient One and asked: "Sorcerer, did Eternity tell you who this mastermind is?"
Ancient One sighed and took out a Rune emitting a faint blue light from her embrace.
"This is the Coordinate Key given to me by Eternity. It can locate all anomalous time nodes."
Sorcerer Ancient One gently put down the teacup, the surface of the tea reflecting her tired yet resolute face.
"Bai Ye, our sorcerers at Kamar-Taj cannot cross Universes to solve these problems, but you can."
Bai Ye leaned back on the leather sofa, his fingertips lightly tapping the armrest.
"I can take action." Bai Ye spoke slowly, his voice low.
"But there's a condition."
Strange and Ancient One watched Bai Ye calmly, waiting for him to continue.
"Kamar-Taj must cooperate fully with S.H.I.E.L.D.."
Bai Ye's gaze swept over the two sorcerers as he presented his condition.
"From now on, every Agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. must learn Kamar-Taj's magic, mastering at least the Portalspell."
"Although I know all magic, I don't have time to be a teacher."
"Teaching students is your expertise, Sorcerers. Furthermore, I don't care about the Universe crisis, but if they dare come to Earth, they must stay here!"
Strange didn't speak, looking toward Sorcerer Ancient One.
"Deal."
Ancient One nodded, agreeing very readily and decisively.
"But I need you to ensure this power won't be abused—specifically, the kind that destroys Universes."
Bai Ye nodded and snapped his fingers.
The living room wall suddenly became transparent, displaying a real-time image of S.H.I.E.L.D.Headquarters.
The Agents being lectured by Dr. Banner suddenly shivered collectively, as if being watched by some invisible entity.
"I have already planted a Restriction deep within everyone's soul." Golden energy flowed in Bai Ye's hand.
"Anyone who attempts to use magic for evil will suffer the consequences."
Ancient One watched all this, a hint of understanding flashing in her eyes, and sighed: "You had already planned this."
Just then, Doctor Strange suddenly frowned and looked out the window.
"Strange, I feel Chthon's energy fluctuation suddenly vanished."
"That is not important. After solving all the crises, we can help Wanda absorb her energy. This is our token of appreciation for the cooperation."
Sorcerer Ancient One said with a smile. For a repeat offender like her, this was already second nature.
Bai Ye nodded, turned to look at the three women, and stated frankly: "Are you ready for a cross-Universe journey?"
Susan excitedly clenched her fists, her eyes blazing with golden light: "Finally, time to stretch my muscles!"
Wanda's red energy enveloped her entire body, and a set of red armor automatically covered her.
"This time, I'm going to let those hiding in the shadows know the consequences of provoking the Scarlet Witch."
Ju Ziyun puffed out her cheeks, tilted her head, and seemed a little slow to react.
Ancient One handed an ancient Rune to Bai Ye and explained:
"This is Kamar-Taj's Arcane Sigil. It can help you maintain contact across the Multiverse in case of accidents."
Bai Ye took the Rune, and golden energy instantly assimilated it. He looked at Strange.
"Remember to prepare the teaching syllabus. When I return, I hope to see S.H.I.E.L.D. Agents proficiently opening Portals."
Strange was about to say something, but Ancient One gently pressed his shoulder and spoke seriously to Bai Ye:
"Be careful, Bai. An entity capable of affecting so many dimensions simultaneously is probably more dangerous than we imagine."
Bai Ye chuckled softly, raising his hand to slice open a golden Portal spanning the Multiverse.
On the other side of the door, countless anomalous time nodes flickered like shattered stars.
"That's perfect then."
Bai Ye's voice carried an eager fighting spirit, clearly showing great interest in the mastermind.
"I've been worrying lately about not finding a worthy opponent."
As the figures of the four disappeared into the Portal, Ancient One sighed deeply and turned to Strange.
"Gather all the sorcerers. It's time for us to report to S.H.I.E.L.D.."
Strange looked in the direction where the Portal disappeared and sighed emotionally: "Bai's growth is too fast."
Ancient One showed a slight smile and reminded him: "Haven't you noticed? From beginning to end, Bai Ye has regarded himself as Earth's last line of defense."
Having finished speaking, Ancient One turned and opened a Portal, shouting:
"Let's go. We also have our own battlefield to deal with."
...In the Spacetime Turbulence
Bai Ye and the three women floated in the center of the shattered time nodes.
Surrounding them were multiple distorted colorful whirlpools, each representing an anomalous timeline.
The violent Spacetime Turbulence crashed against the Bio-Force Field Bai Ye deployed, splashing ripples.
"These turbulences..."
Wanda reached out and touched a streak of purple energy that brushed past; her finger instantly formed ice crystals and then rapidly vaporized.
"Each carries completely different Time Laws."
Countless points of light reflected in Susan's golden eyes, and she said eagerly:
"Which one should we go to first? That brightest node has the strongest energy fluctuation, why don't we choose that one?"
She pointed to a whirlpool shining like a supernova in the distance.
Ju Ziyun smiled: "The brighter the target, the easier it is to hit."
Bai Ye's eyes flashed, instantly completing a scan of the seven Anomalous Nodes.
"This is artificial. That node was deliberately marked by some kind of power."
Chapter 186
"Hold on tight."
The four of them turned into a streak of light and plunged into the brightest temporal vortex.
During the crossing, countless memory fragments drifted past like snowflakes.
In one Universe, Thanos had an aged Hulk on a leash like a dog.
In another, Ultron stood atop a mountain of heroes' corpses.
In yet another, Earth was being strangled by gigantic metallic tentacles.
When they found their footing again, they stood on the glass pavement of Times Square, New York.
More precisely, on a fully transparent platform suspended a hundred meters in the air.
Countless anti-gravity craft shuttled past in perfect order.
Far off in the sky hovered a colossal metal Base, emblazoned with a prominent A insignia.
"This World... looks normal?"
Wanda glanced around in puzzlement, then her eyes widened as she pointed to the ground. "What are those?"
Down below, a group of super-powered prisoners in jumpsuits swept the streets, shackled by energy cuffs, while fully armored Iron Soldiers stood guard.
Susan's Force Field energy instantly scanned the floating Base above the clouds.
"Captain America and the others are imprisoned inside!"
Bai Ye nodded; he'd pinpointed the anomaly. "Found it—the source is in that Base."
He pressed a hand to Susan, who was about to rush off. "No rush. Get a full scan first."
As Bai Ye's super-senses stretched outward, the truth of this World became clear.
All rebels were jailed or remade, and the Planet's ruler was none other than Tony Stark.
Bai Ye grew intrigued; it resembled the World of the "God of Iron" comic, yet felt different.
In that story, Tony Stark sought to stop the villain Korvac.
Korvac planned to siphon the cosmic energy of Galactus' vessel, Taa II.
To halt him, Tony entered a vortex of their making together.
In the end, both became pseudo Cosmic Deities of immense power.
Though mighty, their minds still followed human logic.
That led to a string of plots both absurd and barely coherent.
Thinking of it, Bai Ye almost laughed: anyone wielding Galactus' power could rival a god, yet the Devourer himself was a pushover.
The punch line: after being jailed by cosmic deities, Korvac slew the Living Tribunal's and Eternity's avatars.
All that carnage just to kill Tony.
Yet when Korvac finally found him, Tony's speech talked him into despair, and he committed suicide.
Tony likewise gave up the cosmic power, and a happy ending followed.
Only a brain-dead plot like that could relegate Iron Man to B-list in the comics; no wonder the series never caught fire.
Without the films, Iron Man in Marvel comics would be a nobody.
That was roughly the tale of the comic "God of Iron."
The World before them seemed like a variant of that Universe.
After becoming the God of Iron, Tony Stark did not relinquish the cosmic energy.
Instead, he used it to rule the World and lock up the heroes who defied him.
Bai Ye guessed this Tony had learned something—
either he was a member of the Madman Group, or they'd told him everything, altering the timeline.
Yet speculation was pointless; better to ask the man himself.
With that, Bai Ye vanished from the spot with the three women.
Base of the God of Iron
The four appeared in the Central Judgment Hall of the Base.
Hundreds of enthralled heroes lined both sides; on the high throne, a figure slowly turned.
It was silver armor coursing with cosmic energy. The faceplate lifted to reveal Tony's face.
"Ah, new tourists."
The God of Iron lounged, chin in hand, dangerous light dancing in his eyes.
"Let me guess—champions of justice from some other Universe?"
The air of the hall thickened; a pressure beyond physics poured from the throne.
Wanda's Chaos Magic wove a defensive aura; Susan and Ju Ziyun snapped into combat stance.
Bai Ye merely took a calm step forward.
That casual step shook the entire Base.
The might of the God of Iron shattered like a mantis trying to stop a chariot.
"Hm? Cosmic energy laced with divine power?"
Bai Ye arched a brow, seeing through the nature of Tony's might.
"Didn't expect those folks to hand you such toys. No wonder you rule this Universe."
On the throne, Tony lost all levity and composure.
He rose at once, energy lines flaring across the silver armor.
"You can see the core of my power? Worthy opponent."
"An opponent? No, no—you've got it wrong. To me, Tony is just roadside trash."
At Bai Ye's dismissal Tony erupted in fury, snapping his hand up as the entire tribunal hall twisted and restructured itself.
In an instant everyone stood in the deep void of space, surrounded by countless Planets shackled in chains.
"Welcome to my domain."
Tony's voice echoed in the vacuum, his face confident as he declared,
"Here, I am the Creator God!"
"Seeing this, are you still confident…?" (King Nuo's)
Before Tony could finish his boast, he choked on his own words.
Bai Ye merely snapped his fingers and every illusion shattered like glass; the group was back in the tribunal hall.
Bai Ye nodded, offering a brief appraisal of Tony's power:
"Nice toy, but still fated to remain three-dimensional."
Tony's expression finally turned grave. He clenched empty fists, two spheres of energy capable of annihilating galaxies condensing as he roared,
"Just who are you?!"
"A passing deity—remember it well."
As the words fell, golden light blazed in Bai Ye's eyes and a higher-dimensional energy blanketed the entire hall.
Every hero under Tony Stark's control dropped to their knees.
At the same moment, the control energy inside them vanished beneath Bai Ye's loftier laws.
Just as Bai Ye's power undid the heroes' control…
Tony's Iron God Armor began blaring alarms of overload.
In horror he realized the cosmic energy he prided himself on was being utterly suppressed by a far more terrifying might!
"Impossible! I've already become a Cosmic Deity—no one can surpass me!"
Tony howled, releasing all his power in a reality-reforming beam aimed straight at Bai Ye.
Bai Ye simply lifted his left hand; the destructive energy froze an inch from his palm.
Then it rewound like a reversed video, smashing Tony's own armor to pieces.
The heroes who had just broken free gasped and turned toward Bai Ye.
"This… is a true god," Steve Rogers murmured.
When a scorched Tony crawled from the rubble, Bai Ye stood before him, golden runes beyond this Universe's comprehension swirling in his eyes.
"Know where you and a real deity differ?"
Bai Ye's voice carried an otherworldly echo as he spoke calmly,
"A true god never needs fear to rule."
With a light tap of his fingertip to Tony's forehead, the twisted energy patterns receded like a tide.
The madness in Tony's eyes faded, replaced by bottomless fear and dawning realization.
"What… have I done?"
Tony stared at his trembling hands, memories once obscured by power flooding back.
Seeing Tony's state, Bai Ye was certain the Madman Group had tampered with him.
Pity those fools had only added a streak of godly force; nothing else remained.
No matter—they'd cross paths eventually, and he'd toy with them then.
Meanwhile, Wanda had freed every imprisoned hero.
Steve Rogers helped a weakened Thor over, his complex gaze settling on the disgraced Tony.
"This World must be rebuilt by your own hands."
Bai Ye turned toward the forming Space-Time Gate, speaking over his shoulder,
"Remember: never be ruled by power—power is your servant."
As their four silhouettes vanished into golden light, the newly awakened heroes looked at one another.
Black Widow flexed her restored strength and whispered, "Who… was that?"
Tony, slumped on the ground, gazed skyward as tears cut channels through his soot-blackened face.
"A being we should never have tried to become."
In the higher-dimensional Watcher Realm, a silent figure observing everything added a fresh page to the record.
The four stood once more amid the kaleidoscopic torrent of space-time, Wanda pursing her lips in boredom.
"That's it? We didn't even warm up."
Susan chuckled softly at the remark, her gaze on the temporal maelstrom.
"That Tony really was strong—he wasn't wrong to call himself a Cosmic Deity, and no ordinary one at that."
"The three of us would've struggled; if we'd fought, that Universe would've been devastated."
Ju Ziyun shrugged, offering an equally calm analysis.
"His energy structure is bizarre—like someone forcibly stitched it together."
Bai Ye watched the three women dissect the situation and gave a slight nod of approval.
Chapter 187
But he didn't say anything; speaking of such matters would only increase trouble.
Bai Ye looked at the remaining Abnormal Nodes, a hint of amusement flashing in his eyes.
"I hope the next opponent can make me take things a little more seriously."
As his voice fell, the four were once again enveloped in golden energy, rushing toward the next shining Space-Time Vortex.
When they passed through the Space-Time Barrier, they were met with a foul, fishy stench and piercing shrieks.
The sky was a sickly purplish-black, and countless monsters with bat wings flitted among the clouds.
In the distance, within the ruins of New York, a group of survivors was being chased by tentacled black creatures.
"What the hell is this place?"
Susan's blue pupils instantly constricted, and Force Field energy swept across the entire continent.
"The entire U.S., no, the whole globe has become like this!"
Wanda's Chaos Magic energy automatically formed a Defensive Barrier, allowing her to see through the origins of these creatures instantly.
"These monsters are all creations of the Dark Dimension!"
Ju Ziyun looked at all this and asked curiously, "What are these?"
"They are related to Dormammu, the Dark Lord," Wanda explained.
Seeing this, Bai Ye raised an eyebrow and stated directly, "Something is wrong. Where is the Sorcerer Supreme of this Universe?"
As his voice fell, his senses instantly covered the entire Universe.
After figuring out the situation, Bai Ye said, "Let's go to Kamar-Taj!"
A golden light flashed, and the four appeared directly in the ruins of Kamar-Taj in the Himalayan Mountains.
The once solemn halls were now nothing but broken walls and ruins. The remaining sorcerers were gathered in an Underground Chamber, engaged in a heated debate.
"We must activate the Forbidden Ritual!" a young sorcerer exclaimed, slamming his hand on the table.
"That will only make us die faster!" another female sorcerer retorted.
Wang, sitting in the primary seat, rubbed his temples wearily. Suddenly sensing something, he snapped his head up.
"Someone broke through the Barrier!"
Before anyone could react, a bright golden light suddenly burst forth in the center of the chamber.
When the light dispersed, Bai Ye and the three women were standing there.
"Enemy attack!"
The sorcerers instantly formed a formation, and various kinds of magic interwove in the air.
Wang immediately deployed the Mirror Dimension, dragging the entire chamber into the Folded Dimension.
However, in the next second, Bai Ye merely waved his hand gently, and the Mirror Dimension shattered like a bubble.
"Calm down, we are not enemies." Bai Ye's voice carried a calming power.
Wang stared in shock at his failed magic, then scrutinized the four people, saying with surprise and doubt, "You... are not from this Universe."
"Isn't that obvious?" Bai Ye shrugged.
Glancing around, Bai Ye continued to ask, "Can you tell me what happened in this Universe before now?"
Wang opened his mouth, then sighed.
Seeing this, Bai Ye and the others were not in a hurry, allowing the sorcerers to calm down and collect themselves.
Everyone sat at the makeshift Conference Table. Wang poured the last of the tea for Bai Ye and the three women, showing his respect.
Amidst the rising steam from the teacups, Wang recounted the events that had transpired in this Universe in a hoarse, heavy voice.
"Five years ago, Ancient One Master fell in battle with Kaecilius, and Strange took over as Sorcerer Supreme."
As he said this, Wang's hand gripping the teacup trembled slightly, clearly showing a hint of sadness over the Ancient One's Death.
"Six months ago, Strange suddenly disappeared. When he returned, his entire personality had changed."
"He said that Christine, who should have died, had been resurrected, but then died again in another dimension."
Wang's eyes dimmed: "Then, in front of us, he used magic to pierce his own heart."
Hearing this, the entire Conference Room fell into dead silence.
Susan widened her eyes in disbelief and exclaimed, "A Sorcerer Supreme... committed suicide?"
"The most terrifying thing happened after his Death—."
A seemingly older sorcerer chimed in from the side, continuing:
"The dark energy that burst from his corpse directly tore apart the Barrier protecting the Sanctum Sanctorum, and the Time Stone vanished without a trace."
Wanda keenly seized the key point: "So Dormammu's Invasion started then?"
Bai Ye suddenly stood up and looked at everyone: "No, Strange's Death was only the fuse."
He turned to Wang and instructed, "Take me to see Strange's Remains."
Wang gave a wry smile and shook his head: "There are no Remains; he dissipated into black smoke after Death, but we preserved his Magical Artifact."
In the deepest Underground Room of Kamar-Taj, Strange's Cloak of Levitation floated inside a heavily sealed Glass Cabinet.
It had now turned completely pitch black, and viscous Dark Matter continuously seeped from its surface.
"It's this!"
Just approaching the Glass Cabinet, Wanda's Chaos Magic energy suddenly went wild: "I sense the aura of darkness!"
Bai Ye's eyes pierced through this Dark Version of the Cloak, seeing the deeper truth.
"It's Dormammu, that powerful thing."
After observing the residual power on it, Bai Ye turned to the crowd and explained:
"Strange didn't commit suicide; he was possessed by some power and then sacrificed."
Wang's face was pale: "What now?"
"The good news is, the Time Stone is still in this Universe."
Bai Ye paused, then added: "The bad news is, it has been corrupted and is continuously converting the Reality Dimension into the Dark Dimension."
A sorcerer clenched his fist: "Then let's hurry up and find it!"
Bai Ye showed a pensive expression: "Wait, if the Strange of this Universe was possessed, then..."
Thinking this, Bai Ye waved his hand, and a golden energy wrapped around the black Cloak.
The moment Bai Ye's power touched the black Cloak, a sudden change occurred.
The Cloak trembled violently, and a Phantom Figure gradually took shape—it was Strange from this Universe!
"Who are you? Never mind."
The Strange Phantom looked at Bai Ye and the others with some confusion, then spoke with difficulty:
"The thing impersonating Christine is in the Dark Dimension, it..."
Before he finished speaking, the entire Underground Room suddenly shook violently.
The energy bursting from the black Cloak directly tore off the roof, revealing the purplish-black sky.
At that moment, a massive eye was slowly opening in the sky!
Dormammu's roar echoed through the clouds: "Sorcerers of Kamar-Taj! I've finally found you!"
Seeing this, Bai Ye immediately laughed: "Looks like he came out himself."
He turned and reminded the three women, "Are you ready to meet this Universe's Christine?"
The three women nodded. Bai Ye, enveloped in shimmering golden light, wrapped the four of them and teleported instantly.
Bai Ye and the three women instantly appeared above the ruins of New York, with collapsed architectural debris beneath their feet.
Above them was Dormammu's monstrous, Glowing Green Giant Eye, which took up half the sky.
Dark Dimension energy surged quickly, but automatically dissipated upon touching the area around the four people.
"Humans!" Dormammu's voice sounded like millions of overlapping echoes.
"This is none of your business!"
Susan's Golden Battle Suit began absorbing the surrounding energy, and she complained, "This guy talks too much."
Wanda's Chaos Magic had condensed into countless Scarlet Chains: "Do we capture him alive or destroy him directly?"
Ju Ziyun said nothing, but her eyes were already glowing with golden light.
Bai Ye stood with his hands behind his back, his Magical Cloak fluttering in the dimensional storm. He waved his hand: "This is a chance to practice. I'm leaving it to you."
Hearing this, Wanda made the first move.
She formed Ancient Seals with her hands, and Chaos Magic directly affected reality.
Wanda sharply twisted her wrist, and Dormammu's eyelid in the sky was forcibly torn open by an invisible force, creating a slit.
Countless dark energies gushed out like blood...
Seeing this, Bai Ye waved his hand to prevent Earth from being further polluted, and all the flowing dark energy was completely annihilated.
Roar!
Dormammu roared, and countless Dark Creatures swarmed out of his eye socket.
But in the next second, a golden light instantly pierced through the horde of monsters.
Susan hovered above the clouds, accumulating massive Force Field energy in her hands.
"You old geezer, haven't you watched Movies and TV Works? Darkness must be expelled by light!"
As her voice fell, two brilliant Golden Beams of Light erupted from Susan's hands, reducing the Dark Creatures to ashes wherever they passed.
The beams accurately hit Dormammu's pupil, scorching a massive hole.
"Aaaah! Despicable Material Life Forms!"
Dormammu's roar triggered a global earthquake.
The scorched eyeball tissue began to regenerate, but the regeneration speed was noticeably slowed.
Just as Dormammu's attention was drawn away, Ju Ziyun's figure suddenly appeared directly above the eyeball.
A massive Energy Greatsword was gathering in her hand.
The greatsword descended vertically with immense power, splitting Dormammu's eyeball directly in half.
The Monarch of the Dark Dimension let out an unprecedented scream.
The split eyeball turned into two rolling masses of Black Mist attempting to reform.
But this time, the regeneration process clearly stalled. The Dark Dimension was too far away, and his power could not be fully exerted.
Just as Wanda and the others were fighting happily, Bai Ye suddenly teleported in front of the three women and warned, "Watch out, his True Form is coming."
As Bai Ye's voice fell, the Black Mist in the sky churned violently, gradually condensing into a crowned Dark Skeleton.
This was Dormammu's True Form in the Dark Dimension!
"Foolish Mortals!"
Dormammu's Fiery Body was immense, and dark energy dripped down with every word he spoke.
"You fundamentally do not understand what you are fighting against! The Monarch of the Dark Dimension is not someone you can oppose!"
Chapter 188
Wanda cut him off abruptly: "Shut up."
She clapped her hands sharply, and a gigantic scarlet array blossomed beneath Dormammu.
"Chaos Annihilation!"
Countless chains shot from the array, coiling around the "520" Dormammu and dragging him toward the black hole at its center.
At the same moment, Susan's hands blazed gold again, while Ju Ziyun split into a hundred energy clones that attacked from every angle.
Dormammu's flaming body began to crumble, yet he laughed wildly and sneered:
"So what if you kill me? I'll just resurrect! You can never truly slay me!"
Bai Ye raised a hand; a beam of gold pierced Dormammu's brow. "You talk too much."
The dark monarch froze, his flames fading.
Before vanishing, his voice rang unnaturally clear: "You have no idea what you're fighting against!"
With Dormammu's fall, the rift to the Dark Dimension in the sky slowly sealed.
Sunlight, absent for so long, once more bathed the ravaged land.
Wanda relaxed her stance and looked at Bai Ye, puzzled. "What did he mean at the end?"
Susan mused, "Was he saying someone's pulling the strings—that that person is the real cause of all this?"
Ju Ziyun glanced skyward. "Should we go to the end of time and check?"
Bai Ye gazed at the self-healing heavens and said flatly:
"There's nothing at time's end. Let's fix this Universe first."
"Wong and the others should have sensed Dormammu's demise."
Sure enough, several Portal sparks flared nearby.
Wong hurried over with the surviving sorcerers, every face etched with disbelief.
"Dormammu is truly destroyed?" an elderly mage asked, voice trembling.
Bai Ye didn't answer directly; instead he sketched a complex golden sigil in the air.
The sigil rose and burst into countless motes that rained across the globe.
Wherever the light fell, Dark Dimension taint vanished, and people slain by monsters even rose from the rubble.
"Time reversal?!"
Wong stared, stunned:
"How is that possible? The Time Stone should be corrupted."
"It isn't the Time Stone."
Bai Ye lowered his arm and gave a brief explanation:
"I simply reset local reality to the state just before the Dark Dimension invaded."
He glanced at the three women, hinting subtly.
"As for fully repairing this Universe's timeline…"
Wanda caught the cue and nodded. "You'll have to handle it yourselves."
The golden glow around Susan faded. "We're leaving?"
Ju Ziyun stepped silently to Bai Ye's side, her stance clear.
Wong hesitated, then bowed deeply in heartfelt gratitude:
"No matter which Universe you hail from, you are the saviors of this World."
Bai Ye inclined his head and opened a golden Portal toward the end of time.
As the four vanished into the light, the last rift of the Dark Dimension sealed shut.
They stood amid the kaleidoscopic Spacetime Turbulence; Susan planted her hands on her hips, golden curls whipping in the energy winds.
"Which node this time? None of them look good."
Wanda pointed at the first two cosmic lights:
"The key figures in those two Worlds have both been twisted."
She suddenly aimed at a vortex radiating warm gold. "But this one's energy feels special."
Ju Ziyun narrowed her eyes. "Suspiciously calm."
Interest flickered in Bai Ye's gaze. "Interesting—let's take that one."
He wrapped them in a golden Force Field and dived into the light.
When sight returned, they stood in a futuristic city square… azure sky overhead, eco-domes floating, aliens and humans mingling in harmony.
"Is that a statue of Thanos?" Susan's eyes widened.
At the square's center rose a hundred-meter statue of Thanos: the purple titan smiled benevolently, one hand holding a book, the other raised in blessing.
The plinth read: "Grateful to our mentor for bestowing wisdom."
"Welcome to New Titan." A gentle voice sounded behind them.
They turned to see a purple giant in plain robes smiling.
It was none other than Thanos himself!
Yet he wore no helm, no armor, and no madness lit his eyes.
Wanda's Chaos Magic surged instinctively. "Some kind of illusion?"
Thanos—this World's Thanos—said softly,
"Not an illusion, dear friends. Care for tea? I happen to have a lecture nearby at the academy."
Though unsure what this Thanos was scheming, the powerful group feared nothing.
Thus Bai Ye and the others followed Thanos to his Private Garden.
Stepping into the Private Garden, Bai Ye curiously surveyed the simple dwelling.
What hung on the walls were not trophies, but Peace Medals awarded by various civilizations.
"I know you come from other Universes."
Thanos poured tea for them with the grace of a seasoned host.
"In most timelines, I'm a madman, aren't I?"
Susan eyed him warily. "You haven't collected the Infinity Stones?"
"Oh, I have."
Thanos took a box from a drawer; inside, five stones were neatly arranged—the Soul Stone was missing.
"But here they're merely research subjects—look."
He pressed a projector on the table, displaying an Interstellar Academy.
"I used the Space Stone to build a Cross-Dimensional Portal Network, the Reality Stone to transform Impoverished Planets, the Time Stone to cure terminal illnesses."
Bai Ye suddenly asked, "Why is the Soul Stone missing?"
For the first time, Thanos's expression wavered; he said with absolute seriousness,
"Because true balance needs no sacrifice."
"If you've ever lost someone you loved, you know that pain is meaningless."
Facing this impossibly peaceful Thanos, the group struggled to accept it.
Hearing his words, Wanda's Chaos Magic unconsciously calmed.
She also sensed a strange energy emanating from this Thanos.
Bai Ye suddenly said, "You're not the native Thanos of this Universe, are you?"
At his words, the garden fell into silence.
After a pause, Thanos slowly set down his teacup and sighed, "I can't hide it from you after all."
"I come from the Edge Of The Universe, having witnessed every possibility. After the Thousand-And-First failure, I chose another path."
He opened his palm; a miniature Universe appeared above it.
"Not through slaughter, but through wisdom to achieve true balance."
"War only brings pain; real balance must rest on peace."
Susan and Wanda exchanged a knowing glance.
Wanda stepped forward. "But don't you still believe overpopulation will upset cosmic balance?"
Thanos smiled and shook his head. "That's the me of other Universes. In my long life I've seen too much meaningless killing."
A trace of weariness flashed in his eyes, as if recalling something.
"I've tried Death countless times, yet always return. In the end, I chose another way."
Bai Ye listened quietly, then set down his teacup.
If this Thanos were truly like this, there would be no problem.
But unfortunately, the illusion couldn't fool Bai Ye's perception.
"Well said—but you won't get to continue."
Before Thanos could react, Bai Ye struck with a palm.
The purple giant's body shot through the wall like a cannonball, and the entire structure collapsed.
Amid clouds of dust, Thanos staggered to his feet, cracks appearing across his purple skin.
"Why?"
He wiped blood from his mouth, bewildered. "Our ideals are the same."
Bai Ye levitated, golden light blazing in his eyes. "Your lie is too crude."
He pointed skyward, exposing Thanos's disguise.
"The Primal Essence Of The Universe is swimming at this cosmos's center—did you think I wouldn't feel it?"
Thanos's expression froze; the gentle mask peeled away.
His plain robe turned to ash, revealing armor embedded with five glowing stones.
"You're formidable..." Thanos's voice dropped. "But here, I am god!"
Without another word, Bai Ye gathered destructive force in his right fist.
Thanos raised his arms to block; at the impact, Earth and his body shattered like glass.
Among the drifting planetary shards, Wanda and the others floated in space.
Susan watched, curious. "Is he... dead?"
"Not that simple." Bai Ye stared into the void, seeing the truth. "Death is protecting him."
As he said, Thanos's form began reassembling on the Quantum Level.
When fully restored, his eyes were filled with shock. "Who are you? The Multiverse has no record of you!"
Bai Ye answered with an even heavier punch.
Thanos was annihilated again, reborn again—each resurrection left him weaker.
Just as Bai Ye prepared to end him, space tore open with a pitch-black rift.
Chapter 189
A large hand made of black energy reached out and grabbed the weakened Thanos.
"Death?"
Bai Ye immediately recognized her, striking the giant hand with his fist.
Two forces beyond the Universe collided, and the entire Universe instantly disintegrated into elementary particles.
In this energy storm that annihilated the Universe, Bai Ye activated his Bio-Force Field to protect Wanda and the other two.
"What kind of being is this?" Wanda asked, her eyes filled with surprise.
Cracks began to appear on the surface of the giant hand, but a second giant hand emerged from the cracks, taking the opportunity to drag Thanos into the black hole.
Bai Ye waved his hand, restoring the Universe that had just been shattered, then transformed into a golden light and chased into it without hesitation.
Only a voice echoed in Wanda's mind.
"Wait for me right here, I'll be back soon!"
The moment the black hole closed, the newly restored Universe suddenly paused for a second.
The floating meteorite fragments, the fleeing energy, and even the astonished expressions of Wandaand the other two, all froze into a bizarre tableau.
In a certain unspeakable dimension, Thanos was thrown before a throne piled high with skulls.
The Shadow on the throne chuckled lightly and said to Thanos:
"Now, let's have a good talk about that variable named Bai Ye."
As Thanos opened his mouth, a golden light suddenly tore through the void.
Bai Ye's figure arrived, shattering the dimensional barrier, his magic cloak flapping in the aura of Death.
"Goddess of Death."
Bai Ye calmly looked at the God of Death on the throne.
"I didn't expect you would provide refuge for such a fellow."
The Shadow on the throne slowly stood up, transforming into a seductive and beautiful woman.
She wore a veil woven from lost souls, and with every step, Universes appeared and vanished beneath her feet.
"In the long Eternity, there's always a need for interesting toys."
She floated around Bai Ye, her fingertip tracing his shoulder.
"You can't kill me, dear, this is just a silhouette in infinite Death!"
"Is that so?"
Bai Ye suddenly grabbed her wrist, and the Goddess of Death was astonished to find that her abstract form had been fixed by Bai Ye.
"I don't need to kill you."
Scarlet light flared in Bai Ye's eyes, and he said coldly, "I just need to make you remember pain."
Heat Vision capable of tearing apart Universes pierced the Goddess of Death's chest, and the entire Underworld instantly boiled.
Countless tormented souls shrieked, and the sky of Death cracked open.
Thanos was thrown by the energy aftermath, crashing into a pile of skulls as vast as a Universe.
"How dare you!"
The Goddess of Death's face twisted and deformed, black mist gushing from her wound.
She abruptly spread her arms, and the entire Death dimension began to collapse.
"Then let's all fall into Death together!"
Bai Ye remained expressionless, and an increasingly bright golden light emanated from his body.
He waved his right hand, and the energy of the collapsing dimension instantly dissipated.
"Had enough fun?"
Bai Ye suddenly appeared behind the Goddess of Death, whispering to her.
"Now it's my turn."
Golden energy erupted from Bai Ye's palm, directly invading the essence of Death.
The Goddess let out an inhuman shriek as the energy burned her connection to the Omniverse.
Thanos struggled to his feet, witnessing a scene he would never forget.
The embodiment of Eternal Death was struggling in agony in the hands of someone he had never seen before.
"Stop!"
Thanos frantically channeled the energy in his body, pleading incessantly like a fawning dog:
"I'll go back to that Universe with you! Don't hurt her!"
Bai Ye turned his head, the coldness in his eyes making Thanos feel as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
"Begging for mercy now? Too late."
He clenched his hand tightly, and the Goddess of Death's form instantly shattered.
But before completely dissipating, her lips moved, leaving a single sentence.
"You can't kill me, dear."
As the avatar of Death dissipated, the entire Underworld officially began to collapse.
Bai Ye grabbed Thanos by the neck and glanced at the disintegrating World of Death.
"Your backer is nothing more than this."
Thanos's face was ashen due to the disappearance of the Goddess of Death.
"You have no idea what kind of being you've provoked!"
A golden flash, and the two returned to Thanos's previous Universe.
Wanda and the other two, who had been paused, immediately gathered around, only to see Bai Yethrow the dying Thanos into the void.
"Infinity Stones energy isn't meant to be used this way."
Bai Ye held out one hand, and the energy within Thanos's body was forcibly extracted, condensing into a fragmented star.
"Watch closely."
With that, Bai Ye threw the star extracted from Thanos's body towards the still-unrepaired Earth.
Then, a miraculous thing happened: Planet fragments flowed backward, mountains and rivers were reshaped, and even lost lives reopened their eyes.
Thanos knelt on the newly formed grass, trembling as he touched a newborn wildflower.
"Is this the power of rules~?"
Bai Ye didn't answer, but looked towards the healing sky crack.
Before the crack completely closed, everyone saw a female silhouette.
"The Goddess of Death? It seems she's just a pawn being used." Bai Ye murmured softly.
After watching for a while, Bai Ye no longer paid attention. He came before Thanos, looking down at the tyrant who had once struck fear into countless Universes.
Thanos knelt on the ground, countless cracks appearing on his purple skin as the power of Deathcollapsed within him.
"You've lived long enough."
Bai Ye's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable sense of judgment.
He raised his hand and pressed it on Thanos's head, golden energy appearing in his palm.
Expel external force!
The rule power of the Twelve Talismans had grown stronger with his increasing strength.
As long as the target of the spell didn't completely overpower him, it could be used.
Golden light flowed down like Water, seeping into every inch of Thanos's flesh and blood.
"This is...?"
Thanos's eyes widened, feeling a certain restraint being forcibly stripped from within him.
"The curse Death left on you."
Bai Ye looked at Thanos before him, revealing the truth.
"She made you immortal, yet condemned you to live in eternal pain."
Thanos's body trembled violently, his purple skin gradually fading, becoming pale and translucent.
He looked down at his hands, cracks spreading, tiny golden specks of light escaping from within his body.
"So this is what Death feels like."
Thanos murmured to himself, a hint of relief appearing in his eyes.
He slowly raised his head, looked at Bai Ye, and a relieved smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.
"Thank you for finally letting me rest."
As his words fell, Thanos's body scattered like fine sand, turning into dust in the golden light, and finally completely vanishing into the Universe.
Wanda, Susan, and Ju Ziyun stood behind Bai Ye, silently watching this scene.
"It's over just like that?" Susan asked, somewhat incredulously.
"No!"
Bai Ye looked up at the void, golden light swirling in his eyes.
"Thanos and those previous beings were just pawns; the true mastermind is still controlling all of this."
Wanda frowned: "The Goddess of Death, or someone even more powerful?"
Bai Ye ambiguously said, "Who would be feared even by Death?"
"Is it the Living Tribunal you mentioned before?" Susan continued to ask.
Ju Ziyun, still unaware of Marvel's top-tier beings, asked curiously, "Living Tribunal? Who is that?"
Bai Ye didn't answer directly, but raised his hand to tear open a Spacetime rift.
The other end of the rift was precisely at the Spacetime Turbulence.
"Who knows? Perhaps someone even more powerful."
The four stepped into the Portal.
In the Spacetime Turbulence, colorful energy vortices shifted like a kaleidoscope.
The four floated in the shattered dimensional gaps, surrounded by countless memory fragments.
"Which one next?"
Susan's eyes scanned the shimmering nodes, then suddenly pointed to a vortex emitting a warm golden light.
It was an anomalous node that looked very similar to the anomalous Universe where Thanos had been before.
"That one looks pretty special."
Wanda sensed it with her Chaos Magic: "This point in time seems to have no changes."
Ju Ziyun narrowed her eyes, immediately feeling something was off: "No changes?"
Bai Ye withdrew his perception, a hint of interest flashing in his eyes: "Interesting, let's go to this one."
A golden Force Field instantly enveloped the four, rushing into that vortex.
As the golden light dissipated, the four stood before a magnificent palace.
The Bifrost Bridge shimmered beneath their feet, and cheerful music and bustling sounds came from afar.
Wanda blinked: "This is, Asgard?" (Hao Nuo Hao)