As Mordo and Strange pondered the recent events, they saw a familiar figure approaching.
It was none other than the Ancient One.
Both sorcerers were curious about why she was there.
"Greetings, Ancient One!"
They spoke in unison, bowing respectfully.
The Ancient One nodded at the two powerful sorcerers of Kamar-Taj.
"It seems you both felt the disruption in sensing cosmic energy."
The Ancient One began.
She had sensed the anomaly earlier, almost causing her magic to malfunction. She had come to investigate if it was related to Wang Yan.
"Yes, we couldn't sense cosmic energy."
Mordo confirmed, aware that the entire Kamar-Taj had experienced this.
"Ancient One, this happened because Master Wang Yan cast a spell that accidentally affected Kamar-Taj. It has been resolved now."
Strange quickly explained.
"So it was Wang Yan. I had a feeling it was him."
The Ancient One chuckled.
"Where is he now?"
She inquired.
"Master Wang Yan is in his room. We don't know what he's doing."
Mordo replied respectfully.
"Very well, carry on with your tasks. I'll speak with him."
The Ancient One nodded and headed towards Wang Yan's room.
"Yes, Ancient One."
Mordo acknowledged.
Mordo and Strange watched as the Ancient One walked away.
"Master Mordo, could it be that even the Ancient One was affected?"
Strange wondered aloud.
Mordo also observed the Ancient One's retreating figure.
To them, the Ancient One was the most powerful and mysterious sorcerer in Kamar-Taj. The recent magical disruption was substantial, but they believed the Ancient One wouldn't be affected. Yet, she seemed somewhat disheveled.
Though the Ancient One often ventured into dimensional spaces to gain insights, they still believed her magical prowess was unrivaled.
"Could Master Wang Yan's magic have surpassed the Ancient One's?"
Strange speculated.
"Nonsense. The Ancient One has lived for countless years, and Wang Yan has only been at Kamar-Taj for a few years. There's no comparison."
Mordo dismissed the idea but couldn't shake a nagging doubt.
They returned to the courtyard to continue training the apprentices and novice sorcerers.
Meanwhile, the Ancient One reached Wang Yan's door.
Wang Yan, seeing Mordo and Strange leave, was about to close the door when he saw the Ancient One approaching.
"Ancient One, what brings you here?"
Wang Yan gestured for her to enter.
The Ancient One stepped into Wang Yan's room.
Wang Yan noticed some scorched marks on her robes, which was unusual for her.
"Ancient One, what happened to you?"
Wang Yan asked, curious.
It was rare to see the Ancient One in such a state.
The Ancient One glared at Wang Yan and said, "It's because of you!"
"Me?"
Wang Yan was puzzled.
"Did you disrupt the cosmic energy flow in Kamar-Taj?"
The Ancient One frowned.
"You mean..."
Wang Yan smiled wryly, realizing the extent of his spell's impact.
"When I returned from a dimensional space, the portal malfunctioned, almost trapping me."
The Ancient One glared at him again. Telling anyone about this would be embarrassing. As the Ancient One, she had never been so chaotic by a portal.
Wang Yan felt helpless. He hadn't anticipated the spell's extensive reach.
"Enough about that. Were you casting Chthon's magic?"
The Ancient One asked.
Though she had never met Chthon, she knew of his immense power, far beyond ordinary sorcerers.
"Ancient One, how do you know? Have you seen Chthon's magic before?"
Given her long life, she had likely encountered Chthon's magic.
But why was she bringing this up now?
"I saw someone use Chthon's magic decades ago, learned from the Darkhold."
"You seem concerned. Is there something wrong?"
Wang Yan noticed her expression suggested more than just the power of the magic.
"Yes, after seeing Chthon's magic, I researched extensively and found a hidden secret."
"The Darkhold is Chthon's bait."
The Ancient One explained.
"What do you mean?"
Wang Yan felt uneasy.
"Those who practice its magic become connected to Chthon."
The Ancient One continued, "Giving him a chance to break his seal."
"Is the Darkhold in your possession?"
She asked.
She had only returned to rest briefly before continuing her dimensional travels, but the recent event made her think of this.
"Chthon was sealed by Gaia. How could he break free just from a magic book?"
Wang Yan was surprised.
He had just obtained the Darkhold and now learned this troubling news.
"I'm not sure, but be vigilant."
The Ancient One warned.
"I understand."
Wang Yan nodded thoughtfully.
Even a lion uses its full strength to hunt a rabbit. He needed to be cautious when dealing with an ancient deity.
"But don't be overly concerned. Chthon is still sealed by Gaia and unlikely to break free soon."
"However, I advise you to seal the Darkhold. It's not a good thing to keep."
The Ancient One said sternly.
She preferred to seal away such powerful artifacts to prevent potential disasters.
"The Darkhold is here. I'll leave it to you."
Wang Yan, though intrigued by the book's knowledge, prioritized Earth's safety.
The Ancient One shook her head, "No, you handle it. I trust you."
"Alright."
Seeing her trust, Wang Yan nodded.
"Also, check the library for more information on the Darkhold."
The Ancient One suggested before leaving.
Watching her leave, Wang Yan looked at the Darkhold.
He wouldn't take any chances. Setting a seal on the book, he headed to the library.
"Master Wang Yan, you must have found the Darkhold."
Wong greeted him.
"Yes, Master Wong. Can you help me find information on it?"
Wang Yan had seen some texts on the Darkhold but never the details the Ancient One mentioned.
Wong nodded; though curious, he didn't refuse.
Together, they searched the library.
Soon, they gathered a stack of books.
These books discussed various magics, inevitably mentioning dark and white magic, including the Book of Vishanti and the Darkhold.
However, such texts rarely delve into secrets.
Wang Yan read through them.
"What are you looking for?"
Wong asked curiously.
"Today, the Ancient One mentioned some hidden truths about the Darkhold. I want to find out more."
Wang Yan didn't hide his intentions.
"Ah, for secrets about the Darkhold, this one."
Wong quickly found a relevant book and handed it to Wang Yan.
Wang Yan examined it.
Wong explained, "Though some parts might be exaggerated, it's documented by a renowned sorcerer, so it could be true."
"Given Chthon's sealing, it's likely he left contingencies, with the Darkhold as a potential link..."