We agreed to seek enlightenment together, but how did you end up seeking enlightenment for my mother

Xu Zhou cursed inwardly, gripped the bottom of the railing with both arms, and used his waist and abdomen to swing his body forward like a pendulum.

The cage tilted under the force, the transmitter scraped against the ground with a series of soft sounds, and finally came to a steady stop, then slowly slid back towards Xu Zhou.

Inside was a man wearing a wide crimson robe, his head as bald as the priest on the platform. Xu Zhou's swing came so suddenly that the bald man lost his balance and crashed headfirst into the railing beside him.

"Hey, what are you doing!"

The man winced in pain and glared at him fiercely.

Xu Zhou first stretched out his arm to retrieve the transmitter, then turned his head to look into the cage, forcing out a simple and honest smile.

"Hey bro, how long do you think your little place can last?"

Upon hearing this, the bald man raised an eyebrow, then threw his head back and burst into laughter.

He didn't say much, but took out a remote control-like prop from his pocket and waved it triumphantly in front of Xu Zhou.

"Are you dumbfounded? We have a secret little switch here; just press it lightly and you'll be sent back!"

The man looked smug, seemingly enjoying the superior position he was in.

"How could that be? Try pressing it yourself!" Xu Zhou shook his head, his first thought being disbelief. "I'm not trying to hitch a ride with you, I just don't think it's that simple."

The man's lips twitched, and his heart skipped a beat for no apparent reason, but remembering the priest's earlier assurances to them, he forced himself to calm down.

However, the lingering unease in his mind made him swallow hard.

"Heh heh, you stinking outsider, just you wait and see!"

After saying that, the man pressed down hard.

Click.

The sound of a mechanical switch was emitted.

one second.

two seconds.

three seconds...

The man was stunned for a moment, and then his expression showed obvious panic.

"Why isn't it responding?!"

"Could it be a bad signal?" Xu Zhou sneered, making a sarcastic remark.

"Yes, yes, that must be it!"

The man nodded hurriedly, but cold sweat was already beading on his forehead. Clinging to unrealistic fantasies, he began frantically pressing the buttons.

Da da da da.

Nothing happened.

Xu Zhou couldn't hold back any longer and burst out laughing while holding onto the railing.

The man finally realized what had happened to him, his face flushed red, and he gritted his teeth, shrugged, and threw the remote control away.

"Hey! Give me something properly!!"

"Haha, are you stupid? Zoroastrianism isn't exactly a benevolent place. I knew they'd do this after they've served their purpose."

Xu Zhou, hanging outside the cage, witnessed the man's transformation from contempt to panic, then from panic to anger, and finally to utter despair.

He wasn't the only one who was devastated. The other Zoroastrians in the surrounding cages, who had been assigned to make up the numbers, also discovered that the remote control was malfunctioning. They clung to the bars and angrily cursed at the man in the splendid robes on the stage.

"Father Chifeng! You liar! You deserve to die!!"

"Damn you, Chifeng! Traitor! Scoundrel! Anti-religious element!"

"What good will it do you to kill us?! Chifeng, you're just a parasite!"

There were a few fanatical believers who shouted that they wanted to dedicate everything to the god of fire, but they were met with insults from the others.

However, these cries were of no use; the people in the stands watched coldly, ignoring the cries for help from their companions in the cages.

Xu Zhou seized the opportunity to climb to the top of the cage using both hands and feet, and grabbed the chain that suspended the iron cage. He wanted to continue climbing up the chain, but as soon as his palm touched it, he felt a stinging pain.

"This is... electricity?!"

He looked up and estimated the length of the chain; it was at least ten meters from the top of the frame. Not to mention that there was no way to move around after climbing up, the fact that the electricity became more terrifying the closer he got to the top was enough to make him give up the idea.

Left with no other choice, Xu Zhou could only hang the black robe on the hook at the very bottom of the chain, while tightly gripping the robe himself. This way, even if the cage fell, he could hold on to the chain for a little longer.

They really racked their brains to survive.

Xu Zhou didn't know why Ya Qingyan believed him, but he did have a little confidence in himself, simply because he had a little secret he kept to himself.

When he transmigrated, he discovered a strange message deep within his consciousness.

[Character: Xu Zhou]

[Level: None]

Specialties: Special Forces 5, Support 5

[Rationality: 91/100]

[Method: None]

[Talent: Clarity of Mind and Rejuvenation]

Effect: When self-awareness is normal, one can actively restore rationality to its maximum level.

[Talent: Rotten Wood Blossoms]

Effect: Refines rare or relic items, converting them into personal resources. (Reserve Value: Low)

[Supernatural Power: True Source Implosion]

Effect: Energy-based supernatural power. It gathers one's innate true essence to release extraordinary energy.

A few hours ago, when Xu Zhou saw this information, his first reaction was to ask Ya Qingyan for information.

Fortunately, the human-machine mother did not hide any information about the superhuman, nor did she question him about why he suddenly sought these things.

Through the other party, Xu Zhou learned that talent and supernatural abilities are capabilities possessed only by extraordinary level experts, and the prerequisite for becoming extraordinary is to have a path.

As for special skills, they represent different people's aptitudes, and there seem to be a total of eight, including special forces and auxiliary personnel.

If this is considered a cheat, its current performance is hardly impressive.

But to be able to wield extraordinary power with a mere mortal body is enough.

"Your rationality is a bit low."

The moment this thought crossed my mind, my sanity level went from "91/100" to "100/100".

Xu Zhou wasn't sure how much rationality would affect his mental state, but since he had this ability, there was no need to risk his life.

"When exactly is this so-called last moment?"

"If I survive, did Ya Qingyan also have a backup plan?"

The questions in his heart kept piling up, but unfortunately Ya Qingyan was a woman of few words. Apart from being very interested in being his mother, she remained silent about how he should live.

bang.

With a sharp crack, the cage beneath them suddenly lost its weight, and at the same time, the man's desperate howl rang in their ears.

puff-

As the iron cage fell into the water, Xu Zhou's vision became clear. He subconsciously searched for Ya Qingyan underwater, but found nothing.

He thought he should be quite conspicuous in his current appearance, but the people in the stands were completely unmoved and had no reaction to his actions, only silently reciting prayers.

Nearby iron cages fell one after another, and soon only Xu Zhou was left hanging alone on the hook.

"Being the last one to fall, I guess that counts as the last moment?"

With these thoughts in mind, Xu Zhou looked up at the sky again, but in the blink of an eye, the world had completely changed.

Heaven and earth are divided into five parts, each with a different color like colored glaze, blending and connecting.

Below, a giant hand holds up the entire sacrificial site, its palm lines crisscrossing like ravines, orange liquid meandering and flowing within, its five fingers towering like mountain ranges, their peaks piercing the clouds.

Within the four-colored sea of ​​clouds, a phantom that seemed to connect heaven and earth appeared and disappeared, each with a strange totem that could not be described in words hanging behind it.

Xu Zhou's eyes were clear, and he saw it clearly at a glance: the four totems were a scale, a giant sword, a butterfly, and a red moon.

Rationality -100

"Varied……"

Xu Zhou's vision went black, his grip on the robe gave way, and he plummeted straight down.

Pfft!

Water splashed up, but his consciousness remained elsewhere. Just then, a strange voice suddenly rang in his mind.

[Having discovered the relic "Silent Death," should one choose to refine it?]

It's the notification sound for the talent "Rotten Wood Blossoms".

Almost simultaneously, a sharp pain shot through his groin, jolting Xu Zhou awake. He instinctively closed his mouth and nose, held his breath, and desperately struggled to swim toward the surface.

Whoosh!

"Ha—ha—cough cough!"

His head broke through the water's surface, and he gasped for breath, coughing as he choked. He grabbed the black robe that had drifted down with him.

"Huh? It's not hot?"

Xu Zhou was stunned for a moment, but did not think much of it. At this moment, the strange phenomena in the world disappeared, and the flames and darkness remained. All that had just happened seemed like an illusion.

He reached into his pocket, but found nothing. Suddenly, he seemed to understand something, but he couldn't quite grasp it.

"Where's the button? Did I press it?" Xu Zhou couldn't remember.

The scene he had just witnessed had completely exceeded his comprehension and understanding, and his mind was filled with a flurry of questions.

But he still remembered the voice in his mind, hesitated for a moment, and then decisively gave a response.

"Refine! We must refine it!"

Perhaps this is the survival strategy that Ya Qingyan didn't explicitly reveal!

As long as he can seize the relics from the Zoroastrians, even if he can't escape this stronghold, he will at least have leverage to negotiate with the enemy!

[Currently refining the relic "Silent Death," energy conversion is ongoing, current reserves are low.]

At that moment, inside the giant cauldron in the center of the pool, the volume of the sacred fire was visibly compressed, and a surge of immense energy instantly cleansed Xu Zhou's body.

A furious shout, filled with grief and indignation, suddenly rang out from the high platform.

"Bishop! Why is this happening? Why is this happening?!"