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

A raging fire engulfed the entire village, the thick smoke stinging people's eyes, houses collapsed one after another, and the crisp sound of beams and pillars breaking mixed with the roar of the fire, making it look like a living hell.

As Xu Zhou rushed into the village, he stopped in horror. The roadside was littered with plunderers, including several huge gray-skinned camel-like beasts. Occasionally, one could also see the corpses of one or two villagers.

Dark green flames burned on everyone's bodies. Although they were no longer moving, eerie mournful cries could be faintly heard from within them, as if their souls were howling in the embers.

The scorching waves of fire rushed towards him, making Xu Zhou vaguely recall his days in the Zoroastrian Church, except that back then he avoided the flames, but now he was actively walking towards them.

"Village chief! Pastor! Is anyone there?!"

He roared and ran wildly, finally hearing a faint response outside the pastor's hut.

The house was engulfed in flames, the wooden walls creaking. Xu Zhou pulled up the hood of his fireproof robe, took a deep breath to cover his face, and rushed inside.

Thick smoke billowed inside, and the pastor indeed lay on the ground, his body engulfed in flames, clutching a leather suitcase tightly in his arms.

Xu Zhou flung out golden silk to bind the priest's body, then abruptly sent him outside. He then tore off his black robe and draped it over the priest, extinguishing the remaining flames with a few quick pats.

The pastor was charred black, his glasses were nowhere to be seen, and the skin on his face was cracked and peeled off, revealing the milky white dermis and dark red flesh underneath.

For some reason, seeing the kind middle-aged man who used to chat and laugh with him lying on the ground, his life hanging in the balance, Xu Zhou's eyes involuntarily welled up with tears, and his heart was filled with anxiety.

Even though he knew in his heart that the other person was probably not going to make it, he still gently patted the priest's face, trying to wake him up.

"Priest! Priest!!"

"Cough cough..."

The pastor coughed lightly twice, slowly opened his eyes, and turned his neck with difficulty to look at Xu Zhou, whose eyes were red beside him.

"It's you... my friend..."

Xu Zhou opened his mouth, wanting to say something encouraging, but the words stuck in his throat.

The other person was so badly injured that both of them had already foreseen the inevitable and cruel ending.

The pastor loosened his grip and pushed the suitcase toward him, gesturing for it to be opened.

Xu Zhou's heart skipped a beat. Remembering the profession of a priest, he quickly lifted the lid and found several rows of potions neatly arranged inside.

At a glance, besides several bottles of Swiftness Potion, a bottle of red potion stood out conspicuously.

[Creation: Healing Potion II]

[Effect: Instantly restores a large amount of health.]

[Note: This is a product of human wisdom and is only effective for those at the extraordinary level and below.]

Xu Zhou was overjoyed and quickly brought the potion to the priest's lips, but the priest kept his mouth tightly shut, shook his head with difficulty, and tears welled up in his eyes.

"To...the banquet hall...Xiaomei..."

Upon hearing these words, Xu Zhou instantly understood, followed by a bitter feeling that welled up from the bottom of his heart.

He braved the fire to run back to the hut in order to find medicine for Xiaomei, but unfortunately he was trapped by the flames.

Xu Zhou's throat tightened, and he couldn't utter the words he wanted to say. He felt a burning anger brewing in his chest.

"Go... hurry..."

The pastor nodded slightly, then closed his eyes and said no more.

Xu Zhou placed the suitcase next to the pastor and picked up the bottle of healing potion alone. However, just as he was about to head to the banquet hall, a thought suddenly surfaced from the depths of his mind.

Why should I not prescribe these medicines?

Wu Lulu might not be able to defeat Chi Feng. This village is beyond saving, so why should I help them?

Shouldn't we take this opportunity to loot equipment, wait until those two outside have finished fighting, and then run away with Wu Lulu?

This is probably the option that yields the greatest benefit!

I'm not a saint. I'm facing my own upcoming challenges, so why should I take risks for a bunch of unrelated people?

Moreover... can humans in infinite worlds truly be considered real people?

A barrage of questions rained down on Xu Zhou, nearly crushing his reason.

He vaguely sensed that some indescribable and incomprehensible force was casting a glance at him from the shadows.

It was as if as long as he made the choice that maximized his benefits, he would step onto the path to the extraordinary and gain the power he had always dreamed of!

The extraordinary door is right before your eyes!

"What should I do?"

For a moment, Xu Zhou hesitated.

He wanted to live, to experience the wonders of another world, to comprehend the extraordinary mysteries, and to find his way home.

He has many things he wants to do.

So he raised his hand and looked at the red liquid flowing in the bottle, repeatedly confirming its incredible effects, and each time he read the instructions, he was convincing himself.

Just as he was about to make his decision, he suddenly caught a glimpse of color on his wrist—a wrist corsage woven by Xiaomei herself.

The workmanship is simple and the shape is rough, but it embodies the purest intentions of the weaver.

Xu Zhou sighed softly.

"The path of humanity is fraught with hardship..."

He cleared his mind of all distractions and stopped thinking. He just kept running, running forward with his mind completely blank, until he burst open the door to the banquet hall.

call--

A cool breeze swept over us, and the hall was bustling with people, led by two young men carrying pitchforks and hoes.

Upon seeing that the newcomers were familiar adventurers, the expressions on everyone's faces quickly changed from worry to joy.

Xu Zhou, disregarding pleasantries, raised the medicine and shouted loudly.

"Where is Xiaomei! Xiaomei!"

"This way! Over here!"

There was an immediate response from deep within the hall; people knew his purpose and quickly made way for him.

Xu Zhou ran forward and saw a cook holding Xiao Mei, whose body was half burned, in her arms, with Qiu Xun looking anxious next to her.

"Big brother! Please save Xiaomei! I beg you!"

"I will."

Xu Zhou seemed to be responding, but also seemed to be talking to himself.

Kneeling down, Xu Zhou uncorked the bottle, supported Xiao Mei's frail body with one hand, and brought the medicine to her lips. The girl seemed to sense something and slowly opened her eyes.

"Adventurer...brother..."

"Open your mouth and drink this; the pastor brought it."

Upon hearing this, Xiaomei opened her mouth with difficulty, put the bottle in her mouth, and slowly swallowed the medicine.

Then a miraculous scene unfolded: the charred skin that had been stuck to the surface of the body began to peel off piece by piece, the dermis healed at a speed visible to the naked eye, and then the new epidermis spread from the edges inward, and in the blink of an eye the person was completely restored to normal.

Xu Zhou was amazed by the potion's miraculous effects, but that was all.

The cook quickly wrapped Xiaomei's smooth body in cloth and thanked him repeatedly.

Qiu Xun gritted her teeth, tears streaming down her face, and suddenly turned and rushed toward the door.

"I'm going to fight that monster!"

Xu Zhou kicked him to the ground and signaled several villagers to come forward and hold him down.

Then his gaze swept around.

"Where is the village chief?"

"I'm here."

A weak response came from the crowd. Xu Zhou looked in the direction of the sound and saw an elderly man with a worried expression, his wrinkles all bunched up.

The old man was shirtless, with several bandages wrapped around his waist, and there was a clear bloodstain on his left abdomen, indicating that he was seriously injured.

As Xu Zhou approached, the village chief looked up and asked:

"Where is the pastor?"

Xu Zhou remained silent for a moment, then gently shook his head.

The village chief seemed to have a premonition, and he sighed deeply, looking as if he had aged ten years in that moment.

He raised his head, his eyes cloudy and his voice hoarse.

"Adventurer, this village is finished."