Who left their last words here?

Chapter 102 Completion Reward: Become a "Fire Servant"? (Two-in-One)

"Buzz!"

The black stone floor slowly opened.

"Rumble--"

A bronze statue was raised.

The statue kneels on a broken pedestal, its back straight, its armor covering its finely crafted body, yet it is also covered in scars.

The massive lance in his hand was broken, and the bright red cloak on his back was tattered like a dark red scarf. The kneeling statue looked like a...

knight?

"Wolf Knight!"

This was Bai Zhou's first impression of the statue.

Because its helmet was shaped like a wolf, fierce and menacing, covering half of its upper face.

It's less like a statue and more like a living person...

Because it is so lifelike and vivid, even the sadness in the facial expression in the lower half is clearly visible.

With just a cursory glance at the statue, Bai Zhou immediately felt as if he were seeing a mountain of corpses and a sea of ​​blood, with the stench of blood and the overwhelming malevolent aura rushing towards him.

"what!"

The next moment.

His body acted before his mind; Bai Zhou's survival instinct made him turn and run, heading towards the tunnel behind him.

Forget about grand sacrifices—I'll just go first!
The giant above is still waiting to enjoy the buffet in the "basin"!

If we had left any later, the "White Boat" would have truly turned into "white porridge"...

But then, the passageway closed automatically with a rumbling sound, and the white boat was "squeezed" out.

The familiar mechanical voice came from behind him, reaching deep into Bai Zhou's heart, and he understood its meaning:
"The pilgrim has not yet claimed the reward for passing the elite assessment."

Can't I just not claim it?

With a pained expression, Bai Zhou turned his head and saw that, along with the sound of his voice, the emeralds symbolizing the eyes on the "Wolf Knight" statue were flashing.

Is it always the one talking?
What an "intelligent" statue!

But it never looked at the white boat from beginning to end.

Since its appearance, this statue has always had its neck tilted back, as if it is always looking up at something.

"What is it looking at..."

Bai Zhou looked up and saw the huge eye above his head.

The monster's vaguely visible, ferocious, and enormous outline sent a shiver down Bai Zhou's spine.
This reminded him of what the wolf rider had said earlier...

"Since you have witnessed the grand sacrifice, why do you not pay your respects?"

Is that thing on top of my head called a "Great Sacrifice"?

As a resident of Wancheng, Bai Zhou had heard of sacrifices, offerings, and high priests, and was quite familiar with them.

But I've never heard of this ambiguous term, "Great Festival"...

"Congratulations, Pilgrim, you have passed the elite assessment."

The cold, mechanical voice was devoid of any emotion.

"Now, grant the elite pilgrims the reward for passing the assessment."

award……

The previous excitement had vanished without a trace; now Bai Zhou only hoped that all of this was not a scam.

For example, the reward for passing the test is being eaten by a monster.

—But there was no reason for General Ale to lie to him.

"Buzz!"

The floorboards opened again.

Several ancient, dark stone pillars supported several items as they slowly rose.

They consist of two books, a token, three bottles, and a golden reagent that resembles a green nutrient solution.

"Really!"

Bai Zhou roused himself, hesitated for a moment, and then cautiously approached.

"……what?"

As soon as he got close, Bai Zhou's expression stiffened.

Because both books were made of stone, in an open shape, "grown" on the stone pillar, and were completely integrated with it.

How is he supposed to learn that?
He couldn't possibly carry two stone pillars back with him. These weren't underwater magic needles, and he wasn't some powerful monkey hypnotized and controlled by the red-robed elder!

Thinking this, Bai Zhou's fingertips tentatively touched the stone book—

The next moment.

"Buzz!"

The open stone book trembled slightly.

"Crash..."

The sound I heard was like the turning of pages in a book.

Countless pieces of knowledge flowed from his fingertips into Bai Zhou's brain, leaving him frozen in place. It took his brain a long time to process and sort them out.

Looking down at the open stone book, Bai Zhou could barely recognize the characters carved within.

Because the content of this book is actually...

"The Universal Language: From Beginner to Expert"
Now, every word in this book is clearly imprinted in Bai Zhou's mind, making him feel as if he has returned to the "gray fog" when he first awakened to the principles of destiny.

Hearing the wolf rider statue speak again, and comparing it with the content in his mind, Bai Zhou was able to understand most of it after a short while.

There is no longer a need for forced resonance of the soul.

"What technology is this?"

Bai Zhou was greatly shocked, feeling that this kind of knowledge transmission, which was almost like "forbidden indoctrination," was far too convenient.

Printing technology seems superfluous.

This offers a glimpse into the glorious achievements of this civilization in its heyday, and a tiny fraction of the extraordinary level of its development...

At least, the illiteracy rate of this civilization back then must have been quite low!

"Buzz!"

Thinking this to himself, Bai Zhou followed suit and placed his right hand on the stone pillar and stone book beside him.

This time, the content instilled from the stone book was...

"Three moves from the 'Basic Nine Cuts'!"

Here comes the "Basic Nine Cuts" again!
As Bai Zhou read the contents, his heart pounded.

Knowing full well how "basic" the "Nine Basic Slashes" were, Bai Zhou had always been eager for the later chapters.

And now, they are right before his eyes, imprinted deep in Bai Zhou's mind.

Two hundred and forty-three patterns appeared in Bai Zhou's mind again, as if there were walls of a secret room standing there, only the content was much more complicated than the previous three patterns.

"Wow..."

When these 243 little figures danced together in Bai Zhou's mind, even the now much more affluent Bai Zhou felt dizzy and his head was throbbing.

Unfortunately, just like back in the gray fog, there is still a considerable hurdle to overcome in "remembering" and "learning".

The overly obscure content made it difficult for Bai Zhou to understand for a while.

Undoubtedly, once Bai Zhou masters these three techniques, he will at least be a Destiny [Adventurer] standing at the pinnacle of level 4.

—There's even a slight chance it could break through level 5!
What does this mean in Tinghai City?
What significance does this have for Bai Zhou's current situation?
it goes without saying.

Just for this set of secret techniques and this reward alone, Bai Zhou's trip was worthwhile!
Crow, who was waiting outside for Bai Zhou to return, could hardly imagine what Bai Zhou, who was "scouting out Yuanmeng Middle School in advance," was going through at that moment...

But this also gave rise to a slightly more ambitious idea in Bai Zhou's mind:

Passing the elite assessment will grant you the Middle Three Styles.

So how would he obtain the final three moves?

"want to……"

Muttering to himself, Bai Zhou walked toward the next stone pillar.

Placed on the stone pillar were three bottles of medicine that were somewhat similar to the green nutrient solution used to activate the brain, but with a color between brass and gold.

"This is?"

Bai Zhou picked up the medicine and examined it.

However, this "three-no" product had neither a label nor any written instructions, and even the glass that contained it appeared cloudy and was not completely transparent.

The golden liquid glowed faintly, with bubbles rising from it from time to time.

Then the bubble burst, making a small "pop" sound.

"This is a 'burst potion' used in conjunction with the 'Basic Nine Slashes' technique."

The cold, mechanical voice rang out again at just the right moment:

"It contains fragments of knowledge from the Basic Nine Cuts, which can temporarily increase the amplification multiplier when the user uses the Basic Nine Cuts."

"The duration is three minutes."

"And this increase is constant and will not weaken as the base multiple increases."

additional……

Increase the growth rate?

Does this mean that after drinking this potion, the 4.5x power boost can be increased even further?!
Bai Zhou blinked twice.

Then, with lightning speed, he carefully and swiftly put away the three test tubes.

—A miracle drug, an undeniable miracle drug!
Even when not drinking it, Bai Zhou dares to challenge [Anguisola].

If I drank it…would I dare to draw my sword even if I encountered a Level 5 Extraordinary? *Thump! Thump!*

Bai Zhou's heart was beating faster and faster.

Just when it finally settles down, Bai Zhou encounters an even bigger "cake".

He looked like a rat that had wandered into an oil depot, his eyes gleaming with greed.

"So."

"What is this token for?"

Bai Zhou arrived at the last stone pillar, examined the black token on it, and compared it with his own adventurer token, which had already been upgraded to gold.

"Buzz!"

The next moment.

The golden adventurer's token flew out of his hand, like a magnet, pulling the black token on the stone pillar into the air.

"Wow..."

The two transformed into a kind of scalding molten metal in mid-air and gradually merged together.

Finally, the liquid solidifies, and the token is reshaped.

A "black gold token" with gold as the main color and occasional black patterns appeared in front of Bai Zhou.

"This is……?"

The heavy token landed in Bai Zhou's hand, and he was puzzled.

"This token is a symbol of 'qualification'."

The wolf rider statue speaks out again:
"Originally, passing the elite assessment would reward one with a baptism in the Sun Pool, slightly improving the pilgrim's qualifications."

"But as the years passed, the temple's resources were not replenished, and the Sun Pool had long since dried up."

"...However, with this token, you can still travel freely throughout Sky City without any access restrictions."

Bai Zhou suddenly realized.

It turned out to be an access card, similar to the employee badge of the Special Administration Department.

Although Bai Zhou coveted the "Sun Pool," being able to freely explore this sky city with the token wouldn't be too bad.

Even in the desolate battlefield below, there is so much "trash" to pick up.

Without a doubt, there must still be plenty of "good stuff" in this upside-down megacity at the heart of civilization!
But judging from the consistent practices of this civilization...

The dangers here are obviously greater, which is why the token's appearance is so timely.

Bai Zhou didn't want to be caught in a trap while exploring the city ruins, hanging there and swinging for three lifetimes.

"These are all the rewards for passing the elite assessment."

The mechanical voice concluded, pausing at that point.

However, after a short while, seemingly after a moment's hesitation, the mechanical voice came again:

"But, as the one who broke the assessment record—"

"You have another option!"

"A new option?" Bai Zhou asked, puzzled.

The wolf rider statue still gazes upwards at the sky, its expression melancholy, like a "thinking wolf" sculpted by some pretentious, artsy type:
"Now, you can choose to take the reward and leave the temple."

"Like countless pilgrims before me, I embark on my own life's 'adventure'."

"But as the one who broke the test record, and the only pilgrim to visit the temple after it was sealed away..."

The mechanical sound of the wolf rider statue pauses briefly here:
"You have another option, even if it's an exception—"

"That is, to complete the temple's entrance examination."

"Starting from the lowest level, the 'Fire Attendant,' I will officially join this Temple of the Sun!"

Officially joining...the Temple of the Sun?
Bai Zhou blinked.

—And there's more?!

According to the skeleton Ale, every extraordinary being of the past would make a pilgrimage here and receive an extraordinary legacy that would benefit them for a lifetime.

It is not hard to imagine what kind of status this "Temple of the Sun" enjoyed in this once glorious civilization!
Even as time changes and the world transforms, everything has fallen into ruin...

This temple, as the best-preserved sealed building in Sky City, must also contain the most treasures!

At the very least, the legacy of the [Adventurer] path will certainly be substantial!

Having a powerful backer is actually quite good, as it provides a complete path to advancement and a well-developed training system. The only drawback might be a lack of freedom.

Bai Zhou wasn't unwilling to join a faction; he wasn't that pretentious. He was forced to flee from the city to the streets because he was surrounded by enemies.

but……

The Temple of the Sun, isn't that the best choice?
Back then, the Temple of the Sun was an immense power that Bai Zhou could not even imagine.

The key issue is that nobody's in charge!

Although Shirazu started as a "fire servant" at the very bottom...

The authority level might be a bit low; there are probably many other positions above them.

The problem is, there isn't a single other living person to be found in the entire temple!
With no rivals, he can leisurely climb the ranks, can't he?

"—So, what is the assessment?"

Taking a deep breath, Bai Zhou's expression gradually calmed down, his clear eyes thoughtful.

The other party made it very clear.

What does "breaking the rules" mean?
Because Bai Zhou was the only one to come here over the years, and the temple had disappeared into history, the other party had no other choice but to try to give Bai Zhou the opportunity to "enter the temple for assessment".

This shows that in the distant past, when civilization still existed—

With Bai Zhou's strength and the talent he has shown, he is not even qualified to participate in the temple entrance examination and become the lowest-ranking "Fire Attendant" in the temple!
An opportunity to break through the norm.

This often means the risk of being treated unfairly!
But for Shirazuki, the issue of the statue was never a choice from the beginning.

It was the beginning of an adventure!
Thinking this, Bai Zhou carefully looked around while asking questions.

"That is……?"

Before the statue could answer Bai Zhou's question, Bai Zhou suddenly frowned.

Behind the statue, Bai Zhou noticed some red marks.

The faintly glowing color seemed somewhat familiar to Bai Zhou.

Look again.

"Have you really thought this through? The assessment is very risky, and for you, it might be an impossible dream."

Upon hearing Bai Zhou's reply, the wolf rider's mechanical voice slowly sounded:

"During the assessment, you will not receive any protection, and you will see the most incredible things you have ever seen in your life."

"You may never return."

"So now, you can still choose to leave with the reward."

Amidst the sacred and ethereal grand hymn sung overhead by the "Siren".

The wolf rider statue, its cloak tattered and armor destroyed, gazes sadly at the sky and asks the white boat:

"—Even so, you still choose to accept the death-defying entrance examination?"

"..."

Bai Zhou did not rush to answer.

As he listened to the wolf rider statue's question, he subtly shifted his position without making a sound.

With small, quick steps, the perspective shifted.

Soon, Bai Zhou saw what the "red" color, which was hidden by the statue, actually was.

"really."

Bai Zhou pursed his lips; he felt that the red color was somewhat familiar.

Several lines of scarlet text, filled with intense resentment, overwhelming hatred, and surging bloodlust, hung clearly behind the statue.

These are his "last words".

The "last words" of the "statue"!
Only then did Bai Zhou realize the truth.

Therefore, this vivid statue may not be the lifelike masterpiece of any sculptor, nor is it the advanced ancient intelligence of the temple.

Instead, it was a "deceased person".

A resentful dead who was buried with the temple...

Revenge! Revenge!

【Kill, kill, kill! 】

[Let the blood of the Roman royal family nourish my frail body!]

"..."

The burning passion of the Roman royal family...

What is that?
Wasn't this civilization wiped out by a zombie horde? The temple was also closed down because of the zombie invasion.

What does this have to do with the royal family...?

Bai Zhou was pondering these "last words".

"Buzz!"

As if sensing Bai Zhou's thoughts, something suddenly started to heat up in his chest and vibrated a few times.

"What is that...?"

Bai Zhou let out a soft exclamation, clutching his chest. The sharp, grating sensation allowed him to pinpoint the source of the vibration.
Yes……

—Are those few drops of crimson blood that flowed from the Crown of Thorns, which eventually solidified and turned into "golden beans"?

(End of this chapter)