Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

Just as Lin Yi was pondering, there was a sudden movement from the Explosive Rat's side.

The old man was stunned for a moment, then his narrowed eyes suddenly widened, revealing his cloudy pupils.

Then his mouth started to move, at first only his lips were trembling, as if something was stuck in his throat and he couldn't spit it out.

But a few seconds later, all that pent-up energy finally found an outlet and poured out all at once.

"Fuck your grandma's empty tree—"

The sound of the exploding rat echoed across the empty black sand beach, incredibly powerful, unlike the volume that could be produced by someone covered in wounds and seemingly on the verge of death.

His cursing was extremely offensive; it wasn't the refined kind of cursing, but rather the most primitive and crude street swearing.

They spewed out all sorts of swear words, cursing everything from the ancestors of the Void Tree to its descendants, from its roots to its canopy, from its fruit to its leaves.

The shouts echoed across the empty beach, startling several seabirds that seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. They flapped their wings and flew away as if their lives depended on it.

Lin Yi stood aside, listened for a few moments, and roughly understood what was going on.

Exploding Rat's statement just now constituted a leak of information and was deemed a violation by the Void Tree.

However, this guy is clearly a seasoned veteran; he knows what he can and cannot say.

The hint he gave Lin Yi was ambiguous and not particularly crucial, so the Void Tree's punishment wasn't severe.

However, a light punishment does not mean there is no punishment at all.

After finishing his rant, the rat suddenly shuddered, as if he had been electrocuted.

He bared his teeth, and the bandages on his face were all wrinkled up. He looked like he was in pain or itchy, but he was definitely not feeling well.

He looked down at his hands, which were trembling, not from fear, but from the aftereffects of the punishment.

"Damn it," he cursed again, this time in a much softer voice, as if talking to himself, "I only said a few words, is it really that big of a deal?"

He picked up the half-empty bottle of wine from the ground and took a big gulp.

The liquor dripped down his chin and onto the bandage. He wiped his mouth, took another swig, and finally felt better.

"Alright." Rat slammed the bottle on the ground, the bottom of the bottle hitting the rock with a crisp sound.

He raised his head, his narrowed eyes sweeping over Lin Yi and Su Xiao, finally settling on Su Xiao. He grinned, revealing a few yellowed teeth.

"Since you're here, get out of here. Don't get in my way, I still want to drink."

After saying this, he didn't immediately send the person away, but stood there, as if he was thinking about something.

His gaze swept over Su Xiao a few times before returning to his own, looking down at the wine bottle in his hand, his thumb rubbing back and forth along the rim.

His posture was a bit strange; it didn't seem like he was drunk and spacing out, but rather like he had thought of something interesting and was hesitating whether to say it or not.

The corners of the Rat's mouth slowly curled up, the arc gradually forming until it became a thoroughly wicked grin.

Exploding Rat raised his head and looked at Su Xiao, his expression changing from a wicked grin to a more complex one.

There's a sense of amusement, anticipation, and a kind of excitement that comes with watching the drama unfold.

"There's one more thing." He lowered his voice, as if he were talking about some unspeakable secret, but the excitement in his tone was impossible to hide.

"The fourth round is the arena mode, that information has already been released, it's no secret. But guess what—a 'familiar face' will be watching."

He deliberately emphasized the word "acquaintance," drawing out the word "acquaintance" with a rising tone at the end, like a fishhook.

“Sage Mage Serphia”

When those five words came out of the Rat's mouth, his smile deepened.

Those squinted eyes were almost completely closed, leaving only two thin lines, but the light within those lines was astonishingly bright.

He was looking at Su Xiao.

That old man really loves to stir up trouble.

Knowing full well the deep-seated hatred between Serphia and the Destroyer of Law, they still chose to reveal it at this crucial moment.

He was waiting for a certain expression to appear on Su Xiao's face—anger, tension, or at least a frown.

Su Xiao's face was completely blank.

After waiting a few seconds and not getting the reaction he wanted, the smile on his face only deepened.

He reached out and pointed in Su Xiao's direction with his withered finger.

"Not bad composure." His voice carried a hint of appreciation, but something else was weighing on that appreciation.

"Do you know why Serphia went to watch the battle? Her precious disciples are all in this round of the battle for supremacy."

Su Xiao looked away from the exploding rat, but his mind was already racing.

Serphia.

The Sage Mage of Arcane Eternity, the Creator of the Li Element, and one of the most outstanding spellcasters in this void.

They are also one of the greatest enemies of the destroyers of the law.

But so what?

Su Xiao was well aware of his current strength.

He's at the peak of the sixth tier, but still has a long way to go before reaching the seventh tier. His trump cards are enough to deal with most opponents, but against someone of Serphilia's caliber, all of these things combined wouldn't even be worth a single finger of hers.

Therefore, he will not target Serphia.

That's not bravery, that's suicide.

But the disciples that Serphia carefully nurtured were different.

Those disciples were trained by her from a young age, instilled with the idea that those who destroy magic are the enemy, and were cultivated by her into the most elite spellcaster warriors.

They learned from Li Yuansu, from the tactics specifically designed to target the Destroyers of Law, and from how to suppress Qing Gangying in battle.

This group of people thought they were at the top of the food chain.

Su Xiao's idea was simple: in the fourth round of the arena, in full view of everyone, to crush Serphilia's most prized disciple to death.

For example, Dilling.

The real show would be if I drew Dylin in the arena, and if I could smash her right under Serfia's nose.

How many years did Serphia spend training this disciple? And how many years did Dillin spend honing herself into a blade specifically designed to target those who destroy magic?

The knife was broken in front of everyone before it was even drawn.

What will Serphia's expression be like?

Seeing Su Xiao's expression, the old man, Exploding Rat, had an astonishingly bright eye at that moment, like an old fox who had seen its prey step into a trap.

The sound of the rat exploding was lighter and more cheerful than before, as if it were chatting with an old friend about some trivial gossip.

"What do you think would happen if you two bumped into each other in the fourth round of the draw?"

He paused, then drew a circle in the air with his withered finger.

"Serphia will be sitting in the stands, watching her disciple confront a Spellbreaker in the arena. The scene... wow..."

He smacked his lips, and an almost intoxicated expression appeared on his bandaged face.

"That's so interesting."

When he uttered those three words, there was an indescribable sense of satisfaction in them.

It was as if he had already seen the duel, the expression on Serphia's face, and the blood splattering in the arena.

After he finished speaking, he didn't give anyone else a chance to speak.

He raised his hand, his withered palm pressing lightly in mid-air.

Lin Yi felt his body becoming lighter, the rocks beneath his feet becoming farther away, and the sky above his head becoming darker.

The black vegetation, the massive skeleton, and the stone pillar covered in scratches were all receding at a slow but irreversible pace.

The figure of the Exploding Rat grew smaller and smaller in the field of vision, becoming increasingly blurry, but the smile on that bandaged face remained clearly visible.

He was smiling happily.

It's like someone who has watched a great show and is completely satisfied.

Then everything disappeared.

The Exploding Rat remained in that position, motionless.

His shoulder was still resting on the rock, his hand still raised in mid-air, fingers spread, maintaining the posture he had adopted when he delivered the person. A minute passed.

His fingers began to tremble.

"hiss--"

He gasped for breath, leaned against the rock, and gasped for air.

He raised his hand and touched his side waist.

When my fingers touched the bandage, my fingertips immediately felt a warm, damp sensation.

The wounds reopened, not just in one place, but from the shoulder to the waist, from the chest to the back; the wounds that had been violently stitched up were bursting open one by one.

He wiped his hands on his clothes, shook the bottle in his hand, and the liquid splashed against the bottle.

He bit off the bottle stopper with his teeth, spat it on the ground with a "pui" sound, then tilted his head back and put the bottle opening into his mouth.

The moment the liquor went down his throat, his brow furrowed even more.

It wasn't that the alcohol was bad; it was the act of swallowing that aggravated the wound on my neck. There was a laceration there that stretched from behind my ear all the way to my collarbone. Every time I swallowed, it would pull on the muscles at the edges, as if someone were threading a red-hot wire through my ear and out through my collarbone.

He kept chugging, taking big gulps, the liquor spilling from the corners of his mouth.

His throat was moving, making gurgling sounds like someone throwing stones into a deep well, each stone sinking to the bottom without splashing a drop of water.

He drank about half a bottle before stopping.

The rat placed the bottle on its lap, braced itself against the rocks, and tried to sit up straighter.

"Damn...it really hurts."

Suddenly, the rat chuckled.

"You can lose your head...you can bleed...but you can't lose your hairstyle."

After saying that, even the Exploding Rat couldn't help but laugh.

The teleportation ended, and Lin Yi opened his eyes.

Lounge 1005.

The fire in the fireplace was burning brightly, the orange-red flames dancing in the hearth, illuminating the entire room with warmth and light.

The ornaments on the shelf above the fireplace were neatly arranged and not a speck of dust.

The cushions on the sofa were still in their original positions, and the water glass on the coffee table still had half a glass of cold water left.

The round, chubby butler robot was driving over from the other end of the room, its wheels making a soft rustling sound as they rolled across the carpet.

Its electronic eye, flashing a soft green light, scanned Su Xiao and Lin Yi, and after confirming their identities, emitted a light beep.

"Welcome back." The robot's voice was still that synthesized electronic tone, but its tone was warmer than before.

"What services do you two require? I can provide a variety of services including catering, medical care, and intelligence gathering."

Bubuwang darted out from beside Lin Yi's feet and circled the robot twice. It sniffed the robot's shell with its nose, then took two steps back and tilted its head to examine the round creature.

Benny jumped off Su Xiao's shoulder and landed next to the robot, patting its shell with her paw.

The metal casing made a crisp sound, and Benny's ears twitched. She patted it again.

The electronic eye on top of the robot flashed, turning towards Benny, its tone tinged with confusion.

"Miss Benny, how can I help you?"

Benny didn't respond; she just continued circling the robot.

Su Xiao glanced around the room, and after confirming that everything was normal, she sat down on the sofa.

He unbuckled the belt of the Dragon Slayer Sword, placed the sword horizontally on his lap, leaned back into the cushion, and closed his eyes.

Lin Yi stood in front of the fireplace, letting the warm firelight warm him.

The Viking Sea was so humid that even after spending several days on land, the damp feeling lingered.

It's not really wet, but it's an indescribable discomfort, like something is stuck to your skin and you can't peel it off.

"Turn the room temperature up a bit," Lin Yi said to the robot. "Turn the humidity down a bit."

The electronic eye on top of the robot flashed and emitted a confirmation beep.

A moment later, the fire in the fireplace burned a little brighter, the air in the room became drier, and most of the faint chill was dispelled.

Lin Yi took a blanket from the robot and sat down in a chair next to the fireplace.

The blanket was made of cashmere, light and soft, and wrapped around my body felt like being enveloped in a cloud.

He draped the blanket over his lap, leaned back in his chair, and watched the flames dance in the fireplace.

Flames surged in the furnace, orange-red tongues licking the furnace walls. Occasionally, a spark or two would leap from the woodpile, tracing a thin arc in the furnace before going out.

The notification sound of the Paradise of Reincarnation rang in his ears.

The Hunter has returned to the rest area of ​​the Battle of the Strongest.

The Hunter has passed the third round of the Battle of the Strongest.

[Number of players participating in this round: 2 (Reincarnation Paradise).]

[Number of players promoted this round: 2.]

[Number of deaths on our side this round: 0.]

The third round is over.

After circling around the robot a few times, Bubuwang seemed to lose interest in the round thing.

Click, click...

When the butler robot extends, it reveals its intricate internal structure. The most eye-catching feature is the seven titanium batteries. This is one of the core technologies of the Banana Dwarfs. It is small in size, has a low level of pollution, and has a stable internal structure. With only minor modifications, it can provide energy for mechs or large industrial equipment.

At this moment, next to the seven 'titanium batteries', there is a transparent test tube embedded in the slot. There is a metal wire on the outer wall of the test tube, and the solution inside is blue with faint electric arcs flashing.

"what?"

"A specialty of the Bana tribe. Their craftsmanship is unique and cannot be imitated by other races."

Lin Yi had a rough idea of ​​what was going on. This thing was probably a gift from the Bana Dwarfs. As for why it was hidden in the butler robot's chest, he guessed that it was hidden there when the robot's permissions were modified.

Bubuwang's talent for negotiation far surpasses its talent for combat.

Su Xiao picked up the item, looked at it again, and then shook her head.

"It's a pity we can't use it this time. The Void Tree has explicitly prohibited the practice of privately funding participants. All external supplies must be approved by the Void Tree before they can be used during the competition. This item is not on the approval list, so it can't be brought in for the fourth round."

Lin Yi nodded without saying anything more.

When it comes to rules, the Void Tree has the final say.

Bubuwang lay on the rug in front of the fireplace, chin resting on its front paws, eyes half-open and half-closed, its tail occasionally twitching, leaving a shallow mark on the rug.

Baha flew off Su Xiao's shoulder and landed on the fireplace mantle. It folded its wings, tucked its head into its feathers, and soon began to snore softly.

The butler robot closed its shell again, the metal plates returned to their places one by one, and the gaps were sealed tightly, as if nothing had happened.

It drove back to the corner, its electronic lights switching to a dark red in standby mode, and sat there quietly.

Lin Yi leaned back on the sofa and pulled the blanket over himself.

The blanket was just delivered by the butler robot. It's made of wool, very soft and thick. Wrapping it around feels like being enveloped in a warm cloud.

The dampness and chill of those days on the Viking Sea were gradually receding from my bones, replaced by a dry warmth that seeped from my skin into my muscles, from my muscles into my bones, and from my bones into my blood.

Shangyue and Mond were thrown back to their rest rooms the moment they were teleported back, and they have now returned to their rooms to rest.

Su Xiao leaned back on the sofa, with the Dragon Slayer Sword lying horizontally on his lap and his hand resting on the hilt.

His breathing was very shallow, so shallow that you could hardly see his chest rising and falling, but it wasn't a state of sleep, but rather a deep meditation.

People who have spent a long time in the cycle of reincarnation all possess this ability.

You can relax in a completely safe place, but you should maintain a minimum level of vigilance in any place where there is even the slightest uncertainty.

This isn't something trained; it's the instinct to survive.

Lin Yi wrapped himself in a blanket, leaned back in his chair, and began to rest. (End of Chapter)