Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

"Here, everything is. See if you know anyone who might be interested in these."

The following items were neatly arranged on the table: [Sun Core (Fragmented)], [Pure Sun Essence], [Blazing Sun Arbiter], [Zerg Detection Tower] blueprint, [Skyhorn Miner] blueprint, [Blood of Aberration], [Dark Ascension], and [Seed of the Ancient God].

Wow, you've got a lot of good stuff!

"Have you contacted the person yet?" Lin Yi asked.

The witch chuckled softly, tapping her fingers lightly on the bar counter. A pale purple light screen appeared, displaying several messages that flashed across it quickly.

"I've already contacted them, let's wait for their reply." She leaned lazily against the bar. "However, I want to take 10% after the transaction is successful."

Lin Yi raised an eyebrow: "Ten percent? That's too high."

Lin Yi's cooperation with Gu Lao was never based on commission. Instead, Gu Lao would introduce customers to Lin Yi, and in return, Lin Yi would give Gu Lao some other valuable but not urgent resources at a relatively favorable price. The relationship between the two was more like a mutually beneficial one.

The witch blinked, her voice turning sweet again: "Oh dear~ I've saved you so much time~ Besides, some connections aren't available to just anyone~"

Lin Yi suppressed the urge to roll his eyes and prepared to put the things on the table away: "No way. At most, I'll give you a reasonable referral fee. Otherwise, I'd rather wait for Gu Tou to come back. At worst, I'll wait for another world's progress; I have that much patience."

The witch pursed her lips, seemingly displeased with Lin Yi's behavior, but ultimately nodded: "Alright."

The witch smiled and pushed a freshly prepared drink in front of Lin Yi. The liquid in the glass was a strange pale blue color, and a few wisps of mist-like aroma lingered around the rim: "Try it? It's a special 'Breath of Tranquility'."

Lin Yi took the cup, sniffed it cautiously, and after confirming that there was only a pure aroma with a slight grassy and sweet scent and no suspicious odor, he gently touched the rim of the cup to his lips and took a small sip with extreme restraint.

A cool sensation instantly spread from his throat throughout his body, calming his slightly agitated mind.

"Not bad." Lin Yi put down his cup, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes. This comment was unusually unpretentious.

The witch smiled smugly: "Of course, it's my sister's exclusive recipe, not everyone has the chance to taste it."

About half an hour later, the bar door was violently pushed open, and a burly man over two meters tall, covered in blood-red tattoos, strode in.

His eyes were wild, and he exuded a strong bloody aura. He was the leader of a seventh-tier elite adventurer group—"Blood Skull".

"Witch! Where is it?!" Bloodskull's voice boomed like thunder, making the glasses in the bar tremble slightly.

The witch frowned and said with displeasure, "Keep your voice down, this is an elegant place."

At this point, the witch tapped the table.

Upon hearing the witch's words, Bloodskull wanted to tear the place down, but his reason stopped him.

Bloodlu was panting heavily, veins bulging on his neck, but in the end he just slammed his fist heavily against the pillar next to him.

The entire bar trembled slightly, but it had no effect whatsoever. After all, this was the Paradise of Reincarnation. Even if you dragged the Blade Demon from the bottom of the Black Abyss here, you couldn't destroy anything, let alone Blood Skull.

Lin Yi glanced at the blood-stained head and sensed a familiar scent emanating from it.

That's right, although this guy looks carefree and easygoing, he actually follows the abyss-related path.

However, judging from Lin Yi's perception, this guy called Blood Skull should be nearing his limit.

His very life essence has been corrupted by the abyss, which is why Bloodskull has such a bad temper.

Creatures corrupted by the abyss suffer constant torment of their souls being torn apart; their reason is as fragile as a candle flickering in the wind, and their temperaments are constantly unpredictable.

Irritability, mania, and loss of control are merely symptoms of this state.

The path of an Abyss-type contractor is essentially dancing on a blood-stained tightrope above a bottomless abyss.

Their strength increased rapidly, and their combat power became more and more formidable and bizarre, but they also died faster and more tragically than the last, with few managing to meet a good end.

Most Abyss-type contractors are around the sixth rank, and only after their strength and will have become relatively stable do they dare or are forced to step into this deep pit.

The harsh reality is that over 90% of Abyss-type contractors are eliminated by Paradise at the seventh rank because they are completely trapped in the Abyss and unable to complete their missions, or they are killed by other contractors as trouble. This shows just how dangerous the power of the Abyss-type is.

Or rather, Lin Yi, who came into contact with the power of the abyss from the first level and was able to reach the higher levels without going mad or dying, is the truly rare species in the Paradise of Reincarnation.

The will and soul strength of low-level contractors are too fragile. Most of them will be corrupted and devoured the moment they come into contact with the power of the abyss, without even the chance to become monsters.

"A fifth-tier cultivator has already embarked on this path of no return." After sitting down next to Lin Yi, Blood Skull glanced at Lin Yi, and his volatile emotions suddenly calmed down considerably.

The witch didn't care about this. Abyss-type contractors ultimately only have two paths: either to completely succumb and become abyss monsters who have lost all emotions and cognition and are left with only twisted instincts; or to swing wildly between extreme pain and intermittent lucidity, like a person with a split personality, with emotions like sitting on a roller coaster.

Bloodskull, which can be communicated with with difficulty and even occasionally suppress its destructive impulses, is considered a rare breed that is "relatively easy to deal with" by the standards of witches.

"I want [Aberrant Blood] and [Dark Ascension]." Bloodskull took a deep breath and stated his needs directly to the witch.

"Oh?" Upon hearing Blood Skull's request, both Lin Yi and the witch couldn't help but look at Blood Skull.

Neither of them were fools; they could both see the abnormality in Blood Skull's body.

The abyss's erosion has penetrated deep into the marrow, and the soul is being gnawed away. The only thing separating them from complete distortion or collapse may be a fierce battle or a profound despair.

The witch originally only sold the "Dark Ascension" skill, a crazy skill that could lead to mutual destruction, to Bloodskull.

In her opinion, this thing was a tailor-made finale for people like Blood Skull, who were at their wits' end—they could take a few people down with them before they died, which was very much in line with the aesthetics of the Paradise of Reincarnation.

But to her utter surprise, this guy actually dared to ask for the [Aberrant Blood].

For someone like Blood Skull, whose deep-seated abyssal corruption is so pervasive that they could lose control at any moment, using [Aberrant Blood] is tantamount to jumping a few more times on the edge of a collapsing cliff—the risks are unimaginably high.

The witch's languid expression vanished completely: "Blood Skull, are you sure?"

"Selling you [Dark Ascension] is fine, it's very suitable for your current... state. But [Aberrant Blood], are you sure your body can handle its 'gift'?"

"It's alright. The next world is my eighth-order trial world. For me, failing to pass it is just death. Dying sooner or later is the same, there's no difference." Blood Skull was very calm at this moment, as if he were a completely different person when he first entered.

The witch's cold scrutiny vanished, replaced by understanding.

She understood. Bloodskull was not a gamble; it was the last resort before facing death.

Bloodskull was not seeking a chance to survive; he was preparing his final means for the inevitable destruction that was to come.

Whether it's [Aberrant Blood] or [Dark Sublimation], they are the kindling he intends to use to burn out his last bit of value before the finish line.

"One hundred and fifty soul coins."

The Blood Skull Opening's offer is quite reasonable this time. The item [Aberrant Blood] isn't very valuable on the market, and most of these Soul Coins are for [Dark Ascension].

The witch didn't speak, but turned to look at Lin Yi. These two items were brought by Lin Yi, so whether or not to sell them was up to Lin Yi to decide.

"Deal." Lin Yi pushed the two items in front of Blood Skull. Blood Skull looked up with a slight surprise, and for the first time, his eyes, which had been filled with madness, fell seriously on Lin Yi.

He had initially thought the young man sitting next to him was just there for a drink or to discuss some trivial matters with the witch, never expecting that these valuable items were actually being sold by Lin Yi. "Kid, you've got potential." Blood Skull patted Lin Yi on the shoulder and then handed him one hundred and fifty soul coins.

For a fifth-tier contractor to acquire items of this caliber, whether through strength, luck, or methods, is enough to prove their unfathomable potential.

As long as he doesn't perish halfway through, Lin Yi's future achievements will be unstoppable even by those at the ninth level.

"Alright, see you again sometime." After the transaction was completed, Bloodskull left the bar with the two items.

There were no farewells, no blessings; only the silence that followed the conclusion of the transaction remained in the air.

In the Paradise of Reincarnation, separation and death are as natural as breathing, etched into the very marrow of every high-level contractor.

Which person who can reach the top has not climbed out of mountains of corpses and seas of blood, crawling out of piles of dead bodies in hell?

Leaving aside distant examples, in every global struggle, even the victors often pay a devastating price, with a survival rate of less than 10% being commonplace.

Even in the recently concluded Battle of Thornbug Star, with Queen Thornra of the Zerg as her backing, the survival rate of contractors in the Paradise of Reincarnation did not exceed 50%.

Not long after Bloodskull left, the bar door was pushed open again, and several contractors walked in.

Judging from their familiarity with the place, they were clearly acquainted with the witch, and went straight to the bar to order after entering.

The leader was a middle-aged man dressed in a fine white suit, with his hair neatly combed and wearing gold-rimmed glasses.

Behind him were a man and a woman. The man was strong but unarmed, so his profession was unclear. The woman was holding a tablet terminal that was flashing a dark blue light, and her fingers were flying across it.

"I am Cang Qiong, the president of the Sword Dance Merchant Guild. I came immediately upon receiving the message from Miss Witch." Cang Qiong bowed slightly, his movements elegant and graceful, his voice gentle and clear.

His gaze lingered briefly on the witch's face before quickly sweeping over the items Lin Yi had placed on the bar. When he saw the blueprint for the [Heavenly Horned Ox Mining Insect], an uncontrollable longing flashed deep in his pupils.

Lin Yi did not know Cang Qiong himself.

However, the name "Sword Dance Merchant Guild" is well-known among mid-to-high-level contractors in the Samsara Paradise, especially among those who need high-quality equipment or rare materials.

The Sword Dance Chamber of Commerce operates in a completely different way from other chambers of commerce. It follows an extremely rigorous path of focusing on high-quality products, which directly determines that its scale cannot be compared with those behemoth-like commercial organizations.

However, small size does not mean weak strength or financial resources—on the contrary, the resources and authority held by the Sword Dance Chamber of Commerce far exceed those of large organizations like the Blue Chamber of Commerce.

The most compelling proof is that the Sword Dance Merchant Guild is qualified to set up a stall in the core trading street, which is only open to contractors of rank seven and above.

This privilege alone is enough to leave the Blue Chamber of Commerce far behind.

All the equipment sold by the Sword Dance Merchant Guild comes from the guild itself.

The so-called Sword Dance Merchant Guild was originally just a tool organization casually established by these two masters to make it easier to collect rare ores and raw materials.

Unexpectedly, this small organization, which originally only served individual needs, gradually grew in size and influence over time, eventually developing into the Sword Dance Chamber of Commerce, which now holds a significant position in the high-end market.

"I wonder if our Sword Dance Merchant Guild will have the honor of acquiring this [Heavenly Horned Ox Mining Insect] blueprint?" Cang Qiong's purpose this time was very clear: he was after this blueprint.

The value of the [Skyhorn Ox Mining Insect] blueprint far exceeds its apparent epic rating in the eyes of the Azure Sky.

It represents an efficient and low-cost mining solution, which is precisely the most pressing pain point for the Sword Dance Chamber of Commerce.

Although the Reincarnation Paradise also has professional mining robots, they are expensive to build and consume a lot of energy.

The Sword Dance Merchant Guild briefly tried it out for a period of time, but soon abandoned it completely.

After careful calculation, they found that although the material cost of the ore mined using these robots was indeed slightly lower than that of directly purchasing finished ore from contractors, the high initial investment, continuous energy replenishment, essential maintenance costs, long time consumption, and labor costs... all these hidden costs were taken into account, and the conclusion was that it was far more cost-effective to directly purchase finished ore from contractors.

The Reincarnation Paradise is not the Apocalypse Paradise. Although many of the workers here take on part-time mining jobs to supplement their income, the gap between them and the army of miners at Apocalypse Paradise, who have "mining" skills ingrained in their very bones, is simply too great in terms of mining scale, operational efficiency, and professional exploration and precise mining capabilities.

Just as Cang Qiong finished his self-introduction, the bar door was pushed open for the third time, and a smell mixed with damp soil and decaying vegetation wafted in.

The newcomer was wrapped in a strange dark green robe, the material of which was neither cloth nor leather, but rather more like a natural weave of the exoskeleton of some kind of living insect and biological fibers, gleaming with a cold, eerie light under the dim light.

The hood was pulled down very low, revealing only a chin with sharp, cold lines.

"Mushishi?" The witch's voice carried a hint of amusement, but also a touch of seriousness.

Although the witch sent a message to this family, she didn't expect the contractor called Mushishi to come over.

This person is a strange individual in the Paradise of Reincarnation, known for dealing with the power of the Zerg. He acts mysteriously and his strength is unfathomable. If Thornra still needs to be summoned through the Zerg hive, then this person does not need to go through such trouble at all.

If Thornra still needs a vast network of hives to govern the swarm, then this one before us... his very existence is a mobile, compressed, living hive!
There are many rumors about "Mushishi", the most chilling of which is that he successfully obtained and fused the power of the "Castle-Castle Fruit" in a One Piece spin-off world in his early years, and developed it to an unbelievable level.

His body was no longer an ordinary flesh and blood body, but a terrifying "fortified city" that had undergone countless spatial folds and layers of encryption, capable of containing billions of insectoids.

Once a conflict breaks out, no one knows what kind of overwhelming swarm of insects will emerge from his seemingly frail body in the next second, instantly engulfing the enemy.

"I want both the blueprints for the Zerg Detection Tower and the Skyhorn Miner." The Zerg Master's voice was not the hoarse, shrill, or eerie tone filled with insect chirps that one might expect. Instead, it was unusually clear, with a gentle, magnetic voice like that of a friendly, sunny neighbor, which contrasted sharply with his strange attire.

"Sorry, our Sword Dance Merchant Guild has already purchased the blueprints for the [Sky Horned Ox Mining Insect]." Upon seeing someone suddenly jump out and try to snatch the item from him, Cang Qiong, the guild leader of the Sword Dance Merchant Guild, immediately became agitated.

"You guys are all new here too, right? I don't think I've heard any confirmation of the final transaction."

The Mushishi gently raised his hand, pointing to the [Skyhorn Bull Mining Insect] blueprint still lying quietly on the bar. "Isn't the thing still here?"

The Mushishi doesn't buy into the idea of ​​"what's done is done." Since the item is still on the bar and Lin Yi hasn't given his approval, the transaction is far from over, and he naturally has the right to intervene.

The current strong intervention of the Insect Master in the struggle against the Sword Dance Merchant Guild for the blueprint of the [Sky Horned Bull Mining Insect] stems from an imminent crisis—he can no longer afford to raise his own insects.

What a huge price to pay to command a million Zerg.
The energy and resources required to maintain the swarm's activity, evolution, and combat attrition are astronomical.

Although Mushishi frantically "open source" through various channels, the accumulated consumption, like a bottomless pit, has put heavy pressure on Mushishi.

The [Skyhorn Miner] is a Zerg miner that ignores hard rock, has high load capacity, and comes with its own detection capabilities. Once he masters it and puts it into production, it will greatly alleviate his resource shortage and may even open up new and stable resource channels.

"100 Soul Coins, and I'll take both blueprints." Ignoring the three from the Azure Sky, the Insect Master sat opposite the Witch and quoted an unexpectedly high price.

Not to mention Lin Yi, even the witch was stunned for a few seconds.

According to the market conditions in the Paradise of Reincarnation, although the blueprint for the [Skyhorn Ox Mining Insect] is precious, it is ultimately just an epic-level blueprint.

It is not finished equipment, nor is it a skill scroll that directly enhances combat power. Its value lies in the technology it contains and its future production potential.

Generally speaking, blueprints that require huge subsequent investments to realize their value are extremely sought after in the market, and their final transaction price rarely exceeds 60 Soul Coins.

After obtaining the blueprints, buyers still need to invest massive amounts of resources in construction, cultivating mineral worms, establishing a management system, and bearing production risks. It takes a long period of time before these resources can be converted into actual profits.

The costs, time, and uncertainties involved greatly limit the "immediate value" of the drawings themselves.

Lin Yi originally thought that selling the two blueprints for 80 soul coins would be a pleasant surprise, making him a fortune; 70 soul coins was his bottom line. (End of Chapter)