Sanctuary Paradise

Chapter 815 Departure
The next day, in a private room.

[This intensive treatment has ended. Current treatment intensity: Hell level]

"Phew! I didn't expect that mixing black maple tea with deep healing would work so well?"

The warm sunlight streamed down from the simulated azure sky. On the snow-white bed, Xin Lailai, who had enjoyed a perfect sleep thanks to the combined effects of black maple tea and deep healing, lazily stretched and moved her body a couple of times before a light smile appeared on her face.

[Note: 59 minutes and 59 seconds remain until the end of this stay in the park. Because the Pioneer's next world progress is "Expedition Progress", after this stay ends, the Pioneer will not return to the present world, but will be directly teleported to the Tier 3 World Fortress - Andusia to await orders!]

[Note: Based on the Pioneer's current stigmata, the Pioneer will have a total of 318 expedition supply points for this expedition. The corresponding expedition supply shop will be activated after the Pioneer arrives at the designated fortress area. The Pioneer is encouraged to explore the rest of the content after arriving at the fortress area.]

A cold notification sound rang out. Xin Lailai moved her gaze, glanced at the contents briefly, nodded slightly, and closed the notification.

Unlike the normal world progression, once an expedition begins, upon receiving an expedition recruitment notice, regardless of how much time the recruit has remaining in the real world, they will be directly teleported to the corresponding world fortress after their time in Paradise ends, where they will await orders.

Moreover, because of their pioneer status, once they arrive at the World Fortress, they can exchange their expedition supply quota for a large amount of supplies and ultra-rare resources that can usually only be seen in the Honor Shop.

As for the specific value of these resources, based on the exchange rate of amusement park points, their current 318 expedition quota is roughly equivalent to 3.18 million amusement park points in terms of value.

Most importantly, these resources are different from other gains that require them to put in a lot of effort. The resources in the expedition supply quota are provided to them unconditionally and without restrictions. It means that as long as they participate in the expedition, they are guaranteed to earn at least 3.18 million Paradise Points. This is the treatment that pioneers receive in the expedition.

"Hmm... Did Boss Cheng happen to be back today? Then I'll go over there for a visit."

"Hey, I can finally see Lily! It feels like it's been ages since I last saw her!"

After quickly scrolling through the messages in the contact list, Xin Lailai looked at the message that she had promised to send them and her eyes lit up. Ling Yuzi's eyes lit up, clearly also looking forward to meeting Little White Saintess.

"Well, let's not delay, let's go now."

As Xin Lailai spoke, she changed into her combat attire, opened the teleportation interface, and disappeared from the spot.

……

Sanctuary Paradise, a dilapidated hut.

"Hey boss, long time no see!" "Yeah, off on an expedition?"

"Yeah, we have to head to the fortress in less than an hour. I wonder what the inside of the World Fortress looks like?"

"Come here, little Lily, let your big sister give you a hug~!" "Hello, Bai...Bai Yu-jie!"

"Hmm~ Good girl, Lily has become even cuter since I last saw her!"

Lighthearted conversations rang out from the slightly dilapidated wooden cabin. Inside the old cabin, which was filled with various collectibles and books, Xin Lailai greeted Cheng Nuo, while Ling Yuzi excitedly picked up the little white saintess who was holding a cup of tea and rubbed her delicate, flawless face against her skin.

"Speaking of which, Boss Cheng, how's the situation with Senior Lena?"

"It's not bad. Although she still can't leave that world, at least she can stay awake all day now. She discussed it with me and the teacher, and we plan to officially become a god in the world system after her injuries are fully healed, so she can continue to grow stronger in a different way."

"World system deities? Miss Lena, are you planning to go with that White Star..."

Upon hearing the promised answer, a look of surprise appeared in Xin Lailai's eyes. As a god in the world system, he was naturally familiar with this branch.

Unlike conventional system deities who rely on a single authority, world system deities are omnipotent in terms of authority, and can even be regarded as an alternative world will. However, the price is that their lives are bound to the corresponding world, and the effect of their authority will be greatly weakened once they leave the current world.

"Yes, she said that Baichuixing left her with very deep memories, so she wants to use her own way to develop that world as much as possible and restore it to life."

"Although my teacher and I initially considered persuading her, she told me that she didn't want to be a burden who couldn't become stronger because of damage to her original nature for the rest of her life. Isn't that very much her style?"

"That really sounds like something Senior Lena would say, doesn't it? Maybe she'll even be able to live off Senior Lena someday?"

"If something like that really happened to me, I'd probably be overjoyed, wouldn't I?"

Xin Lailai teased, while Cheng Nuo smiled slightly and joked. His expression and reaction were completely different from the silent, suit-wearing man behind the counter with his legs crossed when they first met.

"So much has happened without us even realizing it..."

After exchanging a few words with Xin Lailai, Cheng Nuo glanced at the black-haired youth in front of him and the white-haired girl on the sofa who was watching the Little White Saintess carefully carving gemstones with great interest, a complex look of emotion appearing in his eyes.

Since that accident twenty years ago, his life has been set in stone, monotonously completing the tasks assigned by the park, listening to 04296's complaints, and having a couple of drinks with the scrap metal... This kind of life goes on and on, and he even once thought that this kind of life would accompany him for the rest of his life.

But ever since the arrival of the black-haired youth, everything has been like a stuck gear suddenly starting to run. One incredible thing after another has happened around the black-haired youth in front of him. And just like the ones who set off one feat after another in the past, he has overcome obstacles that even he, who was once a pioneer, found difficult to overcome. Even his already fixed life has undergone changes that he never dared to dream of under the progress of the other party.

"Speaking of which, you should still have those two love-linked gems, right?"

After a brief moment of distraction, Cheng Nuo seemed to remember something, looked at Xin Lailai in front of him, and spoke. Xin Lailai, who was reading a newspaper, nodded in response.

"Hmm, Boss Cheng, what's wrong?"

"It's nothing, I just suddenly thought that maybe I shouldn't stay in the same place forever."

"Therefore, if possible, I would like to try to reach the level of a legendary gem craftsman while I am still alive. And if I succeed, I hope that the Twin Gems in your hands will become the first piece of my work that surpasses the Eternal level."

Aspiring to become a legendary gem craftsman? And that last sentence...

Upon hearing this, Xin Lailai was taken aback at first, then her eyes lit up, and she said:

"Master Promise, are you saying that the Twin Gems have the potential to be upgraded to the Saint Spirit level or even higher?"

Regarding the advancement of the Twin Gems, as the pinnacle of the project, it was stated that it had been intended to reach the Epic level, but that was all. Therefore, Xin Lailai's expectations for the Twin Gems were only at the Epic level. But now...

"Yes, it's a bit difficult, but as Lena would say, sometimes it's precisely because of that that it's all the more worthwhile to challenge?"

Cheng Nuo smiled slightly, then glanced at Xin Lailai's left hand, lowered his eyes, and said:

"However, it's too early to talk about these things now. I've neglected the art of gems for almost twenty years. Although I've picked it up again, I'm only a master gem craftsman. So let's wait until you advance to the fourth tier and upgrade the Twin Gems to epic quality before we talk about these things."

"As for now... well, let me think. Let's take out your Twin Gems first. I'll try to put two layers of insurance on them to ensure that they can still be repaired even if they break."

"Yes, it's all up to you, Boss!"

Upon hearing this, Xin Lailai nodded decisively, took out the "Eternal Oath" from their jewelry space, and gently placed it on the table. Seeing this, Cheng Nuo took the two rings inlaid with the Lovebirds Gem in his hand, his eyes flickered, and after examining them for a while, he nodded gently and led them to the processing room behind the counter.

I never expected to have such a pleasant surprise during this trip.

Xin Lailai watched Cheng Nuo's departing figure, blinked, and a hint of anticipation appeared in her pupils.

To be honest, the promise to return to the gem craftsman path was completely unexpected. After all, the other party's potion-making skills had reached the top master level, enough to create eternal-grade alchemical potions. If the goal was to become a legendary master, then potion-making should be closer to that goal.

But since they had made that choice, Xin Lailai naturally wouldn't ask any more questions. The other party had lived in the park for twenty years, even if only from the perspective of an employee. With the advantage of their rank, their vision and experience were far beyond what they could compare to now. Therefore, since the other party had chosen to return to the path of a gem craftsman, they must have their own considerations.

So, after seeing him off and leaving, Xin Lailai, suddenly without anyone to chat with, turned her attention back to the Paradise Express newspaper in front of her:
...Undercurrents are brewing; a new expedition seems imminent? Are top-tier and higher-ranking experts about to face another wave of disappearances?

"A resounding success! The Black Sword Tea Party received unanimous praise from top-tier mages! What made Saintess and Star Maiden so unforgettable?"

"An incredible contract was encountered in the training ground; the infinite repetition made it as strong as a monster, and even with all our strength, we couldn't defeat it! What secrets do the newly added training ground features of the various sects hold?!"

No matter when, this thing's style remains as flamboyant as ever...!
Xin Lailai stared at the guarantee in front of her, at the contents and the headlines that were desperately trying to mislead people in order to grab attention, and her expression twitched slightly.

Because the Domain of All Laws Returning to One is his core trump card, he did not reveal any scenes related to the Domain of All Laws Returning to One in this submission. He even made Star Maiden, Saintess, and other participants in the tea party sign a contract to prevent them from leaking information before they took the initiative to speak.

After all, they are different now than when they were in the first and second tiers. The income from Paradise Express is no longer their main source of funds. Therefore, unless necessary, they probably won't reveal information related to their core abilities on it in the future.

Just like what happened on Darkstar, which was only documented in simple written reports without any substantial visual footage, after nearly a year of publicity, they no longer need to deliberately use various images to emphasize the power and specialness of the 'Black Sword' identity. Simply revealing where they have been, who they have defeated, and what achievements they have made is enough to solidify the reputation of the Black Sword identity.

"But so the White Night Contract has already been widely implemented in various cults? And the expedition... this time it even appeared in the newspapers. Is Paradise planning to start a new round of disseminating information related to the Abyss?"

After casually flipping through the newspaper for a while, Xin Lailai's eyes flickered as she looked at the two most popular topics.

They are no longer the clueless new contractors they once were. So what might be just a topic of conversation for ordinary contractors is a signal of direction from the Paradise itself to them, the pioneers.

Take the Abyss as an example. Since their return from the Dead Sea Ruins, they have clearly felt that the Paradise is significantly decentralizing its restrictions on information related to the Abyss. In particular, the fact that content related to this expedition could appear directly on the headlines of the Paradise News indicates that the Paradise has come to regard the Abyss as a concept that ordinary contractors can also know about.

At first glance, it might seem like this is merely opening up more information to lower-level contractors, but upon closer examination from a deeper perspective, a problem becomes apparent:
Why does the amusement park want ordinary contractors to know this?

As pioneers, they need to know about the Abyss because their identities dictate that they will come into contact with things related to the Abyss in an extremely frequent manner.

But what about ordinary contractors? Why would Paradise allow people who, theoretically, would never have the chance to face the Abyss in their entire lives to know about the Abyss?
In Xin Lailai's view, Paradise's purpose in doing this was definitely not just to make ordinary contractors wary of concepts related to the Abyss, but if Paradise's purpose was not limited to that...

"The calm before the storm..."

Xin Lailai murmured, looking down at the newspaper in front of her. One piece of information after another related to the top combat power of the Star Realm flashed through her mind, and her eyes flickered slightly.

Grinway, one of the world's greatest warriors, known as the "Forbidden Shadow," is suspected of having gone to the Abyss a year ago...

A year ago, the military leader of "Supreme Radiant Sun," who had launched an expedition, suddenly challenged "Demon of Annihilation," who was also at the peak of his power...

And then there's their cult's leader, who suddenly returned and became unusually active...

Although there is no direct evidence, there is no doubt that these top powerhouses in the astral realm are making their own preparations for something. They are no exception. Considering what Meimu said to them, they may be one of the preparations made by the other party, who is at the peak.

As for what exactly could make these powerful individuals so wary... with Xin Lailai's imagination, she could only think of one thing:

"The Great Invasion of the Abyss"

Indeed, only a catastrophe of this scale could prompt these powerful beings at the pinnacle of the astral plane to react simultaneously. As for the exact timing of its arrival—

"A hundred years... no, less than ten years..."

Xin Lailai stared at the newspaper in front of her and murmured to herself. In an instant, a strong sense of urgency rose in her mind.

Within ten years, a new abyssal invasion will erupt.

If this speculation is true, then at that time, if they do not reach the level of absolute or even supreme strength, they will most likely find it extremely difficult to even protect themselves.

Conversely, if they wanted to acquire sufficient ability to protect themselves, and even others, at that time...

"Must one achieve supreme strength or the ultimate realm, or even go further, before that...?"

Xin Lailai murmured, images of the worlds she had witnessed, corrupted by the abyss, flashing through her mind. Her hands clenched unconsciously, and just then—

"Here you go, it's all taken care of. Now, as long as your equipment isn't damaged, even if its durability runs out, it will only enter a dormant state instead of breaking directly."

[Note: 9 minutes and 59 seconds remain in the Paradise. Teleportation access has been unlocked. Pioneers can now teleport directly to the Tier 3 World Fortress, Andusia, to await orders!]

The voice of the promise and the amusement park's notification sound faded away, bringing Xin Lailai back to her senses. She looked at the promise that had appeared behind the counter and the "Eternal Vow" placed on it, nodded slightly, and expressed her gratitude:

"Yes, thank you very much, Boss Promise!"

As she spoke, Xin Lailai put away the diamond ring on the counter, re-equipped it in her equipment slot, glanced at Ling Yuzi who was playing with Little White Saintess behind her, and said:

"Ling Yuzi, get ready, it's time to teleport."

"Coming, coming right away!"

"Alright, little Lily, I have to go on a mission with the other older brothers and sisters now. I'll come back to see you later!"

"Sister Bai Yu, be careful on your journey! Lily will be waiting for you here!"

"Then it's settled, right?"

A tender blessing came from Little White Saintess. She reluctantly let go of Ling Yuzi's arm, her little face showing an unusually serious expression. Seeing this, Ling Yuzi smiled, patted her little head, and then returned to his soul space with a thought.

"Got to go?"

"Well, although we can stay for a few more minutes, I think we should go check out the fortress first."

At the counter, Cheng Nuo looked at Xin Lailai, whose feet were beginning to show a pale golden teleportation effect, and casually asked, to which Xin Lailai simply nodded in acknowledgment.

"Really? Then I wish you a safe journey."

Upon hearing this, Cheng Nuo looked at Xin Lailai and smiled, saying, "I will do this." Xin Lailai, in turn, smiled and replied, "I will do this as well."

"Then thank you for your kind words, Master Cheng."

[Hint: Time remaining until teleportation: 10…9…8…]

As the words fell, a cold countdown appeared in Xin Lailai's mind along with a rapidly constructing teleportation array. Gazing at the pale golden light screen before her, her eyes flickered slightly, and she calmly activated her protective abilities, quietly watching the countdown reach its end. Finally—

[Ready to go? Teleportation initiation!]

Boom——! !

The next second, the space where the black-haired youth was located shattered with a loud bang, and Cheng Nuo, who was behind the counter, looked at this scene and then looked at a certain place on the bookshelf with a darting gaze.

He was looking forward to it.

What kind of story will this person, who has repeatedly amazed him, bring from this expedition?
……

(End of this chapter)