Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

Lin Yi looked at the Wind Prince, his meaning was crystal clear: Serphilia hadn't resisted.

“Rebel?” The Wind Prince scoffed, his smile filled with undisguised mockery. “Of course she wants to rebel, more than anyone else. Serphia isn’t stupid; quite the opposite, she’s incredibly clever. When those tedious, outrageously detailed compliance review notices fell like snowflakes precisely on the Arcane faction’s heads; when our ‘little tacit understanding’ with the White Bull forces in the Void had just begun, her key outposts immediately tightened their defenses… she already smelled it.”

Prince Wind leaned forward slightly: "She has already guessed that there are 'our own people' within our Arcane Eternal Star behind this. But what can she do even if she guesses it?"

Meanwhile, on Arcane Eternal Star, the core area of ​​the Arcane faction, at the top of the "Tower of Spellweavers".

This place was once the pride of the Arcane faction, the central hub of the entire faction's energy network, flowing with the radiance of innovation and power.

But at this moment, the space was filled with a low pressure that was almost suffocating.

"boom!"

A wine glass carved from astral glass was slammed to the ground and shattered instantly, the shimmering wine inside splashing everywhere, just like Serphia's out-of-control emotions at that moment.

"Trash! A bunch of trash!"

Serphia's voice had lost its usual composure and authority, becoming sharp and somewhat shrill.

Her beautiful face was now covered with frost, and her once captivating purple eyes burned with raging anger, as well as a trace of... panic that she herself was unwilling to admit.

Before her, several high-ranking managers of the Arcane faction remained silent, heads bowed, not daring to meet her gaze.

Scattered on the ground were numerous documents, densely covered with data and reports, recording the difficulties the Arcane faction had encountered in various fields recently.

"The transport fleet for the Seventh Void Mine was hijacked by the 'Astral Pirates' again? Right under the noses of our Arcane Eternal Star patrol? Tell me, when did those rabble's crumbling ships become capable of breaching our latest sensor matrix?" Serphia's voice trembled slightly with extreme anger. "And why was the batch of magical crystals requested by the 'Elemental Heart' laboratory approved in just three days? Meanwhile, the basic infrastructure materials that our 'Arcane Innovation' project urgently needs, and which have a higher priority, are stuck in the 'cross-departmental joint security assessment' for a full two weeks!"

She slammed her hand on the glass table in front of her, and spiderweb-like cracks instantly spread across the hard surface.

"They're treating us like fools! Those parasites hiding behind the rules and regulations! They're doing it on purpose!"

A male spellcaster in charge of resource allocation stepped forward with a stiff upper lip, his voice hoarse: "Sir, we've tried all the official channels to appeal... but the responses are all 'procedure is compliant' and 'please wait patiently.' We even used some of our previously accumulated... personal connections, but they either avoided us or said they couldn't help. This time, the elemental faction is determined to follow the 'rules'."

“Rules?” Serphia looked at the magnificent tower, which seemed to be losing its life, as if she had heard the most ridiculous joke. Her voice was icy cold. “When did they start following the rules? This is clearly a long-planned conspiracy!”

She walked to the huge observation window and looked down at the magnificent view of part of Arcane Eternal Star below, but her heart was filled with coldness.

She did guess it. From the first abnormal delay, from the White Bull's attacks always accurately finding the weakest point in her defense, she vaguely sensed the dark hand controlling everything behind the scenes.

It's not just the elemental factions; there are probably many more... those "allies" and "neutrals" who greet her with smiles on the surface but secretly wish for her downfall.

What can she do?
Directly use force to attack the key parts of the elemental faction?

That would be tantamount to deliberately tearing off the mask, escalating the factional struggle to the level of civil war, and giving the supreme leader an excuse to directly intervene and severely punish.

At that time, the Arcane faction will be the first to be crushed.

Appeal to the Most High?
The Supreme Being is the highest ruler of the Arcane Eternal Star, and the symbol of ultimate power and order.

He never questioned or even tacitly approved of the competition between factions, as long as such competition was kept within a certain range and did not harm the fundamental interests of Arcane Eternity.

In the eyes of the supreme being, this situation is probably part of "healthy competition".

How could he possibly break the unspoken rules that have been running for countless years on the Arcane Eternal Star, openly favoring a new faction and opposing the deeply entrenched alliance of established powers, all for the sake of Serphilia alone?

The Supreme Being is a nuclear weapon, used to deter external enemies and maintain overall stability, not a private army that Serphia can use for internal factional struggles.

"Inherent foundation..." Serfia felt a wave of powerlessness.

The Arcane faction rose to prominence too quickly, leaving it with a severe lack of foundation.

She herself was indeed exceptionally talented. With the legacy left by Rutneran and her own efforts, she successfully stepped into the realm of the strongest and gained the qualification to stand on the chessboard.

However, even the strongest level is not invincible.

Arcane Eternal Star has existed for far too long, its foundation is unfathomable, and it does possess methods to restrict, seal, or even kill supreme-level powerhouses.

The Elemental and Soul factions have been passed down for countless years; who knows how many hidden cards they have up their sleeves?

They might not be able to easily kill a Supreme Being, but they certainly have the ability to make her unable to move an inch and to disintegrate the factions under her command.

Her personal strength could not compensate for the faction's overall backwardness in terms of talent reserves, resource networks, political allies, and even the "right to interpret the rules" accumulated over many years.

“They…they’re trying to wear us down.” Serphia’s voice lowered, sounding tired and hoarse.

She knew very well what those small and medium-sized factions, who were standing by and watching or even secretly fueling the flames, were plotting.

The existence of the Arcane faction is like a gluttonous beast that suddenly barges into a feast, devouring a large amount of resources and influence that should have been allocated to them.

They couldn't wait for the Arcane faction to collapse immediately.

Once the Arcane faction, this "third pole," disappears, the top factions on Arcane Eternity will only be the Elemental and Soul factions.

When two powerful forces clash, the conflict is bound to escalate.

This is inevitable in the power structure of any large organization.

At that time, in order to buffer the direct conflict between the two major factions and maintain a fragile balance, it will be necessary to support a new, relatively weak "third faction".

This was almost a political necessity.

And this opportunity is the ladder that those small and medium-sized factions dream of!
They can unite, elect a spokesperson, and compete for the soon-to-be-vacant position.

Therefore, they now only hope that Serphia dies sooner, so that her position will be vacated and they will have the opportunity to divide the legacy left by the Arcane faction and join the ranks of the top factions.

Thinking of this, a bitter smile appeared on Serfia's lips.

Ironically, the rise of the Arcane faction itself took advantage of a similar situation.

The faction that attempted to completely energize itself (the Energy Faction) declined rapidly due to its extreme approach and internal divisions, leaving behind a huge power vacuum and resources.

Her mentor, the great arcane pioneer Rutheran, seized that opportunity and, with his outstanding arcane theory and practice, integrated the legacy of some energy schools and many change-seeking spellcasters to establish the arcane school.

And she, Serphia… the Wind Prince was right, she was more of an inheritor than a creator.

Rutheran's other disciples were either engrossed in their studies and detached from worldly affairs, had personality flaws that made them difficult to command respect, or had already perished in the early struggles.

Ultimately, it was she, the disciple considered "most skilled in management and operation," who took over the behemoth left by her mentor.

She inherited Rut'theran's legacy, but failed to fully inherit Rut'theran's prestige and connections, and even less did she manage to lay a truly unshakeable foundation for the Arcane faction like Rut'theran did.

She thought she could steer the speeding carriage with her skill and strength, but she never expected that the carriage's structure would be so fragile when the real storm hit.

"Get out." Serphia turned her back to her subordinates, her voice regaining its calmness, but beneath that calm lay surging anger and unfathomable chill.

The high-ranking officials, feeling as if they had been granted a pardon, quickly bowed and retreated, leaving behind a mess.

Serphia stood alone in front of the viewing window, gazing at the dazzling light of the Arcane Eternal Star outside.

She wouldn't sit idly by. Since the rules were used to bind her, she would find loopholes in the rules. Since external pressure was constant, she had to demonstrate the power to make any covetous person pay a heavy price. Since internal allies were unreliable, she would seek out external... dangerous allies.

A resolute glint flashed in her eyes. The Arcane faction was her foundation, the source of her power, and the platform for her ambition. Anyone who dared to destroy it should be prepared to have their flesh torn apart by her!

Serphia wants to seek external assistance, which is one of the few ways she can think of to break the deadlock.

Resources and connections within Arcane Eternal Star are being systematically severed; she must introduce new variables to break this suffocating blockade.

Looking across the void, which forces have the ability and the willingness to intervene in the internal power struggles of a behemoth like Arcane Eternal Star, and dare to offend both the Elemental and Soul factions at the same time?
Her thoughts first swept over the three realms of transcendence.

The Wind Sea Continent? Serphia immediately dismissed the idea.

The sea creatures and beastmen there have always been xenophobic, and they have no close relationship with the Arcane Eternal Stars, let alone any exchange of interests.

Her name, Serphia, probably carries no weight on the Windsea Continent. Those races that follow tradition would never get involved in such a complicated conflict for the sake of a strange spellcaster.

Making contact rashly will most likely result in not even being able to meet the other party's core decision-making level, being turned away, and possibly exposing one's own weakness, thus becoming a laughing stock.

A fallen star? The thought had barely crossed her mind when a chill ran through Serphia.

That was the stronghold of the ancient gods. Even among the ancient gods, the God of the Underworld was known for his terror and mystery, which made her extremely wary of him.

To make a deal with an ancient god is like asking a tiger for its skin—no, it's even more dangerous.

She had no doubt that if she were to set foot on the Fallen Star in search of so-called "cooperation," the most likely outcome would not be receiving aid, but rather becoming a "snack" for the God of the Underworld, with her soul being completely devoured and used as food to nourish the ancient gods.

Despite her current status as a supreme being, Serphia is now able to stand out among the crowd within the Arcane Eternal Star. However, the gap between supreme beings can sometimes be even greater than the chasm between a first-order mortal and the pinnacle of absolute power.

This newly emerged supreme being, who relied on her mentor's legacy and the fortune of the new faction, was utterly powerless in the face of those ancient beings who had survived for countless eons.

Choosing a meteorite is tantamount to courting death; this path is utterly worthless and absolutely forbidden.

So, the remaining option seems to point to... the witch world.

The witch world is a loosely organized but formidable force comprised of numerous witch groups, occult societies, and ancient traditions.

They are mysterious and independent, possessing many powers that are different from those of spellcasters, including prophecy, curses, bloodline magic, and natural rituals... a wide variety of unpredictable and difficult-to-defend-against abilities.

More importantly, the relationship between the witch world and the Arcane Eternal has always been delicate.

There is competition, but also some limited cooperation and resource exchange.

They are not vassals of the Arcane Eternal Star and possess sufficient autonomy.

Moreover, the witch community has a characteristic that Serphia values ​​highly, but also finds extremely troublesome—they are extremely united, or rather, exceptionally united when dealing with "outsiders".

Any external threat targeting a member or group within the witch community is likely to provoke a collective reaction, whether overt or covert, from the entire witch community.

This shared sense of grievance means that if she can successfully establish a stable cooperative relationship with a group of witches, then when facing pressure from within Arcane Eternity, she will not only gain an ally, but more likely, to some extent, a large and troublesome power system as a potential backing and deterrent.

Of course, this also means that if problems arise in the cooperation, the backlash will come from the pressure of the entire witch community.

“The witch world…” Serphia murmured the name, a calculating glint in her eyes.

This is indeed a theoretically feasible direction.

Although the witches are united against a common enemy, they are not a monolithic group; there are numerous factions within the community. This means there is an opportunity to find specific groups willing to cooperate.

They might be interested in certain rare materials, knowledge, or even information about the interior of the Arcane Eternal.

If one is willing to pay a sufficient price, it is not impossible to win over some witches.

But the difficulties are equally enormous.

First, in what capacity did she approach him? The supreme being of the Arcane Eternal Star? This title might not be effective in the witch world, and could even provoke resentment.

The leader of the Arcane faction? But the Arcane faction is currently being besieged from within, and this news has probably already spread. How much persuasive leverage and promises can a faction leader in such a precarious situation offer?
Witches are always shrewd, especially adept at understanding people's hearts and weighing pros and cons.

How will they view this internal strife within Arcane Eternity? Will they see it as a high-risk investment opportunity, or a quagmire to be avoided at all costs?

Serphia wasn't sure.

She had little direct contact with the higher-ups in the witch community and lacked stable personal relationships as a bridge.

Furthermore, even if a witch group is found willing to cooperate, the form of assistance they can provide is limited.

The witches cannot directly send troops to intervene in the internal affairs of Arcane Eternal Star, as that would trigger a full-scale confrontation between the two major powers, with unimaginable consequences.

A more likely form of assistance would be to provide covert support or to facilitate access through their intelligence networks in the virtual world.

These forms of assistance may alleviate some of the pressure, but whether they can fundamentally reverse the decline of the Arcane faction remains to be seen.

Moreover, it's easy to invite a god but difficult to send him away.

Cooperating with witches inevitably comes at a price, which may far exceed material resources. It could be some secret knowledge, a promise of the future, or even a kind of "dependence".

Serphia must weigh whether introducing the power of the witches will trap her and the arcane faction in another form of constraint.

“The risk is extremely high, and the returns are uncertain…” Serphia analyzed calmly, but her anxiety gradually grew.

However, did she have a better choice? Sitting idly by and waiting for death would only slowly drain her away.

Actively seeking an internal breakthrough is virtually impossible under the current blockade.

In contrast, the witch community at least offered a glimmer of hope, a theoretically possible path to a solution.

Even if the hope is slim and the cost is huge, it is still better than watching helplessly as the legacy left by Rutheran and the fruits of one's life's work collapse.

"We must try."

Serphia cannot place all her hopes on this, but it could be an important part of her counterattack plan.

She needed to immediately utilize all channels that were not yet fully monitored to try to make contact with influential groups within the witch community.

At the same time, she also needs to carefully prepare a "gift" that can impress the other party, as well as a cooperation plan that can protect her own interests to the greatest extent and avoid risks.

On the other side, after Prince Feng finished speaking, the council hall fell into a brief silence.

Lilim played with a strand of her hair, her eyes sparkling with interest, clearly enjoying this drama of internal strife.

If the Wind Prince is right, then Serphia's situation is quite interesting.

Hattie frowned slightly, seemingly assessing the impact of the internal strife on Arcane Eternity on the surrounding situation of the Feathered Race.

Lin Yi broke the silence: "So, she is now a beast trapped in a cage, knowing the hunter's intentions, but unable to break free of the cage."

Prince Feng nodded: "That's one way to understand it. She doesn't have many options right now. Either she has to make a tough decision, giving up some of her interests and territory, and shrinking her defenses in order to prolong her life; or... she has to take a risky move, looking for a key to break the deadlock, even if it means introducing even greater variables."

Lilim chuckled softly, "It sounds like this lady Serphia's troubles are our opportunity. An arcane faction in internal turmoil is good news for us demons." (End of Chapter)