Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

The screen flickered and then disappeared along with the cartoon pig piggy bank.

The moment the piggy bank disappeared, a badge made of neither gold nor wood appeared in the ancient hand.

At the center of the emblem is the Goblin Merchant Guild's symbol—a scale inlaid with stars, surrounded by void runes representing trade and circulation.

The moment Gu Lao saw the badge, his breath hitched, and then an uncontrollable look of excitement appeared on his face.

He stroked the surface of the badge, his fingertips even trembling slightly.

This badge represents the status of an official trader in the Goblin Merchant Guild.

Don't underestimate the identity of this "trader". In the void, once this identity is revealed, most races and forces will give certain conveniences and respect, and at least will not easily resort to violence.

No one would want to easily offend the largest "money bag" and resource distribution channel in the void.

Of course, exceptions are made for anomalous beings like ancient gods and abyssal races, whose behavior patterns are completely incomprehensible and cannot be understood by common sense.

For them, identity is useless; only power is the sole language.

But for the ancients, that was enough.

His years of accumulated connections and trading skills finally earned him the official recognition of a top-tier business force in the virtual world.

Almost the instant he grasped the badge, a series of notifications from the Paradise of Reincarnation flooded his mind.

The core message of these messages is very simple: the ancient identity has officially transformed from that of a contractor who needs to personally carry out dangerous tasks to an employee focused on logistics, transactions, and services.

Strangely, the permissions, levels, and some privileges he had accumulated as a contractor (such as entering certain exclusive areas and using certain special facilities) were not stripped away and could still be used normally.

This means that after the Ancient Era, one is no longer forced to carry out those perilous hunting or war missions, but still enjoys some of the rights and conveniences of a high-level contractor.

In the perilous and deadly cycle paradise, this is practically the dream job that countless contractors long for.

On the other side, Lin Yi piled up the 230 Soul Crystals (complete) he had just acquired, almost illuminating a corner of the bar.

He took about one-third of the quantity and pushed it in front of Su Xiao.

Su Xiao glanced at the mountain of soul crystals, nodded, and without any hesitation, reached out to collect them.

Gulu, standing to the side, stared wide-eyed, his throat bobbing involuntarily.

Such a large number of complete soul crystals is an irresistible temptation for any contractor.

If it weren't for her remaining rationality frantically suppressing her impulse, and the ironclad rules of the Paradise of Reincarnation, she probably would have really been unable to resist taking it by force.

Su Xiao seemed to notice Gulu's burning gaze, which was almost tangible.

Instead of immediately putting away the soul crystals, he deliberately picked up a few slowly, played with them between his fingertips, and admired the pure energy flowing inside them in the light, just blatantly displaying them in front of Gulu.

Gulu was so angry that her teeth itched, her small fists clenched tightly, wishing she could rush up and punch Su Xiao's expressionless face right away.

But she managed to hold back, only glaring at Su Xiao with murderous intent, cursing him countless times in her mind.

Su Xiao seemed to think the time was right, and then contentedly put all the soul crystals into his storage space.

Before leaving the witch's shop, he seemed to suddenly remember something, paused, and turned to Lin Yi, saying, "When you get back, remember to check out the Honor Shop. It seems they just restocked."

After saying that, he didn't linger and turned to leave with Bubuwang and Baha.

"Honor Shop?" Lin Yi was slightly taken aback.

Because he had been "passively slacking off" for a long time and rarely took the initiative to accept hunting missions, the Paradise of Reincarnation seemed to have stopped assigning him such missions. As a result, he had almost forgotten that there was a special exchange channel in his private room that required "honor medals" to open.

Reminded by Su Xiao, Lin Yi also became interested.

Without further delay, he used his park access privileges to teleport back to his private room.

With a thought, the communication imprint appears, and a familiar prompt emerges.

[Hunters are welcome to use the Honor Shop. Hunters must read the following terms and conditions.]

1. Items in the Honor Shop can only be redeemed using Honor Medals.

2. Items redeemed in the Honor Shop are locked and cannot be traded with other contractors.

3. Hunters are forbidden from mentioning the existence of the Honor Shop to anyone, otherwise they will be subject to forced execution by the Paradise of Reincarnation.

4. The Honor Shop has a limited selection of items, and supplies are limited.

5. No refunds will be given after redemption.

……

Lin Yi quickly closed the rule notification, and the screen in front of him changed, clearly displaying the redemption list.

[Because the hunter possesses a Diamond Honor Badge, the following exchanges are possible.]

Lin Yi glanced at his inventory. These diamond honor medals were mainly obtained in the Wizarding World, where the number of transgressors was staggering.

Although Lin Yi was not the main damage dealer, as a support and healer, he earned 11 Diamond Honor Medals in the Reincarnation Paradise assessment.

Number of Diamond Medals held: 11

The list doesn't have many items, but every single one is a gem:

[Soul Crystal (Complete) x10]

Price: 5 Diamond Honor Badges

Current stock quantity: 11 pieces

[Honor Rejuvenation Potion (Tier 6)]

Effect: Immediately restores 100% health and 100% mana upon use, and quickly heals physical injuries such as severe organ damage, minor brain tissue damage, and severe penetrating wounds.

Price: 1 Diamond Honor Medal (This is the initial redemption price)

Inventory: 1
Dominator (Overlord-level Equipment)

Category: Special Type Equipment

Price: 94 Diamond Honor Medals

Inventory: 1 (Exclusive)
[Signal Gun (Quality: ???)]

Effect: The unique signal gun of the Paradise of Reincarnation. After being fired, it can project a giant mark of the ф attribute in the sky. The mark lasts for 3 hours and cannot be erased by conventional means (representing the Paradise of Reincarnation).

Ammo capacity: 5 rounds, flares can be replenished for free through the Honor Shop.

Price: Free to redeem.

Note: This item cannot be destroyed, traded, or sold. It will be reclaimed if abandoned.

Lin Yi's gaze swept quickly across the list.

The Soul Crystal (Complete) is naturally a valuable currency and must be exchanged.

The Honor Restoration Potion is reasonably priced; don't miss out.

As for the [Dominator], although its effects are tempting, its price is too high, far beyond what he can afford at present.

His gaze finally settled on the [signal flare gun].

Upon seeing this, Lin Yi immediately understood why Su Xiao had specifically reminded him.

To put it simply, this signal flare is a special communication and distress signaling tool prepared by the Paradise of Reincarnation for hunters carrying out high-risk missions.

In the perilous native world, sending out a signal might summon nearby allies, or even provoke some form of intervention from the Paradise.

Of course, Lin Yi also considered this thing somewhat useless.

After all, under normal circumstances, the number of contractors in the Paradise of Reincarnation in a native world is not large, and their distribution may be extremely scattered.

Whether a flare gun works or not largely depends on luck.

It may only play a crucial role in war-torn worlds with a high density of contractors, or in certain specific mission environments.

However, since it's free to redeem, why not take it?

Without much hesitation, Lin Yi made his choice.

You have consumed 11 Diamond Honor Badges.

You have obtained 10 Soul Crystals (Complete).

[You have obtained 1 Marking Flare Gun.]

[You have obtained one Honor Restoration Potion (Tier 1).]

In an instant, the diamond honor medal in Lin Yi's hand was completely cleared.

He put away the 10 newly acquired Soul Crystals (Complete). Including what he had obtained from the Holy Light Squad, the goblin merchant guild's share of the profits, and what he had "earned" from Gulu earlier, his total number of Soul Crystals (Complete) was now approaching three hundred.

This number is enough to make over 99% of the adventure groups in the Paradise of Reincarnation green with envy.

Even for a large adventure team, it would be extremely difficult to produce such a large number of complete soul crystals at once; this is a huge sum of money that is almost unimaginable for a sixth-tier contractor.

But Lin Yi knew very well that these soul crystals wouldn't stay in his hands for long.

Both upgrading skill levels and strengthening core abilities require a massive investment of resources. With that in mind, Lin Yi used his personal access privileges to teleport to the Skill Upgrade Hall.

After paying the corresponding Paradise Coins, Lin Yi stepped into an advanced skill upgrade pod.

He opened the skill list directly and found the skill "Sword Master".

Ignoring the warnings from the Paradise of Reincarnation about the high upgrade fees, Lin Yi focused his mind and chose to upgrade continuously!
[To upgrade to Sword Master, pay 15 Soul Crystals (Complete) and 450000 Paradise Coins.]

[To upgrade to Sword Master, pay 100 Soul Crystals (Complete) and 3000000 Paradise Coins.]

……

Such an exaggerated increase in power and energy consumption caused the indicator light on the outside of Lin Yi's skill enhancement chamber to quickly change from the normal blue to the orange that represented high load, and finally stabilize at a glaring red.

If someone were standing in the skill upgrade hall at this moment and looking at the skill chamber where Lin Yi was, they would find that wisps of white steam were beginning to rise from the surface of this expensive device, and a low humming sound was even coming from inside.

This is entirely because the skill pod is operating at overcapacity to cope with Lin Yi's almost "brutal" skill enhancement methods.

A female employee dressed as a bunny girl who happened to be passing by was attracted by the unusual scene and couldn't help but stop.

She looked at the skill pod flashing red light, her eyes revealing an undisguised envy.

She couldn't help but dream that one day she could be like that person in the warehouse, possessing such abundant resources and being able to so boldly enhance her power.

……

When Lin Yi regained consciousness, he found himself on the surface of a desolate planet.

The sky was a dull gray-red, devoid of sun, moon, and stars, with only distorted bands of light stretching across the heavens like dying serpents.

Beneath my feet lay cracked, lifeless, dark red soil; in the distance, collapsed mountains and deep ravines stretched out, and the air was thick with the decaying scent of the end of all things.

Not far in front of him, a figure stood quietly.

More accurately, it was the scene surrounding that figure that attracted Lin Yi's full attention.

An unimaginable amount of complex elemental power was frantically converging towards that figure.

These elemental forces were so dense, yet they obediently submitted to the figure. Even with Lin Yi's physical abilities, he could not penetrate the layers of elemental barriers to see the other party's true face.

The convergence of elemental light stung his eyes, forcing him to squint slightly.

As Lin Yi subconsciously rubbed his eyes, trying to adjust to the overly "dazzling" scene, the figure seemed to have noticed his presence.

"Cough cough..."

A slightly weak cough was heard.

The figure waved gently.

In an instant, the almost materialized torrent of elements, like a subject receiving a king's command, obediently spread out in all directions, slowly merging into the surrounding void or sinking into the cracked earth.

The blinding light quickly diminished, finally revealing the figure encased within the core.

He was a middle-aged man with an ordinary face, but with an expression of endless vicissitudes and weariness.

He was dressed in a seemingly simple gray robe, on which faint star patterns that had long since faded were visible.

His face was somewhat pale, and his breathing seemed a little unstable.

He waved in the direction Lin Yi was, signaling him to come over.

Lin Yi was taken aback when he saw the other party's action.

He subconsciously looked around, and on this desolate planet, apart from himself and the middle-aged man, there was no sign of life.

"He...can sense me?" A hint of doubt arose in Lin Yi's mind.

This is clearly not the real material world; it's more like a space of inheritance or a fragment of memory into which one's consciousness is drawn when skills are being upgraded.

Logically, the "characters" in this scenario should not have the ability to interact with "outsiders".

But the other party's clear gestures and the gaze that seemed to be directed at him didn't seem fake.

Considering that the Paradise of Reincarnation provides a basic guarantee, Lin Yi is not worried about any unexpected events.

He hesitated for a moment, then strode toward the middle-aged man.

As the distance closed, Lin Yi could sense the other person's condition more clearly.

An aura of decay, originating from the very source of life, was emanating from the middle-aged man.

His life force was like sand flowing in an hourglass, irreversibly dissipating; even his more essential soul essence was like a flickering candle in the wind, its light uncertain.

His very presence here is like a miracle coming to an end.

The middle-aged man looked at Lin Yi as he approached, a scrutinizing glint in his deep eyes, which then turned into a faint surprise.

"A successor to the Abyss Physician's legacy... truly rare. Has Hill finally found a suitable successor? Since when has the Abyss Physician's lineage begun to favor the use of swords?"

Just as he was speaking, Lin Yi keenly noticed that a barely perceptible blue arc of electricity flashed quickly in the depths of the other man's eyes.

This feature... is so iconic.

In the entire void, there is only one powerful being that possesses these characteristics, is so compatible with such immense elemental power, and is in such a dying state...

With a hint of uncertainty, Lin Yi tentatively spoke, "Tang Xilin."

Upon hearing the name, the middle-aged man was visibly taken aback, then a wry smile appeared on his face. He laughed and cursed, "Pah! That wicked scoundrel who's always scheming against his own people, dares to compare himself to me?"

There wasn't much genuine anger in his words; instead, there was a hint of...familiarity.
After he finished cursing, he gestured for Lin Yi to sit down on a relatively flat rock next to him.

Lin Yi confirmed from the other party's attitude that this was not Tang Xilin, which made him even more curious.

"Forgive my poor eyesight, but I have not yet asked your name, senior?"

The middle-aged man looked at the collapsed mountain range in the distance, his gaze seemingly piercing through time and space, returning to a magnificent era.

He uttered a name that once resounded throughout the void and commanded the respect of countless powerful beings: "Star Devourer Arcas".

Star Devourer Arcas!

This is the epitome of a top-tier powerhouse and the only one with a conscience among the previous generation of law destroyers! A truly great being who has stepped into the pinnacle of power!

In an environment where lawbreakers are generally regarded by other forces as "destructive maniacs," "rule breakers," and "uncommunicable madmen," the Star Devourer Arcas is an absolute outlier.

He is powerful, yet he does not abuse his power; he adheres to certain inner principles and bottom lines; he even communicates and trades with other forces, and lends a helping hand in certain major events concerning the balance of the void.

It can be said that the faction of the Destroyers of Laws did not completely degenerate into becoming a public enemy "hated by everyone" like the Abyss Clan and the Ancient Gods of the Fallen Star at that time, thanks in no small part to the Star Devourer Arcas.

Other law destroyers might be a major headache for other forces, who would avoid them at all costs.

However, once they see the Star Devourer Arcas, whether they are demons, winged races, or neutral void races, they will all show considerable respect and welcome.

Even on Arcane Eternity, a planet with a long-standing feud with the Spellbreakers, many spellcasters hold a degree of respect for Arcas the Star Eater.

According to some hidden historical records, in the final fierce battle to wipe out the Spell Destroyers, many spellcasters deliberately avoided direct confrontation with Arkas and instead concentrated their efforts on besieging the other five more "notorious" Spell Destroyers.

Arcas the Devourer's ultimate demise was, to some extent, purely because he chose not to flee alone, but instead insisted on dying alongside his comrades.

After he escaped with severe injuries, the Arcane Eternal Star, including his enemy elemental faction, surprisingly did not send any pursuers, almost tacitly allowing him to disappear from the battlefield.

This caused quite a stir at the time, but no one raised any objections.

This is the unique charisma of Arcas the Devourer of Stars.

As for the other destroyers of the law? To paraphrase Marvin Waltz's self-deprecating words: "We're dead, so be it. I doubt many people will regret it."

Unfortunately, according to the exact information Lin Yi knew, the Star Devourer Arcas, the only "gentleman" and "conscience" among the Law Destroyers, had completely perished.

Unlike Marvin Waltz and Grin Gillian, who might still retain remnants of their souls, fragments of consciousness, or special contingency plans, Arkas was truly annihilated, disappearing completely from this void.

When Marvin Waltz mentioned this incident, even Rutheran was silent for a moment, and finally could only let out a long sigh: "It's true that good people don't live long, but evil people live for a thousand years."

Just as Lin Yi's mind was filled with complex memories and emotions, he noticed that the elemental power that had originally dispersed around Star Devourer Arcas began to gather uncontrollably again, with a tragic grandeur like moths drawn to a flame.

Arkas seemed to sigh softly with a hint of helplessness, and waved his hand again to dispel the elemental energy that tried to approach.

"No need. I am already a fading shadow, why waste the strength of these children?"

His gaze swept across the desolate planet, a barely perceptible sadness flickering in his eyes.

"Before I came to this planet... this place was once a vibrant cradle of life."

"There are blue oceans, green forests, running herds of beasts, and... a newly born, innocent and pure planetary consciousness."

"But in just a few weeks... in the short few weeks after I arrived, it became what you see now."

Arkas raised his hand and pointed to the lifeless wasteland.

"The reason is simple... The consciousness of this planet, this newly born 'child,' has summoned all the elemental power and life essence it can mobilize to my side without reservation, trying to prolong my life... Even if doing so will accelerate the collapse of its own consciousness and completely drain the last bit of potential of this planet, it is willing to do so."

“I tried to stop it, I scolded it… but it was too stubborn, like… like it was convinced it was worth it.”

The voice of this once-powerful figure, who stood at the pinnacle of the void, now carried a sense of powerlessness. (End of Chapter)