Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

"The reaction was quick." Su Xiao's tone was calm, as he had expected this.

Those who have survived to this point in the battle for supremacy are not truly fools.

He slid his finger across the screen and quickly locked onto the remaining eight red dots.

"It seems they guessed we were 'clearing out' the area. Splitting things up is the most efficient way, but what about those who are hiding..."

Lin Yi's gaze shifted to Ellie, the Dream Spirit Clan girl.

Ellie immediately understood. Her small nose twitched slightly, and a glint of light appeared in her amber eyes. Her invisible spiritual perception was like the most sophisticated radar, no longer just scanning life energy, but deeply capturing the unique "fluctuations" of the soul itself.

For the most advanced soul-sensing races in the void, as long as the target still exists, and as long as its soul has not been completely annihilated or is in a state of absolute isolation, no matter how deeply hidden it is, it will be difficult to escape this level of detection.

“Found them.” Just over ten seconds later, Ellie opened her eyes and pointed to several seemingly empty areas on the map. “Here, here, and here… The energy reaction is perfectly shielded, but the ‘smell’ of the souls is still there, very faint, but they are moving, trying to get away from us and the direction of Death Paradise. There are five in total, spread out quite far apart.”

With Ellie acting as a "human soul radar" for precise location, the subsequent clearing operation became highly efficient.

The combination of Shangyue and Wago was like assassins in the dark. Wago disguised himself as a wounded and fleeing contestant from a small tribe, easily luring two lurkers who were trying to "pick up the scraps" out of their hiding place. Shangyue's scimitar then sliced ​​through the twilight in the next second, completing the silent harvest.

Lin Yi and Su Xiao, along with Ellie, were responsible for three other targets who were more alert or stronger.

One of the contestants, skilled in stealth, thought he was safe hiding in the deepest shadows of the ancient tree's roots. However, guided by Ellie's mental marker, he was pierced through by Lin Yi's sword energy, along with the shadow he was hiding in.

Another elemental mage had constructed multiple barriers. These barriers could shield energy detection, but they could not prevent soul fluctuations from being perceived. Su Xiao directly and violently broke through the outermost layer of defense, and the blade light of the Dragon Slayer shattered the hastily raised elemental shield.

The last one is a bit troublesome. It is a rare spiritual creature that is almost immune to physical attacks, has extremely high energy resistance, and moves at an extremely fast speed.

It attempted to distract the group with a mental shriek, but Ellie easily deflected it and instead used her mental power to weave a large net, restricting its movements.

Lin Yi's abyssal power has a natural restraint on this kind of creature composed of pure energy or soul, and in the end, he eroded and annihilated its soul core with a single blow.

The cleanup process in the western half of the region went much more smoothly and quickly than expected.

Those contestants who tried to escape by relying on advanced concealment items or special talents were exposed under the soul-level scan.

Seven hours later, dusk had completely fallen, and the sky was a dark purple, with a few exceptionally bright stars twinkling through the gaps in the clouds.

Lin Yi and his group crossed the last patch of woodland and arrived at the central area of ​​Twilight Island.

The terrain here is relatively flat, with a platform naturally formed from dark rocks in the center. The surface of the platform is smooth, as if it has been washed by energy over many years.

At this moment, there are already "people" on the platform.

The twin brothers from Death Park were sitting back-to-back on the edge of the platform.

A semi-transparent light screen floated on the ground between the two, displaying an intense battle scene from a popular MOBA game.

One player controlled the character in the bottom lane, last-hitting, harassing, and positioning with precision and fluidity; the other player controlled the support hero, providing protection, crowd control, and setting up vision flawlessly.

The two worked together seamlessly. Despite not exchanging words, every skill combo and every coordinated movement was as if one person were controlling two characters.

Bubuwang went over and curiously glanced at the light screen, his dog eyes immediately showing interest.

Although it couldn't understand the specific skills and tactics, the smooth controls and intense team battles clearly attracted its attention.

It sat crouching next to the twins, watching with great interest.

One of the twins seemed to sense Bubuwang's approach, tilting its head slightly, glancing at it with its gray eyes, and then looking at Su Xiao, Lin Yi, and the others who were walking over.

After confirming that Su Xiao and the others did not intend to make a move immediately, he ignored them and refocused his attention on the game. The other person didn't even look up.

Su Xiao walked to the other side of the platform, found a relatively flat rock to sit on, and took out his tablet computer from his storage space.

The screen lights up—the latest installment in the Pippi series.

He moved his fingers, his expression focused, as if everything around him was irrelevant to him.

Lin Yi appeared even more composed, and with a wave of his hand, an antique dark red tea table appeared in the center of the platform, with a set of elegant celadon tea set on the table.

Then, he took out a sealed jade jar. After opening it, an indescribable fresh aroma wafted out, a fragrance that was a mixture of deep, woody notes and a sweet scent full of vitality.

Tea made by blending two top-quality ingredients is of immeasurable value.

Lin Yi skillfully warmed the teapot, placed the tea leaves, awakened the tea, and brewed the tea.

As the boiling spring water is poured into the pot, an even richer aroma bursts forth the moment it comes into contact with the tea leaves!

The aroma is not a simple floral or fruity scent or tea fragrance, but a refreshing and invigorating sweetness that penetrates the soul.

The aroma instantly captured the attention of everyone on the platform except Su Xiao.

Shangyue's wings fluttered slightly involuntarily, and her nose twitched slightly.

Despite his ordinary appearance, Vago's eyes were noticeably brighter.

The Dream Spirit girl, Ellie, took an exaggerated deep breath, a look of ecstasy on her face, her little fangs showing. "It smells so good...it feels like my soul has been cleansed..."

Kane and Leah had already followed closely behind Lin Yi, their eyes filled with longing, like little animals waiting to be fed, looking pitifully at Lin Yi and the teapot in his hand, their meaning couldn't be clearer.

Lin Yi glanced at them, then looked at the twins in Death Paradise and Shang Yue and the others not far away.

For now, at least on the surface, everyone is still "cooperators," having jointly cleared up the eastern and western halves of the region, and there are no conflicts of interest for the time being.

As for whether they will become enemies in the future, that's a matter for the future.

For now, sharing a little tea to maintain temporary harmony is perfectly acceptable.

"Please sit down," Lin Yi said calmly, and began to serve tea.

The celadon teacups were laid out one by one, and the clear tea soup with a faint golden-red glow was poured into the cups, making the aroma even more concentrated and enticing.

Kane and Leah practically fought over the teacups, carefully holding them in their hands, first taking a deep sniff before sipping them.

As the tea entered their mouths, their eyes widened simultaneously. The warm, mellow current slid down their throats, instantly spreading to every part of their bodies. It not only dispelled the fatigue and tension from their long escape and hiding, but also invigorated them, making the flow of energy within their bodies seem smoother and more fluid.

The soul felt as if it had been cleansed by warm spring water, bringing waves of comfort.

"Delicious! So delicious!" Leah couldn't help but exclaim softly, completely forgetting to maintain her aristocratic demeanor.

Shangyue took the teacup, took a sip with elegant grace, and a hint of surprise flashed in her cold silver eyes.

Wago downed his drink in one gulp, then smacked his lips, his bloodshot eyes filled with lingering relish.

"Doctor, your tea is... amazing. It's comparable to the 'Soul Brew' I had at the Demon Clan's banquet, and even milder and more nourishing."

Ellie, a girl from the Dream Spirit Clan, held her teacup and sipped it slowly, her eyes crinkling with happiness, and the ahoge (cowlick) on her head swayed contentedly.

Bubuwang also temporarily looked away from the game screen, moved closer to Lin Yi's feet, and rubbed its head against his leg, its dog eyes full of expectation.

Lin Yi chuckled, took out a small dish, and poured some tea for it.

Bubuwang immediately started licking it, wagging its tail happily.

Baha also flew down, and after getting his share, he squatted on Su Xiao's shoulder and slowly enjoyed it.

Only the twins from Death Paradise, when they received the teacup from Lin Yi using his telekinesis, looked at the tea swirling in the cup, and simultaneously showed obvious expressions of confusion on their identical faces.

They seemed to be looking up something.

However, no matter how they searched, the results of scanning the tea ingredients were still a series of question marks and the message "Insufficient permissions, material information cannot be recognized".

As high-level contractors of the Death Paradise, their authority is already quite high. The rarity and value of materials that even they cannot recognize are self-evident.

The two exchanged a glance, and ultimately, out of a certain degree of apprehension towards these two infamous rivals from the Paradise of Reincarnation, or perhaps to maintain the current atmosphere of peace, they picked up their teacups and each took a sip with a hint of wariness and suspicion.

The moment the tea entered their throats, both brothers experienced a barely perceptible tremor.

It was an indescribable experience. Gentle yet powerful energy spread through my body, rapidly nourishing my body and soul, which had been slightly depleted from continuous battles and high alert.

What's even more remarkable is that this energy is neutral and peaceful, without any side effects, and even has a strange calming effect.

They could clearly feel that their condition was rapidly returning to its peak, and even their thinking seemed clearer and more agile.

The two looked at each other again, this time the doubt in their eyes was completely replaced by astonishment.

They glanced at the remaining tea in their cups, then at Lin Yi, who had already started brewing his second pot with a nonchalant expression, and at Su Xiao, who seemed completely unfazed by the situation and was engrossed in playing his puzzle game.

One of them finally couldn't help but speak, his voice still calm, but his pace quickening: "You contractors of the Paradise of Reincarnation... are you usually this... this extravagant?"

He considered his words carefully, seemingly feeling that even "luxury" was insufficient to describe it.

These levels of recovery and nourishing products are strategic reserves that are only used in critical moments in Death Paradise.

Who would casually take it out and drink it like ordinary tea during a break in battle? And even share it with temporary collaborators, or even pets?

Another person chimed in, his tone tinged with complex emotion: "No wonder our Death Paradise always loses more often than it wins when it encounters your Reincarnation Paradise in the large-scale world wars."

His implication was clear: if all high-level contractors in the Paradise of Reincarnation were so "extravagant" and had so many resources that they could "waste" them so much, then it would be understandable that the Paradise of Death was at a disadvantage in a protracted war or a war of attrition.

After all, foundation and resources are also part of strength, and an extremely important part at that.

Lin Yi simply smiled, without explaining the preciousness and difficulty of obtaining the tea, let alone mentioning that it was actually a product of his own special channels and resources, and not a standard item for contractors of the Reincarnation Paradise.

Sometimes, maintaining a bit of mystery and "misunderstanding" isn't a bad thing.

As the aroma of tea filled the air and the tea was consumed, the slightly tense and distant atmosphere on the platform indeed eased considerably without anyone noticing.

At least on the surface, the few people from different paradises and different races temporarily laid down their weapons and shared this rare moment of peace.

After the initial shock and enjoyment, Kane and Leah, the siblings, also began to carefully observe the twins in the Death Park.

The brothers did look quite young, with youthful faces, but their gray eyes and the coldness and menacing aura that were beyond their years showed that they were no ordinary teenagers.

Perhaps it was the gentle effect of the tea that made people relax, or perhaps it was because they felt that Lin Yi and Su Xiao were not entirely impossible to communicate with, the older of the twins took another sip of tea and took the initiative to start the conversation, his tone still flat: "We entered the Death Paradise when we were twelve years old."

The younger brother chimed in: "When I was at a lower level, I was deceived, scammed, and stabbed in the back by so-called 'comrades'."

Brother: "We've survived until now thanks to the two of us. We can only ever trust each other."

Brother: "Death Paradise is similar to your Reincarnation Paradise; both are breeding grounds for 'gu' (poisonous insects). It's just that you prefer 'chaotic slaughter,' while in our place, 'betrayal' and 'scheming' are compulsory courses."

The two brothers calmly recounted their struggle to survive in the death park, one after the other.

There was no exaggeration of tragedy, no complaints about injustice; it was as if the story was being told.

But it is precisely this ordinariness that makes one feel the cruelty within.

To stand out in that environment and maintain such a deep brotherhood, one needs not only character, ability, and luck.

Lin Yi listened quietly, nodding occasionally.

Su Xiao remained focused on his puzzle-solving game, seemingly oblivious to what was being said, but with his keen senses, it was impossible for him to miss a single word.

During the conversation, Gemini seemed to completely relax.

The older brother took something out of his storage space—it was a 17x17 Rubik's Cube.

The Rubik's Cube was quite enormous, with a side length estimated to be close to thirty centimeters, and its overall size was almost the size of an adult's head. However, in the hands of the Gemini, it seemed as light as a feather, and they could easily turn and play with it with one hand as if they were playing basketball.

The Rubik's Cube is made entirely of a matte dark gray alloy, with each small cube having sharp edges and corners, and is engraved with extremely fine runes rather than ordinary color blocks.

This is clearly not a toy, but a complex alchemical or mechanical creation, which may also have the function of training hand speed, spatial thinking, or even energy micromanagement.

"Click, click..."

A crisp, rhythmic twisting sound rang out, exceptionally clear against the tranquil night sky.

The two brothers each held one end of the Rubik's Cube, their fingers flying across the paper, so fast they almost left afterimages.

The complexity of the 17th-order Rubik's Cube far exceeds that of the ordinary Rubik's Cube, requiring the coordination of multiple faces simultaneously. However, in their hands, the cubes engraved with runes seem to come alive and quickly return to their positions.

Bubuwang's attention was immediately drawn to the novel "toy" and the twins' superb skills. It moved closer, its fluffy head almost touching the Rubik's Cube, its eyes wide open, trying to keep up with the dazzling operation.

Baha tilted his head and looked over, his eagle eyes scrutinizing him.

As the Rubik's Cube was gradually solved, the atmosphere between the two brothers seemed to undergo a subtle change.

Their movements began to show slight incoordination, and when their eyes occasionally met, a spark of competition would flash.

Clearly, even brothers can't help but be competitive when it comes to such an extreme skill contest.

Sure enough, in the final few steps before the Rubik's Cube was completely solved, the two of them pressed their fingers on a crucial piece almost simultaneously.

The older brother's fingers were a fraction faster, but the younger brother's technique was more skillful; with a gentle flick, he changed the trajectory of the cube.

The older brother frowned, while the younger brother's lips curled into an almost imperceptible smile.

The next second, the Rubik's Cube, which was about to be put back in place, made a slight "click" sound, and several key pieces were misaligned—the solution failed, and it may even be more scrambled.

The two brothers stopped what they were doing at the same time and looked at each other.

The air seemed to freeze for a moment. The older brother's eyes were calm but tinged with displeasure, while the younger brother met his gaze without flinching, his gray eyes saying, "You took it first."

Judging from their posture, it seemed as if the older brother was about to raise his hand and hit the younger brother on the head, while the younger brother was ready to retaliate or dodge.

This "brotherly affection and respect" interaction pattern is clearly not the first time it has appeared.

Bubuwang seemed to sense that something was wrong. It let out a low growl and took a half step back, but its eyes were still fixed on the Rubik's Cube, as if it was thinking about how it would solve it.

Baha nudged Su Xiao's shoulder with the tip of its wing, conveying a message that "they might be about to fight."

Su Xiao finally looked up from the puzzle game, glanced at the twins, then looked at the complex 17x17 Rubik's Cube. After seemingly assessing it, he said indifferently, "Go elsewhere if you want to solve it. Don't splatter blood on my tablet."

After saying that, he lowered his head and continued playing his game.

Lin Yi simply smiled and poured himself another cup of tea.

Perhaps Su Xiao's words had a cooling effect, or perhaps they realized that it wouldn't look good to fight amongst themselves in front of their "partners," or perhaps they felt that arguing with their younger brother (older brother) was beneath their dignity (childish), after a few seconds of confrontation, the twin brothers simultaneously "humphed" and looked away.

The older brother grabbed the Rubik's Cube and casually tossed it to Bubuwang, who was watching eagerly nearby: "Here, you can play with it."

Bubuwang was startled and instinctively caught the Rubik's Cube with its mouth. Then it barked excitedly and immediately put the Rubik's Cube on the ground. It clumsily tried to pry it with its paws. Although it didn't get the hang of it at all, it was having a great time.

The younger brother stood up, walked to the edge of the platform, and looked at the starry sky, seemingly still sulking.

After a while, the younger brother moved slightly closer to his older brother.

Half an hour later, the twins sat back side by side on the edge of the platform. Bubuwang, carrying an even more chaotic Rubik's Cube, squeezed between them and sat down, trying to nudge his brother's hand with his wet nose, hoping he would help him solve it.

The older brother pushed the dog's head away in disgust, but his fingers still started moving, and he began to slowly and methodically twist the Rubik's Cube again.

My younger brother also came over to look, occasionally whispering, "We should turn over there first."

Watching the scene of "two people and a dog" struggling with a complex Rubik's Cube, Baha suddenly felt that this 17x17 Rubik's Cube might really have some kind of magic, capable of transforming the source of irritability into a kind of wonderful calm.

This wondrous scene continued on the central platform of Twilight Island.

At this stage, whether it's Lin Yi and Su Xiao from the Paradise of Reincarnation, or the twins from the Paradise of Death, they all understand one thing: the first stage is not yet over, the final ranking on the leaderboard is still uncertain, and the subsequent stages mentioned by Master Rat are even more unknown.

To rashly engage in battle with an opponent of this caliber at this moment, regardless of victory or defeat, would inevitably result in enormous losses, and could even lead to mutual destruction, allowing other powerful figures or hidden opportunists in other battle zones to reap the benefits.

Faced with greater interests and risks, temporary peaceful coexistence is the wisest choice. (End of Chapter)