Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

The old man gestured with his chin towards the southeast and then took a step forward. However, he stopped just before he touched the black mist. Clearly, he wasn't that powerful, and at least he didn't dare to touch the black mist.

Bubuwang huddled beside Lin Yi's legs, its four legs still trembling slightly.

Its dog eyes were fixed on the old man's back, and it occasionally let out a very low whimper, which it forcibly suppressed.

Tracy walked last.

Her face was still pale, and her emerald green eyes stared at the old man's back, filled with undisguised fear.

That fear wasn't just simple dread; it was a dread etched into our very instincts.

But she did not back down and continued to follow Lin Yi closely.

Lin Yi glanced at her, said nothing, but slowed down by half a step to let her catch up.

Tracy paused for a moment, then quickly stepped forward and walked to Lin Yi's side.

Lin Yi's gaze fell on the old man's back, and he asked in a low voice, "Do you know him?"

Tracy's lips moved, and after several seconds she finally uttered, "I know you."

"Tell me about it."

Tracy took a deep breath and began to speak.

"His name is Mopi."

"Mopi." Lin Yi repeated the name, his gaze still fixed on the old man in front of him.

Tracy nodded and continued, “His background… is quite unusual. You see he’s wearing a priest’s robe, right? But he’s not a priest at all.”

Lin Yi had already figured this out.

The priest's robe was clearly too small, clinging tightly to his body, making him look extremely awkward; it was obviously not his own clothing.

“That robe was taken from a priest,” Tracy said. “The priest was passing by his house years ago, and when he was thirsty, he asked for a bowl of water and used his healing magic to heal his old wounds.”

This is a perfectly normal thing.

Pastors are supposed to travel far and wide, healing the sick and saving lives, and spreading the doctrines—these are all part of their duties.

But Mopi's thinking was completely different from ordinary people.

He stared at the pastor for a long time, then asked, "Are you sent by God?"

As Tracy said this, the corner of her mouth twitched slightly, as if she wanted to laugh but dared not.

"The priest, of course, said yes, after all, that's what he does. Then Mopi knelt down—but not to the priest, but directly to the sky and said: 'My Lord God, you've taken a liking to me, haven't you? You're going to share your power with me, right? I understand, from now on I'm yours.'"

Lin Yi's eye twitched slightly.

"The pastor was stunned and quickly explained that he was just an ordinary pastor, not the deity himself. But Mopi didn't believe him at all. He was convinced that the deity had taken a liking to him and wanted to send him a message through this pastor. He kept the pastor at his house for three days, serving him good food and drink, and pestering him every day to ask what the deity liked, wanted, and needed him to do."

"Three days later, the priest couldn't take it anymore and secretly ran away. As a result, Mopi chased after him for hundreds of miles and managed to bring him back, asking him why he ran away and whether the gods were displeased."

Upon hearing this, Su Xiao paused for a moment.

This is truly an incredible feat.

Tracy continued, "Later, the pastor, having exhausted all other options, said that God favors devout believers and that he just needed to pray every day. Mopi nodded seriously after hearing this, then asked, 'After I finish praying, shouldn't God give me something too?'"

"The pastor was speechless. In all his years, he had seen devout believers, fanatical believers, and believers who gave everything for their faith, but he had never seen anyone negotiate payment with God before praying."

"Later, somehow this story reached the ears of the deity himself. Guess what the deity did?"

Lin Yi remained silent, waiting for her to continue.

"At first, the god was furious, feeling it was blasphemy, and prepared to unleash divine punishment to strike Mopi down. But just as the punishment was about to descend, Mopi knelt on the ground and cried out to the sky: 'My lord god, you've come? You've finally come? I've been waiting for you for so long! Look how many times I've prayed, shouldn't you give me something in return?'"

"The deity was stunned. In all its years of life, it had never seen such a believer—no, this was not a believer at all, this was a debt collector."

"Then something even more outrageous happened. Somehow, Mopi actually made contact with that god and started asking it for 'divine grace' at a fixed time every year."

He said that since he believed in the gods so devoutly, the gods must reward him. If they don't, it means the gods are unjust, and if they are unjust, they don't deserve to be worshipped, so he will convert to another god.

"That god was so angry that his divine status almost shattered on the spot, but he couldn't do anything about it. Because Mopi really prayed every day, and he really worshipped in his own way, but his way of worship was completely different from that of normal people."

"So the god began to avoid him."

“But Mopi can sense the presence of gods. Wherever a god hides, he will follow. Once he catches up, he will kneel down and start chanting: ‘My lord, why did you run away? Is there something I did wrong? Tell me and I will change, but you can’t run away. If you run away, who will I ask for my divine grace from?’”

"Later, the deity couldn't bear it any longer and took the initiative to consult with other deities, asking if there was any way to get rid of this plague god. After hearing his plight, the other deities all expressed their sympathy, but none of them could do anything about it."

"Several hundred years passed like this. The god was extorted by Mopi countless times, and had to give him a batch of things every year. Finally, he couldn't bear it any longer and found a way to throw Mopi into the House of Death."

Tracy paused for a moment, then said softly, "It is said that on the day Mopi was imprisoned in the House of Death, the god held a grand banquet in his own divine kingdom and celebrated for seven whole days. If it weren't for its status, it might have wept with joy on the spot."

Lin Yi fell silent.

Su Xiao fell silent.

Shangyue fell silent.

Even Bubuwang, who had been trembling the whole time, stopped trembling, looked up at the old man's back in front of him, his dog eyes full of confusion.

What kind of god-like operation is this?
Believers extorted money from the gods, chasing after them for centuries demanding divine favor. In the end, they were thrown into the House of Death, and the gods even held a banquet to celebrate.

This isn't just talent, this is genius.

"And then?" Lin Yi asked.

“He stayed in the House of Death after that,” Tracy said. “Those chains were no use to him; as you just saw, he could break them. The reason he stayed here was because he thought it was nice here. Occasionally, someone would come in and talk to him, unlike those gods outside who would run away as soon as they saw him.”

"As for the chains on him... those chains weren't meant to imprison him, they were meant to protect others. If those chains hadn't restricted his movements, he might have dismantled the entire Death House. Not intentionally, just out of pure curiosity, wanting to see what it would look like inside after it was taken apart."

Lin Yi fell silent again.

This isn't just genius, this is divine.

This was the first time Lin Yi had ever encountered an entity that could blackmail a god to the point of collapse and that could have the House of Death protect others with chains.

Just then, the old man in front of them suddenly stopped.

"Hey."

He let out a long sigh, then turned around, his intact left eye looking at Lin Yi with a hint of nostalgia in his gaze.

"I really miss the god I believe in."

His voice was loud and clear, carrying far through the silent gray fog.

"I wonder how it is doing now, and whether it misses me. When I left, it even held a banquet to send me off. It is truly a good spirit."

Lin Yi's eye twitched slightly.

A special banquet was held to send you off? That was to celebrate finally seeing you off.

“Young man.” Mopi looked at Lin Yi, a hint of doubt flashing in his left eye. “Are you even listening to me?”

Lin Yi looked at him without saying a word.

Mopi waited a while, and seeing that Lin Yi did not answer, his doubts deepened.

"What did I just say?"

"..."

Lin Yi looked at Tracy.

Tracy leaned close to his ear and whispered, "He's a bit...demented. He often forgets what he's doing, and he often forgets what he just said. Sometimes he'll forget the topic of conversation, and sometimes he'll forget where he's going. But his strength is undeniable. Don't let his current state fool you, when he really gets going..."

She didn't finish her sentence, but the meaning was clear.

Lin Yi nodded, his gaze returning to the old man in front of him.

Mopi stood there, frowning and thinking for a long time, then scratched his head.

"Never mind, I can't remember. Let's go, let's keep going."

He turned around and continued walking forward with long strides.

Lin Yi and the others followed.

After walking for a few minutes, a blurry outline appeared in the gray fog ahead.

It was a wooden building.

It is two stories high and much larger than other log cabins, and is constructed entirely of dark wood planks.

The roof is sloping and covered with the same dark wooden planks; several sections have collapsed, revealing dark, gaping holes.

The wooden building has several windows around its perimeter, but they are all boarded up, so you can't see inside.

"We're here already?" Mopi scratched his head. "I thought we'd have to walk a bit longer. Alright, now that we're here, let's get down to business."

He turned to look at Lin Yi and reached out his hand.

"Where is the Shadow Stone?"

Lin Yi looked at him but didn't move.

Mopi waited for two seconds, and when Lin Yi didn't give it to him, a puzzled look appeared on his face.

"No, it's not Shadow Stone, it's... what was it again?"

He started scratching his head again.

Lin Yi spoke up: "Dominoes."

"Right, right, dominoes." Mopi slapped his forehead. "A promise is a promise. You clear the way for me, and I'll get you the dominoes. Let's go."

He turned and walked toward the wooden building, his steps still steady.

Lin Yi and the others followed behind him, maintaining a proper distance.

When they reached the door of the wooden building, Mopi stopped and reached out to grab the huge iron ring.

He pulled hard.

crunch--

The sound of the door hinges turning was particularly jarring in the silence, as if something had been startled awake.

It was pitch black inside the door, and nothing could be seen.

Without hesitation, Mopi stepped inside.

Lin Yi stood outside the door, watching his figure disappear into the darkness.

Then, a rumbling sound came from inside the wooden building.

Thud! Clang! Boom!
The various sounds mingled together, making it sound like someone was demolishing the house inside.

Lin Yi and the others exchanged glances but did not move.

They can't get involved in a battle of this level.

The roar lasted for more than ten seconds, then stopped abruptly.

The door on the first floor of the wooden building was suddenly pushed open.

A figure covered in blood was thrown out, rolled a few times on the ground, and finally lay there motionless.

It was indeed Mopi.

He was covered in blood, and his tight priest's robe was torn in several places, revealing his wounded skin underneath.

His left eye was tightly closed, and blood was seeping from the dark hole in his right eye.

He lay on the ground, struggling to get up, but failed several times.

"No..." His voice was weak, yet still loud, "The door isn't locked... This... won't do..."

He was still worried about the door lock.

A dark red hand reached out from the darkness and pressed down on his head.

A figure draped in a black robe emerged from the wooden building and squatted down beside Mopi.

That was a man.

A black robe covered his entire body, obscuring his face; only a pair of dark red eyes could be seen, gleaming with a cold light in the darkness.

“Mopi.” His voice was hoarse, like the sound of sandpaper rubbing together. “I told you, don’t, just leave that wooden house.”

He spoke slowly and deliberately, each word carrying a heavy sense of pressure.

Mopi opened his intact left eye and looked at the man in black robes, his eyes filled with resentment.

"Why should I!" His voice was still loud, his momentum undiminished even in his weakened state. "I, Mopi, have no objection to anyone else taking charge of the House of Death, but not you!"

The man in black robes looked at him, his dark red eyes devoid of any emotion.

"Mentally challenged".

He only said those two words, then the hand pressing on Mopi's head suddenly exerted force.

Click!

A crisp sound.

Mopi's head was crushed, and blood and brain matter splattered all over the ground.

His body twitched twice, then remained completely still.

The man in black robes slowly stood up, looked at the corpse on the ground, and spoke as calmly as if he were commenting on the weather. "Because I let you live until now. Now, you can die."

He withdrew his gaze and turned to Lin Yi and the others.

Those dark red eyes swept over Shang Yue, over Su Xiao, and finally settled on Lin Yi.

The next second, his figure vanished from the spot.

Su Xiao's pupils suddenly contracted.

He sensed a chilling aura beside him, a sign of extreme danger.

The Dragon Slayer Flash was instantly drawn!
A bluish-green blade flashed through the darkness, its edge slashing behind with a fierce killing intent!
But the strike missed its mark.

The man in black robes had already appeared directly in front of Lin Yi, less than a meter away.

He stood there quietly, as if he had been there from the beginning and had never moved.

Su Xiao's blade swept past him from behind, cutting through a swirling gray mist, but it didn't even touch the hem of his clothes.

Everyone was stunned.

No one saw how he moved.

Without any spatial fluctuations or energy traces, he simply vanished from his spot and reappeared in front of Lin Yi.

This method of movement is completely beyond what most people can understand.

The man in black robes ignored the slash Su Xiao had unleashed behind him, as well as the horrified looks on the faces of the others.

He simply looked at Lin Yi, his dark red eyes slowly sweeping over him, from top to bottom and from bottom to top, as if he were examining an interesting object.

"Abyss Physician?"

His voice was still hoarse, but there was a hint of curiosity in his tone.

Lin Yi looked at him and nodded.

The man in black robes was silent for two seconds, then muttered something to himself.

"That's not surprising."

He spoke very softly, as if he were talking to himself, but Lin Yi heard him clearly.

The man in black robes withdrew his gaze and turned to Tracy, who was standing behind Lin Yi.

Tracy's body froze instantly.

Her face was even paler than before, her emerald green eyes were filled with fear, and her body trembled slightly, like a mouse being stared at by a snake.

The man in the black robe looked at her, his dark red eyes devoid of any emotion.

"Since you've already repented, get out of here."

His voice was flat, as if he were saying something obvious.

"The Death House is not a nursing home; it has no obligation to support you."

Tracy opened her mouth as if to say something, but couldn't utter a single word.

The man in black did not give her another chance to speak.

He raised his hand and waved it gently in Tracy's direction.

The next second, Tracy's figure vanished from the spot.

It was as if it had never existed, leaving no trace.

Lin Yi's gaze shifted slightly.

He sensed it and found that Tracy's presence had completely disappeared.

The man in black robes withdrew his hand and looked at Lin Yi: "Don't worry, I didn't kill her, I threw her out. The Death House is not a place for her."

Just then, a familiar voice came from above.

"Bai Ye, you're here too! There are still empty seats here!"

Lin Yi raised his head.

On the thick beam of the first floor of the wooden building, a person was hanging upside down.

Mondstadt.

He was suspended upside down from a beam by a black chain, his hands were tied behind his back, and he swayed back and forth like an upside-down bat.

When Mond saw Lin Yi look up at him, Mond's eyes lit up immediately.

He swayed his body, pointed with his chin to the empty space on the beam, and said excitedly, "Look, there's still space here! Let's hoist it up together! It'll be quite comfortable!"

Lin Yi fell silent.

Su Xiao fell silent.

Shangyue fell silent.

Bubuwang looked up at the demon hanging upside down from the beam, his eyes filled with confusion.

The man in black robes followed Lin Yi's gaze and, upon seeing Mond, a hint of speechlessness flashed in his dark red eyes.

He pointed at Mondstadt, then looked at Lin Yi: "You guys know this idiot?"

His tone was calm, but he pronounced the word "idiot" with exceptional clarity.

Lin Yi was silent for two seconds, then nodded.

In this situation, it cannot be denied.

The man in black robes looked at him, remained silent for a few seconds, and then shook his head.

"Fine," he said. "I was originally planning to hang this idiot here, but since you know him, I'll just hang him for a few days."

Upon hearing this, Mond's face showed displeasure.

"Why should I! I didn't offend you! I just came in to take a look, why are you ignoring me!"

The man in black ignored him.

He walked to Mopi's body, bent down, and took something out of Mopi's arms.

It was the same nautical compass that Mopi had taken out earlier.

The dark bronze compass, with its intricately detailed dial, now had its central, suspended dark gold pointer firmly pointing in a certain direction, having stopped rotating.

The man in black robes put the compass into his robes, then raised his foot and gently kicked Mopi's corpse.

The corpse flew in an arc towards the churning gray mist in the distance, where it was instantly swallowed up and disappeared without a trace.

The man in black robes turned around and walked into the wooden building.

As he reached the door, he stopped and turned to look at Lin Yi.

He beckoned to Lin Yi, signaling him to come in.

He didn't even glance at the others.

Without hesitation, Lin Yi walked towards the wooden building.

Su Xiao subconsciously took a step forward, but Lin Yi shook his head at him.

Su Xiao stopped and placed his hand on the hilt of the Dragon Slayer Blade, standing outside the wooden building.

Shangyue stood beside him, also without moving.

Lin Yi entered the wooden building.

Inside the door was a spacious hall, much larger than it appeared from the outside.

The ground was compacted earth, hard to the touch. The walls were rough wooden planks, with various objects hanging on them, their purpose unclear.

In the center of the hall was a huge wooden table, with some miscellaneous items scattered on it.

There were several closed doors on the surrounding walls, and it was unclear where they led.

The most conspicuous thing is that crossbeam.

Mond was hanging upside down on the beam, and when he saw Su Xiao and the others come in, he became excited again.

"Want to come up and try it? It's really comfortable!"

Lin Yi ignored him.

The man in black robes walked behind the huge wooden table and sat down, his dark red eyes fixed on Lin Yi.

Mond was still rambling on.

"You wouldn't believe it, when I came in, that old man was incredibly enthusiastic, offering to treat me to a meal. I thought, 'What a great deal!' so I followed him in. But as soon as he led me here and I sat down, this guy in the black robe came out from behind and, without saying a word, hung me up. Can you believe what I mean by that?"

“I’m innocent, you know? I was just passing by and wanted to find a place to rest. Now I’m hanging upside down here, and I can’t even get a drink of water. Can you talk to him and ask him to put me down? I promise I won’t run around.”

"Hey, Bai Ye, can you hear me? Bai Ye?"

The man in black robes frowned slightly as he listened to this rambling.

He raised his hand and waved it gently in Mond's direction.

Snapped!
A crisp sound.

Mond's mouth was still moving, but the sound had completely disappeared.

He paused for a moment, then opened his mouth and shouted, but no sound came out.

His eyes widened, his face full of confusion and grievance, as he swayed back and forth on the beam, looking just like a fish that had been caught and pulled ashore.

The man in black robes withdrew his hand, his tone indifferent: "Noisy."

Lin Yi glanced at Mondstadt, then looked at the man in black robes.

"Demons are resilient; this little injury won't kill them. A ruptured throat will heal in a while."

He spoke of it casually, as if he were talking about what to eat tonight.

Lin Yi didn't ask any more questions.

The man in black robes looked at him: "Why didn't you leave sooner when you had the dominoes?"

“This is not a good place. If something happens, I won’t be able to explain it to Hill.”

Lin Yi's gaze shifted slightly.

Hill.

really.

To possess such authority in a place like the House of Death, and to say to Lin Yi that he "couldn't explain this to Hill," this Keeper of the Fog must have a very close relationship with Hill.

Lin Yi did not answer his question, but instead took something out of his storage space and placed it on the huge wooden table.

It was that short knife.

The blade of execution.

The guardian of the fog's gaze fell upon the knife.

The expression on his face became very subtle at that moment.

He stared at the knife, remained silent for a few seconds, and then looked up at Lin Yi.

"You ran into that old woman?"

His tone carried a hint of confirmation, but more so a sense of understanding, as if he had long anticipated this moment.

Lin Yi nodded.

The fog-keeper looked at him, and then—

"Hahahahahaha!"

The fog guardian burst into laughter, clutching his stomach.

The laughter was loud and grating, completely unlike his previous hoarse and deep voice.

He laughed so hard he was doubled over, his shoulders were shaking, and tears were about to stream down his face.

Lin Yi stood still, quietly watching him.

The fog-keeper laughed for a good ten seconds before slowly stopping.

He wiped away the tears of laughter from the corners of his eyes, took a few deep breaths, and regained his previous composed demeanor.

But a smile still lingered on his lips, one he couldn't shake off.

“This thing…” The Mistkeeper pointed to the short knife on the table, a hint of a smile in his voice, “You can keep it as a collectible. I doubt you’ll ever use it in your life.”

Lin Yi looked at him without saying a word.

The fog guardian seemed to have read his mind.

He suppressed his smile, looked at Lin Yi, and his tone became serious.

"Do you know who that thing is meant to be used against?"

Lin Yi paused for a second, then spoke: "Anna." (End of Chapter)