Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

As the black mist dissipated, the visibility around the two instantly dropped to extremely low levels. The flames burning beneath their feet and the light from the broken instruments were quickly absorbed and extinguished, leaving only endless darkness.

The world became deathly silent, with only the pounding of my own heart reverberating in my ears.

Gulu subconsciously tensed all the muscles in his body, and with a barely perceptible twitch of his fingertips, a trace of pure magic power seeped out from his fingertips, like a faint firefly in the darkness, instinctively wanting to explore the surrounding environment.

The moment that wisp of mana appeared, the black mist that had been slowly spreading around them suddenly became incredibly violent, like a shark that had smelled blood.

Countless strands of mist, finer than a hair, surged wildly toward that tiny glimmer of magical power. Entangled by the countless black mist threads, the light of that magical power rapidly dimmed, as if it had been devoured by countless tiny mouths, turning into nothingness completely. Even the faint glimmer at Guru's fingertip was extinguished.

The whole process was breathtakingly fast, and it was full of a kind of "predation" feel.

Gulu withdrew his hand, and the expression under the mask changed slightly. It wasn't fear, but rather a look of "I knew it" disdain and realization.

She clicked her tongue and muttered under her breath, "Good heavens, it's actually an energy life form? Such a strong reaction?"

Although he didn't know exactly what kind of energy the black mist was composed of, Gulu felt much calmer and even a little pity.

"Tsk, no matter how strange or impressive your energy is, you've met the right person."

Gulu almost wanted to whistle, but he was wearing a mask. "Little guy, you're really unlucky. Of all people to show off in front of, why did you have to play with energy in front of this one? What's one of the Ten Iron Rules of the Void again? When an energy-type life form meets an abyss-type father, it's best to behave and keep a low profile. Otherwise, you won't even know how you died."

This ironclad rule is almost universally known among high-level Void Contractors, and behind it lies a bloody historical lesson written with the annihilation of countless energy-type powerhouses.

To trace its origins, we must go back to the distant, chaotic, and infinitely possible primitive era before Arcane Eternal ascended to the throne of the Void Overlord—the end of the First Era.

In those years sealed by time, the void was vast and boundless, like a newborn beast, its laws in a restless period of gradual formation.

Countless races and civilizations, like mushrooms after the rain, flourished in the chaos, exploring the various possibilities and ultimate forms of power.

It was a grand era in which heroes and demons danced together, and miracles and disasters took turns unfolding.

Every civilization, every individual, is trying to find the ultimate path that will allow them to stand atop the void.

Back then, the power of the Abyss and its related professional systems were far less "widespread" than they are now, and some systems even borrowed and integrated them.

For the vast majority of Void Dwellers, they are vague legends existing only in the oldest forbidden texts, or terrifying stories passed down orally by certain civilizations that have experienced extreme disasters.

Many forces only understand the Abyss as "extremely dangerous," but very few truly know its extent of danger, its nature, or the terrifying aspects that overturn their understanding.

At that time, various professional systems flourished and competed for attention.

One particularly noteworthy evolutionary path advocates for the complete transformation or even abandonment of the frail physical body, which is considered a burden and a weakness, and the complete transformation and sublimation of one's consciousness and soul into a pure energy form.

Supporters of this path fervently claim that once the transformation is successfully completed, the individual will be completely freed from the constraints of physical form and no longer limited by the aging of the flesh and blood.

The Transformer will become the embodiment of energy, with unparalleled combat power. With every move, they can draw upon the power of galaxies, making them veritable mobile celestial calamities.

It sounds wonderful; it's somewhat like the so-called "elementalization" in some low-magic worlds, but its status and potential are undoubtedly much higher.

It is not merely a change in the body's composition, but a complete leap in life form, the ultimate evolution from material life to pure energy life, and theoretically, its weaknesses are compressed to a minimum.

Arcane Eternal, as the sanctuary of Void Spellcasters and the highest hall of wisdom, naturally could not miss out on a system that is highly compatible with arcane philosophy to some extent.

Countless ambitious spellcasters have devoted enormous resources and energy to research, deeply integrating and optimizing the energy modification system with the profound arcane system, attempting to forge a perfect path that combines arcane wisdom with the invincible power of an energy body.

Arcane energy manipulation techniques greatly optimize the safety of the conversion process and the efficiency of energy utilization after conversion, while the energy body in turn empowers arcane magic, multiplying its power.

In its later stages, Arcane Eternal Star almost monopolized the theoretical high ground and practical core of the energy modification system, becoming the undisputed holy land of this path, enjoying unparalleled prestige and even overshadowing many established and powerful civilizations.

The energy transformation system at that time was like the alchemists who shone through the void and the domineering destroyers of magic in the Second Era. Although the process of advancement was extremely dangerous and involved a near-death experience, once successful, the resulting increase in power was phenomenal, enough to make anyone who pursued power envious and excited.

All the major and minor powers in the void were caught in a huge anxiety and dilemma: to follow or not to follow? To train or not to train? This had almost become a strategic choice concerning the future rise and fall of civilizations.

This situation is somewhat like the sudden public release of the "Evil-Repelling Sword Manual" in the martial arts world—everyone practices it, and if you don't, you'll instantly go from being a player to a pawn, or even be easily swept into the dustbin of history. The temptation is immense, almost irresistible, but the price is equally devastating.

Once the transformation is complete and you embark on this path, it means there is absolutely no turning back.

Just like cutting off one's manhood to practice that evil sword technique, the transformation process is irreversible. Once the energy form is solidified, it is harder than climbing to heaven to regain a flesh and blood body that can feel the subtle touch of all things.

Just as the entire void was arguing endlessly about this, and countless powerful beings were struggling to oscillate between temptation and fear, an unexpected event that no one could have foreseen, like ice water poured into boiling oil, completely ignited the controversy and brought it to a cruel close.

Several creatures from the deepest part of the abyss, true native abyssal beings, somehow accidentally stumbled into the main territory of the void at that time.

Their very existence is a moving natural disaster; wherever they go, everything withers, and countless lives perish at their hands.

Coincidentally, there were several "newly emerging energy life forms" in the vicinity of their travel path.

They confidently went to greet them, intending to use these uninvited guests as stepping stones to fame and fortune.

Tragedy ensued.

The power of the abyss doesn't care how exquisite your energy form is or how great your power is.

Before them, all high-concentration energy outside the abyss is the most delicious food and the most perfect object of erosion and assimilation.

That was an absolute restraint in terms of status.

They tried to struggle, to separate their original consciousness and self-destruct, but all their efforts were futile in the face of the domineering corrosive nature of the abyss power.

Almost instantly upon contact, the battle turned into a one-sided "feeding".

Those energy beings, who were considered powerful figures in the void and had undergone transformation at great cost with countless resources and effort, were unable to put up any decent resistance. In utter despair, they were devoured by those primordial abyssal creatures, and not even their last bit of soul escaped, completely becoming part of the opponent's power.

When reinforcements from other major forces in the void received the alarm and rushed to the star field where the incident occurred, all they saw were abyssal creatures whose auras seemed to have become even stronger, and energy dust in the surrounding space that was being rapidly assimilated by the abyssal auras.

All the powerful individuals who followed and embarked on the path of energy, regardless of their strength or energy attributes, began to experience extreme instability in their energy structure once they entered a certain area polluted by the abyss's aura.

Forget about fighting, they felt their very existence crumbling if they stayed in that area for even a moment longer. Their energy bodies were in danger of collapsing and disintegrating. They could only do their best to get away from that area, which was nothing short of an absolute death zone for them.

In that battle, it was only through the extremely heavy sacrifices of the strong from other paths that the original abyssal creatures, who had become even more difficult to deal with due to "feeding," were barely driven away or completely annihilated.

After this battle, the entire void's enthusiasm for the path of "abandoning the physical body and transforming into a pure energy life form" instantly plummeted from its boiling peak to freezing point, and even turned into fear and rejection.

We are all intelligent people, and perhaps we had some wishful thinking before, but reality has given us the answer in the most brutal way.

There will never be another wise person who knowingly charges headlong into a dead end.

With such an unsolvable flaw, who would dare to try it lightly?
No one wants the power they painstakingly acquired through countless hardships to suddenly become food for abyssal creatures. Since then, although the energy modification system has not been completely abandoned, its status has plummeted. It has gone from being a "path to heaven" and "light of the future" that everyone pursued to a "high-risk path" and "forbidden technique" that requires extreme caution and is even explicitly prohibited or strictly controlled by many powerful forces.

After all, this route has been developed to a very mature stage, and its theoretical framework and research value are enormous. Therefore, many top powers have strictly preserved it for research purposes and strategic reserves, keeping it sealed in the highest-secret archives.

As time passed, Arcane Eternal gradually learned from this blow and adjusted its development direction.

This system of modification was continuously improved, and its application scope was greatly narrowed. In the end, it only existed as an auxiliary means or temporary form for certain special and powerful arcane arts, and completely lost its mainstream status.

In this modern era, apart from a few deities in the pantheon who occasionally use similar techniques to descend energy avatars to display miracles and show off in front of their followers, the vast majority of mainstream forces in the void have honestly and more firmly returned to the more stable and comprehensive orthodox development path of tempering the physical body, sublimating the soul, and comprehending the laws.

Most gods spend most of their time in their own divine kingdoms, which are absolute domains extending from their own rules, making their physical bodies very safe.

Once you forcibly enter a god's kingdom, even if you are one level higher, you may not necessarily gain any advantage. Under the blessing of the rules of the divine kingdom, the combat power of each god can be maximized, making them invincible among their peers.

But since the others don't have a divine kingdom, no one wants to one day walk along and suddenly bump into a powerful abyss-type being, sending themselves straight into the other's mouth and becoming nourishment to boost the other's power.

……

Recalling this universally acknowledged dark history of the void, and looking at the black mist in front of him that was still baring its fangs and trying to devour all energy, Gulu almost burst out laughing.

That unlucky kid really ran into trouble.

Seeing the black mist's reactive, devouring behavior, Lin Yi realized that its essence was a rather special aggregated energy body.

Although the existence of this space makes it seem somewhat mysterious and unpredictable.

But at its core, it still hasn't transcended the realm of energy-based life.

When it comes to dealing with energy life forms, especially aggregated energy entities that don't seem to be at the top level, the power of the abyss is the perfect match, the ultimate natural counter.

Do you like to swallow?

The next moment, with Lin Yi's feet as the center, an extreme darkness began to spread.

The power of the abyss—unleash!

Lin Yi simply stood there calmly, but the abyssal power flowing beneath his feet was like a living being with its own consciousness, efficiently eroding all the energy it came into contact with.

The core of the black mist seemed to finally realize that something was wrong.

Its initial rage at being exposed was instantly replaced by an instinctive fear.

It let out a silent shriek, frantically trying to retreat and shrink back, trying to escape the terrifying area that was silently "erasing" it.

It finally realized that this was not food, but a natural enemy.

But, it's too late.

When it chose to expand itself, enveloping Lin Yi and Gulu, attempting to suppress and devour them in this most "energy-based" way, it had already exposed its core essence to the strongest attack range of the Abyss Power.

Lin Yi's release of abyssal power appeared slow, but in reality, the moment the black mist realized the danger, the abyssal power had already completely sealed off and enveloped the area they were in, like an inverted bowl.

An absolute domain, composed of pure abyssal power and isolated from the outside world, has taken shape.

"No—!! What is this?! Let go!!!" The black mist's mental scream was filled with indescribable terror and despair. It frantically attacked the edge of the domain, but with each impact, it only caused more mist essence to be ruthlessly annihilated and absorbed, becoming part of the power of the abyss. Instead, it made the barrier of the domain even more solid and heavy.

It's like an insect that jumped into a Venus flytrap, willingly entering a death cage tailor-made for it.

Lin Yi didn't even bother to look at the dying black mist again.

He snapped his fingers, and two rather comfortable high-backed chairs and a small coffee table appeared out of thin air, standing firmly in the power of the abyss, completely unaffected. They even produced a deck of cards.

"Come on, we've got nothing better to do," Lin Yi said, sitting down first and expertly shuffling the cards. "Want to play for a bit? How about we put some paper slips as stakes?"

Gulu looked at the increasingly faint black mist outside, which was filled with screams and churning, and then at Lin Yi, who remained calm. Her lips twitched, but she readily sat down: "Fine, are you afraid of me? I've never lost to anyone when I'm beating a turtle!"

And so, within this cage formed by the power of the abyss, the two began... to whip a turtle.

Lin Yi's skills were clearly superior, or perhaps he was just luckier; the white paper strips on Gulu's face quickly multiplied.

"Damn it! Did you cheat?!" Gulu angrily stuck on another note and glared at Lin Yi.

"If you're bad at cards, practice more." Lin Yi slowly put away another winning hand of cards.

About five minutes later.

Two slips of paper were stuck to each of Gulu's cheeks, fluttering slightly with her breathing, which looked quite comical.

Meanwhile, the screams and struggles of the black mist around them had become so faint as to be almost inaudible.

The once thick, impenetrable black mist has now become thin and transparent, like morning mist evaporated by the sun, with only a few remaining strands of energy left, which are still being tirelessly "licked clean" by the power of the abyss.

Finally, the last wisp of black mist completely disappeared.

The consciousness that had tried to manipulate their memories and cognition was completely eroded and annihilated by Lin Yi's power of the abyss, turning into the most primal nourishment, leaving not a trace.

Just as the black mist completely dissipated—

Click...crash!
As if some fulcrum that maintained their balance had been suddenly removed, the space around the two of them emitted a clear and distinct shattering sound!
The chaotic and distorted scene began to fade rapidly, like a faded oil painting or a crashing data stream.

Flames, thick smoke, shattered isolation pods, unconscious researchers, modern hospital corridors, medieval brickwork, library bookshelves… all these bizarre elements blurred and became transparent in an instant, then vanished as if erased by an eraser.

The two were still sitting in the chairs, but the ground beneath them and the surrounding scenery had completely changed.

They were no longer in that underground isolation hall, and it was even uncertain whether they were still within the scope of the "hospital".

What appeared before us was an exceptionally ancient stone passage.

The walls are made of rough, massive stones, covered with slippery moss and dark water stains, and in many places they are peeling and crumbling.

The path beneath our feet was uneven stone slabs, with murky sewage accumulating in the cracks.

The passageway stretched forward and backward, disappearing into the deep darkness in the distance, with only a few scattered, eerie lights barely outlining its contours. (End of Chapter)