Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

Looking at the information on the screen, especially the line that read "You have the qualifications to advance to a higher realm," Lin Yi took a deep breath.

"Damn, that really hurts."

Lin Yi lay on the cold ground of the skill upgrade pod, his consciousness fully awake, but his body felt like it didn't belong to him; he couldn't even do the simplest thing like bending or straightening his fingers.

That extreme feeling of weakness was as if the whole body had been hollowed out, leaving only a thinking brain, and an omnipresent, tidal wave of aches and powerlessness.

He tried to mobilize the energy within his body, but whether it was the power of the abyss or the life force, it was like throwing a mud ox into the sea, with no reaction whatsoever.

His body felt like a desolate wasteland, with only the white spiderweb that wrapped around him still pulsating slowly, supplying the meager energy needed to sustain his basic life.

"This is really... a disaster." Lin Yi thought to himself with a wry smile.

Ambitious aspirations seem so pale and powerless in the face of absolute physiological limitations.

He struggled to concentrate, using his mind to manipulate the mark of the Paradise of Reincarnation, and opened his friend list. His gaze swept over several names; Su Xiao's name was grayed out, indicating that he was currently busy.

Judging from the looks of it, this guy is most likely spending his time in the Land of All Beings or the Arena.

As for the witch and Gollum... well, if those two saw me like this, they'd probably laugh at me and try to "extort" me.

Ultimately, his thoughts settled on the name "Xia".

"Xia, are you free? Come to the Skill Upgrade Hall, Advanced Zone, Warehouse B-77. I need help." He sent the message as concisely as possible, each word taking considerable effort.

After sending the message, Lin Yi completely gave up struggling and lay there like a salted fish, waiting for rescue.

Not long after, faint footsteps were heard outside the skill pod, along with a female voice that sounded both curious and nervous.

"High-end area... This is my first time here..."

It's the sound of summer.

Immediately afterward, a slightly impatient "woof" sound rang out; it was Bubuwang.

Lin Yi felt somewhat relieved. Although Xia sometimes seemed unreliable, she was serious about her work.

And Bubuwang is there too; with him around, it saves a lot of trouble.

Outside the skill pods, Xia looked at the neatly arranged silver-white advanced skill pods in front of him and couldn't help but swallow hard.

Although she successfully advanced to the second tier, most of her skills were ordinary, and she never needed to use such expensive advanced facilities.

Following the number Lin Yi gave her, she found warehouse B-77. Looking at the smooth, mirror-like door, she felt somewhat at a loss.

"How... do I open this?" Xia circled the metal compartment, which was larger than the refrigerator in her restaurant, but couldn't find any obvious switch or handle, or even a seam.

Bubuwang sat to the side, tilted its head, and glanced at Xia with a look that said, "You've never seen anything like this before." Then it slowly raised its front paw and pressed it precisely on an inconspicuous sensor area on the side of the storage door.

"laugh--"

A slight hissing sound rang out, like a pressure cooker being opened, and thick white mist immediately diffused from the gaps around the door, carrying a fresh scent similar to the evaporation of energy crystals.

The heavy metal door slid open smoothly and silently to one side, revealing the scene inside the warehouse.

As the cold mist gradually dissipated, the scene inside the warehouse was clearly revealed to Xia and Bubuwang.

Lin Yi lay stiffly in the center of the cabin, his entire body, from his neck to his ankles, tightly wrapped in a white, shimmering, thread-like substance, layer upon layer, with only his head showing.

His face was deathly pale, his lips were chapped, and although his eyes were clear, they could not hide the deep-seated exhaustion and weakness.

He looked like prey just pulled from a giant spider's nest, or a pupa about to hatch, his disheveled state tinged with an indescribable comicality.

"What...what's wrong with you?" Xia exclaimed, instinctively reaching out to pull at the white spider webs.

"Woof!"

Bubuwang reacted quickly, letting out a low growl and grabbing Xia's sleeve with considerable force, stopping her movement.

Its eyes, which usually held a touch of goofiness, now held an unusual seriousness and warning. It shook its head vigorously at Xia, then pointed with its paw at the white substance on Lin Yi's body, emitting a low and rapid whimper, as if explaining something.

Although Xia couldn't understand complete dog language, she had spent so much time with Bubuwang and had seen many ups and downs, so they had a basic understanding of each other.

She immediately realized that the "spider web" on Lin Yi's body was not something to be touched; it was probably not just an ornament, and forcibly tearing it off could bring unpredictable and serious consequences.

She recalled that Su Xiao seemed to have mentioned that after certain extremely intense enhancements or breakthroughs, the Paradise of Reincarnation would generate a protective life-sustaining substance, which seemed to be the thing in front of her.

Moreover, judging from how securely the package was secured, Lin Yi's improvement this time is probably far beyond imagination.

Xia withdrew her hand, looked at Lin Yi who was unable to move, blinked, then bent down, put her arms under Lin Yi's armpits and knees, and with a little force, lifted Lin Yi out of the skill chamber in a standard "princess carry" position.

Despite her petite stature, Xia, as a second-tier contractor, possesses strength attributes far exceeding those of ordinary people.

Holding Lin Yi, who was tall and strong, felt like holding a ball of cotton, easy and comfortable. She even had the energy to adjust her position so that Lin Yi's head could rest on her shoulder and he could lie more comfortably.

However, the cool, slippery feel of the spiderweb-like texture on Lin Yi's body made her feel somewhat strange.

"Let's go, let's get out of here first," Xia said to Bubuwang, and carried Lin Yi out.

At this moment, some staff members responsible for maintenance and guidance in the skills upgrade hall noticed the commotion.

When they saw Lin Yi, who was completely wrapped in white spider webs and carried out in a "princess carry" by a petite girl, they didn't show any surprise or mockery. Instead, their eyes were instantly filled with undisguised envy, and their gazes toward Xia carried the same meaning.

A uniformed employee, who appeared to be a manager, quickly stepped forward and asked respectfully, "Madam, do you need any assistance? We have a dedicated mobile stretcher with a stabilizing cushioning device, or we can provide a fully equipped temporary rest room that is quiet, comfortable, and suitable for recuperation..."

"No need, thank you." Xia shook her head. She could feel Lin Yi in her arms subtly move his head, indicating his refusal.

Seeing this, the workers didn't insist, but politely stepped aside, their eyes still following the white spiderwebs on Lin Yi's body. They whispered to their companions, "His entire body is covered in adaptive life-sustaining spiderwebs... It's been so many years since I've seen such a wide coverage area. This gentleman's harvest this time is truly remarkable..."

Xia carried Lin Yi, and with Bubuwang leading the way, they left the skill upgrade hall.

Walking on the streets of the Paradise of Reincarnation, she originally thought that her strange combination with Lin Yi would become the focus of attention, and might even attract pointing fingers and whispers.

However, the actual situation was beyond her expectations.

Most of the passing contractors, especially those active in the mid-to-high-level areas, were in a hurry and exuded a fierce aura. When they saw Lin Yi wrapped in white spider webs, they were initially stunned, but then their faces showed a thoughtful and knowing expression. Their eyes flashed with surprise and scrutiny, and finally turned into a complex emotion, mainly envy.

Some of the contractors, who were clearly newcomers or low-level players, were confused and asked their companions curiously, "What's wrong with that guy? Is it performance art? Or is he under some kind of strange curse?"

"That's the 'Adaptive Life-Sustaining Web,' ever heard of it? Only when undergoing extremely dangerous skill enhancements that are so exaggerated that the body can't keep up will the Paradise Father generate this thing to protect the contractors and prevent them from killing themselves!"

"My God, how big of an improvement is that? Aren't you afraid it will burst?" The newcomer gasped.

"Break through? Since the amusement park generated protection, it means it survived. After surviving, it will be like a carp leaping over the dragon gate."

"Who's that woman hugging him? She's so lucky to have gotten involved with such a powerful and promising person..."

Whispers drifted over, and Xia finally understood that the seemingly disheveled "cocoon" on Lin Yi's body was, in the Paradise of Reincarnation, more like a symbol of strength, a medal of honor. It represented a tremendous breakthrough.

Under the gazes of curiosity, inquiry, and envy, Xia carried Lin Yi and returned unimpeded to her small restaurant.

She could almost foresee that tomorrow, gossip headlines like "Mysterious powerhouse collapses from enhancement and is carried by a petite girl in a princess carry" would appear on some of the gossip sections of the Samsara Paradise.

Xia carefully placed Lin Yi on the sofa in the dining room, which was covered with thick cushions, and made sure he was in a comfortable position. Only then did she breathe a sigh of relief and ask with concern, "How are you feeling? Would you like something to eat or drink? I'll make it for you."

Lin Yi forced a smile, his voice a little hoarse: "Anything... anything liquid, just something to drink. Chewing... is a bit difficult for me right now."

He now finds it difficult even to swallow saliva, let alone chew solid food.

"Okay, you wait!" Xia immediately turned around and went into the kitchen to get busy.

Shortly after Xia left, the restaurant door was pushed open, and Su Xiao appeared in the doorway.

He seemed to have just returned from the arena, still carrying a trace of lingering murderous aura and the smell of blood.

As soon as he entered, his gaze landed precisely on Lin Yi on the sofa, and his brows furrowed almost imperceptibly.

"How did you get into this state?"

Lin Yi didn't even have the strength to turn his head. He could only catch a glimpse of Su Xiao's clothes out of the corner of his eye, and said weakly, "It's a long story..."

Just as Su Xiao was about to ask something else, the restaurant door was pushed open again, and this time there were more people coming in.

Gulu and Winnie arrived together, and both of them were taken aback when they saw Lin Yi's appearance.

Immediately afterward, the three brothers from the national football team walked in noisily, followed by Solomon, Yan Chen's sister, and Black Blood. Even the witch, who seemed to have somehow gotten wind of it, strolled in leisurely.

Summer suddenly made the small restaurant lively.

"What's with this new look?" The national football team leader pointed at the spider webs on Lin Yi's body, looking surprised.

"Big brother, I think it looks like it!" The second brother stroked his chin, his train of thought quite peculiar, and chimed in, "It looks delicious, all chewy and bouncy..."

The third brother had already taken out his camera, ready to record this "precious" scene.

Yan Chen's younger sister squatted by the sofa, her big eyes curiously examining Lin Yi, her fingers twitching as if she really wanted to study the composition of this white substance, and perhaps even considered whether she could dissect it.

Blackblood, standing behind her, remained expressionless, but his hand was already on her shoulder, and he shook his head slightly, stopping her from having any dangerous thoughts.

Solomon, on the other hand, appeared much more professional. He pushed up his glasses, and data streams flashed in his eyes, as if he were using some kind of detection ability to observe Lin Yi's condition. A thoughtful expression appeared on his face.

"Given your current rank, what level of advancement would trigger such a strong protection mechanism?"

The witch gently poked the spiderweb beside Lin Yi's cheek with her finger. It felt bouncy to the touch. She parted her red lips slightly, her tone filled with amazement and a hint of curiosity: "Tsk tsk, was that scroll's effect really that powerful? It almost killed you?"

Lin Yi rolled his eyes at the two of them helplessly, saving himself the energy to refute. He simply used his mind to share the warning message that the Paradise of Reincarnation had given him earlier—a reminder that he was prohibited from engaging in high-intensity combat and skill upgrades for seven days—with the witch and Gulu who were closest to him.

Upon seeing the notification, the playful expressions on their faces vanished, replaced by solemnity and a hint of horror.

"The park's mandatory protection period... seven days..." Gulu muttered, "Just how outrageous is the magnitude of your improvement that the park thinks you need to 'cool down'?"

The witch gave Lin Yi a deep look, said nothing, but her eyes said it all.

They all knew very well that for the Reincarnation Paradise, a place that usually adheres to the principles of "survival of the fittest and risk-bearing," to take the initiative to intervene and forcibly require the "cooling down" process to be strengthened, the risks behind it and the ultimate benefits were by no means trivial.

At that moment, Xia came out of the kitchen carrying a tray with several carefully prepared, easily absorbed energy drinks and juices.

She paused for a moment when she saw the room full of people, but still placed the tray on the coffee table next to Lin Yi and carefully fed him with a straw.

Everyone made way for Xia to take care of Lin Yi.

More than an hour passed in this slightly eerie atmosphere.

No one seemed to intend to leave; instead, they naturally sat together, and Xia even brought out some food and drinks to treat everyone.

Thus, a scene that left Lin Yi feeling extremely frustrated unfolded—a group of people began to feast in front of him, the "patient."

The second-in-command of the national football team went even further, pulling out a giant, golden-brown, juicy roasted animal leg from who-knows-where and deliberately waving it in front of Lin Yi's nose. He made exaggerated expressions of pure enjoyment, as if savoring the ultimate delicacy, and exclaimed in a loud voice, "Mmm~~~! So fragrant! Look at the color, the sheen! Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and bursting with juice! One bite, and the meat explodes in your mouth—it's a baptism for the soul! What a pity, what a pity, I can't enjoy it right now! I can only look and smell it, sigh..."

Lin Yi was so angry he wanted to bite his teeth, but unfortunately he didn't even have the strength to grit his teeth. He could only silently make a fuss about the second-best player on the national football team and vowed to make him understand why the flowers were so red once he recovered.

After a hearty meal, everyone sat or stood, chatting about their experiences in the mission world.

Su Xiao sat alone near the window, lit a cigarette, and smoked it silently.

"Can you talk now? What exactly happened?" Su Xiao's voice wasn't loud, only the two of them could hear it clearly, "What kind of advancement could make you pay such a high price?"

Lin Yi did not answer directly. Instead, he used his mind to share the series of skill level changes and prompts given by the Paradise of Reincarnation after he used the [Origin Sublimation Contract], making them visible only to Su Xiao.

Su Xiao's gaze fell on the virtual screen that only he could see.

Swordsmanship Master: Lv.27 (formerly Lv.37)

[Master of Melee Combat: Lv.7 (formerly Lv.17)]

[Master of Basic Healing Skills: Lv.10 (formerly Lv.20)]

[Note: For each level increase of the above skills, the resulting effect will be equivalent to the growth level at Lv.49 before ascension.]

[Note: The above skills have broken through the original potential barrier and are qualified to advance to a higher level.]

One message after another came into Su Xiao's view.

At first, his expression was somewhat calm, but as he read on, especially when he saw the lines "equivalent to the growth level of Lv.49 before sublimation," "break through the original potential barrier," and "possess the qualifications to advance to a higher realm," the muscles on his face tightened slightly.

Lv.49... What does that mean? It's a height that many skill-based contractors can't reach even after a lifetime of spending countless resources and going through countless life-or-death situations. It's one of the key critical points where quantitative change leads to qualitative change, and it's the threshold to the hall of power.

Once you reach that level, each promotion brings about earth-shattering changes.

And Lin Yi already possessed that level of growth potential at Lv.27? This means that with each subsequent advancement, the benefits he gains will increase exponentially, like a snowball rolling downhill, leaving his peers far behind.

Su Xiao's fingers, holding the cigarette, froze in mid-air. The cigarette burned quietly until the hot butt burned his fingers. Only then did he snap out of his daze and instinctively stub out the cigarette.

Su Xiao lowered her head, looking at her burned fingertips, then raised her eyes and looked at Lin Yi, who was unable to move on the sofa, with a complicated expression.

Su Xiao finally understood why Lin Yi had attracted the mandatory protection of the Samsara Paradise.

This is not just an improvement in skill level; it is a fundamental leap, a wild breakthrough that breaks free from the constraints of conventional rules.

Forcibly shattering and reshaping the foundation of skills is tantamount to crushing and reassembling every cell in a person's body. Su Xiao could sense the pain and danger involved simply through those cold words.

Lin Yi's survival inside the skill enhancement chamber can only be attributed to his strong will and exceptional luck. (End of Chapter)