Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

As the notification sound from the Paradise of Reincarnation announced that Sphinx had become the target, abnormal ripples once again appeared in the space around the two of them.

The sorrowful woman, who had been on high alert, acted almost the instant the spatial fluctuations appeared.

She stepped forward, blocking Lin Yi's path. The "Crescent Moonlight" sword in her hand, made of pure energy, was already pointing towards the center of the spatial fluctuations. Its sharp sword intent locked onto that area, ready to unleash a thunderous strike at any moment.

The next second, a figure was thrown out and landed awkwardly on the gravel ground in front of everyone.

The newcomer was none other than Meihuan, but at this moment she looked utterly miserable, completely devoid of her usual alluring charm.

Her right side, from shoulder to calf, seemed to have been drained of all life and moisture by some terrible force. Her skin tightly wrapped around her bones, presenting a gray, withered, and wrinkled appearance, like a piece of old tree bark that had been weathered for thousands of years in the desert, forming a horrifying contrast with her still full and alluring body on the left.

"Cough cough..." Mei Huan coughed violently, each cough seeming to aggravate her wounds, causing her to curl up involuntarily.

Even more disturbingly, wisps of dark mist were constantly escaping from her withered right side. This black mist was corrosive, and when it came into contact with the surrounding air and even gravel, it made a faint "sizzling" sound, attempting to pollute and disintegrate everything around it.

Lin Yi's gaze sharpened. He sensed that the black mist was strikingly similar in quality to the abyssal power he possessed, but its quantity and purity were far inferior, as if it were a degraded imitation.

The feeling was subtle, like smelling a scent that originated from the same source but was mixed with a lot of impurities.

Lin Yi endured the lingering pain deep within his soul, took a step forward, squatted down, and gently placed his palm on Mei Huan's withered right shoulder.

The instant Lin Yi's palm touched her, Mei Huan trembled violently, and an uncontrollable moan escaped her lips, a sound both painful and relieved: "Mmm..."

She could clearly feel that the strange energy that was wreaking havoc in her body was rapidly melting and dissipating in front of Lin Yi, like ice and snow meeting the sun. It was an absolute suppression in terms of rank.

Unfortunately, the right half of her body at this moment was far from attractive; in fact, it looked rather terrifying.

"What happened? How's the situation on Sphinx's side?" Lin Yi withdrew his hand.

Although Meihuan had already secretly switched sides, she would never easily take the initiative to contact him for her own safety and to obtain intelligence, let alone send him over in such a disheveled manner.

Phantom gasped for breath, using the sliver of life energy Lin Yi had temporarily channeled into her to stabilize her injuries. Her voice was hoarse and rapid, filled with barely concealed fear: "Sphinx... he's gone mad! Utterly mad!"

She began her narration haltingly: "Before... after Lady Moon exhausted her life force to summon that monster, Sphinx retreated with his remaining confidants to the deepest part of Obsidian Manor, where there was a secret ritual chamber he had been cultivating for many years. I originally thought he still had some trump card to turn the tables, so I hid in the shadows to observe. As a result, he directly sacrificed everyone he brought in, including those core subordinates who were loyal to him."

A flicker of lingering fear flashed in Meihuan's eyes: "He used the lives and souls of those people as sacrifices to activate a bronze door that looked incredibly ancient. That door stood in the center of the ritual room, covered with runes I'd never seen before. The power of the sacrifices was absorbed by the bronze door, and the black mist that had just eroded me began to seep out from the cracks. I sensed something was wrong and immediately used my trump card to force a spatial jump, but I was still grazed on half my body by a wisp of black mist seeping out from the cracks, which is why I'm like this now."

[WARNING! An unknown upheaval has occurred in Eisenla!]

[Warning: Hunters must stay away from the core area of ​​Eisenla for 10 hours!]

[Note: After a 10-hour grace period, hunters can proceed to Eisenra City. The core mission objective has changed to: Destroy the 'Foundation of Demon Forging'.]

[Region name change in progress... Based on current energy characteristics and rule distortion... Change complete. The original 'Miracle Land - Eisenra' is now officially named 'Dark Prison Gate - Eisenra'.]

[Number of civilian survivors in the Dark Prison Gate - Eisenlane: 0 (all have been transformed into mindless, berserk life forms).]

[Number of surviving Mad Wizards of the Dark Prison Gate, Eisenlane: 153 (Completely berserk, this process is irreversible, possessing extremely high aggression and corrupting power).]

Su Xiao and Lin Yi exchanged a glance, both seeing the seriousness in each other's eyes.

As expected, Sphinx, being listed as a high-risk violator by the Paradise of Reincarnation, could not possibly only possess the methods he has on the surface.

His previous sacrifices of his subordinates and acts of forbearance and retreat must have indicated that his ambitions were far greater.

This suddenly appearing "bronze door" and the so-called "foundation for forging demons" are probably his true ultimate goals.

Fortunately, they were not fighting alone at this moment.

The three immortal wizards who had recovered considerably—Laurent, Dawn, and Gus—as well as the Sorrowful Daughter who had merged with the will of Nia, all stood on their side.

Although the situation is critical, it is not yet beyond our control.

Just as the two were quickly assessing the situation, the Paradise of Reincarnation appeared again, bringing new variables:

The current situation has exceeded the difficulty level of a regular mission and meets the criteria for a 'high-risk abnormal event'. The park's reinforcement mechanism has been activated.

[The Arbiter, Nicholas Caesar, is already within this world; no further teleportation is required.]

[Note: Nicholas Caesar is currently on a punitive mission; 70% of his Arbiter privileges have been temporarily removed.]

[Currently verifying contractors/hunters/arbiters who have connections to the hunters and possess corresponding strength...]

[A large adventure group has been detected: the God Emperor Adventure Group. Should we force recruitment?]

Upon seeing the name "God Emperor Adventure Team," Lin Yi couldn't help but roll his eyes.

If the God Emperor, who had just recently advanced to the fifth rank, and his hundreds of followers were really dragged into this battlefield that was comparable to a meat grinder, facing the crazed Sphinx and the unknown "Foundation of Demon Forging," it would be like sending them to their deaths. The God Emperor would probably cry on the spot.

[The list has been re-screened based on risk level and task requirements...]

[Contractor: Red Clown (codename: Undying Flame Demon) has received a mandatory conscription order and will arrive in this world in one calendar day.]

Due to his unique abilities and characteristics, the Red Clown is deemed to possess high destructive potential against the 'Foundation of Demon Forging' and has exceptional survivability. He will provide crucial assistance to the Hunter. Note: If the Red Clown behaves abnormally or hinders the mission during the assistance period, the Hunter can immediately activate his Recruitment Privilege to 'Forcefully Execute' him.

[Due to Xia's excellent performance in the trading of Time and Space Power during this world progression, with no record of misconduct, and her successful preservation of a small portion of Time and Space Power for the Paradise, Xia is hereby granted temporary privileges.]

[World Tree notarization in progress... Notarization complete. Temporary privileges granted, teleportation access activated.]

At the same time, Xia, who had just been freed from Shub's imprisonment and was still in shock, suddenly found two glowing temporary skill icons on her panel.

【Spirit Eye (Passive Lv.60, Temporary Ability)】: Greatly enhances perception acuity, allowing for the precise location and status of special structures/energy nodes—'Foundations of Demon Forging'—from extremely long distances. Note: This ability is for mission support and has no direct combat effect.

【Forced Return (Passive Lv.MAX, Temporary Ability)】: When the holder is about to suffer a fatal attack that could cause instant death or soul annihilation, this ability will be passively triggered, ignoring most spatial blockades and rule interference, and immediately forcibly returning to the exclusive room of the Reincarnation Paradise. Note: This ability is a one-time life-saving measure and will expire immediately after activation.

These two temporary skills are undoubtedly lifesavers tailor-made for Xia, ensuring that she, as an employee, will not perish in the upcoming ultimate chaos, while also providing assistance to Su Xiao and Lin Yi.

Lin Yi looked at Su Xiao, his brows furrowed, and asked the crucial question directly: "Do you know this 'Red Clown'? It sounds like the park knows him quite well, and even gave us the privilege of 'forced execution'." He had a feeling that Su Xiao must have dealt with the person behind this code name, after all, it was Su Xiao who brought him into this world progression.

Su Xiao paused slightly as she wiped the Dragon Slayer Blade, then looked up at Lin Yi with an indescribable look in her eyes: "I know him. Not only do I know him, but you could say he has some kind of 'connection' with you."

"What does this have to do with me?" Lin Yi was taken aback. Although he knew many people in the Paradise of Reincarnation, he shouldn't have forgotten such a special talent. "Do you remember the Ghost Continent?" Su Xiao prompted.

Ghost Continent? Images of his previous time on Ghost Continent flashed through Lin Yi's mind.

“That’s right. This ‘Red Clown’s’ real name, or rather his common code name, is ‘Mr. J’. He’s the guy who fought Reinhardt to the death in the Ghost Continent and almost took Reinhardt with him.”

Lin Yi still had some impression of Reinhardt.

To be honest, once Reinhardt starts fighting desperately, both Su Xiao and Lin Yi will have to retreat temporarily.

Reinhardt's fighting ability is actually very strong; the only thing limiting his fighting ability is his physical body.

Once Reinhardt starts unleashing his lightning recklessly, it will be incredibly difficult for anyone to kill him in this desperate situation.

Su Xiao continued to add details, clearing up some of Lin Yi's doubts: "The result of that battle was that Mr. J was beaten to the point of death and went into complete seclusion. Reinhard was also left with only one breath left. After the battle, he was taken away and rescued by Monarch Harold himself, and barely survived."

He paused, then looked at Lin Yi: "When you later saw Reinhardt, did you notice that his body would occasionally twitch slightly and uncontrollably?"

Lin Yi recalled carefully and did have a vague impression. At the time, he thought it was just an old injury that hadn't healed and didn't pay much attention to it.

"That's a lingering effect from my fight with Mr. J, one that even Harold couldn't completely eradicate. That guy's methods... are extremely troublesome."

Now Lin Yi had a more intuitive understanding of this upcoming "reinforcement"—a madman who could fight Reinhardt to a standstill and leave him with permanent injuries.

"Based on what I've learned, that guy is a super old silver coin, meticulous and far-sighted, extremely dangerous. If it weren't for the fact that they were on the Ghost Continent, where Harold had the advantage of home ground and prior arrangements, the outcome of their life-or-death struggle in a completely fair environment would be uncertain."

However, Su Xiao did not object to the Red Clown coming to help this time. The reason was simple: he could forcibly execute the other party at any time through his conscription authority, so he was not afraid of the other party playing tricks.

With the sword of Damocles, "forced execution," hanging over his head, any small action by Mr. J would be tantamount to suicide.

Therefore, the stronger the Red Clown is for the two of them right now, the better. Otherwise, if a useless person comes along, they might be doomed before they even enter Eisenla.

Right now, the group has unexpectedly gained a respite.

The warning from the Reincarnation Paradise clearly states that entry into the core area of ​​Eisenla is prohibited for ten hours.

The group decided to set up camp on the edge of this relatively safe ruin, and quickly treat their injuries and recover.

Lin Yi and Su Xiao informed the three immortal wizards and the Sorrowful Daughter in detail about the information they currently had, including Sphinx's crazy actions, the existence of the Bronze Gate, and the threat of the "Foundation of Demon Forging".

“The Bronze Gate…the foundation of demon forging…” Laurent frowned, repeatedly chewing on these words, as if searching for something deep in his memory.

Gus scratched his head in frustration, clearly clueless about the matter.

Shuguang, who had been silently pondering, suddenly had a flash of realization in his eyes: "I remember now... I saw a record of something similar in a book of secrets from the Wizarding Continent."

All eyes immediately turned to her.

Shuguang composed himself and slowly began to speak: "According to the records in that tattered ancient book, in the distant past, the mainstream power system on this Wizarding Continent beneath our feet was not the 'wizard' we know today, but a 'body refinement' system that focused on tapping into one's own potential and tempering the body and will. Back then, the strong could move mountains and fill seas with a mere gesture, their bodies traversing the void without relying on external objects, focusing solely on developing the human body."

She glanced at Laurent: "Laurent, the roots of the melee magic you inherited and improved may very well have originated from the body-refining combat techniques of that lost era. It's just that for some reason, this system gradually declined and was replaced by the potion-wielding wizard system, which is more 'convenient' and easier to acquire power."

"The turning point that led to the decline of that glorious body-refining civilization is said to be related to a 'door'."

"The ancient texts are vague, only mentioning that it is a 'tempting gate from beyond the heavens,' not a product of our world. It appeared silently, exuding an irresistible aura of power and the allure of knowledge."

"It claims to bring power beyond limits and access to higher dimensions. Initially, some body-refining experts were attracted to it, trying to break through through that door. Some did indeed obtain strange and powerful power from it, but soon, disaster struck."

"Those who gain power gradually become violent and bloodthirsty, eventually losing themselves and turning into monsters who only know destruction. Even more terrifying is that the door itself will draw on the origin of this world and continuously send a kind of creature called the 'Dark Keeper' into our world."

"A cataclysmic event swept across the entire continent. Later, it is said that the last group of clear-headed top experts of that era gathered together and paid an unimaginable price to finally forcibly seal that door and the source of its pollution. And the core of the seal seems to be called the 'Foundation of Demon Forging'?"

"Alright." After hearing Shuguang's explanation, neither Su Xiao nor Lin Yi showed much change in expression, as if they were hearing a distant story rather than an imminent catastrophe.

Having weathered countless storms, the two had long since developed a composure that remained unmoved even in the face of a collapsing mountain. The Foundation of Demon Forging? The Ancient Calamity? They were merely yet another target to be smashed.

The tense atmosphere seemed to have been somewhat eased by the two people's rather bland reactions.

Forcing his way in was out of the question, and waiting around was a waste of time. Lin Yi touched his still somewhat aching body and felt an urgent need for some comfort—like delicious food.

He pulled out a large pile of fresh ingredients from his personal space, including the essence ribs of an unknown magical beast, fungi that emitted a faint glow, and several kinds of wild vegetables and fruits that looked very tender.

These were all collected casually in previous worlds, and are of excellent quality.

"Ten hours, don't waste them. Come on, Xia, show off your skills and get some hot food. Everyone needs to replenish their energy."

Xia stared at the dazzling array of ingredients in front of her, paused for a moment, and then a glint of light flashed in her eyes.

As a contractor, Xia definitely belongs to the unqualified group. Even the first-level contractors who have just entered the Reincarnation Paradise are more qualified than Xia.

But as a chef, Xia's achievements in this area are unmatched by most people.

She immediately got to work, skillfully setting up portable kitchen utensils and preparing the ingredients.

Soon, an enticing aroma began to fill the air above the makeshift camp.

The sizzling sound of oil at high temperatures, the bubbling sound of stewing, mixed with the aroma of food, strangely dispelled some of the oppressive and bloody smell in the air.

Gus sniffed, staring longingly at the bubbling meat in the pot, forgetting even his previous irritability.

Laurent and Dawn relaxed slightly and sat down together. Even the Sorrowful Woman, who had been guarding Lin Yi like a shadow, seemed to have a slight tremor in her empty eyes.

Su Xiao leaned to one side, closing his eyes to rest, but the slightly relaxed corners of his mouth showed that he did not reject this short rest.

Lin Yi found a comfortable spot to sit down, watching Xia's busy figure and feeling the warmth of the food, which eased the pain deep in his soul.

Having eaten and drunk their fill, they would then have the strength to smash down that broken door. (End of Chapter)