Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

Hedy brushed her skirt aside and sat down on the chair carved with intricate patterns. Although her face was still somewhat pale, the noble and proud air that belonged to the Feather Clan had returned to her brow.

She coughed lightly twice, as if to dispel the last trace of discomfort brought by the teleportation array, then raised her clear, lake-like eyes to look at Lilim in the main seat, a perfectly timed yet clearly sarcastic smile curving her lips.

"I've long heard that the demon race is known for its savagery in the void, and seeing it today, I can confirm that it lives up to its reputation. Even this long-range teleportation array is so unique, full of a primal sense of power. I suppose that in the initial design, trivial considerations such as 'comfort' and 'stability' were completely abandoned? It's truly impressive, no wonder the noble warriors all possess such unwavering willpower."

Hattie deliberately emphasized the words "primitive," "savage," and "unyielding," making no attempt to hide her sarcasm.

Upon hearing this, Lilim was not angry at all; instead, she let out a string of silvery laughter.

She lazily shifted her posture, the curves outlined by her dress breathtaking. Her demonic eyes scrutinized Hattie with interest, as if watching a little golden bird trying to raise its feathers to show itself.

“Oh dear, my dear Hedy.” Lilim’s tone was somewhat affectionate, but more like a condescending teasing. “It seems our teleportation method has startled the delicate Feathered Princess. I’m truly sorry. However, we demons are always pragmatic. The purpose of a teleportation array is to get people to their destination as quickly as possible. As for the process… a little bit of bumping is just a reminder that passengers are about to arrive in demon territory, allowing them to get used to the atmosphere beforehand, isn’t it? It’s much better than some places that use flashy but impractical lighting effects to create a smooth ride, but the actual speed is as slow as taking a walk in the stars.”

Hattie's smile remained unchanged, but her fingers tightened slightly: "Efficiency is important, but the difference between civilization and barbarism often lies in these details. True strength lies in the perfect combination of power and control. If one cannot even finely control one's own power and only acts recklessly, how is one different from an uncivilized star beast?"

"Oh?" Lilim raised an eyebrow, leaning forward slightly, an invisible pressure spreading out. "Precise control? You mean, like some races, where even speaking requires careful thought, as if afraid of revealing the slightest hint of one's true intentions? Power is power. Power that can crush the enemy and achieve one's goal is good power. As for whether the process is aesthetically pleasing... Ha, the victor's posture is always the most beautiful. The loser, no matter how elegant their posture, will only become a laughingstock."

Their eyes met, and it was as if invisible sparks were crackling between them.

A faint golden light began to flow around Hattie, while the shadow beneath Lilim began to writhe as if it were alive.

The air in the council chamber seemed to freeze, and the demon guards standing to the side kept their eyes down, pretending to be statues that didn't exist.

"Ahem." The Wind Prince, who had been sitting quietly to the side, his face still somewhat pale, finally couldn't hold back any longer. He rubbed his still throbbing temples, his tone carrying the characteristic rigidity and impatience of an arcanist. "Gentlemen, if you intend to have an in-depth academic discussion on racial aesthetics and the philosophy of power, I suggest we do it privately later. I have a crucial experiment in my lab about 'the decay rate variable of unstable isotopes during interdimensional teleportation' currently in the data acquisition phase, and time is precious. We're here to discuss serious matters, aren't we?"

Lilim and Hattie, who were interrupted, glanced at the Wind Prince at the same time, their eyes showing displeasure at being disturbed, but they ultimately suppressed the more words that were about to spill out.

They all knew that the Wind Prince represented the Arcane Eternal Star, and that they were gathered here today because of more important interests that needed to be coordinated.

Lilim was the first to suppress her imposing manner, leaning back in her seat and resuming her languid yet commanding demeanor: "The Wind Prince is right, we can reminisce later. It's more important to deal with business first."

Her gaze shifted to Lin Yi, who had barely spoken since entering, quietly observing the brief exchange.

Lin Yi nodded slightly in response to Lilim's greeting, then turned his gaze to the Wind Prince and cut straight to the heart of the matter: "Wind Prince, how is the matter I asked you to keep an eye on progressing?"

Upon hearing Lin Yi's question, Prince Feng's spirits lifted slightly. The listlessness on his face, which had been lingering due to the discomfort of teleportation, faded away, replaced by a complex expression that mixed schadenfreude with scholarly rigor.

He pushed up glasses that weren't actually on his nose, a habitual gesture he made when organizing his thoughts and preparing for a long narrative. Then he began to narrate methodically, his tone as if he were reading a lab report.

"Things are going even more smoothly than we expected."

Prince Wind carefully considered his words: "Ever since the attack on you last time, Serphilia and the arcane faction she leads have had a very difficult time."

After the Wind Prince's introduction, Lin Yi and his companions gained a general understanding of just how dire the situation was for the Arcane faction.

Originally, although the elemental faction had been suppressing the arcane faction, it had mostly kept things within the normal scope of factional struggles. Although there were frictions between the two sides, they were still able to maintain a semblance of civility.

Although Serphia was at a disadvantage, she could still hold on thanks to her years of accumulated influence and the cutting-edge technology of the Arcane faction.

But after the last incident, the nature of the situation was completely different.

That crossed the line of factional struggle and could be considered the beginning of a complete breakdown in relations.

Nowadays, the relationship between the Arcane faction and the Elemental faction can perhaps be described as 'irreconcilable'.

However, it has become the norm for members of both sides to ignore each other when they meet on the street and never interact with each other again.

The Arcane faction is ultimately a new faction, and its foundation is far inferior to that of the Elemental faction, which has been rooted in the Arcane Eternal Star for countless years, with numerous branches and a complex network of relationships.

In particular, Serphia herself has expanded her power too quickly in recent years, and her style of doing things has become more and more domineering and aggressive. She has never stopped suppressing and excluding other emerging and small and medium-sized factions within Arcane Eternal Star, which has long aroused a lot of dissatisfaction and secret resentment.

However, in the past, she was at the height of her fame and had the aura of a rising star in arcane magic, so many people dared not speak out against her.

This time, the elemental faction took the lead in launching an attack, openly and forcefully targeting the arcane faction, like throwing a boulder into a calm lake.

Other small and medium-sized factions that were originally neutral but had been forcibly exploited by Serphilia in the distribution of benefits immediately followed suit, like sharks smelling blood, and joined the encirclement and suppression.

With the Elemental faction as their 'big brother' taking the brunt of the pressure, what do they have to fear? Naturally, they'd be happy to follow behind and reap the benefits, both to vent old grievances and to share in the spoils left by the fallen Arcane faction. Why not?
Serphia was horrified to discover that her once invincible title as leader of the Arcane faction was suddenly no longer very effective.

Wherever she went or what she did, the preferential treatment and green channels that she once enjoyed disappeared, replaced by all sorts of unexpected difficulties and delays.

The most pressing issue is resource allocation.

The elemental factions and their newly formed allies, leveraging their deep influence within the vast and cumbersome administrative system of Arcane Eternity, began to meticulously adhere to ancient rules and regulations that had long been shelved.

They cannot openly deduct the resource quota allocated to the Arcane faction—that would give others a handle against them and make them appear too greedy.

However, they can find countless plausible reasons to 'temporarily detain' these resources for 'in-depth compliance review,' 'process re-verification,' 'secondary security assessment,' and so on. The reasons are numerous and varied.

When the Arcane faction inquires, the response is always the same: "Incomplete documentation," "Incorrect procedure," or "Requires supplementary documentation."

Arcane Eternal has existed for so long that its internal management system is so vast and complex that it cannot be simply described as 'bloated'. It is intricate and unwieldy, like a maze built from countless rules and regulations.

In theory, any matter that requires cross-departmental processing, if strictly following those ancient rules and procedures, would involve so many steps, stamps, and approvals that it would drive even the most patient practitioner to despair.

Over time, various factions, especially large factions like the Elemental Faction, have developed their own set of 'unwritten rules' and shortcuts, directly connecting with key figures in relevant departments, which is actually more efficient.

Everyone tacitly accepted this approach, since no one wanted to be bogged down by those cumbersome rules.

This time, however, the elemental faction directly brought out the long-dormant banner of 'following the rules' and stood on the moral high ground.

Serphia knew perfectly well that the other party was deliberately making things difficult for her and was using the rules to manipulate her, but she was helpless, as if she were caught in an invisible and sticky spider web.

Could she possibly go to the Supreme Council and complain that the Elemental factions are 'too rule-abiding'? That would only make her look ridiculous and unreasonable.

If she were to act impulsively and, in a fit of rage, escalate the matter to a higher level, demanding that all factions strictly and fairly adhere to those extremely cumbersome rules… then things would get really messed up. She would essentially offend every faction on Arcane Eternity, including those currently observing or even secretly harboring some sympathy or support for her!

The elemental faction would probably laugh themselves to death and be the first to raise both hands in favor—after all, once things really return to that inefficient state of 'absolute compliance,' the arcane faction, which lacks a foundation and urgently needs rapid resource circulation to maintain its development and influence, would be the first to suffer.

Other established factions may also be affected, but their deep foundations and resilience far surpass those of the Arcane faction, so they will not suffer the same devastating blows.

By then, the Arcane faction will probably be devoured by everyone's rage before it is even defeated by the Elemental faction.

It is true that Serphia is the leader of the Arcane faction and holds a prestigious position on Arcane Eternity.

But Arcane Eternal is not her personal domain.

Which of the other faction's leaders isn't a seasoned cunning old fox who has been navigating the power arena for hundreds of years or even longer? Which of them isn't deeply entrenched and shrewd in their methods?

If they really want to offend everyone, they have plenty of ways to make Serphia, the 'leader,' a figurehead without violating any overt rules, and make it impossible for her to move an inch.

This is just the trouble within Arcane Eternal.

External problems were also causing Serfia a great deal of trouble.

As planned, Prince Wind contacted the people under the command of the 'Dark Emperor' White Bull in the Void through internal channels of the elemental faction.

Those lawless outlaws will do anything for the right price, especially this kind of 'good job' that can both curb the arrogance of Arcane Eternal Star and bring in a hefty sum of money.

Upon learning that the target was Serphilia and her arcane faction, the white bull's 'sister' immediately said that they would take the job and were very interested.

Arcane Eternal Star's reputation in the Void was never great; it was seen as a symbol of arrogance and xenophobia. Serphilia's Arcane faction was even more notorious for its radical and aggressive style, offending many Void forces and races in the process of expanding Void territory and vying for resources.

The White Bull faction already had some old grudges with Arcane Eternal Star, so this time they could both get revenge and make money, which was double the joy.

In addition, the 'hard currency' provided by Lin Yi and Su Xiao was both generous and rare enough that the White Bull faction had no reason to refuse.

As a result, in the days that followed, Serphia herself, as well as several important forward outposts of the Arcane faction in the void, and the key transportation lines connecting the Arcane Eternal Star and the resource world, began to suffer frequent 'unexpected' attacks.

Although most of these attacks were thwarted by Serphilia and her forces, preventing devastating damage, the relentless harassment and containment greatly drained the Arcane faction's energy, making it impossible for Serphilia to focus on internal affairs and factional development.

She was like a firefighter, constantly putting out fires and running around frantically.

What chilled Serfia the most was perhaps the attitude of the other factions on Arcane Eternal Star.

Instead of showing solidarity and willingness to help in the face of the White Bull faction's blatant attack, the other factions on Arcane Eternal Star remained aloof, watching from the sidelines and even gloating.

No, it's not just about observing...

On one occasion, a group of White Bull raiders had just looted an outer warehouse of the Arcane faction and, while retreating, ran into a patrol belonging to a mid-level faction.

The two were so close that they could almost see the pores on each other's faces.

As a result, the spellcaster leading the team cleared his throat, turned around, and began to seriously explain to his bewildered team members the 'relationship between the fine-tuning of multiple spellcasting gestures and the elemental resonance frequency,' speaking with great enthusiasm and spittle flying everywhere.

They didn't see the attackers swaggering away nearby, nor did they hear the Riofa faction warehouse defenders' frantic cries for help and questions on the communications channel.

Only after the attackers had gone far away did he reluctantly stop his 'lecture' and lead the team to continue patrolling.

Afterwards, the Arcane faction stormed in to question them. Their representative, feigning innocence and confusion, stated: 'We were conducting a very important tactical exercise regarding the stability of spellcasting under environmental interference. All members were focused on academic research and data collection, maintaining a high level of concentration. We did not detect any abnormal spatial fluctuations or identify any unauthorized ships. We deeply sympathize with your faction's loss, but it truly has nothing to do with us.'

This airtight official response nearly made the high-ranking members of the Aufa faction who went to negotiate explode with anger.

After this happened so many times, the people on Bai Niu's side started to figure it out.

They discovered that this arcane faction was completely ignored on Arcane Eternity, and everyone wanted to kick them while they were down.

As a result, their actions became increasingly daring.

Later, it even developed to the point that not only the White Bull's main force, but also some other forces with old grudges against the Arcane faction, such as... certain races or factions that also disliked Serphilia, would occasionally disguise themselves as White Bulls to cause trouble for the Arcane faction and take advantage of it.

It can be said that the Arcane faction is currently in dire straits.

Internally, they are bound, isolated, and cut off from supplies by the elemental faction and its allies using 'rules'; externally, they are constantly harassed and attacked by forces such as the White Bull; and they also have to be wary of other forces taking advantage of their misfortune.

Serphia is quite capable, managing to get herself into such a predicament, surrounded by enemies on all sides. No one knows how she managed to offend so many forces in such a short period of time.

The current situation has completely evolved into a chaotic mix of internal factional infighting and external intervention on Arcane Eternity.

Even the most powerful person would find it difficult to intervene at this moment.

If it were merely an external attack, the Supreme Being could intervene in the name of protecting the overall interests of Arcane Eternity.

However, now top factions such as the Elemental Faction and the Soul Faction are deeply involved, which is purely an extension of internal strife.

If the supreme being were to forcibly intervene, it would likely trigger even greater turmoil, so for now, he could only... turn a blind eye and pretend not to see it.

After the Wind Prince finished speaking, a brief silence fell over the council chamber.

Lilim tapped her fingertips lightly on the armrest of the throne, her eyes flashing with calculation.

Hattie frowned slightly, seemingly processing the information and assessing its potential impact on the Feather Clan.

Lin Yi listened quietly, his face expressionless, though a hint of coldness flashed deep in his eyes.

Serphia's predicament is developing in the direction he expected, even more "smoothly" than he anticipated. (End of Chapter)