Samsara Paradise: Dream Weaver of Connections.

Chapter 1265 Dillian's Second Round of Battles

Will's figure completely disappeared into the spatial rift, and the golden chains also dissipated, restoring calm to the arena.

But the calm lasted only a few breaths.

"Ha ha ha ha--"

Laughter erupted first from the demons' stands.

The white-haired elders laughed so hard they were doubled over. Some slapped their thighs, some clutched their stomachs, and one even spilled the wine in his cup, splashing it on the clansmen next to him. He didn't care and laughed along with them.

They laughed without restraint, laughed without any inhibitions.

"Did you see Serphia's expression? Her face turned green." A demon elder wiped away tears of laughter, his voice so loud it could be heard across half the arena.

“It’s not green, it’s a dark blue-green, as blue as moldy cheese,” another elder chimed in, his schadenfreude undisguised.

"Will's sword was really ruthless. If it had been three inches further, her beautiful head would have been gone."

"It's a pity it didn't happen, otherwise today's scene would have been even more lively."

The old men got more and more excited as they talked, completely disregarding that they were in a public place and that the people they were talking about were sitting on the other side of the same stands.

They stood up from their seats and slowly walked towards the old persecutor.

“Old man, you’ve come at a very opportune time.” An elder turned to the old destroyer of the law and said with a smile, “You just sat down and you’ve stumbled upon such a good show.”

The old perpetrator of the law did not respond; he didn't even lift an eyelid.

Their era was far more chaotic than it is now. Given Old Man Destroyer's character, if he were still alive, none of the spellcasters in the entire Arcane Eternal Star region would be alive today.

“Wilna, back when you were still around, he was just a greenhorn, wandering around with a broken sword looking for people to challenge. Now look at him, daring to attack Serfia directly.”

“He was a madman to begin with,” another elder chimed in, “but now he’s gone completely mad.”

As they talked, their eyes all glanced in Serfia's direction.

Their gazes were like those of several old men at the edge of a village, scrutinizing a stranger passing by, looking him up and down, then huddling together and whispering to each other.

Serphia stood beside her shattered seat, her face ashen, as if she had swallowed a fly.

The wound on her abdomen had mostly healed, leaving only a faint scar.

But the anger that surged from the bottom of her heart did not subside so easily. Her lips were pressed into a line, her fingers trembled slightly at her sides, and her nails dug into the flesh of her palms. The pain allowed her to barely maintain her rationality.

She could hear the laughter of those demon elders clearly; they made no attempt to lower their voices, or rather, they were deliberately speaking to her.

Normally, Serphia would have already taken action.

But now she can't move.

The example of Vile is right before our eyes, and the chains of the Void Tree still hang overhead.

If she dares to act outside the rules, those golden chains will immediately wrap around her body and throw her into the abyss.

She took a deep breath, suppressing the anger that was about to erupt.

She closed her eyes and slowly tried to calm the chaotic emotions caused by her anger.

We must not get angry, we must not lose our composure, and we must not give those people the opportunity to laugh at us.

She opened her eyes and glanced at the crowd of people looking in her direction.

Some people were pointing at her, some were whispering, and others were filming her with a recording crystal.

Those gazes held schadenfreude, curiosity, sympathy, and an inexplicable sense of pleasure.

Serphia has made too many enemies in this void, too many people hate her, and even more people want to see her make a fool of herself.

Today, Will's sword strike has given these people an opportunity for a collective celebration.

She turned and walked toward the rest area of ​​Arcane Eternal.

Although the surface of a penetrating wound has healed, the internal damage requires time to repair.

Will's sword energy was too domineering; the residual power was still surging within her body, eroding her life force.

She needed to find a quiet place to expel the remaining sword energy.

Serphia's figure disappeared at the entrance to the rest area, and the whispers in the stands grew even louder.

The demon elders withdrew their gaze, their smiles growing even wider.

They gathered around the old perpetrator and began a new round of "commentary".

"They've gone, they've gone into hiding."

"How can she not hide? If she stays any longer, she'll lose all face."

"Do you think she'll try to get revenge on Will after she goes back?"

"Revenge? Does she dare? If that madman Verna comes out, he'll fight her to the death."

"That's true, don't mess with a madman."

Soon, their conversation was enveloped by a thin energy barrier, and no one outside could hear what they were saying.

But judging from their beaming expressions, the content must have been absolutely fascinating.

They used energy to block the conversation, not because they were afraid of being overheard, but because they didn't want to give Serphia any leverage.

Although they didn't care about Serphia's opinion, Arcane Eternal Star was, after all, a behemoth, and they still had to maintain a facade of politeness.

However, even a fool could tell that these guys were definitely up to no good.

Having spent so many years in the void, she knows these old things all too well.

They're all polite to each other on the surface, but who knows what they're up to behind the scenes.

She gritted her teeth and quickened her pace, leaving the chaotic noises behind.

The light screen above the arena was still scrolling, and the list of the second round of duels was slowly being updated.

The names appeared one after another, and disappeared one after another, each appearance of a group of names causing a small commotion in the stands.

"Contestant number 16 and contestant number 50, please enter."

The commentator Hak's voice came from the amplification array, still passionate and enthusiastic, but a careful listener could hear a hint of caution in his tone.

Hack stood in the commentary booth, holding an amplification array in his hand, his expression much stiffer than usual.

He wore a standard professional smile, but only he knew what lay beneath that smile.

He wanted to cry.

I really want to cry.

I originally thought that the commentary job for this battle of the strongest would be a cushy job, allowing me to show my face at the grand event in the void, make connections with all sorts of important figures, and earn a considerable sum of money.

Who knew this round of the competition would turn out like this?

Hill arrived, the old Slayer arrived, Vell arrived, and he almost cleaved Serphilia in two in front of 300,000 people.

These are people you rarely see on ordinary days, but they've all gathered together today.

And judging from this situation, who knows who might appear next.

Hack took a deep breath and tried to keep his voice steady.

"This is a duel between spellcasters and spell destroyers. Hark has to add that I don't need to elaborate on the highlights of this match; you all know what I mean."

After saying that, he quickly shut his mouth, secretly glancing in the direction where the old sorcerer and Serphilia had left.

He originally wanted to say a few more words, to introduce Dillin's identity as a spellcaster, to analyze the historical grievances between spell destroyers and spellcasters, and to bring the audience's emotions to a climax.

But now he doesn't dare.

The old destroyer of law sat in the stands. Although Will had been thrown into the bottom of the abyss, his men were still there.

Who knows if they might just rush up and chop him up because they're unhappy with a single word he says?

Hehak is just a commentator, not a strongman, not a warrior, not a capable fighter.

The reason he has survived in this void until now is because he is "sensible".

Know what to say, what not to say, who to offend, and who not to offend.

So he obediently shut his mouth and focused on providing solid commentary, no longer bothering with any fancy gimmicks.

Two figures stood in the sand in the center of the arena.

Su Xiao stood on the left, the hem of her black trench coat swaying gently in the breeze.

His sword, Zanryu-sen, hung at his waist, his right hand resting on the hilt, his posture relaxed, his face expressionless.

Dillian stood to his right, about fifty meters away.

She was in much better condition than when she was in the lounge; the purplish-black lines had faded from her face, leaving only a few faint marks on her arms.

This time, her hair was tied in a high ponytail, revealing her fair neck, and her dark robe clung to her body, outlining her slender waistline.

Her gaze was fixed on Su Xiao, and golden elemental light flowed in her pupils.

She lost their last encounter on the island of Huanji.

They lost completely, without even a chance to fight back.

But she wasn't prepared that time. The collapse of the Li elemental weapon exceeded her expectations, causing her mentality to collapse as well.

This time is different.

After returning, she made thorough preparations, adjusting the energy structure of the Li element, redesigning the weapon's form, and conducting specialized training tailored to Su Xiao's fighting style. She would not lose again.

At least that's what she thinks.

While no one was paying attention, Mond stood up from his seat in the stands and swaggered over to Lin Yi.

He looked around and found that there was no empty seat next to Lin Yi. He didn't care and plopped down on the floor to Lin Yi's right.

His posture was as casual as if he were in his own living room, completely disregarding his identity as a demon.

"Doctor, doctor." Mond leaned closer, lowered his voice, and his face was full of excitement. "How many moves do you think Dillian can withstand from Bai Ye this time?"

Lin Yi turned his head to look at him, thought for a moment, and said, "Ten moves."

"Ten moves?" Mond's eyes widened. "You're giving her way too much credit. I think it'll be five moves at most. Last time on the Barren Isle, Bai Ye wasn't even fighting seriously and she was already exhausted. Even if she's prepared this time, how much better can she be?"

"Last time, the venue was limited, so she couldn't take advantage of her spellcaster skills. But this time she's prepared, so she shouldn't be able to last less than ten moves."

Mond scratched his head, thinking that Lin Yi made sense, but he was still unconvinced.

"Then I'll bet five moves. What are we betting on?"

"casual."

"Okay, the loser buys a drink."

The two were making a bet when they heard footsteps behind them.

Shangyue walked to Lin Yi's side, her black wings slightly folding behind her.

She wore a dark robe, and her hair was tied back with a silver ribbon, revealing a section of her fair nape.

"Excuse me, Doctor." Her voice was cool, but her tone carried a rare hint of politeness.

Lin Yi looked up and saw that there was another person following behind her.

It was a male winged race member, a head taller than Shang Yue, with a slender figure and straight shoulders and back.

The newcomer's wings were pure white, a stark contrast to Shangyue's black.

His features are somewhat similar to Shang Yue's, but his lines are more defined, and his eyes and brows exude a heroic air.

Quan Yu.

Shangyue's older brother.

He stopped in front of Lin Yi, bowed slightly, and placed his right hand on his chest, performing a standard Feather Clan salute.

"Doctor, I've heard so much about you." His voice was deep and gentle, completely different from Mond's rough voice.

Lin Yi nodded in response.

Shangyue turned to Lin Yi and said, "This is my older brother, Quanyu. He was in other arenas before and we didn't run into each other in the third round. He came to visit this time since he had some time."

Quan Yu straightened up, his gaze lingered on Lin Yi for a moment, and then shifted to Mond sitting next to him.

Mond was sitting on the floor, looking up at the winged creature who was much taller than him, his expression not very pleasant.

The demon race and the winged race are at odds; this is an open secret in the void.

As an elite of the demon race, Mondstadt naturally wouldn't have a pleasant look at the winged race.

Quan Yu didn't mind. He nodded slightly to Mond as a greeting, then looked away and turned his gaze back to Lin Yi.

"Doctor, please take good care of me in the upcoming matches." His tone was neither humble nor arrogant, showing neither deliberate flattery nor condescending arrogance.

Lin Yi looked at Quan Yu and recalled some rumors about this person.

Quan Yu is an outstanding member of the younger generation of the Feather Clan, and her strength ranks among the top tier in this competition for the strongest.

The so-called first tier is a ranking that a group of people come up with when they have nothing better to do.

This ranking has no official basis or quantitative standard; it is purely based on the participants' own observations and judgments.

There aren't many people in the top tier; at most, there are only a handful.

Hugh, the spellcaster of Arcane Eternal Star, possesses unfathomable strength and has yet to reveal his full power to anyone.

Quan Yu is a core member of the Feather Clan, possessing rich combat experience and exceptional adaptability.

The twin stars of Death Paradise work together seamlessly. Individually, they might not be the strongest, but together they are enough to give anyone a headache.

Mondstadt, the Demon race's tough guy, has top-notch resilience; the more he's attacked, the crazier he becomes, and the crazier he becomes, the stronger he gets.

The Night Witch, a representative of the witch world, is skilled in various bizarre abilities, and her fighting style is unpredictable.

Su Xiao, the Destroyer of Laws in the Paradise of Reincarnation, has proven his combat prowess to all, as demonstrated in his battle against Dilin on the Barren Island.

These individuals are widely recognized as being in the top tier, meaning their abilities are significantly superior to those of the other contestants, making them strong contenders for the final rankings.

As for Lin Yi, his situation is rather special.

His strength is difficult to assess because he has not yet revealed his full power to anyone.

The only time he fought seriously was in the arena against that young man from the Polaris Hunters.

But he clearly didn't go all out in that match, using only the most basic melee techniques throughout, and barely even using the power of the abyss.

So everyone simply put him in a separate tier.

T0.

This means that this guy doesn't participate in the competition for the top tier because his very existence is beyond the scope of competition.

The reason for this ranking is simple: it's not because of how strong he is, but because the forces behind him are too complex.

The network of Abyss Physicians extends throughout the Void; although Hill disappeared for so many years, her connections remain.

Those who owed her favors, those forces that had received her kindness, and those races that had cooperated with her were all watching Lin Yi.

Anyone who dares to kill Lin Yi in the competition is going against these people.

Moreover, Lin Yi himself is no pushover.

Although his fighting prowess has not yet been fully revealed, judging from his performance in the arena, he is definitely not someone who can be easily bullied.

Therefore, everyone reached a consensus that fighting Lin Yi was roughly equivalent to simultaneously facing a large number of contestants such as Su Xiao, Mond, Shang Yue, Hugh, and Di Lin.

It's not because these people are all on Lin Yi's side, but because none of them want to see anything happen to Lin Yi.

If anyone were to seriously injure Lin Yi, Hill would be unable to explain himself, and those who owed Hill favors would certainly not let the matter rest.

This is why everyone lists Lin Yi in a separate ranking.

There's nothing we can do; everyone's here to compete, except for Lin Yi and Lin Chun, who's just here for a day trip.

While others fought desperately in the arena, he strolled around it.

While others struggled on the brink of life and death, he drank tea in the stands.

While others fight tooth and nail for a single point, he simply stands there, and his opponents immediately concede defeat.

How can we even compare?

Lin Yi himself had heard about these rumors, but he didn't pay them any mind.

What others think of him is none of his business.

That's it.

Mond sat on the floor, looking up at Quan Yu, his gaze sweeping over her exquisite attire.

"The Feathered Clan is so particular; they dress up for a competition as if they're going to a banquet."

Quan Yu glanced down at him, a slight smile playing on her lips.

"Demons are so carefree, they don't even mind sitting on the floor in the cold."

Mond paused for a moment, then grinned.

"Alright, you're quite the talker. I hope your swordsmanship is just as sharp."

"I hope your fists are just as hard."

The two exchanged a glance, then simultaneously looked away.

Shangyue stood aside, watching the brief exchange between Mond and her brother, a hint of helplessness flashing in her silver eyes.

She turned to Lin Yi and said, "Doctor, my brother didn't draw any strong opponents this round, so he should have no problem advancing. But it's hard to say about the next round, since the Twin Stars of Death Paradise and Hugh are on the other side."

Lin Yi nodded without saying anything more.

In the arena, the Sword of Barrow clashed with the Shield of the Gods in mid-air, producing a loud clanging sound.

thump.

The loud bang echoed through the arena, drawing everyone's attention back to the competition.

The barrier rose, and pale golden light converged from the edges to the center, enveloping the entire sandy area.

The countdown starts.

5, 4, 3, 2, 1.

Beginning. (End of Chapter)