# Chapter 3: Because You Are a "Stellar Guardian" Certified by Reincarnation Paradise, Your Karma and Fate Will Be Engraved on the "Initial Pedestal" of Reincarnation Paradise. Under These Circumstances, You Will Be Exempt from the Erosion That Long Years Bring Upon You.
Without any hesitation, Su Xiao transformed his "Reincarnation Imprint" into a "Personal Imprint."
...
In the certification zone of the Void Tree, the crowd that had been watching the battle was now staring blankly at the pitch-black large screen. Just moments ago, they had all suddenly gone dark before their eyes and successfully "fallen into dreamland."
When they gradually woke up, they found that the battle had already ended. Who won and who lost? They were all completely bewildered. To be watching the battle in a safe certification zone and end up unconscious from the aftermath was truly embarrassing. Everyone present was someone of status, so they tacitly pretended nothing had happened.
Those with thin skin left immediately, while those with thick skin were already discussing with friends who had actually won.
The Tuanzhang, who had been sitting on the bench, stood up. He, of course, hadn't fainted and knew clearly who had won and who had lost. With the Abyss campaign won and the Star Realm no longer under the control of the Supreme Being, the Tuanzhang felt relaxed in both body and mind. Just as he was considering where to go on vacation to relax, a figure stopped behind him.
"Oh? What a coincidence."
Tali'er spoke, her eyes clearly saying, "I've searched all over this place and finally found you. If you dare say it's not a coincidence, I'll make you pay."
...
Apocalypse Paradise, Trade Market.
Three figures sat behind a stall, which displayed various ores. Among them, a pink-haired girl couldn't sit still, swaying her body left and right. Beside her, Yueshitu, dressed in white fluffy pajamas, yawned, while Hao Mei tilted her head back and chugged alcohol, gulping it down. The Apocalypse Sisters had successfully survived the Abyss campaign, and their strength had naturally skyrocketed.
Hao Mei exhaled a breath of alcohol and said somewhat melancholically, "Don't you think, with the three of us at this level of strength, still going mining is a bit embarrassing? We should be doing things befitting the strong."
"?"
Molei looked at Hao Mei in bewilderment, as if asking how she could have such a thought. Then she asked, "When you identify ores and find a top-grade one, are you happy?"
"Of course!" Hao Mei looked at Molei in surprise, as if wondering why the other would ask such an obvious question.
"So, being happy is all that matters. Where did you get this baggage about being a strong person? You're not drunk, are you?"
Molei's words enlightened Hao Mei. In the end, the Apocalypse Sisters reached a consensus: being happy was all that mattered.
...
Abyss, near the Giant Hall.
After a thunderous sneeze, the Abyss Dragon snorted. Having successfully survived, it planned to sleep for a few hundred years before going out. Just then, a tall figure approached. This figure was bare-chested, with red skin all over and wild hair cascading behind him. His aura was like a wild beast. Yes, it was the Crimson Beast, Dilo.
The Abyss Dragon's gaze was unfriendly. It certainly recognized this beast's Fourth Seat. But after the two stared at each other for a moment, the tense atmosphere gradually dissipated. They had confirmed each other's identity—both were experts at surviving by any means necessary.
The Abyss Dragon's dragon face and Dilo's beast face both showed a somewhat comical, suppressed smile with upturned corners. Having confirmed each other's identity, they were kindred spirits worth collaborating with.
Who would have thought that these two shameless powerhouses, who dominated the Fourth Era, had already formed an alliance back in the Third Era? Why didn't they rise to power in the Third Era? They had tried, and the result was being thoroughly disciplined by the Law Destroyers of that era, from the inside out, to the point of being marinated in absolute submission.
...
Third-Rank World: Dark Blood Continent. This was a world in a state of perpetual war.
Prolonged warfare had brought endless pain and scars to this small town. Inside a dilapidated wooden house, a hunched, lonely figure huddled in a drafty straw mat on a crude, uneven wooden bed. He raised his hand in a meaningless, flailing struggle before the flame of his life was extinguished.
After a brief moment of stillness, the withered, short old man on the wooden bed suddenly opened his eyes. A murky, yellowish glint flashed and disappeared. He sat up and let out a cunning, somewhat lecherous laugh. Kaisa was someone who couldn't stay idle, so his new adventure had begun.
However, this reincarnation was incomparable to his low-rank days, both in terms of ability ceiling and operational limits. As a result, Kaisa would no longer have collaborators like he did in the past. His dear friend had always been only one.
But none of this prevented Kaisa from throwing himself into a new adventure, starting from a Third-Rank world. A new adventure.
...
The decisive battle between the two strongest had caused a certain degree of damage to the Star Realm. However, the ultimate balance between Abyss and Elemental forces gradually smoothed over this damage. Moreover, many high-rank worlds began to experience a surge in resources due to the perfect balance of Abyss and Elements. A brand new and prosperous Third Era was destined to begin.
The Ten Thousand Races Realm, a restaurant not open to the public.
In fact, this restaurant's "excellent location selection" skill was such that even if the owner opened it to the public, and a guest tasted the top chef's cooking once, the next time they wanted to visit, they would be distressed to find that they couldn't remember where the place was.
Inside a small alley, Su Xiao, Bubu Wang, Amu, Baha, and Beini were all looking at a map in Su Xiao's hand. As for Jila, she was busy claiming territory in the Wind Sea Continent; that was her hobby.
The members of the Dawn Team in the alley remained silent. Su Xiao had even killed the Supreme Being, yet he still couldn't find the restaurant Xia had opened, even though she had given him the address. To some extent, this was also a kind of "Conceptual Skill."
Turning a corner, bright sunlight shone in, revealing a restaurant with no signboard. Entering the restaurant, they could vaguely see Xia busy in the kitchen. After Su Xiao and the others sat down, Xia came out from the kitchen, holding a bowl of beef noodles. It looked ordinary, but it was one of her signature dishes. However, for some reason, Su Xiao felt that today's bowl of noodles was... very wrong.
"Try it, my new dish."
Hearing this, Su Xiao calmly pushed the bowl of noodles in front of him over to Amu. Amu froze, looking around at his beloved friends and family present. One by one, they were either whistling and looking at the ceiling or seemed to be lost in thought.
A moment later, a mournful cry from Amu echoed from Xia's restaurant.
...
Two months after the decisive battle.
In the distant Chaotic Mist, vast and grotesque entities lurked. The former Supreme Being had died, making them, who had been dormant for a long time, stir restlessly. They were the source of calamity, the beginning of misfortune. They were the "Ancient Original Sins."
Above the peak of the Star Realm, a figure formed from dark blue smoke sat in the void. Her eyes opened. As she disappeared, a newly ascended peak powerhouse appeared.
The newcomer's gaze swept over the massive entities within the Chaotic Mist. After a moment, these massive entities retreated back into the Chaotic Mist.
Su Xiao sat cross-legged at the peak of the Star Realm, gazing into the distant Chaotic Mist. He knew that the "Ancient Original Sins" wouldn't remain dormant forever, but that only made things more interesting. With these extra-realm existences, the peak position was never lonely.
He looked towards the boundary between the Abyss and the Elements. The two were perfectly transforming into each other yet remained distinct. But he was certain that after a few eras, this balance would eventually be broken. Because the intelligent races of the Star Realm would have their own desires, their own goals, their own dreams, and so on. But that was the law of the Star Realm's operation. Forcibly changing all this would only lead to disastrous consequences.
Su Xiao had never intended to dominate the Star Realm, because he knew that everything was in a cycle of endless life and endless reincarnation.
(The End of the Book)
## Afterword
I've been on leave for several days. During that time, whenever I had a moment, I would write. So, after holding it in for a few days, I checked everything today and sent it all at once, so everyone can enjoy a good read, instead of updating one chapter a day.
Reincarnation Paradise has been serialized for a total of eight years. During that time, I took over a year off to recover from an illness. Roughly speaking, I've been writing for about six and a half years? Almost seven years.
When I asked for an extended leave, I promised that as long as I didn't kick the bucket, I would definitely write an ending. During the period after I resumed updating, I made frequent mistakes. However, thanks to the urging of my dear readers, I managed to salvage things somewhat.
I was originally going to finish a few days ago, but some unexpected things happened. Fortunately, my father's condition has improved a lot, and he is gradually recovering.
Let me talk about some changes I've made during the time this book was being updated. I successfully quit smoking. Other than that, I've been tormented to the point of near-death by anxiety disorder, along with my hereditary cervical spine problem.
Regarding the new book, I will definitely take better care of my health before starting it. I dare not take a leave of absence like I did with Reincarnation Paradise. Every time I take a leave, I feel uneasy inside. I don't know why, but I just feel very unsettled after taking a leave. This includes the year-long break for recovery. It wasn't until tonight, when I wrote "The End of the Book," that I finally felt at ease resting. I feel like I'll be able to sleep very well tonight.
Regarding the side stories, I'll take a break first. Lately, I've been a bit dazed from running back and forth between the hospital and home. Finally, I'll use this chapter's comment section to gather ideas for side stories that everyone wants to see.
In any case, thank you all, my dear readers, for your continuous support and understanding.
## Side Story 1 (Free)
Beep~, beep~
The gentle alarm clock sounded on the bedside table. A ray of morning sunlight, with a playful and lively feel, peeked through the gap in the curtains, awakening the drowsy atmosphere in the bedroom.
A hand with a blood-red mark on the back of its fair skin reached out from under the silk quilt. After a lazy groan of waking up, Xia sat up in bed. She picked up her phone and stared blankly at the time displayed on it: 7:56 AM. Four minutes until the scheduled time to get up and wash up. Just four more minutes of sleep. After four minutes, she would definitely get up. Definitely~
Thinking this, Xia's entire world tilted backward as she flopped comfortably back onto the bed. She casually slapped the alarm clock shaped like a big-mouthed dog. After a brief silence, there was the sound of steady breathing.
Beep beep beep!
The alarm clock on the bedside table screamed with all its might, as if it would jump up and punch the beautiful woman on the bed if she didn't wake up immediately. Xia opened her eyes, stretched lazily with a yawn, and casually picked up her phone to glance at the screen. 10:54 AM!
"!"
Xia felt this wasn't a heartwarming daily story, but a horror movie.
Half an hour later, the chef, now dressed in an off-white dress after washing up, walked briskly down the street. As a neutral worker certified by Reincarnation Paradise, Xia had some unique privileges.
Xia certainly knew where these privileges came from. She wasn't stupid. The problem was that she still couldn't imagine just how powerful Bai Ye had become. It wasn't that Xia lacked imagination; it was that a certain Law Destroyer's level of power was simply too absurd.
Moreover, Su Xiao never had the habit of boasting to Xia. And knowing everything and all the cause and effect wasn't a blessing. It was better to stay far away from the cause and effect of "Ancient Original Sins," "Chaos Calamities," and "Ancient Doom Omens," which were calamities just by knowing about them.
Speaking of which, as long as Xia wasn't a suicidal expert, the chance of her accidentally encountering a "Chaos Calamity" or "Ancient Doom Omen" was 0%. Because these three types of existences wouldn't approach her. Fighting the Stellar Guardian was one thing, but killing the Stellar Guardian's close friend would be an irreconcilable situation. Su Xiao had walked from the First Rank to the peak, and the close friends he had made were very few, especially since some had already passed away.
"So, this is your excuse for being several hours late?"
A short-haired, spirited girl chewing bubble gum and occasionally blowing pink bubbles spoke. Her name was Huanyue, and she had a unique androgynous beauty. Besides that, she was also a newly promoted Ninth-Rank Contractor.
Speaking of which, many of Xia's ingredients were obtained through Huanyue. At first, she paid the market price. Later, one provided sweets, and the other provided ingredients.
Huanyue's love for sweets was obsessive. In her own words, if there were no sweets in the world, then let it be destroyed. She had already lost her beloved.
Under a sunshade on the south side of the Seventh Pedestrian Street in the Central District of Reincarnation Paradise, Huanyue, sitting at an outdoor table, was tasting the desserts Xia had brought. Her anger, which had been building up because her friend was late due to preparing her a meal in the morning, was instantly cleared. However, the more she tasted, the more she felt that these desserts didn't seem like they were freshly baked this morning.
The reason Huanyue calmed down so quickly was because another friend, the bespectacled girl Luowei'er, still hadn't arrived. That idiot must have overslept.
Thinking of this, Huanyue's anger bar began to refill. Her beautiful amber pupils narrowed as she considered how to deal with this one later. Just then, a figure squeezed in beside her, skillfully picked up a fork, and delivered a fatal blow to her beloved dessert, instantly causing it to lose 32.5% of its HP.
"You..."
Huanyue was about to speak when she noticed that the bespectacled girl Luowei'er was accompanied by a young man. This made Huanyue frown. Just as she was about to ask, the cold-tempered bespectacled girl Luowei'er said, "This is my relative."
As if remembering something, she added, "A distant relative."
The newcomer, wearing diamond earrings, nodded to everyone and introduced himself as Yin Hai. He appeared polite and courteous, but the pride within him was impossible to hide. After all, he was a core member of the Divine Emperor Adventure Group. He had met his cousin by chance in a mission world, which gave him a great sense of showing off. Consequently, he automatically placed his cousin's friends at the same level as his cousin, let alone Xia, who was a worker.
Speaking of which, the Divine Emperor Adventure Group was currently the strongest large adventure group in Reincarnation Paradise. This was not only because its leader, Divine Emperor himself, was a hexagonal leader, but also because of a sudden boost in adventure group privileges given by Reincarnation Paradise.
"New Basic Adventure Group Privilege: White King's Blessing: All adventure group members gain +1 to all attributes ~ ??? (Depends on the level of this privilege. Each time the adventure group level increases, the 'White King's Blessing' privilege level will increase by Lv.1 ~ Lv.3, depending on the adventure group's rank)."
After this basic adventure group privilege appeared, it immediately changed the landscape among the contractors in Reincarnation Paradise. Did large groups increase? Of course... not. There were even more lone wolves.
This was because solo adventure groups could enjoy a stronger "White King's Blessing," 20% stronger than large teams. This was quite exaggerated. The specific reason was unclear.
There was a very absurd rumor that this game-changing "Basic Adventure Group Privilege" was actually derived from a "Solo Adventure Group."
What was even more puzzling was that, even though it provided a greater boost to solo adventure groups, the Divine Emperor Adventure Group rose even more rapidly. Truly, the world is unpredictable.
The rise of the Divine Emperor Adventure Group was not due to luck. After the Abyss campaign, the Star Realm experienced an explosive growth in resources, along with an increase in World Domination Wars.
What baffled all contractors even more was that when the seven Paradise factions started a World Domination War, it wasn't initially certified by the Void Tree. Instead, it was an unknown restriction imposed by the other six Paradises on Reincarnation Paradise. All participants could only see a mess of chaotic symbols.
According to some top contractors, these symbols seemed to indicate that the six Paradises had restricted Reincarnation Paradise from summoning a certain powerful individual.
Thinking about it carefully, well, this was very reasonable. And, if that individual was actually summoned, it wouldn't matter whether the World Domination War was fought or not. One slash, and the World Domination War would end immediately. The world being fought over would be destroyed. Could it not end immediately?
Beside the street table, after a brief silence, Huanyue straightened her straw, took a sip of the bright red watermelon juice, and said with a pointed tone, "This time, it's not exactly a formal world progress, but it's still very important."
Huanyue, of course, saw the barely concealed pride in Yin Hai. Although he didn't actively show it, it was still a potential hidden danger.
"I've invited outside help."
The bespectacled girl Luowei'er spoke in a voice devoid of emotion. She was always like this, her pupils often somewhat dull. This would make anyone exclaim, "Holy crap, a budget version of Xi'er!"
Regarding this, the ruthless man who had lost half his life in the Abyss campaign and was currently on a long-term mission felt very melancholic. He had originally planned to soar to new heights in the Abyss campaign, but his teammate Xi'er had cut off his wings.
In the chaotic Abyss battlefield, a figure resembling a human female, with pitch-black, flowing, bright red hair almost dragging on the ground, had gone mad. It was the Abyss Original Sin: Pride and Rage. It encountered Xi'er, who was expressionless, with faint black bloodstains on her face and increasingly crimson pupils.
It wasn't the life-and-death battle one might imagine, but a fated encounter, a destined union. Xi'er and Pride and Rage merged into one. Regarding this, the ruthless man had something to say.
If the Abyss campaign hadn't come so quickly, and if the ruthless man had been given time to develop, he would definitely have been one of the most crucial figures in the decisive battle. But again, the world is unpredictable.
Xi'er couldn't distinguish friend from foe at all. At that time, she killed anything she saw. Faced with this situation, the ruthless man stepped forward. The chaotic battle between both sides in that area temporarily stopped. Everyone watched the ruthless man walking step by step towards Xi'er in the open space.
When the ruthless man reached Xi'er without being attacked, his heart was filled with mixed emotions. He reached out his hand, a gentle and kind smile appearing on his face. Then, in a magnetic voice, he said, "Xi'er, time to go home."
After saying this, the ruthless man, still wearing a gentle smile, nodded. What greeted him was Xi'er's raised hand. When her cool, fair little hand touched the ruthless man's palm, his smile became even gentler. However, after a knife was plunged into the ruthless man's chest, followed by several more vicious stabs, both sides watching from the sides instinctively squinted and took two steps back.
Then came the ruthless man's intermittent cries for help. If it weren't for the good man Mo'en coming to the rescue, the ruthless man wouldn't have died at Xi'er's hands, but he would definitely have been stabbed full of holes. Still, the ruthless man was really resistant to stabbing. After all, being viciously stabbed by Xi'er like this wasn't the first or second time. As teammates and close friends who had come this far together, the seven-three split of the spoils wasn't greed; it was well-earned hardship pay.
Plus, with their absurd activities like fishing for Battle Angels, Xi'er's thirty percent share was still far more than what she would have gotten going solo.
Leaving aside the bizarre adventures of Xi'er and the ruthless man for now, the current plan of Xia, Huanyue, and the bespectacled girl Luowei'er was the main focus. Oh, and also Yin Hai, the core member of the Divine Emperor Adventure Group and an Ice-type Contractor.
"You invited outside help."
Huanyue frowned even deeper. This time, they were going to explore an ancient ruin located in the Witch Realm. Logically speaking, given the witches' xenophobic nature, it was unlikely the team would be able to enter the Witch Realm smoothly. Fortunately, the witches' attitude towards explorers was merely to expel them.
Actually, Huanyue was both eager and reluctant to go on this exploration. She was eager because the divination indicated that the ruin had almost no danger but a very high chance of encountering a rare opportunity. Moreover, she and the bespectacled girl had become friends not only by chance but also because their ability systems were similar. The divination result was that the promotion resources she and the bespectacled girl needed were inside that ancient ruin. The reason she was reluctant was the witches' xenophobia.
Never view the witches from the perspective of the Dawn Team. From that perspective, the witches would all be beautiful, sweet-voiced, gentle-tempered, and even a bit shy?
But as the owners of one of the three Transcendent Primordial Worlds of the Star Realm, the witches not only had the peak powerhouse Moon Witch Sesshirisu as their leader, but the witch system's power was also very high-level. Therefore, in the eyes of outsiders, witches were cold-faced female powerhouses with surging magic power, who might attack and kill their enemies without a second thought if a single word displeased them.
But this time, Huanyue was experiencing a miracle. She had originally planned to try negotiating. However, after sending a letter to the witch capital "Moon Ring City," she received a reply within a few days. What left Huanyue even more dumbfounded was that the three of them were granted a personal audience with the witch leader, Moon Witch Sesshirisu.
This caused the usually cold bespectacled girl Luowei'er to temporarily shift from a cold expression to a bewildered, expressionless one.
What made Huanyue scratch her head even more was that this meeting had an awkwardness that could kill brain cells. The witch leader sat opposite them at a wide, pale-moon-colored table of authority, looking at the three of them with a faint, enigmatic smile. Huanyue and the bespectacled girl instinctively lowered their heads in respect and averted their gaze. Only Xia and the Moon Witch stared at each other for a long time. This made Huanyue and the bespectacled girl's minds go numb.
They guessed that Xia simply didn't understand the Moon Witch's power. Not knowing her power naturally meant no fear. Plus, although Xia appeared gentle, she actually had a very strong will.
After the meeting, which had not a single word spoken but was filled with a strange and heavy atmosphere, Huanyue's team "inexplicably" received permission to explore. What baffled Huanyue even more was that this exploration permit had a start date, which was that very day, but the expiration date was... forgotten to be written?
Strange, too strange. This experience, so strange it could be called a miraculous encounter, made Huanyue feel that she must be a person with great fortune, and her fortune power had finally awakened!
"Yes, a powerful reinforcement."
The bespectacled girl replied in a flat tone. Xia cast a glance her way, which made the bespectacled girl Luowei'er frown. She would ignore the curiosity of others, but she had to satisfy the curiosity of her only close friend. So, the bespectacled girl continued, "A powerful reinforcement from Apocalypse Paradise."
"Pfft~"
Huanyue spat out a mouthful of black tea. It wasn't that she lacked ladylike refinement, but the idea of a powerful reinforcement from Apocalypse Paradise was just too niche. She looked at the bespectacled girl suspiciously, meaning for her to elaborate. The bespectacled girl ignored her, causing Huanyue to click her tongue. She then looked at Xia, as if to say, "Control your friend."
Xia didn't speak. She just nodded at the bespectacled girl Luowei'er, indicating that she trusted her. Although the bespectacled girl showed no reaction, the juice in her cup was rapidly decreasing, indicating that she was in a good mood, being trusted by her friend.
Huanyue crossed her hands and clasped them together in front of her face in a thinking pose: "Actually, compared to the powerful reinforcement from Apocalypse Paradise, the 'goodwill' from the witch leader—that is, the witch Serin, who will temporarily join our exploration team after we arrive in the Witch Realm—is what I'm more concerned about. She is both the witches' surveillance on us and a potential unknown risk."
This statement was acknowledged by Yin Hai. After all, Yin Hai was a core member of the Divine Emperor Adventure Group. Having passed the initial stage of wanting to show off, he was now weighing whether this exploration was safe. Moreover, how could a contractor who had climbed to such a height be stupid? Wanting to show off and exploring for profit weren't contradictory. And, the greater the potential profit of such an exploration, the greater the risk.
"Given the witches' xenophobia, surveillance is a given. It's just this witch joining the team..."
Yin Hai frowned. Huanyue looked at him upon hearing this, her thumb habitually stroking the ring on her index finger: "What? Do you know this person?"
"Of course. This one is famously... infamous."
Yin Hai spoke somewhat strangely. It was no wonder he felt this way. The Reborn Witch Serin had quite a few titles. She was one of the candidates for the next Moon Witch. And, more importantly, she was an admirer of Green Gillian.
Given the looks of the people present, traveling with this one... no, Xia was an exception. The person Serin feared most in her life was the Law Destroyer currently standing at the peak.
Back when Su Xiao was in the Witch Realm, Serin had been his subordinate. At first, Serin was outwardly respectful but inwardly full of all sorts of ideas. However, after being beaten half to death, she became completely obedient.
Things like being stuffed into a sack and pounded by Amu for an hour or two were quite common. Regarding this, Serin, as soon as Baha unzipped the sack, would stop her nosebleed, sit on the floor without any ladylike grace, and light a cigarette. What Serin truly feared was making a big mistake and being punished by Mr. Bai Ye. That was a fear that made one's hairs stand on end, instinctively step back, and speak with a trembling voice.
Therefore, when Serin saw Huanyue's team, she would definitely recognize Xia at first glance. Or rather, why did the Moon Witch Sesshirisu send Serin to join Huanyue's team? Was it to monitor this team? Of course not. With this team's strength, even if they ran wild in the Witch Realm, they wouldn't cause any ripples. What the Moon Witch was truly worried about was Xia getting into trouble in the Witch Realm. If that one's close friend died in the Witch Realm... that would be the end!
"Whether to go or not this time, let's vote on it."
As Huanyue spoke, her gaze fell on Xia. Xia had no combat power, but her abilities were essential for delving deep into the ancient ruins. Without the "Food Bait," the danger level of the ancient ruins would skyrocket. And the "Food Bait" required continuous catalysis.
Xia, on the other hand, took out a crystal. This was a life-saving item that could be activated actively/passively at a critical moment, and it could teleport her back to Reincarnation Paradise. This was also the core reason why her two friends had invited her to join the expedition.
With everything prepared, the group headed to the central teleportation array to go to the Witch Realm.
A few hours later, in front of the giant teleportation tower in Moon Ring City, Witch Realm, Huanyue's team had already been waiting for a while. Huanyue, who had been stood up twice already, asked discontentedly, "The powerful reinforcement you invited is just as unpunctual as you are."
As Huanyue finished speaking, she saw a figure approaching from a distance.
The newcomer was holding a terminal. Judging from the walking navigation map on the terminal, she had been lost just a moment ago. But as a powerful reinforcement, she calmly closed the terminal without changing her expression.
On the street with occasional pedestrians, the newcomer stopped. It was now noon, the sun was bright, and a gentle early summer breeze blew, stirring a few strands of her pink short hair.
## Side Story 2 (Free)
The early summer breeze was gentle. The exploration team gathered in front of the teleportation tower. Yes, the powerful reinforcement from Apocalypse Paradise was none other than the big shot Molei. Seeing her, Huanyue was initially a bit stunned, then her expression looked like she was putting on a "pain mask."
Was this one not strong? Of course not. Her combat power was undoubtedly the highest in the team, aside from the witch Serin. But her reputation... it wasn't bad; it was very good. Even if they discovered a supreme treasure during the exploration, there was a 99.9% chance she wouldn't be greedy or resort to murder and robbery. However, this one had repeatedly topped the Apocalypse Paradise Annual Fool Rankings, which was really...
Molei, with a serious expression, looked around at everyone present. Suddenly, she felt that one of them looked somewhat familiar. She wanted to ask, but ultimately held back. As the big shot Molei, she was maintaining the dignity of a first meeting. Who would have thought that the next second, Huanyue would suddenly say, "I follow every issue of the Apocalypse Paradise Annual Fool Rankings."
"..."
Molei's eye twitched violently. This ranking, which was practically her dark history, made her immediately drop her big-shot demeanor. She said fiercely, "Those are all rumors, rumors!"
"Yes, yes, yes, all slander against you."
Huanyue was in a very good mood. Who wouldn't like to team up with someone who was strong, had good character, had no airs, and was even a bit of a fool?
"That's more like it."
Molei turned her gaze to Xia and said, "You look familiar. Have we met before? It seems like... we have? I can't remember. It's a strange feeling, like this memory has been blurred. What's your name?"
"Xia."
Xia spoke gently. Hearing this name, Molei scratched her head but still couldn't remember who this was. However, she felt very comfortable looking at her, and there was an inexplicable sense of familiarity. As the group took the rail tram, Molei deliberately sat next to Xia and whispered, "Stay close to me when we enter the underground palace. If there's danger, I'll take you and run."
After saying this, Molei grinned, showing a full set of neat white teeth. Xia also smiled gently, took a beautifully packaged small cake from her storage space, and handed it to Molei.
Sometimes, friendship is this simple and pure. Molei took the small cake and asked, "Xia, you're a worker. Why are you taking the risk to explore the ruins?"
"The items my friends need for their promotion are there."
"But for a worker, the wilderness of the Witch Realm is too dangerous. They should hire a contractor from the food system."
"That's too expensive. It's even more expensive than buying their promotion materials directly from the merchant guild."
"Hmm~, yes, the hiring fees for the food system are indeed exorbitant at later stages. They're lucky to have a friend like you who's willing to take risks for them."
As Molei said this, she scooped up a spoonful of the dessert and put it in her mouth. After a brief taste, she was so happy her eyes almost curved, and she let out an involuntary exclamation of "Delicious!"
But suddenly, Molei froze. She took another spoonful of the dessert. This wonderful taste... why was it so familiar? She had definitely eaten it before, and more than once. Molei was confused, but she couldn't figure out where the problem was for the moment.
"This dessert is..."
Before Molei could finish her sentence, the rail tram stopped. A witch boarded the tram. She had long silver hair, and her eyelashes were also tinged with silver. After getting on, she looked around at everyone present with a smile in her eyes.
She first ignored Xia, because messing with that one's close friend... who knew what kind of state she would be beaten into. She also ignored Molei, who looked like a fool girl at first glance. Then, Serin looked at Huanyue. This one looked very pleasing to the eye.
In a silent and strange atmosphere, the rail tram continued its journey until three days later.
Inside a tall, empty, but dim underground palace, a bonfire of decaying wood was burning. Huanyue, Xia, the bespectacled girl, Yin Hai, Molei, Serin, and a Shadow Monster were sitting around the bonfire.
The group had entered this underground palace three days ago. At first, they were full of ambition. Then they got completely lost and couldn't find a way out. Moreover, this place was a soul trial ground certified by the Void Tree. Once you chose to join the trial, there was no option to teleport out midway. Now, even their storage spaces couldn't be used.
This trial had three aspects: Soul, Mind, and Body.
What the trials for Soul and Mind were was unclear for now. As for the Body, everyone had felt it: hunger, extreme hunger. No matter how strong they were, they had to endure this hunger. Don't think that a strong body could withstand it; it would actually consume more food. Fortunately, there was no pure physical melee fighter in the team, or else the massive food consumption would have caused the trial to fail.
The original plan to explore the ancient ruins had been shelved. This miraculous witch trial was crucial not only for the others' gains but also for the strongest present, the witch Serin.
In fact, the reason this witch trial was triggered was precisely because of Serin's top-tier witch talent.
The bad news was that regarding the "Ancient Witch Trial," everyone present was completely clueless. Some of the puzzles involved made everyone put on a "pain mask," but they managed to solve them all.
The good news was that they had brought Xia along this time, which prevented them from suffering curses from eating the flesh of the labyrinth monsters.
Moreover, everyone was surprised to find that the seemingly gentle Xia was actually very skilled at processing the flesh and blood of these ugly monsters. Not only did she cook them to look appetizing, but there was also no risk in eating them. Everyone was greatly impressed.
As for the new member, the Shadow Monster, it was originally a labyrinth monster. However, after a "reformation" by Yin Hai's icy punches, it successfully turned over a new leaf. Or rather, the Shadow Monster had initially planned to pretend to submit and then suddenly attack. But after witnessing the gentle human woman processing its own kind, it suddenly felt its legs go weak.
And so, the Shadow Monster was gradually tamed. Under the constant chatter of Yin Hai, who seemed aloof and liked to show off but was actually a super chatterbox once you got to know him, the Shadow Monster gradually came to understand the beauty of the outside world and realized that it had actually been imprisoned, serving as a dangerous obstacle in this huge underground maze. In the end, it sincerely joined the team.
The Shadow Monster had two wishes.