The Radiance of That Finger

Without another word, Lin Yi picked up the last Spirit Shine Crystal on the table.

He didn't hesitate. His five fingers clamped down hard.

Crack!

The crisp sound of shattering rang especially loud in the now-quiet hall.

This time, the fragments in Lin Yi's palm turned into a strange gray mist, but unlike the cultivation technique crystals before, it didn't simply dissipate.

The mist twisted, compressed, and coalesced wildly in midair. In the span of a few breaths, it collapsed into a tiny, translucent, multifaceted crystal no bigger than a pea!

Deep within the crystal's core, a mercury-like sheen flowed silently.

"Plop."

The multifaceted Source Energy Crystal dropped precisely into Lin Yi's slightly open palm.

Without a moment's hesitation, Lin Yi clenched his fist!

"Gah!!!"

An intense wave of pain erupted!

Everyone had been watching Lin Yi. They saw sinister, web-like red streaks begin at the wrist of the hand gripping the crystal, then crawl up his forearm like living things.

Soon, the veins on either side of Lin Yi's neck bulged and knotted. The veins at his temples and brow throbbed violently like writhing earthworms, and his whole face turned a terrifying purplish red.

Before long, Lin Yi's entire body began trembling uncontrollably, like a sieve. The grinding of his clenched teeth made everyone's blood run cold.

"Ruiming! Xiao Yi..."

Zhou Jinghua's face went deathly pale. She was about to rush over without a thought.

"Don't go near him!"

Lin Ruiming reacted swiftly. He stepped forward, spread his arms, and stood firmly in front of his wife, stopping her in her tracks.

He gripped her trembling arm tightly, his eyes fixed on his son, who was convulsing in agony. His voice shook slightly, but carried an unquestioning faith.

"Calm down! Calm down, Jinghua! We have to trust Xiao Yi! He... he would never do something like this unless he was sure he could handle it!"

As everyone waited anxiously and Lin Yi endured the agony, half an hour slowly passed.

When the violent Source Energy Crystal in his palm had finally run out of energy, Lin Yi looked as if he'd just been dragged out of the water. He leaned against the wall, gasping for breath. Sweat soaked his bangs and ran down his pale cheeks.

This time, aside from clenching his teeth and pretending to suppress a scream, Lin Yi's other physical reactions had all been completely real.

Since his rebirth, this was the first time he had truly used an ordinary human body to devour a crystal containing violent Source Energy.

Every bit of pain came with the process.

The only difference was that his soul and will were now strong enough to suppress pain of this level with ease.

Lin Yi took a few breaths to steady himself. Under the concerned yet hesitant gazes of those around him, he slowly raised a hand and formed a sword-finger gesture.

A speck of pure blue light, no bigger than a grain of rice, suddenly shone at Lin Yi's trembling fingertip! Like a cold star flashing into view in the pitch-black night sky, it instantly tore through the oppressive atmosphere of the Banquet Hall.

"Ah!"

"So this is Source Energy?"

Xiao Yi... he... succeeded?!"

Exclamations rose one after another.

The blue light was faint, but its presence was overwhelming, drawing every gaze toward it.

"Xiao Yi! Xiao Yi! How are you?"

Zhou Jinghua, who had been on the verge of breaking down, could no longer hold back. She wrenched herself free of her husband's restraint and stumbled over to Lin Yi.

Lin Ruiming followed close behind and dropped to one knee beside Lin Yi. Carefully, he supported the back of his son's sweat-drenched neck. "Xiao Yi... how do you feel? Is anything wrong?"

"Mom, Dad, I... I'm fine..."

Lin Yi managed a reassuring smile. "I'm just tired... like... I ran... twenty marathons... without stopping..."

As he spoke, he slowly closed his eyes, sensing the intense changes taking place inside his body.

The energy contained in the Level 1 Source Energy Crystal had been violent, but with the help of the Guidance Technique, he had absorbed and refined it with precision.

At that moment, a new life force, far stronger than before, was spreading through his limbs and bones. It rapidly repaired the tiny injuries caused by the impact while quietly strengthening every inch of his muscles, bones, and even deeper tissues.

"Uncle, Auntie, let Brother Yi catch his breath..."

Chen Yu hurried forward, stopping the others from crowding around and talking over one another.

He glanced at Lin Yi's pale face, then at the finger whose blue light had already faded. He was both awestruck and envious. Though he had plenty of questions, he understood that what Lin Yi needed most right now was rest.

An eerie silence settled over the Banquet Hall, broken only by Lin Yi's heavy breathing.

Everyone's eyes were fixed on him. Worry, tension, amazement, envy, disbelief... all kinds of emotions mingled in the air.

Time passed second by second. After about ten minutes, Lin Yi's breathing finally began to even out.

He braced himself against the wall and slowly stood upright. Instead of speaking, he first raised his right hand, the one that had just gathered Source Energy.

The web-like red marks that had appeared on his arm from forcibly absorbing the energy had vanished. Beneath his skin flowed a vitality unlike anything he had ever felt before.

"Source Energy... has already begun to transform and strengthen my body."

After a moment's silence, Lin Yi explained to everyone. His voice was still hoarse, but it now carried a steady, undeniable strength.

"Maybe Source Energy is the key to fighting those monsters..."

"Because once you've entered the path, just one crystal like that can bring about... a qualitative change."

Then his gaze shifted to the heavy solid-wood tabletop leaning against the wall nearby, useless now that its legs had been removed.

Lin Ruiming and Zhou Jianjun had taken it apart together earlier. It was exceptionally solid and heavy.

Everyone watched as Lin Yi took a deep breath, raised the right index finger that had just gathered blue light, and pointed at the heavy tabletop. His arm was steady, and his movement utterly plain.

"Shh!"

A beam of condensed azure light, nearly an inch long and almost tangible, shot from his fingertip!

The Blue Radiance streaked out as fast as lightning, silent and precise, striking the center of the tabletop!

There was no earth-shaking boom, only a muffled thump!

The moment everyone's eyes followed the Blue Radiance to its mark, the thick, solid tabletop—so heavy it would take two or three people to lift—seemed to have its entire structure detonated from within at the point of impact!

Crash!

The whole tabletop suddenly caved inward and burst apart.

It hadn't cracked. It was as if it had been struck by an invisible giant hammer and turned directly into a cloud of dust mixed with sawdust and tiny wood chips. Not even a few larger pieces of wood remained.

"..."

For that instant, it seemed as though the entire Banquet Hall had frozen. You could have heard a pin drop.