Active Strike

Lin Yi withdrew his finger, and the blue light at its tip slowly faded.

The Banquet Hall fell completely silent. Everyone stared fixedly at the tabletop that had been reduced to powder, as if they had just witnessed something that shattered their understanding of the world.

Chen Yu's mouth hung slightly open. His Adam's apple bobbed as if he had swallowed, but no sound came out.

Zhou Yuxuan's glasses had slipped to the tip of his nose, but he didn't even notice. He simply stared fixedly at Lin Yi's finger.

"This..."

Zhou Jianjun instinctively stepped back half a pace. The hand that had weathered countless storms and gripped weapons for years was trembling faintly.

But Lin Yi didn't stop demonstrating.

"Source energy doesn't just enhance your attack power. It also improves your physical abilities."

As if the display still hadn't been shocking enough, he added another remark.

Then he took a deep breath and suddenly dashed toward the wall on the other side of the Banquet Hall.

Everyone's vision blurred. The figure in black armor had already appeared five meters away, moving so fast he seemed to leave an afterimage.

Next, he leaped up sharply, jumping more than five meters into the air. He casually caught the crystal chandelier hanging from the ceiling with one hand and dangled there for a moment, then suddenly let go. Amid the crowd's cries of surprise, he landed lightly on his feet.

And he wasn't finished. After landing, Lin Yi casually grabbed an intact solid-wood chair beside him. As he applied a little force with his five fingers, the chair back creaked under the strain—and he squeezed five distinct finger marks into it!

"Oh my god..."

The half of a chair leg in Li Jie's hand dropped to the floor with a clatter. Beside him, Zhao Xiaowen instinctively grabbed his arm, her nails almost digging into his flesh.

Ye Qingyu's eyes suddenly reddened a little.

She wasn't afraid. Rather, an indescribable emotion welled up inside her.

Suddenly, the figure in her memories, who had always quietly worked through problems, seemed to stand on an entirely different plane.

"This is only the beginning."

Lin Yi's voice brought everyone back to reality. "I've only just started learning... No, I can't even say I've started. I'd be considered an amateur at best."

He deliberately paused, letting his gaze sweep over the older relatives and friends present before settling on Zhou Jianjun.

"Based on what I learned from the Guidance Technique, I did some calculations. If you absorb around twenty Source Energy Crystals, your body can undergo its initial source energy transformation and reach the Stardust level. Not only will you truly enter the world of source energy and gain greater strength, you'll also... live longer!"

Those last four words hit the older people like a sledgehammer.

Lin Ruiming and Zhou Jianjun's eyes widened at the same time, while the pen in Uncle Lin Ruiheng's hand dropped to the floor with a smack.

Live longer...

To the young, it might have been a vague concept, but to middle-aged people who had been worn down by the years, it held a fatal appeal.

"Xiaoyi, you just said..." Lin Ruiheng's voice tightened. His fingers unconsciously rubbed the cuff of his suit. "That it can extend your life? Is that for real... No, I'm not doubting you, nephew. I just... how much longer?"

Lin Yi put on a thoughtful expression. "The Guidance Technique doesn't give exact details, but it does mention one thing: someone at the Stardust level has a base lifespan at least twice that of an ordinary person."

His words immediately stirred the crowd.

Several middle-aged people exchanged astonished looks.

Zhou Jianjun was a straightforward man. He strode up to Lin Yi and planted his rough palm firmly on Lin Yi's shoulder, asking the question on everyone's mind. "Good lad! Can you teach this stuff to other people?"

Lin Yi wasn't at all surprised to hear that question. To be precise, he would have been surprised if nobody had asked.

He nodded. "In theory, anyone can learn it. You don't even need the Guidance Technique; all you need is Source Energy Crystals. But there's too much to the Guidance Technique, and right now we don't have a way to record it. It'd be more convenient to get the crystal that contains the Guidance Technique."

In the corner, the white-collar woman who had been silent all this time raised her head. Hesitantly, she asked, "Um... what if someone's older?"

"Age isn't a problem," Lin Yi said firmly. "The Guidance Technique mentions that source energy prioritizes repairing damage in the body. In theory, older people might actually notice the improvements more clearly."

His answer changed the mood in the Banquet Hall.

The fear that had hung over everyone seemed to ease a little, replaced by a subtle sense of anticipation.

Lin Yi noticed that even Su Xiao, who had been huddled in the corner, had raised her head. A glimmer of light flashed in her swollen eyes.

He nodded to himself.

The main reason he had put on such a show was to divert everyone's attention from their grief and fear.

The best way to forget pain was to lose yourself in something else.

And becoming stronger and living longer held tremendous appeal, whether you were young or old.

Lin Yi looked around, taking in the longing in everyone's eyes. After thinking it over, he added, "But I should warn you first: everyone has different talent, so the speed at which you learn will vary."

He knew that after seeing him learn the technique in three hours, everyone would probably assume the Source Energy Guidance Technique couldn't be that hard to master. The higher their hopes, the greater their disappointment would be, so he wanted to warn them in advance.

But from the look on everyone's faces, it was obvious they hadn't taken his words to heart.

He shook his head inwardly, decided not to dwell on it, and got straight to the point.

"So what we need to do now..." Lin Yi looked around. After a brief pause, he raised his voice. "Is collect more crystals."

He pointed out the window. "Those monsters are terrifying, but every time we kill one, we not only reduce the threat to our safety, we might also get a treasure."

"Monsters drop loot!" Chen Yu slapped his thigh. "Haha, I knew it! This feels just like playing a game!"

Hearing Chen Yu say that, several of the younger people, who had already been incredibly envious of what Lin Yi had just done, now looked eager to give it a try.

"No!"

Lin Yi's expression darkened.

Redefining the Doomsday Assessment as a game might ease everyone's psychological burden, but that wasn't what he wanted.

"A Yu, remember, this isn't a game... You can get hurt... You can die." He looked sternly around at everyone. "And if you die... you can't come back to life. So I plan to deal with the monsters downstairs by myself and see if I can get another crystal containing the Guidance Technique. Then I can help everyone take their first steps into source energy."

As soon as he finished speaking, a chorus of objections, tinged with guilt and unease, rose from the crowd.

"How can you do that?"

Lin Ruiming was the first to speak, his voice urgent and worried. "You're going alone? That's too dangerous!"

"That's right, Xiaoyi!" Lin Ruiheng chimed in, his brows knitted together. "You've only just learned a little. There are so many monsters downstairs. We'd be able to watch each other's backs if we all went together!"

Zhou Jianjun shook his head repeatedly, his tone full of disapproval. "No, no! How can we let you take that risk alone?"

"Exactly! Brother Yi, take me with you. I'll go with you!" Chen Yu shouted, excitedly waving the club he had just made.

"Count me in too!" Zhou Yuxuan, who was usually quiet, stepped forward as well.

The others didn't say anything, but all their eyes were fixed on Lin Yi, clearly telling him they wouldn't let him face danger alone.