Pretending to be a genius starts with the civilization advancement assessment.

Chapter 21 Take the initiative
Lin Yi withdrew his finger, and the blue light at his fingertip slowly dissipated.

The banquet hall was completely silent. Everyone's eyes were fixed on the table that had been reduced to dust, as if they had witnessed something that defied all understanding.

Chen Yu's mouth opened slightly, his Adam's apple bobbed as if he swallowed, but he couldn't make a sound.

Zhou Yuxuan's glasses had slipped down to the tip of his nose, but he didn't care at all, he was just staring intently at Lin Yi's fingers.

"This"

Zhou Jianjun subconsciously took a half step back, and his hand, which had weathered many storms and was used to holding weapons, trembled slightly.

But Lin Yi did not stop demonstrating.

"Source energy not only modifies offensive capabilities, but also physical attributes."

He seemed to think the impact wasn't strong enough, so he added a sentence.

Immediately, he took a deep breath and suddenly darted toward the wall on the other side of the banquet hall.

Everyone only saw a blur before their eyes, and the figure in black armor had already appeared five meters away, moving so fast that it almost left a trail of afterimages.

Immediately afterwards, he leaped up more than 5 meters high, easily hooked the crystal chandelier on the ceiling with one hand, suspending himself in mid-air, and then suddenly let go, landing lightly amidst gasps from the crowd.

That wasn't all. After landing, Lin Yi grabbed a perfectly intact solid wood chair next to him. With a slight exertion of his five fingers, the chair back creaked under the weight, leaving five finger marks on it!

"Oh My God"

The broken chair leg in Li Jie's hand fell to the ground with a "thud," and Zhao Xiaowen, who was next to him, unconsciously grabbed his arm, her nails almost digging into his flesh.

Ye Qingyu's eyes suddenly reddened.

She wasn't afraid, but rather a strange, indescribable emotion welled up inside her.

She suddenly felt that the figure in her memory who always quietly did her homework seemed to be standing in another dimension.

"This is just the beginning."

Lin Yi's voice brought everyone back to reality, "I'm only just starting out. No, I haven't even started yet, I'm not even at the very beginning."

He paused deliberately, his gaze sweeping over the older relatives and friends present, finally settling on Zhou Jianjun.

"Based on the knowledge in the guiding technique, I've calculated that if I can absorb about 20 source energy crystals, I can complete the initial source energy transformation of my body and become a 'Stardust Level'. Not only will I be able to truly enter the realm of source energy and gain greater power, but I can also extend my lifespan!"

The last four words struck like a heavy hammer, hitting the hearts of the elders hard.

Lin Ruiming and Zhou Jianjun both widened their eyes, while the pen in Uncle Lin Ruiheng's hand fell to the ground with a "thud".

Extend lifespan
This may be a vague concept for young people, but it has a fatal attraction for middle-aged people who have experienced the trials of life.

"Xiao Yi, you just said..." Lin Ruiheng's voice tightened, his fingers unconsciously rubbing his suit sleeve, "that it can extend lifespan? Really? No, Uncle isn't doubting you, but... how much can it extend it?"

Lin Yi deliberately put on a thoughtful expression: "The guidance technique didn't specify, but it did mention that the basic lifespan of a Stardust-level being is at least twice that of an ordinary person."

This statement immediately caused a stir.

Several middle-aged men exchanged shocked glances.

Zhou Jianjun was a straightforward person. He strode up to Lin Yi, placed his rough hand heavily on his shoulder, and asked the question everyone wanted to ask: "Good lad! Can you teach your skills to others?"

Lin Yi was not surprised at all to hear this question; in fact, it would have been surprising if no one had asked it.

He nodded. "Theoretically, anyone can do it, and you don't even need a guiding technique, as long as you have a source energy crystal. However, the content of guiding techniques is too extensive, and we currently lack the means to record it. It would be more convenient to obtain a crystal that records the guiding technique." In the corner, the female office worker who had been silent suddenly looked up. She hesitated before speaking, "Um... what if someone is older?"

“Age is not a problem,” Lin Yi said confidently. “As mentioned in the guidance technique, the source energy will prioritize repairing damage in the body. Theoretically, older people can feel the improvement more directly.”

This answer instantly changed the atmosphere in the banquet hall.

The fear that had been hanging over everyone seemed to have lessened, replaced by a subtle sense of anticipation.

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

He couldn't help but nod inwardly.

His flamboyant performance was mainly to divert everyone's attention from sadness and fear.

The best way to forget pain is to immerse yourself in something else.

Becoming stronger and extending lifespan are extremely attractive to both the old and the young.

Lin Yi looked around and noticed the longing in everyone's eyes. After thinking for a moment, he added, "But I must remind you that everyone's talent is different, and the speed at which they learn will vary."

He knew that after witnessing the three-hour introductory course, people would not think that the Source Energy Guidance Technique was difficult to learn. The greater the hope, the greater the disappointment. That's why he wanted to give everyone a heads-up.

However, judging from everyone's expressions, Lin Yi clearly didn't take those words seriously.

He shook his head inwardly, not dwelling on the matter, and got straight to the point.

"So what we need to do now," Lin Yi looked around, paused for a moment, and then raised his voice, "is to collect more crystals."

He pointed out the window, “Those monsters are terrifying, but killing one not only reduces the threat to our safety, but may also yield treasures.”

"Monster hunting and loot drops!" Chen Yu suddenly slapped his thigh. "Haha, I knew it! It feels like playing a video game!"

Hearing Chen Yu say this, the young men, who were already incredibly envious of Lin Yi's skill just now, showed expressions of eagerness to try it themselves.

"No!"

Lin Yi's expression darkened.

Redefining the doomsday assessment as a game could greatly reduce everyone's psychological pressure, but that's not what he wanted.

“Ayu, you must remember, this is not a game. You can get hurt and die.” He looked at everyone seriously. “If you die, you can’t be resurrected. So, I plan to deal with these monsters downstairs by myself and see if I can get another channeling crystal to help everyone get started with source energy.”

As soon as he finished speaking, a chorus of objections, filled with guilt and unease, immediately arose from the crowd.

"How can that be done!"

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

“Yes, Xiao Yi!” Lin Ruiheng chimed in, his brow furrowed. “You’ve just learned a few skills. There are so many monsters downstairs; it’ll be better if we all go together for mutual support!”

Zhou Jianjun shook his head repeatedly, his tone full of disapproval: "No, no, how can we let you go on this risk alone!"

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

“Count me in!” Zhou Yuxuan, who was usually quiet, also stepped forward.

Although the others did not speak, their eyes were all focused on Lin Yi, clearly conveying the message that "we cannot let you take the risk alone."

(End of this chapter)