### Chapter 23: I Love You Guys!
Stones around Lin Yi crumbled into black dust, corroded by the demonic qi. The cave trembled, debris raining down—he'd activated the Purple Demon Gourd for half an hour, and the place was collapsing. Lin Yi darted out just in time. "Phew! Cutting it close!" he muttered, then grinned. "But this gourd's *insane*! Hell yeah, I love it!" Once his excitement faded, he checked his spiritual energy. "Used 70%? Not even an hour? Dammit, this thing guzzles energy like a drunk!" He sighed. "Still too weak. Gotta hit fourth-level soon. Third-level can't keep the gourd going long enough for real fights." "For now… heh, time to find some weak raiders. Absorb their spells, boost Flesh Transformation. No backup means laying low—flair needs strength or backup, after all." He hatched a plan: trick raiders into wasting their energy, then strike. ... In a dense forest, eight raiders pelted a blue-robed youth with spells. The youth, handsome but pale, gasped as spells slammed into him, looking seconds from death. His palms, unleashing mortal martial arts, grew weaker by the strike. Two raiders were fourth-level; six, third-level. They'd chased him for two hours—all for the storage bags lining his waist, bulging with loot. Greed fueled them; they *had* to kill him. Yet he refused to die. Confused, they chalked it up to his bags—surely he had treasures sustaining him. His pallor and slowing reflexes screamed: *He's finished! One more push!* The youth was Lin Yi. Against two fourth-level and six third-level raiders, his toughened body scoffed at their spells—they tickled. His "weakness" was a lie. He'd learned from Dong's group: if raiders knew he absorbed magic, they'd stop casting. Lucky for him, he'd soaked up enough then to handle more now. "Fellow daoists, hold on! He's nearly done!" one raider panted,激动. Two hours of casting draining spells had left them ragged. Another hour, and they'd collapse from exhaustion. "Dammit, this is taking too long. Gotta nudge 'em," Lin Yi thought. He spat out a mouthful of blood—sending the raiders into a frenzy. "Yes! He's cracking!" a burly third-level raider laughed, pouring his last energy into a powerful spell. It hit Lin Yi, and he crumpled—spent, but staring, wide-eyed, waiting for Lin Yi to fall. Instead, Lin Yi spat more blood. "No… impossible!" the raider muttered, devastated. His spell *never* failed. The others, seeing Lin Yi sway, flooded him with their final spells. Greed made them reckless. A quarter-hour later, Lin Yi still stood—barely—while four raiders lay collapsed. The remaining three (two fourth-level, one third-level) were as pale as ghosts. They finally realized: *He's tricking us!* He'd feigned weakness to drain them. But how? A third-level cultivator shouldn't survive this. If he had a top-tier defense robe, why risk the marsh? They couldn't fathom. "Dammit! Let's finish this!" one fourth-level raider roared, winking at the others. They began intricate, energy-heavy incantations—desperate, risky magic. Lin Yi clutched his chest, "struggling" to breathe,挤出 more blood. *Hurry up…* "Keep acting. Your end's here," the raider sneered. Their spells surged forward. Lin Yi straightened, eyes blazing. "Yes! Perfect! I love you guys!" The three raiders, already teetering, collapsed. The five on the ground nearly jumped up. *What the hell?* Three spells that could incinerate dozens of unguarded third-level cultivators—and he *loved* it? Was he mad? Or… special? All eight stared, transfixed, as Lin Yi spread his arms, absorbing the spells with a groan of pleasure. "Ah! *Yes!*" Sixteen eyes gaped, horrified. No explosion, no injury—just… satisfaction. They couldn't compute. "Thanks for the workout, fellas. You look wiped. Let me end the suffering—swamp monsters might find you, and that'd be messy. I'll be merciful," Lin Yi grinned. He wouldn't let them live—they knew his secret. And they'd coveted his bags. He struck, palms flying. Eight throats crushed. He looted their bags, merging contents into his own (no room for more pouches), tossed the empties, and vanished to refine the absorbed energy into muscle.