### Chapter 27: Frenzied Self-Destruction
Dead?
The five raiders. The apple-faced woman.
Had they forgotten? A cultivator's self-destruction is still a spell—an extreme one, but a spell nonetheless. And the Level 4 they faced? He *ate* spells.
Clearly, they'd forgotten.
Knowing he devoured magic, they still resorted to it. What did it matter if it was extreme? Magic was magic. And Lin Yi could consume it all.
Of course, Foundation Establishment spells were another story. He'd never dare test himself against that. Even a peak Level 10's magic? He'd avoid it unless forced.
But this? A Level 6 self-destructing—only two ranks above him. With his Meridian Transformation at 30%, he could absorb it.
Yet Lin Yi hadn't thought to. His first instinct was to throw up a spiritual shield, to block the violent energy.
*Crack!*
The shield, already flimsy, shattered instantly under the onslaught.
Lin Yi watched, trembling, as the狂暴 energy engulfed him. Death loomed, his eyes filling with terror. *This is it*, he thought. Regret flooded him—regret for coming to Yunmeng Marsh, for his arrogance.
But fate played a cruel joke. Just as he braced for death, the churning energy *flowed into him*, merging with his Meridian Transformation technique, tempering his meridians.
"Ugh… ah!"
Low, stifled groans escaped his clenched teeth. His body spasmed; his meridians screamed in agony, a pain sharp as a thousand needles.
Tempering meridians hurt far more than flesh or skin.
Lucky for him, he'd endured worse. He咬紧 through it, though his contorted face and streaming sweat told of the torment. Blood and black grime seeped from his pores, staining his robes dark red.
This energy was wilder than any spell he'd absorbed—beyond his usual limits. But with five raiders glaring, eager to tear him apart, he *had* to hold on. Fainting now meant death.
His shifting expression gave him away.
The lead raider watched, eyes narrowing, smirking coldly. "Wang Liu, go."
Another raider charged, self-destructing a yard from Lin Yi. The first explosion's energy still coursed through him; now a second wave crashed in, forcing his body to absorb more.
One explosion he could bear. Two? His limits shattered. He howled, Meridian Transformation racing to process the chaos, tempering his meridians faster than ever.
His meridians stretched, shrank, stretched again. Oily filth oozed from them, leaving them twice as wide—cleaner, almost *sacred*—compared to the unrefined,污浊 ones nearby.
Agony, but with rewards.
The lead raider studied Lin Yi, searching for fakes. Wang Liu's explosion had drawn genuine screams—no pretense. He smiled. *Only self-destruction can kill this monster.*
"He's nearly done. Gao Da, finish it," he ordered.
Gao Da didn't move.
"What? Defying me?" The leader's voice turned icy,杀气 simmering beneath his calm. He couldn't afford a fight now, but Gao Da's days were numbered if they survived.
"Boss, Wang Liu's explosion must've crippled him. We could finish him together. Why waste my life?" Gao Da argued.
"Coward," the leader spat, but let it slide.
He turned to another raider. "Yang Zhen, you go."
Yang Zhen hesitated, muttering unintelligibly, feet rooted.
"Hmph." The leader pulled a bell from his bag, infusing it with spiritual energy. It hummed to life—a妖媚 (yāomèi, seductive yet sinister) tone, laced with magic.
Lin Yi and the woman barely flinched, but the three raiders froze, terror-stricken—as if facing the messengers of death.
One ring, and they screamed, clutching their heads. Two rolled on the ground,蜷缩 (quánsuō, curled) like shrimp; the third dropped to one knee, gritting through the pain.
"I'll do it! I'll self-destruct! Stop the bell!" one begged, tears streaming.
"About time," the leader said, still cold.
He stopped ringing. The other two raiders fell silent, trembling, too scared to speak.
The volunteer charged Lin Yi, no hesitation, his body swelling with chaotic energy.
Lin Yi roared. *I never wanted to kill you! Why push me? I'd let you run! Are you mad?*
Dammit!
He wasn't easy to kill.
Rage fueled him, Meridian Transformation accelerating. But the pain intensified—his screams echoed, blood soaking every inch of him.
The leader, Gao Da, and Yang Zhen watched, unease gnawing at them. Lin Yi writhed, but… he didn't fall. His agony seemed less about dying, more about… *enduring*.
The longer it dragged on, the stronger that feeling grew.
The apple-faced woman's heart ached. She barely knew him, but his suffering twisted her gut—worse than her own wounds. Tears glistened in her eyes.
She itched to help, but her spiritual energy was still too low. A futile gesture.
An hour passed. Lin Yi still screamed, still stood.
In that hour, his Meridian Transformation hit 40%—a leap, but forced. No way he'd advance this fast by choice.
Pain, yes. But progress, too.
And rage. Rage at being cornered, at being *used* for their suicides.
He'd survive. And when he did… they'd regret it.