"Rely on me?" Emperor Lin chuckled lightly after hearing Lin Qian's words. "Qian'er, your old man is still injured, and the ten Transcendence Realm soul warriors sent by the Yun family are no ordinary people. Fighting ten of them at once is impossible. Even if we face them one-on-one, in my peak condition, it would still be difficult to emerge victorious."
"Even if victory were possible, the injuries would be severe. I could maybe handle two of them at most," Emperor Lin shook his head with a sigh. "These ten individuals have been in the Transcendence Realm for at least a few hundred years, some for over a thousand. By comparison, I've only recently stepped into the Transcendence Realm."
Lin Qian nodded slightly in agreement with his father's assessment. "Father, I understand. After all, not everyone can easily surpass realms in combat like your son."
Hearing this, Emperor Lin, with a mixture of affection and exasperation, lightly tapped his son's head. "You cheeky boy, are you mocking your old man now?"
Lin Qian couldn't help but laugh aloud at his father's words.
Earlier, when he showed off his talent and abilities to Yun Lianbu, apart from standing up for his mother, he also wanted to show off to his parents a little.
After all, when a child achieves success, it's only natural to seek some recognition from their parents.
"Your Majesty, everything is ready." Just then, a scholar responsible for the ice cave formation approached Lin Qian and knelt on one knee. "The Joy Arena is ready to be activated at any time."
"Have the tools for the Joy Arena been prepared as well?" Lin Qian asked once more upon hearing the scholar's report.
The scholar nodded respectfully. "Your Majesty, everything has been placed in advance according to your instructions."
Satisfied, Lin Qian nodded and ordered, "Very well. Relay my decree: Activate the Joy Arena immediately!"
"Yes!"
As soon as Lin Qian gave the command, the surrounding scholars responded swiftly, beginning to fully activate the formation. Rings of formation patterns condensed and frantically funneled the spiritual energy of heaven and earth into the platform-like artifact.
In the next instant, Emperor Lin suddenly noticed a spatial fluctuation from the token in his hand. In a flash, the fluctuation erupted to its peak, enveloping him and causing the world around him to spin.
It wasn't just him. Yun Yunyan and Lin Qian, standing nearby, were also enveloped by this wave of energy, their bodies transforming into beams of white light that rushed toward the artifact being infused by the formation.
At the same time, the so-called Joy Arena began to grow, swelling in size rapidly.
Just as it reached the limit of what the ice cave could hold, it suddenly vanished, reappearing in the sky above the icy plains.
Meanwhile, the Yun family members, who had been following the token's signals and gathering toward this location, were also engulfed by the spatial fluctuations. They, too, transformed into beams of light and were drawn toward the Joy Arena, merging into it like streaks of light.
However, not all the Yun family members were pulled into the Joy Arena. Many remained in the Extreme Cold Zone of the Valley of Myriad Herbs and Trees.
Still, the ten Transcendence Realm soul warriors who held the tokens were all brought into the Joy Arena.
The sudden disappearance of these ten elders left the remaining Yun family members in the Extreme Cold Zone bewildered. They stared up at the sky in confusion.
The object that had absorbed their ten elders hovered quietly in the air, continuing to grow in size, now resembling an island, wondrous and mystical.
From a bird's-eye view, one could see that the island had only a single road, with a wide platform on either side floating in midair. Figures appeared on these platforms.
On the left platform, there were only three people: Lin Qian, Emperor Lin, and Yun Yunyan, the family of three.
On the right platform, however, there were seventy-five individuals. Among them were the ten Transcendence Realm experts of the Yun family, while the remaining sixty-five were at least Seventh Stage Awakening Realm masters, formidable in their own right.
Yet, only half of the Yun family members had been drawn here, while the other half remained in the Extreme Cold Zone.
The platforms were surrounded by an invisible force, trapping everyone inside. Even Emperor Lin, who personally tested it, found he couldn't break the surrounding barrier.
At the same time, the Yun family members on the opposite platform also tried to break the barrier. Even when all ten Transcendence Realm warriors attacked together, they couldn't break the confinement. It was clear that they were all trapped within.
Below them, the island floated with a wide road, made entirely of metal.
"Qian'er, what are you doing? Why have we been locked in as well?" After surveying the surroundings, Emperor Lin furrowed his brow and asked Lin Qian.
Lin Qian spread his hands and replied, "Father, just wait a little longer, and you'll understand."
As Lin Qian's words fell, the surroundings of the island began to change.
"Welcome to the Joy Arena. This arena operates under a challenge mode based on joy and excitement. The two sides will be divided into two teams and will face off in one-on-one duels. The only condition for losing is death!"
At that moment, a clear female voice echoed around them, explaining the rules.
"In the Joy Arena, the use of external tools is forbidden. Only designated core components, soul artifacts, and Yuan artifacts can be used. Additionally, only special items purchased from the arena's shop can be used in the Joy Arena."
Upon hearing this, Lin Qian's eyes narrowed slightly.
The Joy Arena from his past life's Huaxia Empire had been fully adapted into this world. In the past, the rules allowed only standard equipment, prohibiting the use of other items, except those purchased in the game's shop.
Now, not only had the rules been modified to suit this world, but even the announcement voice had been adapted accordingly.
"In the Joy Arena, soul power consumption will be reduced to only twenty percent of the normal amount."
"The duels will begin in thirty breaths. Please choose your combatants. If no decision is made, the Joy Arena will make a selection automatically."
Buzz!
Two glowing circles, one red and one blue, appeared on the platform.
"Father, now it's your turn." Lin Qian said, pushing his father, Emperor Lin, toward the blue circle. "As long as you kill these Yun family members, everything will be fine. The Yun family members in the Extreme Cold Zone can be handled by my subordinates."
"…" Emperor Lin stood in the blue circle, silent for a long moment before turning to Lin Qian. "Qian'er, are you telling me to fight all of them by myself?"
"Yes."
"…Are you setting me up?"