As soon as Lin Qian and his group left the Valley of Myriad Herbs and Trees, they were immediately confronted by the sight of the Yun family's signature blue clouds and white robes ahead.
At that moment, the Yun family members guarding the valley's entrance, who had been waiting with their eyes fixed on the exit, spotted Emperor Lin and Yun Yunyan.
"Lin Di, Yun Yunyan, you've finally come out," said Yun Zhi, the leading elder of the Yun family, his gaze locked on the couple with deep concentration.
At that moment, another Yun family elder, Yun Xiang, nudged Yun Zhi and pointed toward Lin Qian, who was standing beside Emperor Lin and Yun Yunyan. "Big brother, look at that person. His features resemble both Lin Di and Yun Yunyan. Could he be their child?"
"Most likely," Yun Zhi replied. "But when did he enter the Valley of Myriad Herbs and Trees? We never saw him go in." The third elder, Yun Gao, stared at Lin Qian, puzzled, asking those around him.
Regardless of when Lin Qian entered the valley, he was now standing right in front of them. All they had to do was capture or kill him to complete the mission given by the Yun family patriarch.
"Looks like you're planning to make a move?" Lin Qian asked, noticing the expressions on the faces of the Yun family elders as he stood between Emperor Lin and Yun Yunyan.
"You must be Lin Di and Yun Yunyan's son, right? But you're just a bastard of the Yun family. You have no right to speak to us," Yun Zhi sneered. Turning to the Yun family members behind him, he issued an order. "Prepare to attack. Don't let any of them escape."
Upon hearing Yun Zhi's words, Lin Qian's face broke into a cold smile. He waved his hand toward the Imperial Army and Beast Generals behind him. "Disperse and stand by."
"Yes, Your Majesty!" came the respectful response as the soldiers spread out, surrounding the area. This caused a flicker of doubt to cross the faces of the Yun family members.
Originally, they hadn't paid much attention to the army following Lin Qian. They assumed they were from some small kingdom or power, never expecting these soldiers to be so disciplined and obedient to Lin Qian's commands.
"Did your Yun family send only this small group to the Valley of Myriad Herbs and Trees?" Lin Qian asked, eyeing Yun Zhi and the others. "If you don't bring out all your forces, you won't be able to capture us."
"By the way, don't bother trying to contact Yun Menghai's group. My father and mother took care of them," Lin Qian added with a casual gesture toward the Yun family elders.
His words sent a shock through Yun Zhi and the others. Yun Menghai and his group were dead? Killed by Lin Di?
This couldn't be right. While Lin Di's talent was undeniable, it should have been impossible for him to single-handedly defeat ten Transcendence Realm soul warriors.
Of course, Yun Zhi and the others had no way of knowing the level of despair Yun Menghai and his group had faced before their deaths.
"Shock cannon? What's that?" Some of the Yun family members muttered in confusion, their brows furrowed at Lin Qian's strange terminology.
Even Emperor Lin and Yun Yunyan turned their gazes toward their son, knowing from experience that whenever he uttered unfamiliar terms, something incredible was about to happen. They had never been disappointed before.
At that moment, Emperor Lin suddenly sensed a terrifying soul force surge from three directions. He quickly realized that something was hurtling toward them from distant mountain peaks.
In an instant, three pillars of soul energy, one from directly ahead and two from behind, converged toward the Yun family members with ferocious speed.
Boom! Boom! Boom!
A series of deafening explosions echoed across the area as massive blasts of soul energy erupted, and towering mushroom clouds rose into the sky.
The entire area was engulfed in smoke and dust. Nearby soul warriors, who had gathered to watch the commotion, were thrown back by the shockwave, their stalls of medicinal herbs and goods caught in the blast.
Yet Lin Qian remained completely unharmed. Nine imperial yellow dragons of soul energy coiled protectively around him, forming a shield that extended to cover Emperor Lin and Yun Yunyan.
As the Emperor of the Huaxia Empire, the empire's forces could not harm him.
"Father, Mother, follow me!" Lin Qian called urgently, racing forward at lightning speed, carefully avoiding the center of the blast as he headed toward the back of the valley entrance marketplace.
The marketplace in front of the Valley of Myriad Herbs and Trees was vast. Many soul warriors, seeking their fortunes in the valley, had set up makeshift wooden houses using spiritual wood, turning the area into a bustling trade hub.
At the edge of the marketplace stood a particularly simple wooden hut. Lin Qian led his parents there, rushing inside and quickly shutting the door behind them.
Inside, the walls were inscribed with complex array patterns, which effectively sealed off the interior from outside detection.
Two scholars were waiting inside. When they saw Lin Qian enter, they immediately bowed. "Greetings, Your Majesty. Greetings, Emperor Emeritus and Empress Dowager."
"Rise," Lin Qian commanded, waving his hand. He then moved to the center of the room.
With a sweep of his hands, the array markings on the walls lit up, displaying a detailed, simulated map of the terrain surrounding the Valley of Myriad Herbs and Trees.
"Father, Mother, you can rest easy now," Lin Qian said, glancing at Emperor Lin and Yun Yunyan. He then turned back to the map with a cold smile. "The Yun family sent most of their elites here. I plan to make sure they all die in this place."
"In a battle on a prepared battlefield, against my generals, they don't stand a chance."
"Huaxia World Formation, activate!"