161: Chapter 161 I'm going to take on eleven!

Cherry Ghost Maru's utterly frenzied declaration reached everyone's ears word for word through global broadcasting equipment.

A few seconds later, the global internet completely exploded.

Overseas forums were filled with posts gloating over the misfortune.

"Hahahaha! This is insane! What am I seeing? The geniuses of the Yan Country are being spawn-killed in the fountain by a single person!"

"This isn't just a slap in the face; this is literally ripping the very skin off the face of Yan Country's martial arts, throwing it on the ground, and trampling it underfoot!"

"One person challenging the remaining eleven? What an insult! This is a disgrace the Yan Country's martial arts world hasn't seen in a century!"

"I bet ten thousand Federation Coins that not a single one of Yan Country's so-called Heavenly Prides dares to step onto the stage!"

Ridicule, wild laughter, and disparagement.

These comments were like knives, shredding the prestige Yan Country's martial arts had accumulated over a hundred years.

The internet within Yan Country was deathly silent at first. Then came an erupting volcano of overwhelming rage and bone-deep humiliation!

"Kill him! Someone go and kill him!"

"When have we Yan Country martial artists ever suffered such a humiliation! Better to be a broken jade than a whole tile!"

"Dragon Fights Heaven! Even War Without Injury has fallen! What are you all waiting for! Go up there and fight him to the death!"

Countless Yan Country martial artists beat their chests and stamped their feet, their eyes blood-red, wishing they could charge onto the arena themselves.

These words were too soul-crushing!

On the Qianlong Platform.

Each of the remaining eleven Heavenly Prides of Yan Country was trembling uncontrollably.

It wasn't fear.

It was a physiological reaction of blood rushing to the brain under the combined force of extreme anger and humiliation.

On Dragon Fights Heaven's arrogant and unbridled face, veins were bulging, his teeth were clenched so hard they made a cracking sound, and his dragon-like eyes were filled with terrifying bloodshot streaks.

A duel?

War Without Injury's God of War Avatar had been crushed in a single encounter, and he remained unconscious.

Going up meant certain death.

A group fight?

Eleven against one—even if they won, from now on, Yan Country's martial arts would never be able to hold its head high before the world!

Regardless of victory or defeat, Yan Country's face had been completely lost!

This insidious and vicious overt plot nailed them to a pillar of shame, leaving them in a dilemma with their dignity stripped away.

"Cherry Ghost Maru!"

The host Gongsun Li's figure reappeared, her beautiful face covered in a layer of frost, her voice icy.

"This battle is over! Leave the arena immediately!"

However, Cherry Ghost Maru just stood there.

His three blood-colored ghost eyes held a morbid playfulness, and he remained completely unmoved.

In the VIP seats, Minamoto no Chiya let out a soft chuckle.

The laughter wasn't loud, but it reached Marshal Yan Tianjin's ears clearly, causing his clenched iron fists to emit a sound like bones cracking.

"Marshal Yan, it's a good thing for young people to be energetic."

Minamoto no Chiya said slowly.

"Just let them play. After all, the Ten Thousand Dragon Gate has never had a rule against fighting multiple opponents at once."

"You!"

Yan Tianjin stood up abruptly, his terrifying Half-Step Emperor Realm pressure exploding outward, only to be gently pressed back down by the hand of the Azure Nether Sword Emperor on his shoulder.

Azure Nether shook his head, signaling him to stay calm.

But anyone could see that the Sword Intent swirling around this usually calm and composed Sword Emperor was enough to freeze the very void itself.

Just as all the Yan Country Heavenly Prides were being tortured by humiliation and rage to the point where their Dao Hearts were about to shatter, and they didn't know what to do...

...in a corner of the spectator stands.

The figure who had been resting with his eyes closed from the beginning, as if all the external clamor had nothing to do with him, suddenly moved.

Lin Yuan opened his eyes.

Without the slightest hesitation.

And without any unnecessary movement.

He simply stood up.

Then, his figure flickered.

Amidst billions of stunned, confused, and bewildered gazes from the audience, he was the first to step onto the arena stained with the blood of the God of War.

His movements weren't fast.

One could even say they were calm—step by step, like a leisurely stroll in a courtyard.

But those very calm movements were like a thunderous slap across the faces of Dragon Fights Heaven and the other ten Yan Country Heavenly Prides.

We are still hesitating, still weighing the pros and cons, still bound by that ridiculous dignity...

But he has already gone up!

Dragon Fights Heaven's face burned; it was a sense of shame far more intense than the humiliation from Cherry Ghost Maru!

He gritted his teeth, throwing all personal honor and disgrace, all calculations of gain and loss, to the back of his mind!

"Damn it!"

With a roar, Dragon Fights Heaven turned into a golden streak of light and was the second to charge onto the arena, standing side-by-side with Lin Yuan.

Immediately following him...

...Zhu Youli put away all her seductiveness, her pale little face filled with cold killing intent.

North Star Moon's aloof temperament also vanished; her silver-white hair fluttered without wind, and her starry eyes were filled with malice.

One.

Two.

Three.

Led by Lin Yuan, all eleven remaining Heavenly Prides of Yan Country actually stepped onto the arena!

They stood in a row, facing the Three-zhang-tall Ghost King radiating overwhelming ghostly energy.

Solemn and stirring!

Resolute!

This scene instantly turned the eyes of all Yan Country spectators red!

The always arrogant and unbridled Dragon Fights Heaven now lowered his stance and spoke in a deep voice to Lin Yuan beside him.

"Lin Yuan! Let's attack together!"

His voice was hoarse, carrying a resolve of burning one's bridges.

"I'd rather die standing than let him insult our Yan Country like this!"

"Right!"

Zhu Youli followed immediately after, her eerie eyes beneath her dark green hair staring fixedly at Cherry Ghost Maru.

"By joining forces, there might still be a glimmer of hope!"

Qin Wanshuang also anxiously approached Lin Yuan, advising him with a grave expression.

"Lin Yuan, this is an overt plot! They want to use this opportunity to crush the Dao Hearts of our entire generation in one fell swoop! Joining forces is our only chance of winning!"

The usually cold North Star Moon also approached, her tone urgent.

"He's right. Now is not the time to worry about personal gain or loss! Only by working together can we defeat this madman and defend Yan Country's dignity!"

Everyone looked at Lin Yuan, waiting for his decision.

Spectators across the world also held their breath.

The eleven Heavenly Prides of Yan Country joining forces against the Ghost King of Sakura Country!

This would be the most thrilling battle in the history of the Qianlong Platform!

However...

...after listening to everyone's advice, Lin Yuan's face remained expressionless.

He simply glanced calmly at Qin Wanshuang and North Star Moon beside him.

Then, he said something that made everyone's brains instantly stall.

"Stand over there."

Qin Wanshuang: "???"

North Star Moon: "???"

Both were stunned, failing to react for a moment.

"Stand... stand where?"

Qin Wanshuang asked subconsciously.

Lin Yuan's gaze slowly swept across Dragon Fights Heaven, Zhu Youli, and the others. His flat voice carried an irresistible absolute will.

"Stand on the opposite side of me."

"What?"

Qin Wanshuang and North Star Moon were completely bewildered.

The solemn and resolute expressions on the faces of Dragon Fights Heaven and the others instantly froze, turning into extreme shock and absurdity.

Even Cherry Ghost Maru, who had been maintaining a morbid smile, saw his smile stiffen.

In the VIP seats, Yan Tianjin and the Azure Nether Sword Emperor were both taken aback.

Billions of viewers worldwide and all the top experts watching this battle thought they had misheard.

Stand on the opposite side of him?

What did that mean?

Under the gaze of the entire world, Lin Yuan finally spoke slowly, explaining the meaning behind his words.

His voice was still calm.

Yet it was like a clap of thunder, exploding in everyone's minds!

"The three spots for the Ten Thousand Dragon Gate are too many."

"I want to fight eleven."

"As for that piece of trash, Cherry Ghost Maru..."

Lin Yuan's gaze finally landed on Cherry Ghost Maru.

It was a look reserved for the dead.

"I will crush him, along with his bones, into powder!"