"No! This is not an ordinary Heavenly Tribulation, but a Heavenly Punishment!"

Yu Yuan squinted at the accumulating energy above, where lightning coursed and silver serpents danced, containing destructive power.

Swish!

A bolt of punishment thunder split the air, heading straight for Yu Yuan.

In an instant, time froze, all things came to a standstill, and only that resplendent thunder connected heaven and earth.

"This..."

Zhao Gongming was dumbfounded, completely at a loss for words.

Why would the Heavenly Dao impose a Heavenly Punishment on Yu Yuan, his disciple-nephew?

Could it be that his disciple-nephew truly is an 'Outer Heaven Demon'?

As he felt an upheaval in his heart, Yu Yuan appeared to have anticipated this, his expression unchanged. His Qi-Blood surged to the sky as he bore the tribulation with his physical body, allowing it to temper his flesh.

Boom!

Terrifying thunder punishments kept descending, one after another, each stronger than the last.

The sky became exceedingly dark, with red Heavenly Punishment Divine Thunders striking one after another, as if an all-supreme will in the unknown was meting out the most horrific thunder punishment upon Yu Yuan.

Zhao Gongming, with his mouth agape, watched everything that was happening, unable to comprehend the unfolding events.

However, when he looked at Yu Yuan, he saw his disciple-nephew's demeanor unchanged, fearlessly facing the dreadful punishment thunder.

That Heavenly Dao thunder punishment was so terrifying, with each bolt thicker than mountains, striking down and obscuring the sky, as if to obliterate everything, striking into ash anyone daring to defy that supreme existence in the obscurity.

Even though Zhao Gongming had profound cultivation, having reached the peak realm of a Daluo Golden Immortal.

Yet, facing such a horrifying punishment, he couldn't help but tremble at heart, feeling that a single bolt of this Heavenly Punishment Divine Thunder could obliterate him in an instant, both body and spirit!

This thought made him worry for Yu Yuan.

But in the next instant, he realized that although his disciple-nephew's body was continuously flickering with lightning, he was enduring the thunder strikes without wavering.

His body seemed to be tempered by the Heavenly Tribulation; each clash of lightning made his flesh tougher.

Zhao Gongming's worry dissipated, replaced by profound shock and a touch of revelation.

Earlier, he had learned from Duobao Taoist that Yu Yuan's cultivation methods were extremely special and beyond ordinary imagination. Now, it seemed the scene before him was indeed a terrifying form of cultivation.

In this moment, feelings of admiration for Yu Yuan spontaneously emerged within Zhao Gongming's heart.

He had previously known that his disciple-nephew was a rare and uniquely gifted individual amongst the celestial beings.

Now, he realized that his disciple-nephew was not only blessed with exceptional talent but also possessed a resolute and indomitable heart of a true strongman. Otherwise, how could he come up with such a method of cultivation?

To temper one's physical body with the baptism of Heavenly Tribulation, even those obsessed with cultivation wouldn't dare to attempt it, right?

While he was still astonished, the Heavenly Punishment Divine Thunders gradually lessened, and the sky brightened up again.

Yu Yuan stood in mid-air, wearing a new set of Vestment robes, exuding an extremely powerful and terrifying aura.

Upon seeing this, Zhao Gongming felt a sense of looking up to the great mountains.

At that moment, Yu Yuan gently landed on the ground. His gaze swept over Zhao Gongming as he said with a smile, "Uncle-Master, have you come to look for me?"

Zhao Gongming jolted, his expression complex as he looked at Yu Yuan, somewhat at a loss for words.

Yu Yuan slightly furrowed his brows, perceiving an unusual undertone.

He said solemnly, "Uncle-Master, there's no need for formalities with me, just speak your mind."

Zhao Gongming took a deep breath and decided to put his cards on the table.

"In all honesty, Master has returned. Just now at the Biyou Palace, he summoned us saying that the Taoist Ancestor has sent down an edict, singling you out as an Outer Heaven Demon!

Now, Master wants me to call you to face public questioning..."

"The Taoist Ancestor personally decreed that I'm some Outer Heaven Demon?"

Upon hearing this, Yu Yuan furrowed his brows deeply, Yuanshi Tianzun, and Taiching Saint's faces flashed through his mind.

If it were they who said so, it wouldn't be surprising, but why target me like this? Could it be because I've repeatedly traveled through time and space, altering the future?

Yu Yuan silently speculated.

Meanwhile.

Zhao Gongming stared at Yu Yuan, his gaze flickering incessantly.

Suddenly, he remembered something and said with hesitation, "Nephew-disciple, there's something I don't quite understand."

Yu Yuan came back to his senses, "Uncle-Master Zhao, please speak."

Zhao Gongming said solemnly, "What exactly happened just now? Why did you bring about the Heavenly Dao's punishment? And the appearance you transformed into earlier... it looked so familiar..."

"Appearance?"

Yu Yuan thought for a moment and then transformed into the appearance of "Tian Yuan Ancestor."

"This look doesn't seem quite the same as just now..."

Zhao Gongming shook his head but somehow felt that something was amiss.

"Wait!"

Shock filled Zhao Gongming's eyes.

"This appearance... this is Tian Yuan Ancestor! You... Nephew-disciple, how could you transform into the likeness of Tian Yuan Ancestor? Have you met him before? Where did you see him?"

"Um..."

Yu Yuan did not speak, only gazed quietly at Zhao Gongming.

Zhao Gongming, not noticing his expression, muttered, "Back then, when Yun Xiao and the others were transforming, they encountered a great disaster. Thankfully, Tian Yuan Ancestor appeared to rescue us and guided us to join the Jie Sect...

We brothers and sisters have always remembered this kindness in our hearts, but afterwards, we never heard any further news about Tian Yuan Ancestor and had no way to repay him."

Yu Yuan smiled and said, "There's no need for repayment, why the formality among our own."

"This is a life-saving grace... Huh?"

As Zhao Gongming spoke, he suddenly came to a realization, looked at Yu Yuan in surprise, and thought of a possibility, "Could it be... that Tian Yuan Ancestor was you, nephew-disciple?"

"You've guessed it, it is indeed me."

Yu Yuan smiled and said, "I was repairing the Chaos Bell before, and after it was fixed, I wanted to test it. The result was that I traveled through time and space to the Ancient Era, and then I encountered you all..."

"So you transformed into Tian Yuan Ancestor to save us?" Zhao Gongming suddenly realized and said, "Tian Yuan Ancestor, Tian Yuan Palace... I should have thought of it earlier!

Right!

The Heavenly Punishment Divine Thunder just now was also because you changed the past, wasn't it?"

Yu Yuan smiled, but did not speak.

Indeed, the Heavenly Punishment Divine Thunder was because he had changed the past, but what he had altered was not merely rescuing Zhao Gongming and the others before Red Cloud Ancestor, but rather triggering the Witch and Demon clans to begin their strife earlier than before.

Of course, the Heavenly Dao would mend all flaws.

And ensure that what he had changed would continue to exist and develop in a somewhat appropriate way.

"So, nephew-disciple, you really aren't some Outer Heaven Demon!"

Zhao Gongming said solemnly, "Something must have gone wrong! Nephew-disciple, just wait, I will plead with the master and ask him to make another trip to Zixiao Palace and re-examine this matter thoroughly."

Yu Yuan nodded, "Let's go together, so we don't keep Master waiting!"

"No, you can't go!"

Zhao Gongming suddenly acted as if he had thought of something and said resolutely, "Master definitely doesn't believe you are an Outer Heaven Demon, otherwise, he wouldn't have sent me to summon you for interrogation, a mere flick would have been enough to take your life.

Exactly, the master sending me to summon you must be to give me the chance to notify you!

That must be it!

You must leave Penglai Holy Realm and the East Sea right now!

Once we have cleared all this up, you can then come back!"

Yu Yuan understood his meaning and also felt that what he said made a lot of sense. Tongtian Sect Hierarch was now acting on the orders of the Taoist Ancestor to kill him, and couldn't let him off directly, so he sent Zhao Gongming to summon him, providing him with a chance to escape.

However, if he were to escape like this, he would probably have to bear the name "Outer Heaven Demon" before he achieved Sainthood, becoming like a rat crossing the street that everyone wants to hit!

Under normal circumstances, he wouldn't care.

But now, during the critical period of the Divine Enthronement Calamity, if he were to flee, wouldn't all of his previous efforts be in vain?

With that thought, he took the matter seriously and said, "Even if I must leave, I definitely cannot just leave like this."

"Let's go, to Biyou Palace!"

"I want to meet with the Master!"

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