Lin Yuan Discovers That the True Death Tribulation Has Begun

In the vault of heaven, the Jade Clarity Immortal Light grew ever more radiant, and a figure slowly emerged.

Yuanshi Tianzun.

There was no earth-shaking fanfare to herald his arrival, nor were there celestial phenomena deliberately adorning the sky.

Yet the moment he appeared, heaven and earth naturally centered themselves around him.

Within the Nine-Twist Yellow River Formation.

The Twelve Golden Immortals, who had originally been preparing to leave the formation, also sensed the Saint's aura at the same time.

Guangchengzi and the others wore complicated expressions.

There was relief.

And there was humiliation.

Twelve direct disciples of a Saint.

Entering the formation together.

Only to force their master to personally appear in the end.

No matter how one put it, this was hardly something to be proud of.

The Three Cloud Sisters had likewise already emerged from the formation.

Yunxiao stood at the forefront.

Qiongxiao and Bixiao stood half a step behind her.

Facing a Saint.

The three of them naturally could not remain as relaxed as they had been when facing the Twelve Golden Immortals.

"Greetings, Second Uncle-Master."

Yunxiao took the initiative to bow.

Yuanshi's gaze first fell upon her.

Then he glanced at the Nine-Twist Yellow River Formation.

Only at last did he look toward the Twelve Golden Immortals within the formation, whose auras had been greatly diminished.

His expression did not visibly change.

Yet the calmer he was.

The more oppressive the atmosphere became.

"Yunxiao."

"A battle between fellow disciples."

"Why did you have to strip away their Three Flowers and Five Energies?"

His voice carried over.

Yunxiao remained composed.

"In reply to Second Uncle-Master."

"The twelve senior brothers entered the formation of their own accord."

"The three of us never forced them."

"During the clash within the formation."

"We did not take their lives either."

Yuanshi did not respond at once.

Bixiao stood behind Yunxiao.

Clearly wanting to speak.

But Yunxiao subdued her with a single look.

Lin Yuan watched and secretly nodded.

Big Sister was still Big Sister.

If Bixiao were really allowed to speak at a time like this.

Who knew if she would not open her mouth and drag the atmosphere straight down to hell difficulty.

Yuanshi's gaze swept toward the Shang Camp.

Zhao Gongming.

The Ten Heavenly Lords.

The Four Sages of Nine-Dragon Island.

Wen Zhong.

At last, it stopped on Lin Yuan.

With merely one glance.

Lin Yuan felt as though he had been examined from the inside out.

The Supreme Purity Guardian Sword Token within his sleeve also trembled faintly.

His heart tightened.

Yet Yuanshi did not linger on him for long.

He turned his gaze back to Yunxiao.

"The Twelve Golden Immortals are the foundation of the Explanatory Sect's inheritance."

"With one formation, you stripped away years of their cultivation."

"Though you did not kill them."

"How was that any different from severely crippling them?"

These words were not without reason.

For Immortals, damage to one's cultivation was indeed far more serious than ordinary injuries to the flesh.

But Lin Yuan also heard the problem in them.

Yuanshi had not come merely to take his disciples away.

He was preparing to hold them accountable.

Naturally, Yunxiao heard it as well.

"What does Second Uncle-Master intend to do?"

"Break the formation."

Yuanshi said only two words.

"The three of you must also receive a lesson for what happened today."

Zhao Gongming's expression instantly darkened.

He stepped forward.

"Second Uncle-Master."

"A contest between disciples."

"If they lose, their master personally steps in?"

Yuanshi's gaze fell upon him.

Zhao Gongming's body sank slightly.

Yet he did not retreat.

"Gongming."

"This matter has nothing to do with you."

"How could it have nothing to do with me?"

Zhao Gongming said in a deep voice.

"My three sisters descended the mountain because of me."

"The Nine-Twist Yellow River Formation was also openly laid out."

"Before the Twelve Golden Immortals entered the formation, no one forced them."

"Now that they have lost."

"Second Uncle-Master is personally stepping in."

"If that is how we are to reckon things."

"Then Lu Ya used the Nail-Head Seven-Arrows Book to ambush me some days ago."

"Shouldn't my master also go settle accounts with Lu Ya?"

The atmosphere grew even heavier.

Lin Yuan silently gave Zhao Gongming his approval.

Those words had to be said.

Otherwise, if the other side was allowed to explain everything.

They would sooner or later suffer for it.

Yuanshi did not become angry over a few pointed questions.

A Saint's dignity would not be so simply written upon his face.

"Lu Ya is not a disciple of the Explanatory Sect."

"What he has done."

"Has its own karma."

Hearing this, Lin Yuan had only one thought.

Classic distancing.

When help was needed.

He was a fellow Daoist following the will of heaven.

When trouble arose.

He was not an Explanatory Sect employee.

It had more than a hint of outsourced labor about it.

Of course.

He could only think that to himself.

If he actually said it aloud to Yuanshi's face.

He had not yet reached that level of courting death.

Yuanshi raised a hand.

The Nine-Twist Yellow River Formation suddenly shook violently.

With only that single motion.

The Yellow River that had endlessly surged through the formation seemed to be forcibly pinned down by an unsurpassable power.

Yunxiao's expression changed drastically.

The Primordial Golden Dipper immediately flew out.

Qiongxiao and Bixiao simultaneously circulated their mana.

The three joined forces to stabilize the formation.

But the gap in power between both sides was simply too vast.

The Nine-Twist Yellow River Formation could trap the Twelve Golden Immortals.

It could strip away their Three Flowers and Five Energies.

But that absolutely did not mean it could directly contend with a Saint.

The formation's structure continuously cracked apart.

Formation markings dimmed one after another.

Lin Yuan's system finally reacted as well.

[Detected a high-value predetermined death tribulation target!]

[Target: Yunxiao.]

[Target: Qiongxiao.]

[Target: Bixiao.]

[The predetermined Death Node is approaching!]

Lin Yuan's expression changed completely.

When the Three Cloud Sisters had descended the mountain earlier.

The system had only continued to indicate that they were implicated in a death tribulation.

It had not truly entered the final node.

Now that Yuanshi had made his move.

The three notifications had simultaneously been refreshed.

That meant—

This was the place.

If fate continued along its original course.

Something would happen to the Three Cloud Sisters.

"Second Uncle-Master!"

Lin Yuan suddenly spoke.

His voice was not particularly loud beneath the Saint's might.

Yet everyone present still heard it clearly.

Zhao Gongming abruptly turned his head.

"Lin Yuan!"

Yunxiao looked at him as well.

Clearly, no one had expected a Golden Immortal disciple to dare speak to a Saint at a time like this.

Yuanshi's hand paused slightly.

His gaze fell.

"You have something to say?"

Lin Yuan's heart was racing absurdly fast.

What a joke.

To face a Saint and remain as still as water—

that wasn't having a good mindset.

That was a heart forgetting to show up for work.

Yet he still stepped forward.

He did not neglect propriety.

He first bowed.

"This disciple is Lin Yuan."

"Greetings, Second Martial Uncle."

"This disciple merely has one thing he does not understand."

Yuanshi's expression remained calm.

"Speak."

Lin Yuan raised his head.

"Before the twelve martial uncles of the Explanatory Sect entered the Nine-Twist Yellow River Formation—"

"did they know it was a formation laid by the three martial aunts?"

"They knew."

"Did anyone force them into the formation?"

"No."

"In the battle within the formation—"

"did the three martial aunts kill even one person?"

Yuanshi did not answer immediately.

Because everyone could see the answer.

No.

The Twelve Golden Immortals had merely suffered damage to their cultivation.

No one had died.

Lin Yuan continued:

"Since that is the case—"

"this was originally a battle between disciples of the two sects."

"If the twelve martial uncles won—"

"then it would mean the Explanatory Sect had won."

"Now that the three martial aunts have won—"

"why..."

Lin Yuan paused for half a breath.

But he still spoke the rest of the sentence in full.

"must Second Martial Uncle personally enter the fray?"

Heaven and earth seemed to grow even quieter.

Zhao Gongming looked at Lin Yuan.

He could not help drawing in a breath.

This kid had once dared call out Jin Ling in front of Taiyi.

And now, before Yuanshi...

He truly was cut from the same cloth.

No matter who it was, he dared say a few words.

Yuanshi looked at Lin Yuan for a long time.

"You think this poor Daoist should not act?"

Inside Lin Yuan's sleeve,

his fingers had already quietly touched the azure sword command.

Yet outwardly, he remained respectful.

"This disciple does not dare judge a Saint."

"I merely feel—"

"if a disciple loses in battle, and their master personally steps in—"

"then there will be no need for anyone to compete in the future."

"Whichever master is stronger—"

"just have that master come out directly."

Bixiao stood behind him.

Her eyes lit up at once.

Zhao Gongming's lips twitched faintly as well.

At last, a little of the calm vanished from Yuanshi's face.

Above the Nine-Twist Yellow River Formation,

the Saint's palm, which had already begun pressing down, gathered itself anew.

"Lin Yuan."

"You have great nerve."

Lin Yuan felt the Upper Clarity Sword Command in his sleeve tremble with increasing intensity.

He softly let out a breath.

"Second Martial Uncle overpraises me."

"This disciple is mainly..."

"afraid of dying."

"So whenever I encounter someone I cannot defeat—"

"I am accustomed to calling for help first."