The scene of Yu Yuanzhen beating Yu Qingya continued for a long time.
No one stepped forward to stop it.
The courtyard was filled with silence—heavy, tense, and almost suffocating. Everyone present watched as the usually composed Sect Master unleashed his fury without restraint.
Each strike was loud.
Each slap echoed.
And yet… not a single person dared to intervene.
At first, Yu Qingya's father—the Third Elder—had instinctively taken a step forward.
But he stopped.
Because he understood.
Yu Yuanzhen had no intention of killing his son.
This was punishment.
A lesson.
A necessary one.
The Third Elder slowly lowered his hand.
His expression was complicated.
He knew better than anyone how spoiled Yu Qingya had become over the years. Being born into the lineage of an Elder, combined with his natural talent, had made him arrogant—too arrogant.
So arrogant that he had dared to speak so disrespectfully in front of Yu Yuanzhen.
The Sect Master.
A Titled Douluo.
A being who stood at the absolute pinnacle of the Douluo Continent.
If this had been anyone else—
If it had been another Titled Douluo—
Then Yu Qingya's fate today would not have been as simple as a beating.
At best, his cultivation would have been crippled.
At worst—
He would have died on the spot.
In this world, strength was authority.
And respect toward the strong was not optional—it was survival.
So the Third Elder endured.
He watched.
Because this punishment…
Was mercy.
Time passed.
No one knew how long.
But eventually—
With one final, resounding slap—
Yu Yuanzhen stopped.
Yu Qingya lay on the ground, motionless.
His once handsome face had swollen beyond recognition.
Bruised.
Distorted.
His cheeks were puffed up like a pig's head, his features completely disfigured.
Even Yu Yuanzhen himself seemed momentarily unsure where his eyes were.
"Whew…"
Yu Yuanzhen exhaled deeply.
A trace of satisfaction appeared on his face.
"That feels much better."
He stood up slowly.
His gaze swept across the surroundings before landing briefly on the Third Elder.
With a simple wave of his hand, he signaled him to take his son away.
The Third Elder stepped forward quickly, his expression filled with shame.
"I apologize, Sect Master," he said solemnly. "I will bring Qingya to personally apologize later."
Yu Yuanzhen waved dismissively.
"No need."
His tone was calm—almost indifferent.
"I imagine he will resent me for a long time."
He paused slightly.
"But one day… he will understand why I beat him today."
There was no anger left in his voice.
Only certainty.
The Third Elder nodded silently and carried Yu Qingya away.
He didn't argue.
Because deep down—
He agreed.
Yu Yuanzhen had no interest in apologies.
He knew that today's events would plant resentment in Yu Qingya's heart.
But he didn't care.
Because he was Yu Yuanzhen.
The Thunder Douluo.
A man who stood at the peak of power.
For someone like him—
It had always been others who feared him.
Others who held back their words.
Others who swallowed their dissatisfaction.
In front of him—
No one dared to question.
Yet…
In recent years, things had changed.
Because of Yu Xiaogang.
The ridicule.
The whispers.
The mockery directed at his son—and, by extension, at him.
Yu Yuanzhen had tolerated it.
He had endured it.
He had chosen silence.
But not anymore.
From this day forward—
Anyone who dared to behave as they once had…
Would have to consider whether their fists were stronger than his.
Turning away, Yu Yuanzhen walked toward the Grand Elder and Second Elder.
He nodded to them.
Then called for Ye Hengchuan.
And together, they left—bringing Yu Xiaogang with them.
Behind them—
The Grand Elder stroked his beard thoughtfully.
The Second Elder glanced at him.
Then—
They exchanged a knowing look.
"Did you feel it?" the Grand Elder asked quietly.
"The Sect Master… has returned to how he was before Xiaogang was born."
The Second Elder nodded.
"Yes."
The Yu Yuanzhen of the past—
Sharp.
Dominant.
Unyielding.
A true Titled Douluo.
But after Yu Xiaogang's situation emerged—
He had restrained himself.
Softened.
Not out of weakness.
But from a lack of confidence.
Yet today—
That former presence had returned.
Which left them puzzled.
What exactly had happened with Yu Xiaogang's first spirit ring?
Even when the mutated martial spirit was discovered back then, Yu Yuanzhen had only shown joy—not this level of transformation.
But now—
After obtaining a spirit ring—
He had completely changed.
Something…
Had shifted.
Meanwhile—
In another place.
Within a training ground of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect—
A group of children around ten years old were practicing their punches.
Suddenly—
They stopped.
Because in the sky above—
The heavenly curtain displayed everything.
The scene of Yu Qingya being beaten.
In full detail.
One by one—
The children slowly turned their heads.
Toward the front of the training ground.
There—
Stood a tall, handsome middle-aged man.
Yu Qingya.
His face—
Red.
Embarrassed.
Because the person being beaten in the heavenly curtain…
Was him.
Just—
A younger version.
"Father…"
A young boy stepped forward.
His face bore a strong resemblance to Yu Qingya.
He looked up, eyes wide with disbelief.
"Did you really… provoke the Sect Master like that back then?"
"And even disrespect Lord Dragon God?"
"Shut up!"
Smack!
Yu Qingya slapped the back of the boy's head without hesitation.
His expression turned stern.
Then—
He swept his gaze across the other children.
"What?"
"You think it's funny?"
His voice turned cold.
"If you've got time to laugh—then you've got time to train!"
"Extra practice for everyone!"
"No one stops until I say so!"
"Ahhhhhh—!"
A chorus of miserable cries filled the training ground.
But Yu Qingya remained unmoved.
Because right now—
He felt worse than all of them combined.
When the heavenly curtain first appeared—
He had already felt uneasy.
But he had comforted himself.
This was about Yu Xiaogang.
It shouldn't involve him.
He might be overlooked.
But reality—
Was cruel.
Not only was he not overlooked—
He had been highlighted.
Especially—
That close-up of his swollen face.
The memory alone made him want to disappear.
From now on—
Wherever he went—
People would recognize him.
And remember this scene.
Yu Qingya felt like dying.
But—
Things were different now.
He was no longer the arrogant youth of the past.
After that beating—
He had resented Yu Yuanzhen.
Resented Yu Xiaogang.
For a long time.
But as time passed—
As Yu Xiaogang rose—
His perspective changed.
Because he realized something terrifying.
They were not on the same level.
Despite his own talent.
Despite his background.
Despite his advantages—
His achievements were limited.
But Yu Xiaogang—
After the initial support—
Had risen through his own ability.
Step by step.
Unstoppable.
Looking back—
Yu Qingya felt embarrassed.
Ashamed.
Even now—
Watching his younger self—
He almost wanted to shout:
"Well slapped!"
Because that beating—
Had changed him.
It made him cautious.
Quiet.
Reflective.
And because of that—
He began to observe Yu Xiaogang more closely.
At first—
With resentment.
Then—
With shock.
Then—
With admiration.
And finally—
With complete conviction.
In the end—
He had gone personally to apologize.
And after being forgiven—
He chose to follow him.
Without hesitation.
And because of that choice—
Yu Xiaogang had helped him.
Guided him.
Elevated him.
Otherwise—
He would never have become who he was today.
A Titled Douluo.
Titled—
Leiya.
Standing here.
Looking at the past—
And understanding it fully.
Because sometimes—
A single beating…
Could change the course of a life.
Advance Chapters avilable on patreon (Obito_uchiha)