Heaven, Earth, Me-Chapter 1522. Breathing Magma.

"Ahem." Yasenia, looking at this giant black ash-and-flame dragon, spoke with a bit of caution. "Senior, I am a junior who has passed the True Dragon Sovereign trial."

She flashed the scale Old Ao gave her and smiled. "I’ve already been to the Starlit Molting Pool and Genesis Thunder Rift, getting both treasures. This time, I am here to get the one hidden in the Embercore Nesting Grounds, if there is one. Otherwise, I just want to enter the deepest region to improve my Dragon Breath as much as possible in the shortest amount of time."

Hearing her words, the ashen dragon didn’t answer straight away. After looking at the scale and Yasenia for a bit with his red eyes, he nodded once, his rumbling voice reaching Yasenia. "Follow me."

The dragon turned, and Yasenia noticed that this dragon was, actually, a western dragon like herself!

The dragon dove down, moving toward the magma down below at a leisurely pace. During the fall, Yasenia asked. "How may I refer to you, senior?"

"Venerable Long."

Yasenia nodded, keeping it in mind. Then, they both dove into the bubbling magma with a large splash.

Venerable Long, being several times larger than Yasenia, created a splash so large that it rained out, like a volcanic eruption.

Meanwhile, the second she entered the magma, Yasenia noticed Venerable Long stopping and turning to look at her. Even when they were inside the thick magma, Yasenia could see the other side with her Spiritual Sense.

"Is there something wrong, Venerable Long?"

"Breathe."

"...Excuse me?"

"Breathe in the magma."

Yasenia opened and closed her mouth, her eyebrows starting to twitch quite severely. ’I thought it would be an easy challenge this time around. Who knew... I have tempered the outside but not the inside, eh?’

Yasenia, knowing that she was in for another torturous experience, sighed deeply. "I... understand."

Then, she relaxed her mind, feeling the flowing magma around her, and then, she breathed in. The sensation of molten magma flowing through her nasal cavity and scorching its way in was, to put it mildly, agonizing.

Moreover, this magma was clearly not normal. After Yasenia breathed it in, it acted as if it had a mind of its own and quickly flowed into the lungs, spreading out.

Yasenia’s body started trembling, the sensation of her insides being burned firing her pain sensors as if they were having a flashing light party.

Venerable Long had expected Yasenia to quickly scream and try to resurface. However, his indifferent red eyes couldn’t help but flash with a tinge of surprise. ’What a powerful will.’

Adapting to the feeling of breathing in magma was not a matter of talent or pain resistance; it was a matter of will. After all, Yasenia’s brain was currently receiving the feelings of drowning, asphyxiation, and inner burning. These three combined were enough to make an average cultivator scream in agony.

Meanwhile, Yasenia couldn’t focus on trying to improve herself. The special magma was burning, regenerating, and flowing in through her nose and out through her mouth. It created some sort of cycle, making her brain overheat on the way, while her insides were scorched.

’Heavens, this one must be the worst one yet!’

She could bear pain, she could bear external forces assaulting her, and she could even bear lightning coursing through her body, burning her. However, this new sensation was horrible.

After all, the respiratory system was tightly connected with the heart, brain, and most of her five senses, like her eyes and tongue.

So, while the body could protect her against the magma, once it began spreading out inside her, even seeping into her veins and meridians, it was truly horrible.

However, Yasenia’s will, tempered through all her experiences, didn’t bend. Instead, the more painful it was, the stronger her will to grit her teeth and resist.

Her golden eyes flashed with ferocity, and she completely steeled her mind. ’If you want to scorch my insides... scorch them!’

Then, Venerable Long saw Yasenia actually take in a deep breath, as if she wanted to inhale the whole magma lake they were submerged in. This truly astonished him. ’This girl is ruthless towards herself. No wonder she is so powerful at such a young age.’

When Yasenia inhaled, her lungs were instantly filled to the brim with magma, and her respiratory and circulatory systems began treating it like they did with air. The magma flowed into Yasenia’s veins, mixing with her blood as it was carried throughout her massive body.

Through the flow of blood, her every organ was scorched, and once it made one cycle, Yasenia coughed out that magma, only to inhale another deep breath.

At this point, even if Yasenia were to leave the magma pool, she would probably be coughing magma for a day or two straight. However, while agonizing, the results were almost immediate.

Just these two inhalations were comparable to the improvements she had made over the last few days in the volcano’s surroundings.

Venerable Long didn’t say much, looking at Yasenia with indifferent red eyes. His posture made Yasenia doubt if this dragon would save her if she were to go too deep. ’Ugh... the most torturing trial is guarded by the most apathetic senior. I truly don’t know what the ancestor was thinking. I think Big Sister Ji or Old Ao would make a much better guardian of this region!’

For a few months, Yasenia adapted to breathing magma, and once she could focus on truly absorbing the benefits it provided instead of resisting the pain, her improvement speed skyrocketed.

It only took six months for Yasenia to stop feeling pain and to breathe the magma without flinching. "Finally... I have completely adapted."

Venerable Long looked at Yasenia and nodded. "Follow me."

Yasenia’s eyebrows twitched. ’Don’t tell me that this trial also has layers like before?’

To Yasenia’s dismay, she hit the nail on the head. After they sank around 100,000 kilometers into the magma sea, Yasenia began feeling that familiar scorching feeling as she breathed.

’...That dragon ancestor is a masochist for inventing these trials!’

She roared. "You want me to suffer! I will suffer then!"

Yasenia, without a hint of hesitation, flapped her wings and bolted down deeply into the magma lake, only stopping when her body started twitching in pain due to the temperature and power of the magma.

Venerable Long blinked but didn’t stop her, accompanying her in silence.

So, for four years straight, Yasenia sank deeper and deeper, eventually seeing the bottom of the magma lake under the massive volcano.

Seeing the familiar spherical treasure, Yasenia wanted to cry in happiness. ’There it is, my ticket to escape this magma-breathing hell!’

So, Venerable Long saw Yasenia pushing herself even harder as she desperately swam down toward the treasure, stopping when it was impossible for her to resist.

At one time, Venerable Long had to pull Yasenia up a little because she swam a bit too deep.

That gentle pull filled Yasenia’s heart with gratitude. ’So, he is not indifferent to my life and death! He is only aloof to the extreme!’

When a total of eight years had passed since she first dove into the magma, Yasenia finally arrived at the bottom and stood in front of the treasure. "I am here..." However, she didn’t reach out. Instead, she turned to look at the dragon and asked, curious. "What is this treasure?"

"[Emberdragon Heart Pearl]."

Yasenia nodded, hesitating, and then explained what had happened the previous two times. "...So, I might be struck by lightning or be semi-killed. Do not panic if that happens and be a bit patient, Venerable Long."

This time around, even this aloof dragon felt speechless. ’What kind of experiences does this girl have that death seems part of the deal?’

So, strengthening her heart, Yasenia reached out and touched the [Emberdragon Heart Pearl]. As she touched it, energy bloomed out powerfully, and the volcano entered an active eruption state.

Every dragon that was near the core area was scared and quickly fled from the violent volcanic eruption. ’Why is our Dragon Paradise so active lately!? So many heavenly disasters!’

Meanwhile, the [Emberdragon Heart Pearl] appeared in Yasenia’s Dantian and looked around. Everyone present became tense, looking at the newcomer with extreme wariness.

Soluna whispered. "What kind of disaster will this thing cause?"

Dramel shook a little. "I hope it doesn’t choose me. I don’t want to explode so young!"

Draheart sighed at the little Moon that orbited around her. "Your courage should be bigger. This is a chance for rebirth. Even the Primordial Energy Core has transformed, leaving you far behind. You are, without a doubt, the weakest treasure in Yasenia’s Dantian."

Dramel complained. "Big sister! Don’t be so ruthless!"

As they discussed, the [Emberdragon Heart Pearl] suddenly swished away. Everyone was stunned for a moment, following the treasure’s trajectory.

Yasenia looked, and after calculating, her face gained a crying expression. "Senior... remember what I told you."

Venerable Long saw Yasenia’s body suddenly crack everywhere as blood mixed with magma burst outward, her golden eyes losing their luster.

Even this ancestor couldn’t help but speak up, speechless. "Heavens... she really died."

Soluna and the others looked at the Epoch Core that was blown to smithereens with dead-fish eyes. "So... it was the Epoch Core who blew up."

"Poor thing. It is not even in Yasenia’s Dantian, and it still got shot down."

Draheart muttered. "So... Have you noticed? The first treasure aimed for Yasenia’s Beast Core. The second one at the Soul Core. The third one has aimed for the Body Core..."

Everyone noticed the pattern, and their eyes suddenly moved toward the giant Celestial Black Hole Energy Star.

Their gazes instantly became subtle. "The last treasure is going to suffer."

"Poor thing. It doesn’t even know what it will face off against."

"Sigh... Should we at least give it a nice welcome before its demise?"

Yasenia, unaware of her treasures’ thoughts, was floated in the magma like a dead fish. She even went belly up, making it quite comical.

Venerable Long, looking at the "drifting dead fish," became more and more doubtful. "Is she sure that she is not dead? I can sense her soul is still in her body, even her vital blood is not being dried up... But..."

He had never encountered something so odd. So, the only thing he could do was wait.

Two years later, Venerable Long saw the "floating dead fish" spasm awake. "Buha! I am alive!"

"...Undead Dragon?"

"Sorry, Venerable Long, Old Ao already did that joke."

"..."

Yasenia, ignoring the speechless look from the senior, quickly looked at her Epoch Core. "...Wow. A burning sun! Let’s call you [Epoch Star Embercore]."