Heaven, Earth, Me

After Yasenia returned to the group, the elders of the Gong family sent Yasenia a look, but none of them acted. They had been informed that the seniors would not interfere with juniors. So, instead, they looked toward their juniors. Some seniors of the Gong family couldn't help but shake their heads disappointedly. Also, while calling them juniors, they were those right below the Sixth Realm level of strength.

A middle-aged woman from the Gong family stepped forward and spoke to Yasenia. "Hey! Do you really think that you can attack my younger brother and walk away without any consequences?"

The dragoness wanted to arrive at the other location, so she didn't want to waste time discussing with these people here. Still, the Sixth Realm seniors in the Gong Family were quite a menace that she needed not to take lightly. Looking over at the woman that spoke to her, Yasenia answered her with a sigh. "Didn't you just hear what I spoke with your seniors?" She crossed her arms under her bountiful bosom and spoke lightly. "Look, I know why this is happening, okay? This is some kind of revenge for Miss Gong Fen over there, right?"

Some people on the other side couldn't help but show a very faint reaction to her words, but that kind of gesture was more than enough for someone as sharp as Yasenia. Having her confirmation from their expressions, Yasenia shook her head. She directed her gaze directly at the woman. "Miss Gong Fen, is it worth risking the lives of your clansmen to carry through your petty revenge?"

"W-What are you talking about!? Don't try to accuse me of such things, Yasenia Dravory!"

Gong Fen answered, raising her chin and trying to look unbothered. Of course, her attitude could easily be unmasked as a facade because of how she reacted moments ago when Yasenia threatened them. 

As an answer, Yasenia looked at the rest of the Gong Family people and spoke. "I don't know what she has told you about me. However, our interactions don't go further than the first time I saw her in Madam and Lord Dan's mansion. We had a small misunderstanding, and that's all. Grandma Dan and Grandpa Dan can verify for me." 

Some of the seniors gave Gong Fen a glance and then looked toward Grandma Dan and Grandpa Dan. Seeing both elders nod faintly, some of them couldn't help but feel skeptical. Still, others felt a slight bit of shame, after all, this was too different from what Gong Fen told them.

Gong Fen looked toward the seniors and sent a mental message. 'Don't trust the dragon! She is tricky and has the support of the Dan family!'

An elder sent her a message, cutting her words. 'We'll speak about this at a later date. Now, go to the Moon Swallowing Mountain with the rest. If you want to continue this senseless revenge, do it alone and when you can travel anywhere by yourself!'

Seeing that they had started fighting with each other, Yasenia didn't say one more word and looked toward Grandma Dan and the others. She smiled and asked. "Shall we depart?"

Grandma Dan chuckled and looked at Grandpa Dan. The old man nodded and looked at his son. "Guide the way. It doesn't seem like we'll be stopped anymore."

The middle-aged, handsome man smiled. "Understood." Then, he looked at Yasenia and gave an approving nod. "The journey there will take around a week and a half. I'll guide your group there while the rest wait behind for the groups that have yet to come back."

Yasenia and the others cupped their fists and bowed faintly. "Thank you, Senior. We'll trouble you."

Lord Dan's smile became more genuine, and he nodded. "Great. Now, follow me."

To reach the [Deadly Magma Caves], Yasenia's groups needed to travel several mountain ranges. The distance between these two locations was not small at all. Lord Dan explained a bit on the way, his deep and masculine voice pleasant to hear. "The [Deadly Magma Caves] are slightly different from the [Moon Swallowing Mountain] in several ways. You've managed to explore the [Moon Swallowing Mountain] without problems, so as long as you are careful, you shouldn't have too many troubles in there." 

Yasenia asked respectfully. "Lord Dan, how is it different?"

Lord Dan didn't have trouble answering. Their bodies jumped forward, speeding through the environment. "The [Deadly Magma Caves] are more labyrinthic. The walls are thick and solid, so punching through them is not a good idea. Not to mention, once a wall is broken, a deluge of searing magma will pour through them. The temperatures there are scarily high, and they are not less lethal than those you've experienced on the mountain."

Jumping upward and taking out a flying sword, Lord Dan looked at them, and they all followed his example. After mounting the swords, their speeds accelerated even further, streaking through the sky like shooting stars.

Lord Dan continued explaining during this time. "Spiritual Sense is also very restricted, so I recommend using maps and other methods to travel through the magma caves." He added with a smile. "The tunnels are massive, though. Some are wide enough to fit kilometric beasts… Speaking of which, the main types of creatures in the caves are worm-like creatures and dragon-like fish. They can mysteriously swim through the caverns as if they were made of water. So, be careful of attacks from below or the walls."

Yasenia answered with a smile. "The place looks extremely unique. Why is it more explored than the mountains, then? It sounds more difficult and dangerous."

"Well…" Lord Dan pondered for a few moments, and he eventually said. "Truthfully, there is some sort of trial over there. However, the trial is a place that many have tried and, for now, none have returned."

Yasenia raised her eyebrow, surprised. "Is it okay to tell us this information, Lord Dan?"

Lord Dan sighed with a wry smile. "That trial has been there since before my father was even born. It has been hundreds of thousands of years, if not more. And yet, no one has been able to complete it." Lord Dan looked at Yasenia's group, observing their clothes and weapons. "You all seem to have profited greatly from some sort of opportunity on the Mountain. So, perhaps you'll be able to complete this trial as well."

Tatyana smiled faintly and commented. "Putting it like that, it seems that you are purposefully sending us into a death trap. Any bad intentions behind your words, Lord Dan?"

Lord Dan laughed, shaking his head. He looked forward and commented. "I just have a hunch that your group might be able to complete it. And, if so, from me telling you about it now, you might show some appreciation toward our family and share some of the rewards." 

The dragoness asked, somewhat surprised. "Oh? You want me to share some of the treasures we find there if we are able to complete it?"

"Being frank and direct? Yes. That's the idea." Lord Dan raised his eyebrow. "We've been quite good to your group, right? Still, if you won't share anything, it doesn't matter much. We are not short of anything, to be fair." 

Yasenia pondered, thinking of what happened in the Moon Swallowing Mountain. 'If the Magma Caves are where Andrea's inheritance doll is pointing at, we would've discovered them in time. However, reaching there without the Dan family's help and profiting might've been borderline impossible. These families seem to place a lot of importance in them, so trespassers will be treated harshly.'

After thinking about it for a few moments, Yasenia spoke. "I won't promise anything, Lord Dan. However, I do believe that if it is within my power to give compensation, I will do so." Yasenia smiled, looking at him. "Our gratitude toward the Dan family for giving us this opportunity has not been forgotten, Lord Dan. Even if we can't share something of the trial, we have other treasures that might interest your family."

Lord Dan nodded, satisfied. "That's more than I could ask for. To be fair, many in the Dan family have been pressuring me to, being frank, extort some treasures out of your group." Lord Dan looked at Yasenia and sighed. "Your magical noodles that helped Mother and Father have been the talk of the family for the last months."

Yasenia laughed, looking ahead with faintly arched lips. "I can imagine. Grandma Dan seems to be someone who would brag about it."

Lord Dan sighed resignedly. "Believe me, I have heard more praise for you from her mouth than she has ever said toward my sons and daughters."n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

"Hahaha." Yasenia chuckled. Then, as they were talking, a sudden wave of pure heat hit them like a metal wall, making a few of the group frown. 

Cecile muttered, annoyed. "So… warm."

Looking at the surroundings, the mountains and valleys have become darker, with some glowing red rivers of pure magma surrounding them. The volcanic landscape that seemingly suddenly appeared made Evelyn look back to see if she could see a separation. "This also happened with the Moon Swallowing Mountain, right?"

Andrea asked her, confused. "About what?"

Evelyn explained herself. "I mean, the brusque change in temperature. It doesn't feel natural at all. As if these enormous locations were man-made."

Lord Dan praised Evelyn's observation. "You are really sharp. This is a theory we've had in our family for many millennia as well. We have yet to find evidence of it, so many think that it is a Heaven-born location."

Angel asked Mirrory inside of her mind. 'What are Heaven-Born locations?'

Mirror answered slowly. 'Well, simply put, they are extreme natural landscapes created by the Heavens to form extreme treasures. Spirits are usually born from those locations.'

"Oh!"

After traveling through the volcanic landscape for a few hours, Lord Dan pointed at a distant, tall, active volcano and said. "That's our location. The [Deadly Magma Caves] start right below that volcano and spread all around this place."

His words made Yasenia recoil in shock. She asked him with wide eyes. "This entire place?"

Lord Dan nodded with a wry smile. "It's really endless. We've tried mapping this several times. But the underground's magma melts structures occasionally, flooding and opening new passages. Therefore, the maps are always inaccurate and unreliable." He sighed once more, looking at the surroundings. "It's like a naturally shifting labyrinth." 

Yasenia's group and Lord Dan landed in front of the entrance, leaving them breathless. The entrance to the magma caves was gigantic. Yasenia was sure that she could fit in them with her dragon forms without feeling squeezed. Evelyn whistled. "This is gigantic! Also…" Leaning a bit forward over the hole, a heat wave basically slapped her face. "Ugh… The heat in there will be extremely annoying…"

Lord Dan laughed gently and said. "Well, I'll accompany you until here. Good luck with your exploration. We will see you here again in three months' time!"

Lord Dan mounted on his sword again and left, leaving our group behind.

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