Seeing the honest and obedient spirit acting pampered in Yasenia's arms made everyone feel complicated. Yasenia didn't care about them, of course. Soluna's adorable appearance was her priority. After kissing the top of her head, Yasenia looked up and smiled at the Fua woman. "As we said, everything is forgotten. Please, don't bother us again, or we'll have to retaliate seriously. We don't want to have conflicts with anyone."
The cold-looking girl glanced at Yasenia for a few moments before nodding. "We understand." She glanced at the groaning dragon with a disdainful expression, and she spoke. "Go, I'll give you healing pills before we enter the Temple. In a week, you should be back to normal."
After they left, the rest of the people who wanted to pick a fight with the Long Family dragons decided against it and left them alone. Tianyi's face was colored with three parts relief and seven parts surprise.
"I didn't expect Little Soluna to be this powerful."
Hearing Tianyi's words, Soluna looked over and giggled. "It's all thanks to Yasenia!"
The four Long dragons nodded, but they didn't believe her. How could a mortal help such a powerful Sixth Realm spirit? Still, they didn't say anything about it. Everyone moved to a safe place and waited for the last days to pass before the temple opened.
Yasenia asked about it in the meantime. She learned that the Temple was filled with traps and trials. The harder the trial, the more powerful the treasure they hid was. Tianyi spoke softly. "The trials are separated into three-clawed trials, four-clawed trials, and all the way up to nine-clawed trials. From what I know, none of the eight- and nine-clawed trials have been completed. Moreover, less than 10% of the seven-clawed trials and less than 60% of the six-clawed trials have been completed."
Yasenia asked, curious. "From what Ancestor Long said, it seemed that there is a particular one that will give your family a lot of benefits. It is also the one that I am here to complete, right?"
Tianyi hesitated. 'Is it okay to send her? She is just a mortal cultivator…'
However, before Tianyi spoke, Aoshuang spoke up. "Yes. It is a nine-clawed trial. There are not many of these difficulty levels, but the one that we want is marked by our family's ancient characters."
Tianyi frowned and commented. "Try completing one with fewer claws first. If you feel that nine-claws is too far from being possible, there is no need to sacrifice your life."
The other three Long dragons glanced at Tianyi, but Tianyi looked back at them without a hint of guilt. "What can Yasenia do when our ancestors could not complete it? If we didn't have the rules that two Sixth Realm dragons must leave the Secret Realm, I can bet with you that no Sixth Realm Dragons from our families would exist!"
Xueli sighed and communicated mentally. 'Big Sister, I know you've taken a liking to her. However, we should prioritize our Long family over her safety. Are you going to sacrifice us if it means that she lives?'
Tianyi glared at her. 'Xueli, don't twist my words. My priority is the Long family. However, Yasenia's potential is much more valuable. If our family keeps good relations with her, a Dragon who has managed to tame a Sixth Realm spirit, our future won't be worse than it is now!'
Xueli argued back with a fierce tone. 'It is because she is so talented that we must push her to the trial! When will we find someone like her to try and crack it?'
Tianyi didn't answer, but she internally disagreed.
Meanwhile, Yasenia noticed that the tension between the four Dragons increased when Tianyi gave her a way out. Her eyes flashed with many thoughts as she reclined back on the tree she was leaning against. She glanced at the sky with a sigh. 'Well, I knew that there would be a catch, but I didn't expect that old dragon to try and send me into a deathtrap.'
She understood the risks, and even if Tianyi didn't tell her, she was not going to stupidly challenge a nine-clawed trial head-on. Not to mention, she had to familiarize herself with the way these trials evaluated her, and Yasenia didn't want to be forced to do things by others. 'I've already earned plenty of rewards by finding the Sun and Moon Soul Ponds. Even if I left the Secret Realm right now, I would've made a profit.'
Her gaze turned toward the distance, and between the trees and mountains, she could see a pillar of light slowly becoming brighter. 'That's where the Dragon Temple is supposed to appear?'
Soluna answered her thoughts calmly. 'That seems to be the case.' She giggled and said. 'Draheart is saying that she wants to feel how cutting those dragons' flesh feels.'
Yasenia blinked. 'Those dragons?'
Soluna laughed. 'The Long Dragons!'
Yasenia chuckled. 'We'll see if it comes down to that. However, with Tianyi around, I don't think it will be like that.'
Suddenly, a pillar of white light descended from the sky. The light collided with an invisible structure and scattered around like rain. The structure was the Dragon Temple, which was fully revealed after an hour of constant light hitting it.
Yasenia was already standing on Draheart, ready to rush forward when Tianyi and the others ordered. 'There is no haste in entering, but I don't really want to be ambushed by those who enter first.'
"Soluna, I'll prepare the defensive skill from the [Primordial Temple], cover me."
"Okay~."
The [Primordial Temple]'s defensive skill was called [Heavenly Firmament Sanctuary]. The skill didn't create a shield around Yasenia, but instead, the skill would fizzle all attacks that came close to Yasenia as if her surroundings were dissolving them. It acted as a "Sanctuary" where no attacks could exist. Even if one of the attacks managed to pierce through, they would be incredibly weakened, and Yasenia's body was more than enough to protect her. Now, with Soluna as an addition, those attacks that managed to overcome her skill would never be a threat to her.
The only drawback of the skill was that Yasenia could not cast other skills while this one was being used. At least, not yet.
Tianyi spoke aloud. "Go!"
Yasenia leaned forward, and Draheart shot ahead, carrying Yasenia at speeds comparable to the Sixth Realm cultivators in the surroundings.
All forty-plus cultivators looked at each other as they approached. Yasenia kept alert and noticed someone attacking her.
"Die! [Devil Burning Palm]!"
The [Devil Burning Palm] created a gargantuan wave of blood-red fire, surrounding Yasenia's body and wanting to swallow her. It seems that the attacker was trying to replicate what Soluna did to the Black Claw Dragon.
Yasenia glanced over and noticed it was a demon. 'Probably someone from the Mo family.' Her eyes shone coldly as her body emitted a profound ripple. "[Heavenly Firmament Sanctuary]."
A gorgeous sphere of light exploded outward briefly before it mixed with her surroundings. Then, the gargantuan palm gradually fizzled away as it crossed the distance. By the time it arrived in front of Yasenia, Soluna lightly flicked her finger to create a ray of her own flames.
BANG!
The palm completely dispersed, leaving nothing behind. Everyone who was secretly observing was stunned. Tianyi approached a second later and glared at the stupefied Demon Monarch. "Scram! [Azure Dragon Breath]!"
ROAR!
Light-green light exploded from Tianyi's mouth, quickly widening to become several hundred meters wide. The power behind the dragon's breath changed the Demon Monarch's face to a worried one, and he quickly tried to protect himself.
BOOM!
Tianyi's face turned somewhat dazed when the attack's effect became much weaker than she expected. The Demon Monarch had blocked it rather easily. The Demon Monarch blinked and then snorted. "Only this much? I was afraid of Dragons for a long time. It seems that I don't need to."
A woman's voice reached that Demon Monarch. "Brother, quickly. We need to enter the Dragon Temple!"
The Demon Monarch gave Tianyi a mocking and predatory gaze before he flew away.
Yasenia communicated with her. 'Sorry, Big Sister Tianyi, my defensive skill affects everything indiscriminately. I can't control it perfectly yet, and lowered your attack's intensity. However, now people think that your breath attack is relatively weak, so you can use it as a trump card later.'
Tianyi's face became complex. However, she nodded and accepted Yasenia's extra advice. After that small ambush, no one bothered them. Still, when they arrived, Yasenia noticed that the entrance had the image of a three-clawed dragon hand. Yasenia was curious. "The entrance is a trial as well?"
Aoshuang laughed. "Why would a powerful person allow weaklings to enter? This is the easiest trial. You need to break that regenerating rock at the end of the passage before ten seconds pass."
Yasenia noticed that people were waiting in line, and Xueli explained. "If you skip the entry trial, you'll need to face a six-clawed trial as a punishment."
Yasenia hummed. "Is there a reward for overcoming the six-clawed trial?"
Xueli answered subconsciously. "I think there is, yes."
Yasenia then rushed ahead, overcoming the person doing the trial. Everyone opened their eyes widely. "Huh?"
Once Yasenia overtook that person, the space around her shifted, and a six-clawed dragon hand grabbed Yasenia, making her vanish.
All the Sixth Realm cultivators blinked twice, not knowing how to react. The Demon Monarch who attacked laughed. "Is she stupid?"
The female demon by his side smiled. "Perhaps she is scared of Big Brother and decided that the Temple was easier. Tsk, tsk. Such a stupid woman."
Tianyi was about to answer when a flash of light occurred, and Yasenia reappeared where she had disappeared.
"Eh?"
Yasenia looked at her hand, where a beautiful sphere lay quietly. "A Transcendent Realm Formation Core? That's nice." After storing it, Yasenia rushed forward and disappeared into the Dragon Temple.
"..."
"Did she overcome the trial already?"
"Impossible! She is just a mortal!"
"Then, are you saying that we've all fallen prey to some kind of illusion!?"
Aoshuang snorted. "A bunch of weaklings." Then, he rushed forward and entered the Six-Clawed trial that Yasenia challenged. If Yasenia could do it, then he would also be able to!
Once his body disappeared, he saw a massive mountain appear in front of him. In his mind, the pleasant voice of a man echoed with strength. "Destroy the mountain in ten seconds."
To put it bluntly, this trial was the same as the other entry trial, but many times more difficult. Aoshuang's face changed to one of disbelief. However, he didn't hesitate. All his power and skills were brought out as he punched forward. "[Azure Dragon Punch]!"
BOOM!
A large crater appeared on the mountain. However, far from destroying it, he would need tens of thousands of attacks like this one to destroy it!
His face changed, and he transformed into his dragon form. A massive Eastern dragon spanning more than ten kilometers appeared. His size was slightly smaller than the mountain in front of him. Then, he opened his mouth and used his Dragon Breath.
ROAR!
The mountain quickly collapsed as the Dragon Breath struck it. Eight seconds later, when Aoshuang's face started to be sweaty, the last part of the mountain finally collapsed.
"Trial completed. Time remaining: 0.54 seconds. You'll receive a Level 1 Transcendence Ranked Formation Core."
Aoshuang's face was pale when he reappeared in the trial zone. He was in his human form, showing the shock and fear in his eyes. 'Half a second… I was half a second from dying…'
He shook his head and rushed into the Dragon Temple. There was a rule that didn't let people speak about the Temple trials while near the temple, or else Heavenly Lightning would strike them. So, he couldn't advise the others against it.
Seeing the second person succeed, others became arrogant and decided to take the risk. However, Tianyi and the other two Long dragons had seen Aoshuang's face. Hence, they decided to wait for the normal trial.
Thanks to Yasenia's decision, 11 Transcendence Realm cultivators failed to complete the trial and died.