Death Pool

Magnus, Rena and Clementine all three of them started climbing the stiff volcanic mountain. Even though they all are cultivators it's not easy for them. The higher they climb the harder it is for them to jump because of intense gravity. 

Aside from that, there's also the thunderstorm which constantly strikes any place randomly along with lava sparks that fly down from above. 

"Are you sure you want to climb farther??" Rena shouted with hesitation.

"Unless someone finds it below the only place I can think of is this one. Think about it? This whole land is a trial. And at the end of this trial is an island which has something below." Magnus shouted back as he jumped another few meters. Immediately the sharp gravitational pain presses him down but Magnus prevailed.

Although he can easily negate this gravitational status effect using Qi, he decided not to use Qi to much. He needs to train his body to the maximum pinnacle of strength he needs to stop relying on Qi less.

"The gravity is no joke at this point. I bet we will be on our knees when we reach the sum-" 

"Watch out" Magnus pulled Clementine as she was about to be hit by a lightning strike.

"We are getting close. From here thunder, gravity and lava sparks will be more intense. Watch your steps." Magnus reminded everyone as he looked above. The sky is dark red with purple lightning illuminating here and there.

It took them another 45 minutes to reach the last step before reaching the summit. The gravity at this point became indescribably powerful. Even the mountain's peak is turning into dust as they touch the dust.

"That's it, everyone." Saying that Magnus jumped high up and reached the top of the mountain. 

The summit has the same size as a football field and in the middle of it stands a large angry lava lake. Magnus starts scanning the area for any potential clue. In an instant, he surveyed the area. The summit has only a single mouth and that mouth is filled with magma which is already reaching the limit. The volcano might erupt any minute if it were any other volcano but because of the extreme gravitational condition the magma from underneath is trapt here. But that doesn't mean that it will stay contained so as a result smoke, thunder, and lava sparks are a common occurrence there. 

"Have you found anything?" Rena asked Magnus as she also managed to climb herself along with Clementine.

"There is no opening except for the crater."

"So then what do we do know?" Clementine asked.

"I have been scanning the crater to see if anything unusual about it. But it is a plain old volcanic crater that is filled with lava."

"Then we should get down. The other may have found- wait I have a transmission from below." Rena stopped talking and received the voice transmission. Soon her face became serious. She turns around and says, "The team below has successfully searched the whole island. It seems there are no openings. What do we do now?"

"Well, we don't have any other option aside from searching this place again." 

While Rena and Clementine were discussing the issue at hand Magnus decided to venture a little on his own. He reached very close to the crater. The gravity in this location is much harder than previously and even Magnus himself is also overwhelmed by it. Because of the smoke and Thunderstrike, he has to be very cautious about his steps. 

"Hey Magnus what are you doing??" On the other hand, Clem and Rena also noticed Magnus's unusual behaviour. 

After a few minutes, Magnus reached the edge of the cliff above the crater. Below the cliff, there is magma that can instantly melt a living being. Magnus stood atop the cliff and looked down below. He then uses his Qi sense along with his brain scanner. Both scanners are different but since Magnus possesses both his scans can become even more powerful and detailed than any cultivator. 

The entire crater was scanned properly by him previously but this time he decided to do it again. Illusion art is one of the most powerful art that can confuse the hell out of anyone. Magnus already thought of the idea that this entire volcano could be an illusion but when he got hit by lightning intentionally he rolled that idea off. 

The Qi scan is burst forth from him and travels downward below the crater. The entire crater is filled with lava. But there is always a large tunnel that shoots lava upwards from below. Magnus wanted to know if there was any clue that he could find. IF not Magnus has to make the inevitable decision that he thought of.

Jumping down the crater full of Magma is not an uncommon thing that cultivators can do. There are stories and folklore about them all over the world. Even Rena and Clementine understood Magnus's behaviour cause they also knew that this outcome may raise.

"Neil. That's not your regular lavas. People who do that are all above level 50. They can manipulate their Qi well and their Qi are too dense that even hot lava can't penetrate. But we are all level 30 cultivators. Our Qi can't withstand this much hot lava. And we have to go downwards who knows how long." Rena shouted from behind him. Clementine stood there silently.

But Magnus is still too caught up in the search. Soon after diving deep around 30 meters or so Magnus found the tunnel that brings lava from below. Just as he is about to scan farther he notices a curving at the opening of the tunnel. Previously he missed them because they were very well hidden and it would take a very powerful sense if one managed to find it. Magnus quickly read the inscription.

"----[Only they of valorous spirit shall pass forth]----"

The moment Magnus read the inscribing he understood their meaning. He turns around and looks at Rena and Clementine.

"There's an inscribing below in front of the lava tunnel. Read it and you will understand." Both Clem and Rena are shocked to hear that and they quickly use their sense to search the crater bottoms. It took them a few minutes before they managed to find and read it. Both are horrified that their worst nightmare has come true. They quickly look at Magnus for an answer.

"Well like it said. We need to jump in that pool." Magnus replied with a sarcastic tone. 

But both Rena and Clementine were in denial. "Are they insane? What the fuck they think it's normal to jump in that thing." 

"It's probably some crazy old bastard idea or else why such an insane thing needs to add in a test."

Both Rena and Clementine start to vent their frustrations by cursing at the examiners. But Magnus on the other hand remained calm. He already thought of that outcome when he was below the foot of the mountain. But the lava is no joke. He can withstand 10 meters at best but the above that limit is impossible. His Qi is not dense enough to suppress such hot lava. 

'Although it is a very powerful training opportunity. I should note this down. When I go out I will search for a volcano to train myself.' Magnus thought to himself as he became more excited about the possible training result.

"Hey, are you even listening?" Rena shouted at Magnus. 

"Stop shouting and think calmly. If this is the only option then we will need to figure out something. Call everyone here. Say that we have found the entrance." Magnus then looked at Clementine and asked silently, "Have you sense you sense anything?"

Clementine nodded her head and replied, "She was here." 

"Okay." 

'If her master is here that means the entrance is below. I can't withstand the lava with my Qi and neither anyone here. Unless I am missing something.'

Magnus took a look again in the crater below. This time he used his senses again to venture farther below the tunnel. Alongside that, he started to take note of the tunnel length and width. Around 50 meters down the tunnel Magnus finally found something interesting. If he were to go any further he is blocked by something invisible down below. Which means whatever that is there is the actual opening.

"Hey, I called everyone. They will be here shortly. Have you found anything else?" Rena asked.

Magnus then retrieves his senses looks at both of them and says, "Well we can't dive with our Qi as a protective barrier. The lava will melt it instantly and there's also the issue of constant increasing pressure the farther we dive down." Magnus stopped for a second looked down at the crater and said, "So I suggest that we should team up."

"What do you mean by team up?" Clementine asks.

"If one person cannot withstand the lava two people can. And if we combine all of our Qi to generate a dense enough Qi barrier that can withstand the hot lava and pressure underneath." 

"But for this, you will need a formation. It's not easy to control such an amount of Qi while under pressure." Rena said with concern.

"Well, that's something we need to figure out ourselves," Magnus says as he looks at both Rena and Clementine. Then he added, "Or else we will be stuck here for a long time."