Chapter 743. Determination and Sacrifice. A Dragon's Will.
Yasenia knew from the time she received her first Heavenly Tribulation that her path would never be an easy one.
She took it lightly, even if she almost died, and never brought up how truly scared she was at that time.
Since she was a child, Yasenia trained, studied, and spent most of her time becoming stronger and learning about cultivation.
Her first memory, other than being taken care of by Tatyana, was training. From the day she could walk, Yasenia has been training.
If it were not for her constitution, her body would've been sculpted with perfect muscles and almost no body fat. With a humanoid body and her large and heavy tail, there was just no way that she could maintain a feminine shape. Her tail had always weighed at least two times more than her human body. And yet, even when she was a mortal, Yasenia always kept it in the air.
She knew that she could just let the tail limp and drag it. But she always had it swishing behind her and moving around. Not because it was more comfortable but because it strengthened her core strength.
Almost everything she did, from when she was about eight months old to now, was strengthening herself one way or another. Even having fun with her dears at night was part of her dual cultivation training.
Even then, even when she poured everything into becoming stronger and also helping her lovers follow behind her without getting too far behind, the tribulations were still something that concerned her.
That day, when she entered the cultivation path, she saw three lightning bolts instead of the usual one, and she saw two unknown beings of unknown power, increasing the strength of her tribulation. When the first strike almost floored her, Yasenia knew. She knew her path would be like walking on thin ice; a wrong step, and she would plunge uncontrollably into the icy waters of death.
What scared her at that time was not dying.
Fear of death was never a thing Yasenia had because she knew that she was doing her best, and if she died, she would be able to accept it calmly.
What she feared at that time was her dearest's reaction. Tatyana's reaction.
After Tatyana confessed why she was brought into this World, she understood that the woman she called "mother" was like a candle without fuel, burning by the remaining liquid accumulated in the past. At any moment, that flame would disappear.
And Yasenia also knew that her existence was a new fuel for this woman at the end of the rope.
So, with all of this in mind, for the well-being of her mother, Yasenia resolved herself to become strong enough to at least fight by her side.
And yet, as if the world was mocking her, she learned that her mother was not a "normal" strong cultivator.
She was a being that could stomp her feet once and make an entire continent quake. A gaze would make millions bend their knees, and a wave of her hand could summon an army big enough to swallow the earth in a sea of undead creatures.
Catch up? Yasenia wanted to laugh in ridicule. If her mother was a normal cultivator, perhaps it was possible. Still, she was not only mind-bogglingly strong but also extremely talented.
Yasenia believed that Tatyana's talent was no less than her own. Perhaps she was more talented.
However, it didn't deter her.
RUMBLE!
The sky shook, and Yasenia looked up at the sky with a tight expression as her body felt like it weighed more than a mountain.
Her legs were bent 90 degrees, and she screamed at Yasenia that they couldn't resist the pressure.
Her tail, supporting her body with her powerful legs, also trembled as it dug into the strengthened soil to keep her body from falling.
'Why?'
Yasenia asked herself.
'Why am I not allowed to live?'
The Heavenly Tribulation was far more potent than what someone of her current talent and potential should have. It was clear that the all-encompassing and virtually omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent thing called "Heavens" was personally targeting her.
'Why must I bend my knees and surrender to their will?'
The Heavens were an existence to be revered. Even Yasenia knew it. How could any creature go against something like it? It was foolishness.
'But I will.'
Yasenia's golden eyes flashed when they reflected the light created by the 87 massive lightning serpents roiling in the dark clouds.
'I will not fall prey.'
She didn't feel resentment toward the Havens. Her birth was clearly something that challenged the natural balance.
However, while there was no resentment, Yasenia would never bow down.
Her will was to live long enough to see her baby absorb her Saint Inheritance, becoming a woman who would make everyone feel reverence for her talent and strength.
Her will was to live long enough to see her darling become someone admired by everyone for her crafts and strength, making everyone know that even without being born with a talent as high as the sky, she could reach the top.
Her will was to live long enough to see her dear digest her God's Inheritance and become a Goddess of the Sky, finally getting rid of her perpetual sense of inferiority.
Her will was to live long enough to, one day, see Kali without scars and smiling happily, eventually reaching her full potential and seeing her nine tails bloom.
Her will was to live long enough to see her sweetheart become the strongest Phoenix and see her standing proud, her silver wings stretching across the Heavens, and for her smile to bloom.
Her will was to live long enough to, one day, see her mother smile without burdens and love her long enough so that her trampled heart could heal all the scars.
"[COSMOS DRAGON IMPERIAL SUPPRESSION]!"
BOOM!
Her long black hair danced wildly as her bent knees slowly straightened.
'To live long enough, I must be strong. Stronger than anyone.'
The Celestial Energy Star in her dantian rotated, making the entire Solar System move rapidly, and with it, moving the gaseous energy stored in her Dantian. That energy is what she usually used, also called the "energy ocean."
RUMBLE!
Yasenia still couldn't move, and twelve of the 87 lightning bolts fell quickly, striking her without being able to defend herself.
BOOM!
The almost straightened legs bent again, her head bowing down as she resisted the powerful currents.
Her skin felt as if millions of ants were eating her, and electric arcs moved around her body, creating burns on her spotless skin.
"[Celestial Cosmos Immortal Body Technique: Cosmos Body Reinforcement]."
It was one of the skills she unlocked as she increased her Body Cultivation Realms. A pure skill that would increase her physical strength.
A part of her energy seeped out from her dantian, rushing along her meridians and exiting from the capillaries of the Meridian Net she had created the previous realm. That energy sank into her body and strengthened her muscles, bones, and internal organs.
Then, she pushed upward while gritting her teeth and tilting her head upward to look at the tempestuous sky.
RUMBLE!
This time, 15 Lightning Serpents fell down simultaneously.
"[Nascent Star Burst]!"
Her arm explosively rushed upward and met with the concentrated fire of the fifteen bolts.
A white light flooded the area, followed by an enormous explosion.
Yasenia felt her muscles and bones cracking, the pain unbearable enough for her to grunt in pain even while trying not to make a sound.
'Don't react. Don't react. Don't React.'
She chanted in her mind, trying to control her facial expression so that her watching dears wouldn't worry as much.
Looking at the remaining 55 lightning bolts, Yasenia's mind spun quickly as 25 Lightning bolts began moving. 'I've learned six skills in total from the Body Cultivation Scroll. In the first realm, I learned [Nascent Star/Moon/Sun Burst] and [Nascent Cosmos Art]. In the second realm, I learned [Star/Moon/Sun Burst Barrage] and [Cosmos Body Reinforcement]. In the Third Realm, I learned [Sun Crushing Palm], [Moon Splitting Palm], [Star Reaching Palm], and [Internal Cosmos Ignition].'
During a Body Cultivation Tribulation, she felt tremendous strain when trying to use her Spiritual Path skills. That's why, during her first tribulation and in the following two, she used just her body and Body Cultivation Techniques.
While thinking about what was about to come, Yasenia activated [Internal Cosmos Ignition].
This skill was a berserk skill similar to [Day and Night Cycle]. However, it was more direct in the sense that it didn't weave as many skills.
It was more of an extreme burst in physical strength and skill strength that would put a strain on the body the longer she used it.
When Yasenia activated it, all the energy in her body felt as if it was boiling, and a current of heat and strength filled her limbs.
BOOM!
With another aura burst, Yasenia managed to push back the suppression even more right as the 25 bolts rained on her.
After that, Yasenia activated [Nascent Cosmos Art], which was more of a combination of strikes instead of creating one powerful effect.
While using [Draconic Heart] as armored gloves, her movements became ethereal as she punched, kicked, and used her tail to fight back the 25 almost simultaneous attacks.
BANG! BANG! BANG!
Attacking one strike after another and tethering each of the blows to create a constant attacking motion, Yasenia fought back the attacks of the Tribulation.
Each time she struck one of the bolts, her entire body shook as if she was punching a metal plate, making her entire arm, leg, or tail recoil back.
However, pushing through the pain, Yasenia managed to block the first 24 strikes. Sadly, the last one was too quick, and she couldn't recover in time to strike back.
BOOM!
With a massive explosion, Yasenia was almost floored as her body burned with the powerful Tribulation Lightning.
The dragoness managed not to falter, standing in place and protecting against it. Even when her skin had a few painfully red spots, she still didn't fall.
Finally, without giving Yasenia much rest, the last 30 bolts fell.
From the outside, the 30 massive lightning serpents rushing downward toward the woman with a thundering roar was a terrifying sight.
Our girls felt a bit pale as Yasenia, with a body riddled with burns, faced this colossal strike.
Tatyana's fist clenched as Yasenia moved and pushed her palm skywards.
The energy in the surroundings gathered toward the dragon, and when the arm extended, a massive pressure spread around her.
"[Celestial Cosmos Palm]!"
An ethereal voice echoed in the surroundings, filling the area with unequal oppression.
Then, the image of a massive Dragon claw appeared and rushed upward, clashing with the bolts at a midway point.
BOOOM!
The sky shook with a massive explosion, but from the remnants, 15 lightning serpents rushed downward as strong as before.
Yasenia crouched, and, this time, she punched upward.
"[Nascent Celestial Burst]."
Another wave of immense energy moved from the dragon's dantian across her right arm and burst forth with a massive wave of energy.
Another sky-rending strike echoed because of the collision, but at the same time, Yasenia's damaged skin split, making blood burst.
Using two celestial skills consecutively placed a tremendous burden on her when the Heavens were suppressing her.
However, as if she didn't see her body breaking apart, another aura of similar strength gathered around her.
Tatyana's, Valeria's, and Mirrory's eyes hardened. A third Celestial Skill would probably break what Yasenia could resist.
The others didn't know why she started gathering energy again; after all, they thought that the remaining 15 serpents would be destroyed.
However, just 50 meters above Yasenia, the explosion's effects burst open as 5 of the biggest tribulation lightning bolts broke through.
"[Celestial Burst Barrage]."
Then, Yasenia's arms blurred as she punched five times in an instant.
Blinding blue light swallowed the surroundings, and Yasenia's attacks shot upward like light pillars, swallowing the remaining five lightning bolts.
The energy pillars didn't only destroy the bolts, but they continued upward, exploding five holes in the clouds above.
The leaders and others opened their eyes in awe and were about to cheer, but they saw Tatyana, Valeria, and Mirrory rush toward Yasenia at extremely high speed, Tatyana looking restless.
Before they could understand what was happening, Yasenia's skin, scales, and mouth erupted with blood, creating a harrowingly beautiful image of a dragon woman being illuminated by five light beams that crossed the dark clouds but surrounded by a blooming flower of bright red blood.
That instant, that moment when the blood was still in the air, shining because of the light, was engraved in each of the minds of the people spectating.