Ming said, "I know that light... it is a test light. "Do you pass the test, you'll get a high-end Will."
He strode toward it. He approached it, and as he laid hands on the wall, he was zapped to a testing chamber. He glanced back and saw a stone tablet on which were carved the words: "Bone-Tempering Will."
He frowned. "Tch... That's all? I was hoping for more from the Planet of Beginnings. How disappointing. Well, this could be good for me."
"Let's start with the three trials," he said.
The next thing I knew, a demon emerged and spoke, 'I, will be the overseer of these trials. We will start with the first one. You need to break this illusion spell."
Without fear or reaction at all, Ming was standing as still as stone, gazing at the demon. The demon was impressed.
"Did you not even blink… your mentality is strong. You deserve to know my name. I am Dougu."
Ming said, "I'm Ming Wang."
"Alright, let's begin."
Ming said to himself, I will make this one my servant.
In the twinkling of an eyelid Dougu had disappeared, but Ming was not astonished.
"I was so much faster than he was," he muttered.
He began walking, conscious of each step. When he made it to 100,000, he took one final step, closed his eyes and opened them, to see himself in a field of red and pink Yunin flowers.
Ming whispered, "Pink... my mom Mina loved these. And red… those were my father Wang's favorite.
Ming whispered, "Pink... they were a big favorite with my mother Mina. And red … those, he says, "were my father Wang's favorite."
He kept walking till he spotted them—his mother and father standing there. He froze in shock.
"How? You both died ten days ago..."
Mina smiled, "Come, my son! Let's live together again."
Wang sat beneath a tree and, resting his son's head on his lap, said, "My son, go to sleep now."
Mina clung to him as he charged at them… only to whip out a knife and drive it into Ming, her face twisted with a mix of melancholic rage.
"My son... avenge me..." she said.
Ming cried out, "I will!"
Wang glared at him and replied, "Traitors will pay for this.
Everything disappeared.
Ming sprawled on the earth, overtaken by fatigue. Dougu appeared, clapping.
"I congratulate you, Ming. That's because this world isn't worthy of it. Your true place is in Hell."
He handed Ming some water. Ming drank and felt relief.
Dougu said, "Good. Now for the second test…this will hurt."
Ming collapsed, too fatigued to continue on. Dougu appeared, clapping.
"I congratulate you, Ming. This world is not worthy of someone like you. Your true place is in Hell."
He handed Ming some water. Ming drank and felt relief.
Dougu said, "Good. And for the second time... this one will hurt."
Ming nodded, "Let's begin."
Iron fetters rose out of the earth and mingled with the golden.
"Why are there gold and iron chains?" Ming asked.
Dougu smiled devilishly. "You'll see."
It suddenly became dark and a huge lightning bolt hit Ming's head. But he swallowed it, heart weighty with pain, refused to scream it out.
Dougu was amazed. I've lived for 1000 years, and one like that survives a bolt like that… what kind of demon is he?
Then he noticed something.
"That's no ordinary soul… that's the Eye of Transcendence Gray…. freshly conceived."
The bolt ended.
"How many trials left?" Ming said.
Dougu replied, "Two more."
"Let's begin."
The clouds coalesced into what appeared as a kind of portal to another world. A magnificent tiger-shaped bolt of lightning fell from above. Ming bit his teeth togehter and groaned through his teeth, not a scream.
Dougu was stunned. "This here ain't a boy… he's a demon, just like me.
Panting, Ming said, "Was that it?"
"Just stop that, Brother Ming Dougou took it. You've won."
oMing replied, "How could I win before I finish?"
Dougu was impressed again. "Very well."
The ground shook.The sky
looked like it would explode.
Then the dragon-shaped bolt of lightning, pure power, descended from the air. When it hit Ming, he cried out with the voice of billions in pain. And there his face was, half of it, and his long black hair burnt, it was half-burnt. He collapsed.
"You are amazing… you've traversed the underworld," Dougu said.
The gave him more of the water of life, and it healed his wounds. Ming revived after half an hour.
"Brother Ming, you are too powerful," Dougu said.
Ming laughed, "What now? Want to become my follower?"
Dougu smiled, "Maybe… if you survive the final test."
"What is it?"
"You must hit me. Land a single blow."
"Alright."
Both were now in the middle. The fight began.
Ming played Dark Seal, but Dougu roled and hit him in the back.
Ming regrouped in a flash, altering his pattern and engaging with more abandon.
Dougu felt he had no plan at all, but Ming was thinking:
Not only is there a Seal of Darkness that freezes time for 3 seconds. It has a 95% chance of doing so. But has a secret function — it can move up to five meters. I'll save that for when it's useful." And then, for just a second, Dougu blinked.
Ming grinned and activated the Seal, mounting in front of him and sliced his forehead.
Dougu was shocked.
"Congratulations," he said. "You have acquired the Will: Bone-Tempering."
Ming said, 'Dougu, you didn't leave something in there, did you?'
Then Dougu's servant shall be shamed, I for a servant will be shaming all demonkind, answered he. But I will go with you… when you get to Bone-Tempering!" Deal?"
"Deal," said Ming. "Let's leave the formation."
They turned back to the mountain top.
Dougu said, "Eighty years ago, this cave was occupied by a demonic sect.
Ming nodded, "That's true."
That was when Dougu saw someone on the ground.
He asked, "Who is this? Is that Wang?"
Pain and calm, he replied, “No… Wang is dead. This is my brother. Can you heal him?"
Dougu knelt and checked.
"His core is unstable. There is no cure apart from the seed of the Lords of Devil's Peak, that is the only way to heal."
"That's what I'm trying to become," Ming said.
Dougu grinned, "Well I believe I have the perfect fix for that!"
To be continued