The Legend of Min Hong

Chapter 87: The Great Creator – The Inheritance Trials

"You had better go with him when he returns and pray that he is not too small-minded to refuse, because you are no longer welcome here. I have told you earlier that you're going with him, and I am not going to break my promise, neither will I allow you to." He added.

"Master! Please forgive Little Lin!" The little girl panicked as she hurriedly took to her knees.

Whilst all these were happening, the oblivious Min Hong was being transported within the multicoloured light pillar. Min Qing and Elder Yun were still cultivating when they sensed something abruptly surge out of Min Hong's body into the clouds.

But as they were about to panic, his vice floated into their minds. "I'm fine, I am just making some cultivation preparations." The moment he finished his statement, he used the 'Eye of Infinite Dao' to open the ancient door as the ancient aura began to leak out of his body again.

But this time, it was even thicker, purer and more potent than before. Elder Yun and Min Qing who had found a cave within the dense and cold jungle near the border of the East Wind Empire instantly began to absorb the ancient aura.

All these took a bit of time to write but actually happened simultaneously and in less than one breath. From the sensing of the aura, to his statement and the opening of the ancient door within his Mind Palace, which caused the ancient aura to be released once more.

Moments later, Min Hong's life force began to wane and decrease until it vanished like a fleeting smoke. Min Qing instantly became flustered as she flew into full panic mode.

She rushed over to Min Hong's side as she cried to Elder Yun. "What is going on with Hong-ge, Elder Yun?" Her voice had already begun to quiver as she asked.

"He is fine. His preparations must have taken a unique turn for his life force to begin to wane. But if he was dead, then you would be unable to sense the ancient aura which is still leaking out of his body." Elder Yun explained.

"Whatever you are doing Hong-ge, don't die. Don't leave Little Qing alone in this world. I am not ready to lose you too." Despite Elder Yun's explanation, Min Qing refused to leave Min Hong's side as she placed his head on her laps and refused to continue cultivating.

Min Hong's soul had long left his body, almost immediately after he opened the ancient door within his Mind Palace as he was taken higher into the sky by the multicoloured pillar of light.

As they soared into the higher and higher into the clouds, it gradually began to feel more like a spiritual journey. He looked downwards and could see the cave where his body was become smaller, the he also saw the entire jungle also become smaller gradually.

Before long the entire border of the East Wind Empire was in full view and was also growing smaller, the further he was carried into the sky. He could also see a huge landscape of desert on the north-western side of the East Wind Empire borders.

"So, that is the border of the Dogon Empire." He thought to himself as he saw what was their destination.

The higher he went the better he could see the full view of these two continents. The Dogon Empire was to the North-West of the East Wind Empire and was a stark difference even just by viewing their landscapes alone.

Whilst the East Wind Empire appeared green with a bit of blue here and there signifying life, nature and water, the Dogon Empire was just a desolate yellow with occasional patches of black. But he was very sure that, there would definitely be life in it.

As he soared higher and higher, he could also see another continent to the North-Eastern side of the East Wind Empire which was covered in blue, with several green patches over it.

This only showed that it was most likely an ocean, but this was on a larger scale. In fact, one could take away a hundred Atlantic Oceans from it and it would still have little to spare. It was that huge, but only slightly bigger than its neighbouring empires.

On the Northern side of the East Wind Empire was what Min Hong knew to be the Meng Dynasty. They were the royals and the overlord clan of the entire Great Meng Continent. It was a haven, as it had the most perfect blend of its surrounding landscapes.

To its west, it took a bit of desert land from the Dogon Empire, a bit of Jungle and Forest from the East Wind Empire in its south. A bit of bluish ocean from its East. So, it basically had all types of landscape in near-equal proportions.

This made this landscape a perfect region for the overlord of the entire Meng Continent; the Meng Clan to set its roots. To the North of the Meng Clan is a huge body of water that was obstructed by roiling clouds, lightning storms and other dangerous weather anomalies.

This disaster-stricken body of water was bordering another continent to its north. When Min Hong got the bird's eye view of this part of his world, he was already out of the worlds atmosphere and was within space itself.

From there he could see that the Meng Continent was to the south of a particular enormous region that was about five times its size. Then on the four cardinals of this enormous region were four continents with the Meng continent on the south and three others surrounding it.

Min Hong then looked upwards and saw their own space. This space was decorated with many brilliant stars in the distance and he could see several planets and their entire solar system in full view with its sun and moon. These planets were over twelve in number.

He wasn't even given the time to take in the view before everything in sight abruptly blurred.

The Pillar of multicoloured light he was currently within was moving at an immeasurable speed. In fact, Min Hong had to shut his eyes to prevent any unknown phenomenon from harming the eye of his soul.

After what seemed to be an hour, even at this insane speed. The pillar of light slowed down and Min Hong opened his eyes. But what greeted his sight was pure darkness, like the purest of the purest form of true darkness.

But when he looked forward, he could see a tiny dot of light and as they approached this gradually magnifying spot of light, the pillar of light began to slow down. When they got to the source of this beacon-like light. Min Hong nearly choked to death from fear.

The bright spot of light was actually a humanoid figure with no feature to define it, asides from the fact that it had a head, a neck, a body, two arms with five fingers on each and two legs with two feet. He was unable to count the toes because there was only one.

So, either the figure was putting on a form of footwear or it really had only one to big enough to form its feet. But the former was more logical than the latter.

But then, everything that has been happening recently had defied logic, so it might as well be the later. Who knows?

This humanoid figure was glowing with starlight. Multiple colours just like the pillar of light that brought him here were glowing from its body. The moment he arrived, the pillar of multicoloured light that brought him here shot into the humanoid figure and disappeared.

It was like the pillar of light was part of his body that could be morphed, removed and sent out at will. But this figures body looked like it contained trillions of galaxies that were just glittering on and off. It was a truly mystical and magnificent sight to behold.

Then a flat voice, one which carried no sense of emotion, but was primordial, overbearing and legion-like [a million voices echoing within one.] was emitted from the humanoid figure as it spoke in a foreign tongue, that for some mystical reasons, Min Hong clearly understood.

"There are innumerable Daos in existence, but only a five are the primary Daos, a few others are the secondary Daos and many more are the tertiary Daos. Of the primary Daos only four are known and I have been trying to comprehend the strongest one which is the strongest."

"But since time is short and the forces of darkness are almost here, I have no choice but to add more creations into my ranks and perhaps if we are many and are able to combine our various enlightenment, then maybe, we might just be able to comprehend it."

"This is the only way these forces of darkness can be defeated and also the only way to ensure the survival and continuity of all existence. Since you have been chosen as the net candidate to inherit either all of my wealth or part of it, you may speak" The entity spoke.

"This unworthy speck of dust, Min Hong, would like to know if you are the 'great creator'?" Min Hong bowed to his extremities as he respectfully asked his first question.

"I have been called that by many. I have no name and at the same time I am all names." The entity calmly responded to Min Hong without any form of arrogance or superiority to its tone.

"There are three trials for to my inheritance. The first is the Dao inheritance, the second is the Bloodline inheritance and the Last of them all, is the 'Realm of Creation' which is the realm from which you came here."

"If you pass your Bloodline trials, you shall be rewarded with a bloodline. The rank of the bloodline you're rewarded with will be based on how close your response is to the perfect answer."

"These bloodlines are ranked in the order; Earth, Ancient, Heaven and Primordial." The 'great creator' explained.

"To inherit the 'Realm of Creation' you must have fulfilled at least passed the other two trials; That is, you must have obtained a bloodline, and you must have comprehended the Dao you are given." It added.

"Lastly, Daos are ranked in the order; Natural, Special, Supreme, Ancient and Primordial. The rank of the Dao you shall be allowed to choose a single Dao from shall be determined by your response and your affinity with it."

"That is all the instructions you need to keep in mind when answering the trials. Before we begin, I want to show you a story about the questions you will be asked. If you answer all of them correctly, you will find your rewards greater than what your mind can ever conceive."

"Furthermore, the first question you will be asked would determine the type of bloodline you shall inherit, while the second question shall determine which Dao you shall inherit."

"Once again, as for the Dao trial, there are no wrong answers since whatever you say originates from your own perspective and opinion of the story. Thus, since all opinions should be respected, you will still be rewarded anyways." The 'great creator' added.

Then it waved its arm and starlight spilled out of it creating something like a screen within it. Then a scene appeared within the screen and as Min Hong gazed towards it, his soul was suddenly drawn into it as he began to live the story.

In its first scene, Min Hong found himself within an empty void, alone and without anything in sight. After staying that way for a very long time which felt like aeons, a feeling finally surged within him. It was a defiant feeling, one that rejected this utter loneliness it was having.

Then when that feeling surged to its peak, a mindless black mass of gaseous cloud abruptly appeared within this empty space. When this black cloud appeared the feeling of loneliness within Min Hong reduced significantly. So, he immediately began to interact with it.

But this black cloud was not sentient and mindless, so it didn't respond but was just hovering there and morphing into different shapes and forms. After another long period of one-sided boring interaction, another defiant feeling began to surge within his heart once again.

Then when the feeling surged to its peak again, Min Hong spoke, but strangely his language was that of the 'great creator' as he said. "How I wish you could respond to me and possess sentience like me, that way I would not be feeling this lonely and empty."

The moment he said that, a strange mystical sensation spread out and entered this black gas cloud.

Then it replied to Min Hong, but instead of in a friendly manner, it sounded somehow hostile, like it had been fermenting its anger for a very long time.

"What took you so long to grant me my sentience. You were given the power to do this and you withheld it from me and was showing off to me. Do you know how wicked, unreasonable and humiliating that is?"

"Hmph! You are not capable of wielding the 'words of power' and you have deeply abused its use. In two aeons, we will have a battle to decide who will be the new owner of the 'words of power'..." A younger voice raged from within the black gas cloud in a similar language.

"Do you dare accept?" the voice added.

The story-mode Min Hong, who only wanted to have a friend and partner, someone who could put an end to the loneliness and emptiness raging within him would naturally not want to fight the only partner he had.

But compared to the return of his partner, the 'words of power' was worth nothing. So, he accepted the challenge. "If that makes us friends once again, then I accept..." he replied.

Two aeons passed by in the blink of an eye and sure enough, the black gas cloud arrived. The battle raged on for millions of years and at the end, the story-mode Min Hong claimed victory. But for some reasons unknown to him, the black glass cloud refused to reconcile.

Then instead it went crazy as it bellowed. "If I can't have it, then I will make sure you can have a peaceful life either." Using an unknown art, the black gas cloud detonated its sentience and used it to power-up the black mass of gas cloud.

Then the mindless black clouds began to swell, increasing in size, aura, power and was gradually becoming destructive as several fractures happened within empty space looking to destroy everything, including the story-mode Min Hong.

Min Hong then understood that if this new creation was left to its means, an apocalyptic catastrophe might ensue. So, he began to devise a way to stop the entity from going into a mindless rampage.

The story-mode Min Hong then spoke. "Since you so much crave to cause destruction, you shall be called 'Chaos' my friend. Min Hong named the black gas cloud.