Chương 21: Dignity

"Master!" Prince Archilles called out to Meng Fu, and seeing that the situation had calmed down, Prince Archilles ran towards his master.

Leaning in front of Meng Fu, Prince Archilles saw how weak and feeble his master had become. Meng Fu seemed to age a lot, before; Meng Fu looked quite powerful as a middle age man. But now, he had become a weak old person.

Still, Meng Fu's eyes show a lot of vitality. As he gazes back at his disciple, Meng Fu felt satisfied. He wouldn't have burnt his life's essence if not for the safety of his disciple; whom he had finally found after the long years of not taking in any. Meng Fu placed his right hands towards Prince Archilles shoulders and smiled.

"I will be fine, everything's under control now." Meng Fu's voice still had that same tone of reassurance, but had become huskier.

"What should we do about it?" Zhu Hongwu who still stood alert pointed towards the spider creature.

"Kyakakakakak! Huuuuman scuuuum! Release me at this instaaaaant!" the spider creature's eerie voice howled as it struggled to pull out its limbs from the boiling purple Qi that was binding it.

Bai Feng probed Meng Fu's Abyssal Life Seal, "Elder Meng, this Seal?"

Meng Fu weakly understood the confusion of Bai Feng as he laughed softly before replying, "Brother Bai, apologies if I had kept it from everyone. I was experimenting on to a stronger seal and had a fateful encounter that led to an epiphany, which gave me this somewhat incomplete Seal."

"Incomplete! How can you say so Elder Meng? This Abyssal Life Seal or what you have called could be said to be on par with Elder Zhu's, Heavenly Sword Mountain Sects; Celestial Sword Seal!" Bai Feng retorted.

Zhu Hongwu on the other hand listened to their conversation. But deep inside him too, was amazed at how skillful Elder Meng Fu was at Formation Flags and Seals. To be able to create his own seal on par with the world's top Seals.

"You're truly a genius Elder Meng" Zhu Hongwu added.

"Kyaaaaaaaaaaaakakakakak!" Hearing the conversation of its enemies, the spider creature let out a powerful ear-piercing howl, as it could not accept its defeat.

Zhu Hongwu made a move by grabbing his greatsword as he pulled out the Celestial Sword Seal that was holding the dark energy below ground; golden Qi began to erupt from Zhu Hongwu and into his greatsword.

A dozen of golden sword Qi emerged from behind Zhu Hongwu and rotated in circular motion, like thin golden lines creating a regal silk that rotated in circular motion. And as Zhu Hongwu thrust his greatsword into the spider creature, an image of a golden circular canvas rotated and enshrouded the spider creature along with the combined power of the Abyssal Life Seal. This was the other form of the Celestial Sword Seal; 'as a swordsman, one must be as gentle in using the sword as if using a paintbrush; the world as his canvas; the world beneath the swordsman.' This was the Heavenly Sword Mountain Sects Creed. Domineering and imposing; cruel yet soft and gentle.

Both Seal's created a synchronization that combined its forces intro a far stronger and more complete seal. The golden circular canvas was now imbued with purple radiance, an image of a spider creature trapped by gold and purple mud emerged from the canvas.

The seal hang in the air, as it was trapped by the combined forces of both powerful Seal's. Zhu Hongwu's greatsword was plunged below the floating canvas; as it became the lock that imprisoned the spider creature within the Seal.

…

Outside the Nefarious Sanctuary, the stormy clouds pop out of nowhere was slowly being kept at bay by the Protective Formation of Hazel Grove kingdom. Like a net, the Protective Formation had a golden net that covered the turbulent dark clouds. This gave the people outside a sigh of relief. Now, all that was left for them to worry about was the condition of the people that went inside the Nefarious Sanctuary. Most especially, their Prince Archilles who had fought a demon slave inside.

King Cedric comforted his wife Queen Elara; he placed her arms over her shoulders, and the Queen held on to it tightly.

"Will Archilles be fine?" Queen Elara worriedly questioned.

"Archilles has been strong and courageous all his life. With Elder Meng and the rest going inside, I'm sure he will be safe" King Cedric replied.

Queen Elara hugged became even tighter, as her uneasiness couldn't be cured just yet.

…

The crowd inside the Amber Palace of the Hazel Grove kingdom was maid servants that were kept in training. Among them were the group of girls and ladies that was brought along with Neebo, Lila and Leia. Both were kept inside the palace for training, to become Royal maids. Inside the palace, news of Neebo transforming into a demon and was consumed by the corrupted dark energy, had spread like wildfire. And they too, witnessed the dark clouds that brew from afar. And they knew that it was the direction that Prince Archilles went to, to slay the demon slave, Neebo.

Lila felt worried; she was worried about what might happen to Prince Archilles. She was like most of the Royal maids in training. She tried to join along the other girls who were very concerned of Prince Archilles; Prince Archilles was the one they were motivated to serve in the first place. He was their ultimate goal. They gathered around praying for Prince Archilles safety, and curses the demon slave Neebo for the tribulation that their kingdom was suffering.

Leia on the other hand, felt disturbed. Ever since the news of Neebo transforming into a demon, Leia did not believe it to be the truth. She did not believe the rumors regarding the Nefarious Sanctuary, so she thought that Neebo might've gone crazy, being isolated in there alone for a month. But never in her mind did she believe Neebo turning into a senseless demon.

Amidst the chaotic clouds, Leia felt flabbergasted at the connection with the dark clouds and the dark energy within the sanctuary. 'Seems like there is a bit of truth behind the rumors circling around.' Leia thought to herself. But she still thought that Neebo wouldn't go as far as transforming into a demon himself.

Suddenly, Leia was taken aback at the realization of being concerned to the well-being of Neebo. She never had any feelings towards him, and they only been together for a week of travel. And most of those times were Neebo resting comfortably in her shoulders. Why would she be concerned for that prick? Leia asked herself as she shrugs it off. 'It must've been the rumors that were circling around. Since it's about a person I got acquainted with.' Leia affirmed herself.

…

Back inside the Nefarious Sanctuary where a thirty meter wide hole caved in fifty meters deep. An eerie wind blows as a person plunge deeper into it. And the deeper, the person goes, the faster your mind succumbs to the dense energy of corruption.

Even when Meng Fu and Zhu Hongwu had successfully sealed the pit along with the foreign lifeform, the dark energy that seeps out from the Spatial Crack, cannot be entirely contained. This also brought another threat within the Nefarious Sanctuary, who knows what creature would escape from the Spatial Crack and wreak havoc. They couldn't risk another creature as powerful as the spider creature to escape from the Spatial Crack. Thus, Meng Fu, Zhu Hongwu and Bai Feng have decided to venture into the Spatial Crack and reinforce the other side so that the Spatial Crack would be undetectable from foreign lifeforms.

What they settled with given the situation was to call for reinforcements, along with a group of young cultivators that would venture into the unknown domain and build an outpost to conceal the Spatial Crack from the other side. And while they wait for the reinforcements, Zhu Hongwu would stand guard and keep an eye out, while Meng Fu recuperates from his losses.

Meng Fu meditated for a while and circulated his remaining energy and composes himself from the battle that they were into. Since Meng Fu had forcefully broken through the Core Formation Stage, his Core was showing signs of crumbling. Cracks have appeared within the surface of his Core Qi. This is undeniably a huge injury for an Immortal Cultivator. And Meng Fu would need lots of resources to reform and solidify his Core Qi if he has any plans of cultivating in to a higher level in the future. Meng Fu then struggled to stand, and blanketed Bai Feng and Prince Archilles with his Qi.

Neebo who had been hiding at the edge of the pit was frightened; he also wanted to escape from this hell hole. He saw the incapacitated body of Ultgar who had fallen along with Neebo inside this pit, and thought that if he remained here, his end would be the same at that Ultgar. He staggered and cried, "Wait, bring me along! Please, I don't want to die in this place!" Neebo pleaded.

Meng Fu turned a blind eye against Neebo.

Bai Feng also didn't seem to hear Neebo's pleading; he had a deep impression of Neebo's shamelessness, back when he had been escorting Prince Archilles in his conquest.

Prince Archilles on the other hand had a gaze of focus towards Neebo.

"What? Are you showing kindness towards your enemy? Do you want to save him?" Meng Fu noticed Prince Archilles.

"Let him be! I'm quite detested with this kid. And given the density of dark energy within the pit, he would surely turn into a lifeless corps in a week's time." Bai Feng retorted.

Meng Fu's gaze was fixed on to Prince Archilles. With his spiritual senses, Meng Fu was able to witness Prince Archilles and Neebo's battle. He too was astounded that Neebo was able to acquire a Divine Arts despite being isolated inside the Nefarious Sanctuary. 'Divine Arts spreading and landing in the possessions of a mortal is not uncommon, He must've learned it from Ironfort kingdom.' Meng Fu thought.

Meng Fu also witnessed how undeniably defeated his disciple was, and so, if his disciple wishes to keep Neebo's life, Meng Fu would do so. It would greatly fuel Prince Archilles's determination to train harder and learn more from him. He was excited at this turn of events, even though he lost a ton of his life's essence, Meng Fu felt that what they had gain was far more rewarding. The future belongs to the next generation, and Meng Fu felt that it would be his pride and joy to see his only disciple become the strong and be known all throughout the Blue Pearl World, and become the peerless number one.

Prince Archilles seem to contemplate his decision towards Neebo; he looked towards his master and saw that his master had a warm smile on his face.

'Master must've understood my feelings. Today, I lost devastatingly against Neebo. And it cannot remain that way forever! I must train harder, and return the defeat that I had experienced. And that won't happen if Neebo won't be able to live to see the day of my victory.'

'Neebo must live!' Prince Archilles thought.

"I beg you; take me away from this place!" Neebo continued to plead as he knelt before Meng Fu who had been waiting patiently for Prince Archilles's decision.

Neebo understood what's happening; he hesitated to plead to Prince Archilles. He was his greatest enemy! He killed his family! He destroyed his kingdom! How can he plead for his life to the person who destroyed it?

Prince Archilles also understood Neebo, He smirked and said, "Save him!"