Letting Bygones be Bygones

As the turbulent dust filled the pit, Neebo landed amidst the chaos he has brought. The power Neebo had unleashed was felt even by the sealed spider creature inside the floating canvass. At first, the spider creature never expected such power to be coming from a weak and puny human. Even though it was sealed, the creature wasn't blind to what was happening around it.

Grecian detected that only Neebo and Zhu Hongwu was conscious, the rest were knocked off by Neebo's attack. Zhu Hongwu was badly beaten and exhausted from their exchange, and after receiving Neebo's sudden attack, Zhu Hongwu was left in a very miserable state.

Noticing the hostility of Neebo towards everyone around him, Grecian deducted that this kid must've been held captive by these human cultivators. Sensing Neebo's meager cultivation, Grecian knew that it couldn't take Zhu Hongwu even in this state. It took this opportunity and as Grecian struggled to break free from its seal, it found out that it could still send its divine sense out. Thus, Grecian sent its divine sense towards Neebo and sent him a message.

"Free me and I shall protect you!"

Neebo heard the eerie voice from within his head and he knew it came from the sealed spider creature. He trembled in fear that the spider creature had took notice of him, it was something that Neebo knew he couldn't deal with.

"Make haste! Don't even think that with your power you could take that guy on by yourself!"

"Remove the seal and free me, let me take them on for you!"

Neebo's fear was overwhelmed with pressure, what the spider creature had told were all the truth. He couldn't spare a moment of spacing out, he had just emptied his internal energy with that attack and he was left with no options other than to cling unto the only option that had presented to himself, which was to free the spider creature.

"Remove the seal now, the rest are about to wake up!"

Neebo was greatly alarmed, but he still couldn't take the words of the spider creature as it is. He needs security from what the spider creature had promised. Neebo dashed into the turbulent dust and aimed for the greatsword which had sealed the spider creature.

Zhu Hongwu followed Neebo's actions and predicted what Neebo was up to. It was at that moment that Zhu Hongwu trembled in panic. Neebo was going for his greatsword that had been functioning as the spider creatures seal lock. If Neebo removed it, the creature that they had struggled to seal with would breakout from the seal and wreak havoc.

"Stupid brat, Stop!" Zhu Hongwu roared as he erupted with what energy he was left.

'I need time!' Zhu Hongwu thought to himself, he needs a few minutes to circulate his energy and blast Neebo out from the seal.

Neebo arrived before the greatsword and grabbed unto its hilt with all his strength, "Swear! If I free you, I need to guarantee that you would keep your word!" Neebo spoke as if talking to someone.

Zhu Hongwu knew then that the spider creature was communicating with Neebo, and was manipulating Neebo from the seal. And after a few moments, the eerie voice of the spider creature resounded from the seal. "Kwakakakak I swear! By the blood of my ancestors, I Grecian the Spider Emperor shall become your mount for a hundred years! Kwakakakakakak"

Neebo knew that releasing the spider creature will bring about disaster, but if the spider creature promised to be placed under his control then it might be a better situation.

"Don't! We don't know what that creature is capable of! Don't trust its words!" Zhu Hongwu pleaded Neebo.

Neebo heard Zhu Hongwu's word, and he was torn.

"Neebo, that foreign creature is one of the reasons why the Nefarious Sanctuary is heavily sealed! If you release that thing out from the seal, it would become a disaster that will bring about destruction! I don't know about your circumstances, but I beg you to stop!" Zhu Hongwu spoke sincerely

"Kwakakakak Humans, they will play dirty tricks! Don't take me as your kind, I am Grecian the Spider Emperor! Kwakakakak" Grecian retorted.

Neebo was swayed back and forth, he knew that both sides couldn't be trusted. But for all he knows, this Grecian cannot be released from its seal. Neebo looked into Zhu Hongwu and spoke, "Promise me freedom!"

Zhu Hongwu was caught off guard, Neebo showed sincerity in his words. It shows that Neebo has yet to make his decision. Deep inside, Zhu Hongwu smiled, he was dragging time and making sure to have enough energy whatever may occur. He nodded and agreed to Neebo's terms. "I will take you away from this place. The strength that you have displayed is promising, you have a lot of potential that we could nurture. Release your hands from the seal and get away from it!" Zhu Hongwu instructed.

"Kwakakakak little boy, do you believe his words? Release me now, his just wasting time for the others to wake up! Kwakakakak" Grecian pressured Neebo.

Neebo felt aggrieved by what Grecian had said, if Zhu Hongwu was really lying to him then he couldn't trust his words. He gripped the sword tighter and gaze furiously towards Zhu Hongwu, "I can't trust both of your words! But if I die today, I shall die knowing that everyone of you, including this Havel Grove kingdom will follow me in the afterlife!"

Neebo was determined to release the seal, Neebo looked up, his memories were a blur, his life was meaningless, what kept him alive was his desire to become an immortal. Be deep inside, he knew, that he never put much effort into it. He asked himself, 'Why am I still alive?'. His grip tightened even more, he thought that the life under his captors would be a life of humiliation that he would never want. And if releasing this seal will bring about the destruction of those that took away his life, his family, his kingdom; it would be worth it.

"Kwakakakak I promise to kill everyone for you little boy! Kwakakakak" the eerie voice resounded with its laughter.

Zhu Hongwu panicked; He didn't show his sincerity. "Wait!"

Neebo paused and his blank eyes moved towards where Zhu Hongwu was, He had the visage of someone who was ready to accept his fate, his death. But he still wanted to live, and so he waited for Zhu Hongwu's words.

'please, give me the way out that I wanted' in his mind, Neebo wanted Zhu Hongwu to save him.

Zhu Hongwu understood this gaze. Zhu Hongwu knew who this slave was; he was the seventh Prince of his kingdom, he had lived a carefree life and after being captured by Prince Archilles, he had lived as a prisoner inside the Nefarious Sanctuary. But surprisingly he had evolved into someone who could knock a peak level Foundation Establishment Stage expert.

Zhu Hongwu struggled to stand up, and Neebo let Zhu Hongwu take his time. Zhu Hongwu knew that he had to be sincere if he wants to persuade Neebo, and so he took a deep breath and gaze seriously back at Neebo.

"I have never taken any disciples in my life, and I don't have any time to spare to nurture one, anytime soon. Even though you're just a first level Qi Condensation Stage Cultivator, not even deserving to become an outer sect disciple; the most I could do for you is to take you in as an apprentice, an attendant; and grant you the privileges of an inner sect disciple of the Heavenly Sword Mountain Sect. If you accept, the Heavenly Sword Mountain Sect will provide you with the protection that you need, the freedom that you seek, and the opportunity to live life meaningfully." Zhu Hongwu took out an object out of thin air, it was a wooden medallion that had the symbol of the Heavenly Sword Mountain Sect. Zhu Hongwu manipulated it with his Qi and sent it floating towards Neebo.

"This is my medallion. If you accept, I will do my best to protect you as my apprentice disciple of the Heavenly Sword Mountain Sect. And the day that I leave this place, is the day that I shall take you with me away from this place. Until then, you can stay beside me." Zhu Hongwu spoke sincerely.

Neebo's face blushed with colors, this was what he was waiting for. It was his way out from Prince Archilles' leash. He could become an apprentice disciple and live under the protection of the Heavenly Sword Mountain Sect.

Sensing what was transpiring outside, Grecian felt alarmed. He had to lure Neebo in his grasp if he wants to escape from this seal.

As Neebo was about to grab Zhu Hongwu's medallion, a bloody essence burned brightly before Neebo. It had complex symbols within it, as it had an appearance of a seal with intricate symbols.

"Kwakakakak This is a blood oath! A contract of me becoming your servant for a hundred years! Place a drop of your blood to complete it, and I will burn to death if I don't keep my words! Kwakakakak" the eerie voice of Grecian resounded.

"Neebo, don't make the wrong decision." Zhu Hongwu told Neebo.

Neebo, knew that all of these were conditions that was too good to be true. And although he wanted to immediately grab Zhu Hongwu's proposal, having the blood oath of the spider creature as a servant was very much alluring as well. It was a creature that could destroy worlds, and Neebo thought that the spider creature was a weapon he wanted to have.

Neebo moved to grab Zhu Hongwu's medallion when Grecian's eerie voice resounded, "I can give you power and protection, more than you could ever imagine! Kwakakakak"

"How should I know that you are not scheming for my death? I don't even know what this blood oath is all about!" Neebo responded to Grecian.

"Kwakakakak the blood oath is the strongest and purest contract our Nine Seas Demon World have. By accepting the contract, my life is bounded with yours; if you die, I die too! Kwakakakak this is my sincerity little boy, I am yours for a hundred years! Kwakakakak"

Zhu Hongwu noticed how desperate the creature was, he had nothing more to offer Neebo. All he could do now was to brace as to whatever Neebo chose to take.

Neebo's eyes burned bright. Whatever he chooses, he would be protected by a mighty figure.

Nonetheless Neebo needed to make a decision immediately; if the others wake up, who knows if he still had these choices to take.

Neebo made his move. He used the sharp edge of the greatsword and slid a finger against it, creating little wound. This action was witnessed by the weak Zhu Hongwu, and it was then that Zhu Hongwu knew that Neebo chose to side with the foreign lifeform. He readied himself for an all-out battle against it and took this time to circulate his internal energy. Zhu Hongwu needed whatever energy he could come up with.

Neebo placed a drop of his blood into the blood oath, and as the drop of blood merged with the blood oath, the blood contract burned and flown into the seal. At that moment, the floating canvass that had been sealing the spider creature trembled. The spider image within the canvas had disappeared from within. Within the trembling canvass a Dark Qi emerged from the inside. As it slid its way out from the seal, it made its way into Neebo's forehead and disappeared. Neebo was terrified and was caught off guard, he felt a soft slap in his forehead, as he checked his body.

"What did you do?" Neebo asked.

"Be at ease, the blood oath had been completed. And your body shall now become my refuge until the contract is done." Grecian's voice responded to Neebo inside his head.

Neebo was enlightened and smiled in satisfaction.

Zhu Hongwu had already begun to compose himself gloomily, as he circulated his energy and take this opportunity to replenish whatever strength he was able to come up with.

It was at that moment that Neebo grab unto Zhu Hongwu's medallion and said in full confidence, "Am I now deserving to become an inner sect disciple of your prestigious Heavenly Sword Mountain Sect, Senior?"