The Legendary F Rank

He stood still and watched as the army of cultivators were taking orders from Ruella who was standing within the main hall where there were many more of them inside. What she was saying was being passed down to the people at the back who couldn't quite hear what she was saying by other cultivators and they remained in an orderly line as they listened to what she had to say.

"You will be the last line of defence. Your job is to keep the citizens of Shanghai safe. And to do so you will make sure that they evacuate the city and do not return for any circumstance. We can't afford any mistakes that could end up getting someone innocent involved in this matter.

I know that for some of you, this will be your first taste of real combat. But don't let that scare you. There are two more lines of defence before you and we will do everything within our power to not let anyone get to you. All you have to do is guard those people who can't protect themselves.

If you can do that then you have done a good job and you will receive rewards for your contribution. As for those of you who have seen combat before and are itching for a fight, it is your job to join the second line of defence. You will be the ones who stop the enemy from getting anywhere near the mountains.

I will tell you this now though. Don't try to be a hero. For those of you who will think of this as a test to flex your ego, I am sorry to say but you will end up dead. The people we are up against this time are far too strong for even me to think of fighting alone. You will have no chance if you go off on your own and look for trouble. 

You will all need to stick together and work as a team. If you can't do that then you are free to leave. Just don't get in our way." Ruella said and then took a few seconds to weed out the troublemakers. 

But as she predicted no one decided to leave. She had raised the people of her sect from birth. There was no chance that any of them would abandon their brothers and sisters within the sect to seek glory for themselves. 

She smiled proudly at her students before addressing the stronger members of her clan. 

Haru had heard enough and didn't want to intrude any longer so he went to find Lao. Li Jn followed behind, making sure that he kept his presence hidden from everyone else but he was going to stay true to his word. He wasn't going to leave Haru's side until everything was over. He couldn't let his student face something like this alone. It wouldn't sit right with him and he would regret it if anything happened to Haru. 

Haru walked around the resort and entered many rooms on his search for Lao but there seemed to be no sign of him. That was until he entered the garden and he came across Lao crouched down beside Meiling on the grass. 

"I'm going to send you to a place where you will be safe. It is a place only I can go to so you can rest easy knowing that no matter what happens out here, nothing will happen to you. 

An old friend of mine is currently residing within the place you will go to so all you need to do is show him this token and he will allow you to enter. Although he might look a little bit scary to you, don't mind it too much. He is a very nice man and will keep you safe okay?" Lao asked with one hand on Meiling's shoulder. 

"Is it somewhere far away?" Meiling asked confused but Lao simply shook his head before handing her a small jade token with the shape of a dragon carved into it. 

"It isn't far away at all. It is a place that was created a long time ago and it's a place that can't be invaded by anyone. Only people with souls like ours can exist in there so you don't need to worry about the demons that are coming to earth." Lao spoke in a gentle tone while Meiling stood for a few moments before reaching out her hand and taking the token from him. 

"Okay then if your friend is really nice then I don't mind going there." Meiling smiled innocently. 

"Thank you. I think Haru will be able to fight better knowing that you will be safe." Lao smiled and Meiling giggled at the thought before she turned her head and saw Haru standing by the door, looking at them both. 

Her cheeks went a bright shade of pink as she looked up at him and she gasped. 

"You're sending her somewhere safe?" Haru asked before walking over now that he had been spotted. He knew that Lao could sense him but he didn't say anything because he was busy with Meiling. 

"Yes. I created a small world within my own consciousness many years ago. The only way to get there is if I give the go-ahead so it will be the safest place for her to be." Lao replied before looking over at Haru. 

"Mhm. I was thinking the same thing. I was going to ask Granny Lin to let her stay at the floating palace sect but your idea seems much better and I can be assured that she will be safe." Haru said before looking down at Meiling. 

"Then I guess I will see you when this is all over. Make sure you stay safe and don't do anything to get yourself into trouble, you little devil." Haru smiled at Meiling who was standing slightly behind Lao. 

Meiling nodded her head shyly but then without warning she charged Haru with her arms wide open and hugged him around his waist. 

"Then you have to be safe too! I don't want you to die like everyone else." Meiling clutched her eyes tightly closed and pressed her head against his stomach. 

"Okay, Okay. I promise that I will be safe. Just don't hug me to death before the fighting starts." Haru laughed.

He was worried about what was going to happen to her during this critical time but it seemed like Lao had already planned everything ahead of time. There wasn't much for him to do but to sit back and put his trust in the people around him. That seemed like it was for the better anyway. The last thing he needed was to be distracted by unnecessary thoughts. 

"Good." She smiled and then took a step back before looking up at Lao.

"I'm ready now." She said proudly and independently as if she was trying to act like an adult. 

"Hehe, Looks like the kid has a little crush on you." Li Jun laughed at the thought as Lao opened up a portal of white light that span like a vortex. 

"Maybe. She will grow out of it though. It's probably just admiration for the person who saved her. I have seen it before." Haru said with a little chuckle as he watched Meiling enter the vortex and then vanish into thin air. 

"Li Jun, Show yourself. I can sense you." Lao said as soon as Meiling had gone through the portal. 

"What really? I guess I am really losing my power. You could never sense me in the past." Li Jun said before making himself visible to Lao too. 

"Ha, You think that you can hide from a mighty dragon. You are mistaken human." Lao said in a threatening voice. Haru, Li Jun and Haru all went silent for a few moments before laughing. 

It had been a while since Lao had acted like a proud dragon but it was still within his nature if he was challenged. There was nothing left for them to do but to wait for the demons to arrive. 

The evacuation had already begun and the people Haru wanted to protect were all going to be safe. He didn't need to worry about anyone else now and it felt as if a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. Yet there was still something nagging at the back of his head. 

As he was speaking with Lao and Li Jun something interesting came up in the conversation. 

"Do you still have it?" Li Jun asked Lao with a smile. 

"Have what?" Lao seemed confused for a few moments before taking a glance at Haru and then remembering something that seemed important. 

"Oh… Do you mean that? Yeah, I still have it. Are you really sure about this? You know what will happen if anything happens to it." Lao asked with a suspicious tone to his voice like the thing they were talking about was something malicious.

"Yeah, it will but my mind at ease." Li Jun said before suddenly a small orb of red light appeared within Lao's hand and then held it out towards Haru.

Haru stopped for a few seconds to look at it. He had never seen anything like it in his life. It was just a simple ball of life but there seemed to be a feeling of life coming from within. It felt familiar to him but he couldn't understand where he had felt it before.

"What is it?" He asked before reaching out and taking it from Lao's hand. It fell silent once again before Lao looked up at Li Jun. Haru then followed suit and did the same. 

"Well, That is the fragment of Li Jun's life that is currently keeping me here. I guess you could say that it is my essence of life. Or the soul." Li Jun said with a smile as he looked at Haru.

"Your soul? Why would you give me something like this? Shouldn't you be keeping it somewhere safe?" Haru asked, confused as to what he meant by this. 

"Well, it is for precaution. If anything is to happen to you and your soul is on the verge of being destroyed then I will trade my life for yours." Li Jun smiled once again. 

Haru looked at him for a few moments and felt his heart throb slightly as a deep pain began to set in within his chest. 

"No, I can't ask you to do such a thing for me. I can't accept something so precious." Haru said with his voice shaking on every word. He felt honoured that Li Jun was willing to do such a thing but it pained him at the thought of his teacher laying down his life in exchange for his.