The story of our actions spread rapidly but none even contemplate redoing it as it relied on someone holding up a shield that could withstand a near body forging grade attack for a day, honestly some even doubt our story and say it isn't possible but the body of someone near body forging grade has him shutting up quickly.

Whispers and talk of the young master's feat of pure deadliness is also spread and some begin to look to us as an example of how powerful a direct disciple is.

We wait for our next orders and soon the orders sent are read by all, we are to report back to base for more supply runs.

We know this is just their excuse to send us to another fight for them, but little can be done as we can't disobey orders without them crippling our cultivation and booting us from the sect, we all return with knowledge we will be right back in a similar situation soon.

I have a few approaches me asking for some training on energy handling as they claimed I must be incredible in it to last so long; I agree to teach them and return to our pavilion for the small break afforded all those returning from direct combat.

People say epiphanies come only from such experience and one could rapidly grow from such constant combat so the break is given for incase of break throughs following combat, I can feel the uncomfortable sensation of my body due to missing a heat but heat inducing drugs exist and getting me back on a set cycle is for the best.

I take the month break in enclosed cultivation and can feel that this act of pushing my energy to the limit and rapidly absorbing more has increased the width of my bridges rapidly.

I begin to cultivate and the end of the month I achieve an advancement fallowing my heat.

I had stagnated so long on the previous 2 levels but rapidly increased to this one proving the need for the break, I exit to report the progress and see the shock looks as it has been little over three months, and I jumped to the next level.

More rumors soon spread on the jump in level showing I do better with hands on combat and that sending me out will allow me to advance the best, an excuse for why they will use me and the others for their profit in this war as the smaller sects will be forced to pay protection money and resources if they are successfully defended by us after the war.

I will leave with the others next week and so this week is spent with me coaching them in combat forms and how to use what, tactics and energy manipulation is drilled as much as it can be in them, and they practice with Tai.

I show them that the best defense isn't always a barrier as even if they can kill Tai with a single blow, they are unable to so much as touch the edge of his combat robes, some begin to change slightly in their fighting styles as they realize they may have been going about it the wrong way.

I tell them to use their normal styles for now and I will train them in new better fitting ones in our next month break, they seem surprised at my certainty of survival but seem to light up at my response anyway.

I see the young master is displeased his cultivation time with me will be lessened even more but I know I will need these people as highly skilled and capable as they can be as they will see the young master ability to survive in this war, most teams once form remain together after all.

I explain this as I practice cultivating with him that night before we set off and he begrudgingly agrees but says when he falls behind, I am to focus on him.

I nod in obedience to the order, so we set off with another bit of supplies and a wave of encouragement from some people.

We are heading to spring valley sect in the center of many mountains to act as attack launch spots and they act as natural barriers as they are extremely treacherous and high making it so only those able to either fly or following certain routes can one enter the location.

I already know the plan needed for this location, I intend to use a guerilla attack of no one being in the sect when they attack but spread out and I will tempt them to different locations using myself as bait to kill them in advantageous terrain.

I will scout the sights as soon as we arrive and set up traps and arrays around the hills for them to use for their advantage during this attack, they will have a barrier array this time personally made using black turtle shells native to this region so abundant here.

They will use a light talisman to lure them into following them and they will circle me for emergency stops, we will change it enough, so the enemy won't realize the trap until it is too late.

We arrive and I start to work setting things up and showing each of them their side of the circle along with where the traps are and how to simply reset them as they can all be done so; the arrays will be relayed down by them in slightly different locations to not tip our hands but within five specific locations nearby.

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I label all the things and when I tell them to use it, they will go to the number given, we have well over a month as that is how long they hold off on attacking this sect after we arrives allowing us to be ready and well-practiced for the battles to come.

I tell the people of the sect to scatter as soon as the demonic cultivators show up and rush in our direction, a hidden cave will be their hiding spots while we will deal with them ourselves using many hidden dug pits through the area to hide in while I rest.

We have three set ups in different sections depending on which way they attack from and the easiest way to evacuate, the north section is the one used for the first attack.

I stand out like beacon, and some try and kill me but soon realize they do not damage to my barrier no matter how powerful the attack is and when they see other lights around me come and go, they give chase followed within the next ten minutes by a bang or thump from many directions as once more people rush.

The first attackers are all low level meant to test the sect's ability to fight them off and if they all die or fail to report then the demon sect will abandon the attack.

We make sure a few escape to lure them into attacking again and this time we swap to another location in the opposite direction of the sects people, I can see the attacks from the bod forging person and feel a slight strain as I already spent the first wave two days ago and now once more am straining my body's ability to absorb and output energy at every moment.

I feel the attacks draining me from the sheer strength behind them until finally the young master attacks him and runs making the man angry and chase him, I hear the mass explosion trap set up for just in case go off only five minutes later.

This trap had ten arrays all fully powered in a small alcove section of trees that due to the way the trees grew only had an entrance and exit making it nearly an enclosed space of 10ft by 15ft at its widest, even a body forger like him who is only at the first level won't survive unscathed giving the young master the chance he needs to kill the person.

I see the body of a man half burnt and head decapitated being dragged behind the young master, with the man's handsome face held in the other hand.

The young master collapses in the barrier in exhaustion and naps as he has most likely used all his energy just to land the finishing blow despite the severe injuries already sustained by the man, I can feel my own body beginning to tired but my duty is to protect the young master and so I shall push myself into death if need be for his chance to rest safely I can feel myself begin to cultivate even without meditating as I force my body to pull in more energy.

Slowly my bridges expand slowly but surely and when rest comes, they have expanded one fourth their original size, a drastic increase for one like me, I rest in the pit with the others all protecting me.

The attacks last longer and more ferocious as there are three more body forging people and they take two people a piece to kill as they realized something is wrong from the others death, I remain in and out of energy absorption state and can feel an advancement just around the corner by the time a month has passed of this guerilla warfare and we have come out on top with nearly 800 bodies strewn around the place.

Most are low level cultivators that didn't need the traps to kill, but three are body forgers proving the method chose was the right one as they came much harsher this time then last time.

I can see the people of the sect we just protected looking at the nearly decimated forest and the bodies strewn all over, there are three areas like this, and most have simply stopped counting how many they have killed at this point, we agreed all credit will be split evenly this time as I received none despite being the bait last time.

We hobble to rest as a mass influx of support from higher grade sects arrive and seem slightly nervous around us, to the victor goes the spoils and so we are allowed to take the items of the body forgers.

The other bodies have nothing on them as they are only meant for cannon fodder in the fight.

We leave after a two-day rest from the mental strain of being under attack for a month straight and are told to ask for an extended break as mind meld people like us aren't meant for such fights.

I intend to do so sighting the three body forgers as the reason as I fear we need better team work and tactics before we should continue how we have, we are lucky everything went exactly as planned as if even one of the body forging enemies decided to simply wait out my barrier instead of taking the bait our plan would fail as many would die to kill even one of them uninjured.

Entering the sect, we are called for a conference with the sword sect master we are considered students for even if unofficial students, we enter the hall and bow our respect to the master.

The man has a goatee and pure white hair looking to be in his mid 50s despite being a body forger who is at the peak of that realm, most body forgers can live to nearly 3000 years old though usually middle grade talent can arrive there so most look older already due to taking longer to slow their aging down.

I am considered lucky to reach my stage while looking 25 as most only reach it once they have reached the looks of 30 or even 40, despite everything I am considered a good talent just not a cream of the crop like the others.

He asks us of our method and asks me how long under the attack of the body forger of his level I think I could hold a barrier for, I am uncertain as even the lowest level one strains me so maybe one attack if I am freshly set up for the barrier and have yet to take a single attack.

He seems interested and asks me how long I have trained in the barrier arts, and I told him since I could use them viably, meaning since my core formed.

A nod of respect to me he asks me if I am the one to make all the arrays and traps used for this attack and I admit to it as the others know it is me, he asks me if he gave me a larger number of men could I train them to fight and I say no as anymore would spread out the tactic too much and confuse people do to being to bunched up.

A pity but understandable, we are sent out told the credit for this will show in our accounts in a week and that the request for longer time for better preparation is approved.

Six months is how long we are given to be ready to go back to duty able to fight even better than we do now and more constantly as well, I will train them like hell is coming to earth with no mercy by the time we are done they will be as capable Tai at least even If I have to break somethings to achieve it.