Hmmph... this junior is a good seed [Cultivation Management Quest]

[adamashield]

The village- part 2- The Pillar Men arrival.

Alternative tittle. How the village elder stop worrying and embraced brotherhood's life.​

So here we are, already I can say that improving the road to this place can bring some booms to the village. We will need to coordinate with the brotherhood at large since I cannot leave this place. If everything else fail and none can help, then it will my joy and pleasure to build the road myself if needed be when this mission is over.

Anyway, nice place, my ears can already listen the sounds of children laughing and some of the adult voices having joyful, be the tone, conversations. This is a good start; I believe we will truly be a good addition for this place and this place to us. This place has a nice breeze, we know from our studies that it has a nice weather, not that many problems with spiritual beasts and/or bandits. They even pay their taxes at the right time.

From here we cannot see but it should be a small oasis close by where this place takes it food and farm some reasonable high-quality tea (for mortals). They see to have to import some food from what second brother have read from the documents that we had access. Which is one of the reasons we got this array specialist with us. Truly a first heavenstage array master is a blessing that we could not even dream to have when the brotherhood started all those years ago. With his aid we have so many ways to help with everyday live and with resources production.

Looking up at a (small) hill I notice that while the defenses of this village have their own charm and certainly lots of love. Well, he must admit that this is making his hairs raising a little bit from how weak they look. This certainly is something they will request to work on while they are here. All this sand, bits of rocks and barely compressed sand are not top of defenses. But they could be hidden the true defenses. And one more reason to be glad to have brought a master with them.

"Master Zhao Duyi, do you see any sighs of formations? By our research, this village should have some under their protection by our glorious clan!" I look up at one of the carts where our array specialist is. He looks somewhat bashful. But in a good way? He does like the attention of that my junior brothers and sisters give to him. and they should give him plenty, after all he has knowledge that can save their lives.

Master Zhao faked a cough, like he likes to do to before talking, maybe to gather his thoughts? "I don't see any that is active, we passed some walls in that ruin that had some designs that are no longer active. And please, call me brother Duyi". I resist the urge of making a frown while thinking. I do have some impressive eyebrows to add to my already impressive wild looks so even a little bit of a frown can make me look angry. Brother Duyi still getting used to me and us with him. And he does get scared easily for some reason.

"Hum, silver lines more material to us to use, maybe some array that is new to you, ancestors willing I mean." Master, I mean brother Duyi nods at my comment.

So, we pass, the probable mundane, sand walls and see some clay houses, some stones houses. Is that a house made with leather and bones? How lovely! I really want to study how that was build. Almost all houses have personal touches, from small bones, plants, colors even hair! added in braids to one of them. At the center there another wall, also made of sand and earth, in an elevated ground, the construction, behind the second walls, seems to be made of solid rock. Now that he thinks this again the village itself is on an elevated ground, like he already commented, almost on a (true) hill. This area is located at a point on the desert that have tiny dunes so is easy to see the horizon. The ruins did not have the high ground. Maybe this is the reason to relocation? He truly hopes it was this and not so other, sad, reasons.

For a moment in arrow speed sequence of thoughts, He see, with his mind eyes, the fortress of the clan, he saw himself smiling at his really talent son, his lovely, fluffy and pregnant wife entering their new house, and then, in another flash, he is frowning while leaving the fortress and returning to the brotherhood after the curse of heaven took them from him. This time resisting frowning was hard. He shook his head. These flashbacks are getting easy to shake off. He already prays for them every night. And them live on his heart. So, until he dies and rejoin them and become part of the great horde trying to kill heaven together with the rest of the ancestors. He must be firm. He is no longer 'xxxxx'. But He still is the first brother in the brotherhood of sand, dirt and dust. And the builder will do his job of being the flagship that show what a senior brother should be for his lovely juniors. Which start with a good first impression and is reinforced by actions and feelings.

So, with a smile still on his face that is growing and returning to his eyes. He then slaps his hands, hard, using the 'iron Arhat fist technique'. Which make a loud metallic sound. While raising himself on a Pillar of earth with 'Pillar raising art'. These glorious, genius, seniors. How they come with these things? These individuals surpass the combine skills, resources, tears and sweat of the entire brotherhood. We only got 'builders breath style: all is one' and he will the first to say that is unfinish product that they are shamed that is not as easy to use and have no clean way to measure. It also hard to fine tune. And they have yet to get an exact idea of how to teach others other than trying and trying until the brothers get closer to his breath style, where he was again? Oh, right presentation. He starts to bulk up his muscles with QI, he had done so after his done raising a small pillar. He not crazy to try three arts at same time. And start to talk with a baritone voice while his brothers start to raise pillars too (the 3 that know that tech) while trying to look like (muscled) elders/cultivators looking for good seeds (it is very specific look), while the rest of the brothers flex their muscles it the most impressive ways they got. This was already a scenario that the brotherhood thought and planed for. Just like how to motivate juniors, how to talk and how to coordinate.

So, with the attention of the village on us, and with all the shiny eyes of the kids I talk in a baritone voice that I projected to all to listen.

"Hahahaha, we have finally arrived, us the defenders, the clan in their glorious monetary might decided that you all could have a bit of help with us seniors. We are here to protect, to aid, and to join yourselves in the daily struggle of life" after I descend, I nod to 7th​ brother, Hou, and 25th​ brother, Tang, to do the same. Already knowing what to do 6th​ brother, Jingguo, jumps and take the main pillar to himself.

"While we talk with your elders and the adults. Why not, little ones, listen and train under this senior here" pointing to my brother "brother Jingguo had trained many to the first step of cultivation (more than 3). Clean your ears and listen well to his lessons and you can go far. also, if you all behave. We will share some treats (candies) will you to commemorate your first lesson!" I say with some bombastic movements while my brothers make some movements that show their might while directing the focus to me. Even Mister Bull was energetic, and the horses receive some props to make them look better they also got some care in the last part of our travel. Mister Bull is a little sweaty, but that it was intentional, making it shine more in this morning Sun. and preparing him to cultivation if it ever that blessed to succeed.

"So where will talk? We also must show to you the papers showing this is an official mission by our Glorious Clan!" the people start to look at some particular well dressed elder that had the face of someone that worked hard in his entire life! Great! He already like this senior!

"what?!" he also looks overwhelmed and his eyes are dilated only to then focus and contract again, his face got more pale, my previous experiences show that together with the posture that he had is a 'fight or run' posture. And elderly can turn to 'fight, fight and FIGHT!' Even if just by harsh language. Better to adjust then.

I make a loud cough and a gesture behind my (vast) back to turn down the energy of our presentation, not brother Jingguo he already got the kids full attention and that impact in the lessons and cultivation is above 'mere' everyday communication failure. I bend my knees a little bit, select voice with a calmer tone, that transmit more safety. And slowing start to talk while showing the palm of my hands (thankful, still with my gloves on).

"The clan wish me to protect this place, hunt the bandits and spirit beast that you have grudges on if any of those exist, and destroy other danger to you all, and provide all that I can. I am a 6th​ heavestage cultivator, with a long list of brothers and friends. There much I can do for this village, either with the so-called mundane task or the ones that will protect you from evil cultivators. So, I bring some of my greatest treasures, which are my brothers…" I say while raising my arms and put them on my brother shoulder, also to delay the (probably very harsh) talk that the elder in 'fight mode' will start that he will probably regret even without us doing nothing to aggravate the guilty. Being a leader is hard. Still, I like this guy, he had prepare to move a step in a way to cover the next adult in this group this is a beautiful show of an elder protector!

"I bring seeds from exotic and very expensive teas" that make he stop and shallow.

"I bring our own food, military rations. So that we do not disturb your own reserves" this make him become more thoughtful, I start to adjust my posture to be closer to his one while 'tapping' my brothers' shoulders with my hands to make them to adjust their own posture to the rest of the group. Like I said, forth brother trained us in good PR. A nice giant is good and some occasions. And terrific in others.

"We bring some of the so-called mortal tools and gears to your everyday live and some long-range weapons to your hunters and warriors" I say the last with a bit more of baritone and focus. The men close by straight the backs. Good.

"We bring ration for these animals, the bull will help me with the some of the farming and other tasks, the horses will be used to have a fast communication with the city and other villages. Depending on your needs and demands. Since I will use my own salary to get more resources and help in other tasks, like cultivation aids" there a shine to the crowd eyes, but the last two words had trigged the elder. So, I quick sit on the ground and with my hands gestured to my brothers do the same, my 'mortals' brothers had succeeded in becoming part of the crowd and help the rest by example by sitting quickly. Once more breaking the elder flow. I must allow him to release this pressure to not form grudges. But I must do so in a way we can easily overcome. Big guns time it is.

"I bring with me Master of formations, Brother Zhao Duyi!" that make the eyes of the elder go wild. And they all need to look up since we are now seated. We all know the wonders and terrors of arrays. If the touch of one is missed for as long as I am afraid it was. Then Duyi will well receive here, "I request and paid for some of his valuable time, he will do the essential work" do not comment about cultivation formations, do no comment about cultivations formations.

"I know every day life arrays and I will do this village cultivation chamber!" said my brother. Bollocks. Yeah, I cannot stop the elder now. I have done too many times already, at last it is our master. If there someone that, even angry, an elder will not complain too much is an array master.

"Then, I request, Master Zhao, to you to focus on the everyday things and if possible to booster our walls" the elder started, so far so good, he have not even raised his voice or got up since he decide to sit too (after all his people had done so).

"the last cultivator had leaved this village long ago and the ungrateful bastard had done so after we invest so much, that unfilial son of mine, that…"

"brother Tang, brother Yang, brother Yin (my sisters continue to prefer being called brothers for the most part)" I said loudly. "I wish that until this village have two or more cultivator or until one of our brothers replace you guys you are to stay here even after our mission finish, do you accept this weigh, this responsibility?" "Yes, first brother!" said the three in one voice. I firmly nod to each. To allow time to elder fix his face by closing his wide-open mouth and fix his posture.

"Even with being the lesser among the golden devils, we take our responsibility seriously" I said, shifting one my legs, to make myself more human (according to the fourth brother), 'mortals' notice 'unnatural' lack of movements, the small adjustments that 'mortals' muscles need to do to not tired too much or not harm themselves. "many among us, are like me, orphans and like me, my people have start with no cultivator in their backgrounds, some of us are yet to finish the first step and become cultivators of the first heavenstage". Pointing to my brothers and crowd. "I knows hardship and I thankful for all our glorious clan has done, and it demands that someone" I said and point to myself "me" then at the village "that had change my own name to 'builder' " I give a small pause "to do my all for you". "and for at very last the next five years, we will do so".

I offer my hand for the elder to shake. He jumps and hug me. Yeah, I like this guy.

End notes: the next one I will put the suggestion that I already got and explore what 'everything we can do' looks like. Carte blanche is a scary and great thing when give to the builder.
words count:2619 (counting everything).
@Kaboomatic another omake^^.

 

[adamashield]

The Village mission- part 3- Building frenzy start.

Alternative title – praise the Sun every single day and the Moon once in a blue Moon.​

So, we talked with the elder in his house (it is the nice leather one) to check some more delicates things, like stuff that could compromise morale of the village and start factions which would damage their unity. Plus, so that our 'tones' are the same for the tasks ahead for a similar reason. After those checks, we had a more in-deep talk with the adult population. My brother had succeeded in captive the attention of the young ones for all that time the adults were busy. Which make for thankful parents since their young have waste so much energy doing some body conditioning training with so many of the younger ones already sleeping as soon as they finish training (most from hyping themselves too much). We also decide to make a feast when the wall is finish tomoron. We of course will have a some candies and even cakes for the kids. Since that is their reward for the good work.

xxxxx

It now the end of the afternoon. And my brothers and I are now raising pillars in the walls of village. Some of our worse fears were confirmed. The village has no array. It is relocation is a strategic one to see the dangers and for the fear of the former village being curse by some blood path 'art' in the last and final conflict that had cost the lives of the cultivators that protected this village. Which exterminated the invaders and cause death of the strongest defenders with their last stand. It seems that fight was less than a decade ago. So, the best hunter of the village, elder Qiang, now is their main protector the village , he had also tried to jumpstart a cultivator to be the new defender. Risking his life to kill spirit beasts and some other things that I could almost feel he wishing to say/share but he hold that back.
Anway He succeeded by turning his first born into a cultivator with those spirit beast's cores and armed his son with their family spear. Holding only his crossbow since both weapons were made to kill (weak) cultivators/spirit beasts. And having two, well armed, defenders is just good sense.

Anyway, we are also using the pillar raising art to reinforce the ground, until almost all the QI of my brothers that are cultivators was used (6th​, 7th​, 25th​, 33rd​ and 34th ​brothers). after that we then beat the (almost literally) crap of the dirt and sand to make for a better foundation to a more solid/heavy wall, a job that mister bull also participated with gusto beat the ground together with us.

At the night, I send the brothers that are yet to reach the first heavenstage to rest. And ask the others to either recharge themselves by cultivating or prepare for their tomorrow workload. Stuff like 6th​ helping the elder spreadsheets, looking for what benefic/help they could get. Specially after the disaster and lack of feedback/reports in the city. Which probably means that our horses will probably move a lot and our messenger(s) should go directly to the mayor. Since this (probably) touch his bottom line. Plus, we need to see the resources of the region in general to see if we can raise the priority of defense of this area in the eyes of the clan. Also, I must salute this dear Elder for paying all his taxes while maintaining a high morale and retaining so many of the village population after this disaster. He sure was an exceptionally good hunter in his prime years and still a very scary one. Well, the others that need to prepare themselves are 7th​ brother with his lesson plans after the initial lesson, since he now knows what he is dealing with; and brother Duyi. The array master did deploy his array plates as emergency solution around the village and is preparing himself to the large tasks to come in this mission of ours.

In the midnight, when only the builder was still doing the pre-work for tomorrow 'show', by reinforcing and beating a path to the ruins of the former village to this hill and selecting which of the ropes they will use. Said ropes were made from the bronze hairs/bears of members of the brotherhood. Including himself. He finishes by putting the lifting machine that they had brough and making some solid pillars to be used to roll/bring stones.

Why? The brotherhood would bring the village home back to them piece by piece if necessary. Since the morale would be greatly affected if they return to live in the area that ruins are located, including the will to cultivate that we wish to nurture. Plus, here they have a better vision of the region and that time could allow them to escape to the tunnels we will dig, and, while all those arrays are already there, one only need a good hand to bring them back here and a great one to bring them back to life.

xxxxx

A new day has raised, before the sun has appear, Master Duyi already selected the stones that he wishes to be brough and after some cutting stones, by using tools, cultivation arts and the very impressive hoplite himself/herself/itself? They did make a show doing the last one. For the elder and his honor guard first impression of one of the arts all in the clan must know. Plus, the builder needs to transfer the idea of invincibility that the brotherhood had of someone reaching the 3rd​ heavenstage to the flagship art of the clan. They must be sure that shadow one is strong, that the shadow one is fierce and that, when summoned, there no need to fear. The brotherhood is not ready for war, even someone as ignorant as himself knows that. So, for his brethren future, he will do his best together with his sworn brothers. Five visions mixing and adding to one another to become one goal. Better yet more than one hundred ideas from all members of the brotherhood being tempered by the wisdom and painful experience of those of the clan to reach said goal. Of survival, grown and a circle of building. For that utopic future they most fight well.

But he is going ahead of himself. His brethren had recharge themselves, at the same time he starts to make holes in the stones using a more difficult use of stone raising art. Them moving the stones on the horizontal pillars. And finish the cut with a more careful use of the iron hands art (with his horrible claw like nails) to cut the stones in a way that will require almost no cement or other material to glue them. He still finds funny that he is making specific tools with his literal hands, nails and even his hair. Becoming part of some his creations in a literal sense.

This is how the Sun meet them, this is how the village awoke to witness. Brothers 'mortals' or not, humans or not. Moving with golden(ish) ropes massive pieces of stones on pillars moving them up the hill using their muscles and the lift machine. We even coordinate to appear at the best moment possible with the use of a mirror and the light of the sun so that the brother lesson to the young, which should be of the benefit of cooperation and the glory of the clan, to make sure we enter their vision in one of key moments/climax of said lesson for today. And before their 'victory' feast of completing the lessons.

Anyway, back to the no so evil stones that they are moving we repeat this journey many times until is close to the noon. His 'mortal' brother got to rest and we prepare some of the large amount of 'rope' that our brotherhood produced in decades of living. Using his as the core. Well not just his as the core, big sister had contributed for this as have some stronger cultivators that like the brotherhood or some specific brothers/sisters. Some pillars in the walls have holes for this purpose made by using the 'pillar raising art' on an already finish pillar.

So, with the entire village looking a bit weird at us. We summoned the shadow one again. For this a great presentation is needed. To help the dreams of the young survive the pains of cultivation and for other reasons too. Like getting an even higher morale and loyalty to the clan for the next generation. Not all will have the good instincts and head that the elder have shown. Some fool could piss a middle manager and repeat the disaster that this village had suffered. So, showing what a cultivator can do could fix many problems before they happen by showing how far the little ones and the not so little ones need to go in this heaven cursed lands.

So, with brother Duyi great aid. The shadow one fake raising himself with two hands looking like his pulling himself up with the pillars in the wall, looking at the crowd and then, by hitting the floor with the shield, bring the impression that his hands are solid, that he is real. He raises his mighty spear. And with all eyes on the shadow one puts the bottom of said spear in a loop of rope just to raise it as high as he can. Slowing, dramatic. And with us yelling and flexing our muscles as much as we could. The rope we put in those stones and pillars start to move allowing us to bring the stones to the walls, and assemble them together, almost like they are magnets. With part of the wall done (for now) Master Duyi jump on it, and with a huge bowl that had lots of 'cement' made with the traditional materials but also with some blood and a lot, and I mean a lot of platina donate by the brotherhood. He had previously melted those using an array, so he let the material flow into the wall, making it looks like is 'bleeding'/'healing' by covering the smalls gaps, making green-gold 'veins' in the walls. Some of the other portions of the walls are melt together with another huge bowl that 6th​ brother is carrying and his, now, very devoted students using some big magnifying glass using principles that they learned with information that they got in the contribution board, those were made by senior brother Abel Angelus, a good seed and a Master of arrays and a Mechaniko of heaven shaking visions for the future.

And this is how elder Qiang and many others in the village had become new brothers in the brotherhood. Personally, he thinks the problems noticed by 7th​ brother should had more credit for these conversions, because the taxes paid being higher in the record of the elder than the ones, they had access in the city is a serious matter. Or that some reports that should had remove them from paying taxes for some time should had reach our glorious mayor. So, it seems that brother Qiang will need to spend some time (re)learning laws, his rights, which responsibilities that his know are true. And improve his penmanship. But the last one is easy to fix, they have a better pen for every day recording and another that use array to booster itself to official report that also makes more difficult to modify reports and/or create fake ones. We also give to him some (good) papers, a blackboard and small number of fancy paper. Hell, fifth brother had the insight of suggesting emblem/seal for letters and a triple system to be sure they had not been altered. A system like an easy to hide smell, a small pressure applied to the letter in some key areas to make difficult to notice (and ridiculously cheap) water mark and some key words that must be used in each letter (and never be repeated in a pattern). With a trusted (aka brotherhood member) being the messenger to share some of these new letters to speak some of the information so that it does not get 'lost'. The elder requested and will pay for this fast mail way that we created with the money that they should save from these small corruptions that we had discovered so far. While we should not try to be too rightful, to avoid being smite like bugs or allowing 'mortals' to be smite like bugs when we are not close. One still need to remember that the golden devils are hegemons and which principles are dear to us and with that what we will not allow even with the risk of being smite by a 'senior' cultivator. So yeah, the bottom line of the Mayor probably was damaged by some 'smart' middle manage or something like that. There are few reasons for the great one to explore mortal resources this way so it not the Mayor, it would be even stupid given how long his rule can last. With mortal generations of small investments making him look good and help avoid the fate of death by old 'monsters'/seniors. Plus, he will be REALLY pissed from what we knows of him, from interacting with his direct subordinates and some of his previous actions, the mayor anger when he will discover that cultivator resources like blue moon cactus and a new kind of spirit beast, some kind of scorpions that don't take much to kill/be hunted, had being discovered and these disasters force the village to focus on their own survival instead of collecting resources to make his city even richer. That someone had cost him cultivation resources.

Anyway, the old hunter Qiang and his ancestors had learned these things are some other neat stuffs. And it would only need a normal golden devil getting here to have them sharing this information. So yeah, angry mayor smiting someone is a sure thing.

He would admit that weirdest part was asking and receive a positive answer of where in the region one can find fire ants. Some which are spirit beasts. Since that is in high demand in the clan for some reason. Well, what the clan wants the clan gets. And the money of that gathering mission could be used here.

end note: I not entire sastify with the quality of this chapter. but I have done more than five checks already just today.
word count: 2477 (counting everything)
@TehChron , @ReaderOfFate , @no. another omake for the glory of the clan^^.

 

[adamashield]

Spoiler

No animal was harmed to make these pictures. this is the builder with the fanciest clothes he had (just add a mask/heavy protection for sand to the picture in your minds^^).
edit: @Humbaba, @ReaderOfFate, @Kaboomatic . sorry I have forget that art counts.

 

[adamashield]

The Village mission- part 4- The Phantom Menace of the manager, and the (future) revenge of the si-*cough cough* hunter.

Alternative title- the brotherhood definition of protection from threats is a vast one.
Turn 11​

Day 2

The first brother moved and shook his head a little and re-focused on the task his was doing. Moving another (giant) piece of stone, this one was from the previous guard horse that was lying around in the ruins. Now it will become part of the inner wall of the village.

Still is better to him to continue to focus on his breath, on the flow of QI and trust and believe that his brothers will do their parts well. Because delegation, management and teamwork are among the many things that make impossible tasks into possible ones.

Plus, brother bull seems happy trying to copy his breathing so doing his technique well is essential to avoid it/him to learn bad habits. And it/him probably needs the extra flow of energy to help it/his digestion after getting so many of those tasty herbs around the 'ruins' that had some QI on it. Of course, it was its share of it, his brothers and the villages got their own. But sadly, only my brother had eaten their part, because many among the village are refusing to take theirs. Well that still is not a problem, since one of his brothers is good enough at farming to make those herbs last. Plus, we will now ask first if anyone else want those before taking more from the ground so those (really weak) 'spirit herbs' that had grown from that terrible battle can cultivate themselves a bit more.

Where was him again? Right focus on himself, on the rock and teaching mister bull.

Xxx

Day two night.

So much to do and so much to learn. Yes, many hands make giant tasks smaller.

In a different note he was glad that he was a cultivator, because otherwise having 4 (small) kids climbing his back, pulling his hair and, in one case, trying to pull the skin from his face with his small hands could a bit annoying instead of a good experience to the little ones to see how strong a cultivator is. Which makes one glad that even his weak blood makes him tough and another thing to be thankful is immensely number of 'trash arts' (according to foreigner cultivators) that make one hair not cut skin, one muscles controlled enough that even reflex like blinking can be suppressed. All that combine allow him to avoid harming these kids with some involuntary movement, which is good, children are the true treasure/future of the village after all.



Well, I hope that the brotherhood arrival also allows them to form many memories that the little ones can re-visit in their (hopefully) long lives and take more lessons. Like remembering this discussion that my brothers and I are having with all the adult population of the village allowing the little ones to get some new information or a new 'insight' by looking with new eyes the memories when they become older, like noticing how tough is my already mentioned resistant skin or remembering the 'boring' arrays that master Zhao Duyi is showing, or the maps being draws or looking at some information that even he still not getting. Ha! He should continue to practice it too! Getting the normal kind of insight!

Also, If the little ones learn nothing that is also fine, all learn on their own speed. A dark piece of his mind say that this will make their see the blood of bronze in a favorable way. But that was true generations ago from the works of those many times his betters.

While keeping a piece of his mind to be sure they would not harm themselves and ignoring the three teenagers pulling his arm with a rope made of his own (relative week) bronze hair. He looks around to get his own 'insights' form this situation, looking at the still enraged Elder, he hides it well, but I can see the anger and the indignation behind his mask (of a leader). Continue on I am getting some 'insights' from the village culture, the unspoken permission that some of little ones can act their age even with them acting this way while also allowing the older kids to waste energy around show how insightful and craft the older man can be. Another reason to like him!

Because all this energy, all these happy little (and not so little) ones easy the village worries which is good. Because the number of problems is significant, and these are small (and not so small) problems that can add themselves to a pile and be the death of this village. Thankful many can be fixed quick, and with time, energy and WILL. One can future proof many others

Yes, many hands make giant tasks smaller.

For example, the laws that were abused to make possible to continue the taxes flow and how some other laws were used here, like the tax reductions that are commonly used and only the city version of the village papers shows that they are in use, which no one in this village to be seems aware of and/or know that there are some tax reductions laws.

All these legal matters would be a giant task to him. Had become far smaller thanks for Hou, the 7th brother, which already found these and other problems.

Also, this village should have, at very last, a legionary to guard it full time until they got their feet again. And for some reason the patrols that this and other villages should have seemed to take a longer time. Which again the money for that seems to being used and that is not the true here. Anyway, his brother is on the case.

All these giants' tasks are explained to the first brother and the village in small and easy to understand terms. Which allow us to understand the problems true size and significance.

With this information the elder decide to continue to make a legal case to crush whatever messed this badly, then they will do a full look at their own finances. From the records on the village and the copies that we got. All while he learns (with some others in the village too) more about the laws and administrations that he should be aware of.

Depending on the size of the mess, it is possible then that second brother will be sent here at some point. But it would be easier to delegated just using letters. We will see if there something else that truly require my overworked brother (or his overworked subordinates) full attention here.

Shifting the topics for a better one, Jingguo, the 6th​ Brother, begin to speak about his results and his observations. With a single day of teaching the little ones he discovered they are not so far behind the curriculum used in the city. From what he is telling they are better than the first brother was in their age. Their even know how to (slowly) read and (less slowly) basic math while, at their age, he was learning how to break rocks to make streets and learning how to survive in the sewer while working there. Speaking of that, they too are ahead at 'survival course' for their age which is a necessary thing after a disaster, but very shameful thing requires of us all in this world to exist in any form. The world should be safe place for the young.

The 6th​ brother had also notice one thing that can be a problem in the future. The village has not kept a good track of the families' trees. So, he summoned our (mortal) brothers to make some inquires while he was busy with the kids. And the reports, especially the ones from women of this village had shown a better grasp of the situation than the one we got from the elder.

In plain language the warriors/hunters of the former village had more opportunities of make blood bonds (having children) in other villages or the city. The 'common folk' did not have many of those chances. Which seems a reasonable thing that the poor elder hunter would not notice. I would not too, which is why we must always have more people to see a situation and give their own thoughts.

So, they just need more caravans, more festivals and more opportunities to make their younger population go to other villages with an equal number of young men and women going to this one. That will be reasonable easy with all the brothers present to move them from place to place in a safer way. So long as the reports of spirit beasts and bandit's strength (the lack of) is true. Which, in this case, seems to correct according to the village leader.

But, like I was 'saying', this is a problem that is a future one at this point. Thankfully. But death of the young with things like heart conditions and many others from inbreeding can be a serious matter. Or just additional weakness of the flesh that will not hold as well in a plague. Since this matter touch a bit closer to his heart with possible death of the young. Just like his firstborn died by a (mortal) disease and his wife (and unborn child) by a heart attack. Could had being avoid if he were smart or had more resources at that time. Or if all of them had the blood of the clan.

He was too ignorant to say if the bronze blood had these problems. But he was sure that its legendary constitution and regeneration helped even the 'not awake' mortals in the clan. To say nothing of the records and actions that the elders that lived for centuries did to help fix problems before they happened, things like how mortal humans can do some select breeding with the chicken could be done to by the elder with us all for example. He was sure that the legendary bloodline was 'tune down' on purpose to allow the clan to survive the 'heavens trials' while still retaining as much power as possible. But with all of this, show the importance of, when possible, use strong blood to booster the new generations.

Anything he was also glad fifth brother continue to find so many problems ahead of time and find ways to help. Like the two brothers with stronger blood that we thought would be just a good way show off, getting future recruits and, maybe, getting some grandchildren, and now they will be of great help in this village and in some other villages of the region. The two work and the work of the young adults of this village will now have a clear recording to allow these villages to not face this possible problem again. Even without the further help that the brotherhood will do by rotating brothers and sister form the city to here and vice versa. Which is a thing we would do anyway from self-interest adding new blood and new talents. Plus, while this entire thing is a bit dark in his eyes and his next consideration even darker. One need to considering that cultivators challenge the heavens in all things. Meaning mortals that endure something way better than they should become better 'candidates' to become cultivators. And this village has three generations of greater number of survivors by (normal) trials and catastrophes. Certainly, the other villages will have more. If the horrible lack of management was this gross here, then all combine population of this region could very well had average seeds, maybe even a good one. Plus, this is a quick way of regaining contribution points and share success with not only the brotherhood here. But also, the village by using their own connections, blood and history with the other villages. Geopolitics is a powerful tool. One that can add protections. And the brotherhood fully intends to use all that they could, that would not touch the clan bottom line, to make this 'protect the village' mission a successful one.

word count: 2109 (counting all words).
@ReaderOfFate, @Kaboomatic, @no. another one to help us get to 2kk words^^. I not sure if we already counting these for the next turn, but if so I wish for a LST. and if one counts I will edit and put a 'turn 11' in a sub-title.

 

[adamashield]

The village mission- part 5 – getting (some) things done.

Alternative subtitle- the not-heaven shaking alliance.

Turn 11​

Day 3.



The walls work is now over, for now, so with that they change their focus to work on escaping tunnels, underground deposits, traps, and some adjustment like holes to makes firebreak/ditches to block some of the weakest techniques and weakest hunters and beasts that could try to conquer/pillage this village.

And the builder has to say, that the elder hunter, Qiang have some very nasty ideas of traps, sure everyone can think about shit covered pits that also have sharp stones/wood. Shit covered pits that are a perfect environment for a meat-eating scarab that also have sharp objects? Now this is good. And this was not the best example.

The first brother shook his head and tried to avoid thinking some of the most 'impressive' examples, but he is sure his fifth brother and brother Qiang will be a match made in heaven (hell) when they start sharing ideas with each other.



Night 3

Back to the wall, now it has watchtowers made with stone and the 'pillar raise art'.



Day 5

The inspection of the oasis by the brothers with farm skill and the villagers is over, they have some nice plans to add some of the seeds the brotherhood brought that the elder liked. Or to be more precise, that the villager farmers liked. One more reason to like this old man, he delegates when needed and put his own hands on the dirt when needed too. He was certainly a good man. That had listened to the array specialist we brought with how to booster their income while not raise the cost of the production too much by going for the most impressive arrays is another thing that the firs brother was thankful for. Slow and stead win the race. Any race if give enough time. And we do have enough time.



In the meanwhile, brother bull (mister bull) and the builder did a great job and cleaning some of the fields. This mortal bull continues to make sure that all cultivator presents do not get a (too) big head just for being a cultivator, even the first brother, the one that broke the limits that the brotherhood thought was possible with no evil stone in his meaty knee. By showing them how much stronger than them a mortal animal can be. This is only natural that some beings are better than others. Just like many birds can say that they flew for longer periods of times, further and better than core elders. And the first brother can say this even considering the noble bird formation, the number of treasures and skills that the elders have. Yet, there some mortal bird that had done better for generations without a (true) spark of Qi in them and with no teaching.



Truly humbling, still there more to be learn, there will always be. And if one listen, or even better, have someone to speak their own thoughts while listen and talking to each other. One can get many insights. Hell, even the 'roast me' that the brotherhood uses to strength themselves, almost guaranty than no one of them will ever have a (strong) 'dao heart's demon' on them and/or break one of the brothers dao pillars (if anyone ever get to that point) and/or allowing someone to get a cheap shot on them just by using words. Because they have done far worse to each other (verbally) with good intentions while everyone drinking (cheap) beer to digest those sharp words. Most of time also with great food and with lots of hugs before and later to avoid hurt feelings. And the builder must admit that his sworn brother and himself are really, really good at talk to people. And with all their different approaches there little that mortal life skills and trials that can hide from their experience. Cultivation is a completely different story. Old Gold knows how many mistakes and failures of communication from lacking knowledge cultivation knowledge that they did in all these years.



Night 7

he can feel it! brother bull is approaching the threshold to become a spirit beast!

The builder requests a party in it/his honor. They all have party somewhat heavily, the progress done in the week and the initial report back from the city shows that future is bright! And the Mighty Mayor already have showed his displeasure to the middle manager and his lackeys that had stolen taxes and future gains from the city! The report that the first brother got show that the brotherhood collective 'bank account' in the board system got some extra points from this. And they believe there will some form of compensation to the villages too. Specially this one, since we word it in a way that show how impressive their work and loyalty was in a time of troubles, they expect a good compensation to the fall in the hands of this village.



But now the builder was glad he has not taken as much alcohol as some villagers had (even with his constitution) because he could had missed how thoughtful brother Zhao Duyi is being. Not noticing the longing that array master had show looking at the happy brothers and the villagers and certainly missed how there is some (dried) flowers that, probably, some of the little girls had put in his hair give how dark is the place where he is resting. The first brother believes that the maiden of the village had given the array master some flowers, because he also has a very pretty (dried) flower in his beard given by them.

Adding all that made the builder approach doing some noise to not be hit by some reflex attack that array master probably has from all those years as a cultivator.

he gently sits while giving space to the older cultivator while slowing copying his posture and shaping his own breath to a slow one. The builder also removes all tensions of his muscles and direct his eyes not at array master. But at little…Xi-Wang. That teenager girl will go far, she is probably the next person to become first 'brother'. One could say is a weird case of nepotism if they did not know her full story. And they believed that she had truly earned that position as 'little one' in the rank of the young brothers and sisters in the brotherhood. She had it all, Heart, Will and committing to their cause. But it was the heart and the capacity to easy the worries and focus the will of the next generation that makes the five sworn brothers to believe that is she perfect for the position. Besides, the little ones already call her 'little one'.

"You brough her here to give the young, the desire and the hope to become something more, have you not?" said the array master, while cutting a stone and gently putting the flowers on it. To only then put an evil stone (spirit stone) and activating this new array.

"I have" the builder confirmed. "the reasons why we discuss and offer to her to be the one we sent here with us are many, even considering that she is still a bit silly to follow so many of my steps even using our breathing art, instead of using the evil stones to become something more" the first brother comment while slowing moving his heard to look at Zhao Duyi in the eyes.

"While certainly not many of them will become cultivators, it will show that just by trying one can become something more." he made a pause "something uniquely beautiful. And this experience will direct any that pass the first trial to have the desire to protect what truly matter" the builder wait to see his reaction, and Zhao Duyi seems to wait to him to finish, so the first brother did so, "the brotherhood believes that people are what truly matter and that children are to be treat as the treasures that they are. As the future they are. We do not see the big picture that so many cultivators' family can. We can only look at far as one, so called 'mortal', generation, so we hold and secure what we believe truly matters. But you already know this." The builder finish and then continue to slow breathing.

"I have yes, this journey has only taken a short period of time so far, and yet I already see so much. and I can say that even if a man with one eye is truly a King among the blind. But there so many kinds of blindness. So, there should not be a king when everyone can be a king." This would be a bit confused if the builder did not talk with Zhao Duyi for so long and without see the array master looking at the children once more while keeping the array in his field of vision.

"All journeys are beautiful in some form. which kind of expression of beauty they can express can change." The builder gives a little bit of time for the other cultivator to digest his words.

"I do hope for a circle of grow, among other things, and I wish that each have just a bit more of time, health and power to reach their own dreams". The two men are certainly monologuing at each other. But this seems what Zhao Duyi needs at this moment.

"I have decided" the array master nods to himself. "I wish to become part of the brotherho-" before he finishes the first brother interrupt him "You already have brother Duyi" that made old cultivator blink. "Each of us already see you as family and the little that you can see that we don't is like a father or uncle experience, all that wisdom showing treasures and beauty of life and in life where we did not see before."

The newest brother did a sharp nod to himself "The mission that you would make for a more skilled array 'master', I will do it for free for a longer-""You will be paid, how you use your money is up to you" the first brother give no room to discursion in with his tone of voice in this matter.

"but I have two demands if you truly wish to accept that job" the builder continue.

"Named them". Brother Zhao Duyi declared.

"When the brotherhood start buying more knowledge using the clan point system, we will also buy the knowledge that is necessary to build arrays and continue to so until we have a strong foundation for our works and for all the trials of cultivation life. We wish that you lead us in this matter. The second demand is that you take the time need to improve. So that you continue to see what we cannot" said the first brother with a solemn tone of voice.

That made brother Duyi blink harder. To fix that confusion the builder opens his mouth and said "we consider the evil stones …evil because only one person can use them to cultivate, we consider your profession beautiful because you and others can use that single item to benefit of the many (all) instead of the benefit of one. Knowledge is like that. Can be use only to help one person or to help many".

After a small pause the builder continue "our generation in the brotherhood will build that knowledge base making each generation surpass us. They will see that they too can create their own path (DAO), and that anyone can have a Dao".

The first brother see that he had straight his back once more and direct his eyes to little one once more. He did do not know the expression that his youngest brother is making.

"Y-Yes." "YES! I can see that now, that is something that I also want to build on. This future that you speak." The array master looks careful at the builder and said "brother?" the first brother returns to look him in the eyes "Brother". And the old cultivator also jumped in the builder chest like the elder had.



Day 8

Mister bull is dead, its heart failed it/him, it/he was so close, there black stuff around the body and all cultivator presents can sense half of the energy one would expect of a first heavenstage spirit beast.

Luckily, they were working in the ruins and they can buy another mister bull. The smiles of the little ones in the village and the city demand it! It will be a bull with an even stronger lineage of the same 'breed', one that look like mister bull, but younger, stronger and smarter! One that will not fail at this first step in cultivation!

My brothers already whisper the name 'bull two'…that name will not share with the young. Let them dream a little longer.

word count: 2198 (counting it all)
@Alectai @no. @ReaderOfFate to pile to make 2kk words count^^

 

[adamashield]

Title- Grandparents' tales



Alternative title: Hope last feast and tale.​

Author notes: the brotherhood are not accurate narrators.



xxx

The Clan victory in this trial was so significant that a week-long party was done by the decree of the might mayor! The participation of the brotherhood in the saga of the 'next 13' was noticed. More resources are coming for his brothers and more requests of constructions was being send to us.

Even networking with the cultivators' family and the trade of information and other value tips got easier. And best of all the builder look at the statue of senior and now captain of the brotherhood, Diomedes Cestus.

The statue got a place of honor in the 'heart' of the 'eternal building' of the brotherhood, yes getting a patron that is an elite scion, a genius that reach the 12th​ heavenstage and that had succeeded in breaking into the next great realm. That patronage, that protection. Is make one really wants to pray to the ancestor in gratitude. All is good.

The builder now only needs to wait a little bit in this place of rest, of reunion, and warm or serious talks. His brothers are finally beginning to gather around on comfortable chairs, sofas or in the ground with some kind of blanket and heater combo that the oldest mortals and cultivators present favor. He of course was in a solid build chair, one that even a horde of small kids jumping, escalating and/or doing other stuff like pulling his beard, would not make the chair shake. A particularly important thing when so many little ones are gathering to hear his story and are still hyping from all these victories and from the city party.

Yet he waited, since the young still have energy to burn, the food is not yet here and not all brothers are present, the first brothers look around once more. Many happy and pleased grandparents showing of 'cool scars', raising their grandchildren with muscles still firm from training and cultivation life, the three 'big brothers' returned wounder and scared, but certainly alive. Well big brother and big sisters to be more correct. around there is also 'mortals' grandparents telling their contributions for the war that the brotherhood went, serving as eyes and hears in many cases and a final way of having a logistic train to send help in the trial.

Some of my 'mortal' brothers had even guarded the juniors and made sure the next generation of the brotherhood did not go with the rest of us, when the next 13 called.

His entire generation that had become cultivators answered the call, of course, but only the elite of the second generation was allowed with us in that battle. The rest stayed in those tunnels full of traps. We expect to die to the last man, woman and child (even if they are already adults). So, I hope the next 13 do not take insult from this if they ever learn that.

Finally, the food has come, many kids made an, very controlled, line. Because the third 'brother' would not allow any kind of mess and/or practical 'jokes' involving food. And because the 'scary grandpa' that is the is my fifth brother is watching carefully at their direction.

Looking once more to the rest, I see cultivators and 'mortals', children, parents and grandparents resting close to one another at easy. I also look at the warm tapestry, the beautiful mural art, the impressive statues, that show moments of glory and victory of the clan and/or from the brotherhood, the fabric was made with hair, 'mortal' hair and cultivator hair. Of those with the blood (of bronze) and those without that. With most of the hair being green. But even within his generation of cultivators there is multiple other colors that exist, his golden hair is a good example or the white hair of fifth brother.

Anyway, here, in this room, only our hair can be used for art. This Is the only place where donation from the clan cannot be used. The builder looks to the newest of the tapestry, that was yet to have the full series of scions of the clan. The victory of the next 13 one of the arts focus on Ulysses, had him on battlefield with some form of knife on his hands saving the lives from his brother with the other one hand, while the still throwing knives, one said throwed blades was slapped the face of the 'disappoint one' in the flat part of the weapon, in another art he was healing one of his brothers wasting incredible amounts of riches with a giant smile and a light aura which my brother that was under his care swore that the senior have.

There only a single art, at the moment, of Amaranth, give it size, in there was the ten thousand spirit beast slayer, showing some of many of his slaved ghost of spirit beast that he killed in all these years, with a good focus on frogs. So many villagers saved. The center point was, of course, the frog slayer himself, throwing might punch after might punch on the brat hunter. Giving a bit of time to Great Zeno, so that he could unleash another esoteric art.

Another art, with their second in command, the Mighty Gaius, show him doing planning using the brotherhood's maps, the light of the sun reaching the seeker. Another shows the Seeker swimming like a fish with the sun making him and the other elites shiny like gold. In the final art, at the moment, show Gaius easily blocking the talismans. His enemy, that poor woman, bleeding from many wounds.

Of course, their new boss, senior Diomedes Cestus had some art too already. In one him is masterful leading his troops, those nice boys and girls that are true legionary. In that art they use the shadow warrior to fight some unholy fusion of turtle and man that the hunters had summoned. All those brave legionaries showing a firm resolve.

In another the famous, in the brotherhood, beatdown that Diomedes did to the disappoint one. Not a single piece of crap had hit him while doing so.

In the final piece. Diomedes giving an opening to one of the original 13, the immortal phoenix to break the hunters' leader token. With the disappoint one wailing in the background in defeat.

After using so much time, it was no surprise that the next, and final, group to enter this area, looking like were summoned by thinking so much about the next 13 scions of the clan. Because the 13th​ brother, the 13th​ junior brother and 13th​ little brother, all their 'crew' of 'subordinate brothers' and some of their weird pets too. they were, finally, satisfied with the security and had made the necessary full locking down of our 'fortress' by using the 'pillar raising art' and some other mechanics that we created in all these years.

With some very small gestures the 13th​ brother give us the all clear sigh, They have seen nothing out of place, which means a lot of checks (an insane amount in his eyes) were done to the 13th​ satisfaction. So, some of the pet snakes out there (and the ones here) did not give a signal of warm body hiding themselves from our eyes, the doggos did not give a signal either from smells or noises, the cats continue to be little shits, why so many of the little ones like those? Oh, yeah, they are good at pest control, never mind. Some other pets that 13th​ had including one very paranoiac and Qi sensitive rabbit that we had buy from from one of the subordinates of the glorious Destasia Duca from one those experiments (that survive to the end) that said subordinate did. The second and fifth brothers wish to buy some of the experiments from the the great elder herself. I not sure this a good idea. At most we will buy some of those scorpions and help the clan by creating another farm. Still the problem is the scorpions are stronger than a cultivator, at last compared to all the brotherhood. One should always remember that a mortal bull is stronger than us. Else we try to train and care for beings far stronger than us that don't have the instincts that mammals have to care for the young. But his mind is going for a tangent for too long already.

So since only using pets was not enough to please my paranoic brothers, the 13 crew all have at last one small trick in the base, like a single hair in a hall or a ball of material like dust or sand that will fall if some door are open. We of course made far easier to hit the treasury and the next 'easier' route was where we keep our reports, compare to some more important place like where we live or were we keep the food/water.

Well, we are all present now, and the fifth, the 100th​ (the elder hunter) and 13th​ had finally relaxed. And the little ones are already getting warm bellies from all that food, so let share our last tale. Less epic than the 13 scions. But one closer to said fight.

"So", with a baritone voice I start slowing when I was sure to not scary any children that was escalating (so they don't drop), "I already share the epic of the next 13 scions, and the glorious victory of our enemies, and the dangers that even a single of those evil, scum, so called hunters represent." I let the tension raise a little more. "So let me share with all, specially you little ones, what your parents and grandparents had thought would be our last stand. Were we would die to the last brother and sister present, to allow you all a better future". "let me share the tale of the first generation of the brotherhood and our own Scions".

Xxx

This is a fight way above their level, still they were willing to die to make openings for the more talented brothers in the clan. So why not, to try to shoot to the moon?

"I suggest the roasting and grandaddy formation" said the first brother with a deadly serious tone.

His sworn brothers nod to him and all other brothers start to move.

"Guess I will go first, brother dear" said the fifth going ahead of the formation. Since so long as we do not punch, they cannot punch back (and kill us) when they are in different realm.

"Ha, after all this talk, I, 47th brother, will be your protector, your salvation" only to be forced moved by 'brother' 50th "I want to die looking to the sun, you go to the other side".

"But 50th" tried the wimpy elderly to his wife. "No backtalk, go there dear". With fallen shoulders 47th moved, while getting gentle pats from all brothers close by.

"ALL ready?" asked the first brother. Getting an affirmation from all gathered.

"So, all together now! We only had one chance of doing this, let make it count" "1, 2, 3,"

Then with one voice they yelled "I, your grandfather, will offer you some tips" they pointed to the childish one there. What a disgrace of a 'senior'.

The 'hunter' looks at them with distaste and focuses on his fight with their senior, the formation activating to make the shadow warrior appear.

The mighty formation's shield is already moving to throw all the excrements and other things they prepare for this distraction. And threw it in his direction in the moment when their senior was far enough. They, of course, failed to hit. But the smell? Oh, the smell was a 'GREAT' one and dodge that is a bit harder.

So angrier for our actions the 'hunter' was, that he decided to throw some kind of 'art/skill' at us only to pause again before finishing. Shame, I guess someone as strong as him discovered our strategy.

"Yes, dear" started the fifth brother with an extremely weak voice. "Life is suffering, don't you want to help your grandaddy by ending this life?" he looked with his best grandfather eyes (which are the worst in all brotherhood).

"No," said, 50th 'brother', "I, his grandmother, am the oldest here. My baby boy will kill me and teleport us back home".

Senior Diomedes had most of his attention, but every bit helps. Still, that 'senior hunter' is getting really red. So strong family bonds? Can we get under his skin using other insults? Let us continue to get a feel before a proper 'roasting'.

So, with my baritone voice, I truly projected it at him and said "Hahahaha! no, our dear boy is working for our kin's ascension" I lied a little bit. So, laughing annoyed him, being called a boy annoys him and he certainly hated the insinuation that we are family from his reaction. Yeah, I can work with this.

"Use sub formation 35 in the roast, while laughing!" I comment with a small voice. Which was, interesting enough, something that 'hunter' could still hear from the small pause he took.

Sub formation 35 is the 'disappointed grandfather/mother comparing your success to others in the family' so some will act like that and some will do the mocking laugh. Something inside me says that this will make him truly angry.

Xxx

After laugh and enjoying the 'show' the youngest brothers and sister present had fallen sleep, so we move them to the communal living room of the little ones. Were we keep the of the few arrays that we use, one that use many lesser evil stones to in a year. And that all our victories will allow us to use even more so that next generation have a better future that ours did.

After securing them, putting blankets on them, checking that those that have stronger requirements to be alone or to be closer to some particular blanket, pillow, brother and/or pet. Which remember me. I make a truly horrific angry face look at that little shit cat, king of his shitty breed present, move two fingers to my eyes and to it. Then I look to brother bull two, the sacred beast of the brotherhood. And nod with a warm smile. We all quietly move out. I go to one of the walls of the hall and knock on it (lightly), receive the two knocks back. The night crew of the 11th​ and 13th​ brothers are reading to watch and protect the little ones. Good.

After a little walk, and locking the doors, the older kids, the 'mortal', the cultivators, the adults, the parents and grandparents present all make a circle, with all of us closer to one another.

"So, I will continue the report, so that all presents here can know what is require to kill a scion hunter honor guard and prepare us to the massacre that will come when the Disappoint One command his minions to exterminate us in the next trial". I said with grave tone.

xxx

So, this is it, the brotherhood's final battle. I could not be prouder of my brothers and sisters. Thought the builder.

Around them, their betters finish their own preparations to invade the fortress and the battle to come, while the brotherhood finishes moving the parts needed to our mad rush of a job/construction that we will use to distract and hold some of the honor guards in their own realm of power.

Said construction was made by combining the 'final protector' that they would have used in the tunnels, if not summoned by the clan to fight here. They added to said protector some rocks and materials of this desert.

They were almost ready now. But like the fourth brother likes to say, presentation was key, and like the second, the third and the fifth have said in the past - Battle is preparation and knowledge. The enemy knows only that we fight in a fanatical way when we are desperate and that we can use the most basic of formations that the clan has.

In exchange, we now know many things about their weaker fighters. And with that knowledge, they could finally hold some of the honor guard's full attention while the clan's elite stormed the fortress and avenged our kin.

Ahead of the little dune where the brotherhood was hiding their work, the fourth brother and some other brothers prepared the field.

With two giant pillars of rock made by their 'pillar raising arts' and all the material from the tents they prepared… a construction like an open theater. There they would hide their greatest weapon outside of a suicide technique.

The first builder looked around himself and saw only eyes full of determination. He nodded while making as much eye contact as possible with his brethren. With a baritone voice, he spoke. "Remember. Senior Diomedes commands us to live. Let us not disobey his orders." And then he breathed in until his lungs could not hold any more air and then let it all out in a few words. "Let's proceed!".

With the same energy, his brothers answered. "Yes, first brother!"

The Fourth brother nodded at him one last time and then showed us why he is the one responsible for our public relations and job hunting. With two iron boots, he made his way to the top of the 'theater'. He hit the pillar making a loud sound, then with his hands using the 'iron hand' art he slapped them together making another.

He was making a scene.

Taking our signal, we started to stomp while we worked, those that held spears, smashed them at their shields as loudly as possible. We all sang, though incredibly bad and with no harmony with each other. Many selected songs that clashed horribly with each other. Yet it was the fourth brother that is the one that was the best at hiding our work.

"Come here, come here, you cowards!" He said in the foul language of the fifth sea. Among us, he was the only one who did not have a horrible accent. Fitting since, when he wants, he can sing well.

Well, I could too, thought the first builder. But why would I put any kind of distance between my songs and his brothers? No, we all sing together. If it needs to be bad, then so be it.

His brother was getting the effect we wished for. The smarter honor-guards, the stronger honor-guards and the richer looking honor-guards. They were moving to other directions looking for more 'normal' legionaries. They do not want any of or shit. Ha! Just like we planned!

With some more subtle movements, my brother certainly was drawing the attention of those two we wanted. He was already making a gesture to us to start to 'boo' the 'cowardly hunters'. And with his other hand is making the gesture to us to prepare our first movement in this fight.

"11th brother, now it's your time to shine" My brother nodded at me while saluting and moved to the center of the (small) formation while the rest still made as many sounds as possible and continued to booster our best weapon with some last touches.

The 11th brother is our best warrior (or maybe is 13th, but 13th is not here, since he is not a golden devil), and we got him as much time as possible at the center of the Hoplite formation in these decades. So, it is not a big surprise that he is skilled with the use of the shadow one. He already is moving the spear to the rope made of (bronze) hair while getting some aid from our brothers to tie those.

I focus on the fourth brother again and prepare myself to help with this first movement.

"I am not talking to you, I mean the strong hunter there," the fourth brother said. So, with this (code) phase, he means that we have two hunters, and my brother decides to anger the 'meathead hunter'? Seems all is moving according to the plan. 'Heaven' usually breaks those by now. Weird.

"Just look at his arms, then back at you, look at his posture, then back at you. You could be like him; you only need to die here and reincarnate to be that awesome" My brother is moving his hand. Now is the time.

"Do it," I said.

The hoplite warrior directed by my brother explode in movement. And use his shadow body to only allow its 'eyes' to pass the 'theater' curtain. With a higher arc he moves his spear and shield with the net made of hairs that we have tied to them between both armed hands.

"Haaaa-" We all hear the 'hunter' yell being interrupted. We got one of them! No matter how strong he is or how fast he is. If he is not using his brain one cannot dodge in the middle air. And he had to jump to try to kill my beloved brother.

The warrior made of shadows started to move his mighty arms once more to throw the net as far as it could. We could not see the hunter inside of the net. But we could listen. He is yelling with all the shit and other stuff we put in that net. Until the scream stopped.

My heart stopped, then I said "throw him now" I commanded.

My brother did so, by cutting with the spear while throwing with the other arm by moving the shield. What was that? What Old Gold damned was that?!? An invisible art? A ghost shape art? Another heavenly treasure?

"Enemy has broken his own token," reports the 11th brother. The shadow one has superior senses allowing the one in the center of the formation to see far more than our weak senses could.

Not missing a beat, the fourth brother starts taunting once more while running/jumping away like the fire of heaven (hell) was here "that was it? I guess you two are also disappointing grandchildren".

Said hunter is already throwing (literal) lightning and burning our 'theater'. My brother succeeds at jumping at the giant shield and both start to retreat to here.

I nod and yell once more. "Launch the Little Dawn".

This is how the 'hunter' meets us behind the curtains. With walls being raised from the sand with ropes made of hair that connect each rock and each wall to each other and making sure that even if we failed to do some good cuts to the stones, they would stick with each other. And we certainly made sure they were well cut to allow them to 'glue' to one another.

Said hunter was still speechless. While the shadow one put the roof and threw with his weapons the ropes full of shields and arrays plates around the fortress. Our enemy was still in the same spot when the construction ended.

So, with my prepared speech and with a voice full of malice I started. "Life is full of predators, mister hunter, and some of them will go hunting you too. Meet the second greatest cause of death and failure of your kind here, one of your natural predators". I make a small pause "you so called 'hunter' witness a fully operation golden devil fortress" I lied, it has weak arrays, but we have a lot of evil rocks to power those, also we have food here for only two weeks of fighting, we would need to go to our boltholes to get more resources if this fight took that longer. Still, we have crossbows, we have some places to rest. While our enemy was alone. Also, we have lots of material to repair our fortress.

Still a final taunt is needed since we notice something particularly important. "Son, where is your core elder to save you now?"

The little hunter started to throw more lightning, which was absorbed by the stones, by the hair, by the patina plates, by our shields. Doing some damage. Still, it would take more time than this to break our walls and we have some other tricks.

Like our cannon that we renamed "Abel's vengeance,'' we have finished tying it with ropes to the shield of the shadow one. And all these distractions allow it to make a beautiful (to us) shot and break the 'hunter' token. One cannot dodge all those small balls of iron being thrown that fast without using their brains. And our presentation made him thunderstruck.

The battlefield was a bit silent after that. Not missing a beat, I yell. "Move our fortress closer to the other honor guard, I want to hit them with our Hoplite" then I repeat that in our language.

Will an almost pure 'wave' of sound my brothers yelled in confirmation, with the shadow ones using more ropes to throw pillars ahead of us to help the pillars already below this fortress.

We all gather our strength, boost our muscles with Qi, many send prayers or other forms of thanks to our seniors for the soup and other help. With that the brotherhood, bull two, the horses and even the shadow warrior using his weapon made our fortress move forward.

I decide to repeat my taunt before we join the greater battle. '' Where is your core elder to save you now? I yell with all my strength.

I just hope this is enough of a distraction so that our seniors can save our juniors.

Xxx

"After dealing with the runts of the runts of the runts of the litter, we faced some of the real hunters there" the brothers that were in that battle cringed and touch some of the new scars.

"And even with our fortress we could only resist and offer the little amount of help in that fight, specially after the scions of the clan fight the elder hunters once more". His brothers were quiet, absorbing once more what a hunter can do. Even the weakest ones.

"So I will prepare myself in this week, and use the opportunity of being mistake as a good seed" I raise a palm to stop my brothers protest, there good seed and there Good Seeds "to be one of the first to go in a generation long term mission by the higher ups in the clan".

Giving a pause so that his brothers could endure he continue "I will do my best to continue to show why some benefits could be direct at us. With some luck, I will get enough points that will allow us all to be strengthen before the next trial".

Xxx

Xi-Wang, the first builder, did not return alive to the brotherhood. But a senior did find what he so desperate want for his brothers. He could not be happier. His soul is with his dead family and his will still helping his living brothers.

In his resting place (the little that was not used in a armor) inside the brotherhood home reads:

'One for All'.

word count: 4581 (counting everything)

@Alectai, @TehChron well another one to help us reach 2kk.

 

[adamashield]

Meet the brotherhood – The Second Brother.​

Appearance: xxxxx is a well build (muscular) man, with dark hair that is usually in a ponytail. With either a clean shaved face or an excellent groomed beard. But his eyes have big shadows of too many days where he sleeps far too little. His clothes always go to the practical approach. Unless some of his brothers' schemes requires otherwise.

Background: If one would be reality critical of the second of the five sworn brothers. One could call him 'average'; he is not the tallest of the brothers, he is not the strongest or the weakest, he is not the faster or the slower of the five brothers.

But like all the other five 'average' should not be the first word to come to mind. Because even before the brotherhood got new members, one could say the second was the most responsible of the brothers. He was one of four voices of reason, and his ability of dealing with any of the brothers plans, using their small amount of money and resources to so. Which he only got better when he got older.

He was the second most productive worker when the five sworn brothers had to do some hard work, and while he was not creative, he always kept the bigger picture in his mind.

He was the second brother to shift to a manager like position after more people went with the crazy (at that time) plan of the first brother of creating rest time/meditation time to the members of, yet to be create brotherhood, by working hard enough to two or more people. He and the third 'brother' were the ones that coordinate all tasks, put on paper what was being done to 'trim' the unnecessary parts and made sure that the faster/better brother in a task got the right job to do so.

He was the third of the five sworn brothers to get married. Getting thirty wonderful years of marriage and even get a beautiful child from that bond. His son would later on become one of the next generation of 'the five sworn brothers of the brotherhood'.

He was the fourth brother to become a cultivator. And like the first brother the event that took his wife what the 'spark' that, probably, cause him to start the path of defying the heavens. And all the five brothers pray in thanks to the ancestors for the child survival of 'Fluffy'.

That monster was a former pet that was throw away in the sewer and, somehow, become a spirit beast.

Its evil rampage was stopped by the first brother with his mighty strength (at that time) of a four heavenstage cultivator. After crippling the pig, the first builder offered to his brother to be the one to kill it. Which he did, that action allowed him to calm himself and meditate thinking about his family while using 'the builder style breath arts: first form'.

And that was enough to make him a cultivator. And create another brother that was vengeful against of heaven. Because if he were that strong even by a day before 'Fluffy' rampage, his wife would still be alive.

As a cultivator he still works as manager for most of time, using his greater stamina and even his regeneration that are grated parts of those that become golden devils. He went to lots of work trying to improve his brothers' skills and knowledge while holding even growing amounts of paper from the meteoric, in the brotherhood point of view, grow of his brother. And the absurd number of points and merits his brothers got doing only a few missions.

Appearance as The Second Builder: Like someone put a bull in a worker clothes. From the absurd number of muscles in a small frame, he now has many scars in his hands from some kind of 'spiritual transference' that he got from the first builder, the wounds were, thankfully, reduced, just like the amount of leather-like skin when compared to what Xi-Wang had. The second builder's eyes no longer have shadows because his greater cultivation might grand him even more stamina and regeneration than what he had before also because he had more help from a larger number of brothers that took logistics to help the brotherhood and/or to become of Senior Diomedes' subordinates.

The only difference in the clothes of the second brother is a choker of steel that protect an especially important treasure.

xxx

Goals as the second builder: The new builder and the brotherhood are readying themselves for an even greater task that the one that they did while trying to help the scions of the clan.

word count: 804 (counting everything)

@Alectai, @TehChron, here a short intro, before the great elders march^^.

 

[adamashield]

Title: The Elders March. Part 1.



Alternative Title: The Great Grandparents Gait. Cough. I mean March.​

author notes: 'simple' missions? what are those? they only know plus ultra missions


(POV of the second builder)



Looking around him, 'so it begins' he thought. All in his generation with the blood to the last 'mortal' member, that are alive, will be part of this mission. And most of the 'mortals' second generation too. Only some brothers, cultivators, that do not have the bronze blood and follow other (smarter) paths to power than most of the brotherhood are staying. To guard and teach the third generation. And what ever group the fifth brother hides from the 'normal' official papers. They of course hide nothing from the clan. That would be crazy.

In the privacy of his mind the second brother thought loud 'we are still failing our family'.

[We can only offer them a better path that the one we went and use this greater than our foundation to convince more brothers to move to a better path] thought back Xi-Wang, the first builder, using their connection that they have with the amulet of true will.

The second builder still had a bitter taste in his mouth from the decision of so many of the second generation to stop using the stones that they had paid so much sweat and blood to gain. Because they desire to do what they did. To raise brothers that could not advance without their full help and help the juniors just like they did.

'You… I mean, we were right about one thing; those stones are evil and connected to the cursed heaven!' even without using them they curse all they touch!

[And yet, we continue to challenge the heavens, I am the living proof] thought back the first brother. While the second builder was still digesting his words the former leader of brotherhood continues.

[All our brothers with the blood are stronger now, we won victory after victory and benefic after benefic. Even this terrible war that we are sending our family can be a blessing]

[Also, not only we succeed in creating the 'big brother/sister system' for those with higher talent while reducing the friction in the family, but also created a precedent for the brothers of lesser talent that decide to use the evil stone path, plus we truly jumpstart so many little ones. I hope they never fall to mortals' diseases or from disasters that can only kill mortals] Finish the first brother. On this, both men agree on, that kind of pain of death by complete mundane problems that could be avoid so easily if the person in question was even the weakest of the cultivators with the blood of bronze and its legendary constitution, so many in the brotherhood cannot let go of memories of those they lost for deaths like those ones, just like the second and first builders could not. From their significant others death. The second brother thought that he still the one that had suffered less from the two, since his daughter is still alive and had become the fourth 'brother' of the next generation.

That last thought was also what made the second brother return to the present, which is probably why his brother was directing him to remember those memories. The 'desire/hope' of having as many cultivators as possible in his family to avoid mortal trials and surpass mortal lifespan that still burn extremely bright in the five sworn brothers.

Nodding to himself, the second brother start to move and carefully watch the final preparations while his direct 'subordinates brothers' follow him. His original one in the form of 11th​ brother (Yu), and now he has the 6th ​(Jingguo) and 7th​ brothers (Hou). And he needs to stop using those names even in his mind. Because these fools continue the, cursed, tradition of stopping using their names until they become a foundation establish expert. Or until their death.

He watches and see a long line of carts, modify bikes, palanquins, and even big trunks being used to transport their resources and their people. So that they can rest, train and craft in the march; they will not disappoint either the clan or Senior Diomedes, the logistic train will continue, their intelligence reports will continue and so will their operations to gather resources even in an urban environment…and collect personal. There are less talent younglings that are not 'perfect' enough for the big clans. Hell, there actually good seed that had not got the spark/fuel to grown. That they will find and take as their own beloved children.

With renewed determination, He start to marches to the front, looking in the eyes of each of his brothers, even allowing the amulet of true will to see the light of the day to help his brothers know that. Yes, they are being still being watch by the 'founder'. And that they still have the support of the first brother.

He looks at the brothers that have the 'spark' need to cultivate already burning, looking at 100th ​(Qiang), 25th ​(Tang), 33rd​ (Yang), 34th​ (Yin), 20th​ (master Duyi), bull two, and so many others.

"You will the core of the anvil which will protect our brothers from breaking" getting affirmation nods from each.

Xxx

(Madness level: low)

Luó Quian, soldier and elite guard, is having a great day, while having to endure so many horrible devils passing without killing them and getting his just reward from the heaven was particularly painful. But he had to admit that watching the old, living, trash that the devils allow to exist and even more trashy old people that clearly tried and failed to become body cultivators walk was extremely funny. And these animal at last know their place.

Just look at some of these mortal 'elders' pulling a cart together with a horse, one of them is so red that will probably have a heat attack before the day is over. In fact. Let make that a reality.

The great soldier send his Qi over the old man. The effect was instantaneous that creature hold its hand to the area of his chest where his (black) heart is located. White foam is being form in its mouth and that thing fall to the floor while having its whole body shaking.

A (relative) younger male trash cultivator run and started breathing on the trash mortal mouth and trying to ?punch? The heart to working once more while even more trashy cultivators approach. They put their hands on the fallen chest and start to send more Qi. Ha! This is a waste effort. This is even better, maybe they will make the mortal explode.

The soldier moves closer to see the scene.

No!

This should not be possible!

The mortal is mortal no longer, it had raised itself. With disgusting black tears and disgusting black tar instead of normal sweat. Its ?kin? starting hugging and kissing the fellow trash.

The new cultivator raises his arms and give a weak (compare to the guard) yell, "One for ALL"

And from the line of old devils cultivators and from the devil mortals an answer comes that shake the earth "ALL for One" while many rushing to hug it. While the 'new' cultivator gives small excuses, like begging the other mortals to meditate at this instant. Because it could not handle the attention.

Later, the soldier would admit, in his mind, that he got no one to cheer him when he became a first heavenstage so long ago.

Xxx

(Madness level: low?)

The young master watch with distaste the golden devils, no, the green to golden giant rats leaving the sewer below his mighty family. So, he throws at them a bag of spirit stones. The oldest one with a freak wild beard catch that and start to kowtow to him with the rest following his example. At last, these giant rats know their places.

His distaste grown when he notices that one of the old men had a grey-white rat on his neck and did not care. The rat was also trying to kowtow to him.

"You will have the contract to fix that route" he comments showing an immense amount of distaste in his face to admit that they have done better than the trash that his mighty family usually use to repair their sewer. None of them had died which is a first for example. They also were faster and cheaper too.

"Leave my sight" he commands and was immediately obeyed they jump to the sides, to move away from his vision, and start running while yelling "yes, master". At last, they know their place.

Xxx

(Madness level: low to average)

Legionary Ernoldus look at the weird logistic team that work to one of the new 13 or are the new 14? Never mind, he watched them bring another chest full of coins, a bag of spirit stones and even more food. For some reason he though he heard paper on paper. But he had seen none of that passing with the crazy and nice old people. So that probably is just the wind moving on their clothes or some weird art effect happening.

Xxx

(Madness level: average?)

The nameless One.

He succeeds in entering the line of the weird men and women of green and gold skill (and hair). And was about to get a horrible looking soup. One that smell like Earth and grass for some reason. But he was really he was hungry.

The fat old lady looks at him and pass the spoon to an old man.

Shit.

He tried to run but was captured by a really strong old man, the people outside watch with cold eyes while he begs for his life.

Then a delicious smell of meat, which was even cooked! got to his nose, in the hands of the fat old lady.

"Eat sonny" she said, he of course will not eat poisoned- "Now!" said the scary old man holding him. So, he, of course, started to eat.

The evil man starts lowing his head until his neck and head touch the crown of his head. So, it true golden devils are cannibals.

[It is not] Said a strong voice in head. That had scared him. That was almost enough to make it drop the meat or waste it. Almost.

[You are with your family now, son] the voice said, with a warm feeling coming from somewhere.

"Chew the food more" the muscular elder said while moving him to his knee and once more dropping his head into the nameless one head. And then the warn feeling returned, it feels like the feeling that he got when he found a silver coin (a once in a lifetime lucky event) together when the feeling of a full belly (an also very rare occasion).

When he finished, another feeling appeared added to a memory together with a WILL that were all throw/send at his head. Before he could even process those the nice old lady spoke.

"Breath sonny" said the old woman,

"Breath!" demand the scary man.

"Grandson, just breath" said the voice in his head.

And the nameless one did so, swallow more air that he ever had, moving muscles that he did not know that ever had to help with act of breathing. Another kind of nice feeling come from that. But it was incomplete.

and was just the first of many breathes.

These feelings, he hungers for more.

Xxx

(Madness level: ???)

Hao Yu put the cloak closer to his body that a crazy, mortal, lady gifted to him. It was warm.

He looks at this march. and did not think that these crazy elders should walk in the night. Much less one as cold and as dark as this one was.

Seriously just look at this woman that need some kind walk devise to even balance herself and that was still walking. Like she did in the entire day and way pass midnight. Just like yesterday.

Meanwhile some other crazy men and women are even now making the finest road he ever saw. And they, too, did not stop just change who is working day in and night out. When they sleep, they move to sleep on moving carts, even the animals were move to sleep on moving carts. And they all continue to march. Is enough to make these mortals reach the miles per day of low cultivators by sheer determination and ?smart? use of animals. And even with this. They continue to go beyond what was normal, Scenes like this crazy lady pulling a cart with the rest of the old ladies, and then trading place with another crazy lady to rest. That new crazy lady was the one that give him candy every time he passes close by.

It got the point he felt bad enough that yesterday he starts to help moving that cart full of old ladies. Which some 'young master' really did not like. And had beat him.

Well fuck them! he will help once more!

After doing so the old ladies made a circle around him to hide something and show a trunk with enough spirit stones to raise him by a heavenstage. What?!?

Xxx

(Madness level: ???)

Centurion Praesentinus Diogenus is having another headache. He finally passed the more important papers and reports. With this place of those Old Gold damned blacksmiths causing so much paperwork to try to delay them. He finally got to his hand in the 'second builder'. Had a really 'enlightening' talk. Well at last was a short one.

So, the papers he found with the bags with spirit stones and other things. Which was, by the way, a bizarre thing to witness. Someone should tell these crazy old men and women how a logistic train work, which was, well…

To Be a train that bring resources of their lands and, at very most, help with hunting, papers work, intel, etc. And not to go so beyond their duties to gain gold and spirit stones even inside a hostile city.

These guys are trying to get good will of the 'natives' (these are OUR LANDS), collecting intel. Making paths in places that no cultivator of importance would care. Hell, their intelligence report had multiple versions. Some short ones with only had the essential parts to big books that had some shiny pearls among a lot of less important information.

But the effect of morale of his troops that was the most bizarre part. They are acting his men were their own beloved grandsons/granddaughters! And this was how they act to everyone single one of his soldiers. These crazy old people were wasting their own salary of spirit stones to either booster his troops grown or buying stuff for them. And this was when they just don't waste their own salaries buying material to make for the legionaries 'homemade' presents. Hell, he is sure there was a cape made with their platina and, willing give, blood. Of hundreds of old men and women. Just to give a soldier a better cape.

They also causing his soldiers to become workaholic. With some bizarre training, competitions (to be the 'best grandson') and sharing of information that is beyond even the normal, not crazy, legionaries.

Centurion Praesentinus Diogenus was sure this trip will show him even more madness. And the other centurions will be pissed at him. Because he was eating 'homemade' warm food, drinking tea and alcohol (which was 'homemade' ?!?) and even sitting in a room instead of tent. Because these crazy old ones build a house to him at each stop. That they then sell. To only then give that money to him too.

Yeah, this is the good kind of headache.

xxx
word count: 2671 (counting everything)

author note: well this it^^, rise my crazy old people. Go plus ultra

@Alectai, @TehChron, @Humbaba here is another omake^^.

 

[adamashield]

Hmmph... this junior is a good seed [Cultivation Management Quest] Original - Fantasy

And I would like to thanks Senior Juugo for the help, it was really great work with him^^.

@no. , @Humbaba

Reward: a LST if possible,

p,s: I hope the link works.

 

[adamashield]

Title: The Elders March. Part 2. The Logic of the Mad



Alternative Title: The brotherhood did choose The Minions' life.​

Xxx

(Madness level: the builders)

Centurion Praesentinus Diogenus newest headache walked on. This madman was an incredible subordinate, able and capable of providing so much creature comfort, perform so many duties at once and did so while finish them fast and even made great reports, The little ones, not the book ones, still. This is the less crazy one in the entire brotherhood? Really? At last, he knows why he is called the 'dependable one'.

"Legionary the builder reporting for duty sir, I have the write reports here with me" the platina man said, with a single paper in one hand and a small book in another.

"Give me a verbal report, I want your feedback on this". He commanded.

"Yes sir, we are ahead by a week in the march schedule, we also gained 14 days of food and water; and 10 days' worth of a first heavenstage salary by doing some work in the city" this is what he was talking, this rabbit hole has no end. They reach the rock bottom and digger it deeper.

Massaging his temples, while the legionary waited, he look to his side at his, new, wardrobe…one that has an art of himself raising a spear and with what looks like a dead hunter on the ground to complete the scene, that art was life size, the crazy one got the message behind his, unspoken, command and walked to the wardrobe, opened a secret compartment were his now hides his alcohol, the mad man got one drink, and start adding herbs, honey and fresh milk to a glass; how them discovered that he like this combination with his drinks he has no idea, and he also don't want to know.

After drinking. He put his hands together and command the legionary once more, this time verbally.

"Report what else you crew is planning. What they already started first. Then speak to me what else they tried to do that you are holding back" yeah this is the thing, the number of crazy ideas that this poor bastard needs to listen and (try to) stop is absurd, no wonder he is also mad. Which is one more reason to always have less mad subordinate if he desires to have this crew add to his troops in the future.

"Another young master wants his sewer fixed; this one will pay more for mural art of his political enemies drowning in the area where the shit flows with the water. Said bonus would make for a significant payment on itself." Stuff like this.

"Continuing the report, the third brother had learned some new recipes from the local homeless, there a significant number of 'birds' "the mad one said while making air quotes "that, for some reason, people call instead of flying rats for think that they are true birds, these 'birds' …" making another air quote "…had been allowed to move freely on this city, seems like a dead for years now, core elder used to watch them. The reason why this happened changes from person to person. One says that the core elder was using those to easy his own dao from some heart demons from getting worse, another say that his got insights from those flying rats, some say that he had the dao of flying rat".

The platina green man waits, to see if was allowed to continue.

"Seems like that the flying rats are allowed, to this day, on his family garden where they still grown some strong herbs. Some of the herbs that the family sell in the market and in the black market are good even for 8th​ heaven stage cultivators" the rabbit hole has no end.

"We had report from the legionaries that some of the stronger stray cats can kill most of those, so called, birds. And we already know which birds to avoid. Because we watched the oldest felines actions and witness some of the young ones being slaughters, be dismembered then consumed to the last piece of fur" and this is the less insane brother.

Making a gesture to a refill, his soldier dutiful refill it. And waited.

"Call two of my personal assistances, you know who I am talking about" the green man nodded, walk to the door, open it and raise two fingers of his hand.

Say what you want of those mad ones. But they do try to help with everything they can. Like these new, and now essential, introduction to his way of command. More (mortal) scribbles for paperwork that can be delegate, (mortal) scholars that look for the even most minuscule of advances in the local laws and other matters, a (mortal) barman, among others. Like these two old ladies that are deaf and are great masseuses. The three (mad) people walked to his desk and wait further order that would never be spoken. There was a pulse of Qi from the builder neck. And the 'young' man continues to show that he was spectacular at reading body language and act/react to the will and wishes of his superiors. Which is a powerful tool in the cultivator world.

He starts to use hand sigh and translate what he was saying "Our Centurion wants something new, so close the windows, use the lamp array and the blue clothes to make this area a cozy blue to help our superior to relax. Burn one of incense in the box number four, while I prepare the tea." He starts moving to (new) tea set. Which was, another, show of madness inside madness that exist in the brotherhood, because that was made from 'bone porcelain'. Still the best damn set he ever had.

"Should I continue" the builder asked while the centurion moved to a portable bed, which was also the best he ever had while doing campaigns in other regions.

"Processed" he said.

He then continues with the hand gestures and translating. "Use your expertise, if you had any technique that you were keep as secret, then use them, the centurion also wishes you guys to focus on the back, feet and temples face. Still use your experience if that don't make sense or other area call for more attention." This is an amazing ability. They said the first builder could read people extremely well. Seems to be true if the second one plus the 'living will' can read his wishes to this degree.

The two, very old and muscular, ladies nodded, one start to throw peppers to the oil she was preparing the other went to his fireplace and put some ceramic balls close to the fire.

xxx

10 minutes later he had organized his thoughts, and while they continue to work, he continues to command the builder.

"This was a good find but is too good for us. I will report the birds matter to the higher ups. And with their direction we will see what we will do" he waits until the ladies finish a muscle knot. Shame that they can't handle more than 30 minutes of work on his steel like muscles. Maybe he will spare some stones if these two can/would use the damn things. 'Evil stones' ha! One more reason why they are crazy.

"There a change of using the living birds to get new seeds, using them as sources of intel and all kinds of things. This could very well be worth even a minute or two of our estimate cores elders" the mad man in the front of him nodded to that.

"Still, I sure you stopped some stupid ideas, share them all now that I relaxed" the green legionary paused, there were multiple exchange of QI of the 'young' man with the hidden gear that holds the previous (and certainly insane) builder.

Then an avalanche of crazy hit him. From giving 'doggos' to young masters, some bizarre plots and even the brotherhood 'stealing' some men and women into the night to marry. That one he allowed because they already paid the bride/groom price with the parents and the 'stealing' was either for showing off or because the bride/groom was into that.

Some of the new blood made sense since they could have or already have talent/skill/blood that some in their family had shown in the past. Other ones made less sense but that is madness for you.

But two of the especially crazy ideas either need more information or need to be stopped at all costs.

"Your brothers want to buy books and paper for what?! and offer to guide the damn blacksmiths?!?"

The man in front of him nodded. "There a intel coming from the front that some of the foundation establish and even a core elder in the, so called, 'noble' knowledge sect has a dao related to storage of knowledge" so far a sane line of thought "they have being besieged by many years and don't have many opportunities to trade" ok, this is already a little bid insane "so by getting books from these local, especially the ones less than useful in our lands would be something we would want to share"

"Then why only taking the ones from locals?" he interrupts the madman "Oh, I see, you want to weak the foundation of the damn blacksmiths? If so, this plan already has my blessing, but I want the list of all the books you guys want to get, but why the papers?" is horrible that this make a bit of sense.

"We also have a lot of laws books from the desert and for some reason, economical logs of the Jinshen, and their whole culture of their mortals. But the reason why we need paper is because we running out of those" by making too big reports?

"Because each member of the brotherhood to the last mortal member decide to share their more exotic finds that we believe are not of use for cultivators and that don't touch into golden devils' traditions and other information about our land" madness "someone had decided to bring porn from all factions, in this matter we got some kind of patron, most likely a core elder given the size of the contribution that he/she/it had send us. Enough porn to last a cultivator in Qi condensation a lifetime even reading every day from the moment he become a cultivator to his or her or their death. We only know that he/she/its symbol is a bull. We are unsure if this symbol is because the master that teach us five original brothers was a bull. Or some other kind of message". So much madness, and now there a change of us pleasing a core elder by doing their pranks? This is a blessing and a curse. And a ton of madness in a single idea.

To easy himself and to remember why he allow them to do all these mad things, He move to eat the homemade-like lunch that one of his assistances brought. Pork with herbs and honey? In the style of his hometown? Yeah, having the brotherhood as subordinates has lot of pros/cons.

After tasting the almost divine pork, he asked "and the guider matter".

Once more there was Qi being thrown back and forward by the two builders. The living one finally opened his mouth and said "We are unsure how the blacksmiths get the guiders for the waterfall, the consensus in the brotherhood is that our clan glorious leader, Old Gold, would not allow an opportunity like that being lost, but we are also unsure that if in 100 years the guilder return to the clan when the trials happens or if the blacksmith use all those stones to raise the guilders like pigs to be slaughter when they get, metaphorical speaking fat enough, to be use as gravebrozen of a higher grade. So, our oldest members thought to offer ourselves".

Well let's, try, and see the reasons of the mad for this idea. "Legionary, elaborate why you guys are offering yourselves for this work".

"Yes sir, we don't use stones so one of us could either use those for many plans. If they are forced to use those on themselves by the evil blacksmiths then those evil men will discover than the one of the problems with the builder style breathing is that we can't use stones while using the builder' art. And that we must wait in order to be able to use the spiritual stones once more after stopping using the special breathing, and the waiting time grows larger if the person had used our art for a longer period. Also, we are pretty sure that oaths made to the heaven by us can cause some impressive blowback from the heavens." How is that connected to the breathing arts?! They are truly mad "So, the ideal candidate is someone that is weak, old, can kill themselves fast either by heaven blowbacks or by something else like following a, incomplete, lesson that the first builder shared with us"

Putting the empty plate to the side and putting his head on the table "you know what, I will ask the core elder, about the guilder matter" without waiting his subordinate reaction he continues "now give me the list with the candidates" that made the builder blink. Ha! I know you guys enough to know that you have multiple volunteers.

"Well, here is the list" a list with more than 20 people. Wait, did he just inform me about the names of all these brothers? I am aware that this a big deal.

"The one we favor the most for the position is the first one in the list, brother 40th​, she has very sharp ears, hold no secret in her personal life other than her own name, fulfill each contract that she does to the letter, has little change of growing by using our methods but had done so for more than 20 years, had used the enhanced method that the clan share with the new recruits and, once more I should comment that, like many in the brotherhood, consider her name a secret. So, if for some bizarre reason our Might Leader, Old Gold, wish to focus on her. He could do so while wasting even less of his time". The worse part is that it made sense. Was he going insane too?

Xxx

After some days and enduring even more madness from these workaholic subordinates. Centurion Praesentinus Diogenus called the 'dependable one' to his officer. Which was part of an even greater building. The only bad thing that he could add to these new constructions is that they now are on the style favored by the damn blacksmiths. Because that sells for a higher price to those damn invaders. And he like taking their coin more than he hate the style.

When the builder arrived. The Centurion throwed a piece of paper. And start to walk to his new mirror.

While the mad one read the paper and waited futher commands. Diogenus was look at himself in the mirror that was made of low-quality platina and decorated with 'bone porcelain'. Watching his own, tired, face. And his own brighter eyes. Yes, a bit of energy is a good price to get the recommendation that he got from the elder and the bonus to this year salary.

"Legionary, you will represent the clan with the scions in the secret realm" he started "show that paper in the treasury to get your token" he continues while moving the mirror to get the secret compartment that was in the back of mirror.

Looking at the small array bag that contains some of his best tea. Which was also a tool and an idea that no commander should ever be without when they don't cook their own food. And even if they do so they should continue to have. An antidote. The 100 years tea leaves to be precise. A tea so strong that could remove a lot of impurities. Which, sadly enough, was less than useful for cultivation at his level of power at this point. He then throws the bag at the platina man.

"And take this treasure that can save you from dying from poisoning and other effects that can enter your body" the builder was about to speak but stopped himself. Good. Still is better to reinforce the message.

"You will use that tea one way or another. Because that could also be used to cultivate. And I command you, my legionary, to use that on yourself when you leave that secret realm. I command you to use it if you are in danger and that could help. And I command you to only use in a scion of our clan if they would die otherwise. To not try to go beyond my words or twist the meaning, accept that. Internalize that. And come back to my command alive. Did you understand?

"Yes sir" said the builder while the dead one sends a Qi pulse that he had associated with yes.

Good. Subordinates like these are hard enough to find. Plus, the envy of the other Centurions is worth a little bit of madness. Those last meets in the higher command had being such a treat.

xxx
author notes: yeah that was our previous core that was in the council^^, I hope this is not too much for a final prank

word count: 2951 (counting everything)

@ReaderOfFate, @Kaboomatic, @no. another omake to help GS and clan