Page 41: Weird village

Days left before the sect's martial and alchemy competition: 174 days

Everyone reached the village safely after a week of travel. Exhausted and hungry, the group was not disappointed by the welcome the villagers made since there was food and drinks to consume. As the expected date was met, the group was able to experience a hospitable welcome; being escorted by ladies and youthful girls into the prepared dining hall, accompanied by singing and dancing. That day of arrival, everyone looked happy or so everyone thought but one person was able to notice the villager's health state. Almost everyone, especially the older ones have the status "weakened" or "malnourished" in them. Maybe because almost everyone in the group was tired from the inhospitable journey, they have failed to notice such detail, even more so that they are distracted by the ladies who looked nice and pretty.

Long Bai just quietly drank from the sides being inconspicuous from all the noise and laughter. Since there was no poison in the food and drinks, Long Bai let the group enjoy themselves till they got their fill. Jin Danyi, the leader of the group separated from the rest of the drunkards after taking some few shots of the prepared wine. Still clear-minded, he approached Long Bai who was sitting on a corner.

"Alchemist Bai, you've noticed it, didn't you? They must have fed the children and the girls appropriately this week just to make this kind of welcome. However, it is too apparent that the men of this village are not happy and healthy. If I'm not wrong, they must have gave their portions to the children while holding off the hunger. In this village, there's only one cultivator and that is the village chief. This just shows how much they revere us cultivators."

"I agree but there must be a reason for this village to suffer from lack of food. The village chief is at middle layers of the visceral tempering and yet they lack food. It is unthinkable that he is incapable of hunting and gathering enough food unless there is something that's preventing him to do so. The bandits must have claimed the nearby forest and maybe this village too which it's why it resulted in this circumstances. We need to speak with the village chief while the rest are still preoccupied."

"Let's look for the village chief then. By the morrow, we need to make reconnaissance of the vicinity and prepare this village for retaliation in case the bandits will come. You'll come right?"

Long Bai followed Jin Danyi to the chief's hut which was located at the biggest hut in the area. Upon reaching the place, the village chief was already waiting by the doorstep.

"I was expecting you to come. You must have a lot of questions. Please come in, let us discuss this inside."

The village chief allowed both of them, Long Bai and Jin Danyi to enter his wide hut. Inside the two found out that the village chief had five wives who were taking care of everything, while he had one child with each woman. The youngest was a toddler which is being held by the newest wife. As they were being led to a long table, the village chief started to speak.

The village chief introduced himself as Fang Shanyuan, a former disciple of the six star school but because of his ordinary aptitude, he decided to settle on this village some years ago. For the early years, Shanyuan started to gain the village's favor as he started to make his contributions until they saw his great importance in the village's growth. Since he became the village chief, everyone was able to have enough food on their table but a year ago, bandits started to show up around the area. At first, they tried to plunder but then decided to use the village as a working force for their supply; food and women. Every 15 days, they need to meet up the quota of food they requested. As for now, the mark was on 200 kilograms of edible meat which would be collected a week from now. As for the fiasco earlier, it was the elders' decision to conduct such welcome since they think of the cultivators as their saviors.

After hearing Fang Shangyuan's words, Jin Danyi and Long Bai returned to their designated huts. Thinking of a solution, the only question that remains is how strong the bandit force is and how many of them are out there. There is still some information needed to be gathered.

Early in the morning, the group conducted a meeting as to give directions to the members on what to do for a week before the bandits would come and collect what they want.

"Everyone, we will divide our force into three, the five with the highest cultivation including me will conduct a survey of the surroundings and try to locate the hideout while the other next 5 strongest ones will go and hunt food enough for the village. You will be accompanied by the village chief while the rest, try to solve the issues within the village like sickness, diseases, and maybe some heavy chores if needed. May I request our two alchemist to make medicine for the village people and in return, we will collect some herbs for you from the forest. Any questions?"

Everyone agreed to the leader's directives and started to move accordingly. After an hour of preparation, the two groups went on their tasks while the third group stayed and went around the village. Of course, because the leader has gone to the forest, Hong Danyun, the other alchemist acted as the presiding leader on his own. Giving orders one after the other to the remaining members including Long Bai.

"You lots, go and check the health conditions of the people and report to me after an hour. As for you, junior Bai, go and help the kids fetch some water. What?? Are you going to complain? I have the most authority here and since you're obviously younger than me, I'm your senior. Ha!"

Long Bai and the rest immediately scoot out from the area rather than to stay and listen to Hong Danyun's childish acts. While the five spread out to maximize their efficiency, Bai went to the fetching area where lots of young children are working.

When he reached the area, the kids immediately stopped what they were doing and went to bow deeply in front of Bai. This maybe is what was taught to the children about cultivators since they were young. To worship the strong and gain their favor.

"Stand and continue your work. If you'll finish your work early, I'll teach you some sword play."

Upon hearing his declaration, all the children began to show their full vitality. The work that was supposed to be done in an hour was done by just half of the usual time. Seeing that everyone was exhausted, Bai called the kids to enjoy some treats he brought from the city. Having the experience of a modern man, the mentality to bring treats for the people on the country side was still engraved in his soul. Looking at the satisfied faces of the kids of his current age almost prompt him to play with them. The only reason these kids were not asking his age is that he looked like a youth in his mid teens. Due to the body tempering realm, anyone who are at such level would have their body mature fast to accommodate the essence in the body. This is the reason why most cultivators would have the figure of a young adult. Only when they reach their late years that they will start aging again.

The elders are the example. Since a body tempering cultivator has 500 years life span maximum, they would look like youths during the early years till 100 years. As they grow until 200, they would look like someone in their mid twenties while 300 years equates the looks of a 40 years old human. Upon reaching near 400, they will have the image of a grandpa or grandma. If they would be able to enter the immortal realm at the later ages, their looks would return to the middle ages. The earlier a cultivator will ascend, the more they would be able to retain their youthful looks. If not, upon reaching near 500, body tempering cultivators would start to regress and eventually die of old age. There are pills that can retain young looks but even so, if they reach the maximum years of their current cultivation, there is no escape in dying. In this cultivation world, only few dies of old age as most are killed due to competition. Competition of power, prestige and resources.