Chapter 44: 8th Layer of the Strong Body Sutra!_i
Translator: 549690339
The seven villas of the Beasts Room, identified as Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, Wu, Ji, and Geng, virtually occupied the entire periphery of the East Saint Sect.
In the wilderness and atop the mountains, the subsidiaries of the seven villas could be found.
These properties bred treasured pigs, cows, sheep, ducks, geese, insects, and more.
Obviously, the largest scale among them was Ding Villa that bred Precious Chickens.
Compared to the enormous demand for food and meticulous care required by cows, sheep, and pigs, the output of Precious Chickens far exceeded the others.
Key to note, even an ordinary person could raise a Precious Chicken well.
The likes of multi-colored ducks and jade geese have a huge appetite and are too aggressive for a common person to handle.
Even the problem of reproduction that was complained about by chicken breeders paled in comparison to the other speciesā.
Mating insects tends to be easier, requiring less attention.
As a result, within the seven designated villas of the Beasts Room, seven out of ten places are used to raise Precious Chickens.
This also created a situation where, when an uncontrollable epidemic ravaged inside the sect, Ding Villa suffered the greatest loss.
Song Lun of Ding 16 Villa, without a doubt, stood as a symbol of both prosperity and decline.
Previously, an Elderās Spirit Beast had eaten a significant number of Precious Chickens in his villa. Considering the face of the Chief House Master of Beasts Room, that Elder had to compensate with a hundred Spirit Stones.
Embraced by the envy of his peers, Song Lun grandly bought over two hundred Precious Chickens, and even managed to pocket a dozen or so Spirit Stones.
His fame skyrocketed overnight.
Taking into account the remaining ones in his villa, there were almost 500 Precious Chickens in total at Ding 16 Villa!
With these five hundred chickens, not only was he free from worries about monthly tributes, but he could also sell a portion of them and save up some Spirit Stones every month.
Life was visibly improving day by day.
But what he never expected was, his golden days had barely begun when disaster struck!
One of the villas close to Ding 16 Villa reported an outbreak of chicken plague amongst the Precious Chickens!
Facing this, Song Lun immediately cut off all communication with them.
He even forbade the laborers who delivered chicken feed from entering his villa.
However, despite taking all precautions for a month or two, Song Lun was horrified to find a chicken with drooping eyes and a weak body in his villa when he was just beginning to think he could luckily avoid the plague.
Though he swiftly discarded the sick chicken, the plague spread like ink in water.
The second chicken, the third oneā¦
Despite his efforts, working around the clock, using all means and methods, he looked more like a worn-out and bloodshot-eyed beast than a human in his frantic efforts.
Yet, the plague continued to spread, unstoppable.
It didnāt take long.
There were no healthy Precious Chickens left in the villa.
All of them lay there sickly, reminiscent of lying grave mounds, causing Song Lunās heart to bleed!
Though he had yet to witness large-scale deaths, it was merely a matter of time.
Perhaps tonight, or tomorrow morningā¦
Thinking about this, Song Lun could not help but be overcome with sorrow.
Unable to sleep, he went from chicken to chicken with a lantern in hand, looking for one that could be saved.
Regrettably, even a round of inspection did not reveal a single spirited chicken.
āItās over! Itās all over!ā
Song sat despondently on the ground.
His fine clothes were covered in watery chicken droppings, his temples were already grey-haired, and now, didnāt have a single dark hair left.
Compared to the once-spirited version of him, he looked like a completely different person.
This was the sight that greeted Wang Ba when he entered the villa.
Perhaps due to extreme grief, Song Lun didnāt react even when Wang Ba entered.
It was only when he spotted the white Daoist robe on him that he jumped up in alarm.
āAn, an, immortal!ā
Song Lun stammered, somewhat in a daze.
Why would an immortal visit him at this hour?
Was he here to punish him?!
At this thought, a hint of fear crept up on Songās face, he stammered, āImmortal, I, I, I, this is not my fault, itās chicken plague! The chickens here are about to dieā¦ā
Wang Ba was also equally anxious.
With his character of minding his own business, he would never disguise himself as a Sect Disciple with the Power of the Yin God, putting his life at risk, within the sect, unless there were no other choices.
But as it stands, he did not have that luxury.
While psyching himself up in his mind, he maintained an emotionless expression and spoke unperturbedly:
āIāll take all these sick chickens. Iām not taking them for free; this is for you.ā
He sounded just like a superior sect disciple.
As he spoke, he tossed down two spirit chickens that he had previously concealed with the power of the Yin God.
Seeing the two spirit chickens appear out of nowhere, Song Lun had no doubt about this personās identity as a sect disciple. Although he was puzzled about what could be done with sick chickens, when he heard that the spirit chickens were for him, he was stunned!
Then, he was overwhelmed with surprise and joy!
Two spirit chickens!
Once he offered these to the sect, he could avoid nearly two years of contributions.
Of course, the contribution requirements of Ding 16 Villa were high, and the time he could avoid wouldnāt reach two years, but it would still delay the process for a considerable amount of time.
This significantly eased his pressure.
With this thought, his previously exhausted heart suddenly sprang back to life.
āBut, immortal, these chickens are sick and wonāt live longā¦ā
Song Lun hesitated, but still carefully reminded him.
He didnāt want to remind him, but he needed the guts to hold his tongue.
Offending a sect disciple was far more severe than being punished for inadequate contribution.
āNo need to say more.ā
The āsect discipleā said coldly.
āYes! Yes!ā
Song Lun silently sighed in relief. He thought, āItās not that 1 didnāt warn you. I did, and you told me to shut up.ā
He was about to look for a rope.
But the āsect discipleā stopped him.
āYou go out, Iāll let you in, then you come in.ā
āYes! Yes!ā
Although he didnāt understand what the other person intended to do, the words of a sect disciple were law that he dared not defy. He promptly bowed and left, holding the two spirit chickens tightly, afraid they might escape.
When he saw Song Lun leave the villa.
Wang Ba, disguised as a sect disciple, finally relaxed when he felt the Yin Godās power cease to rotate.
Then, he started carrying out his meticulously planned actions.
He went through each precious chicken one by one.
[Current Lifespan +2.1]
[Current Lifespan +1.8]
[Current Lifespanā¦]
Fortunately, all the chickens were sick and stayed put, making it easy for Wang Ba to touch them.
Even so, it was already midnight by the time he finished touching over four hundred chickens.
Looking at the precious chickens in the villa, who were barely alive and had died in large numbers, a hint of sympathy flashed in Wang Baās eyes.
If he had undergone a lifespan breakthrough first and then extracted lifespan, how much could he have gained!
Unfortunately, he didnāt have the time to cultivate now and could only choose this method of killing the hen for eggs.
Of course, had there not been a chicken plague, he wouldnāt have been able to trade so many precious chickens for just two spirit chickens.
No one else would have sold him so many.
Although they were sick chickens, they had no effect on him.
After finishing, he hurried to another nearby villa that was also afflicted with the chicken plague.
This villa was ranked lower, and the quantity of precious chickens was far less than in Ding 16 Villa, with only about 240.
Wang Ba paid fifteen spirit stones and took them all. The owner was overjoyed and wept.
Then, he went on to touch each chicken.
By the time he finished, the sky was already getting light.
But his hard work throughout the night was not in vain.
His lifespan smoothly skyrocketed to about 1810 years.
Itās a pity that despite so much lifespan, except for feeling energetic, he didnāt experience any changes.
He didnāt immediately consume this lifespan. He quietly returned to his room in the villa and opened the panel.
[Current Lifespan -576 years]
Stage VII of the Strong Body Sutra, completed!
[Current Lifespan -1152 years]
Stage VIII, completed!