The Devil's Tribulation

The next day, the two continued to walk west. When the sun went down, they finally saw a small town. Uncle Niu said, "Hurry up, the city gate is about to close." As he spoke, he pulled Pan Chengfeng up and the speed increased. Pan Chengfeng felt that his body was flying up and landed four or five seconds later. Turning his head, he found that he was only a few dozen meters away from the city gate. Before he could stand firmly, he was pulled forward again. When they arrived at the city gate, two soldiers blocked their way and asked impatiently, "What are you doing? The city gate is about to close!" Uncle Niu bowed and said, "Two soldiers, I came to the county to sell some furs, and I want to ask a doctor to see me by the way."

A guard with a face full of flesh said with a smile: "Two people, ten coins each, twenty coins, bring it here." Pan Chengfeng was shocked and thought to himself: "Wow, one coin can buy two steamed buns, twenty coins means forty steamed buns, this is robbery!" Uncle Niu said in embarrassment: "Two brothers, we didn't bring so much money when we went out, and we have to ask a doctor, what do you think?" The soldier with a face full of flesh looked at Pan Chengfeng and said: "Okay, five coins for the kid, if you keep talking nonsense, don't enter the city!" Uncle Niu had to take out fifteen copper coins and put them in the soldier's hand. The soldier was satisfied and stepped back to let them in. Just after walking more than ten meters, he heard another thin soldier behind him say: "Brother Chen, you are really good, you just made fifteen coins like this" The soldier with a face full of flesh laughed and said: "Hehe, two country bumpkins, if we don't blackmail them, how can we have wine to drink?"

Pan Chengfeng followed Uncle Niu silently. He didn't show any reaction on the surface, but he was already furious in his heart! He was ripped off right after arriving. Who wouldn't be angry? Uncle Niu asked slowly, "Did you hear that?" Pan Chengfeng nodded. Uncle Niu continued, "Anything you want to say?" Pan Chengfeng shook his head and said indifferently, "Two jumping clowns, why should I care about them?" But he was thinking in his heart, "Find a chance to deal with these two bastards!" Uncle Niu nodded and said, "Deal with the fur first, then find a place to stay overnight, and go back tomorrow after finding a doctor." Pan Chengfeng could see that Uncle Niu didn't seem to want to stay in the county town any longer, so he didn't say much and followed Uncle Niu quietly.

After entering the county town, Pan Chengfeng was disappointed. No wonder, after seeing so many modern high-rise buildings, it would be strange to be surprised to see such a two- or three-story attic. However, there were quite a lot of people, and everyone was rushing home. The county town was also under curfew. After walking two streets, he finally arrived at the place where Uncle Niu sold furs. It was a store that was neither too big nor too small, with a width of four meters. It was written "Lixian Leather Shop". This county town was called Lixian. When he walked in, a skinny guy greeted him with a smile: "Brother Niu, are you here to sell furs? You haven't been here for a while." Uncle Niu smiled and said, "Are you here?" "Yes, yes, boss, I'm here to sell furs."

After a while, a man in his fifties came out from behind the door curtain: "It's you, Da Niu. What good stuff did you bring me this time?" Uncle Niu bowed and said, "Shopkeeper Yao, I came in a hurry this time and didn't prepare much. I only have three large items and some mink skins." Then he opened the bundle and took out three furs. Shopkeeper Yao's eyes lit up: "Wow, you hunted a tiger and two bears?! You are really a hero! Even better than the four brothers of the Pan family!" "The four brothers of the Pan family?" Pan Chengfeng asked. Shopkeeper Yao heard the voice and noticed that Uncle Niu brought a child this time. He smiled and said, "Who is this little brother?" Uncle Niu touched Pan Chengfeng's head and said, "He is a relative's child. He came out to see the world and is also from Panjia Village."

Shopkeeper Yao didn't care. He stroked the fur and said, "The old rules, tiger skin is ten taels of silver, two bear skins are six taels, and the mink skins are rounded up to an even number. How about twenty taels?" Pan Chengfeng, who was standing by, was stunned. He got twenty taels of silver in one go. One tael of silver is worth a thousand copper coins. Pan Chengfeng knew that one tael of silver was worth a thousand copper coins. No wonder Uncle Niu threw out fifteen copper coins without blinking. Uncle Niu nodded and said, "Okay, shopkeeper, do you have shoes for sale?" "Yes, yes, how many inches do you want?" "This kid wears it." After saying that, he stepped aside and let Shopkeeper Yao take a look at Pan Chengfeng's feet. Shopkeeper Yao took a look and said to the clerk, "Bring me a pair of four-inch shoes." After thinking for a while, he added, "Bring me a pair of pig skin ones."

Pan Chengfeng pulled Uncle Niu's sleeve, but Uncle Niu ignored him. After a while, the shoes were brought, and Uncle Niu looked at Pan Chengfeng and said, "Put them on and see if they fit." Pan Chengfeng was a little touched, but he didn't act pretentiously. He patted the soles of his feet with both hands and was about to put them on. At the signal of Manager Yao, the clerk quickly squatted down and took a piece of cloth to help Pan Chengfeng wipe his feet, saying flatteringly, "Come on, come on, I'll help you put them on. These shoes are better than the ones I wear, comfortable and sturdy." While he was talking, he helped Pan Chengfeng put on his shoes. Pan Chengfeng got up and walked around. It was indeed very comfortable. He had been barefoot for two years. Pan Chengfeng looked down at his shoes and smiled at Uncle Niu. Uncle Niu turned around and asked, "How much?" Shopkeeper Yao smiled and said, "It's not about money. Consider it my gift to you, little brother." After that, he grabbed a handful of candy from the table and stuffed it into Pan Chengfeng's hand, saying, "Take it to satisfy your craving~" Pan Chengfeng saw the candy on the table as soon as he came in. If he said he wasn't craving it, he would be lying. Their village was so poor that they had nothing. It was very difficult to eat something sweet. Uncle Niu nodded, took Pan Chengfeng's hand and said, "Thank you, Shopkeeper Yao." After that, he and Pan Chengfeng walked out of the fur shop.

After leaving the fur shop, Uncle Niu pointed to the front and said, "There is an inn in front. We will stay there tonight." Pan Chengfeng glanced at Uncle Niu and said, "The shopkeeper just now was really smart." Uncle Niu asked in surprise, "Oh?~ What did you see?" Pan Chengfeng said confidently, "He should have seen that my future is limitless!" Uncle Niu snorted and ignored Pan Chengfeng's narcissistic look, and said lightly, "Shopkeeper Yao is a smart man, otherwise I wouldn't sell furs to him." Pan Chengfeng asked, "Then there is no need to give me such good shoes, right? These shoes don't look cheap at all."

Uncle Niu stopped and looked at Pan Chengfeng and said, "Do you know that Manager Yao can sell that tiger skin for at least 1,000 taels of silver?" Pan Chengfeng's eyes widened, obviously shocked by the 1,000 taels of silver. He opened his mouth and pointed at Uncle Niu, but couldn't say a word. Uncle Niu knew what Pan Chengfeng was thinking about, but didn't care. He said to himself, "Why do I need so much money? It might attract other people's attention. If I didn't need some silver this time, I wouldn't have planned to take out the tiger skin." Pan Chengfeng thought with some regret, "If you don't want it, I want it. You can sell it to me."

The clerk in the fur shop over there asked Manager Yao curiously, "Boss, why did you give that kid such nice shoes? I haven't even worn such nice ones." Manager Yao glared at him and said, "You know shit. That kid is obviously Da Niu's apprentice, or he is his beloved nephew. When was the last time you saw Da Niu with a kid by his side? He must be training him!" The clerk said, "Oh," and touched his head, "Then there's no need to give him such nice shoes. Those shoes cost two taels of silver." Manager Yao laughed and said, "Compared with this tiger skin, it's just a drop in the bucket. In the future, if that kid becomes a hunter like Da Niu, won't he have as many tiger skins as he wants?" After that, he touched the tiger skin again. The clerk asked, "There aren't many people buying tiger skins in our county, right?" The shopkeeper said angrily, "No, there are plenty in Fancheng! Who would be willing to do business in a poor county? If it weren't for those hunters who occasionally bring in some rare skins, why would I come here from Fancheng?! Think long-term, this kid will surprise me in a few years."

Pan Chengfeng also stayed in the inn with Uncle Niu, sleeping in a large bunk bed, five cents a night. Pan Chengfeng was so hungry that his stomach growled, but seeing that Uncle Niu didn't move, he had to endure the hunger. Suddenly he thought of the candy given by Manager Yao, and immediately took one out and put it in his mouth. Originally, he thought that he hadn't eaten yet, so he would eat some sweets to make up for the lack of food. Unexpectedly, the candy was so sweet, and he couldn't resist the temptation of sweets, so he ate three in one breath, and now he could have a good sleep.

The next day, they heard about an old Chinese doctor in the county town. Everyone said that he had superb medical skills. Uncle Niu went to great lengths to get the old doctor to help them. He gave money and a bullock cart, and the old doctor finally agreed to take his medicine box and follow them to Panjia Village. Pan Chengfeng also had the opportunity to ride on the bullock cart. On the way, the old Chinese doctor said to Uncle Niu: "From your description, the man should have dementia, which mostly occurs in older people. In addition, he caught a cold and has been delayed for so long. I think he is in danger." Uncle Niu bowed and said: "In any case, please go with me, old sir." Looking at Uncle Niu's sincere face, the old doctor also sighed and said: "A doctor is like a parent. Since I have agreed to this trip, I will go on this trip, just like going out to travel."

Pan Chengfeng rolled his eyes wildly: "I think you are doing this for the sake of the ten taels of silver?! Doctors are like parents! Not only that, this round trip by ox cart costs two taels!" But when he saw the shoes he was wearing, Pan Chengfeng still felt warm in his heart. Although Uncle Niu often told him, "Rely on yourself, rely on yourself," Uncle Niu actually took good care of him. Pan Chengfeng sat on the back of the ox cart with his legs shaking. Uncle Niu turned his head and saw Pan Chengfeng with an innocent smile on his face, and thought to himself, "This is like a child~"

After hurrying as fast as they could, they finally saw the entrance to the village before dark. The ox cart drove straight to Uncle Niu's house. Sister Niu calculated the time and thought her husband should be back soon, so she waited at the door. When she saw the ox cart coming, she saw Uncle Niu on the cart at a glance and shouted from a distance: "Master, you are finally back." After saying that, tears flowed out. Uncle Niu was also startled and hurriedly jumped out of the car to greet her: "What's wrong? Is it Niu'er's grandmother?" Sister Niu nodded: "Mother doesn't recognize anyone anymore, and can't drink porridge. She just keeps shouting Dad's name." Uncle Niu comforted her: "Don't worry, the doctor is here, the most famous doctor in the county." The couple looked at the old doctor at the same time, and the old doctor did not dare to neglect: "Hurry up, take me to see the patient." After that, he followed the couple into the inner room.

In a small room, the old doctor sat at the bedside and took the patient's pulse, and the couple accompanied him. Pan Chengfeng peeked in from the doorway, and there was a pink and tender little girl beside him. The little girl looked at Pan Chengfeng curiously and asked, "Who are you?" Pan Chengfeng made up a lie, "I'm the man your father found for you." The little girl asked in confusion, "Why are you looking for a man? To play with me?" Pan Chengfeng nodded indifferently. He continued to look inside, thinking, "From the looks of it, it should be no good." Just as he finished thinking, he saw the old doctor stood up and shook his head. The couple hurried forward to ask about the situation, but the old doctor pointed outside the door, and the three of them went out together.

When they arrived at the living room, the old doctor sat on a chair, stroked his beard and said, "Alas, please forgive my incompetence, but there is no way to cure your mother's illness." Pan Huilian's tears immediately flowed down her face, and she begged, "Doctor, please think of another way." The old doctor said, "Your mother is suffering from an old illness, and this time she has caught a cold, and evil spirits have entered her body. If you had come half a month earlier, I might have been able to give it a try. Now I'm afraid there is nothing I can do to save her." The old doctor shook his head and got up to pack up.

Uncle Niu knew that the doctor was telling the truth. When he came back this time, he also felt the death energy in his mother-in-law. If he was an immortal cultivator, he could prolong his mother-in-law's life and cure her illness, but he was only a body cultivator and didn't even know how to make elixirs. Uncle Niu bowed and begged, "Doctor, please be kind." The old doctor sighed and said, "There is no way to cure me, unless the gods help. But I do have a needle technique that can make your mother sober for a while, but this will give your mother even less time." Uncle Niu looked at Pan Huilian, who was in tears, and took her hand to walk out. He turned back and said, "Doctor, wait a moment, I'll discuss it with my wife." Pan Chengfeng also shook his head and sighed, "Birth, aging, sickness and death, no one has been able to escape since ancient times. No, mortals can't, but immortals can live forever!"