The Devil's Tribulation

Magistrate Wu looked at his only son. Although he felt sorry for him, he knew that this had to be done. The man was still there. If he showed favoritism, it would give Sun Erleng an opportunity to slander him. So he gritted his teeth and shouted, "Someone come!" Several yamen runners came in. Magistrate Wu looked at them and said, "Drag this rebellious son out of the yamen and give him forty lashes!" Several yamen runners were stunned and dared not move. Magistrate Wu glared at them and said, "Are you all deaf? Beat them hard. Whoever dares to show favoritism, I will beat him! Beat him to death!" Master Wu fainted when he heard this.

In the evening, the news that the son of Magistrate Wu was beaten with 40 boards by Magistrate Wu for bullying the people and forcing people to buy and sell goods was spread. Originally, he only needed to be beaten with 20 boards, but Magistrate Wu said that Master Wu broke the law knowingly, so he doubled the punishment. This incident was really gratifying. Many people who were bullied by Master Wu cheered loudly, saying that Magistrate Wu was an honest official and that he was an honest and upright official. Sun Dutou originally wanted to use this incident to disgust Magistrate Wu, but he didn't expect that the fat man was so ruthless that he could kill his own son, so he had to give up. Thinking about how the fat man would impeach him, he was still a little unsure, but thinking that there might be benefits in the evening, he didn't take it to heart.

At midnight, Sun Dutou called twenty personal soldiers and quietly came to the inn. Seeing Pan Chengfeng standing at the door, he stepped forward and asked with a bow, "Master, what do you want?" Seeing someone coming, Pan Chengfeng said without any nonsense, "Follow me." A group of people came to the yard of the inn, and Sun Dutou saw a big thing covered with black cloth. Although he couldn't see what it was, he felt that it was heavy, so he asked, "Master, are you going to transport this thing outside the city?" Pan Chengfeng nodded, "Just transport it outside the west city gate, and try not to make any noise." Sun Dutou bowed and said, "I understand!" He turned around and ordered his men, "Go, send the things of the Master to the west city gate, be careful, don't break it." The personal soldiers rushed forward to do the work, and finally the twelve strongest personal soldiers carried the big tripod with wood and walked carefully towards the west city gate.

Pan Chengfeng and Sun Dutou followed behind. However, Pan Chengfeng was in front and Sun Dutou was behind, bowing his head. Seeing Sun Dutou's look, Pan Chengfeng said, "You don't have to be so cautious. This time I came to Li County to do business. Although the matter was done well, it still caused a lot of trouble and delayed a lot of time. I also saw the suffering of mortals." Sun Dutou didn't know what Pan Chengfeng was going to say, so he just nodded. Pan Chengfeng continued, "Since ancient times, dynasties have risen and fallen, and the people have suffered. When the dynasty prospers, the people suffer. When the dynasty perishes, the people suffer. Although I am a cultivator, I also deeply understand this time."

Sun Dutou seemed to understand what the immortal meant, and immediately said: "Mercy, the people have been like this since ancient times, and can only go with the flow. In Li County, there are people who are still hungry and cold." If County Magistrate Wu heard this, the two would probably fight on the spot. Pan Chengfeng glanced at Sun Dutou. He certainly understood that the county lieutenant and the county magistrate were not on good terms, so he said: "Since Sun Dutou is the county lieutenant of Li County, he should treat the people well and perform his duties conscientiously. Remember, those who do evil will eventually perish, and good and evil will be rewarded in the end." Sun Dutou's face was solemn, and he bowed his hands and said: "I will definitely remember the immortal's teachings."

The two men came to the west gate while talking, and the soldiers on duty did not dare to stop them. The guards put down the big tripod and stood aside. Pan Chengfeng walked to the big tripod and lifted it up with one hand. The guards and Sun Dutou were so shocked that they didn't know how to describe it. After Pan Chengfeng lifted the tripod, he felt in his arms with his right hand, took out a small box, and threw it to Sun Dutou: "I hope Sun Dutou can benefit the people." After that, he left. Sun Dutou looked at the small box in his hand, and he was so excited that he couldn't say a word. When he looked up, Pan Chengfeng had already walked away. It looked like he was walking, but in fact he was running faster than they wanted. Sun Dutou sighed inwardly, "What a god." He turned to look at his guards, all of whom were still dumbfounded, so he shouted, "Why are you still in a daze? Remember, don't tell anyone about what happened today, or you'll lose your head!" The guards nodded in agreement, and a familiar guard came up to him and asked, "Dutou, who is this gentleman? How come he is so strong?" Sun Erleng narrowed his eyes and said coldly, "Have you forgotten what you just said?"

The guards shuddered, thinking: "This time, Sun Dutou seems to be serious. It seems that this matter is really not to be joked about." These guards have been with Sun Dutou for some years, so they naturally understand their leader's character. Showing this expression, it shows the seriousness of the matter, and then they immediately shut up. Sun Dutou saw that his brothers understood his intention, thought for a while and said: "Everyone has worked hard today, five taels of silver per person! I will give it to you when you go back!" Hearing that there was such a reward, everyone was very happy and went back to the camp talking and laughing all the way.

After Sun Erleng returned home, he immediately went to the practice room and carefully took out the small box given by Pan Chengfeng. Just when he wanted to open it, he felt a little worried, so he stood up and walked to the door to take a look, then closed the door, and finally closed the window. Only then did he feel relieved and returned to his seat, slowly opened the box, but did not smell the expected medicinal fragrance. There was a pill in the box, white in color and the size of a longan, and a small note with two words "oral" on it. Pan Chengfeng also gave him instructions for use. Sun Dutou's hands were already shaking with excitement: "Is this the legendary elixir?" He pinched the pill with his index finger and thumb, and sniffed it in his nose. It smelled of flour. However, Sun Erleng had never seen a real elixir, and Pan Chengfeng's bloody flour pill should be enough to fool him. Pan Chengfeng saw that Sun Erleng was in good physical condition, so he gave him a whole drop of blood this time.

Sun Erleng did not suspect anything and immediately put the whole meatball into his mouth, swallowing it without chewing, and then closed his eyes to feel the changes. After waiting for a few breaths, he suddenly felt a burning pain in his stomach. Sun Erleng covered his stomach with both hands, and fell to the ground with a cry of "Ah!", curled up in a ball, sweating and shivering. He first thought of poison: "Could the immortal want to harm me?" But the pain had already covered his perception and occupied his thoughts, and his mind was full of pain!!! How could he have time to think more? Finally, he couldn't stand it anymore and rolled on the ground.

About twenty minutes later, Sun Erleng slowly sat up. Feeling the changes in his body, he stood up with a swish. He walked to the big tripod in the training room, thought for a while, grabbed the tripod ears with one hand, and exerted force. The three legs of the tripod slowly left the ground, and Sun Erleng's face turned red. When the big tripod was raised to his chest, Sun Erleng yelled "Hah!" and lifted the big tripod diagonally over his head. Sun Erleng was like a weightlifter, except that he held the tripod with one hand and stood still. After a few breaths, Sun Erleng held the tripod and turned around in the training room for a few circles, returned to the original position, and slowly put the big tripod back.

Looking at his hands, the corners of Sun Erleng's mouth slowly cracked, and he could no longer hold back his laughter: "Hahaha, it's really a treasure from the immortal family. This tripod must be at least 1,500 kilograms. I lifted it up so easily and turned it around several times. Even the hidden injuries left by the previous battles have healed!" He slowly suppressed his excitement and remembered what Pan Chengfeng said when he left: "It seems that benefits are not given in vain. The immortal is merciful, but he also has thunderous means. It seems that the people of Li County are blessed. In the future, we can only think of other ways to get the salary."

While Sun Dutou was happy, Magistrate Wu's family was filled with sorrow. "Get out!" Master Wu lay on the bed. Although it was midnight, the pain in his buttocks prevented him from falling asleep: "My father really wants to beat me to death. What am I still alive for? Let me die in pain! Get out!" The maids serving beside him were trembling, fearing that they would be implicated. They did not dare to leave, so they could only kneel and wipe their tears secretly. Master Wu saw that they were all crying. Just when he was about to scold them, he saw his fat father standing at the door, looking at him coldly, and then swallowed back the words in his mouth. Magistrate Wu looked at the maids kneeling on the ground and said, "Get out." The maids got up and left as if they had been pardoned.

Magistrate Wu walked to the bed and sat down. Seeing Master Wu's buttocks covered in blood, he felt distressed. However, he gritted his teeth and said, "What? Haven't you figured it out yet?" Master Wu groaned and said nothing, but he thought to himself, "What am I thinking about? My buttocks are broken, and everyone in the county knows about it. I've lost all my face. What else can I think about?!" Magistrate Wu looked at his only child and felt powerless. In the end, he decided to explain patiently, "It doesn't matter if you don't understand. I can tell you why I beat you today, but you must remember it." Master Wu pricked up his ears this time. There was nothing he could do. This beating was too harsh. He didn't want to do it again.

County Magistrate Wu left the bed, walked to the window, put his hands behind his back and said slowly: "Today, a guest came to the mansion. He is of extraordinary status..." Young Master Wu immediately interrupted and said: "Are the officials from the capital here to visit secretly?" With Young Master Wu's brain, he could only think of this. County Magistrate Wu slowly turned his head to look at his son and said: "It would be great if the officials from the capital came to visit secretly. I think that with the preparations made by your father over the years, they really can't do anything to me. Even if you make trouble at ordinary times, as long as no one dies, those officials from the capital will turn a blind eye. This is the protection of officials. However, this guest during the day is likely to be a prince!" Young Master Wu's injured butt suddenly felt less painful, and he asked tremblingly: "Prince?" County Magistrate Wu's voice was also a little trembling. He replied: "Yes, your father should be right. The dagger on his waist has the royal emblem, the guardian beast of the country, the unicorn!!"