Chapter 8: The Beast Unleashed

Su Zhengtao’s expression was stern and grim as he barked, “Do you know the Su family rules? Killing an innocent servant without cause, even for a master of the house, is punishable by caning.”

Su Yueshi was, of course, aware of this. At the very least, it meant a hundred strokes.

This was a provision in the Su family rules intended to ensure the loyalty of the servants. However, masters who actually killed servants usually found various excuses to absolve themselves, or they would have the punishment faked during the execution.

But Su Yueshi knew very well that as the ugly daughter of the household, she would receive no such treatment.

To be sentenced to caning meant she would be beaten mercilessly.

Biting her lip hard, Su Yueshi still tried to argue, “Second Uncle, it was not without cause. Aunt Dou bullied me first, she framed me for stealing from the pig farm, and she even tried to harm my husband.”

Upon hearing this, Su Zhengtao cast a light, fleeting glance at his daughter, Su Yun.

“Bullshit!”

Su Yun stepped forward and shouted sharply, “A pig was missing from the farm, and my father has already verified that you stole it. Aunt Dou only scolded you a few times; not only did you hack off her hands and feet, but you also killed her.”

As she said this, the corner of Su Yun’s mouth curled up slightly. *So what if I frame you?*

A strange look flashed in Su Zhengtao’s eyes as he immediately put on a stern face. “Su Yueshi stole a pig, the evidence is conclusive. After being exposed, she killed Aunt Dou, the evidence is conclusive. She shall receive one hundred strokes of the cane!”

Su Yueshi’s entire body trembled violently, her eyes brimming with tears. “No, you have no evidence.”

Su Zhengtao ignored her and shouted again, “Su Yueshi’s criminal husband is an accomplice, but since he does not bear the Su surname, he shall receive two hundred strokes of the cane. Execute it immediately!”

What? Even her husband was to be beaten two hundred times? How could he possibly survive that?

“This matter has nothing to do with my husband; I did it all myself.”

Su Yueshi struggled to stand up and rushed toward Su Zhengtao in a frenzy, crying, “Second Uncle, I beg you. I stole the pig, and I killed the person. Just punish me alone.”

To protect Sikong Jing, Su Yueshi even confessed to the theft of the pig.

The corners of Su Zhengtao’s and Su Yun’s mouths curled into cold sneers simultaneously. There was indeed no evidence for the pig theft, and even the fact that Aunt Dou had struck her first could be verified, but since Su Yueshi had confessed with her own mouth, no one could find fault with the punishment.

“Yueshi, what do you want me to say about you?”

“Isn’t it just a pig? You could have just asked your Second Uncle for one. How could you resort to stealing?”

“Second Uncle is very disappointed, but as the Head of the Law Enforcement Hall, I can only act according to family rules... Men, give her one hundred strokes!”

Two men from the Law Enforcement Hall stepped forward upon the order, holding heavy, intimidating staves in their hands!

Su Yun smiled coldly, “Give it to me—hit her hard!”

Boom!

Just as the two men from the Law Enforcement Hall raised their staves high, a violent aura suddenly surged from the entrance of the hall, accompanied by a thunderous roar: “Let’s see who dares to strike!”

As the words fell, a straight figure landed and strode inside.

Su Yueshi’s expression changed in shock. She turned back!

When she saw that it was actually Sikong Jing, she couldn’t help but cry out, “Didn’t I tell you not to come? Leave quickly!”

At the same time, Su Zhengtao looked up coldly and barked, “Who are you?”

“Father, he is Su Yueshi’s criminal, sickly husband. He’s the one who beat my servants and maids, and I was almost beaten by him too.” Su Yun pointed at Sikong Jing and shouted, “Men, take him down and punish him.”

Upon the order, the men from the Law Enforcement Hall gripped their staves and surrounded Sikong Jing.

Seeing this, Su Yueshi cried out anxiously, “Stop! You have no reason to take him.”

She was truly panicked. It was obvious that her Second Uncle and Su Yun were deliberately targeting her; why did he have to come?

Once she received the hundred strokes, the matter would have been settled.

“Ignore this ugly freak. If the sickly criminal dares to resist, just beat him to death,” Su Yun said with a twisted expression.

A dozen men from the Law Enforcement Hall let out strange laughs, their true energy erupting—each of them was at the fifth level of the Ming Realm.

They gripped their staves and, without another word, charged at Sikong Jing!

“No, don’t!”

Su Yueshi screamed, then looked at Su Zhengtao, “Second Uncle, please, tell them to stop.”

However, Su Zhengtao wore a calm, composed smile, even taking a sip of his tea.

If this criminal was beaten to death, so be it.

Five days ago, when the head of the Su family—the grandfather of Su Yueshi and Su Yun—learned of the marriage decree from the Lord of Yunzhou, he had been so angry he almost came to kill this criminal himself.

But after all, it was a decree from the Lord of Yunzhou; there was no reason to kill him, even if he was just an exiled criminal.

Now, they had a reason!

Seeing that her Second Uncle ignored her, Su Yueshi could only look anxiously at the surrounded Sikong Jing, wanting to rush over to protect him... but ever since she suddenly became ugly at the age of eight, her martial arts had made no progress.

Even the true energy in her body had vanished without a trace; how could she get close?

Was her husband, whom she had cared for for five days, about to be beaten to death?

“Yunzhou is indeed a borderland. Even those at the fifth level of the Ming Realm are far weaker than their peers elsewhere. All of you are trash.”

Suddenly, Sikong Jing’s voice reached her ears, and then... Boom!

A tyrannical true energy erupted from the center of the dozen Law Enforcement Hall men, crushing outward.

*Bang, bang...*

With two explosive sounds, Sikong Jing broke out from the crowd, a stave already in his hand, though no one saw when he had snatched it.

He landed beside Su Yueshi and looked at the dozen men from the Law Enforcement Hall.

“Kill!”

A low sound vibrated from Sikong Jing’s throat. The true energy he had just reached the third level of the Ming Realm with surged violently. He plunged into the crowd with the stave, like a beast released from its cage—unstoppable!

Despite the fact that everyone facing Sikong Jing was at the fifth level of the Ming Realm, none of them could withstand a single strike from him.

Screams rang out one after another, and the sound of *bangs* echoed through the Law Enforcement Hall.

By the time Sikong Jing landed, all dozen men from the Law Enforcement Hall had collapsed to the ground, vomiting blood. None remained standing!

The anxious Su Yueshi widened her eyes, covering her mouth in disbelief.