Li Yuan said, "Agreed?"

Tang Chou replied, "A hundred yeses! Ten thousand yeses!"

The two looked at each other and then burst into laughter.

Li Yuan patted him on the shoulder and said, "Old Tang, from now on we are truly family."

...

Two days later, inside the residence of Baihua Manor, a little girl completed a simple ceremony of acknowledging her father. Then, nervously holding a teacup, she approached Li Yuan, knelt down, and said in a tender voice, "Godfather, please have tea."

Li Yuan took the teacup, took a sip, placed it on the table, then helped the little girl up, ruffled her hair, and pointed to Lady Yan and the landlady's belly with a smile, "This time next year, you will be a big sister."

Niannian was still very nervous, standing there a bit awkwardly, with a smile on her face.

Lady Yan beckoned with a smile, "What? Just your godfather gets tea, and we as godmothers don't get any?"

Niannian hurriedly brought over teacups to pay respects to each one, and after the ceremony, Lady Yan pulled her close and let her touch her belly, then smiled, "Get along well in the future, okay?"

Niannian curiously touched it and said, "Godmother, your stomach isn't big yet..."

Lady Yan said, "It's still early."

Niannian asked, "Can you hear anything?"

Lady Yan laughed, "When it gets bigger, you can listen again."

Niannian nodded happily.

Standing aside, Tang Chou watched this scene and also showed a genuine smile.

Meanwhile, Xiaosheng and Niuniu were whispering to each other.

Xiaosheng said, "Oh no, does this mean Niannian will be a young lady too?"

Niuniu put her hands on her hips, a little angry, "I won't be her scholar's attendant."

But when Niannian ran over to play with them, the three children ran outside. Now Xiaosheng and Niuniu were cultivating the Blood Saber Sect skill, and Niannian was cultivating the Tang Family skill.

Once everyone had dispersed, Li Yuan and Tang Chou strolled along the scenic corridor of the manor.

Li Yuan then whispered, "Old Tang, I want to treat your illness, no matter the cost."

Tang Chou felt a surge of gratitude but muttered, "It can't be cured..."

Li Yuan asked, "What exactly is the illness, and why can't it be treated? You don't seem seriously ill usually."

Tang Chou didn't answer but suddenly said, "After I die, there will be a gift for Niannian, but at that time, I need you to keep it a secret for me."

Li Yuan sighed softly and asked, "What gift?"

Tang Chou lowered his voice and said, "This is also why I'm not dead yet but know I can't be treated. I..."

He hesitated for a moment, speaking softly, "Puppets are usually driven by the hearts of demon beasts.

And in puppetry, there is a forbidden skill called Demon Heart.

It sounds mysterious, but in fact, the Demon Heart is a metal heart.

However, no matter how precisely manufactured, metal cannot turn into a heart. But the forbidden skill describes this possibility.

Previously, at the Tang Family, my wife was always researching the Demon Heart.

A few days before our clan was wiped out, she happily told me that, thanks to the family's efforts, the Demon Heart research succeeded, but... it needed to be placed in the chest of a Seventh Grade Martial Artist or higher to be nourished by Shadow Blood constantly.

In short, it meant a heart replacement.

And this heart replacement is a life-and-death chance, with a very low success rate.

But once successfully nourished, the puppet driven by this Demon Heart will have more wisdom, unlike the stiff puppets we see now.

Later, by chance, my Tang Sect was annihilated, my wife died tragically, and I was actually seriously injured. As my heart was about to stop, with the mindset of treating a dead horse as a living one, I used the Demon Heart to replace my own heart...

Unexpectedly, I miraculously survived.

Without the Demon Heart, I would have died then.

But with the Demon Heart, I will die when the nourishment ends.

So, I said my illness is beyond cure.

However, after I die, this Demon Heart will be fully nurtured.

Before, I thought of revenge, intending to offer this Demon Heart as a price to hire a master to act...

But now, this has become my gift for Niannian."

After saying that, Tang Chou bowed deeply, "Please keep it a secret for me, and never tell Niannian about this..."

Li Yuan was silent for a while, then patted him on the shoulder, "I promise you."

Then he added, "Old Tang, I never asked, can you drink?"

Tang Chou laughed, "Of course I can."

Li Yuan laughed, "I thought you might not be able to drink because of a serious illness.

Come on, let's go drink a pot, live for today.

Just make a list of the instruments and puppets you need, and I'll see if I can get them for you."

"Alright!" Tang Chou's face showed a bit of boldness.

...

...

With Demon Dogs guarding the residence and White Sparrows patrolling, Li Yuan could leave with some peace of mind.

The following morning, after sobering up, a fast horse headed east.

Entering Silver Creek Square, everyone respectfully saluted, calling, "Greetings, Elder Li."

Li Yuan inquired a bit and quickly understood the situation, although he had previously learned about it from White Sparrows, now he was just confirming.

The boundary of the Black Market Ghost Realm had expanded to two hundred meters outside Lake Heart Island and then stopped.

Not many residents in the area moved away, for a simple reason... to move meant leaving Silver Creek Square, and after weighing the options, they chose to stay.

Li Yuan no longer paused, heading straight into the Inner City, finding Tie Sha, and stating his purpose: to purchase.

With the Black Market gone, Li Yuan's supply channels were also cut off, but Tie Sha certainly had some, as the Sect Leader and Elders had a stable source of Eighth Grade Meat.

Tie Sha didn't hide it, saying directly, "Indeed, there is such a channel.

The other party is a commerce association, calling themselves the Red Ant Commerce Association outwardly, but Elder Ding and I can tell they are a subordinate association of a major force.

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