Within the Li family residence, everyohered in the aral hall. Beh Li Wei's aral tablet, they had pced the Pig Demon King's memorial tablet.

  Li Yaotie held his wife, Bai Rourou, in his arms. At this moment, Bai Rourou no longer had any tears, because—

  Outside the aral hall, there was a line of characters. It was a message left by the aral tablet as it soared through the sky, imbued with spiritual energy!

  [It should be the enemy who grieves]

  Yes, why should we grieve?

  "The intelligence reports said that Old Pig fought his way back, killing everyone who stood in his path."

  Li Yaozu, carrying his sword case, approached. Looking at his younger brother and sister-in-w, it was the first time he had seen his brother so sorrowful. He was equally filled with rage. When he saw Old Pig's body, he remembered the first time they met, his fusion then, and the respect he eventually developed for him. "Third Brother, Sister-in-w, we don't have time to mourn Old Pig's death."

  "When we faced the Shancai Monk, Old Pig didn't retreat a siep. When our family faced difficulties, he was always willing to lead all the beasts of the Silver Iron Forest to our aid. Now it's our turn. With Old Pig's fearless spirit, we should make the unknown enemy feel the pain that the Li family is experieng now."

  With Li Tianyi's music pying in the distance, Li Yaotie and his wife looked at their elder brother and the message left by their aor, and they nodded slightly.

  Li Yaozu knew he had said enough. He quietly retreated into the darkness. The sound of a sword humming came from his sword case. He was like a sword hidden in the shadows, ready to strike at the Li family's e any moment.

  The couple huddled together, seeking warmth from each other in the dark and cold night.

  A round bead with alternating yellow and bck stripes appeared in Bai Rourou's hand. The bead glimmered with light. Her expression was filled with sorrow, but remembering her elder brother's words, she gradually calmed herself. "A Tie."

  "Mm." Li Yaotie, who spent his days bcksmithing and was usually rough and gruff, now held his wife with the utmost care, as if cradling a fragile doll. His tenderness was evident; this was his way of f her.

  Bai Rourou said, "I grew up alongside Old Pig. The first time I saw other people, I felt like an outsider and was afraid to ie with them. It was Old Pig who told me that they were the ones who should be afraid. He said that his daughter shouldn't fear anything, and that he would always be there to protect me."

  "From now on, he o longer protect me. Will you beat your wife because Old Pig is gone, like Wang Ergou in the vilge?"

  "Yes."

  Li Yaotie grinned, his face illuminated by the dlelight in the aral hall, radiating warmth. "If you do well, sleep well, and stay by my side forever, I'll beat you. But it would pain me more than it would pain you. So, for venience's sake, I'll just beat myself to death."

  Married for who knows how many years, Bai Rourou was still moved by her husband's affeate words. In the past, she would have suspected him of having an affair. But now, Bai Rourou snuggled tightly into Li Yaotie's embrace. "Then I'm not afraid of anything anymore. Old Pig is dead, and Aor and Big Brother are right. Old Pig fought his way back; his death was not in vain."

  "I shouldn't be sad, nor should I fear the days without Old Pig. If it were me who died, Old Pig would have led the demonic beasts of the Silver Iron Forest to avenge me."

  "Now..."

  Bai Rourou took a deep breath and slowly pced the round bead into her mouth. It was the Pig Demon King's blood core. A red light flickered in her eyes. "It's my turn to fight for Old Pig. I will avenge him with his spirit. I will also protect our children, just like he did."

  In that instant, Bai Rourou's spiritual energy surged!

  Li Yaotie held his wife tightly, his gaze fixed on the Pig Demon King's memorial tablet. "Father-in-w, may you rest in peace. I won't let anyone bully Rourou, and I won't let anyone bully our children. I will bring back the enemy's head and offer it as a blood oath to you."

  [Yranddaughter-in-w, Bai Rourou, has ed the sed Demon King blood core. The blood core of the previous Silver Iron Forest Demon King is merging with the new one.]

  [Gairait: Will of the Pig Demon King]

  [She will i part of the Pig Demon King's power.]

  [Gairait: Master of the Silver Iron Forest]

  [By bining the blood elixirs of two geions of Demon Kings, her bloodline is ging. Her aura will suppress all creatures in the Silver Iron Forest!]

  Seeing this couple, Li Wei was finally at ease.

  He had been most worried about Bai Rourou being uo cope, as she was the one who grieved the most. But Bai Rourou proved herself worthy of being a heroine of the Li family.

  Outside the aral hall, the Seven Ironcd stood before the Primordial Blood Tree. Siheir birth, this was the first time Li Wei had seen them so quiet. They also saw the message left by Li Wei and heard Li Tianyi's music.

  Behind them stood dozens of their desdants.

  Each of them had grown up on the Pig Demon King's back. They had all broken their arms while pying with him, and perhaps this was why they felt even mrief.

  "Diviree."

  In the depths of the night, they stood beh the shadow of the blood tree. The distant dlelight cast a reddish glow upon them, making each of them appear as if stained with blood.

  The eldest, Li Yundou, had a resolute expression. In the past, he might have been like a slow-witted bck bear.

  But at this moment, he, like all the children who grew up on the Pig Demon King's back, was like a ferocious lion awakened from its slumber!

  "You said that the earth would be stained red year. Please tell us,"

  "Where should we go, and whose blood should stain the earth?"

  Hearing this, As the crimson leaves and branches of the Primordial Blood Tree trembled, it opes calm yet bloodthirsty eyes.

  ---

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