Each with Their Joys and Sorrows

Gray Spirit Falcon brought a bright yellow silk cloth, folded its wings, and gently landed on Duan Anle white jade armband.

The latter traded a piece of dried rabbit meat for the silk book, while the Gray Spirit Falcon cried out happily. It ate the book in a few bites and, still not satisfied, spread its wings and flew away, finding a plump yellow sheep.

Like an arrow released from a bow, it fell swiftly, its ten sharp claws easily piercing through the thick skin, sinking into the blood and fat, the claws becoming red-hot as they tightly gripped the tender flesh.

Ignoring the gazelle's cries of agony, it flapped its wings and took flight, then released its hook, and the plump gazelle fell to the ground.

How could a gazelle imbued with a trace of spiritual energy survive falling from such a height? Its bones and flesh splattered everywhere, leaving a trail of blood.

The Gray Spirit Falcon, however, showed no disgust, landing directly on the patches of bright red grass and tearing off strips of flesh to feast on.

He Yuanbing saw this scene and his eyes showed a hint of envy.

The He Household acquired their skill in taming Gray Spirit Falcon from a high-ranking temporary beast tamer at a great expense.

However, the family has never had any capable personnel, resulting in the He Household having only four or five Gray Spirit Falcon remaining to this day.

According to what He Yuanbing saw when he returned home from his previous visit, even though the He Household had carefully raised the Gray Spirit Falcon they had purchased, the remaining ones in the He Household's Beast Garden were just ordinary-looking and far inferior to the divine steed that Duan Anle had trained.

"Is something wrong at home Senior Brother Duan?" Ming Zhe asked curiously from the side.

"It's nothing. I sent Hui'er back to Chongming City yesterday, but he came back today craving dried meat. This is a reply from home, just some trivial matters like my parents are well and my younger brother is getting married."

Duan Anle said this, but he casually hid the yellow silk in his sleeve, then folded it with two fingers and carefully put it away.

Only after completing these small actions did Duan Anle look at He Yuanbing and whisper instructions.

"As Master has instructed, Junior Brother Ming and I will be going with the sect to the Ma Household in Changyun County the day after tomorrow to meet with our masters. This time, Martial Uncle Chu will lead the team, while Second Uncle and Martial Uncle Pei will be in charge at home. Each disciple will be fulfilling their duties."

Junior Brother He, you are all alone in Chongming City. If anything happens, prioritize your own safety and don't be reckless.

Upon hearing these words, both He and Ming felt a strange sense of familiarity.

He Yuanbing pondered these words for a few more breaths before sighing inwardly, "Tsk, no wonder the masters of the sect all say that among the disciples of the same generation, Senior Brother Duan leader's style."

The three of them were simply sitting around chatting, spending time together in private, so there was no need for formalities. After He Yuanbing thanked them, the only sound in the room was the steaming of boiling water from the tea stove.

"The battlefield is ruthless. Senior Brother Duan and Junior Brother Ming should be extra careful," He Yuanbing said with concern. He knew that there might be a hidden reason why they hadn't been selected by their master to participate in the battle this time.

Although it was somewhat regrettable, there was nothing they could do but accept their kindness in their hearts.

When he attains high level of cultivation in the future and becomes a pillar of the sect, he will be able to serve his master and elders, and also help the He Household to recover from its decline.

"Senior brother, don't worry. Didn't you see what Master said in his letter? We won't have to put in too much effort this time; we'll have help." Ming Zhe picked up a tea snack in front of him and said with a smile.

He hasn't been a member of the group for long and has yet to participate in a single battle.

After Jiang Qing completed his Foundation Establishment, all he heard from his elders and old friends when he returned home were flattering words; he didn't suffer any hardship.

Compared to Duan and He, who had fought fiercely at Little Wu Mountain, Ming Zhe was much more relaxed.

Young people, having grown up at home since childhood, are inexperienced in the ways of the world and untouched by its corrupting influences, naturally yearn for the spirited adventures of swords and shadows.

Duan Anle thought that although Mi Household Stockade was quite famous, his family did not have Foundation Establishment cultivators to guard it. In terms of risk, this battle was not risky. So he just whispered a few words of advice to Ming Zhe.

He Yuanbing didn't say much. He raised his finger, and a gust of wind ignited the spiritual fire in the tea stove, which then scorched the three emerald teacups placed together, causing the protective seals on the outside of the teacups to light up.

He Yuanbing gently tapped the teacups, which landed in front of the three men one by one. He Yuanbing then stood up, personally took the handles, and poured tea for his two fellow disciples before sitting down.

Duan and Ming tapped their fingers together lightly to express their gratitude before they began to drink.

Duan Anle was not fond of tea or wine, and although he felt that this tea was extraordinary, his expression remained unchanged.

Ming Zhe and He Yuanbing came from the same Lineage, so they were better able to appreciate the skill involved. After just one sip, their eyes lit up with admiration, and they whispered in praise, "Senior Brother He's skill is enough to open a teahouse."

He Yuanbing seemed to have been tickled, and smiled without saying a word. The three of them had only drunk half of their tea when Pei Que walked over with a happy expression on his face.

"Senior Brother Pei, has Senior Uncle Pei bestowed another elixir? Quickly, share one with your junior brother." Pei Que had taken good care of Ming Zhe in the sect, and the latter had a very good relationship with him.

Upon seeing Pei Que approaching, the boy immediately pretended to reach for his Storage Bag.

"You guessed right, but this pill isn't for you," Pei Que paused, then stopped Ming Zhe when he saw he was about to cause trouble. "My uncle asked me to take it to Madam Huo."

"Madam Huo?" The three of them were taken aback.

"I heard from Junior Sister Zhang Le that Madam Huo seemed to be unwell? Fourth Uncle even asked her to accompany Madam Huo for a few days, and she has already recovered."

Not long after Master left, Madam Huo also left the sect to work at the Chongming Small Pavilion. Could it be... could it be that something went wrong with the Qi circulation?

"No, that's not it. Senior Sister Zhou also consulted Alchemist and Madam Huo at the nearby market. They confirmed it's good news; Madam Huo is pregnant!"

Pei Que finished speaking with a smile, and He and Ming were overjoyed and cheered softly. Only Duan Anle remained expressionless, completely out of place in the scene.

Suddenly, he shouted, "Silence!"

He Yuanbing and Ming Zhe were taken aback by his sudden stern rebuke, but then Duan Anle turned to Pei Que and said seriously, "Junior Brother Pei, since you left Martial Uncle Pei's courtyard, how many fellow disciples have you encountered along the way?"

"What's wrong with Senior Brother?" Pei Que was also a little confused. It was clearly a good thing, so why was Duan Anle so nervous?

"Aside from seeing Junior Brother Mo, who was carrying a spirit hoe to weed, I didn't see anyone else. He was in a hurry to help Junior Brother Kang, and Junior Brother didn't have time to tell him about this good news."

Seeing that Duan Anle's expression hadn't improved, Pei Que asked again, "Isn't this a good thing, Senior Brother?"

Duan Anle looked at the pill in Pei Que's hand, his expression constantly changing, before finally speaking in a deep voice:

"Alright, Junior Brother He, Junior Brother Ming, this matter must not be discussed with anyone else. We must stop here! Junior Brother Pei, come with me to pay our respects to Martial Uncle Pei."

Pei Que was pulled away by Duan Anle, leaving only He Yuanbing and Ming Zhe, the two close fellow disciples, behind. The two were inexplicably scolded and were quite at a loss, remaining silent and staring blankly at the tea stove and teacups.

When Duan Anle and Pei Que arrived, Pei Yi was cleaning the Alchemy Chamber with Yuan Changsheng. This alchemy residue and furnace dust were not ordinary ashes; they couldn't be removed with just a Clear Breeze Talisman.

Even with all the Law Artifact and spiritual water used, along with the full Law Power, it still takes a great deal of hard work and a lot of time to clean it up.

With the departure imminent, Ye Yaoling also took leave to return to Heng Mountain. This task would take Yuan Changsheng a long time to complete, so Pei Yi, feeling sorry for his apprentice, helped out as well.

Seeing Duan Anle's anxious expression, Pei Yi didn't even need to ask. He only needed to glance at Pei Que beside Duan Anle to know what was wrong.

But he merely raised his eyelids slightly, tossed the broom in his hand to Duan Anle, and said softly, "One should remain calm in the face of trouble. Let's finish cleaning this alchemy room first."

Yuan Changsheng had not seen Duan Anle for some time. Since becoming Pei Yi's disciple, Duan Anle had been either engrossed in his cultivation or tending the fire, rarely having time to gather and play with his fellow disciples.

After Duan Anle took on some responsibilities, he was constantly on the move and rarely returned to the clan, so the two of them did not see each other often.

Yuan Changsheng was raised by Duan Anle and Han Yundao, so their bond was naturally very deep.

Seeing Duan Anle silently pick up the broom, the former leaned closer and said affectionately, "Senior Brother Duan, you..."

"Changsheng, go sweep the side hall." Pei Yi shouted sternly. Yuan Changsheng shrugged, so frightened that he forgot to grab the broom and entered the side hall without looking back.

Pei Que was about to pick it up to help his two fellow disciples when Pei Yi stopped him.

As the sun began to set, Duan Anle took a deep breath and looked up again, the anxious look on his face gone. Outside the Alchemy Chamber, Pei Yi's wife Lady Kuai, and Pei Que had already prepared a meal for Yuan Changsheng and Duan Anle.

Pei Yi called the two out, first letting Yuan Changsheng go to eat, then looking at Duan Anle for a while, and asked softly, "Have you figured it out?"

"I've figured some things out," Duan Anle replied respectfully, straightening his clothes and composed himself.

"He is indeed an honest boy. Let's eat first. It's rare for you to come, and I'm lucky to have meat to eat today thanks to you." Pei Yi was quite satisfied with Duan Anle's response and pulled Duan Anle to sit down.

Pei Yi's wife, Lady Kuai, was gentle and kind. She had given birth to a baby girl for Pei Yi a little over a year ago.

The little girl was quite lively and not shy at all. She tugged at Duan Anle's clothes and mumbled a lot of things that even she couldn't understand, which made everyone present laugh.

Duan Anle was still somewhat uneasy, but Pei Yi knew what he was worried about. Without even hiding it from his wife and children, he said directly, "Madam Huo's pregnancy is a joyous occasion for the entire clan. You don't need to be nervous."

"Master Pei." Seeing that Pei Yi's expression remained unchanged, Duan Anle had no choice but to put down his chopsticks and bowl, pondered for a moment, and then asked in a doubtful voice:

"I know I lost my composure earlier. Before coming here, I never thought that my master would inform Junior Brother Pei of this news. After informing him, he did not instruct Junior Brother Pei not to leak the news. This shows that the masters have already thought of a plan. There is no need for me to speculate."

But Martial Uncle Pei is still in the situation of not having a direct descendant yet. If it were the mistress of Green Lotus Courtyard...

"Don't hesitate, just say what you want to say. You're in the prime of your youth, where do you get such heavy thoughts?" Pei Yi brought a plate of Colorful-Feathered Pheasant to Duan Anle.

Duan Anle remained silent, but then Pei Yi said, "We informed our sect leader about Madam Huo's pregnancy as soon as we found out."

The senior brother's message arrived at Green Lotus Courtyard in no time. His sister-in-law, as the matriarch, possessed a natural air of elegance. Upon hearing the news, she was delighted and even selected a First-Tier Supreme-Grade fox fur coat as a gift for Madam Huo, sending it over via her personal maid.

Seeing that Duan Anle's expression had not improved, Pei Yi continued, "Before the sect leader and Junior Brother Jiang left the sect, the sect leader made a special trip to Green Lotus Courtyard to see his sister-in-law and asked Nanny Sun for permission to take care of the sect during this period."

Many things that were quite important before my senior brother reached the Foundation Establishment become insignificant since then.

Pei Yi paused here, looked at Duan Anle, and sighed again, "What I had Que'er deliver to Madam Huo was indeed a remedy for pregnancy, not some deadly poison, so you can rest assured."

Upon hearing this, Duan Anle suddenly felt his face burning. Pei Yi added, "You don't need to belittle yourself. Having many thoughts isn't necessarily a bad thing. You see things much further than my silly nephew."

Pei Que blushed, just like Duan Anle, but Pei Yi ignored them, picked up his chopsticks, and ate with his daughter.

The three younger relatives all knew that Pei Yi was a proper gentleman in private, and he believed in not speaking while eating or sleeping, so they didn't gossip.

After Pei Yi, who ate the slowest, finished the last half of the spirit rice in his bowl, Lady Kuai carried her daughter back to her room, and several mortal servants came over with their heads bowed to take away the bowls and plates.

Duan Anle and Pei Que were about to get up and say goodbye when Yuan Changsheng looked rather pitiful.

Despite Duan Anle and Pei Que spending most of the day in Pei Yi's courtyard, Yuan Changsheng hadn't even had a chance to exchange a few words with his two senior brothers.

Pei Yi's master is indeed a good one, generous with Spirit Stone and pills, but his rules are a bit too strict.

Ye Yaoling had given up her alchemy skills early on, which is why she could still occasionally take leave to go back to Heng Mountain for some fresh air.

Yuan Changsheng did not receive such treatment. He could only stay at home for a few days before Yuan Jin, who hoped his son would become successful, would urge him to come back to serve his master.

He wasn't included in this trip to Changyun County either. Pei Yi needed to stay home and refine pills, so even if he didn't need Yuan Changsheng's help, he still had to stay home and cultivate peacefully.

The path to immortality with Five Spirit Roots is rugged, but it is not a dead end.

After all, according to the storybook, the founding emperor of the Great Wei Immortal Dynasty was born with the Five Spirit Roots and still achieved unparalleled success despite the hardships.

Regardless of how many extraordinary encounters fortuitous opportunity he encountered along the way, Pei Yi knew that without a heart seeking the Dao and without meditating and cultivating diligently, even the greatest extraordinary encounters fortuitous opportunity would be beyond the reach of the founding emperor.

Yuan Changsheng started far behind; if he is not properly supervised, he may not achieve much in the future.

Pei Yi didn't want his disciple to lose his Dao heart in the future and become a breeding pig that only knew how to bury itself in farming.

Pei Yi clearly saw the disappointment on Yuan Changsheng's face. Turning around, he saw that Duan Anle and Pei Que's figures were still not far away. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Alright, Changsheng, you don't need to memorize the Core Thesis today. Go to the scripture hall to catch up on your scripture lessons and then come back."

"Yes, Master, I'll go right away!" Yuan Changsheng's eyes lit up with joy, and he immediately replied, rushing towards the backs of his two senior brothers.

Seeing this, Pei Yi's lips curled up slightly. "Brotherly affection is always a good thing."

Pei Yi's smile lasted too long. As Fang Yi the word "brother" came out, the smile that had just appeared on his face gradually faded. A surge of resentment suddenly rose in his heart, almost making him gasp. The pent-up anger in his chest seemed to be about to burst his chest.

After an unknown amount of time, the pale fist suddenly opened, revealing a few beads of sweat.

Pei Yi sighed deeply, his eyes bloodshot, then turned and disappeared into the quiet room, whereupon there was no further sound.

Thanks to Brother Black Mountain Demon ydk for the seven chapters of monthly tickets.

Thanks a lot for the Extended Net Moon, 17!

Thanks to the symbiotic relationship between water and fish

Thanks to Gotanda, Mu Zhuzi, Shu Huang Mania, Thunder Sun, Burning the Lamp at Night, Ke Tuanzi, Dongfang Xiaochen, Mao Aihua, Naihe Yuanqian, Zhang Pan, and Zijian for their monthly votes.

Thank you all for reading, subscribing, voting, and commenting!