But after all, he was His Highness's teacher...

The attendant looked at the young man, whose face was twisted with anger, and cautiously said, "Then the reward for The Foster Family..."

"You mean that Ji Qi Jiu Zhuan Dao Dao Miao Sheng Pill that Father brought from the Outer Heavens and bestowed upon the surviving members of The Foster Family?"

The young man turned to look at the attendant and grinned, "I heard that when he died, Father even rushed all the way from the Outer Heavens, ignoring the suppressed demons at the border, just to search the wilderness for his corpse. I heard that when he died, even the ascended Daoist Lady destroyed three demon mountains in a fit of rage. I heard that when he died, Big Brother charged into the Demon Pool and slaughtered without restraint... Heh, every one of them actually didn't like this person, yet they all had to pretend to be heartbroken, as if the death of this stray dog meant the sky of Great Xia was about to collapse..."

All around was silence; no one dared respond.

As the young man spoke, his expression grew darker and darker. Suddenly, he said, "Bring it here!"

The guards and servants nearby looked at each other in confusion. After a moment's hesitation, someone stepped out from the ranks, went to a bronze cauldron on a purple-gold boat, opened the lid, took out a small purple box, and respectfully presented it to him with both hands.

The young man opened the purple box and saw inside a red-and-white pill.

A rich medicinal fragrance filled the air, and the grass and trees around the pavilion seemed to instantly become more vibrant and lush.

Everyone gazed at the pill, their expressions shifting slightly, all a little tempted.

"Even disciples of my Immortal Palace must earn great merit to be rewarded with such a Dao Dao Miao Sheng Pill, and yet it's just given to his family?"

The young man gently took the pill in his hand, playing with it between his fingers. A playful smile gradually appeared on his face. Suddenly, he let out a soft "Oops," loosened his fingers, and the rare pill immediately rolled to the ground, getting covered in mud.

Everyone around was shocked, wanting to rush forward to pick it up, but not daring to move.

At that moment, the young man's attendant, who was holding a curly-haired dog in her arms, suddenly saw the dog sniff, its eyes going wide. It struggled free from her embrace, dashed to the ground, and swallowed the pill in one gulp.

"This..."

Both the old attendant and the surrounding guards were stunned, then all lowered their heads, pretending not to see.

"He was my teacher, yet all he ever did was oppose me, and now he even wants me to send a pill to his family?"

The young man watched this scene and suddenly burst out laughing, his laughter carefree: "Giving it to a dog is still better than giving it to him!"

The attendant's face gradually fell, and he no longer tried to persuade him.

...

...

And so, in the misty drizzle, everyone could only wait.

Including the already deceased Charles Foster, for the decree from the Immortal Palace had not yet arrived, and he too could only wait, unable to be buried.

Chapter 7: Dear Uncle

When Charles Foster's burial clothes were finally laid to rest, it was already deep into the night.

Burials by day, weddings by night—such has always been the custom, but Charles Foster had no choice but to wait.

Because it wasn't until the rain stopped at night that the decree from the Immortal Palace finally arrived.

And the one who read the decree was just a chubby attendant, who read it hastily and left just as quickly. As for the Seventh Highness, who was rumored at first to personally come on behalf of the Immortal Emperor to offer condolences to the The Foster Family, he never showed up at all. The The Foster Family could only kneel in the mud, give thanks for the imperial grace, bury the clothes, and then help the soaked old master and madam of The Foster Family back to the residence.

As for the funeral banquet held in Foster Estate, hardly anyone came to eat. Whether it was because the wait had been too long, or because some people had sensed something from the Immortal Palace envoy's delayed arrival and perfunctory reading of the decree, the once bustling crowd of mourners had clearly lost patience and dispersed long before nightfall, some even leaving without a word.

The Foster Estate, hung with white lanterns, looked even more deserted and bleak under the drizzling rain.

...

...

"Brother, oh brother, you were a dignified immortal master—how did you end up like this?"

Soaked to the bone, Carter Foster returned to the Foster Estate, changed into clean clothes, and came out again.

He passed through the lively front courtyard, then the desolate inner court, coldly surveying everything. In his mind, he recalled the Immortal Palace's condolence that never came during the funeral earlier that day, and a faint sadness welled up in his heart as he sighed silently.

His elder brother Charles Foster's status should have been high—how did he end up leaving so forlornly?

After all these years of cultivation, did he not make any true friends?

He wondered if some people with ulterior motives might get ideas because of all this...

Thinking of these things, he called the steward over and asked, "How much ready silver has been collected from the various shops?"