"Just about a week ago…"

She replied with a refreshed sigh as the cool breeze brushed past her hair, making her look like a damsel who was eloping with her runaway boyfriend whilst in a speeding convertible coupe;

​​

she was free, glad to be back, and was determined to enjoy everything she regretted not enjoying when she was dying, but most importantly, was the fact that she would get to stay by her son's side and never leave him again in such a fashion…

After speaking for a bit, Elder Yun introduced Little Ming to Min Rou and before long, the three ladies began to converse freely, including some beasty private girl talks and finally about half an hour later, Min Rou saw a wooden cottage built smartly and spaciously atop the tallest tree and biggest tree in this jungle…

In fact, the tree was so tall that it would be almost nigh impossible to climb by any mortal or ordinary beasts, because apart from the various species of spirit beast one would encounter on their way to the top of the tree which served as protection for the residents on the tree, this tree was also slimy on the trunk and spiky as well with poisonous leaves and thorns almost all over it…

But its top branches were not only covered in beautiful sweet smelling flowers and fruits which were edible and contained pure spiritual energy…

The structures were also built to suit the nature of the people residing within it, with the one in the middle and the highest looking just like a human resident, whilst the lower one looked a lot like a bird's nest which was obviously where Elder Yun made herself comfortable and lastly was a hole which was drilled into the massive trunk of this tree…

From outside, it looked and felt like a dark tunnel, but whatever was living within it which was obviously Little Ming felt safe and comfy within it as well…

But, currently there was a middle aged man who looked to be in his late thirties standing outside the hut watching the setting sun with his back to the incoming trio…

The setting sun cast a shadow on his figure and from his pose which was with a straight back, his right hand behind his waistline and his hands curled into a fist, whilst fiddling with a spirit fruit on his left hand…

All in all, he looked like those wise, old, reserved, but stupendously OP, sensei…

"You're late…"

He was referring to Elder Yun and Little Ming without even turning his back to look at them…

"So sorry, master!"

The duo simultaneously apologized, not like a servant to a master, but like students to their master…

"Who is she?"

He asked without looking back which somehow intrigued Min Rou who had always been the center of attraction wherever she went, and she couldn't also miss the subtly glances and advances that Min Hong' friends usually shot her even though they tried to be as discreet or subtle as possible…

Even back when she was still with the Min Family, though she rarely stepped out even then, but whenever she did, she was always a head turner no matter where she was…

But here she was standing here and being totally ignored by a man in her real age range, and though anyone could claim that it was because Elder Jun was backing her, but as a cultivator, they both knew Elder Jun didn't need his eyes to behold the sheer beauty Min Rou was currently dripping in, and that is even with her Medusa effect being dormant…

"She is our young master's mother…"

Elder Yun said with respect, as Elder Jun finally turned around and revealed his moderately handsome but very mature, wise and calm self…

Adorning his face with a slight smile which was out of respect of standing in the presence of the mother of one of the most talented beings he had ever seen, heard of, or even read about;

"Forgive my insolence, miss?"

"Rou… Min Rou is my name…"

Having heard everything Elder Yun told her about the man in front of her, Min Rou had to be a little more open, then as unofficial as possible…

After all the person in front of her had saved her son from what seemed to be a certain death according to what Elder Yun said, and he had even gone on to take on the job of a make shift teacher for her son, especially when they looked like people who had nothing to offer, whilst he was a respected elder of one of the top ten Super Clans of an entire Empire…

If not out of simple kindness, many would have let Min Hong die without even sparing him another glance, but from all Elder Yun told her, of which she could never lie, Min Rou knew the man had no ill intent towards her son and even had high hopes for him…

And all these are not even including the fact that he had just brought Elder Yun and Little Ming to this fearsome jungle to train them, and from what she could tell based on the last time she fought alongside Elder Yun, there was a massive but unexplainable change in Elder Yun…

"So, what brought you all the way out here?"

Elder Jun decided to skip past the conversation about where Min Rou had been all this while whilst her children were left all alone at such a tender age…

He was wise enough to understand that, he will naturally figure everything out by himself, but not until the family was ready to share the entire story with him, so he moved on to the next possible topic…

"I was out here to hunt for some meat [Shit, this came out wrong!] and to also stretch my limbs a little… It has been a while since my limbs last saw some intense action…"

[Sorry guys I don't know why this is happening…]

"That's good because I was about to end their training here today before, but now that you are here and really feel like stretching your limbs, then we can truly finish our training out here then…"

Elder Jun replied as he looked to the Little Ming duo and ordered;

"Go and place the Egg and that beast core into our treasure chest…"

Little Ming nodded slightly and went to do as she was told…

Opening the so-called treasure chest, Little Ming smiled happily as she placed the two items into the chest…

In fact calling it a treasure Chest would be a massively gigantic understatement, because not only were the items within this chest assorted, they were also fearsomely high grade and powerful…

There were several beast cores many spirit fruits that are extremely rare, even in the wealthiest region of the Dogon Empire, there were also several weapons they found in the lair of all the top ten strongest beast of the jungle which most likely belonged to the several unfortunate mercenaries, hunters or treasure seekers who ended up in the lairs of these beasts…

There were plants ores, rocks, a seemingly sentient patch of sand that morphed into different shapes, and finally high-grade spirit stones which numbered about a thousand as they have luckily stumbled upon in the cave of a bat-like beast which was ranked fifth in this jungle…

Shutting the chest, Little Ming returned to Elder Jun who finally gave them their last mission;

"Since you now have another member to join your training, go and fetch me that Viper…"

"Most preferably alive, but being freshly dead will also be manageable since we will be able to harvest all the treasures within it…"

"But if you manage to bring it back alive, then we might be able to have either of our young masters try to tame it and have it serve them…"

Elder Jun revealed the plans which the Little Ming duo loved hearing a lot …