"Is this your son, Mr. Tao?" Zi Muyun looked curiously at the two youngsters walking their way and asked.

"Huh? Yes, your excellency..." Zi Tao hurriedly replied. He wanted to brag a bit about his son's achievements, but there would be another opportunity later. He knew the people were tired now. Tomorrow, however, he would do his best to flaunt the talents of his group of seedlings.

Zi Muyun grazed his beard for a moment, his eyes were focused on the two newcomers. As Zi Ming and Zi Fei made their way towards his aunt and her husband to be, the middle-aged man probed them from head to toe. A few seconds later his eyes shone with an understanding ray of light.

"Interesting..." The man said in a somewhat slow and almost inaudible voice.

"Hmm, not too bad..." Zi Muyue smiled in agreement with the assessment. The boredom she was feeling previously seemed to fade away.

"Haofeng, this is my nephew, Zi Ming, and his...girlfriend?" Zi Qian was introducing the young boy to her betrothed. She wasn't sure how to interpret the relationship between him and the young girl he held hands with.

When Zi Fei blushed demurely but didn't correct her, Zi Qian instantly made sense of the situation. She smiled kindly as she gave way for her fiancé :

"Nice to meet you, young master Haofeng." The two youngsters bowed in unison and said.

"Haha, no need for such formalities. Just call me big brother Haofeng. I don't think our ages are that far apart." Zi Haofeng grinned before continuing, "Your aunt has told me a lot about you especially Zi Ming. You should be thirteen by now if I'm not mistaken?"

"Yes, young master...I mean, big brother Haofeng." Zi Ming answered politely. He didn't expect this man to be this heartfelt. There was no reason to act rudely toward such a person, was there?

"Haha..." Zi Haofeng patted the boy's shoulders and laughed loudly. Zi Ming was a bit disconcerted and awkward. Who would have imagined this noble young man to actually be such a rowdy fellow? Was that the kind of man that his aunt fancied?

The group of people continued to mingle for several minutes before they each were guided to their respective quarters. Everyone was too tired to continue to stay at the village entrance any longer, even after the strange actions of Zi Muyun.

As everyone was prepared to leave, he called the two youngsters. He put his hands on their heads for several seconds and mumbled a few things. The next thing he did was looking at Zi Qian neither in approval nor disapproval before indicating for Zi Tao to keep leading them inside.

Zi Qian who wasn't unfamiliar with this strange procedure looked at her fiancé in an interrogating manner. The latter just shrugged. It appeared as if he didn't know what this was all about either. His uncle's cultivation was deep and just like his father some of the things he did were unfathomable.

However as they walked inside the village, Zi Muyue who was just behind the odd middle aged man seemed to hear him mumble:

"That's an unusual one..."

......................................................................................

"Well, what do you think?" Zi Ming asked the young girl close by. "They're nothing like we thought they would be are they?"

"Hum..." The young girl nodded. "As expected from the young mistress. Looks like she found herself a good man."

Zi Ming felt a trace of sourness after hearing his girlfriend compliment Zi Haofeng. "Well, he's twenty-five-year-old. I'll be even more handsome in a few years." He boasted.

"I have no doubts." Zi Fei said in a mature but coaxing manner. She knew her boyfriend was jealous. "I'll also do my best so you won't grow bored with me." She gently caressed his hair as she finished.

"Also stop calling my aunt young mistress already, you're my girlfriend now..."

"I'll try..." Zi Fei replied. "But isn't that better if..."

"No argument on this." Zi Ming cut her.

"Sure." She said with more confidence now.

"That's my girl!" Zi Ming searched for a deserted and obscure corner close to the entrance, "Let's continue our previous discussion over there..." then smirked as he led the alluring maiden in that direction.

"You pervert! Let go..." The young girl whispered bashfully as she looked around and tried to hide her face.

.............................................................................

"Don't you think you owe me an explanation father?!" Zi Muyue opened the wacky middle-aged man's door while shouting.

"It's you...when are you going to take pity on this poor old man?" Zi Muyun who seemed to be meditating looked at the person who came and said in a sarcastic way. "I need my beauty sleep, come back tomorrow."

"I won't budge until you explain to me what you did to those kids from before." Zi Muyue grinned and replied. She crossed her arms and waited for his response.

Zi Muyun sighed and said: "I was just investigating a few things."

"What things?" The woman insisted on the last word.

"I used to do the same thing to you when you were still a cute little kid, have you already forgotten?"

"..." Zi Muyue was in no mood to listen to any more antics. She silently stared at the middle-aged man with impatience.

"Why did you have to grow so similar to your mother?..." Zi Muyun smiled coyly and continued. "Elder Muyue, seat down and listen."

The man's expression turned serious instantly. Zi Muyue's countenance also changed, the impishness she showed previously vanished right away.

"This isn't really a secret or anything but how many martial apprentices do you know in Thousand Rains town beside me and your uncle?" The man asked his daughter.

"No one...why?"

"Correct, but did you ever wonder why it was the case?" He followed.

"Yes, but how does that relate..."

"Don't rush me..." The man grinned before saying.

"Now concentrate real good and answer this question of mine. I'll give you one special discount on hugs for this week if you can reply accurately!"

"..."

"Before the world nucleus is formed, what is hidden inside a cultivator's brain?"