If Xukong had been present in a detectable form, the spirits could at least respond accordingly. But Xukong's spatial mastery was so profound that he could observe events across countless worlds without leaving even the faintest trace.
The only thing preventing panic was the simple fact that he had not intervened yet.
If he had been offended, sothing would have happened already.
At least... they hoped so.
The Vermilion Bird eventually sighed ntally.
"The disciple seems humble!
'He behaved respectfully before!
'He thanked us.'
'He even bowed to us.
The Azure Dragon agreed.
'Yes. His character seems reasonable!
But then the Vermilion Bird added one more thought.
"That does not an the master will feel the sa.
That comnt made both spirits uncomfortable again.
They needed to fix the situation.
Quickly.
After several monts of intense ntal discussion, both spirits arrived at the sa conclusion.
There was one universally accepted thod for smoothing over uncertain relationships between seniors and juniors.
Gifts.
Cultivation society had relied on that tradition for millions of years. When a senior t a promising junior, offering gifts was considered a natural expression of goodwill. It was polite, honorable, and impossible to criticize.
More importantly, it allowed them to demonstrate respect without admitting any mistake.
The two spirits slowly composed themselves again.
When they spoke aloud this ti, their voices carried noticeably more respect than before.
"Honorable Disciple," the Azure Dragon said carefully.
The Vermilion Bird continued, "Since you have taken the ti to visit this temple and offer respect to us, it would be improper for us to remain empty-handed."
Neither of them dared call him 'junior' anymore.
That title suddenly felt extrely inappropriate. Which was in a way right. After all, Xukong was far older than them, and forget these spirits, even their ancestors would have to call him senior too.
It was the sa situation as the Temple Head. Thus they could not call Lin Mu, Junior anymore.
"Furthermore," the Vermilion Bird added with calm dignity, "you carry traces of our aura within you. Even if you did not assimilate the bloodlines fully, that connection still exists."
"In cultivation traditions," the Azure Dragon continued smoothly, "when a junior pays respects to seniors, it is customary for the elders to offer gifts or
guidance."
"Therefore," the Vermilion Bird concluded, "it is only proper that we present you with so tokens of goodwill."
Their words sounded completely reasonable.
No one could question the logic behind them.
But Lin Mu, who had been listening quietly this entire ti, looked genuinely confused.
He had not expected anything like this at all.
Temple Head Puyi stood quietly to the side of the temple hall, but inside his mind a storm of confusion had already begun raging.
He had served as the head of this Guardian Beast Temple for many centuries.
In all that ti, he had seen many things. He had witnessed champions co and go, had overseen rituals that gathered the faith of millions, and had personally presided over the awakening of the Guardian Spirits during the Tournant of the Guardian Beasts.
Yet never in all those years had he seen anything like what was happening now.
The two Guardian Spirits were offering gifts.
Not rewards.
Not blessings granted through a tournant victory.
Not recognition for so world-saving deed.
No.
They were simply offering gifts.
Puyi's aged fox ears twitched as he tried to process it. That was not how the system worked. The spirits did not simply give things away because soone showed up and bowed respectfully.
Their gifts were extrely rare and carefully controlled for a reason. Every reward that the spirits granted required a considerable amount of spiritual energy from the temple's reserves. Even when soone won the Tournant of the Guardian Beasts, the spirits could not simply hand out treasures freely. The temple arrays needed to channel enormous amounts of accumulated faith energy to support those rewards.
That was why the tournant happened only once every hundred years.
It was the amount of ti needed for the temple to gather enough energy to safely support the awakening of the spirits and the granting of their rewards.
If soone received a blessing or gift outside of that period, the energy had to co from the temple's deeper reserves. Such decisions required approval from the spiritual contract binding the Guardian Spirits and the temple itself. It was not sothing that could be done casually.
Which made what was happening now utterly baffling.
Lin Mu had not won a tournant here. He had not protected the Fox Scion World from destruction. He had not defeated so terrifying enemy threatening the realm. From the perspective of this world, he was rely a visitor who had co to offer prayers at the temple.
And yet the two Guardian Spirits were acting as if they had discovered a
long-lost heir to their legacy.
Temple Head Puyi kept his mouth shut.
He knew better than to interrupt.
But the confusion in his heart only grew stronger.
anwhile, Lin Mu himself looked equally perplexed.
He listened to the words of the two spirits and shook his head slightly. "Honored Guardians," he said politely, "I truly do not wish for gifts. I have done nothing to deserve them. I rely ca here to pay my respects and offer
thanks."
His voice was sincere.
From Lin Mu's perspective, the techniques and opportunities he had received through the Guardian Beast Temple in the past were already more than enough. The idea of taking additional rewards simply for appearing here felt
inappropriate.
But the two Guardian Spirits were already determined.
The Vermilion Bird spoke first, her voice carrying a calm authority that filled the hall. "You have survived sothing that should have been impossible. Consuming even a single bloodline essence crystal would destroy most cultivators. You consud two, and even more than that. The fact that your body endured such a trial proves your worth."
The Azure Dragon nodded slowly as his massive illusory form coiled through
the air. "Furthermore, the spirits within those bloodline crystals did not reject you. Bloodline essence carries will. If they had found you unworthy, your body would have been destroyed imdiately. The fact that you survived suggests that the bloodline spirits themselves acknowledged you."
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