More often than not, the appearance of Beast Qi was simply a matter of chance.
Yet Lin Mu had produced two large spheres of it as if it were nothing.
Lin Mu simply smiled faintly and replied, "I have my thods."
The two Guardian Spirits exchanged glances but did not press further. In their minds, the explanation was already obvious. If Lin Mu possessed sothing
strange or impossible, the answer was simple.
Xukong.
Anything unusual about Lin Mu could easily be attributed to the influence of the Void Weaver Spider. Whether it was rare techniques, strange energies, or unimaginable treasures, the reasoning was always the sa.
It must be Xukong.
They no longer even tried to question the logic behind it.
As they continued staring at the glowing spheres of Beast Qi, another thought slowly ford in their minds. The Vermilion Bird was the first to voice it.
She looked from the energy spheres back to Lin Mu and then spoke quietly. "Wait."
Her fiery eyes narrowed slightly as she studied the aura more carefully.
The Azure Dragon followed her gaze and suddenly reached the sa conclusion.
The two spirits looked at each other with sudden realization.
If Lin Mu possessed such concentrated Beast Qi, and if traces of their own bloodline aura were also present within him, then the resonance that awakened them earlier finally made sense. The mixture of pure Beast Qi and Guardian Beast aura could easily trigger the spiritual contract embedded within the temple statues.
The Vermilion Bird nodded slowly. "This explains it."
The Azure Dragon's voice rumbled in agreent. "The Beast Qi strengthened the resonance."
Lin Mu listened quietly as they reached their conclusion, then raised the two glowing spheres slightly higher. "Regardless of the reason, these are my gifts to the honored guardians. I hope you will accept them."
The two ancient spirits looked at the energy spheres again.
And for the first ti since awakening, they felt genuinely pleased.
The two luminous spheres of Beast Qi floated gently in the air between Lin Mu and the two Guardian Spirits.
The energy within them pulsed softly, like two small suns of living vitality. Even Temple Head Puyi, who had spent centuries around powerful spiritual energies, could feel the rich and pure essence emanating from them.
The Qi was incredibly refined, carrying a primal vitality that was unmistakably tied to the Beast Path. For beings like the Azure Dragon and the Vermilion Bird, such energy was not rely valuable. It was profoundly aningful, almost like tasting a drop of ancient ancestry.
Yet instead of imdiately accepting the offering, the two spirits exchanged another glance.
Their imnse illusory forms hovered silently for a mont as they seed to deliberate through a private spiritual exchange. Lin Mu watched quietly, sensing that they were considering sothing carefully.
After a short pause, the Azure Dragon finally spoke.
"Honorable Disciple," the dragon said in a calm and steady tone, "rather than giving this Beast Qi to us directly, we would ask sothing else of you."
The Vermilion Bird nodded slowly in agreent. "If you are willing to help us with a certain matter, that would already be more than sufficient as a gift. In fact, even attempting it would be enough. If you cannot succeed, we will not hold it against you."
Lin Mu looked slightly curious but not surprised.
He lowered the spheres of Beast Qi slightly while asking, "What matter do the honored guardians wish to discuss?"
The Azure Dragon's eyes shifted toward the distant horizon beyond the temple walls as if contemplating the world outside. "You may have already heard about the foxkin of this world."
Lin Mu nodded. "I have learned a little about them during my travels here. I understand that several foxkin clans inhabit this world and that they hold significant authority over its regions."
The Vermilion Bird replied gently, "Then you already know part of the story. From the outside, things appear normal. The foxkin kingdoms function well, and their populations are large. However, beneath that appearance lies a problem that has troubled them for a long ti."
Before Lin Mu could ask further, Temple Head Puyi suddenly spoke in surprise.
His ears twitched as realization dawned on him. "Do the honored guardians
an the issue of the Bloodline Degeneration?"
Both spirits turned their heads toward him and nodded at the sa ti.
"Indeed," said the Azure Dragon.
Lin Mu's expression grew thoughtful. "Bloodline degeneration?"
He had encountered discussions about such phenona in several texts before, but he had not expected it to beco relevant here. "Could the honored guardians explain further?"
The Vermilion Bird answered calmly. "The issue concerns the two strongest foxkin tribes on this world."
Lin Mu considered this for a mont before responding. "Do you an the Fla Fur Foxkin Clan and the Frost Fox Clan?"
Temple Head Puyi nodded quickly. "It seems you have heard of them already."
"Only a little," Lin Mu replied. "I know that the Fla Fur Foxkin are considered the most powerful clan here, while the Frost Fox clan holds authority over the eastern continent."
The Azure Dragon lowered his massive head slightly. "Once, they were indeed clans worthy of that title. But now their populations have diminished to such an extent that the term 'clan' may no longer be appropriate. If their decline continues, they will soon resemble re tribes rather than great bloodline
houses."
Lin Mu frowned slightly. "What exactly is causing this decline?"
The Vermilion Bird answered slowly, as if choosing her words carefully. "Their bloodlines are degenerating."
Lin Mu raised an eyebrow at that statent. "From what I have read, bloodline degeneration normally refers to the dilution of ancestral power over generations. When powerful bloodlines mix with weaker ones, the descendants lose so of their original strength or talent. However, such degeneration usually does not affect fertility. Even if the bloodline becos diluted, offspring
can still be produced normally."
The two spirits nodded slightly.
"That is usually the case," the Azure Dragon agreed.
"But not here," the Vermilion Bird continued. "The degeneration affecting these two tribes
unusual."
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