At the far end of the garden stood the central palace structure. Its roofline was decorated with enormous statues of foxkin figures.
Lin Mu quickly realized what they represented.
Each statue depicted a different major foxkin clan.
Flame Fur.
Frost Fox.
White Fox.
And many others.
It was a symbolic display of unity.
After crossing the garden corridor, they entered the main palace building.
Inside, the space opened into a massive chamber.
The Royal Court.
Rows of ministers stood in orderly lines along both sides of the chamber.
Behind them stood numerous noble foxkin from various clans.
All eyes turned toward the arriving guests and at the far end of the court stood a raised platform.
And upon that platform rested the throne.
Seated upon it was the King.
Lin Mu immediately sensed the man’s cultivation.
Peak Seventh Tribulation Stage Immortal.
The foxkin ruler appeared youthful despite his age.
His fur was a deep crimson red, and faint patterns of flame-like markings ran along his ears and tail.
It was unmistakable.
Flame Fur Fox Clan.
The Royal Steward stepped forward and announced loudly.
"Your Majesty... The honored guests have arrived."
The King rose from his throne, his gaze studying Lin Mu and Cattaleya carefully.
Then he smiled.
"Wele."
His voice carried clearly across the hall.
"I am Huli Qian, King of the Huli Kingdom and I wele you to the Fox Scion World with royal honor."
Lin Mu and the others offered respectful greetings.
Lin Mu could feel the presence of many powerful individuals within the court.
Several ministers possessed High Immortal Realm cultivation. Others were weaker but clearly held significant authority. Yet despite their different appearances and fur colors, one thing was obvious.
All of them were foxkin.
Different clans.
Different bloodlines.
But clearly intertwined through generations of intermarriage.
In truth, the royal court felt less like a collection of rival clans.
And more like an enormous extended family.
Watching everything unfold calmly from the center of the court, Lin Mu realized that their arrival had already begun stirring considerable interest within the ruling powers of the Fox Scion World.
Not long after Lin Mu and his panions were formally weled into the royal court, preparations began for a banquet in their honor.
This time, however, Lin Mu and his group did not feel the same awkwardness that had acpanied their first few such events in earlier worlds. Over the course of their travels, banquets had bee a regular occurrence whenever they visited powerful sects or kingdoms.
Even Meng Bai, who once felt unfortable sitting among powerful cultivators and nobles, had grown accustomed to it.
And there was one universal truth that made such gatherings easy to tolerate.
Food.
Lin Mu enjoyed good food.
Cattaleya loved it.
Daoist Chu appreciated fine cuisine.
And the beasts certainly had no plaints.
By the time the banquet hall had been prepared, the large palace chamber had transformed into a lively setting. Long tables filled with dishes of all kinds had been arranged across the hall, while servants moved gracefully between the guests.
Large platters of grilled meats, fragrant soups, roasted fruits, steamed vegetables, and delicately prepared desserts filled the air with enticing aromas. Special wines and teas were served alongside them, many of which carried rich traces of immortal Qi.
When the feast began, Lin Mu quietly summoned his beasts.
Little Shrubby appeared first, shrinking down into his familiar smaller form before leaping lightly onto a seat beside Lin Mu. His crimson fur shimmered faintly as tiny sparks of lightning occasionally flickered across his body.
Moments later, Xiao Yin and Xiao Yang appeared as well.
The twin snakes coiled themselves fortably near the table, their bodies glimmering faintly under the banquet hall’s lantern light.
The moment they appeared, the foxkin nobles immediately took notice.
Foxkin possessed keen instincts when it came to bloodlines and beasts. It was one of the natural advantages granted by their heritage.
And the moment they sensed the presence of Lin Mu’s panions, murmurs spread quietly through the hall.
Little Shrubby’s presence alone drew attention. His fiery aura and the faint traces of lightning energy surrounding him made it obvious that he was no ordinary immortal beast.
But the true shock came from the twins.
Xiao Yin and Xiao Yang radiated something far more profound.
Even the King himself felt it.
Huli Qian maintained a posed expression, but inwardly he felt a strange pressure pressing against his instincts.
It came from his bloodline.
A quiet, primal warning.
The king slowly turned his gaze toward the two serpents resting beside Lin Mu.
For a brief moment, his heart skipped.
These two snakes were still young.
Yet their bloodlines... He could feel it clearly.
They were far beyond him.
The pressure was subtle, but unmistakable. It was not simply the difference in cultivation. It was something deeper... A hierarchy of bloodlines.
Huli Qian swallowed quietly.
He had encountered the guardian spirits of the Guardian Beast temples before. Those manifestations carried the aura of the legendary protectors of the world.
But the feeling he sensed from the twin snakes...
It was different.
Stronger.
More ancient.
For a brief moment, the King felt sweat forming at the back of his neck.
’Just what kind of bloodline do these two carry?’
He forced himself to remain calm.
After all, the snakes themselves behaved quite peacefully beside Lin Mu, occasionally flicking their tongues while observing the lively hall or eating some food.
The king quietly reminded himself of one important fact.
These beasts trusted Lin Mu and he clearly treated them as panions rather than tools.
To the foxkin present, that was a reassuring sight. Foxkin society valued harmony between humans and beasts.
A human who treated powerful beasts with respect rather than domination was generally regarded as a person of good character.
Gradually the tension eased as the banquet progressed.
Conversation filled the hall.
Many ministers were eager to hear more about the Martial Fist King Tournament.
They asked Lin Mu questions about the petitors, the techniques displayed, and the battles that had taken place.
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