Chapter 3581: Request To Save Two Bloodlines
Chapter 3581: Request To Save Two Bloodlines
Temple Head Puyi stepped forward slightly, adding his own explanation. "Over many years we have observed the situation carefully. At first, we believed that the foxkin bloodlines were simply weakening through intermarriage and dilution. But after examining the matter more closely, we realized that the opposite is happening."
Lin Mu’s brow furrowed further.
"The opposite?"
The Vermilion Bird continued, "Their bloodlines have not become weaker. Instead, they have become too pure."
The words hung in the air.
Lin Mu blinked once before nodding slowly as he began to understand. "I see."
This was not an unfamiliar concept.
Many powerful beasts faced the same problem.
When a bloodline became extremely pure and concentrated, the difficulty of producing offspring increased dramatically. It was one of the natural balances within the world. The stronger a bloodline became, the harder it was for that lineage to continue reproducing.
This phenomenon did not only affect beasts.
Human cultivators experienced similar issues when they reached extremely high cultivation levels or possessed exceptionally powerful bloodlines. Their bodies became so refined that producing offspring required extraordinary compatibility.
That was precisely why powerful kings and emperors in many worlds maintained large harems.
The goal was not indulgence, but probability. By pairing themselves with many partners of varying talents and bloodlines, they increased the chance that at least some offspring would inherit their lineage.
Lin Mu spoke his thoughts aloud. "In that case, the situation of the two foxkin tribes resembles that of powerful beasts. Their bloodlines have become so pure that reproduction itself has become difficult."
Temple Head Puyi nodded solemnly. "Exactly. Over thousands of years, many members of the two tribes have continued to intermarry within their own bloodlines in order to preserve their purity. That strategy has now begun to backfire."
Lin Mu recalled something he had learned earlier. "But the foxkin population on this world is still very large, is it not?"
"Yes," Puyi replied. "The mixed-blood foxkin populations continue to flourish. But the pureblood clans themselves are declining."
He paused before adding the most alarming detail.
"In the past one hundred years, the Flame Fur Foxkin Clan and the Frost Fox Clan together have produced fewer than five children."
Lin Mu’s eyes widened slightly.
That number was astonishingly small.
While cultivators did not reproduce as frequently as mortals, the idea that two entire clans numbering in the thousands had produced fewer than five offspring in a full century was almost unbelievable.
Temple Head Puyi shook his head slowly. "It is the lowest birth rate in recorded history."
The Vermilion Bird continued quietly, "If this trend continues, those bloodlines may vanish entirely within a few thousand years."
Lin Mu fell silent as he considered the implications.
Then the Azure Dragon spoke again, his voice steady and thoughtful.
"That is where your Beast Qi becomes important."
Lin Mu looked up.
The dragon continued, "Beast Qi carries the essence of primal vitality. It is deeply connected to the origins of bloodlines. The purity of the Beast Qi you produced is extremely rare, even among great beasts."
The Vermilion Bird nodded. "We believe that such energy might help stabilize or stimulate the dormant fertility within the foxkin bloodlines. If properly applied, it might restore balance to their lineage."
Lin Mu understood what they were asking now.
They wanted him to attempt using Beast Qi to help resolve the foxkin bloodline degeneration.
The Azure Dragon spoke one final time.
"We do not demand success," he said calmly. "Even if the attempt fails, the effort alone will be more than enough as a gift."
The Vermilion Bird added gently, "But if it succeeds, you may very well save two ancient bloodlines from extinction."
The temple hall fell quiet again.
All eyes turned toward Lin Mu.
Lin Mu remained silent for several moments after the Guardian Spirits finished explaining their request. The temple hall felt unusually quiet, the lingering energy of the awakened spirits still humming faintly through the ancient arrays carved into the stone floor and pillars.
His gaze drifted briefly toward the two spheres of Beast Qi floating near his hands before he slowly drew a breath and began considering the matter carefully.
The request itself was not unreasonable.
In fact, compared to many tasks powerful entities might demand, it was relatively modest. The spirits were not asking him to solve the foxkin bloodline issue outright. They only wished for him to attempt a solution using the Beast Qi he possessed. Whether the attempt succeeded or failed did not matter as much as the effort itself.
From Lin Mu’s perspective, that made the request far easier to accept.
After all, he had already benefited greatly from the teachings and techniques related to the Guardian Beasts. The Nurturing Heart Sutra of the Beast Path alone had improved his life on multiple occasions and had become an integral part of his cultivation journey. Especially for his beasts.
If there was an opportunity to repay even a fraction of that help, then he felt it would be wrong to refuse.
Furthermore, the problem itself intrigued him.
Bloodline degeneration was a complex subject that touched upon both beast physiology and cultivation theory.
The foxkin situation described by the spirits appeared to be an unusual variation of the phenomenon, where bloodlines had become so pure that fertility itself had begun to collapse.
Lin Mu had studied and read about rare cases of cultivation anomalies before, but this particular situation seemed rare even among ancient records.
If Beast Qi truly carried the primal vitality of beast origins, then perhaps it might interact with such bloodlines in unexpected ways.
He could not guarantee success.
But the possibility was worth exploring.
And beyond that, Lin Mu also realized something else.
Helping the foxkin clans might allow him to learn more about the relationship between Beast Qi and bloodline inheritance. Such knowledge could become extremely valuable for his future cultivation. In many ways, the attempt itself could become a form of research.
After weighing these thoughts, Lin Mu finally raised his head and spoke calmly.
"I will try."
His voice was simple and steady.