The guardians were certainly pleased with the way that Lin Mu had managed to learn the technique.
While they knew they had to act a bit reserved, they still couldn't help but show a little satisfaction.
"You've done well." The Azure Dragon praised.
"Thank you." Lin Mu cupped his hands in gratitude.
"Since you've learned the technique, you'll have to take efforts in practicing it. I myself had failed in it, so I hope that you will succeed." The Azure Dragon stated.
"I'll try my best." Lin Mu said with confidence.
"Good. Now it is time for you to leave." The Azure Dragon replied, before looking at the other guardians.
"Our time is also coming to an end here. It is time for us to return to dormancy." The Vermilion Bird said with a hint of hesitance.
It was now that Lin Mu asked something that he had been wishing to do for a while.
"May I ask why is it that the guardians have to rest? I mean, if you all are awake all the time I believe it would be a lot more helpful for all the people." Lin Mu questioned.
At first, the guardians were silent, making Lin Mu think that he had asked something wrong.
"Haha, I guess you had this question too." The White Tiger laughed.
"You won't be the first one to ask this." The Black Tortoise said, looking at Lin Mu.
"Is it a forbidden topic?" Lin Mu asked, just in case.
"No… it's just not said openly most of the time." The Azure Dragon replied.
"But I suppose telling you should be fine." The Vermillion bird said, making Lin Mu eager to hear it.
He was incredibly curious and wanted to know why the strong beings like the Four Guardian beasts would hide like this most of the time.
"The reason why we enter dormancy for years on end and only awaken on important times is due to the fact that maintaining our forms takes a lot of effort." The Azure Dragon revealed.
"It does?" Lin Mu raised his brows.
"Yes… After all, we do not have our bodies." The White Tiger spoke, surprising Lin Mu.
"Then these forms… they're just—" Lin Mu was about to say it when the Vermillion Bird interrupted.
"Souls… yes, they are just our souls." The Vermillion Bird revealed.
"Then what about your bodies? Are they somewhere else?" Lin Mu questioned.
"They maybe… but also not. At the very least, we cannot make use of them anymore." The White Tiger answered.
"Why is that?" Lin Mu asked.
"Because we are… dead." The Azure Dragon revealed shocking Lin Mu.
"Dead?!" Lin Mu was taken aback.
"Yes… all the Guardian beasts that you'll see in the Temple of the four guardians are dead. Only our souls are kept here." The Vermillion bird confirmed.
Lin Mu felt a hundred more questions forming in his mind as he heard that and wondered just why it was like that.
"The members of the Four clans of the guardian beasts, the Vermillion Bird clan, the Azure Dragon Clan, the White Tiger clan and the Black Tortoise clan all have duties that do not end even after we die.
Or rather, our main duty after our death is to guide the next generations. As such, all of us have restrictions on our souls. As such, when we die, our souls are teleported back into the clan.
And from there, our souls will be sent to the Temples to guide the others." The Azure Dragon explained.
"But isn't that… too much? To have to work even after death?" Lin Mu asked, finding it a bit tiring.
"Not exactly. We are glad to carry out our duties. In fact, we are free to reject this duty if we wish to.
But not many do that. After all, this also gives us a second chance to revive ourselves." The Black Tortoise added.
"Revive?" Lin Mu raised a brow.
"Yes, if we work long enough and guide the cultivators to great results, we will have a chance at revival as well. It might take tens of thousands of years, but it is nothing to us. After all, in this form, we can 'live' for a very, very long time.
Of course, the time during which we can stay awake is also limited. This state does give us a certain 'lifespan' but it also comes with limitations." The White Tiger explained.
"I see. It does make sense to do something like this when you have nothing else left." Lin Mu understood the reasoning behind it all.
'Not only does it give them another chance at life, it also helps improve the standing of the guardian beast clans. The temples give them a high status and they are venerated in many worlds.' Lin Mu thought to himself.
He could figure out more things than what the guardians had said and knew there were more benefits that were hidden away. Of course, he didn't think they were unfair either, as they needed to pay a great cost to even be at this place.
'It also shows the power of the four guardian clans… to be able to save the souls of their members from anywhere in the world and transport them back to the clans safely… it must be some high level technique or formations involved in this.
Maybe even some treasure we don't know about.' Lin Mu wondered about it all.
Whatever it might be, Lin Mu felt like it was something way beyond him for the time being. If he were fated to find out about it, he would in the future and didn't need to think about it too much right now.
~humm~
A faint wave of energy was felt in the hall, as a string of runes appeared in the middle of the guardians. The runes were brown in color and contained some unknown information.
They all looked at it and frowned lightly.
"You should go now. Your companions will be waiting." The guardians stated.
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