Qingxuan completely resolved the social dilemma of submitting and sending the manuscript, and her entire body went limp.
She was like a college student who had just pulled an all-nighter to grind out her graduation thesis, radiating a sense of decadence that said, "The deadline has passed, I'm ascending on the spot."
This noble Celestial God was now rubbing her temples without any regard for her image.
Those Azure Jade Dragon Horns that had once made believers kneel in worship had grown dull and lusterless due to long-term sleep deprivation.
Black-rimmed glasses hung crookedly on the tip of her nose.
Her hollow, lifeless eyes reflected Lin Qingyue's face, which exuded the majesty of a "Dean of Students."
This made the Ancient God's neck subconsciously shrink into her pajamas.
She took light, small steps, inching closer to Lin Qingyue.
Her hands were clasped tightly behind her back, and her toes unconsciously drew circles on the floor tiles, causing the pilled cartoon pajamas to sway slightly.
This awkward appearance of a "socially anxious student meeting her mentor," appearing on a God who could enlighten a ten-thousand-year-old ancient tree with a wave of her hand, created a contrast so strong it was laughable.
"Um... Teacher Qingyue."
Qingxuan bit her lower lip, her gaze darting around, bouncing between the Temple's ceiling and floor.
"If it weren't for your teaching, I estimate that in another few hundred years, I would have truly become an anxious mess like the 'Spirit of Pride'."
She took a deep breath of the ink-scented air, as if to steel herself, making an extremely difficult resolution.
The next second, she reached deep into her oversized pajamas.
A frantic rummaging that made one's eyelids twitch.
Though it was a very sexy gesture, she performed it as if she were scrubbing dead skin off her body...
In an instant, a majestic yet incredibly gentle energy fluctuation detonated within the Temple.
It was the roar of the Law of Life, originating from ancient times.
Slap!
A heavy scale, still warm to the touch and shimmering with azure and gold, was slapped firmly into Lin Qingyue's palm.
On the scale's surface, profound Law patterns slowly flowed.
Just by looking at it, one could feel a vast Vitality stirring within their body.
"This is a gift of thanks, my natal Reverse Scale shed thousands of years ago, a truly one-of-a-kind item!"
Qingxuan puffed out her chest, trying to hide the characteristic awkwardness of social anxiety.
As a result, her pajamas stretched even tighter, faintly revealing the skin-colored garment beneath.
"Accept this, and you will be this venerable one's... only designated mentor in the mortal realm!"
"From now on, you can walk this continent however you please. If anyone dares bully you, I will directly strike them down with Azurewood Divine Lightning."
The moment Lin Qingyue's fingertips touched the scale, system notifications flooded her mind.
Golden radiance centered around her, illuminating the dim Temple like a sea of gold.
Su Wan, Lin Xiyue, and Xia Lian instantly squinted, their eyes stung by the divine golden light.
[Dragon Scale of the Azure Dragon's Blessing]
[Quality: Mythic]
[Slot: Accessory]
[Equipment Requirement: Lin Qingyue (Soul-Bound)]
[Attributes: Constitution +150, Strength +50, Agility +50, Intelligence +50, Faith +50]
[Special Effect 1: Embrace of the Azure Dragon. Vitality +100%, All Elemental Magic Resistance +20%.]
[Special Effect 2: Enlightenment of the Azure Dragon. Increases mastery and comprehension of "Life"-related spells and even divine authorities.]
[Description: The shed Reverse Scale of the legendary Divine Beast, the Azure Dragon. It carries the supreme respect of an ancient deity for Her teacher, as well as the salted fish will of "As long as I don't work hard, no one can make me work hard."]
"Another Mythic Quality item?!"
Lin Xiyue's exaggerated gasp echoed in the empty Temple.
The mainstream equipment usable by Novice Class Holders was Fine Grade, and even Epic Grade was rare.
The last one she had seen was the Vermilion Bird's feather.
"So, are the Four Celestial Gods forming a group to wholesale Mythic equipment?"
Su Wan clutched her chest, trying to calm her common sense that was on the verge of collapse:
She examined Qingxuan's actions with an academic eye, seriously pointing out:
"From a biological logic standpoint, a core organ like the Reverse Scale... isn't something you can just pull out of a collar..."
Lin Qingyue looked at the scale in her hand, a hint of inquiry flashing in her eyes.
The base attributes on the panel were certainly magnificent beyond measure.
But her attention was completely captivated by the line "Vitality +100%."
In the Class Panel, there had never been a specific quantitative value for the "Vitality" attribute.
Lin Qingyue hung the azure-gold dragon scale around her neck.
The moment the equipment touched her skin, a strange sensation occurred.
It was not a cold update of data, nor a simple infusion of power.
But a baptism originating from the depths of her soul.
A warm current, gentle as spring water, quietly surged from her chest and instantly spread to her four limbs and hundred bones.
It seeped into every muscle fiber, repairing the smallest cellular damage.
The muscle fatigue accumulated from the long journey was completely washed away in this brief second.
This feeling was too familiar.
It was identical to the sensation of condensing the origin and improving her constitution when she practiced the [Adeptus Breathing Method] day after day.
Only the enhancement brought by the dragon scale was a thousand times more powerful!
Lin Qingyue subconsciously opened her palm.
A small wound, accidentally cut by the edge of the parchment while she was organizing old drafts, was wriggling and healing at a speed visible to the naked eye.
In just one breath.
The bloodstain completely disappeared, and the skin became as smooth as new, as if it had never been injured.
The health bar did not grow longer.
The panel data did not jump a second time.
But she could clearly sense that her endurance, her ability to withstand blows, and even her adaptability to extreme environments such as hunger, cold, and scorching heat had all taken a qualitative leap.
"So that's how it is."
Lin Qingyue opened her eyes, Divine Power surging as her long pink hair fluttered without wind.
"The so-called Vitality is not quantified health points at all."
"It is a quality of life that transcends the boundaries of numbers, the activity of life's origin, and the body's recovery power and resilience!"
This was a massive win!
Xia Lian swallowed hard, watching the faint green glow of vitality that lingered around Lin Qingyue.
"Captain, your aura right now feels even more vigorous than our school's Principal Chu..."
"You're not actually going to evolve in the direction of a God-Scion, are you?"
Lin Qingyue tucked the dragon scale inside her collar, keeping it close to her skin, and casually hid the equipment's glow.
"Basic operation, stay calm, stay calm."
She waved her hand dismissively, fully committing to her humblebragging.
After delivering the grand gift and resolving a matter that had been weighing on her mind, Qingxuan finally realized with a start that her current shut-in appearance was not suitable to be displayed before "outsiders" other than her teacher.
It truly damaged the dignity of the "Celestial God Azure Dragon."
He stiffened his body and stood up straight, clumsily smoothing out the pilled cartoon pajamas on his body, trying to cover the spare tire around his waist caused by a lack of exercise.
Then, he reached out with both hands, smoothing his messy hair back, trying to regain a bit of the aloofness and majesty belonging to an ancient god.
Only the slight trembling of his Azure Jade Dragon Horns completely exposed his guilty nature.
Qingxuan picked up the calligraphy brush from the table with a feigned air of importance, rinsed it in the brush-washing pool, and assumed the posture of someone reviewing official documents.
"Since you managed to fight your way all the way to the Central Temple..."
He kept his back to everyone, deliberately lowering his voice, trying to create the aura of a god looking down upon all living beings.
"You must be carrying the blessings of those other guys on you, right?"
He twitched his nose, taking two exaggerated sniffs of the air.
"I smell a disgusting, dry, fiery stench, very pungent."
Qingxuan's fingers awkwardly curled a lock of his own hair, his tone pretending to be casual.
"Is that loud-mouthed, red-feathered bird from the South still alive?"
"Did someone pluck all its feathers and roast it because its temper was too foul?"
Though his words were venomous...
Anyone could hear the undisguised concern in his tone.
Lin Qingyue looked at the Azure Dragon, who had his back turned to her and was covered in the words "tsundere" from head to toe, and felt amused.
These four Celestial Gods had terrifyingly long lifespans, yet their personalities were more eccentric than the last.
"He's dead."
Lin Qingyue dragged out the final syllable, casually dropping the bombshell.
Qingxuan, with his back to her, stiffened abruptly.
The calligraphy brush in his hand fell into the washing pool with a plop, splashing a few drops of ink.
Before Qingxuan could lose his composure and turn around, Lin Qingyue added the second half of the sentence.
"And then he came back to life."
Qingxuan spun around sharply.
The horror and grief that hadn't been fully concealed from his exquisite face made his expression look somewhat comical.
"What do you mean?"
He pressed urgently, his feigned majesty completely forgotten.
"The Vermilion Bird Sovereign was corrupted by the 'Wrath' rule and fell into a self-torturing frenzy."
"But there's no need to worry. After a bit of 'talk therapy' from me, He successfully severed His old attachments, attained Nirvana through fire, and should now be enjoying life and tasting delicacies in the Valley of the Four Winds."
Lin Qingyue gave a simple and clear summary of the previous trial's heroic feat.
Hearing the words "Nirvana rebirth," Qingxuan let out a long sigh of relief.
The Azure Jade Dragon Horns atop his head, which had stood erect with tension, visibly relaxed.
But in speech, the Celestial God's pride refused to concede.
"Hmph."
Qingxuan turned back around, leaving everyone with the haughty back of his head as he snorted coldly,
"A scourge lives for a thousand years."
"This venerable one doesn't care in the slightest whether she lives or not."
"That violent maniac with nothing but muscle and fire in her head will only cause trouble for this world if she stays alive!"