Receiving Duobao's Gift

If Lin Tian hadn't been watching him from right beside him,

Duobao might have drunk the entire pot of fish soup.

But then,

Duobao saw Lin Tian looking at him with a strange expression.

Even Yazi, who was nearby, was looking at him as though he were a fool.

Duobao: "..."

Duobao felt terribly awkward. He couldn't help clearing his throat and awkwardly changing the subject.

"Fellow Daoist, I'm sorry."

"Your fish soup is just too delicious."

"For a moment, I couldn't resist my appetite..."

Seeing how embarrassed Duobao looked,

Lin Tian sighed and interrupted him.

"I understand, fellow Daoist."

"It's a shame I didn't get a few more fish."

As Lin Tian said this, he felt a little helpless.

Sigh.

It looks like this fellow Daoist Dabao is another poor soul.

He's making such a fuss over eating fish.

He probably can't even get a meal.

Look how hungry he is!

Life in the Primordial World really is hard.

Only a few living beings have shown up at this little mountain peak,

and they're all poor.

It's pitiful.

As these thoughts crossed his mind,

a trace of pity flashed in Lin Tian's eyes as he looked at Duobao.

He couldn't help continuing,

"Why don't you wait here? I'll have Erha catch a few more fish."

At those words,

Duobao hurriedly waved his hands and said, somewhat embarrassed,

"Fellow Daoist, this fish soup is already more than enough."

"Thank you for your hospitality, fellow Daoist!"

"I truly cannot thank you enough."

Duobao cupped his hands toward Lin Tian, his expression solemn.

He recalled the pure spiritual Qi contained in that bowl of fish soup.

It could even rival that of fine spirit pills and wondrous medicines.

After drinking it, his primordial spirit had grown a few degrees more concentrated than before.

Normally, if he wanted to make such progress,

he probably wouldn't have been able to build it up without three to five years.

Thinking of this,

Duobao understood the karma involved.

Naturally, he couldn't drink this pot of fish soup for free.

As these thoughts crossed his mind,

Duobao turned his palm over, and an object appeared in his hand.

"Fellow Daoist, this is a little thing I carry with me."

"I'd like to give it to you to thank you for your hospitality."

Hearing Duobao's words,

Lin Tian froze and instinctively looked at his hand.

There,

in Duobao's hand, was an ordinary-looking axe.

The axe gave off no special presence.

Only a trace of a mysterious fluctuation could be sensed from it.

It was barely perceptible.

Lin Tian couldn't help sighing helplessly.

Sigh.

He might as well not have brought it out.

Now that he's offering it to me,

should I accept it or not?

If I accept it, it feels a little petty. He only drank some soup, and I'd be taking a gift in return. What kind of behavior is that?

But if I refuse, he might think I'm looking down on this axe.

I'm caught between a rock and a hard place!

No matter how I look at it, though, isn't this axe just an ordinary object?

Lin Tian really didn't want to accept it.

But when he saw the expectant look on Duobao's face,

he figured refusing would deal him a blow.

Just like fellow Daoist Gongming,

living beings from poor families often had a great deal of pride.

Logically, judging from the responses of fellow Daoist Gongming and his younger sister,

he could infer that these natives of the Primordial World all disliked being indebted to others.

For example, Gongming's younger sister had asked a few questions and offered him scissors. Gongming had drunk some tea and given him Liuliu Eggs.

Duobao had borrowed a book and given him a bead.

Now he had drunk fish soup and wanted to give him an axe.

For these natives, accepting their so-called gifts would make them feel better.

Perhaps it was because they had repaid some karma.

Thinking of this,

Lin Tian sighed again.

Duobao, who had been watching Lin Tian all along, felt his heart tighten.

This axe was something I obtained from Dao Ancestor Hongjun's Treasure Distribution Rock.

It's a genuine Innate Spiritual Treasure, and it's said to bear traces of the Heaven-Opening Divine Axe's presence.

But after the opening of the heavens, it suffered great damage to its vitality and was affected by the Heavenly Dao, whereupon it was downgraded to an Innate Spiritual Treasure.

Does that look on fellow Daoist Lin Tian's face mean he doesn't like it?

After these thoughts crossed his mind,

Duobao couldn't help recalling that ancient zither.

Come to think of it, fellow Daoist Lin Tian even used a Supreme-Grade Innate Spiritual Treasure as a stepping stone.

Naturally, he wouldn't think much of a mere Innate Spiritual Treasure.

But this was already one of the finest treasures Duobao possessed.

Just as Duobao was thinking this,

Lin Tian waved his hand and said helplessly,

"There's really no need to be so courteous. It's only a bowl of fish soup."

"But I happen to need an axe for chopping firewood, so thank you."

When he heard Lin Tian agree,

before Duobao could feel happy,

he heard the words about chopping firewood.

The corner of Duobao's mouth twitched, and a speechless expression appeared on his face.

"..."

"Using an Innate Spiritual Treasure to chop firewood?"

*"!!!"*

"Well, when it comes to 'using treasures,' it has to be fellow Daoist Lin Tian!"

Just as Duobao was thinking this,

before he could react,

an incomparably majestic voice suddenly rang out beside his ear!

Duobao was startled!

Master?!