How std::min / std::max works?

I have problem understand why this works correctly?

//#include <algorithm>

template<class T> 
const T& min(const T& a, const T& b){
    return (b < a) ? b : a;
}

int main(){
    int x = /*std*/ min(5 - 1, 5 + 1);

    return x;
}

If we get const reference in a, how it survive "returning" const reference?

Is this because function is inlined?