Ning Fengzhi, Chen Xin

Chen Xin, standing behind Ning Fengzhi, nodded to Zhongli and Paimon as a polite greeting.

A nodding acquaintance was nothing more than that.

Then Chen Xin spoke two words.

His name.

"Chen Xin."

Chen Xin, martial soul: Seven Kill Sword, a level ninety-six Super Douluo, and one of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Supreme Elders.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had established the position of Supreme Elder precisely to distinguish those who had rendered the greatest service in protecting the sect from ordinary elders.

Without the position of Supreme Elder, would Chen Xin and Gu Rong not have to stand alongside some Soul Douluos, or even some direct-lineage Soul Sages?

Would that not be an insult to Titled Douluos?

They needed to distinguish them while giving Titled Douluos sufficient respect, and thus the position of Supreme Elder came into being.

A Supreme Elder held status equal to the sect master, but the final decision-making authority still rested with the sect master.

This was the final bottom line of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's direct lineage.

It could not be helped. They lacked combat power and could only support others, relying on others to survive on this cruel Douluo Continent.

After the two had introduced themselves, the offense and defense switched.

Paimon did not hesitate either. Flying in front of Zhongli, she said very politely, "Hello, Sect Master Ning Fengzhi!"

"Hello, handsome Grandpa Chen Xin!"

"I'm Paimon. Pai as in Paimon, mon as in Paimon."

"He's Zhongli."

She was more than familiar with this way of greeting someone.

What an interesting little fellow. Such a martial soul is practically a miracle.

Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin thought to themselves.

It was also their first time seeing a martial soul as wondrous as Paimon. The ancient records within their sect contained no mention of it.

In other words, before seeing Paimon, they had not merely never seen such a martial soul—they had never even heard of one.

If this little fellow obtained nine soul rings over fifty thousand years old, her power might well be capable of destroying heaven and earth!

There were only two reasons Zhongli had yet to attach soul rings to her.

The first was that he had not yet decided what path Paimon should take.

The second was that he had not found suitable soul rings.

With Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings, he likely looked down on any soul rings below a hundred thousand years!

Once he found suitable Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts, he would make his move!

Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings and soul rings below a hundred thousand years were entirely different concepts.

Suddenly, Paimon seemed to remember something and said, "Zhongli said last night that distinguished guests would visit today. Was that you two?"

Paimon truly had not forgotten about it, because Zhongli had mentioned it again during breakfast earlier.

It was just that she did not seem to have met these two "distinguished guests."

Could it be that Zhongli had secretly left while she was sleeping and gotten to know them?

That could also explain why Zhongli knew so much more than she did.

They had clearly arrived together, yet Zhongli acted as though he had "come home."

Chen Xin, Ning Fengzhi, and Zhongli: "..."

Chen Xin and Ning Fengzhi exchanged glances, then looked at Zhongli, whose expression had not changed in the slightest. Their hearts trembled violently.

This man had actually guessed they would come?

If that was true, it was rather terrifying!

Was there a possibility that the guests Zhongli had mentioned were not limited to just these two?

What a little fellow who can't keep a secret.

Zhongli grumbled inwardly, but his face remained calm.

Ning Fengzhi's visit had been among his predictions, though he had not been certain when the other party would come.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was near Heaven Dou City. What had happened at the city gates would have been difficult for the sect not to learn about.

Faced with a suddenly appearing "Titled Douluo," how could they, as the second-ranked sect in the world and located nearby, possibly refrain from investigating?

What if they saw a chance to recruit him? Or perhaps Ning Fengzhi and the others considered him a threat?

"If there are no others, then it should be us."

Ning Fengzhi spoke with a smile, full of confidence.

Distinguished guests?

As the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's sect master, with Chen Xin as a level ninety-six Super Douluo, they were worthy of those words.

If even they were not worthy of being called distinguished guests, who else in the world could be?

Ning Fengzhi's smile made others feel as though they were bathed in a spring breeze.

Clearly, that smile had been specially practiced.

As the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's sect master, how could he possibly be a softhearted man?

"No wonder Zhongli brewed two extra cups of tea..."

After muttering that, Paimon continued, "Please come in, you two!"

Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin hesitated slightly. Zhongli had not said a single word from beginning to end; everything had been spoken by his martial soul.

In principle, there was nothing wrong with one's martial soul representing oneself.

But Zhongli's circumstances were rather unusual.

Should they listen to Paimon, or to the "mute" Zhongli?

Zhongli seemed to see what Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin were thinking.

He cupped his hands and said very politely, "Sect Master Ning, Sword Douluo, please come in."

"Thank you!"

Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin exchanged glances before quickly replying.

A moment later, they took their seats.

When they saw the teacup in front of Zhongli, Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin finally believed Paimon's words.

The other party had truly prepared in advance!

"Please."

Zhongli pushed two teacups toward Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin respectively and spoke a single word.

Tea culture on the Douluo Continent was still in its developmental stage. Even Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin did not understand many of its principles.

They watched Zhongli perform a dazzling series of movements, highly pleasing to the eye. Just as they prepared to take another look and memorize them in secret, he had already finished pouring the tea.

"Thank you."

Though the two thanked him, neither drank immediately. There was no need to think about it to understand what they were worried about.

They were simply afraid that the tea might be poisoned or something similar.

Seeing this, Zhongli said nothing and began savoring his own tea.

"Sect Master Ning Fengzhi, Grandpa Chen Xin, why aren't you drinking the tea?"

"The tea Zhongli brews isn't something just anyone gets to drink."

Paimon asked in confusion. Although she did not particularly like tea, Zhongli's tea had a unique flavor. Drinking it occasionally was still quite nice.

Hearing this, Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin felt somewhat awkward. Some matters were not good to point out directly to someone's face...

But Paimon, this Little Cutie, was simply impossible to hate.

Looking at her "wise" gaze and confused expression...

After thinking for a moment, Ning Fengzhi was the first to lift his teacup. Imitating Zhongli, he began to taste the tea.

He had his own method of tasting tea, but compared to Zhongli's, it truly seemed somewhat crude and simplistic.

"Hmm?"

After just one sip, Ning Fengzhi's eyes lit up. This tea...

This was merely ordinary tea, but after passing through Zhongli's skillful preparation, it became slightly less ordinary.

Of course, only the tea's natural fragrance had been enhanced.

"Your Excellency is not only immensely powerful, but your mastery of tea is nearly divine!"

Ning Fengzhi reluctantly set down his teacup and praised him from the bottom of his heart.

As the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's sect master, he naturally could not disgrace the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

No matter how much he liked it, when it was time to put it down, he had to put it down.