Zhongli Has Been Coughing Lately—He Must Be Sick

After a long while, Ning Fengzhi came back to his senses and hurriedly waved his hands. "Your Excellency Zhongli, you jest. Rong Rong is still just a child at heart."

"Your Excellency Zhongli has overlooked her past offense and refused to hold it against my daughter. Ning is immensely grateful!"

Ning Fengzhi rose to his feet and bowed to Zhongli.

Grateful as he was, gratitude was not the true reason he did this.

Such a display of humility and respect for talent would likely leave anyone else deeply moved.

Zhongli raised his teacup with his right hand, took a sip, then set it down.

With a casual lift of his right hand, he helped Ning Fengzhi back up from afar.

This move made Chen Xin's face turn pale.

Amateurs watched the spectacle; experts saw the technique.

Chen Xin could do the same, but the Soul Power fluctuations it produced could never be so faint!

And certainly not so effortlessly.

This Zhongli's Soul Power Level might be above his own!

As for whether he was level ninety-seven or ninety-eight, that was impossible to tell.

Wait!

As though he had suddenly thought of something, Chen Xin glanced at Paimon, then at Zhongli. His pupils contracted, and he froze on the spot.

He understood!

No wonder—no wonder Zhongli had not added any Soul Rings to his Second Martial Soul so far. His goal was not merely to become an invincible Titled Douluo!

Under normal circumstances, a Twin Martial Souls Soul Master would directly add Soul Rings to their Second Martial Soul after reaching level ninety.

Powerful Soul Rings could help a Soul Master break through rapidly and reach realms that many Titled Douluo could never attain.

Starting from level ninety-one, after absorbing nine Soul Rings over fifty thousand years old, one's Soul Power Level would surely break through level ninety-five.

They could reach level ninety-seven, perhaps even level ninety-eight.

Though no one had succeeded yet. (At least, he did not know of any.)

Still, this theory was feasible.

But Zhongli was different. His Soul Power Level was very likely around level ninety-seven!

With his Soul Power Level already so high, he had yet to attach any Soul Rings to his Second Martial Soul. What was he preparing to do?

Level ninety-nine?

No!

His goal was likely to break the curse that had kept anyone on the Douluo Continent from becoming a god for ten thousand years!

Once he cultivated to level ninety-nine and could no longer break through on his own, his Second Martial Soul would become his final hope!

If nine fifty-thousand-year Soul Rings were not enough, what about nine Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings?

Could he directly shatter the limit and break through from level ninety-nine to level one hundred?

At that thought, Chen Xin's pupils shrank, and his expression grew even graver.

A god—an actual god!

His goal was to become a god!

Ning Fengzhi had not reached Chen Xin's realm. Though he had experienced much, he did not understand matters of cultivation as thoroughly as Chen Xin did, so the thought had never crossed his mind.

"Sect Master Ning, calling me Your Excellency creates distance."

"Just call me Zhongli."

Zhongli said this without changing expression, his amber eyes flicking toward Chen Xin.

That single glance sent a chill down Chen Xin's back, cold sweat breaking out across his body.

It felt as though some terrifying existence had fixed its gaze upon him.

Zhongli had naturally sensed Chen Xin's scrutiny. That glance was a warning.

Since he had exposed his "Titled" cultivation, it was necessary to make reasonable use of that strength.

If he did not, others might think him weak and easy to bully. That would only invite trouble.

Giving Chen Xin a warning would save him plenty of trouble.

"Haha, Your Excellency... Mr. Zhongli is right. Please do not call me Sect Master Ning either."

"I do not know your age and would not dare presume. If Mr. Zhongli is willing, you may call me Younger Brother Ning or Fengzhi."

Building connections was Ning Fengzhi's specialty!

"Younger Brother?"

Before Zhongli could say anything, Paimon looked at Ning Fengzhi in astonishment, then glanced at Zhongli, that Old Man.

Zhongli was already over six thousand years old. He was older than the combined ages of eighteen generations of Ning Fengzhi's ancestors.

Fortunately, Ning Fengzhi had not acted too presumptuously and said something like, "If Zhongli is willing, he can call me Older Brother..."

He absolutely could not be called Older Brother!

Paimon's cry of surprise left Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin stunned. Was there something wrong with calling him Younger Brother?

As the Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, wherever Ning Fengzhi went, people called him Older Brother.

It was only to win Zhongli over that he had lowered his status and asked Zhongli to call him Younger Brother. What was so strange about that?

Ning Fengzhi was an exceptionally clever man. Paimon's hesitant expression made him suspicious.

Younger Brother?

Was that why Paimon had cried out? Did she think he was not worthy of being Zhongli's Younger Brother?

She had looked at Zhongli before saying it. Perhaps that really was what she meant.

Titled Douluo all possessed the ability to restore their youth.

Though Zhongli looked like a young man, he was likely far older than Ning Fengzhi. Calling himself Zhongli's Younger Brother was already presumptuous of Ning Fengzhi.

This ability to restore one's youth was generally used only by powerful women.

For the sake of beauty, to preserve their most beautiful years, it was necessary for them to use Soul Power to maintain their appearance.

Few powerful men used such an ability.

Why waste Soul Power for no reason?

"Um, Sect Master Ning, how old are you this year?"

"Fifty-five."

Ning Fengzhi answered without a second thought.

His age was no secret. If the little one wanted to know, he would tell her.

"Only in your fifties?"

Paimon said it instinctively, leaving Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin stunned once more.

Neither of them was foolish. They instantly understood what Paimon meant.

In Paimon's impression, the Traveler was at least five or six hundred years old!

She alone had been sealed away for five hundred years.

As for Zhongli, the longest-lived of Teyvat's Seven Gods, he was over six thousand years old.

He had founded Liyue over three thousand seven hundred years ago.

As for Paimon herself... right, how old was she again?

"Cough, cough cough..."

Zhongli's coughing drew Paimon's attention. Her train of thought was interrupted, and she instantly forgot what she had been thinking about.

"Zhongli, are you all right!?"

"Sect Master Ning, do you know where there's a doctor in Heaven Dou City?"

"Zhongli has been coughing a lot lately. He must be sick. He needs a doctor to examine him."

Ning Fengzhi and Chen Xin fell silent.

Why Zhongli was coughing—perhaps only this little one present did not know the reason.

He had been coughing often?

It seemed this little one often said the wrong things!

"There are doctors. I can even invite an Imperial Physician from the palace for Mr. Zhongli..."

"There is no need. With my constitution, I will recover in a couple of days."

"Thank you for your kindness, Younger Brother Ning."

The few of them exchanged glances and nodded.

"What are you communicating with your eyes?"

"Nothing. We were merely remembering our guest who had come from afar."

"Far?"