Could this be a "Hongmen Banquet"?

Heaven rewards the diligent. After going through life-and-death trials, Gui Mei finally completed his second martial soul awakening.

Gui Mei's martial soul, upon its second awakening, only reached the Silver level; it did not reach the Gold level.

The main reason was due to his potential and the energy he absorbed.

For those below the rank of Title Douluo, the highest level achievable through martial soul awakening is the Silver level.

Only after reaching the rank of Title Douluo, and having a spirit power level of 95 or above, can one have a chance to achieve a Gold-level second awakening.

Of course, those with extraordinary talent might complete a Gold-level martial soul awakening upon breaking through to Title Douluo.

After successfully completing his second awakening, Gui Mei was deeply grateful to Zhongli, but he didn't know how to repay such kindness.

Spirit bones?

He only had one, and even if he were willing to give it, Zhongli might not even value it.

Rare treasures?

These things were far from enough to repay such a favor. This was a debt of guidance and teaching!

Helpless, he could only turn to Ju Douluo, Yue Guan, for advice.

If Zhongli ever needed help, the two of them would be obliged to assist him, even if it meant going against the Spirit Hall... Ahem, at most, it would just be a temporary mistake.

They had investigated what Zhongli liked. Yue Guan's purpose this time was to bring him something he might like.

Of course, he hadn't forgotten about little Paimon.

His main purpose was still to check on Paimon.

After all, Paimon was his confidant.

From his storage soul guide, he took out a large pile of exquisitely crafted food boxes and placed them on the table.

These boxes were all made by Yue Guan himself when he had nothing to do.

They were engraved with various flowers, emitting a floral fragrance, and were quite valuable.

Since they were food boxes, naturally, they contained food.

Under Paimon's expectant gaze, Yue Guan leisurely opened the boxes...

"Wow!"

Paimon's eyes immediately turned into starry eyes, and drool uncontrollably flowed from her mouth.

Zhongli: "..."

Alright, alright, you all know Paimon's weakness, don't you?

The previous one was just verbal promises without delivery.

But this time, it was directly delivered, with no deception involved.

From the food boxes to the exquisite food inside, it was clear how much Yue Guan valued his agreement with Paimon.

Truly, a warrior dies for his confidant!

Paimon had sincerely praised Yue Guan once, and since then, Yue Guan felt like the entire world had changed, becoming colorful.

Even Gui Mei couldn't understand this.

"Martial God…"

Halfway through his words, Yue Guan seemed to have remembered something and quickly corrected himself, "Zhongli... esteemed guest, I came in a rush, and I present these humble gifts; please accept them."

As soon as he finished speaking, Yue Guan took out a few more things from his storage soul guide.

They were mainly tea leaves, accompanied by exquisite tea sets.

It's better to cater to someone's preferences than to give random gifts.

A strong individual like Zhongli would lack for nothing, so it was necessary to cater to his interests.

The so-called beauty trap isn't about finding a beauty to tempt the other party.

Instead, it's about finding a woman similar to the person's "white moonlight" to recreate a "classic" moment.

They didn't know who Zhongli's white moonlight was, but they could cater to his preferences.

If he likes tea, then give him tea and tea sets.

Give the best tea, and the finest tea sets.

Zhongli paused for a moment, somewhat surprised, and glanced at Yue Guan.

After a moment, Zhongli accepted the gifts without revealing much expression. It was rare to see that Yue Guan had mastered the essence of gift-giving.

Giving Paimon food was understandable, as it suited her preferences.

What Yue Guan gave him was tea, and just by looking at its color, Zhongli could tell it was high-quality.

Yue Guan had always liked flowers and plants, so he was naturally knowledgeable about tea. The tea he presented was no ordinary variety.

However, to Zhongli, who had some understanding of tea ceremonies, this was merely high-quality tea.

"Elder Yue Guan, you're too kind. Please, take a seat."

Taking five grams of the tea leaves Yue Guan had given him, Zhongli added hot water and began a series of brewing steps before addressing Yue Guan.

This technique left Yue Guan wide-eyed in surprise.

Tea could be prepared this way?

"Thank you, Esteemed Guest Zhongli."

Yue Guan cupped his hands and expressed his gratitude.

There had been rumors before that Zhongli was someone who valued etiquette greatly, so much so that there was a saying: "Without learning etiquette, one cannot stand."

From the beginning of his interactions with Zhongli, Yue Guan had treated him with courtesy, even when challenging him.

Perhaps this was why he could retreat unscathed after his defeat.

Zhongli said nothing, only feeling slightly resigned.

Yue Guan took a sip of tea, imitating Zhongli's manner, and his eyes lit up as he was caught in a whirlwind of thoughts.

Of course, he had tasted the tea he had prepared himself before.

However, the flavor he had extracted compared to Zhongli's was vastly different.

His own brewing seemed to insult the tea…

This left Yue Guan feeling somewhat uncomfortable.

Zhongli and Yue Guan exchanged a few words, while Paimon was busy indulging in her feast, feeling like happiness had come too suddenly for her to notice their conversation.

"Esteemed Guest Zhongli, my main purpose for coming here was to extend an invitation from the Grand Worshipper to visit Spirit City. The Grand Worshipper wishes to meet you."

After finishing half a pot of tea, Yue Guan finally spoke.

When "Xue Qinghe" came before, she hadn't mentioned this, instead inviting Zhongli to serve as a judge.

The information she received was from Yue Guan, so she naturally wouldn't compete with him for this "task."

Since Yue Guan was already heading to Heaven Dou City, Qian Daoliu decided to have Yue Guan deliver the message.

Upon hearing this, Zhongli paused, his brows furrowed as he fell into deep thought.

Qian Daoliu wanted to see him?

Could this be a "Hongmen Banquet"? (TL: an ancient term referring to a trap or ambush)

By rational standards, Qian Daoliu had no reason or motivation to set up a trap for him.

Moreover, Qian Daoliu's character wouldn't lead him to do such a thing.

Throughout his life, he had acted honorably and kept his promises. Apart from indulging Qian Xunji once, Qian Daoliu had no blemishes on his record.

So what was his purpose in doing this?

Seeing Zhongli's frown, Yue Guan's face changed instantly, and he quickly said, "Lord Martial God, the Grand Worshipper has no other intentions. He simply wants to meet you. After all, there are very few people on the entire Douluo Continent who have reached your level."

If Spirit Hall intended to make a move against Zhongli, they would have done so long ago; there was no way they'd wait until now.

Luring Zhongli to Spirit City?

With a powerhouse like Zhongli, even if everyone in Spirit Hall attacked, they might not be able to hold him back. If Zhongli escaped, the consequences would be unimaginable!

Even if they were foolish, they wouldn't dare make a move against Zhongli in Spirit City!

"Hmm."

Zhongli nodded, seeming to believe Yue Guan.

"And when is this meeting?"

"As for the time, you should be going to Spirit City to watch the finals, right…?"