Qingxu guessed correctly—Vorthis' gift for Qingxu was indeed alcohol.
However, it wasn't just a bottle or two.
Such a small amount of alcohol wouldn't qualify as a surprise in Vorthis' eyes.
So, Vorthis planned to construct an entire wine pool for Qingxu.
This pool would be filled with enough wine to last Qingxu a very, very long time.
"Hehe, here we are, Qingxu," Vorthis said with a smile.
Qingxu showed a puzzled expression.
Before them was a barren landscape, devoid of anything remarkable. How could there be a surprise here?
He didn't fully understand Vorthis' intentions just yet.
Nevertheless, he didn't ask much, choosing instead to stand quietly beside Vorthis and wait for the surprise to reveal itself.
In his mind, Vorthis had already envisioned the structure of the wine pool.
The design wasn't as simple as digging a pit and pouring wine into it.
If it were done so crudely, the wine might be fine in the short term, but over time, it would inevitably spoil.
Of course, as a God with a powerful physique, Vorthis could theoretically drink spoiled wine without issue...
But the taste would certainly become peculiar.
How could he serve spoiled wine to Qingxu? That would be far too disrespectful!
What kind of friend would do such a thing?
Spoiled wine should be reserved for Barbatos, that notorious drunkard, if Vorthis ever encountered him. Hopefully, Barbatos would enjoy it...
Speaking of Barbatos, Vorthis wondered whether he had been born yet. He wasn't certain about Barbatos' exact birth date, but based on his calculations, even if he existed now, he would only be in the form of a wind spirit.
Sigh, what luck Barbatos had, being able to pick up a divine seat without effort.
Look at Liyue—home to so many powerful Gods. When the Archon War begins, it's unimaginable how this land will transform into a battlefield.
Manifest!
Under the power of Vorthis' Authority of Manifestation, a white light flashed before them. On a mountaintop not far from Qingxu Pool, a traditional Eastern-style pavilion appeared.
Vorthis named the pavilion Qingyu Pavilion.
He took one character each from his and Qingxu's names, symbolizing their deep friendship.
This pavilion would stand forever in the world, a testament to their bond.
Qingxu, watching Vorthis' actions, remained confused.
So, Vorthis' gift was this pavilion?
"This pavilion is named Qingyu Pavilion, a symbol of our friendship. What do you think? Not bad, right?" Vorthis said cheerfully.
"But I know what you're thinking. I wouldn't just give you a pavilion as a gift—it wouldn't be fun enough."
"There's more to this pavilion than meets the eye!"
"See the teaware on the table inside? There are seven cups marked 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, and 1. Rotate the cups according to their numbers from left to right, and you'll discover the secret within!"
"Try it out, Qingxu," Vorthis said with a grin, introducing his creation.
At first glance, the pavilion seemed ordinary, but it concealed a hidden mechanism.
It was actually an entrance to a secret realm disguised as a pavilion!
To prevent just anyone from entering Qingyu Pavilion and ruining the surprise he'd carefully prepared, Vorthis designed a simple mechanism—a password.
Though the password seemed straightforward, it was seven digits long. Any mistake would lock the mechanism, and three failed attempts would trigger a lightning strike strong enough to kill an Earth Dragon!
Anyone attempting to brute-force the password would face an extremely high cost.
Hearing Vorthis' explanation, Qingxu nodded slightly.
This surprise had a certain ceremonial flair to it. But what exactly lay within the secret realm?
Under Vorthis' expectant gaze, Qingxu rotated the cups in the specified order. With the password successfully entered, a white light flashed. Qingxu, without resistance, was transported into the secret realm hidden within the pavilion.
Vorthis followed shortly after.
The interior of the secret realm was shrouded in ethereal mist, a scene fit for immortals.
They found themselves on a floating island of considerable size, 70% of which was occupied by an expansive wine pool filled with seemingly bottomless wine.
Beside the pool stood another pavilion, equipped with exquisite drinking vessels.
To complete the scene, a massive peach blossom tree grew near the pool. Its elegantly shaped branches stretched over the wine pool, occasionally shedding petals that floated into the wine, adding a subtle floral fragrance.
The peach blossom tree was the crowning touch.
The moment Qingxu entered, he was captivated by the breathtaking sight.
Beautiful, so beautiful!
This gift from Zennos... he truly loved it!
Qingxu approached the pool, eager to taste the wine and discover the flavor of this divine brew.
This time, the wine wasn't the Arak Vorthis had previously brought Qingxu.
To Vorthis, Arak was nothing compared to the peach blossom wine he had carefully crafted and manifested.
Indeed, the entire pool was filled with Vorthis' specially prepared peach blossom wine.
"Well, Qingxu, do you like the gift I've prepared for you?"
"If this peach blossom wine doesn't suit your taste, I can change it to another flavor," Vorthis said, standing beside Qingxu.
Qingxu scooped up a handful of wine with his hands.
The moment the wine touched his lips, he froze.
If he had to categorize all the wines he'd ever tasted, this peach blossom wine would stand in a class of its own.
He had never drunk such an ethereal brew!
As the wine flowed down his throat, he envisioned a scene of countless peach blossoms swirling in the air, with a sharp energy hidden within, as if someone were dancing with a sword beneath the blossoms.
Qingxu became utterly immersed in the experience.
Seeing Qingxu in a trance, Vorthis was momentarily taken aback.
"What's going on? Did he get drunk? No, that's unlikely, right?"
After a while, Qingxu opened his eyes, apologetically looking at Vorthis.
"Apologies. Just now, I grasped a strand of sword intent from this wine and became lost in thought."
"I forgot that Zennos was waiting for my response."
"This wine... I am more than satisfied. And this gift—I'm even more grateful!"
"Thank you for this great gift, Zennos!"
Qingxu clasped his hands together in a respectful gesture.
Vorthis had been confident that his gift would please Qingxu. Now that he had received Qingxu's gratitude, he was satisfied.
"Hahaha, so that's what happened. Well, I won't disturb you as you continue your enlightenment."
With that, Vorthis left the secret realm hidden within the pavilion.
Watching Vorthis leave, Qingxu picked up a cup from the pavilion and poured himself some peach blossom wine. He began savoring the wine's taste and the sword intent it carried.