Mr. Pantalone has no crazy plans today.

"Indeed, it's not impossible that Lord Yan could incarnate in countless forms."

Just as this atmosphere was permeating everything around them, at this moment, in a corner of the teahouse...

Unbeknownst to them, in a corner of the teahouse, a refined young man dressed in traditional Liyue clothing and wearing glasses was quietly blowing on the hot tea in his hands.

No one knew that the figure sitting in the corner was the very mysterious gentleman they were talking about, the one mentioned in the rumors of Liyue.

He acted as if everything outside of the world was irrelevant to him in the face of these discussions.

He simply dismissed these external comments as mere jokes, without taking them too seriously.

Because compared to these things, he had a guest who was more worthy of his attention at the moment, and who deserved his greater focus.

He turned his gaze to the other person in front of him, and saw that the person was a handsome young man with elegant manners, wearing a solemn long robe as dark as a mountain rock, with red eyeshadow and golden eyes.

His youthful appearance combined with the air of an older person seemed rather contradictory.

But when applied to this young man, it suddenly seems perfectly reasonable.

Because Pantalone knew perfectly well that the seemingly ordinary young man before him was actually the god worshipped by this kingdom of contracts and wealth, the Rock God, the oldest of the seven gods.

Taking advantage of the rumors circulating outside, Pantalone posed a question to the young man before him.

"I have heard that Mr. Zhongli is knowledgeable in astronomy and geography, and has extensive knowledge of both ancient and modern times. He has insightful views on commerce, trade, politics, history, and even mythology."

"I wonder what Mr. Zhongli's opinion is on the matter of whether that mysterious gentleman, who is so mysterious and talked about in the rumors, is actually the incarnation of the Rock King Emperor who wanders in the mortal world?"

As the man known as Zhongli sipped the hot tea in his hand, he slightly opened his striking, gilded eyes.

Looking at the refined young man with glasses in front of him, he pondered for a moment before slowly answering.

"To be honest, I don't really agree with this kind of thing."

"Indeed, the Rock King Emperor has profound and extensive knowledge, but to attribute everything to him is nothing more than blind worship of the Rock King Emperor."

"If the Rock King Emperor knew about this, this view of blaming everything on the Rock King Emperor would probably only disappoint him."

No wonder he's Liyue's biggest hater of the Emperor?

Only Morax, as the Rock King himself, could say such a thing.

If it were anyone else who heard his words, they would definitely think that he was slandering the Rock King Emperor and disrespecting him.

After thinking about this, Pantalone revealed an expression that seemed quite interested. He pretended to be quite surprised and smiled softly after looking at the answer from the man named Zhongli in front of him.

"Mr. Zhongli's views are indeed somewhat different from those of ordinary people. I thought Mr. Zhongli would agree with others and attribute all of this to the actions of Emperor Yan Wang."

"If others were to hear Mr. Zhongli's words, they would surely consider them disrespectful to Emperor Yan, wouldn't they?"

Upon hearing everything Pantalone had said, the young man with amber eyes put down his teacup, took a deep breath, and spoke calmly.

"I'm just telling the truth. It's just that sometimes the people of Liyue over-deify the Geo Archon and ignore the many other people with abilities, attributing everything to the guidance and blessings of the gods."

"Liyue's prosperity today is not solely due to the divine pronouncements of the Geo Archon, but more importantly, to the countless Geo citizens who responded to the 'Contract.' This is the most crucial factor."

"Ultimately, the duty of the gods is to guide humanity. If we focus too much on the gods themselves and neglect everything about humanity, we are putting the cart before the horse."

After saying all this, Zhongli gently shook his head, then looked at Pantalone.

"Compared to the jokes and rumors from the outside world, isn't the gentleman actually the mysterious man in the rumors, the one with extraordinary knowledge and insight beyond the ordinary?"

"I have heard that the gentleman would gladly resolve the doubts in the hearts of every guest he met by chance, not only pointing them out of their confusion but also showing them the way."

"Countless people have sought to meet you, but none have been able to. It is my good fortune to have met you."

Faced with Zhongli's flattery, Pantalone simply clasped her hands together on the tea table and smiled gently.

"It's just an empty title. Rather than saying that it was Mr. Zhongli's luck to meet me, it would be more accurate to say that it was my luck to meet Mr. Zhongli."

"No need to belittle me, I'm just stating the facts."

After hearing Pantalone's modest remarks, Zhongli gently shook his head.

After a pause, he then posed another question to Pantalone.

"Putting everything else aside, from a guest's perspective, I am no different from anyone else. In the end, I am more curious about the opinions you have put forward. If you don't mind, why don't you enlighten me?"

Chapter 122 I offer my life as a petition, and I beg the Emperor to join the game (4k)

After hearing what Zhongli said, Pantalone smiled, feigning surprise.

"Oh? It seems that someone as learned as Mr. Zhongli would ask for guidance from someone like me, a common person. I am truly honored."

"I dare not accept such praise. Compared to those who truly possess real talent and learning, I am merely slightly better at remembering than others. Even I would not dare to claim that I know everything."

After being flattered like that by Pantalone, Zhongli gently shook his head and said.

Those amber-like eyes fell upon him, meeting Pantalone's gaze intently, and he spoke softly.

"There are always many people in this world whom I can learn from, even myself. Those who cannot let go of their prejudices and arrogance are ultimately just stubborn and inflexible fools."

"Hehe, Mr. Zhongli is quite a remarkable person."

Pantalone chuckled and refilled Zhongli's already empty cup with hot tea, then pushed the cup towards Zhongli.

"So, what exactly does Mr. Zhongli want to know from me?"