Chapter 164 - 158: Farewell, Sorry for the Intrusion

Chapter 164: Chapter 158: Farewell, Sorry for the Intrusion

The moment Li Heng finished speaking, the middle-aged man paused. His expression was full of doubt as he asked, bewildered, "Esteemed guest... what you mean is..."

Li Heng merely smiled in response. In contrast, Han Mu’Er, who had been holding the Lifebound Longsword in a reverse grip, suddenly began to tremble—and she was trembling violently.

Hua Lingyan said nothing. Like Li Heng, she simply wore a smile, watching him with great interest.

"I’ve made myself perfectly clear, and I’ve given Snow Feather Tower plenty of face. If you still don’t understand, you can ask Miss Mu’Er here."

Li Heng paused. Seeing that the nameplates of everyone in the room were yellow, he wasn’t in any hurry.

Hearing Li Heng speak, the middle-aged man’s expression changed again. He turned to question Han Mu’Er.

But Han Mu’Er remained in a half-crouch, her body shaking violently. She kept her head down and did not say a single word.

Seeing Han Mu’Er’s state, the middle-aged man knew something was wrong—and it seemed serious. He fell silent for a moment, then glanced back at the perfectly calm and unbothered Li Heng.

After a moment of contemplation, the middle-aged man bowed respectfully to Li Heng, his tone extremely humble. "I am slow-witted. I beg you to enlighten me, esteemed guest! Snow Feather Tower would be endlessly grateful!"

"I recognize Lv Si Han’s sword, but... it’s not this one!" Li Heng waved his hand dismissively, still looking completely nonchalant.

"Lv Si Han’s sword... Lv Si Han is... Wait! Esteemed guest, are you talking about the Young Palace Master of Cold Mountain Palace?!"

The middle-aged man muttered Li Heng’s words to himself, his voice trailing off as he suddenly froze on the spot. He was dumbfounded.

In his mind, the Palace Master of Cold Mountain Palace had the surname Mu, so the Young Palace Master should naturally be named Mu as well. But this Lv Si Han...

"Esteemed guest! You..."

"The sinner, Han Mu’Er! I beg you to take me in, My Lord! I am willing to be your servant and slave, to work myself to the bone. Han Mu’Er will do so gladly. I only wish for you to take me in!"

[Ding! Would you like to accept NPC Han Mu’Er as your follower?]

’What... is all of this?!’

Li Heng had originally just wanted to show off a bit and see if he could squeeze something more out of Snow Feather Tower. After all, in a way, they were selling counterfeit goods!

The Courtesan was a fake.

The treasure was also a fake.

Although Li Heng was very satisfied with both the Courtesan and the treasure, satisfaction was one thing, and a fake was a fake. Li Heng wanted to try "asserting his rights."

But asserting his rights was one thing. Han Mu’Er had suddenly changed how she addressed him, switching from "esteemed guest" to "My Lord," and knelt directly before Li Heng. She had instantly placed her Lifebound Sword on the ground and was now pleading mournfully.

To be honest, this move from Han Mu’Er had left Li Heng a bit stunned. And just as he was processing his confusion, the system decided to chime in and "cause trouble."

An NPC proactively requesting to become a follower...

"Esteemed guest! Please wait a moment. This matter is beyond my authority, and I cannot bear the responsibility alone. I hope you can give me some time! I am not of a station to handle this with someone of your status."

While Li Heng was contemplating the connection between Han Mu’Er and the Maid, the middle-aged man clasped his fists, gave Li Heng a deep ninety-degree bow, and spoke with utmost sincerity.

Seeing Li Heng’s nonchalant expression and glancing at Han Mu’Er, who was still kneeling on the floor, a terrifying thought suddenly flashed through the middle-aged man’s mind.

The more he thought about it, the more plausible it seemed. If his suspicions were true, then this matter was far beyond his expectations. He could not afford to bear any of the consequences.

"I hope that this time, I’ll be able to see... your establishment’s sincerity! After all, with everything from the Courtesan to the treasure being fake, Snow Feather Tower’s Hundred Flowers Assembly this year is certainly proving to be interesting," Li Heng said with a timely smile.

Hearing this, the middle-aged man was instantly reminded of his absolute certainty when Li Heng had first asked, declaring that the Yun Han was the personal sword of the Cold Mountain Palace’s Young Palace Master. He felt deeply ashamed, his face burning hot.

"Of course, of course. But my status is insufficient to negotiate with you, esteemed guest. I beg your forgiveness!"

The middle-aged man bowed repeatedly as he backed away, quickly leaving Li Heng’s room.

Just as the middle-aged man left, Hua Lingyan suddenly burst out laughing. She then proceeded to unseal one of the three jars of century-old fine wine, pulled a Jade Porcelain Bowl out of thin air, and drank a bowlful.

"Interesting! Truly interesting! To think the Young Palace Master of Cold Mountain Palace doesn’t have the surname Mu! This calls for another bowl!"

Hua Lingyan’s tone and actions were suddenly filled with a bold, heroic air. She even brazenly propped one leg directly onto the wooden bed.

Li Heng watched Hua Lingyan’s bold actions, not with annoyance, but with the feeling that this was her true, uninhibited self. And there was something attractive about her eyes, too. The sound of her voice just now had also been very pleasant.

’But her looks and voice are one thing. The wine Hua Lingyan is drinking... seems to be mine...’

Originally, Li Heng had only wanted a single flask of Snowflake Brew. But now that the middle-aged man was gone, he thought for a moment. Acting on the principle of not letting things go to waste, he discreetly stored away the other two jars. Then, he began to wonder just how sincere Snow Feather Tower’s apology gift would be.

"My Lord! The sinner Han Mu’Er is willing to make a death oath! To follow you for all eternity!"

Hearing the words "death oath," Hua Lingyan paused, the Jade Porcelain Bowl in her hand halting mid-air. She then spoke: "A handmaiden from the Celestial Palace, willing to swear an oath to an outsider? The things I’ve learned today are more than what I’ve learned all year!"