Hua Yan's cocky behavior really strung a cord within all the thugs that were watching.
By this point, all of them had stopped what they were doing and started staring at Hua Yan with deep hostility.
Though they were hostile, they only wanted to compete. They just wanted to prove that they were stronger, so they didn't have any real enmity with Hua Yan.
This was how Hua Pan's men were. They were animals that strictly followed the survival of the fittest laws. They bonded through fighting. This was always the way they initiated new members.
Hua Pan, intending to test Hua Yan some more, gestured over to another one of his men to step up for a fight.
This man, Hua Kin, was much stronger than Hua Lei. He was a 5th Level Continuous Ballooning Stage expert. He also served under Hua Pan for a longer time, so he had his own share of tricks that a thug like Hua Lei wouldn't have.
Hua Kin moved his large body over towards Hua Yan. The rest of the goons had already formed a circle between the two fighters, entrapping them within. They also wanted to watch a good fight.
Hua Pan was observing from his chair and Hua La was nervously shaking beside him.
As for Hua Yan, he was standing still, completely indifferent to what was happening. He was confident that he would not lose.
Seeing Hua Yan's demeanour, Hua Kin felt a little offended. It looked as though Hua Yan, who had no cultivation, was looking down on him! He really wanted to put this kid in his place.
As Hua Kin began his attack, he didn't berserkly blitz forward. He took his time to approach Hua Yan and placed great importance on his footwork. His steps were powerful and his swings were all on-point.
But Hua Yan was still very slippery. He managed to avoid most of the attacks just before they reached him by twisting or turning.
As for the attacks that did hit him, they had a shocking power behind them. They managed to slow him down. So, as the fight progressed, Hua Yan was forced into a losing position.
Without a weapon, he couldn't afford to tank it out against someone as cautious and skilled as Hua Kin.
Hua Pan, who was watching from the side, looked over to Hua La.
"So, this boy knows how to fight, but I guess this is his level, huh. Not bad for his age!"
Hua La awkwardly chuckled in response.
What not bad! Hua La knew that Hua Yan was not even showing his true power yet. The level of fear that Hua La felt when Hua Yan was holding that piece of glass against his belly could not be measured or described with words alone.
Hua La was someone that, while weak, had his means of resisting against stronger foes. But, in Hua Yan's case, he was unable to do anything in response. His instincts told him that each and every attack that he could attempt to make against Hua Yan would end in brutal failure.
This was why Hua La knew that Hua Yan wasn't showing his full power right now. Though it looked like Hua Yan was being beaten around, the truth would only reveal itself after Hua Yan had enough with this little show he was putting up.
Hua Yan did not want to show all his cards to these thugs.
He definitely did not want to show them his skill with a blade. This was why he was taking all these beatings. He was waiting for the opponent to grow lax. When that happened, he would make his move.
Hua Kin was startled to find that Hua Yan wasn't really anything more than a mortal with better than average combat skills. That was the only thing that was special about him. He could not imagine how such a person had beaten Hua Lei.
Regardless, Hua Kin was now certain that Hua Yan didn't stand a chance against him. He continued to plough Hua Yan into the ground.
It was at this moment that Hua Yan issued a feint, giving Hua Kin the impression that he was trying to flee. Just as Hua Kin was about to grab Hua Yan, a foot rammed right into his face.
The amount of force in the blow wasn't enough to knock Hua Kin back, since Hua Kin was much heavier than Hua Yan, but it was enough to break Hua Kin's nose. After all, it wasn't like the bones of the Continuous Ballooning Stage experts were any thicker than normal people's bones.
The only difference between a normal person and a cultivator at the Ballooning Stage was that the cultivators were stronger and had thicker skin. Hits in weak spots would still do damage and cause great pain.
After bashing Hua Kin in the nose, Hua Yan had successfully immobilized him for a bit. As Hua Kin was recoiling in pain, momentarily blinded, Hua Yan aimed a knee in a spot that no man should ever be hit in.
What did one have to do to fight dirty? Exactly what Hua Yan was doing!
Hua Kin's painful cries of agony filled the pavilion. Even some of the experts that were stronger than Hua Kin backed away in fright. Some of the people with lesser willpower even collapsed onto the floor.
Hua Kin just looked so miserable!
Hua Pan had a weird expression on his face as he watched a Continuous Balloon Stage expert roll around crying while clutching his important bits. This was someone that was supposed to be strong enough to incite fear into others just by existing.
Yet, now he was just howling in pain without any concern for his image!
Hua La's face was ghastly. He thought he was going to be killed today! How could Hua Yan have such guts! To even poke the hornet's nest in such a bold fashion!
Hua La didn't care if Hua Yan died, but he could only shed crocodile tears at the thought of being dragged down with him.
Hua Pan looked over to Hua La and asked a question in a somewhat loud voice, attracting everyone's attention.
"Who is the lad?"
Hua La, not knowing what to say, looked around for a second, finally letting his eyes rest on Hua Yan. Since Hua Pan had asked him a question, all the thugs were focused on him, completely oblivious to the fact that Hua Yan was mouthing something to Hua La.
Sweating buckets, Hua La answered Hua Pan's question with the most even tone he could muster.
"H-He'sā¦ my son."