Yue Fanling watched the scene unfold, showing no intent to interfere. In her eyes, Ice Heart Grass was bound to lose anyway. It could simply be considered a small sacrifice to persuade Han Yan to select a new personal guard.
From a distance, Mu Hanfeng stood quietly with his hands clasped, standing under the corridor, indifferently watching the scene.
"Huayue, you go," Mu Hanyan turned her head and calmly said to Huayue, "You will win." Her tone was light, but it conveyed an immense trust in Huayue. Discover more novels at n͟o͟v͟e͟l͟f͟i͟r͟e͟.net
Huayue was taken aback, not understanding why Mu Hanyan had such faith in him. However, he never shrank back, no matter what he was facing! Even if the opponent was clearly stronger than him!
Mu Cheng sneered contemptuously and turned to his guard. "Hong Shanba, show some mercy. Don't cripple him. After all, he's a guard personally selected by our Young Master of the City Lord's Mansion."
"Yes!" Hong Shanba replied loudly, then smirked derisively at Huayue.
The crowd around them dispersed, leaving an open space in the middle.
Huayue stepped forward a few paces, arriving at the center of the clearing. Across from him, Hong Shanba also strode forward to meet him. His name was as domineering as his stature; standing over eight feet tall, he towered a full head above Huayue, his figure as imposing as a mountain. With each movement of his arms and legs, the earth seemed to shudder slightly.
Next to him, Huayue's figure might not have seemed particularly strong, but neither was it frail. Yet standing before Hong Shanba, he looked like a small vegetable in comparison.
"Kid, kneel and concede early, and Mr. Hong will let you off easy, saving you some pain. Otherwise, in the heat of the fight, be careful I beat you to the point your own mother won't recognize you," Hong Shanba boasted without any respect for the 'small veggie' before him, grinning wildly.
"If you want to fight, fight; if not, get lost!" Huayue said impatiently, his head slightly raised.
It was disdain, extreme disdain, his expression and gaze like one would spare for a wild dog that only barks noisily.
The onlookers around them were slightly shocked, not expecting Huayue to show such calm and arrogance in front of Hong Shanba. Anyone could see they weren't on the same level.
Could it be that this guy really had something extraordinary about him? The crowd looked at the calm Huayue, then at the equally undisturbed Mu Hanyan, but couldn't figure out the answer.
"Damn it!" Hong Shanba was enraged. He might just be a guard, a Second-order Swordsman, but he was tall and well-built, possessing Innate Divine Strength that most couldn't boast in his presence.
It had been years since anyone dared to look at him with such contempt, reserved for wild dogs. What was even more infuriating was that it came from such a weakling, a First-level Swordsman who seemed as feeble as a sprout.
Hong Shanba clenched his fists, which resembled sledgehammers, and surreptitiously glanced at Mu Cheng. Despite his rough appearance, Hong Shanba was not as straightforward as he seemed, understanding the saying, "When beating the dog, watch the owner." After all, Huayue was a guard chosen by the Young Master of the City Lord's family, and going too hard could lead to major trouble.
Upon receiving Hong Shanba's questioning gaze, Mu nodded slightly, a cruel smile appearing on the corner of his mouth. He thought to himself: Since the contest was proposed by Mu Han himself, even if Huayue were crippled, there would be nothing to say. It's just a matter of losing face, and this bungling Young Master has lost face before. What difference would one more time make? Plus, it's not an attack on Mu Han himself, but rather his newly chosen guard. There's no pressure at all.