A deathly silence hung over the courtyard.
Dalzollene stood rooted to the spot, gasping for breath. Cold sweat had soaked through the back of his clothes, leaving them plastered against his skin, chilling him to the bone.
He had truly thought he was about to die.
The sensation of an invisible sword pressed against his throat had been far too real, far too terrifying.
Now, he did not even dare raise his head to meet Lin Yan's eyes. He could only keep his head lowered and speak in an almost pleading tone:
"Sir... just now... I failed to recognize who I was dealing with. Please... please don't hold it against me."
Even his voice was trembling.
The applicants around him did not dare breathe too loudly either.
They now looked at Lin Yan as though he were a prehistoric beast wearing human skin.
That razor-sharp aura had made every one of them feel as though their Nen Abilities were made of paper, ready to tear at the slightest touch.
What kind of monster was he?
Kurapika stood behind Lin Yan, watching the scene with turmoil in his heart.
He had known Lin Yan was strong, but he had never imagined he was this strong. Just one step forward and the release of a trace of his aura had reduced a veteran Nen user, the captain of the Nostrade family's bodyguards, to this terrified state.
This was no longer simply a question of how much aura he possessed. It was a difference in quality.
Lin Yan ignored Dalzollene's apology. He merely looked at him calmly and asked, "Now, am I qualified to stand here?"
"Yes! Yes! Of course!"
Dalzollene nodded repeatedly, bowing even lower. "Sir, your presence is an honor for the Nostrade family!"
*Who was he kidding? A powerhouse of