C14 They Have a Good Reputation

Cheng Li Hao's pupils contracted sharply, realizing he had no chance to dodge. He braced himself for the inevitable impact!

With a resounding crash, Cheng Li Hao's massive frame was hurled backward, crashing through tables and chairs in his path!

He coughed up blood, clutching his chest as he wailed in pain.

Though Xiao Xiaofan hadn't unleashed his full power, the strike was formidable, particularly since the metal element overpowered the earth element!

Onlookers regarded Xiao Xiaofan with newfound trepidation. They hadn't anticipated such ruthlessness from his otherwise benign appearance.

The crowd watched in silent anticipation, hearts pounding in their chests.

The stronger individuals among them regarded him with a wary respect. Despite Xiao Xiaofan's Battle Aura indicating he was a mere Three-star Warmaster, his ability to send a Five-star Warmaster like Cheng Li Hao flying with a single punch suggested a combat prowess of at least a Six-star Warmaster.

Considering that most of the present warriors hovered around this level, it was an impressive feat.

Xiao Xiaofan, as if he had merely swatted a fly, withdrew his hand and spoke with a chilling calm, "Enough with the act! Consider this a warning. Cross me again, and I won't hesitate to cripple you."

Cheng Li Hao immediately ceased his wailing, fighting through the agony as he knelt, face ashen, begging, "I won't dare, I promise! Thank you for your mercy, noble sir! Thank you!"

His groveling drew scorn from the crowd; he was a tiger to the weak but a cringing cur before the strong.

Xiao Xiaofan frowned, his displeasure evident. "Get out of my sight, and don't pollute it further!"

Cheng Li Hao needed no further prompting. Wincing with pain, he scrambled away as fast as he could.

He suspected several ribs were broken, and though Xiao Xiaofan hadn't ordered him to leave, seeking medical attention was his only thought.

Thoughts of revenge? They never crossed his mind. To be bested by a Three-star Warmaster when he himself was a Five-star—it was a testament to a terrifying talent.

It's difficult to predict what kind of powerful background a genius might have. And since he had always been a loner, there was no one to turn to for help in seeking revenge.

Yet, these geniuses were truly detestable, each one seemingly delighting in the deceptive game of playing weak. Why dress in rags when you could present yourself normally?

Witnessing Xiao Xiaofan's recent display of power, the mercenaries quickly tagged him with descriptors like mysterious, powerful, brutal, and cold-hearted.

Xiao Xiaofan could only shake his head in silence. He had hoped to maintain a low profile as a handsome, unassuming man, but his formidable abilities wouldn't allow it.

Finally, it was Xiao Xiaofan's turn in line. A lovely young woman behind the counter asked with evident tension, "How many Monster Cores would you like to exchange?"

Xiao Xiaofan's mouth twitched slightly. He had merely put someone in their place; was there really a need for such formality?

Unbeknownst to some, the Mercenary Guild was a place where might made right. Despite its strength, the Guild steered clear of petty squabbles.

As long as the Guild itself wasn't the target, anything went. Otherwise, the burly mercenaries would be run ragged trying to mediate every minor dispute.

Xiao Xiaofan then emptied a bag of demon cores onto the counter and said with a hint of resignation, "I'll exchange these. And please, relax. I'm actually quite amiable."

Those nearby shivered at his words. Amiable? His version of amiable had left Chong Lihao severely injured. If that was his idea of gentle, what did it take to be considered a thug?

The young woman forced a smile and began to count the cores, only to freeze in shock. She had expected a majority to be low-rank, first-level demon beast cores, but even the weakest was a peak first-level core! And the largest one seemed to pulsate with the energy of a high-rank, second-level demon beast!

"Look at that," someone exclaimed. "The energy in that core seems to match that of an eight-star Warmaster!"

"I saw it... I saw it... It's horrifying!"

"How did he manage to kill a second-level high-rank demon beast?"

Suddenly, everyone who took notice started whispering among themselves, their faces etched with astonishment.

The young girl was taken aback by the surrounding chatter, her mouth agape in disbelief!

She had assumed that a Rank Two High-Grade Demonic Beast would at most match the strength of a seven-star creature of its kind. Yet, reality had delivered her a stinging blow once again!

The concept of a boy, barely in his teens, presenting such a Demonic Core as a three-star Warmaster was beyond her wildest dreams!

Xiao Xiaofan, however, furrowed his brow and asked with a hint of confusion, "Why haven't you finished the tally? Is there an issue?"

"Ah! No, no issue at all!" The girl snapped back to reality and hastily resumed her counting before respectfully reporting, "In total, there are 38 Peak Level One Demonic Cores, 24 Initial Level Two Demonic Cores, one Intermediate Level Two Demonic Core, and one Advanced Level Two Demonic Core!"

"The grand total is 64 cores. Valuing each Peak Level One Demonic Core at one gold coin, each Initial Level Two Demonic Core at ten gold coins, each Intermediate Level Two Demonic Core at fifty gold coins, and each Advanced Level Two Demonic Core at one hundred gold coins, the sum comes to four hundred and twenty-eight gold coins."

She then respectfully handed over four hundred and twenty-eight gold coins to Xiao Xiaofan, who accepted them with a nonchalant nod. Without further ado or greetings to Lan Luo and the others, he departed.

For Xiao Xiaofan, the four hundred and twenty-eight gold coins were a fortune, especially considering he was a mere beggar when he first arrived in this world!

Once Xiao Xiaofan had left, the onlookers finally exhaled in relief.

They committed his features to memory before rushing to inform their friends and fellow group members, cautioning them against recklessly provoking someone like Chifeng.

"Ding! Congratulations to the Summoner for completing the hidden mission: Establishing Prestige! Reward: One Star increase in Battle Aura!"

"Ding! Congratulations to the Summoner for unlocking the hidden mission: The Little Tyrant of Sylhasera!"

"Mission Phase One: Earn the Respect of Sylhasera's Elite! Mission Reward: One Star increase in Battle Aura!"

While walking outside to shop for clothes, Xiao Xiaofan was caught off guard by the system notification in his mind. Had he really just completed a hidden mission at the Mercenary Guild?

And now a chain of missions had been unlocked?

The Little Tyrant of Sylhasera? Was he expected to turn into a villain?

To him, a Little Tyrant was someone who abused their power or family connections to oppress others.

As he pondered this, a warm surge flowed through his dantian, and his strength soared to that of a Four-star Warmaster!

Currently, in addition to the central orange sphere, four smaller orange dots orbited around it, and his Battle Aura had significantly increased!

Had he really advanced just like that?

Xiao Xiaofan was bewildered; the progression was incredibly abrupt!

For some reason, he got the impression that the system was quite anxious for him to grow stronger...

Dismissing these thoughts, he continued on his way and entered a clothing store.