C21 Who Dares?!

I had begun to worry that my charm was waning, that I held no allure for Xiao Xiaofan. But it turns out he was merely feigning nonchalance!

Now, his shyness is apparent, blushing even at the prospect of shaking hands with me!

Yet, there's something endearing about him in this state...

Xiao Xiaofan scratched his head, his voice tinged with panic, "This... I... maybe we shouldn't..."

Seeing his reaction, Bai Luoxi's smile grew, though she feigned a wounded tone, "What's the matter? Does Young Master Xiao find me repulsive? Or perhaps you have some grievance against me, and you're reluctant to collaborate again?"

"Miss Bai, you've got it all wrong!" Xiao Xiaofan hastily replied, shaking his head, "I could never think that way... It's just... Oh, right!"

"I've just returned from the Magic Beast Forest and haven't had a chance to clean up. I was worried about soiling your hands!"

Bai Luoxi's lips curled into a smile, which she quickly concealed.

She thought to herself how adorably inept Xiao Xiaofan was at making excuses.

Shaking her head, she said earnestly, "Young Master Xiao, what are you talking about? Do you really see me as so superficial?"

"If I were only concerned with appearances, that would indeed be shallow."

Yet the fleeting smile in her eyes betrayed her true emotions.

Embarrassed, Xiao Xiaofan bit his lip and declared, "Since Miss Bai has put it that way, I won't put on airs. I look forward to our next pleasant collaboration!"

With that, he quickly extended his hand for a brief touch, retracting it before Bai Luoxi could even respond, and then he hurried away without a backward glance. Bai Luoxi, however, clearly noticed the redness in his ears.

It wasn't until Xiao Xiaofan had completely vanished from her view that Bai Luoxi allowed herself a small, amused smile.

Xiao Xiaofan was indeed quite the character!

"Miss..." As Bai Luoxi was lost in thought about Xiao Xiaofan, Dong Yang approached and asked quietly, "Don't you think you're being a bit too kind to Xiao Xiaofan?"

Bai Luoxi regained her composure and replied with a meaningful smile, "Too kind? I hardly think so."

"Senior Tan, what are your thoughts on Xiao Xiaofan?"

Tan Nuo reflected for a moment, her eyes revealing a deep seriousness as she spoke with conviction, "He's an enigma, particularly his master!"

"I've always found it odd. Given that his master is such a formidable alchemist, why is it that he's only reached the level of a four-star Warmaster at his age?"

"It's quite puzzling. There are only two plausible explanations. The first is that he may not have a master at all, and the medicinal pill he had was simply a stroke of luck!"

"The second is that his master might have ulterior motives, with Xiao Xiaofan being merely a pawn in his scheme!"

"If it's the former, it's not too concerning – we might have just misjudged. But if it's the latter, then we're facing a real problem!"

"Why would such a powerful being come to a small place like Sylhasera? What's his agenda? Could he be targeting our Golden Vault?"

"So, in my view, we must be cautious around Xiao Xiaofan!"

Dong Yang agreed, adding, "I share Old Man Tan's sentiments. Xiao Xiaofan may conduct himself impressively, but it's essential to guard against potential threats."

Bai Luoxi offered no objections, simply nodding and softly contributing, "You both make valid points. Yet, there's another possibility you've missed."

This caught Tan Nuo and Dong Yang off guard, prompting them to furrow their brows as they considered what they might have overlooked.

With a slight smile, Bai Luoxi suggested, "What if Xiao Xiaofan has only recently become the disciple of that enigmatic alchemist?"

"I witnessed it myself; just over ten days ago, Xiao Xiaofan was nothing more than a beggar!"

Hearing this, Tan Nuo and Dong Yang's eyes bulged with astonishment, their faces mirroring their disbelief as they gasped, "What! That's impossible!"

To think that Xiao Xiaofan, who was a beggar just over ten days ago, has now ascended to the rank of a four-star Warmaster?

Such a rapid advancement in cultivation is unheard of, surpassing even the most elite prodigies of Lukish!

Could his master truly be an alchemist of such extraordinary power, using a special pill to accomplish this incredible transformation?

If so, that would be utterly frightening, for there's no trace on Xiao Xiaofan of having used such a pill, as if all his Battle Aura was self-cultivated!

Bai Luoxi nodded gravely and affirmed, "It's true! I took notice of him as soon as I arrived in Sylhasera and conducted an investigation!"

"I can assure you, just over ten days ago, he was nothing more than an ordinary beggar devoid of any Battle Aura!"

Upon her arrival in Sylhasera, Bai Luoxi had witnessed Xiao Xiaofan engaging in a scuffle with other beggars. Driven by curiosity, she decided to look into his background. Given Golden Vault's resources, uncovering someone's past in a small city like Sylhasera was a trivial task.

Her findings were astonishing; Xiao Xiaofan truly was a beggar without any cultivation just a short while ago!

Tan Nuo and another person sighed deeply, expressing their respect, "Miss, your foresight is commendable!"

Bai Luoxi simply shook her head with a light sigh, choosing not to elaborate further. Her gaze drifted to the exterior of the Golden Vault as she pondered in silence, "Xiao Xiaofan... Who are you, really? And what are you after?"

Meanwhile, Xiao Xiaofan was oblivious to all this. He stumbled upon Wang Xingqing and Huang Tielan who had yet to depart.

Upon seeing Xiao Xiaofan descend, Wang Xingqing was immediately filled with a sense of foreboding, while Huang Tielan was utterly astounded. He had assumed that Xiao Xiaofan would have been thrown down!

Bao Jiaoli was equally taken aback, her voice tinged with disbelief, "How is this possible? How could you possibly come down here unharmed?"

Xiao Xiaofan's brow furrowed slightly before he replied with disdain, "What did you expect, then?"

Bao Jiaoli was momentarily speechless. She was just a regular salesperson, and her earlier exclamation had been a knee-jerk reaction to her astonishment. Now confronted with Xiao Xiaofan's retort, she struggled to find her words.

"Humph! I bet this kid is just putting on an act!" Huang Tielan regained his composure, his anger palpable as he barked, "He's only unscathed because the young miss couldn't be bothered with him. What are you waiting for, Steward Wang? Get someone to break his legs and toss him out at once!"

Wang Xingqing's eyes flickered with doubt. Could Huang Tielan's assumption be correct?

Gritting his teeth in fury, he barked, "Guards, encircle this punk! If the Young Miss deems him unworthy of her attention, then it's up to us to handle it!"

"Break his limbs and toss him out of the Golden Vault!"

The guards hesitated momentarily but ultimately closed in, teeth clenched with resolve.

Xiao Xiaofan let out a cold laugh. Whereas he might have been cautious before, now he regarded the encircling figures with the amusement one reserves for a joke.

After all, he was a distinguished guest at the Golden Vault, and even Bai Luoxi had treated him with utmost courtesy. Was there really any reason for him to fear trouble within these walls?

"Hmph! The audacity! I'd like to see who has the nerve to lay a finger on me!"

As expected, a thunderous roar echoed, sending shivers down the spines of all who heard it.