Malice

"Ignore her, that's just how she is." Hui An shrugged indifferently, her seemingly harmless smile still on her face, though a hint of barely perceptible annoyance flashed in her eyes.

"Let's not let her spoil our mood. Let's go, I'll take you home," Hui An said, gesturing for Yun Xi follow.

Yun Xi wanted to see what he was really up to. He even said he'd take her home—it was only a few steps away, why would he need to take her?

A sense of vigilance rose in Yun Xi's heart, but she remained outwardly calm and silently followed Hui An forward.

Gradually, they moved away from the crowd, and the surroundings became increasingly quiet. Once no other monsters could be seen, Hui An slowly shed his disguise, revealing his burning malice.

"Sister Yun Cai, I'm warning you..." Hui An still had a smiling face, but the malice in her eyes was no longer concealed.

His slightly upturned lips looked particularly eerie at that moment, as if the smile had frozen on his face, appearing stiff and terrifying.

"Sister Yun Cai, don't think you can get away with this unscathed. There are some things you can't just meddle in." His voice was low and cold, as if a curse came from hell, making the surrounding air seem to freeze.

Yun Xi... you're not pretending anymore?

"What do you mean?"

"Don't you understand what I mean?" Hui An crossed her arms and looked down at Yunxi, her eyes full of threat and arrogance.

"Don't try to compete with me for the mayor's position, or you won't be able to bear the consequences." Hui An's voice was low and fierce, each word seemingly squeezed out from between his teeth, filled with intense malice. The chill in his words seemed to freeze the surrounding air, sending shivers down one's spine.

"But if I don't compete with you, I can't explain it to the mayor." Yun Xi said helplessly.

"I was just doing what the mayor told me to do; I never intended to compete with you. If I didn't do it this way, how could I bear the consequences if the mayor blamed me?"

"You just need to obey me obediently, understand? Once I become mayor, don't worry, I won't treat you badly." Hui An narrowed her eyes slightly, her tone carrying an undeniable forcefulness and a hint of self-righteous temptation.

He stared intently at Yunxi, his gaze like two sharp thorns, attempting to pierce Yunxi's heart and make her completely submit to his authority.

"As long as you obediently listen to me, you'll naturally reap the rewards once I reach that high position. But if you dare to disobey in the slightest, hmph, don't blame me for being ruthless!"

"You know, our competition allows for injuries and fatalities. After all, how can you get to that position without shedding blood? Do you think the mayor will protect you? No, he doesn't want his heir to be a coward." Hui An's voice grew increasingly somber, each word seemingly carrying shards of ice, piercing straight into Yun Xi.

"In this brutal competition, there is no mercy or warmth whatsoever. To succeed, you must be prepared to sacrifice. Don't naively think the mayor will lend you a helping hand. He is a ruthless character who will stop at nothing to forge ahead, not a coward who only knows how to seek protection when faced with danger!"

"I know, so what?" Yun Xi pouted, looking completely unconcerned.

Yun Xi met Hui An's malicious gaze head-on without flinching.

"You think you can scare me with your self-righteous threats? That's utterly ridiculous!" She crossed her arms and a mocking smile played on her lips.

"Hmph, you've got some nerve. I'd like to see how much your skills have improved by next month's assessment." Hui An sneered, his expression growing increasingly grim.

"Don't think you can change anything by being stubborn now. Next month's assessment will be ruthless. I want to see just how capable you really are, whether you can make an amazing breakthrough in such a short time. Or are you just bluffing and will only end up in a miserable state!"

Yun Xi guessed that Hui An probably wouldn't dare to make a move against her in the Mayor's Mansion. Normal competition was fine, but if it was a difference in arrival time that led to her being suppressed as a newcomer, the mayor wouldn't turn a blind eye.

According to Yun Xi's speculation, the power boost brought by these monsters absorbing the parasitic source crystals is very rapid; otherwise, Hui An wouldn't have come to warn her now.

He must be afraid that she will gain tremendous strength in a short period of time and become another powerful competitor of his, so he came to intimidate her in advance.

Yun Xi silently analyzed the current situation. Hui An, seemingly arrogant and domineering, was actually quite insecure. He knew that once certain lines were crossed, he would inevitably be punished. If she could grasp this point, she would still have room to maneuver.

If the primordial energy within the Strange Energy Crystal could be transformed into her own power, that would be wonderful. Thinking of this, Yun Xi couldn't help but feel a surge of emotion.

Perhaps she could use the Divine Light Technique to purify the Strange Energy Crystal, leaving only a trace of its original aura.

After all, the power of the source has nothing to do with spiritual energy, ghostly energy, or any other attribute of power. It is the source, and that is all there is to it, only it has been tainted by ghostly energy.

This primordial power is, in essence, pure and original, only tainted by the eerie energy. If she were to use her Divine Light Technique to cleanse the eerie energy, leaving behind the core primordial power, it might become nourishment for her to enhance her strength.

Her thoughts raced like a tide, constantly refining this bold idea. As long as every step was precise and everything proceeded as planned, there was no reason why the plan wouldn't succeed.

Thinking of this, she decided to stall Hui An for a few moments and then leave. Unexpectedly, Hui An grabbed her shoulder with such force that Yun Xi's shoulder ached.

"You don't actually think I brought you here just to threaten you, do you?" Hui An's voice was low and fierce, like muffled thunder exploding in Yunxi's ears. His eyes revealed a ruthless determination to achieve his goal, like a starving beast staring intently at its prey.

"Hmph, little girl, you're too naive! Today, you're not getting away from me easily. Don't even think about escaping until you give me a satisfactory answer!" Hui An increased the pressure on her hands, as if she wanted to crush Yun Xi's shoulders.

He may not physically harm Yun Xi, but he has ways to trap her.

"What kind of answer do you want?" Yun Xi helplessly, her delicate brows furrowed, her face full of annoyance.