Mo Bai remained silent.
He didn't know when Lin Qingming had started to change.
She still remembered that when they were young, this guy was indeed as clever and well-behaved as described in books.
She used to follow behind him, calling him "Brother" and "Senior Brother."
But gradually, things changed. Over the past few years, he had changed.
The way he looked at him was no longer full of joy; it was as if he were looking at a salted fish, though admittedly, he kind of was...
However, in the past few months, the changes had become even more pronounced!
It was as if she thought he had stolen her man...
In the past, when he asked her for some food, she would bring it over. But now? Not only did she tell him to "eat shit," but she also came over here to hide and monitor him, as if she were ready to wipe him out.
It was just too... over the top.
What a pity, though—her stealth techniques were far too crude.
Even that little dimwit had noticed her, let alone him.
Still, he had no intention of exposing her.
He wanted to figure out what was going on.
He wanted to know what had turned her into this state.
With that thought, he picked up the half-eaten spicy strip and continued eating. One bite, two bites—the fragrance wafted through the air.
Lin Qingming's eyebrows shot up in annoyance as she glared.
"You've got some nerve.
This thing is brimming with spiritual energy, its aroma spreading in all directions. Just one look, and anyone can tell it's extraordinary—calling it a simple spiritual delicacy wouldn't be an exaggeration.
And yet, you tell me you're starving with nothing to eat and ask me to bring you food?
So, you were messing with me all along, huh?
But what exactly is this thing? It smells so good..."
Thinking of this, Lin Qingming couldn't help but swallow as she stared at the spicy strip in Mo Bai's hand.
...
[Ding! You have gained 200 Villain Points. Source: Lin Qingming.]
Receiving this notification, Mo Bai looked at the half-eaten spicy strip in his hand and fell into deep thought.
All he could say was, as expected of the female lead.
Just by watching him eat a spicy strip, she managed to contribute 200 Villain Points.
And what are you even angry about? Didn't you just scold me? And now you're here spying on me?
I didn't even expose you or give you a good beating.
This is my turf, and yet you have the nerve to be angry…
After some experience, he had more or less figured out how these Villain Points worked and noticed a pattern.
It seemed to come down to either annoying someone or doing something that made them unhappy.
As long as someone felt displeased, he could gain Villain Points from them.
But what he couldn't figure out was what exactly he had done to upset this junior sister.
I didn't even expose you or give you a proper beating.
This is my territory, and yet you have the audacity to be angry…
After gaining some experience, he had more or less figured out the mechanics behind earning Villain Points and identified a rough pattern.
It seemed that either irritating someone or doing something that made them unhappy would earn him Villain Points from that person.
But he still couldn't figure out what he had done to make this junior sister so upset.
Not being the type to dwell on things he couldn't understand, he simply decided to let it go.
Calmly and gracefully, he continued to quietly enjoy his spicy strip…
Through his heightened senses, he noticed that his junior sister's expression was gradually softening. However, the frequency of her swallowing was increasing.
Unfortunately, after the initial 200 Villain Points, there was no additional trigger.
So what exactly are you mad about, seriously?!
Time passed, and just as he finished his second spicy strip and eagerly took out a third, a streak of white light suddenly began to grow rapidly in the distant sky…
From the trajectory of the streak, it wasn't hard to tell that it was heading straight for his location.
Moments later, it arrived at the courtyard and descended gracefully. The full appearance of the newcomer was revealed.
Lin Qingming, who was still hiding, narrowed her eyes.
What entered her sight was a figure in a white dress, with a ribbon winding around her hands and fluttering behind her. Her face was ethereal, her figure elegant, and she exuded an air of immortality, as if even gazing at her for too long would be an act of desecration.
This was Fu An'an.
The youngest senior sister of the Xiaoyao Sect.
She was the sect's public face—a dazzling golden calling card.
At only eighteen years old, she had already reached the Fifth Realm, and her beauty was akin to that of a celestial maiden, accompanied by a divine and otherworldly aura.
It was no exaggeration to say she was the goddess of the Xiaoyao Sect, the dream lover of its disciples—regardless of gender.
However, Lin Qingming wasn't one of them.
Fu An'an was a good person, but Lin Qingming simply couldn't bring herself to like her.
"Hmph, so after I turned him down, he went and called this woman instead, huh?"
"What a glutton—can't even move anymore. But, well… if it's her, I guess it's not too bad…"
With that thought, Lin Qingming continued watching silently.
Though Lin Qingming felt a bit annoyed, she couldn't completely reject the idea if it was Fu An'an.
After all, she had long known there was some kind of connection between Fu An'an and Mo Bai...
"Long time no see, An'an," Mo Bai called out, holding up his spicy strip.
Fu An'an's initially tense expression softened into a smile.
It was like a frigid snow-capped mountain blossoming with breathtaking beauty. Especially when complemented by her celestial aura, she appeared like a goddess descending to the mortal world, stunningly beautiful and almost unreal.
"As expected, being around him feels the most relaxing..." she thought, though her face quickly turned serious again.
"What are you even saying? Call me Senior Sister!"
Seeing Mo Bai's expression, he silently handed over his half-eaten spicy strip:
"Senior Sister, want the other half?"
Fu An'an's composure instantly broke.
Her face lit up with that familiar, dazzling smile once more.
She didn't refuse, taking the half-eaten spicy strip and popping it into her mouth.
She began to chew, clearly conquered by the delightful flavor of the spicy strip.
Her eyes curved into crescent moons, radiating a sense of happiness and contentment.
If her admirers saw this—seeing the once-claimed pure goddess reveal such a playful expression—they would likely be shocked, and then they would grab their torches and head towards Mo Bai.
Seeing this scene, Lin Qingming, who was hidden in the shadows, went from her earlier serious demeanor to a cold glare:
"Damn it! I was here first! It looks so good...!"
"If that annoying guy doesn't show up soon, I guess I can leave... but that's not likely to happen—he seems to be in the Flame Domain now..."
At that same moment, Mo Bai received a notification on his device.
[Ding! You have gained 300 Villain Points. Source: Lin Qingming.]
Upon receiving this notification, Mo Bai's lips curled into a smirk.
"That guy... I knew he couldn't resist!"
In less than a quarter of an hour, Lin Qingming had sent him a weakened version of the spicy strip...
"If I put in a little more effort..."
"Such a unique taste," Fu An'an remarked, opening her eyes and savoring the flavor. "And my cultivation level seems to have increased a bit..."
At that moment, Mo Bai noticed a bit of red oil above her lips.
He pointed to it.
Even such a tempting gesture looked so pure and ethereal when she did it.
The little fairy on Mo Bai's shoulder was frozen, staring blankly as it muttered, "Fu An'an?"
Mo Bai nodded.
The little fairy gasped in disbelief:
"Impossible, absolutely impossible! The Fu An'an in my memory is a peerless female demon, not this goddess-like appearance!!"
"And before you two got pulled into the Devil's Gate, you were sworn enemies—how did things change so much?!"
She stopped mid-sentence, suddenly stopped in her tracks as Fu An'an pulled out a white pillow embroidered with white clouds:
"Senior Brother, I know you like to sleep. This is a cotton pillow I specially found for you. It contains a hundred spiritual linings that soothe and aid sleep, allowing you to sleep more comfortably."
Mo Bai took the pillow, brushing away any dirt from his hand, then held it tightly—soft yet resilient, with a familiar scent. He buried his face into it and sighed in comfort.
"Wow, this smell is just like yours—it's handmade, isn't it?"
Fu An'an blushed and shyly nodded.
"Just right—it's perfect to sleep with over here; really great timing!" Mo Bai chuckled.
Fu An'an's blush deepened even further, her face glowing with color.
The little fairy just muttered, "...This isn't the Fu An'an I know!"
[Ding! You have gained 30 Villain Points. Source: Lin Xi.]
[Ding! You have gained 200 Villain Points. Source: Lin Qingming.]