"Eat this."

Bai Yu handed a Qi Replenishing pill to the exhausted Protagonist. He had already taken one pill and he still had some more left.

"There is no need for this." Xiao Tian said looking at the spherical pill in his hand. Even though his Qi was already bottomed out. He was not the type of person who likes to receive favors.

"No need to be stubborn. Qi Replenishing pill is not an expensive pill anyway. Our main task is to quickly leave this valley. The explosion must have attracted the attention of other monsters, so hurry up." Bai Yu continued quickly understanding the thoughts of Xiao Tian.

"Still, I don't think that I should freeload off you like this after you have already helped me to kill those monsters." Xiao Tian still refused, his stubbornness being displayed to its fullest.

"Eat it." As if not hearing anything that Xiao Tian said, Bai Yu continued to pressure him slowly. "Or do you think, that the pill I gave is not worth consuming? I didn't think you were a person of this character."

Bai Yu's violet eyes showed a tinge of disappointment.

"I didn't-" Xiao Tian sighed and finally gave up. "Thank you."

Feeling the residual heat of the pill, Xiao Tian decided to repay this favor in the near future. He swallowed the pill and then closed his eyes to absorb its effect.

At the same time, a hint of joy flashed in Bai Yu's eyes as he could basically determine the protagonist's thoughts. It seems the routine of the earth is still useful.

Xiao Tian is the type of protagonist who will repay any favor he has been given several folds. So, this small favor may help a lot in the future.

Just as Bai Yu was thinking about this, a slight change appeared in the surrounding.

A huge torrent of spiritual Qi rushed towards Xiao Tian as he broke through to the third stage of Qi condensation.

Opening his eyes, Xiao Tian looked at the dumbfounded Bia Yu and said sheepishly.

"It seems I broke through."

Bai Yu was stunned.

Then he adjusted his mentality. The person before him is the protagonist, a breakthrough will come to him as easily as one drinks water. If he pays attention to each and every movement of the protagonist then it will only make him feel uncomfortable so let it go.

Thinking like this, Bai Yu sincerely congratulated, instead of thinking about the cause and effect, "Congratulations on breaking through the next stage."

"Thanks. It seems that I got lucky."

"Yeah. But first, let's divide the loot quickly, I can sense that soon this place will be filled with monsters." Bai Yu said as he walked towards the corpses.

"N-No. Since you have killed the majority of the monsters, I don't think I have any qualification to request for division of the loot." Xiao Tian said shaking his head lightly. The only thing his explosion killed was the sneak attacking fifth stage Red python and other extremely weak pythons. Even that was all because of the distraction of Bai Yu.

Bai Yu just stared hard. His violet eyes exuded some unknown pressure on the person in front of him.

Xiao Tian faltered and said in dejection, "I will just take the corpse of the fifth stage red python you can take the others."

"Okay, then." Bai Yu smiled.

Not giving any loot to the protagonist is blasphemy but if he just wants the single corpse then Bai Yu would not interfere. After all, free loot is his favorite type of loot.

-*-*-*-*-*-

I walked towards the 10 feet long Red Python and took out my bag of holding. I injected Qi into the bag of holding as I watched the large snake disappear before my eyes.

It's magic...Your lizard 'arry...wait.

Let's not go there...

I tried to take my mind off the massacre I had committed but my thinking soon spiraled in a strange direction. It seems I could still not be totally calm regarding it. I looked at the unflinching appearance of the protagonist and felt the difference between our conditions. But I didn't let it get to me, as this was my first kill.

I sighed and quickly collected all the corpses of the monsters.

Xiao Tian also seemed to have done the same as we both decided to bid farewell to each other.

"I still have to collect the water pearls from the inner region. So, let's part ways for now." Xiao Tian said looking towards the inner region of the valley.

"Sure. let's meet again in the sect." I say as we both separate going on our own paths.

I left the Hundred Snake's Valley quickly.

Maybe it was because the scent of blood given off by me was too strong, other snakes ran off at the sight of me, making it a whole lot easier to return.

...

Using the now-mastered Shadowless Movement Art, I quickly returned to the sect.

While passing through the gate, some guards looked weirdly at me since you know, I was covered in blood.

It's not that I didn't think of stopping in an inn or bathhouse but I then remembered that I only brought one set of clothing.

So, even though I was feeling disgusted I hurried to the sect and immediately returned to my residence.

...

Feeling the warm water pressing against my skin, I felt that all the stress from fighting evaporated.

"It feels quite good to not be covered in blood. Ha...," I said to particularly no one.

I then reflected on my first battle, the first blood I had drawn in this world...

I feel like I had made too many mistakes. Though there was no threat of death due to the healing leaf, I have been too careless.

The previous casual lifestyle had made me too sloppy.

"Regardless, just as I thought the world of cultivation is far too dangerous."

The past is always full of regrets, while the future is meaningless, and soon the present will become the past again...

The only thing I could do is learn, but not stay in the past or wait for the uncertain future.

Coming to terms with my own inadequateness, I got off from the shower a little happier.