"I think I'm tired."

As Liu Xing and the old man submerged their feet in the water, Liu Xing realized he was exhausted. Part of it was physical; after all, he had spent considerable effort breaching the Qing clan's defenses. But the exhaustion was mostly mental. He traced it back to his last action. Remembering the blood-drenched grand elder felt as if his own essence had been sucked from his body.

Grandpa Roe nodded, acknowledging his answer, but he didn't reply. Instead, he turned his head forward. Though his eyes remained closed, Liu Xing sensed the old man was enjoying the sound of flowing water, the calls of night creatures, and the feel of the wind that caressed their bodies and made the grass sway. It was a bit cold for a mortal, but the old man seemed fine.

They were silent for a while, until Liu Xing couldn't help but say, "Today, I crippled a person."

The old man didn't react, and Liu Xing took it as a sign to continue. "He was a cultivator, like Brother Roe, though probably in a higher realm. If I'm not mistaken, he was an elder from the Qing clan. Earlier today, he was just an old man on the verge of death, poison wrecking havoc in him. In the afternoon, he regained his power, but tonight, he was reduced to a cripple in a condition worse than Brother Roe's."

"How was his condition?" the old man asked. "What effects appeared after you crippled his cultivation?"

"Blood poured from every opening in his body, including his pores. In less than five seconds, his body was drenched with blood. It was... horrific." And cruel, he added inside his mind.

Grandpa Roe said, "Perhaps all his blood vessels burst, and his internal organs ruptured. A mortal would have died instantly from those kinds of injuries. If he survives, he will suffer greatly. If the Qing clan has no means to heal him, he will likely die a painful death."

"How is Brother Roe?" Liu Xing asked reflectively, changing the subject. He knew Brother Roe was fast asleep when he arrived. His coughing fit was exhausting, and he needed to rest.

"He is better, though if the night becomes too cold, he will start coughing again."

Liu Xing nodded. "Then, I'll erect a bubble of qi to shield him from the cold wind. Hopefully, he can spend tonight without coughing."

The old man nodded, and Liu Xing changed the subject further and asked about their plans for the next day. He explained that the Qing and Jin clans would probably avoid them now, so he didn't need to protect them anymore. They could return home. When the old man heard this, he agreed that it would be for the best. He said, "We're not rich and don't live in luxury, but that house is full of memories. I'm rather fond of the place and the people nearby." He added that herbs that could treat Brother Roe only grew in a certain place near his house. Once they ran out of supplies, it would be difficult to procure more.

Their conversation lapsed into silence, and they sat for a while until Liu Xing finally asked what was on his mind. "Do you think Brother Roe will hate me?" He paused, then added, "Do you hate me, old man? After all, I inflicted a condition far worse than Brother Roe's on another person."

The truth was, he didn't know much about Brother Roe or this blind old man. As he asked, he realized that he wouldn't mind too much whether they hated him or not. They were practically strangers, after all. Still, he was curious about the old man's answer. Would he say it didn't bother him, or would he condemn his actions?

The old man thought for a moment. "I don't hate you, and I can guarantee that my grandson won't hate you either. However, it would be a lie if I said I felt nothing about your actions."

"What is it?" Liu Xing leaned forward.

"I fear you," the old man said instantly.

Liu Xing blinked several times. He hadn't expected that answer. Fear. He supposed it was a logical feeling for the man to have. Even though he wasn't the old man's enemy, he was still a dangerous cultivator who could flick a finger and turn him into a splatter of blood. He tried to see it from a different point of view, imagining himself in the same position. He pictured an Immortal decimating an entire nation with a simple punch. In that scenario, he would fear the Immortal even if they were on the same side. What if the Immortal suddenly sneezed at him? Or worse, what if a simple, harmless word offended the Immortal? He could imagine the situation and understood the blind old man's fear.

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Pinching his chin, he suddenly remembered the expressions of the others in the camp. When they were singing along with Fang Ruxue, most of them looked relaxed, but maybe not all of them were entirely comfortable with his existence. They knew him better than the blind old man, and while he had gained some of their trust, there must have been a lingering fear, whether conscious or unconscious.

"Are you regretting your choice?" the old man suddenly asked, changing the topic.

Liu Xing thought for a while, then shook his head. "It was the better choice. If I hadn't done that, they would have tried to challenge me, and I can guarantee most of them would have died. However, I also feel like this isn't quite my style. I," he licked his lips, trying to formulate the words, "I don't like bringing unnecessary suffering. I'd rather either kill my enemies or let them go free. This advice from Qing Yuan, about setting an example and a show of force, is wise and has merit, it's just that I feel like there's still something missing."

The old man turned his head toward him. He felt as if the old man was looking straight into his soul, trying to determine if his words came straight from his heart.

Eventually, the old man said, "I don't know much about this kind of business. I'm a healer first and foremost. I would never dream of solving a problem by harming someone. However, I acknowledge that this world isn't that kind. In this world, power triumphs over everything. Having power is certainly better than being weak. Unfortunately, not everyone can have it. Only those selected by the heavens can possess it." The old man took his feet out of the river, stood up, and looked down at Liu Xing with his eyes still closed. "It's my personal belief that those with power have a greater responsibility than those without. I use my talent to help as many people as possible. Liu Xing, I think you ought to do the same."

At that, the old man turned and began to walk away. Liu Xing observed his back, then his hands and feet. He soon realized the old man's limbs were trembling. Some of it must have come from the cold night and his wet feet, but some of it had to be fear. The old man, a mortal, had just given risky advice, presuming to tell a cultivator how to live his life. Knowing Liu Xing could be offended—and knowing what a typical cultivator might do if offended—the old man could have had his head severed for it. It was perhaps an exaggeration, but he had still risked his life to console Liu Xing and offer guidance.

As Liu Xing looked down at the river, he thought about their conversation. The blind old man didn't hate him for crippling someone. He feared him because of it. But, wasn't fear what he had wanted? His show of force was meant to be a deterrent so that others wouldn't dare mess with him. That deterrent was fear of retaliation. His actions were successful enough to make even an ally tremble.

However, as time passed and he reflected on his situation, he began to consider the direct consequences. He would be feared, and he realized he didn't like it. He wanted to talk and chat with everyone as an equal. But that wasn't realistic. After all, he was a cultivator. As long as he had power, only a select few could be his equal. Most people would be either weaker or stronger than him, so equality was rarely an option.

He looked to where the old man had disappeared and pondered his profound words. The phrasing was new, but the meaning was familiar. In his past life, while he had spent a lot of time reading web novels, he had consumed more than that. He watched films, read comics, played games, and more, and one of the most iconic phrases in that world was: "With great power comes great responsibility."

In his past life, it was merely a cool line. In his current position, however, he couldn't help but ponder it deeply. He had power, too. Did that mean he had a responsibility to use it to help people?

He considered whether he would like to devote himself to the people and realized he didn't quite like the idea. Sure, he would help people in trouble, but he didn't want to go out of his way to deliberately seek them out. In this world, his main goal was to defeat and contain the darkness. To do that, he needed power and a higher position in the sect. He also wanted to become a legend in the process. His goals would probably benefit people, but aside from helping his friends, it could all be traced back to his own selfishness. There was nothing in his goals about helping the people of this world.

Did that mean he wasn't a good person? He supposed so. He wasn't a selfless person who aimed to help as many people as possible, but compared to other cultivators, he wasn't that bad. However, it was a poor measure to compare yourself to someone worse. If he wanted a true comparison, he needed to measure himself against people who did better. In this case, he needed to compare himself to good cultivators who selflessly tried to help others. The only ones who came to mind were the saints and Wang Miau.

Liu Xing hugged the barrel of water to his chest and started carrying it toward the camp. As he walked, he looked up at the moon and sighed.

"All of this thinking makes me tired."

However, he noticed that all of this thinking had actually lifted his spirits.

As the camp grew closer and he could see the light from the bonfire, he decided to stop overthinking things. He realized just how tired he was, and he needed to address it. First, he would get a full night's sleep. Then, he needed to do something relaxing. The first thing that came to mind was drawing, and he nodded, deciding to get some supplies first thing tomorrow. After relaxing for perhaps half a day, or maybe a full one, he would begin his next plan. Confronting the Jin clan. After he secured the Heaven Severing Pill, he needed to get back to the sect, return with reinforcements, and deal with the Nether Lotus Sect.

"Alright, it's decided," he nodded.

The moon hung in the sky, observing him, while the mark in his consciousness pulsed a little bit. It was only for a moment, though, and Liu Xing didn't notice.

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