# Chapter 1373: Memories Are a Light Sorrow
The Divine Demon Mouse recounted in detail the recent events that had occurred in the Moon Worship Demon Sect, sobbing as he spoke: "Master Chen, A Le died a miserable death. His head was shattered by Qiu Yu, burned until the skull was exposed."
Zhang Ruochen remained calm, but after hearing this, the Mad Drunkard was filled with rage. Reaching out a hand, he grabbed the Divine Demon Mouse: "A Saint, killed by an outsider within the main altar—this is a slap in the face to the Moon Worship Demon Sect. What the hell is Shi Qianjue, the Sect Leader, doing?"
The Divine Demon Mouse felt his entire Saint Qi suppressed, unable to circulate it, and was startled inwardly: "My cultivation has also reached the Saint Realm, and I'm a rather powerful ancient relic, yet I'm completely suppressed with no power to resist. Just how terrifying is this old drunkard's cultivation?"
He guessed this must be some senior figure from the sect.
Although the Divine Demon Mouse's cultivation was strong, his courage was not. Trembling, he said: "Qiu Yu is a sapling of the Parasol Tree Divine Tree, with the potential to evolve into a Heavenly Earth Spiritual Root and become the second god of the Kunlun Realm. Befriending him brings endless benefits. Even the Sect Leader wouldn't turn against him and the entire Fire Clan over a single Saint."
Gu Songzi had long left the demon sect, but he still held deep feelings for it. His eyes turned cold: "When the previous Sect Leader was in power, how formidable was our sect? Even facing the armies of the Chi Yao Central Empire, we met them head-on without any compromise. Killing a Saint of our sect within the main altar and then forcing a Holy Maiden to marry him—even if he hasn't become a god yet, even if he reaches the Divine Realm, this can never be agreed to. The dignity of our sect cannot be lost."
Seeing the two old men so furious, the Divine Demon Mouse was somewhat bewildered. Shouldn't the most furious person be Zhang Ruochen?
Yet Zhang Ruochen remained as calm as an ancient well, continuing to drink.
The Divine Demon Mouse said: "Master Chen, you're not going to ignore this, are you? You should know that the Little Holy Maiden's heart belongs to you. Forcing her to marry someone else is no different from driving her to death. You know how she feels about you, don't you?"
Zhang Ruochen said: "Did Xiao Hei tell you to say that? What else did he tell you to say?"
The Divine Demon Mouse hadn't expected Zhang Ruochen's insight to be so sharp. Stuttering, he lowered his voice: "Black Master also said that promises you've made, you will eventually fulfill."
"Promises made..."
Zhang Ruochen repeated this phrase, and images surfaced in his mind.
At the Liangyi Sect, Mu Lingxi had tearfully told him the story of Luo Xu and Lin Suxian: "I just want you to know that if one day the Sect Leader also marries me off to someone else, how I wish there would be someone who would resolutely charge up Wuding Mountain. If he really did that, even if I had to die immediately, I would be willing."
"Zhang Ruochen, do you know? The Holy Maidens of the sect are just tools for the Sect Leader to buy people's loyalty, at any time they can be bestowed as rewards to Saints who have made great contributions to the Divine Sect."
"Don't be afraid. If that day truly comes, you must believe that someone will ascend Wuding Mountain to personally fetch you. Even if the demon sect has a thousand troops and ten thousand horses, they won't stop him."
...
On the cliff in the underworld, Mu Lingxi lay disheveled on the ground, believing Zhang Ruochen was dead: "Since you're already dead, what meaning is there in my living?"
...
"Sister Duanmu, what are you doing?"
"Where did you go just now? I thought..."
"From now on, don't do anything foolish. If I had been a little later coming back, the consequences would have been unthinkable."
"As long as you're alive, I will never do anything foolish."
...
"The Mu family doesn't like you very much, does it?"
"Come on, if those old geezers liked me, they wouldn't have sent me to infiltrate the Martial Market Academy. How dangerous was that? If my identity was exposed, you should know better than I what the outcome would be."
...
Thinking about these things, a rather complex expression appeared in Zhang Ruochen's eyes. He murmured to himself: "Promises made naturally must be fulfilled."
The peaceful days could no longer continue.
Whether for Mu Lingxi or for A Le, Zhang Ruochen had to go to the demon sect's main altar, personally ascend Wuding Mountain, demand an explanation, and fulfill a promise.
If not for A Le, Zhang Ruochen's mother would have been killed by Zhang Tiangui long ago. How could she still be alive?
Back then, it was A Le, alone with his sword, who had fought his way out of the Yunwu Commandery's royal palace with Lin Fei, protecting her life.
A Le was a heartless swordsman deeply wounded by love, a death-defying swordsman who had long forgotten life and death. In his life, besides the sword, Zhang Ruochen was his only friend.
A true friend—even if they didn't see each other for ten thousand years, when that friend needed him, he would certainly go through fire and water, undeterred even by death.
Zhang Ruochen didn't have many friends either. Now, A Le had been beaten to death, his body destroyed without a trace. No matter how calm his face appeared, murderous intent was already surging in his heart.
Hearing Zhang Ruochen's affirmative reply, the Divine Demon Mouse was overjoyed: "Excellent! With Master Chen and Black Master taking action, the Little Holy Maiden is saved!"
Zhang Ruochen glanced sideways at him: "Where exactly is Xiao Hei?"
"Black Master said he will make his move at the most critical moment, sweeping away all powerful enemies with an imposing posture," the Divine Demon Mouse said excitedly.
Zhang Ruochen naturally wouldn't pin his hopes on Xiao Hei. If Xiao Hei really could sweep everything away, given his relationship with Mu Lingxi, he would have already ascended Wuding Mountain and taken her away. Why would he send the Divine Demon Mouse to find him?
The Mad Drunkard was fuming, his anger intense: "Zhang Ruochen, I'll go with you to Wuding Mountain. Those little brats in the sect are more and more disappointing—they need to be taught a lesson."
Zhang Ruochen saw the problem more deeply than the Mad Drunkard: "Going won't help. It'll only cause me trouble. Stay in Yunwu Commandery and continue brewing the Six Saints Ascension Wine."
"With my cultivation, I'll cause you trouble?" the Mad Drunkard roared.
Gu Songzi walked over and said solemnly: "Zhang Ruochen is right. You going won't be of any use. Do you think the sect will turn against the Fire Clan and the Parasol Tree Divine Tree because of you? More likely, the sect will capture you and force you to reveal my whereabouts."
"Shi Qianjue is a peerless overlord—his cultivation is profound, his mind unfathomable, his ambition immense, beyond what you and I can imagine. How could your brotherly bond with him compare to the value of a Transformation Saint Pill?"
The Mad Drunkard calmed down: "You and I both know how powerful the sect is. Are we just going to let Zhang Ruochen go alone? Isn't that sending him to his death?"
"Zhang Ruochen is more than ten times smarter than you. How could he go to his death?"
Gu Songzi shook his head at the Mad Drunkard, then took out three yellow talismans from his body and handed them to Zhang Ruochen: "My attainments in formations are quite shallow. But in the Dao of Talismans, I have some confidence. These three protective talismans can save your life three times. Use them carefully."
Zhang Ruochen knew that Gu Songzi was cunning and didn't want to see the Mad Drunkard take risks, which was why he said those words.
In truth, Gu Songzi probably also believed that Zhang Ruochen's journey would be fraught with danger, like throwing an egg against a stone.
Gu Songzi had survived until now precisely because of this caution.
This was Zhang Ruochen's own matter. There was no need to drag them into danger, and they had no obligation to take risks. Gu Songzi giving him three precious protective talismans was already the utmost kindness.
"Thank you."
Zhang Ruochen didn't refuse and put away the three protective talismans.
After bidding farewell to Zhang Shaochu and Zhang Yuxi, Zhang Ruochen and the Divine Demon Mouse headed to the Central Domain, once again stepping onto the territory of the First Central Imperial City.
Two more days passed, and they finally arrived at the Copper Furnace Plain. Standing on the boundless plain, they could see the outline of a towering mountain on the horizon.
"That's Wuding Mountain," the Divine Demon Mouse said.
Wuding Mountain's body was enormous—not so much a mountain as a high plateau. Ordinary cultivators had no idea where its peak was or how long its circumference was.
Only cultivators with extremely profound realms, standing tens of thousands of miles away, could see Wuding Mountain's outline with their extraordinary vision.
The Divine Demon Mouse followed behind Zhang Ruochen: "Master Chen, are we just going straight to the main altar?"
"Mm," Zhang Ruochen said.
The Divine Demon Mouse swallowed his saliva: "Maybe we should wait until night. I know a secret passage that can get us into Wuding Mountain silently."
Zhang Ruochen took a drink: "With your status in the sect, can't you even bring one person into Wuding Mountain?"
"Master Chen, please spare me! I still want to stay in the sect, continue working for you and Black Master... I'm loyal, I don't want to die yet..."
The Divine Demon Mouse knelt on the ground, begging, looking at Zhang Ruochen with pitiful eyes.
"Fine. I won't make things difficult for you. I'll find someone else to guide me."
Zhang Ruochen waved his hand, signaling the Divine Demon Mouse to leave.
"Thank you, Master Chen."
The Divine Demon Mouse, as if granted amnesty, immediately burrowed into the ground, disappearing from Zhang Ruochen's perception, and fled into Wuding Mountain first.
...
At the foot of Wuding Mountain was a city called Moon Worship City.
This place had once been a marketplace where demon sect disciples traded pills and weapons. After tens of thousands of years of development, it had gradually become a city.
"Sister Qi, long time no see."
In Moon Worship City, Qi Feiyu had come to buy a type of pill when she suddenly heard this voice and was slightly startled. Turning around immediately, she looked toward a tavern across the street and saw a figure that was both familiar and unfamiliar.
The person's hair was very messy, and his clothes were simple, but he gave her a great sense of pressure.
Qi Feiyu was the daughter of Lin Suxian, the Deputy Palace Master of the Holy Maiden Palace. She had once cultivated at the Liangyi Sect and had some friendship and grudges with Zhang Ruochen when he was disguised as "Lin Yue." At the same time, Lin Feiyu was also a Holy Maiden of the demon sect, possessing extremely high talent.
"You are... Lin Yue, no, you are Zhang Ruochen..."
A look of surprise appeared in Qi Feiyu's beautiful eyes. It was hard to believe that Zhang Ruochen would appear here.
Zhang Ruochen turned around and looked at her: "Sister Qi still remembers my voice. Then you should know the purpose of my visit here, right? I want to go to the demon sect's main altar. Sister, lead the way."
At this moment, Qi Feiyu was shocked to discover that all the demon sect cultivators around had disappeared, leaving only her and Zhang Ruochen. Clearly, she had been pulled into Zhang Ruochen's Space Domain.
Let alone escaping, even if she shouted for help, no one would hear her.
At this moment, if Zhang Ruochen wanted to kill her, it would be as easy as crushing an ant. She had no room to resist or refuse.