Yi Shangchen was almost in tears. He ran back covered in wounds and gnashed his teeth at Lian Ruxin, "Why, why?!"

Lian Ruxin comforted the little demon, who was only a year younger than him, in a cold voice, "Alright, don't be angry."

Yi Shangchen wiped the dust from his face, "Aren't you angry?!"

Lian Ruxin said, "Why should I be angry? Back then, he solved the people's troubles and deserves this blessing."

Although he said that, a thought suddenly emerged in Lian Ruxin's mind.

-- If only there could be a major event in the city now, like the plague demon invasion back then.

Even if it meant using up his remaining years of life, he wanted to solve this for everyone and earn incense for the divine stone...

Halfway through this thought, Lian Ruxin was startled.

...How could he have such an ignoble thought?

As Lian Ruxin was silently reproaching himself, Yi Shangchen's eyes suddenly lit up, "Brother, I have an idea."

Lian Ruxin brought over the herbal medicine he had brewed and put a piece of sugar in the bowl, gently saying, "What silly idea do you have now?"

Yi Shangchen hugged the medicine bowl, smiling sweetly, "Just wait and see!"

After that day, Yi Shangchen never returned.

Lian Ruxin waited for one night, two nights, and couldn't wait any longer. He went down the mountain to search.

He searched the entire city. While resting at a roadside tea stall, he overheard people at the next table mentioning that two days ago, an arrogant little demon had the audacity to smash the "Fu Yan" Immortal's temple and destroy the immortal's jade statue.

As a result, it was his misfortune. A Daoist priest happened to pass by, saw him being chased by the crowd, recognized him as a demon cultivator with weak magic power, and immediately threw out a demon-subduing staff, beating the little demon cultivator to death on the spot.

Lian Ruxin sat at the tea stall, dumbfounded.

After a while, he paid for the tea and walked away in a daze.

For a thousand years, the people in the ancient city had always been able to turn misfortune into blessing due to the divine stone's protection. Yi Shangchen smashing the temple counted as the people's "misfortune", while the Daoist priest killing him in an instant was "turning it into a blessing".

Lian Ruxin looked at his own hands, thinking, did I cause his death?

In a trance, Lian Ruxin arrived in front of the destroyed temple.

There were a few people gathered there, discussing the excitement from two days ago.

"The immortal is truly a divine being! When the jade statue was destroyed, he sent an emissary to eliminate the demon."

"Then we must worship more! The immortal must be watching over our city at all times. We can't anger him and make him think we're neglecting him..."

Lian Ruxin said nothing and turned to leave.

The street was lively and bustling. With the new year approaching, everything was a brilliant red, with no trace of sorrow.

The death of a little demon who committed evil deeds could be considered a joyous event.

Lian Ruxin staggered along the street, muttering and stumbling, looking around in a daze.

He said, "You should all believe in him, all believe in him."

...All believe in him.

That night, the moonlight was like silk.

Lian Ruxin stood on the mountain path in a daze for half the night, his body covered in frost and snow.

In the end, he didn't even know who he was waiting for anymore. Only the person's voice still echoed in his ears.

"Brother Lian, why do you always blush when you see me?"

"...I don't."

"Nonsense, you're blushing right now."

Lian Ruxin touched his cheek, as if it had just been pinched by that reckless boy.

Suddenly, he caught sight of a faint glow drifting up the mountain path. Feeling something, his eyes grew hot and he hurried over.

...It was one of Yi Shangchen's seven spirit fragments.

Lian Ruxin searched the entire mountain, spending a full seven days and nights, and finally found all of Yi Shangchen's scattered three souls and seven spirit fragments.

Yi Shangchen didn't forget his promise to him.

Even after death, he remembered to return.

From then on, Lian Ruxin never went down the mountain again.

He held Yi Shangchen's spirit fragments and sat by the divine stone, his heart empty, like a snow-covered mountain, silent and still.

He sat on the mountain, from the heavy snow to the beginning of spring, and then to the awakening of insects.

As all things came back to life, he sat until he turned into a moss-covered stone.

Until half a month ago, a black-robed man wearing a bronze demon mask appeared before him.

His first words made Lian Ruxin freeze on the spot, "Do you want to resurrect that demon cultivator?"

Lian Ruxin looked up at the terrifyingly hideous demon mask.

The mask was frightening, but the voice coming from inside was exceptionally ethereal and cold, as if echoing, "Do you want to mend the torn sky and fulfill your responsibility?"

He asked again, "Do you want freedom? To leave this place with that demon cultivator?"

Before this, Lian Ruxin had never thought of anything besides his own responsibility.

Protecting the people was his innate duty.

But after sitting in a daze for months, facing the demon mask, Lian Ruxin opened his mouth but didn't refuse.

The black-robed man held the Tang sword at his waist and squatted down, staring straight at him, "If killing one person could ensure eternal peace for thousands, save the little demon cultivator's life, and give you freedom, would you do it?"

Lian Ruxin still didn't refuse immediately.

He asked, "Kill who?"

"The 'Fu Yan' Immortal at the foot of the mountain," the black-robed man said without any emotion in his voice, "Fengling's Feng Rugu."