Chapter 1121

Fullmetal Alchemist.

"Xing is not a golden heir, and she has no golden blood in her body. But if she can become a Demigod through the trial, does that mean Danheng also qualifies to become a Demigod of other Titans?"

In an old inn in Central City, the rain outside pattered against the glass, Edward looked up through the rain toward the sky, his gaze falling on Mimi.

"Brother, Xing is special. She can undergo the trial, likely due to some uncertain effects from the star core in her body." Alphonse's voice echoed in the empty helmet, "But Danheng doesn't have a star core in his body."

"No, Xing's 'special' applies only to the Vidyadhara people; this star core indeed makes her unlike ordinary people, but Danheng is equally special to the Vidyadhara… He himself is a descendant of the 'Immortal', and he has inherited the power of the Dragon Lord; this lineage and inheritance are equally rare in the world. If the fire seed of the Ocean Titan has not yet returned, Danheng might be able to undergo the trial and become a Demigod of the 'Ocean'."

"It still feels risky." Alphonse continued, "In my view, rather than letting Xing bear the Vidyadhara's years, Mimi seems more suited to become a Demigod. It is not only related to the Memory Star God and Eronius, but its own control over the power of 'memory' is stronger than Xing's."

"But Xing has received a glance from Fu Li; just that alone, Mimi can't compare, right?"

Edward lowered his head in thought, "Moreover, it's still unknown what kind of creature Mimi is. I originally thought it was a native species of the Vidyadhara, but I didn't expect that even people like Tipao and Aglaea, who have lived for hundreds or thousands of years, have never seen it. Imposing the Demigod's mission on it feels overly burdensome…"

——

Aglaea said in surprise, "…Memories that have become independent of experience?"

Xie Die: "Although I don't know the reason, I can bear witness for Mimi. Earlier in the Chasm, I heard that Titan's low groan; its words were full of sorrow and resentment… but indeed there was no malice."

"Is this putting me over a fire to roast?"

"Please, believe me. At least… at least talk to it face to face?" Mimi made a clear "please" sound, "I always have a feeling that if I don't see Eronius… I might miss something huge."

Having come to this point, Xing also agreed to trust Mimi's judgment; seeing that she had made up her mind, Aglaea decided first to send her back to the Bath Palace to rest.

Aglaea: "The situation has come to this; as a guide, I cannot shirk responsibility. You have repeatedly stepped forward for Aohema, and a single bottle of honeydew is no longer enough to express my gratitude. Once the major events settle, I hope we can have a long talk again, about your return journey and the sky's curse… It's time to lift the taboo and put these issues on the table."

Before leaving, Xing noticed Xie Die holding a poetry collection; after some inquiry, she learned it was something Xie Die had previously borrowed from Aglaea. Curious, Xing asked about its contents and found it was a book of fable poetry.

"In a distant land, there was a city-state called Stikokisia. One day, a dragon corroded by the Heichi descended from the heavens, like death itself. The dragon swallowed the city-state's princess, prompting the warriors to surround and attack it. People struck down the evil dragon, only to discover that the princess inside its belly had already perished."

"The grieving queen summoned an Alchemist, who used the dragon's flesh and blood to revive the princess. But she lost her former memories, becoming another evil dragon that roamed everywhere… and the prosperous Stikokisia consequently fell."

——

Labyrinth Meal.

"This story… I don't know why I have a bad feeling about it."

Marulshire furrowed her brow, feeling only a chill down her back. Although she was holding a bowl of steaming slime stew, she had no appetite at all.

"A bad feeling?" Leonors hurriedly ladled a big bowl from the pot, blowing on the heat and speaking indistinctly, "What feeling? Mmm… the slime's meat quality is truly unbelievable; the mucous inside actually softens the meat, how fragrant…"

"Don't mention eating." Marulshire poked the meat in the bowl with her spoon, annoyed, "Falin was swallowed by the Flaming Dragon; you say if we defeat the Flaming Dragon in the future, will Falin still be alive in its belly? If she's digested by the dragon's stomach acid…"

Hearing her sister's name, Leonors stopped chewing, lifted his head, and looked seriously at Marulshire: "Can we use resurrection magic?"

"It can be used, sure." Marulshire rubbed her forehead and sighed, "But if her body is completely digested, we could only revive her using the Flaming Dragon's flesh and blood; would that form of Falin still be her?"

Zerulchak immediately understood her meaning: "I see. Marulshire… are you afraid that the story Xie Die told might happen to us?"

"Exactly."

"I actually think we don't need to think about all this right now; let's just take it step by step. If Falin really encounters something unexpected, we'll come up with other solutions then." Zerulchak wiped his mouth, "…To be honest, I didn't expect you to connect this to Falin. I thought this story was a reflection of the Cloud‑Top Five Heroes."

"I also think this is another version of the Cloud‑Top Five Heroes story." The silent Sansi suddenly interjected, "Fortunately Danheng hasn't heard this story; otherwise it would feel like someone from beyond the heavens brought this celestial vessel's story into the Vidyadhara, changed a name, and wrote it."

——

"What a warm‑hearted story…"

Mimi gave Xing a strange look: "Ah? … Where's the warm‑hearted part?"

Unexpectedly, Xie Die blushed and nodded: "Well… I actually feel the same way."

Mimi gasped: "What?! Is this the option to increase affection?"

"The author of this book is Archelpia, a wandering bard who has traveled to many city‑states. Her relics contain poems, dictionaries, and most of all, scripts of tragicomedies; on books about mythology there are underlinings and notes, and her handwriting is very elegant."

Xie Die closed her eyes, her face full of longing: "When I leaf through these books, I seem to see Archelpia's life… This feeling is like traveling together with someone I've never met. It's as if she hasn't left; she's still alive."

"A person leaves something behind over a lifetime."

"Yeah… writing, painting, leaving images—wanting to record something in various ways seems like human nature." Xie Die paused, "Speaking of leaving images, when I took your photo earlier out of courtesy, I couldn't browse the pictures in the stone mechanism. But I'm also curious about the story of the 'Pink Cloud Heavenly Maiden.'"