The... Adorable...

Fang Shiqing remembered everything.

She remembered the Clown summoned by the Mask, the chaos the Clown caused on the battlefield, the Giggle and Mock beneath the Void, and the figure climbing backwards down the tree of Conjugate Whisper.

Most importantly, she remembered the Clown's name.

Cheng Shi!

This "friend" who had previously refused his invitation has re-entered his Memory in such an unfamiliar way.

Fang Shiqing felt a mix of emotions: touched, appreciative, respectful, and admiring.

But none of these complex expressions were shown; instead, a knowing smile appeared on his face, which had previously been filled with fear and panic.

That smile was like a rising sun on a mountaintop, illuminating the entire Fire-Keeping Path.

It is so beautiful it is beyond description.

Even the Hope's Flame was stunned.

"You..."

"What's wrong? Is there anything else? If not, we can talk when I get back. I really have to go find him."

"... Could this be what you humans call 'pulling'...?"

"No swearing!"

"..." The candle flame on [Hope's Flame] paused, and it moved away listlessly. "I'm injured, and I need Qingqing to comfort me to get better."

"I'll coax you when you get back. Goodbye!"

Fang Shiqing smiled and walked away. [Hope's Flame] watched her retreating figure, its flame flickering left and right, seemingly lost in thought.

The Fire-Keeping Path was long, and she hadn't gone far when she encountered the Bailing who had rushed in in a panic.

Strangely, the moment Bailing saw Fang Shiqing, she suddenly regained her composure.

Fang Shiqing glanced at her thoughtfully, then asked with a smile:

Why are you in such a panic?

Bailing skipped over and took her hand, smiling as she said:

"I had a nightmare and was really scared, but the moment I saw Sister Qing, I suddenly wasn't scared anymore."

"Sister Qing, I feel like you're radiating light! You're so dazzling!"

"You chatterbox! I don't have time for you. I have something to talk to him about. We can talk later."

Fang Shiqing patted Bailing's hand and continued walking forward, but after taking only two steps, she stopped, turned around, and asked a question that seemed to come out of nowhere:

"Hey, I suddenly remembered, what was the name of that knight Priest we encountered in the Trials just now?"

I reviewed the entire trial, but I just couldn't remember his name..."

Upon hearing this, Bailing frowned slightly as if deep in thought, but her hands behind her back gripped her waist tightly.

Her back was covered in sweat.

"I think her name is... Leyer?"

Fang Shiqing suddenly realized:

"Yes, yes, Leyer, um, I remember now, I'll go now, we'll talk later."

As she spoke, Fang Shiqing turned and walked away, her pace quickening and the sunny aura emanating from her growing stronger.

She could tell that Bailing's heartstrings were trembling, which meant that Bailing probably remembered everything from the previous Trials.

But she didn't want to pursue the matter further or say anything more. All she needed to know was that Bailing had just lied to her, and that was enough.

Those City Defender must learn to protect the beauty in their hearts.

And this little bird learned very quickly.

Bailing watched her departing figure, pressing her lips tightly together.

She was thinking of someone, but that person wasn't Fang Shiqing had left.

A sentence echoed in her mind:

I can't say!

A short while later, in the Void, in the Fire-Keeping Hall.

Fang Shiqing saw that towering figure again, the founder of the Fire Keeper, the anchor of the Fire Keeper.

He was writing at his desk when Fang Shiqing quickly walked to the shore and slapped the petals of the Conjugate Whisper of Conjugate on the table.

"Thump."

The man looked up, glanced at the flower petals, and smiled.

"What, you got it?"

"You don't seem surprised?" Fang Shiqing said irritably.

"If those Fire Seeker cherish, then those Fire Keeper have no right to talk about protecting the good things in life."

"..." Fang Shiqing laughed in exasperation, "Don't make it sound so easy, and don't exaggerate my achievements. This isn't my doing, it's..."

The man stopped writing, stood up straight, looked at him, and smiled, "What is it?"

Fang Shiqing's eyes darkened for a moment, then brightened again in an instant.

"It's all thanks to all those Fire Keeper!"

"Clap clap clap! Well said."

The man laughed heartily, "I think we need to create a motivation officer position, and you would be perfect for it."

"..."

Fang Shiqing stared at the man in front of her for a long time, then suddenly asked:

"You seem to be in a good mood. Is there some good news?"

"So obvious? It's not exactly good news, but it's not bad news either."

For us tightrope walkers, anything that isn't bad news is good news.

"What good news?"

"They've been tricked. Someone just told me that those self- Chosen of God's have been tricked."

Fang Shiqing was taken aback and asked in surprise, "Who? [Them]?"

"No, no, I don't know who it is, but he's very interesting..."

You don't need to know too many details, because it involves someone... well, never mind, let's not talk about her.

Before you meet her, you don't need to know who she is; otherwise, you'll only pique her interest unnecessarily and bring bad luck.

"Alright, get to your business. It seems you didn't come here just for this one petal."

Indeed, Fang Shiqing originally intended to send this petal, whose power was dissipating, over so that the stabilizing force in front of her could turn it into the Shadow Oath Potion.

But now, she's not in a hurry anymore.

The reason for this change was that some wonderful stories suddenly appeared in her Memory, and although these stories were short, they still gave her a lot of inspiration.

No, it should be said that it gave her tremendous, unimaginable inspiration.

Fang Shiqing glanced at the flower petals on the table, then hesitated, as if she wanted to say something.

She tried to speak several times, but she didn't know how to repeat Cheng Shi's exciting words Cheng Shi the Void.

Because she knew that the man in front of her was exceptionally perceptive, and that as long as she spoke, he would be able to guess that someone had instilled this idea in her, and would then ask who that person was.

Fang Shiqing did not want to reveal Cheng Shi's name.

Because she felt that she was not the one being injected with the knowledge, but rather the one who actively received it.

So she hesitated, she was conflicted, and she didn't know how to start the conversation.

The man observed all of this and smiled again.

He was far more perceptive than Fang Shiqing had imagined.

"It seems our Fire Seeker has his own secret."

It's alright, since you feel this secret shouldn't be told to me, then..."

The man took a step back, pulled a syringe from under his desk, and placed it on the table.

"This is..." Fang Shiqing was slightly taken aback and asked in confusion.

"[Memory] Creation, SS -S-Rank Item, for remembrance and mourning."

Simply touch it lightly to yourself, and then think about the memories you want to erase; it will help you cover them up.

Don't underestimate it just because it's only an SS -S-Rank Item. Its effects are on Discarded Divine Artifact, but..."

Fang Shiqing's eyes widened, and she muttered a guess to herself:

"Consumables?"

"Bingo, it's a consumable item."

"But this is you..."

"This is the Fire Keeper's." The man interrupted her, his smile widening. He said very seriously, "We always trust our companions. If you're not ready to tell me this secret, then it just means I shouldn't know it."

And this is also one of the beautiful things that you, Fang Shiqing, the Fire Keeper, want to protect.

As the initiator of the Fire Keeper, I am simply happy about this.

You should use it, and you need to use it.

Fang Shiqing never denied that a large part of the reason she joined the Fire Keeper was the personal charm of the man in front of her.

She always felt that with such a person leading the way, the Fire Keeper would surely be able to walk the path of Passing the Flame.

So she nodded heavily, then carefully organized her thoughts, carefully crafted her words, and after taking several deep breaths, finally spoke the words that had been weighing on her mind.

I think...

The City Builder's will was far too conservative.

"..."