Spirit Wood Division

Then Felix Xi happened to pass by and helped her drive away two bandits.

After saving her, Felix Xi said calmly, "A gang of bandits has been lurking near Four Elephants City lately. Be careful."

With that, he left.

"Wait!" Ms. Rachel Zhang called out. "Aren't you Felix Xi?"

Felix Xi and Qingluan were both young prodigies, quite famous in the Spirit Alliance.

Felix Xi looked surprised and asked, "And you are?"

"I'm Ms. Rachel Zhang, Chief of the Herb Division."

"Ms. Rachel Zhang?" Felix Xi immediately showed respect and bowed. "It’s dark tonight, I didn’t recognize you. Please forgive me, Ms. Zhang."

"Thank you! Those two just now, their cultivation was higher than mine." Ms. Rachel Zhang was still shaken.

"Are you hurt?" Felix Xi asked.

"I'm fine, really."

"It's been unsafe in the city lately. Let me walk you home," Felix Xi offered.

"Oh, I couldn't possibly impose!"

"It's no trouble," Felix Xi replied. "Please."

So Felix Xi escorted Ms. Rachel Zhang home.

...

The wood used for alchemy is especially particular.

And the required amount is massive.

That’s why the Spirit Alliance has a dedicated division for sourcing and harvesting wood.

That’s the Wood Division.

Felix Xi worked in the Wood Division.

After Felix Xi escorted Ms. Rachel Zhang home, the two had no further contact.

Later, Ms. Rachel Zhang requested a batch of precious Goldenwood.

Goldenwood—every inch is worth its weight in gold.

But even in the Spirit Alliance, it couldn’t escape its fate of being burned as firewood.

Of course, it’s still extremely valuable within the Spirit Alliance.

Whenever the Wood Division handed out such precious wood, a responsible Spiritual Alchemist would personally deliver it to avoid any mishaps.

On this day, the Spiritual Alchemist delivering Goldenwood to Ms. Rachel Zhang was none other than Felix Xi.

Ms. Rachel Zhang greeted him much more warmly than she did others.

Felix Xi, of course, didn’t refuse the warmth of the esteemed Chief of the Herb Division. The two got along splendidly.

"These two are my trusted attendants," Felix Xi said. "If you ever need anything, Chief, just ask them. I’ll make sure they give you the very best."

The two attendants nodded eagerly.

Ms. Rachel Zhang happily agreed.

Sure enough, after that, every batch of wood Ms. Rachel Zhang requested was top quality.

And Ms. Rachel Zhang returned the favor—any medicinal herbs Felix Xi wanted, she gave him the best.

Over time, whenever Felix Xi’s people delivered wood, Ms. Rachel Zhang barely checked it and used it right away.

...

Grace was Ms. Rachel Zhang’s only assistant. This day, while refining a batch of pills, she asked Grace to help.

There was an attendant in charge of stoking the fire, who grabbed some spare wood and tossed it in.

"Wait!" Grace frowned and called out. "Zhang San, the wood used for stoking the fire during pill refining is especially important. You’re the fire attendant—don’t you know that? How can you just throw it in without checking first?"

Ms. Rachel Zhang said from the side, "Don’t blame him. This wood is top quality—there’s nothing to worry about."

"That’s right!" The fire attendant said, a bit annoyed. "The Fire Division’s Felix Xi always sends our Chief the best wood—there’s never any problem."

"Felix Xi?" Grace frowned.

"Oh right, you trained with him before, didn’t you? You two must be close," Ms. Rachel Zhang glanced at her and said.

Grace curled her lip and said, rather flippantly, "He’s alright, I guess! But honestly, I can’t stand the guy."

"Oh? Why’s that?"

"Back when we were training together under President Arthur White, I got to know him really well! He’s so arrogant, always looking down on everyone. But in the end, didn’t he lose to me?"