Grace patted Cutie Pie on the head, set it down, and said, "Cutie Pie, go look for Leon Zane!"
Cutie Pie nodded.
"If you find him, come back to my place at the Spirit Alliance to find me."
Cutie Pie nodded again and scampered off.
His Highness is just too... adorable!
Shannon couldn't help but laugh, "With Cutie Pie around, we'll definitely find my cousin. Now I can relax!"
"Shannon, I have an appointment and need to head back to the Spirit Alliance to meet someone," Grace said. "It's already late, and by the time I get back, the city gates will probably be closed. I'll come find you first thing tomorrow morning."
Shannon: "Go ahead, I'll wait for you here."
"If Cutie Pie gets any news, I'll let you know with the Messenger Charm."
Shannon nodded.
......
Grace had arranged to meet Felix Xi that evening.
When she returned to the Spirit Alliance, Felix was already waiting for her.
She transcribed the antidote recipe for the Sevenbane Begonia without missing a single word.
He frowned deeply as he read the ingredients.
"Ugh! A Grade Sixteen spirit medicine..." Grace sighed. "And what exactly is 'Phoenix Essence'? What is 'Heaven's Dew'? I've never even heard of them."
Felix said nothing.
"You haven't heard of them either, right?" Grace asked. "Could 'Phoenix Essence' actually be phoenix marrow?"
"Thunk!" Felix tapped her on the head. "Don't say such blasphemous things!"
Grace rubbed her head. "But it's called 'Phoenix Essence'! Of course I'd think that!"
Felix glanced at her and asked, "Have you ever heard of Qishan Mountain?"
"Qishan? I think a friend mentioned it once... Isn't it the name of a sacred mountain? It's supposed to be full of rare treasures..."
She vaguely remembered Leon Zane bringing it up when talking about 'Lu Qi.'
He said Qishan was a divine mountain, and that Lu Qi's parents sure knew how to pick names...
"In the Divine Realm of Tianwu, there's Qishan Mountain. At its peak stands the King Spirit Tree," Felix explained. "The tree produces a fragrant resin, sweet and alluring. The Phoenixes nest in the tree, choosing the most aromatic spots. Because the resin is white and looks like marrow, it's called 'Phoenix Essence.'"
"Wait! What are you talking about? I'm totally lost," Grace said. "What's the Divine Realm of Tianwu?"
"It's the sacred realm where the Phoenix Clan lives."
"And what's the King Spirit Tree?"
"It's the king of all Spirit Trees! The oldest, most magnificent sacred tree in the world," Felix said.
"So what exactly is this 'fragrant resin'?"
"I guess... it's probably a kind of sap that flows from the King Spirit Tree? Maybe something like pine resin," Felix mused, though he'd never seen it himself. "Phoenixes build their nests where the resin is most fragrant, so people call it Phoenix Essence."
Grace eyed him suspiciously. "How do you know all this?"
Felix kept silent, clearly unwilling to explain.
"Alright, forget I asked. So what about Heaven's Dew?"
Felix shook his head. "I have no idea either."
Grace: "Oh..."
"Let's exchange addresses!" Felix suggested.
"Why?"
"If I manage to get a Phoenix Essence Pill, I'll send one to you."
Grace immediately grabbed paper and pen, wrote down her address, and handed it to him. "Give me yours too! If I get a Phoenix Essence Pill, I'll send one your way as well."
Felix hesitated for a moment, then wrote down his address and gave it to her.
That night, Felix left the Spirit Alliance and headed home.
Grace decided to spend another night at the Spirit Alliance and planned to look for Shannon tomorrow.
Later that night, Grace entered her space again.
She wanted to check the fourth floor of the mysterious Celestial Library to see if there were any records about 'Phoenix Essence' or 'Heaven's Dew.'
But before going in, she glanced at her Legacy Jade Scroll.