Chapter 583: The Phoenixwood Tree

"Master..." Alana nestled comfortably in his arms, allowing him to hold her slender body as she explained what had happened.

Twenty years ago, Princess Phoenix, the second most beautiful woman on the Dreamland Continent and the owner of the Immortal Phoenix, had obtained a seed from a Phoenixwood Tree and planted it in her Phoenix Garden.

Despite the immense energy within the garden and the assistance of her Immortal Phoenix, the seed had only managed to sprout and slowly grow. Without the kind of natural, untamed environment it needed, the tree had remained stunted.

After twenty years, its trunk was barely thicker than a man’s fist, and worse, it had already begun to wither.

The last time Alana had visited the Herbalist’s shop, she’d happened to meet Dr. Harrison, the Imperial Physician. He already knew about her Hundred-Flower Body and its ability to influence flowers, herbs, and other plants.

He hadn’t said much about it at the time, but after giving the matter some thought, he’d submitted a proposal to Princess Phoenix. His idea was to have Alana work together with several imperial experts to establish a Natural Growth Array around the Phoenixwood Tree.

The array would recreate the conditions of a natural wilderness, allowing the tree to absorb the energy and vitality it needed to continue growing.

Princess Phoenix had approved the proposal immediately. Three days ago, she’d even visited Marcus’s mansion personally to invite Alana to participate.

Marcus couldn’t help feeling a little frustrated when he heard that. His sweet and innocent Alana had agreed without asking for anything in return, and this wasn’t just some ordinary person asking for her help. It was the esteemed Princess Phoenix herself.

If he’d been there, he could have at least tried to negotiate some benefits, perhaps even squeezed a Divine Artifact or two out of the deal.

As things stood, Alana now had to travel to the Imperial Palace at this time every day and use the power of her Hundred-Flower Body to nurture the plants and trees within the Natural Growth Array. The process would have to continue for eighty-one consecutive days before the Phoenixwood Tree could be properly stabilized.

Alana raised her flawless face to look at him. "Master, you’re not angry that I agreed without telling you, are you? Princess Phoenix came while you weren’t online, and I only need to spend an hour there each day, so I took the liberty of agreeing."

"Silly girl." Marcus smiled and kissed her forehead. "Why would I be angry? I like that you can make your own decisions. I’ll always support my Alana."

A heart-melting smile spread across her face, and Marcus couldn’t resist giving her another kiss. Who would have thought that his Alana would become connected to the legendary Princess Phoenix so quickly? She’d practically secured herself a place inside the Imperial Palace. ’What an incredible ability.’

Marcus couldn’t help grinning. Since Alana was already helping the Imperial Family, perhaps he could find a way to gain some benefits from the arrangement as well. And speaking of Princess Phoenix, the second most beautiful woman on the entire Dreamland Continent, he couldn’t deny that his curiosity had been thoroughly piqued.

Still, it was time for Alana to leave for the Palace. Marcus suppressed his wandering thoughts, planted several affectionate kisses on her beautiful face, and finally said, "Alright. You go to the Palace. I’ll take a look at the Golden Rabbit King’s treasure map and see what I can find."

But Alana smiled and shook her head. "Master, let’s go to the Palace together."

Marcus paused. ’Right. Together.’ The moment she said it, he realized that his earlier excitement had made him completely forget about the Blood-Fiend Fruit.

"Yes!" Alana nodded, clearly pleased that he’d caught on so quickly. "Master, now that you’ve passed Level 50, we can finally deliver the Blood-Fiend Fruit to the Dragon Dynasty. I already discussed it with Dr. Harrison. He’s been waiting for you to return from Twin Wing Island so he can personally introduce you to the Imperial Court."

Her eyes brightened as she continued, "If we’re lucky, we might even get to meet Princess Phoenix!"

Alana had already arranged everything for him. She’d even accepted Princess Phoenix’s invitation with Marcus’s situation in mind.

"My Alana..." Warmth filled Marcus’s heart. He kissed her forehead, touched by how carefully she’d considered everything for him, but there was no time to linger. They left the mansion together and headed toward the enormous Imperial Palace.

As they walked, Marcus couldn’t help asking, "Alana... is Princess Phoenix really that beautiful?"

He was starting to feel as though he was becoming far too interested in beautiful women, but considering the reputation Princess Phoenix had throughout the entire continent, he couldn’t help being curious.

Alana gave him a teasing smile. "Master, she really is breathtaking. I can’t compare to her."

She thought for a moment before continuing, her expression turning thoughtful as she searched for the right words.

"Princess Phoenix’s beauty is like a phoenix itself, completely unmatched. Her grace is like a phoenix taking flight, effortless and natural. And her nobility..." Alana paused before smiling. "It’s like the presence of a phoenix. The moment you see her, she’s so dazzling that it’s difficult to catch your breath."

’What kind of woman was she?’ Marcus found himself even more curious.

Before long, they reached the Imperial Palace. Rather than approaching the main entrance, Alana led him around to a side gate, where two heavily armed guards stood with spears in hand.

"Master, wait here for a moment." Alana stepped forward and showed the guards her token before entering through the gate. Marcus waited outside, and it wasn’t long before she returned with an elderly man.

His hair was completely white, but his eyes were sharp and lively, with none of the dullness one might expect from someone of his age. There was something about him that made it difficult to determine exactly how old he really was.

"Master, this is Dr. Harrison, the Imperial Physician. Dr. Harrison, this is my master, Stonehaven."

After the introductions, Dr. Harrison looked Marcus over carefully, his sharp eyes taking in every detail. After a moment, he nodded slowly.

"Truly a young hero. Such strength, such presence, and at your age, you’re already a Golden Wolf Guardian and hold the Dragon Dynasty Command Flag. I wouldn’t have believed it myself if I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes."

He shook his head, his admiration obvious. "No wonder Alana chose you as her master. Saint Doctor Silas’s judgment really is remarkable. Of all people, you were the one destined to obtain the Blood-Fiend Fruit..."

Marcus felt a little awkward hearing him say it so directly. Everything Dr. Harrison had said was true, but having someone list all his accomplishments so plainly still made him feel somewhat embarrassed.

Fortunately, Dr. Harrison didn’t dwell on it. He turned and began leading them through the palace gates, with Marcus and Alana following close behind.