The Rise of a Master: It Starts With Rejection

When Felix entered the room, he noticed a pale-faced young man slumped over a table, fast asleep. Nearby, a middle-aged man was engrossed in a book,

seemingly unaware of Felix's presence.

"Hello," Felix greeted, drawing the man's attention.

The middle-aged man looked up, smiled, and stood. "Are you here to learn pill cultivation?"

Felix nodded. "Yes, I am."

"Prepare your silver needles," the man instructed.

Felix was not entirely sure why but complied without hesitation.

The man then woke the young man, who groggily grabbed a glass of water, took a sip, and lay on a bed in the corner. "You have ten minutes to cure him. If you succeed, you'll pass the preliminary assessment. Otherwise, you'll have to leave."

appeared healthy, his internal organs were rapidly deteriorating-a clear effect of whatever was in the water

The test was indeed tough, just as Laura had warned him, and many would have already failed

seven minutes and

standing out too much in Martial City could attract trouble, whether from the Maximus family or powerful figures like the Grand Elder. Felix preferred to stay low-key, using the

However, Felix was not one to place

he encountered an enemy too powerful to handle or became a liability, Harmony Clinic would not hesitate to cut

passed the preliminary assessment. See that elevator over there? Go up to the

replied before heading to

and yawned. "Do you think this guy has a real chance

and healing are related, but they're not the same. We haven't found a better way to test aptitude over the years, so this is all

not care about a person's background-even murderers or criminals could join as long as they followed the rules. As

on the fifth floor, Felix stepped into a spacious hall where another woman was waiting. She smiled and said, "Congratulations on passing the

with her eyes closed, seemingly deep in thought. After gesturing for Felix to sit, the

old woman