The Rise of a Master: It Starts With Rejection

"Laura, I'm thinking about opening a clinic in the city. Is that difficult to do?" Felix asked casually.

Laura chuckled. "Not at all. As long as you have a medical license, you can open one easily."

Having just arrived in Martial City, Felix already had a rough plan.

His primary goal was to strengthen himself, and opening a clinic seemed like the most stable way to achieve that. On the surface, he would treat patients, while in secret, he would purchase rare medicinal herbs for pill cultivation-it seemed like a solid approach.noveldrama

"How easy is it to acquire rare medicinal herbs here? Is it just a matter of having enough emeralds?" Felix inquired.

Laura could not help but smile knowingly. By now, she had guessed that Felix had to be from the capital. The questions he asked were things no native of Martial City would ever wonder about.

Although Xena had provided Felix with a lot of general knowledge, deeper details about life in Martial City could only come from someone who had lived there.

"If you're looking for rare herbs, I'd suggest joining Harmony Clinic," Laura advised.

She added, "They control most of the medicinal herb trade in Martial City. Even when people find rare herbs on their own, they almost always sell them to Harmony Clinic first—it's practically an unwritten rule."

Felix frowned slightly, realizing it would not be as simple as he thought. After a moment of contemplation, he asked, "Have you heard of pill cultivation?"

Laura's eyes lit up, and she nodded eagerly. "Of course! When someone masters the art of medicine, they can attempt pill cultivation-that's where the real value lies for martial artists.

"But the problem is that books teaching pill cultivation are almost entirely in the hands of Harmony Clinic. For ordinary people, getting their hands on one is next to impossible, though a few rare copies are floating around."

Felix was impressed. Martial City truly lived up to its reputation. While pill cultivation was not exactly common, it also was not as mysterious or unattainable as in the capital.

Laura's excitement grew as she processed the implication of Felix's question. If he was capable of pill cultivation, then his skills were far beyond what she had imagined.

"Does joining Harmony Clinic mean losing your freedom?" Felix asked next.

Laura shook her head, chuckling. "Not at all. Harmony Clinic doesn't operate like a strict sect. It offers lot of freedom. If you join, they'll even fund your clinic, and all you

&t

have to do is turn over a percentage of your income each month

She continued, "If you know pill cultivation, though, the arrangement is different. They'll provide you with herbs, but they'll also set strict quotas for the pills you produce.

"If you fail to meet the quota three times, you'll be expelled. They're a lot stricter with pill cultivation than with regular medical practice."

Felix's eyes lit up. With his success rate in pill refinement, he doubted even Harmony Clinic could imagine how

Pr many pills he would be able to

produce. If they were supplying the herbs, it could be a golden

opportunity for him to keep most of what he refined.

"Perfect! Once we're in the city, take me to Harmony Clinic," Felix instructed.

Laura nodded enthusiastically,

though she hesitated for a moment

before adding, "But you should be

prepared Harmony Clinic's

vel

assessments are notoriously tough they're almost absurd. Getting in as a doctor isn't too hard, but for pill cultivation, they only accept geniuses."

Felix chuckled, raising a brow. "What? Do I not look like a genius to you?"

Laura laughed nervously but did not respond directly.

After a moment, Felix's expression grew serious. "Laura, have you ever heard of

the Maximus family in Martial City?"

Laura froze mid-step, her expression shifting to one of sheer terror.