Curtis' frown deepened. "I told you before that your future husband would come for you this year. You were supposed to marry him, not get involved with another man. "Are you disregarding my wishes? I've never opposed anything you wanted to do in your life. Is fulfilling this one engagement too much to ask?"Xena sighed. It was true that Curtis had always supported her choices, even when her parents objected. Perhaps that was why she became the formidable warrior she was. Besides, the engagement was indeed his only request."But, Grandpa," Xena pleaded, "Marriage is a life-changing commitment. Why are you clinging to this outdated concept of arranged marriages? Don't I have a say in my own love life?"Curtis patted Xena's shoulder. "I'm not old-fashioned, sweetheart. This engagement wasn't my idea—it was your great-grandpa's."Xena gasped. She thought it was impossible, given how far back this mess actually started. Not only that, but her parents were probably not even born then.
"Grandpa, did I… did I just space out?" Xena furrowed her brows, feeling like something had been off previously. However, she couldn't quite put her finger on it. It all felt very strange.Curtis took a step forward. "Come on, let's talk about it when we get back. I've already made up my mind."He understood how much his father sacrificed for this marriage arrangement. Felix's master was such a powerful figure. However, they still needed to consider the realities of the present world. Still, Curtis swore not to disappoint his father.…As soon as Felix stepped off the plane in Yartford, someone came up to greet him. "Mr. Zeller, I'm with the headquarters of the Traditional Medicine Association. You can call me Howard. If you need anything today or tomorrow, just let me know."Felix nodded. "Thanks for your help, Howard."Howard Xavier, who was relatively young, was genuinely surprised by Felix's demeanor. Felix was the last of the nine young, renowned doctors to arrive. The oth
The traffic situation in Yartford being terrible was common knowledge. Hence, Felix immediately said, "As long as it doesn't delay my participation in the competition, we can head to your place first. I hope you know that I mean it sincerely."Howard couldn't help but feel moved by that. Instead of continuing straight, he immediately made a right turn. "Mr. Zeller, thank you, really. My family is in serious trouble, but I promise it won't delay you.""Where's your home?" Felix asked. After getting an answer, he sent out a quick message on WhatsApp. He certainly didn't want this situation to cause any delays. About half an hour later, they pulled into an older residential area. The neighborhood clearly showed its age, with cars parked everywhere. Only older complexes from back in the day lacked planned parking spaces."Mr. Zeller, please wait here. I'll head up and deal with this," Howard said before entering the building nearby. Felix got out of the car as well, and less than a mi
The next moment, Howard was shoved aside as a man and a woman entered the room."So, you're Felix Zeller?" Liam Lawson's expression was disdainful, and he rudely pointed at Felix with his right hand. He looked like an average guy. There was nothing particularly striking about his appearance. The woman, on the other hand, looked even worse. Her face was covered in pockmarks, and her mouth had a slight slant. However, her hair looked impressive. Thick and jet-black, it was tied in a ponytail.Seeing that Felix continued sipping his tea and ignored them entirely, Liam became angry and was about to speak when the woman interrupted."My name is Zara Morgan. I've already defeated the others who were selected to come here. They all admitted that their medical skills couldn't compare to mine. Now, you're the only one left. I don't want to waste time, so let's have a match. "If you beat me, the right to compete against the modern medicine practitioners from Guneria tomorrow will be you
"Shut up!" Zara snapped at Liam, her patience finally worn thin. Since meeting Felix, she had sensed something exceptional about him—a feeling that he wouldn't be easily defeated. She had tried to maintain her focus, preparing herself for the toughest challenge. However, Liam's repeated interruptions had tested her limits. Hence, she was genuinely angry.Seeing that his attempts to ingratiate himself had backfired, Liam quickly zipped his mouth and shook his head, signaling that he would keep quiet.At that moment, Felix flicked three silver needles, which flew precisely into Howard's acupoints. Howard instantly closed his eyes, his expression turning to intense relaxation and enjoyment."That's it?" Even though Liam had vowed to stay silent, he couldn't help but stifle a laugh, his expression twisting with amusement.However, Zara suddenly strode over to Howard and observed him closely. After a moment, she inhaled sharply and opened her eyes in disbelief."Oh my God! How is thi
Felix couldn't help but marvel at how renowned Liam's "queen" was. Even though Liam had a loose tongue, he had still been chosen to participate, indicating that his skills in traditional medicine were quite strong and that he had a considerable reputation in the field. In traditional medicine, knowledge was typically passed down from a mentor. Hence, self-taught practitioners were rare. This meant that Liam's mentor was also likely a highly respected doctor. Yet, despite his background, he spoke of his "queen" as an unrivaled figure in their age group, which spoke volumes about her status.After about ten minutes, the room settled, and the last of the movements ceased. An elderly man, William Ziegler, the president of the Traditional Medicine Association's headquarters, stood up. His position was one of great authority."Everyone here understands the significance of tomorrow's competition. The nine young traditional medicine practitioners recommended for this event are now presen
"I am also withdrawing!" Liam declared.After witnessing Felix's use of the Pierce of Trinity firsthand, Liam had no objections to his skill, so he saw no point in continuing the competition.With Liam and Zara withdrawing, the other eager participants hesitated. After a moment, they each followed suit and withdrew as well. After all, if they couldn't even defeat Zara, they stood no chance against Felix. It was better to step back than risk embarrassment in such a crowd.The turn of events didn't surprise William. He then turned his attention to the burly man who had initially voiced objections."What do you think?" William asked.The man had a displeased expression. "Hmph! I seriously question the intentions behind these nominations! How can you expect such a bunch of weaklings to represent our country? "It's laughable that they lack even the courage to compete, yet they dare to call themselves the best young practitioners in traditional medicine!"Liam was irritated by the re
Everyone was shocked when they learned that the judge for this competition would be Xander Fielding. He was ranked tenth among the ten best master healers of Dragonia. Even though he held the last spot, being one of the top ten was still a prestigious position, especially among those studying traditional medicine. Many considered him a role model.After a while, William returned, looking utterly respectful as he walked beside Xander."Dr. Xander Fielding!"Everyone stood up to greet him, including Zara. Regardless of who their masters were or how their skills compared to Xander's, showing respect to a senior was a given.Felix also paid his respects. Even though it wasn't his first time meeting Xander, he saw no reason to act arrogantly.Seeing Xander as a potential savior, Timothy wasted no time complaining, "You've arrived just in time, Dr. Fielding. These youngsters decided on the outcome in private without realizing how crucial tomorrow's event was."Although Zara had agree