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
After a moment of hesitation, Felix agreed to exchange contact information with Zara."I live in Avesburgh," he said.With his details in hand, Zara smiled sweetly as she watched him enter a taxi."I've met an interesting person, sir. It's the first time since leaving the mountain that I've been defeated by someone my age," Zara muttered.…Felix soon arrived at a bustling commercial street in Yartford. He couldn't help but marvel at the sight. There was a small, 20-square-yard pasta shop with a long line of customers. People were eating their pasta while standing or squatting all around."Indeed, when one door closes, another opens. It's just a matter of time."This pasta shop belonged to Madeline. Despite its tiny size, its prime location in the city meant that the annual rent was a steep one million dollars. While a price might be unreasonable in a place like Avesburgh, it was apparently worth it in Yartford."Felix, you're here," Madeline greeted him warmly as she stepped o
Although Curtis had woken up a few days earlier, Felix hadn't been overly concerned, knowing that each person's recovery time depended on their physical condition."I'm in Yartford. I'll see him when I get back," he replied to Xena.In response, she abruptly hung up, showing her impatience.Around 7:00 pm, Felix and Madeline arrived at the restaurant."Does your boyfriend's family have a lot of money?" Felix asked, glancing at the upscale entrance, which suggested a high-end dining experience.Furrowing her brows slightly, Madeline replied, "No, he just works at a company, earning a little over ten thousand dollars monthly. However, this is his family's first time meeting me, so it's understandable they'd want to splurge a little."That made sense to Felix. A young man was already seated inside when they entered the private room."Luke, let me introduce my cousin, Felix Zeller. He happened to be in Yartford for business, so I invited him along. Is that okay?" Madeline asked.Lu
Lilian slammed her hand on the table, fury radiating from her."Are you an idiot? A woman like her is fine for a fling, but marrying her? Do you think Mom and Dad would ever agree to that? Absolutely not!"After saying that, she turned her gaze to Madeline. It was clear she understood Luke's character."Listen carefully, Madeline, if you truly love my brother, then stop pestering him! You know what kind of person you are."At that moment, Felix finally spoke up. "It's true that Maddy worked as a hostess in a karaoke bar. That's undeniable, and I believe she wouldn't try to argue against it. But everyone deserves a chance, don't they? "Maddy's father left her with a heavy debt, and she had to take this job to pay it off as quickly as possible. She has maintained her integrity. She was just a hostess and didn't do anything inappropriate."He walked over and patted Luke on the shoulder, continuing, "I'm saying all this because I think your character is worth defending. At least Mad
Since Felix had promised to support her, Madeline stood up straight. She longed to prove herself, especially since she had found success in her work. She wanted to find love and a family full of warmth, too. She had known Felix since they were young. He wasn't one to make empty promises. Since he was standing up for her, he must be confident about himself.Lilian, however, sneered in disdain. "She's losing out? Are you even hearing yourself? There aren't many in Yartford who would dare to say that about joining our family. Ha! Birds of a feather flock together."Felix casually tossed a Diamond Card from Concord Bank onto the table, saying, "We're about the same age, right? Let's see how rich you really are."With a quick glance, Lilian recognized the card. After all, given her family's financial standing, there was no way she wouldn't recognize a Concord Bank Diamond Card. Her expression briefly changed, but then she scoffed."So, you aren't entirely useless. I guess you must be
"Hey, are you two here for dinner too? Are you here for dinner with Mr. Jackson?" Walter asked.Lilian hurriedly replied, "No. Is Sean having dinner here?""Yeah, he's having a meal with a few heavy drinkers. I was just on my way to grab more wine from the car. Anyway, I gotta run."Just then, Luke stopped him and asked, "Walter, do you… do you know that guy?"They had seen it clearly. Walter had stepped aside and respectfully bowed to Felix. It felt so surreal to them.Walter turned back to them, his brow furrowing. "Not exactly. Why are you asking? Do you know him?"If Walter didn't exactly know him, why was he acting so respectful to him?Luke's mind raced as he asked again, "Isn't he Felix Zeller?"Instantly, Walter's expression turned serious. "That's right! Did you offend him? Be honest; this could be serious."Lilian trembled slightly. She opened her mouth but seemed lost for words. Luke, however, laughed."Come on, Walter, relax. He's my girlfriend's cousin. There's n
Outside the restaurant, Felix and Madeline stopped in their tracks."Felix, thank you. Perhaps I've said that too many times, to the point it's lost its meaning," Madeline said.Felix smiled. "You don't need to thank me. Just make sure you don't look down on yourself."Madeline brushed her bangs back, looking calm and collected. "Don't worry. I won't do that again. However, I didn't expect Luke to stand up for me like that today."Felix nodded. "He's a good guy. It's hard for him to hold onto such values, especially given his wealthy background."At that moment, Luke and Lilian hurried over."Maddy, my… my sister wants to apologize to you," Luke said.Madeline raised an eyebrow. She looked at Lilian, who couldn't even meet her gaze. She acted so differently from her earlier haughty demeanor."Do I deserve your sister's apology? Since she has already spoken her mind, there's no point in her putting on an act."Felix, however, seemed to understand the change. It was likely becau
"Do you need me to feed you?" Zara asked. Felix looked at Zara, puzzled. For some reason, she seemed like a different person. She was suddenly acting warm and even showing a bit of a softer side."Don't act like that. You're making me nervous," Felix said.Felix devoured his breakfast, wanting to get through the meal quickly. Meanwhile, Zara sat across from him, resting her chin on her hands."Is it because you think I'm ugly?" she asked."No, not at all. I've been around many beautiful women, so I don't care if a person is beautiful or not. We are all given a life. Beauty has advantages, sure, but being less attractive doesn't mean you can't live a full life."Zara's eyes brightened. "Impressive. That's the most sincere answer I've heard from a man."By 10:00 am, people began arriving at the Traditional Medicine Association headquarters. This event was not open to the public, so the attendees were limited to those who witnessed the recommendation of nine candidates the previou
The reason Edmond dared to question Felix at all was that he was holding onto that one sliver of arrogance—he assumed Felix had only cured Christopher by pure luck, just because it happened to fall under his area of expertise.Otherwise, would he have even dared speak up? Not a chance.Once the silk threads were tied and tension filled the air, Felix spoke calmly after only a short pause. "Her Grace has a mild seasonal chill. It's nothing serious. I'll prescribe her some herbal blends—she'll recover within five days. Or, if she prefers a quicker route, acupuncture will do the trick."The Green King blinked, clearly stunned by the response. "You mean you can heal her without medication?""That's right. No medicine necessary." At the same time, a soft, melodic voice floated from behind the curtain. Sydney Haye said, "My love, that sounds perfect. You know I hate taking medicine. Please, Dr. Zeller, come in and begin the treatment."...15 minutes later, Felix stepped back out in
Joaquin was on the edge of madness. He wanted nothing more than to kill Felix right there, but he didn't dare risk the entire Goldstein family just to satisfy that rage. Disobeying a royal summons meant immediate execution—there was no bluffing around it.After taking a deep breath, Joaquin forced himself to put on a smile. "Dr. Zeller, then tell me—what exactly do you need in order to head to the Green King Manor?"Felix had seen this kind of groveling far too many times before. "Gras is right outside your estate. Go talk to him. The sooner you two reach an agreement, the sooner I'll leave for the manor.""What? Gras is here?" Only now did Joaquin realize just how thoroughly he had been played. Everything had been a setup from the beginning, and he had walked straight into the trap.Time ticked by, and eventually, Gras strolled into the courtyard. He said, "Dr. Zeller, the talk went well. How's the view treating you so far?" From the smile on Gras's face, it was clear he hadn't
Not far away, Wagner silently prayed with all his might. "Come on, Felix, don't back down now. Keep acting like a hothead—because only then will you die."As for any retaliation from the Longstone family, he wasn't the least bit concerned. Things had already gone too far, and Joaquin clearly wasn't about to back down. He would definitely find a reason to escalate the fight, and if that weren't the case, Wagner wouldn't have dared tag along tonight.Maybe his prayer actually worked, because Felix shook his head. "Sorry, I came here just to cooperate with your investigation. Anything beyond that… I won't do."Just as Wagner thought Felix had sealed his fate, someone suddenly rushed in, holding something in his hand. "Mr. Goldstein! We've got trouble—Green King Manor just sent a royal summons!""What?" Joaquin's expression twisted as he snatched the letter. A summons from one of the nine Minor Kings was no small matter—when it was issued, compliance was mandatory. Ignoring it meant
In the past, no one dared provoke a family war so openly as it would've been a blatant slap in the Green King's face. But this time, the Goldsteins had the upper hand. After all, Justus was dead, and the Longstone family was a prime suspect. Hence, even if blood were shed, it could still be justified.Joaquin knew this well. He also understood that Gras would never give up Felix for the sake of the Longstones' reputation, so even forcing the standoff served his purpose.Just as the tension reached its peak and a battle was about to break out, Felix stepped forward on his own. "You're the head of the Goldsteins, right? I'll go with you."Joaquin narrowed his eyes. He hadn't expected Felix to boldly step forward."Dr. Zeller, please step back," Gras said.Felix glanced at Gras and said, "Thank you for everything, sir. But the truth will speak for itself. Once the investigation is done, I'm sure they'll let me return."Gras stayed silent, but Joaquin chuckled coldly. "Return? Do you
Ginny was naturally present as well, and she spoke up at that moment. "Mr. Goldstein, no one wanted to see Justus die like that. But why did you bring your people to Longstone residence? Are you suggesting that his sudden death has something to do with us?"Joaquin's expression grew darker as he looked at her. He blamed Ginny for this, thinking that none of this would have happened if she had just agreed earlier. And now, they couldn't even determine the cause of death."No connection? That doctor from your household, Felix Zeller—he's the one responsible for Justus' death."Right then, someone spoke up from the crowd. "That's him! That's Felix Zeller!"Felix, who had been calmly sitting in a chair, finally saw Wagner standing among them. And in that moment, everything made sense."Wagner? You've gotten quite bold, huh?" Gras sneered.Wagner flinched at Gras's words, but remembering that he now had the Goldsteins backing him, he stiffened his spine and stood tall. "Cut the crap
In Cloud City, there were a few noble families. Nonetheless, behind the polite smiles, tensions surged. Infiltrating each other's estates with spies had practically become a tradition. While they rarely uncovered major secrets, the information they did gather always gave them a head start.So when the news broke, Gras didn't doubt it for a second. He jumped to his feet, furious. "This is outrageous! Their son dies, and somehow it's the Longstone family's fault?"Ryker looked just as puzzled, agreeing that the accusation made no sense.But Felix let out a quiet, weary sigh. "Mr. Longstone, I'm afraid this is probably my fault. I'm a doctor, and I've gotten a bit of attention lately. After they failed to determine the cause of Justus' death, and given our meeting earlier today, they likely saw an opportunity to drag your family into the mess." Gras's expression darkened, knowing that Felix wasn't wrong. After all, doctors could also be poisoners, and plenty of martial artists had fa
It was clear someone had said something to Justus. Otherwise, this situation wouldn't have escalated to this point.Felix said calmly, "It was a standard therapeutic massage technique, and I was blindfolded the entire time. Does that explanation satisfy you? Or would you rather find someone else capable of treating Ms. Longstone—I'll gladly step aside if you can."Justus sneered, his eyes filled with disdain. "Cut the crap, Felix. Don't act like I don't know exactly what's going through your head. Ginny's the heiress of the Longstone residence—Gras's precious jewel. Everyone knows that marrying her is like securing the entire household. Don't tell me that thought never crossed your mind.""It didn't," Felix said simply.Unfortunately, that answer was never going to satisfy Justus. He snarled, "Listen up, boy! I'm giving you three days to get the hell out of the Longstone residence. If you don't, you won't even get the chance to regret it. Everyone else might be afraid of Gras—but I
As Wagner watched Justus explode in rage, he felt an overwhelming sense of satisfaction. With what he'd just uncovered, there was no need to exaggerate—it was already explosive enough on its own.After all, Justus' future fiancée was touched in that kind of intimate way by a young, healthy doctor. Any man with a spine would lose it."But Justus," Wagner added with a smirk. "Didn't Felix just get publicly praised by the Green King?"Cloud City wasn't that big. Anyone with any influence had been keeping close tabs on Green King Manor—especially with the mystery man who walked out of Desolated Lands involved. So, the news of Felix being rewarded had already spread far and wide.Justus clenched his jaw. "So what? It's just a flash in the pan. If he was truly skilled, the Green King would've kept him. But as long as he hasn't climbed into the Green King's inner circle, I can crush him whenever I want."Wagner's grin widened. That was exactly the attitude he needed. If Justus had shown
The moment the Flame Monarch mentioned the Healer Sage, the Green King's expression shifted noticeably. "So the Sage really was living out there in seclusion... No wonder. Flame Monarch, does this mean you've taken a liking to Felix?"But the Flame Monarch waved his hand dismissively. "There's no need for that."That response made the Green King secretly rejoice. If the Flame Monarch didn't intend to recruit Felix, then he understood why—and that was perfect. It meant the opportunity to take Felix under his own wing was wide open.The night passed quietly. Felix stood beside Christopher's bedside, noticing the man's breathing had grown steady and stable.At this point, the herb had run its course and was no longer effective. But what was left inside Christopher's soul—a strange, lingering force—was exactly what Felix had hoped for.Christopher was alive but completely unconscious. The remaining energy had no regenerative properties, which meant he'd likely never wake again. For Fe