The Rise of a Master: It Starts With Rejection

Time was running out-less than an hour remained before the 12-hour mark, and Felix was still grappling with his decision. He muttered, "Alas, this is such a headache."noveldrama

He knew that if he did not complete the task within the next hour, his talent would forever be categorized as Supreme grade, and Heaven grade would be out of reach. Talent was a fixed trait, unchangeable by time or experience, so once determined, there would be no second chances.

"The gap between Heaven grade and Supreme grade is massive. Then again, becoming Heaven grade also means drawing a lot more attention," Felix thought.

For ten hours, he had agonized over this, torn between the external threat of the Maximus family and the Grand Elder and the internal challenge of Harmony Clinic's resource restrictions. It was no wonder the choice felt impossible.

"Damn it! Sacrifices must be made," he murmured through gritted teeth, finally making up his mind.

The resources provided to a Heaven-grade alchemist were simply too valuable to pass up, and Felix knew he would regret holding back. After all, rewards were always tied to risks-if he had hesitated forever, he would never have gotten this far in life.

Meanwhile, Dickson had already left, leaving Delilah to keep watch outside the room. Her eyes remained fixed on the closed door.

"Well, just over ten minutes left. I guess Heaven grade is out of the question," she murmured with disappointment.

Having decided to take Felix as her apprentice, she naturally hoped for him to have the highest possible talent. She knew all too well the vast difference between Heaven grade and Supreme grade in pill cultivation.

But just as she started to give up hope, the door opened. Delilah shot to her feet, her face lighting up with excitement. Her voice betrayed a hint of eagerness as she asked, "You're done?"

Felix, feigning exhaustion, forced a tired smile. "I think so, but I'm not sure if I did it correctly."

Delilah quickly gestured for him to sit down, hiding her excitement as she examined the pill. After a thorough inspection, she broke into a smile.

"It's perfect. You've passed the assessment-your talent is Heaven grade!" she declared.

Of course, Felix had passed. He had been practicing pill cultivation back in the capital, so there was no way he would struggle with such a basic pill.

Delilah continued, "Don't sell yourself short. Whether you finish in one hour or eleven, both are classified as Heaven grade. Talent is crucial in pill cultivation, but it's not the only factor.

"Hard work and understanding each step are also important, though talent accounts for 60%. The rest only matters if you have the talent to begin with."

Felix nodded politely. "Thank you for explaining. What should I do next?"

Delilah could not hide her excitement as she thought about Felix in front of her, already at Physical Refinement Realm. Even more astonishing, Dickson had confirmed that Felix's bone age was genuine-he truly was still a young man.

"What's your name?" Delilah finally asked.

Felix nearly sighed in relief. Finally! If they had not asked for his name by now,

he'd have started to wonder if this was a fake Harmony Clinic. They had been way too relaxed.

"My name is Felix Zeller," he replied.

Delilah pointed to herself, softening

her usually stern expression into a

warm smile: "You may call me

Delilah. am Harmony Clinic's lead alchemist. I'd like to take you as my apprentice. What do you think?"

Anyone familiar with Harmony Clinic-or the world of alchemy-would have been stunned speechless. Delilah, second only to Bern in pill cultivation, had never taken a student.

Even when a Heaven-grade talent emerged three years ago, she had shown no interest. Yet here she was, offering to take Felix under her wing.

Felix, however, felt a wave of frustration. He had anticipated that achieving Heaven grade would bring complications, but he had not expected them to arrive so quickly.

Nonetheless, he still feigned shock and gratitude, standing up and respectfully bowing to Delilah.