The Rise of a Master: It Starts With Rejection

Two deputy chiefs appeared, which was exactly what Dickson had feared the most. His worst nightmare had come true.

"Alright," Dickson muttered. Just as he spoke, his eyes widened in shock and joy as he spotted someone standing at the entrance of Corpse Town.noveldrama

"Dickson, it's been forever!" There stood Felix, smiling calmly. He had not expected to run into Dickson right after coming out of the town.

Dickson roared with laughter, rushing over to Felix and pulling him into a bear hug. His happiness was so genuine that it could not be hidden.

The two deputy chiefs stood frozen in disbelief. They knew exactly who Felix was -Deborah's apprentice, the one who had been forced into Corpse Town over a year ago. Yet here he was, alive and well, as if he had never faced any danger. "No way! Is this kid blessed by the gods or something?" one of them muttered.

They could not be blamed for thinking that. Felix had already survived Echo Cavern, one of the three forbidden zones, and now he had made it out of Corpse Town too.

"Felix, if you don't appear any sooner, we'll be doomed!" Dickson sighed in relief. The pressure they had been under for the past year had finally lifted.

"Sounds like my timing wasn't too bad, then," Felix replied with a knowing smile.

He fully understood the weight Deborah, Dickson, and Ezra had been carrying. With no materials or resources coming back out of Corpse Town-only corpses- those who remained outside could do nothing but wait and worry.

Of course, none of that was an issue for Felix, who had mastered the Phaeron Codex. The large black pack slung across his back was proof enough.

"Felix, what's in the bag?" Dickson asked, eyes narrowing.

Felix nodded. "Exactly what you think. I made sure to gather everything we needed."

When Felix patted his chest confidently, Dickson's expression shifted to alarm. "We can't waste any more time! We need to get back now before anything goes wrong!"

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A few days later, at Harmony Clinic headquarters, Ezra was practically beaming as he gestured to the dozens of Ascension Pills on the table. See this? You short-sighted fools thought those materials were just sitting here to hatch golden eggs! Got anything to say now?" swnovel

The gathered elders and deputy chiefs were speechless, their eyes gleaming with greed. None of them had ever seen such a large batch of Ascension Pills in their entire lives.

"You're truly a wise and generous leader!" one elder praised.

"We always knew your plans were flawless, sir!" another added eagerly.

Ezra chuckled and waved his hand, distributing two pills to each elder and deputy chief. "Since you've all remained loyal to Harmony Clinic, I'll overlook the past. Two pills each. No complaints, right?"

The fact that at no one had betrayed

them to the royal family proved that Harmony Clinic was united. Even though there had been

disagreements, everyone ultimately worked toward the clinic's success. Rewards were necessary to keep morale high. swnovel

Sure enough, the recipients were overjoyed, their faces lighting up with gratitude. They quickly praised Felix, knowing that as long as he stayed, this was only the beginning. There would be a steady flow of Ascension Pills in the future.

"Enough with the flattery!" Deborah huffed in annoyance. "I haven't even had a chance to catch up with him!"

With that, the elders and deputy chiefs made themselves scarce, leaving only Ezra, Dickson, and Felix in the room.

"Felix, you really should've kept more of the pills for yourself," Ezra said with a rare tone of concern.

Felix had not expected such a statement and felt deeply moved. He replied, "Mr. Whitwell, thank you for the trust and concert. But I can produce six Ascension Pills in one go. Since Harmony Clinic provides all the materials, keeping two for myself is plenty." swnovel

In truth, Felix's success rate was even higher-he could refine nine pills per batch. He already had a large stockpile for himself.

However, it was important to share the rewards with those who had supported him; otherwise, he would never win their trust and loyalty in the long term.