Orion gestured and said, "You can leave early tonight. I've taught you all you need. Return next Tuesday and arrive a bit earlier."Next Tuesday marked Orion's retirement announcement. On that day, he planned to introduce Eric as his sole apprentice.At first, he hesitated. If Eric hadn't learned enough, the introduction could lead to problems. But now he had changed his mind. Eric's application of Blossom Needling put him at the top of holistic medicine. No one could harm him, so there was no reason not to introduce him.-As Orion's retirement date neared, people buzzed with excitement.Meanwhile, at the Montgomery residence.Sylvester asked, "Do you have any siblings?"He was warming up to Seraphine after spending time with her."I have an older brother," Seraphine said. "Do you think our family only does business in the country?"Sylvester understood. The Montgomerys had business in various industries, including overseas ventures. Seraphine's brother handled international
The Pleiades had arranged a special hall for Orion. The guests began arriving early in the morning. Naturally, Astrid and the Hernandez representatives were among them.Javier started a conversation. "Hol. Silver, I heard today Hol. Thornfield will announce his apprentice. I'm curious who it'll be."He had some guesses and wanted to see Astrid's reaction. Over the past month, only Eric and Sylvia had been seen going in and out of Orion's place, so who else could it be?Astrid glanced at him and chuckled. "Does it matter who it is? I just hope Orion doesn't forget what he owes me."He added, "Those two everyone talks about have barely been with Orion for a month. It makes me wonder if he has lost his mind with old age. Why pick an apprentice whom he has known for just a couple of months? I doubt they are anything special. They might not even match up to my own apprentices in skill."He had gathered info and knew that Orion's apprentice was probably Eric or Sylvia. But he didn't rea
It was not a good sign.Sylvia emerged from backstage and took a seat beside Sylvester and Seraphine. Seraphine chuckled and remarked, "Eric is on the path to fame today. The attendees at Hol. Thornfield's retirement ceremony are all influential figures in King City. Have you seen those dignified middle-aged men? They all hail from super elite families in King City, surpassing even the Montgomerys by a significant margin!"Sylvia was taken aback. She thought the Montgomerys were one of the top families in King City, but there were even more powerful ones!"It's not always good to be overly famous," Sylvia said. "In fact, I don't wish for him to become too famous. It might make me feel undeserving of him."Seraphine was at a loss for words. She sighed and said, "Vee, your beauty is your greatest asset. Plus, Eric loves you deeply. You deserve him."Sylvia smiled, knowing Eric's love for her.While they spoke, Orion and several assistants made their entrance. Orion appeared elder
Orion gazed at Astrid and sighed. "Astri, why must you do this? You're my junior, after all. Shouldn't you respect my decisions?"Everyone was left perplexed. Little did they know that Astrid and Orion shared the same mentor.Today's retirement ceremony took an unexpected turn. Not only did Orion introduce his apprentice to the world, but the hidden connection between the two renowned holistic physicians of King City was also unveiled.Orion remarked, "You're overly competitive. It's not healthy."Astrid scoffed. "It's not about competitiveness. I'm simply concerned for you. After all these years without taking on apprentices, why start now? Are you afraid I'll covet your knowledge? Do you truly believe I want to take what's yours?"Orion was rendered speechless. He didn't wish to argue with Astrid, given their senior-junior relationship.With this in mind, he retrieved the acupoint technique manual and offered, "You've always wanted this, haven't you? I'll give it to you."Astr
The crowd fell silent in shock.Before anyone could gather their wits, Seraphine sprang to her feet, exclaiming, "You've gone too far, Hol. Silver!"Alexander attempted to restrain her, but she brushed off his hand, insisting, "Dad, let me talk! Kindness doesn't equal weakness, Hol. Silver. You want a match, right? Eric, accept his challenge! Show him what you're made of!"Eric let out a sigh.Sylvia swiftly pulled Seraphine back, cautioning her, "Seraphine, please, enough! Eric prefers to stay low-key."In this regard, Eric resembled Orion quite closely."I just can't stand him!" Seraphine vented her frustration.Astrid scoffed at Seraphine and remarked, "Look, even a woman has more courage than you!"Orion wore a puzzled expression as he looked at Eric. "Do you want to accept his challenge? It seems like he's testing your skills. Maybe you should give him a taste.""Sure!" Eric nodded with a smile. He understood Astrid's intentions—he aimed to humiliate Orion through him."
Seraphine clutched Sylvia's hand on the seat, her voice quivering with anxiety as she asked, "Vee, can Eric do it?"She worried about Eric. If she had known, she wouldn't have said those words. What if Eric lost to Hudson? Wouldn't it embarrass them in front of everyone?Sylvester gazed at her and advised, "So now you know it. You should consider the consequences before saying anything."To be honest, he was concerned, too. Eric had only trained in holistic medicine under Orion for a little over a month. Despite his talent and the praise surrounding him, Sylvester understood that Hudson was genuinely skilled.Sylvia smiled and assured, "Don't worry. Eric's got this. He'll definitely win."Sylvia had seen Eric perform acupoint techniques at Orion's residence. Eric's precision and range seemed to surpass Hudson's by a significant margin.On the stage, Orion glanced at the silver needle on the black dot and told Eric, "Take it easy. Spare his pride."Astrid overheard and chuckled.
Orion had already advised Eric to go easy on Astrid and his apprentice. He despised conflicts, but that didn't mean he could be easily pushed around.Additionally, he hoped that Astrid might realize he was on the wrong path. With that thought, Orion turned to Eric and said, "Show us your skills.""Alright!" Eric grinned and picked up a silver needle from the table. "Hol. Silver, keep your eyes open!"Astrid sneered and retorted, "I won't blink. I want to see what you're going to do with that silver needle."Eric smiled and hurled the silver needle.To those unfamiliar with this field, it might have seemed like he was merely tossing a needle.However, Astrid saw something different, and his eyes widened in astonishment. The silver needle not only struck the black dot accurately but also twirled a few times before embedding itself in the wooden table.Astrid took a few steps back, his gaze locked on Eric in disbelief. "You... Can you control the silver needle with inner energy? Ho
Astrid refused to admit defeat and felt deeply aggrieved despite obtaining the manual. He believed that Orion's apprentice outshone his own. Continuing the match in the current situation would only bring him more humiliation.Several well-known holistic medicine physicians in King City had sided with Orion, especially now that he had an extraordinary apprentice. They saw Orion's retirement as a new beginning, predicting a new era of holistic medicine because Eric was young.Starting to learn medicine at that age was considered late, especially in holistic medicine, but reaching such a level at this age was astonishing.Astrid and his apprentice left dejectedly, not touching the snacks the hotel prepared for lunch.Eric established his reputation through the competition. His medical proficiency and acupoint techniques not only exceeded Astrid's apprentice but also matched several experienced holistic medicine physicians in King City.Alexander and the Montgomerys were delighted. Th