He had lost this contest completely and utterly, and had even become Ye Ruoshui's—now Princess Yaoguang's—stepping stone.
This battle had made Princess Yaoguang famous, while grinding him, a master of alchemy, into the mud, leaving him never to rise again.
"His Majesty told me to swallow my pride and, for the time being, treat Princess Yaoguang as my master... I am already over two hundred years old, a dignified Divine Sea Fifth Level martial artist. How could I lower myself like this?"
The Seventh Elder was unwilling to accept it.
Yet he understood even more clearly that he truly had lost this contest—to a little girl of twelve or thirteen.
The Seventh Elder recalled Emperor Xia's words from earlier.
"Ye Ruoshui has astonishing talent in alchemy. If you are willing to humble yourself and serve her as your master, it will likely be more effective than studying bitterly for decades. There is no order in learning; whoever excels may be the master. Surely I need not teach you that?"
After considering it again and again, the Seventh Elder let out a soft sigh and walked toward Xiao Minghuang and Ye Ruoshui.
Xiao Minghuang and Ye Ruoshui were whispering to each other. When they caught sight of the Seventh Elder approaching with heavy steps, his face full of humiliation, they understood at once.
Xiao Minghuang immediately teased:
"Princess Yaoguang, your fine disciple has arrived!"
A faint blush spread across Ye Ruoshui's face. She raised her tiny pink fist and lightly thumped Xiao Minghuang's chest, pouting coquettishly:
"Your Highness, don't make fun of me!"
A Great Man Could Bend and Stretch; Refinement Successful!
Hearing the crisp, bell-like laughter, the Seventh Elder felt even worse. Never had he imagined that one day, he would have to lower himself and bow at the feet