Chapter 1154: Heartfelt Admiration

"High Priest, it's your turn." Ye Yuan looked at Li with a half-smile.

Li's face flushed red, and he stammered, "This... this... it doesn't count! The Demon Rotation Pill is just the simplest ninth-grade demon pill. If we're going to compete, let's compete with top-grade ninth-grade pills!"

This Li was actually being shameless.

"High Priest, the Demon Rotation Pill was your own proposal. How can you go back on your word?" Lian Qiu said, as if possessed.

These words made Li's old face even more embarrassed.

His face darkened, and he glared with fish-like eyes, snarling, "Little girl, how dare you speak to me like that?"

Startled by his outburst, Lian Qiu instinctively hid behind Ye Yuan.

Ye Yuan taunted, "What? Is it impressive to bully a little girl?"

Li's face turned green and purple. In his heart, he had already admitted defeat, but for the sake of face, he didn't want to kowtow and become a disciple in front of so many people.

If he were to refine a super-grade Demon Rotation Pill, with incredible luck, he might still manage it.

But there was absolutely no way he could do it as effortlessly as Ye Yuan.

Just then, Ye Yuan suddenly said, "If you don't want to kowtow and become a disciple, that's fine, but you have to agree to one condition!"

Li felt as if he had been granted amnesty and quickly said, "Alright, alright, as long as I don't have to kowtow, any condition is acceptable!"

Ye Yuan pushed Lian Qiu in front of the Great Elder and said, "Take her as your disciple!"

Li was stunned, puzzled by Ye Yuan's move.

He had thought Ye Yuan would propose some harsh condition, but instead, he was asking him to take a maidservant as a disciple.

This was a huge favor, yet Ye Yuan used it so easily.

But for Lian Qiu, it was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky.

She turned to Ye Yuan in astonishment and murmured, "M... Master, I... I..."

Ye Yuan smiled and said, "What, you don't want to?"

Lian Qiu nodded her head like a chick pecking at rice.

Of course she wanted to!

Here, she was just a servant, with no resources, no backing, lost among the masses.

But if she became the High Priest's disciple, that would be like a carp leaping over the dragon gate.

"Since you're willing, what are you waiting for? Hurry up and pay your respects to your master," Ye Yuan said with a smile.

Lian Qiu turned around again, looking timidly at Li, afraid he might refuse.

Li's face darkened and he said, "What are you waiting for? Kowtow and become my disciple! From today on, you are my closed-door disciple! Um... what's your name again?"

Overjoyed, Lian Qiu bowed her head and said, "Lian Qiu pays respects to Master!"

Lian Qiu had never dreamed that such a day would come.

The sea race had strict hierarchies; a little maid like her would never have a chance to rise.

But now, Lord Ye Yuan had given her this opportunity, changing her life.

"Haha, good, good disciple! All of you listen: from today on, Lian Qiu is my closed-door disciple! If anyone dares to bully her, they are opposing me! Now, all of you, get lost!" Li's face changed as he addressed the crowd.

These people knew the High Priest's temper and dared not linger; they scattered immediately.

However, those clan members who had once bullied Lian Qiu were now uneasy, afraid that she would come after them.

Lian Qiu was just a little maid, so it was natural that she had been bullied.

But they never expected that this little maid would make a complete turnaround and become the High Priest's disciple.

The High Priest's disciple was even more esteemed than some elders in the clan!

Seeing the crowd disperse, Li actually put on a smiling face and said to Lian Qiu, "Haha, good disciple, go out for now. Come to me early tomorrow morning to report. I still have matters to discuss with Master Ye."

Lian Qiu looked at the High Priest in surprise, as if she didn't recognize him.

When had the High Priest ever been so amiable?

Nevertheless, Lian Qiu looked to Ye Yuan for confirmation.

To her, Ye Yuan was the greatest benefactor!

She knew this clearly.

Ye Yuan naturally knew what Li was up to. He smiled and said to Lian Qiu, "Go on out."

...

"Lian Qiu, no, no, Lady Lian Qiu, that... what happened before was my fault for not recognizing your worth. L... Lady, just treat me like a fart and let me go!"

As soon as Lian Qiu stepped out, a merman came up to her, fell to his knees with a thud, and frantically slapped his own face, startling her.

Lian Qiu knew this merman well; he was her direct superior and had often bullied her.

But now, he was kneeling before her like a dead dog.

This transformation made Lian Qiu feel as if she were dreaming.

Lian Qiu suddenly realized that she now had the power of life and death over those who had bullied her!

But Lian Qiu was still a kind-hearted girl. She tried to put on a stern face and said, "Let bygones be bygones! But if I catch you bullying the other girls again, I won't let you off!"

The merman felt as if he had been granted amnesty and quickly said, "Yes, yes, yes, rest assured, Lady Lian Qiu, I won't dare again, never again!"

Lian Qiu wasn't done with just that one. Seeing that she had let the merman off, others all rushed out.

Some flattered, some begged for forgiveness, some sought favors through connections—all sorts.

Lian Qiu accepted them all, dealing with each one.

But she deeply felt that she truly seemed different now.

And all of this was thanks to that man!

Lian Qiu was sincerely grateful to Ye Yuan in her heart.

...

After Lian Qiu left, High Priest Li followed Ye Yuan into the room eagerly.

Seeing Ye Yuan sit down, Li was overly attentive, even taking the initiative to pour tea for Ye Yuan!

If anyone else had seen this, their eyes would have popped out.

The notoriously hot-tempered High Priest was actually serving tea to someone!

Ye Yuan took the tea Li offered and said calmly, "If you have any questions, just ask. If your clansmen saw you like this, they'd probably want to kill me."

Li's eyes bulged and he roared, "They wouldn't dare!"

Then he changed his expression and asked meekly, "That Demon Rotation Pill... how can it be refined that way?"

Ye Yuan smiled and retorted, "Why can't it be refined that way? But... given your level of alchemy, you'd better not think about it for now."

Ye Yuan's peak refinement was built on his extremely solid foundation.

This level of refinement was not something just anyone could achieve.

For one thing, it would take Li at least three days to refine a Demon Rotation Pill.

But Ye Yuan finished it in just over an hour.

It was because of this refinement that Li realized just how vast the gap between him and Ye Yuan was!

Although he was too embarrassed to become Ye Yuan's disciple, if he could get some guidance from Ye Yuan, it would greatly benefit him.