Since it was the weekly trade day, the market inside the sect was bustling. Thousands of items were being traded or sold for soul ores. When Ming Li saw these, his eyes shone with excitement "This is amazing! There are so many items here! I think I really made the right choice."

Ming looked around for a bit and saw a lot of rare herbs. His mind was like an encyclopedia identifying the herbs with a glance. It took some time for him to analyze rare herbs, but he still identified almost all of it.

He kept observing many herbs and their prices until he saw one particular plant. When he saw this plant, he felt his core vibrating, and he sensed rich demonic energy from the plant. "What is that plant?" Ming Li asked the disciple who was selling it.

"Oh! You got good eyes. That plant is the legendary Demon's Grace plant. It is said that back in ancient times many good demons brought this to the humans land, and allowed the humans to plant them. Legends say that these plants absorbs demonic energy and stores them in their roots completely cleansing the surrounding of demonic energy, which creates an environment that the demons would not like. Well, we cannot confirm if those legends are real since there is no way to identify demonic energy. However, these plants are extremely useful to supplement some plants for pill creation. Sadly these plants became rare now and expensive, because of its diverse uses."

"If I use this plant and create a nature's dew, I can probably advance faster!" Ming Li thought.

"So how much is that herb?"

The disciple answered with enthusiasm "Twenty thousand soul ores."

Ming Li's jaw dropped and exclaimed "Twenty what!? Isn't that a bit too expensive!?"

The disciple frowned and said "You can ask other disciples for their demons grace and lets see if you get a cheaper price."

Ming Li left and looked for other stalls who sells the same plant. He found some store but their prices were more expensive and varies up to 25 thousand soul ores. "Why the hell is it extremely expensive!? Fruit of Divine Blessing my ass, it's more like eternal curse. Because of that fruit I have no choice but to refine demonic energy which is extremely scarce!"

Ming Li sighed and said "Since the village used up most of its resources to heal all the villagers, I only got around one million soul ore from the village. I'll get broke before I can even reach Body Tempering realm. I am not even sure how much demonic energy I can get from that plant. Also I haven't seen any other plant which has demonic energy on it. So I guess I have no choice."

Ming Li bought one demons grace for twenty thousand soul ores with a pained expression. He never thought that he'll spend so much for a single plant.

He directly went in his room and refused to spend more soul ores within the day. He studied the plant the whole night and understood a lot about it. After studying the plant, he confirmed that it has a high concentration of demonic energy, but he needs more of it if he wish to rapidly increase his level.

He kept the plant and laid down on the bed "I need to learn how to create nature's dew!"

Early in the in the next day, Ming Li decided to visit the garden to plant herbs and accomplish his task as a sect member. The garden was vast and areas were given to disciples for them to tend to.

He went to the nearby booth and he saw a man sitting lazily. He has a big build and looks uninterested in his duty.

When he saw Ming Li, he didn't even glance at him and started explaining the rules without even introducing himself "A disciple can plant whatever herb they can grow, but they need to meet the weekly quota set by the sect. The sect gives a list of plants that the disciple should grow, the list varies every time which helps the disciples learn more about plants. Do not worry too much, we have a nature's dew that can speed up the growth of the plants. However you also need to learn how to create nature's dew since some plants requires a different type of nature's dew to achieve good growth. You can learn that later at the creation hall, so for now go plant those. Oh! and here are the list of your quota for the week." The man threw a small sack full of seeds and a scroll with information and the map of his plot.

Ming Li has a dumbfounded look while leaving carrying all the seeds. He directly went to his plot of land and started planting. He dripped a bit of Nature's dew on a seed and planted it. After a while, his excitement grew when he saw a bud sprout from the ground. He waited for several breaths with a wide smile, and the bud slowly kept growing. "If this continues, this plant will fully mature on just three days! Wow this Nature dew is really amazing!"

Ming Li continued planting every seed and proceeded to the creation hall to immediately learn how to make Nature's dew. He was very curious about it, since It was not like pill creation where it almost came naturally to him like it was part of his art.

When he entered the inner part of the creation hall, he saw a large space with three huge pillars supporting the dome ceiling. He saw various murals of plants in the ceiling and walls. A lot of disciples were sitting crossed legged infront of a magical symbol with floating plants inside of it.

Ming Li observed the plants and he noticed that the plants started to slowly wither. In a short while, he realized that the plant's energy was slowly being sucked out and started to condense at their leaves, forming a drop of liquid that looks like a morning dew! the droplet then combined into a single drop which the disciple then collects.

Ming Li's eyes glittered with excitement. "So its not like pill creation. It is an art! maybe a minor art. So that's why I did not know how to do it unlike pill creation."

An old man wearing pure white robe with black long beard and thick eyebrows approached him then sized him up. The old man suddenly scoffed "I see you are the disciple that entered without a test. Using connection to enter the sect rarely happens and is not encouraged, but since the second head recommended you, I have no choice but to teach you the art. Here take this scroll and study it. It contains the art you just saw. It is called plant core manipulation art, That is a secret art of the sect, so you better return it after you learn it. Well that is if you can learn it. I have nothing against you but I am a man who values talent more than connections."

Ming Li didn't even care about what the man said. He was too excited to see and learn the art. He felt like this art is somehow connected to the art given to him by his master.

Ming Li went away when he got the scroll and found a spot to study it. The old man's eyes gleamed with fury for Ming Li's lack of respect and just glared at him at the side. He can't do anything to Ming Li since he was brought in by the second head of the pavilion. As the master of the hall, he was the type that hates people who uses connection to gain advantage. So for him Ming Li was just like any other useless people who relies on others to achive his goals.

When Ming Li opened the scroll, he felt deep connection and his consciousness instantly went in the scroll. The master of the hall did not notice this because of his hate for Ming Li. Since he never believed that Ming Li can learn the art, because if he has talent, he would chose to enter the sect by passing the test instead of using connections.

Ming Li's consciousness entered a space, there are a lot of plants just like the first time he learned his art. The difference was that he can see the boundaries of this area. It was small but the energy in the place is somewhat different.

Since he has his own art regarding plants, he easily understood that this art is really a minor art derived from his art! He also gained more understanding between the difference of minor art and a pure art. Currently, he has two pure arts and this is the first time he saw a minor art. If anyone knew he has two pure art, they would be extremely shocked.

He sat crossed legged and studied the space. The energy in the space constantly varies, as if hundreds of plants energy fills the space at different intervals. Ming Li stared at the space for hours. The plants swayed as it absorbed and disperse energy.

Slowly, he understood the plant energy. When he fully grasped the concept of the energy, his eyes went blank and the energy in the surrounding rushed through his eyes directly entering his soul merging into his first art. "So plants has their own way to refine energy just like a living being, by pulling that refined energy out and combining various energy of other plant around it, I can create a specific type of energy that I can use. The one who created this minor art has such a deep understanding of plants!"

He opened his eyes and beams of light shone from it. The hall master was startled and he stared at Ming Li with deep expression. "He understood it in such a short amount of time, I think he is the first one to grasp the art below three hours! So I was wrong... I guess the second pavilion master did not just randomly recommended someone."

Ming Li tapped his core and twenty five various plants came out. In front of him, a circular symbol with various glyph flowing on it appeared. Several lines was created inside the circle forming various shapes. Every line glowed with golden light, when the symbol was completed, the plants slowly drained it's energy and formed a dew.

The hall master's eyes went wide when he saw Ming Li extracting several plant dew in one attempt. Normally, beginners can only extract up to three plants and end up failing several times.

The dew that formed at each plant became threads of liquid which combined in a single point, then slowly created a single drop of liquid which emitted a purple luster! The process went smoothly and almost perfect unlike the time he was learning alchemy. He needed to train for alchemy since it isn't an art, even though his art gave him an easy way to understand the basics of alchemy. However the minor art he used was part of his pure art so executing it was easier.

While staring at the process, the hall master's jaw dropped when he saw the purple dew. Even he was not capable of creating such nature's dew in his first attempt. Everyone in the hall also turned their attention to Ming Li who just created such a pure nature's dew. Different expression could be seen but Ming Li wasn't even aware of it. He was completely indulged in creating the dew that he lost senses of the things happening around him.

Ming Li smiled when he saw the completed dew. Then he sucked in air causing the dew to rush into his mouth. When he ingested it, a strong surge of energy rushed through his veins and circulated through his whole body, but as usual he failed to refine the energy and it dissipated in the air combining with the natural energy in the area.

Ming Li sighed, because he felt that what he made could boost his level, however because of his demonic core, he can't even refine it. "I need to try it with the demon's grace plant."

Ming Li then stood up, swept his gaze at the disciples and approached the hall master as he extended both of his hands holding the scroll for the plant core manipulation art. "Hall master, I thank you for your personal guidance. I have comprehended a small portion of this great art. I wish to return the art to you and offer my gratefulness on being bestowed by such an art and being guided by such a talented person." Ming Li bowed his head waiting for the sect master to take the scroll.

The master felt weirded out with Ming Li's sudden display of respect, but he still took the scroll.

"Hall master since I feel that I am yet to fully master the technique that was given to me, I wish to train alone. This young disciple wishes to depart now and hone my skills so that when I come back I will be worthy of this gift bestowed upon me." Then Ming Li bowed deeply again and left.

Everyone was clueless on what happened. Even the hall master as speechless.

Many chatters could be heard when Ming Li left.

"Did you see that he combined twenty five herbs just like that."

"I think he said the hall master specifically guided him."

"Maybe that's why he was able to do it. The hall master probably trained him secretly."

"I think he was the one recommended by the apothecary pavilion second head."

"Really!? Both the pavilion second master and hall master treats him in a special way? So he has such a high standing!"

Everyone created their own speculations and the hall master also realized that he was somehow used to gain respect from the disciples. Since geniuses without background are often ganged on by other strong disciples, he used the hall master and the recommendation given by the second pavilion head to warn the students that he is backed up by people in high position. With this, no one would openly dare to do underhanded things to him, even with people with good background.

The hall master stared at the students blankly as he tried to accept that he was somewhat used. He can't deny what Ming Li announced since Ming Li showed such a rare talent and the disciples already seem to have created their speculations on the matter. It would do no good to anyone if he denied Ming Li's claim.

On his room, Ming Li brought out the demon's grace and hundred of other plants. "The process is just like pill concoction, but it only deals with the energy in the plant. I need to create a formula specifically for me!"

He closed his eyes and focused on the energy of the plants. As he tried to control the energy using the art, the energy of the plants passed through him. The sensation he felt every time an energy swept through him made him understood the specific energy. He did this for several hours with hundreds of plants until he opened his eyes, his eyes was filled with various energy swirling inside his pupils. A circular symbol appeared with various lines in the ground creating various shapes as glyphs flowed around it.

Ming Li waved his hands and about twenty different plants went inside the circle. The plants glowed as it was slowly drained with energy forming a dew at its leaves. Each dew in every leaf turned into thin energy threads which converged to form a black drop of liquid. The black drop felt demonic and wild, normal humans would not dare to consume it.

People who drink the liquid would surely be corrupted with demonic energy and suffer energy poisoning. It was extremely concentrated, and weird cries could be heard from it. Ming Li got goosebumps by seeing his own creation, but his core felt resonance with it as if it wished to absorb the dew immediately.

He also used several other plants to improve the effects of the demon's grace so that it could be easily absorbed by his human body.

Ming Li gulped his saliva as he stared at the hair raising pill. He gritted his teeth and stretched his hand out as he guided the floating nature's dew into his mouth and he gulped it down without hesitation.