Ming Li woke up from his daze and looked at his body. He felt better and his wounds were almost healed. Something inside him changed and he instantly knew that he increased his level! He stepped at the sixth level of the beginners realm.

"Just how many days has passed!? That was dangerous. It's a good thing those guys didn't find me or else I would have died without knowing why."

Ming Li immediately leaped and tried to get further away.

Meanwhile, Gui Mo was furious, since he has been searching for three whole days, but he didn't find Ming Li. He already beat out some of his men out of anger. A mere fifth level escaping from him was a huge blow to his pride. One of his trusted follower was also badly wounded during the chase. He never expected such outcome.

His men continued to search the forest. He deployed additional manpower just to ensure his success.

They found traces of Ming Li's blood near the river and followed it up to the old tree, but Ming Li was nowhere to be seen. The blood trace also ended at that area as if his wound miraculously healed.

They concluded that he used a high level healing skill or pill to heal his wounds. What they didn't expect is that Ming Li continuously refined demonic energy while avoiding them.

While escaping, Ming Li found a small cave with a bit of demonic energy. He tried to study the demonic energy and control it.

When it comes to natural energy Ming Li can utilize it freely but he can't refine it. His recent observation revealed that he can refine demonic energy and control it as well. Demonic energy refinement can increase his level and with that his control over both demonic and natural energy will increase.

His eyes shone brightly as he took interest in demonic energy. He wondered how many more different type of energy exists in the world.

He also realized that demonic energy cannot be easily found just anywhere. There are specific conditions for it to be produced.

When he couldn't get any more deeper understanding of demonic energy, he gave up studying it for the mean time and started refining it.

It just took him a few hours to completely drain the demonic energy in the small cave. "This isn't good. I can refine demonic energy and I feel that it does help me get stronger, but there isn't enough. I only broke through last time because I was almost at the sixth level."

He stood up with determined face "I need to look for more information about demons and find a clue to help me get stronger fast."

After a while, he sat down again and scratched his head "I can't even go back to the town because of those crazy people, and I have no idea where the next town is."

He stood up again with gleaming eyes "That's it! I need to join a sect or some organization like those guys so I can hide."

But not even five breaths of time passed he lost his determination and said "In the end I need to go back in the town or find another town to accomplish this"

Ming Li sighed. He was torn between being determined and hopeless. In the end he decided to lay low in the forest for the mean time and plan out how he will join a sect.

A lot of plans came into his mind. Bribe someone in the sect, show his great skill in alchemy, show his art, but in the end he decided to rescue someone from the sect and get recommendation! This was the safest way and he can keep a low profile while someone owes him. However, to do this he needs extreme planning and timing.

With this, he waited five days to pass by to make sure his pursuers gave up. After five days, he went near the outskirts of town and hid himself. He wore a robe with hood and a new set of normal clothes. He observed people passing by to pickup information. He did this for ten days straight!

In the tenth day, he studied all the information and decided to go to a specific group which was the Crystal Leaf Sect!

He chose this sect because they have groups who have members weaker than 5th level. Also he kept observing them and realized that they form groups to specifically gather herbs. This only proved that they have a lot of information about herbs which Ming Li could use.

Near the outskirts of the forest Ming Li can be seen suppressing an 9th level armored bear using torment. He already knew that suppressing a 9th level was his current limit. He could not fully suppress the monster, but he can weaken it to the point where he could tie it up by using magical chains he bought in the town earlier to tie the armored bear.

He hunted this monster for several days deep in the forest. It took him one whole day just to drag it near the outskirts of the town where the group from crystal leaf sect always pass by.

After a while, a group of four walked into the path Ming Li was observing for some time. The leader of the group was a male around fourteen years of age, he was at the sixth level of the beginners realm. He has a kind face which carries charm. One can feel his compassion by just merely looking at his brown eyes. The other members where two male with dignified appearance and one female who looked at the leader with affectionate gaze.

While standing at top of a tree and looking at a distance, Ming Li smiled and said "It's time." He made one handed incantation releasing the chain of the monster.

The monster eyes lit up as it started roaring madly and rushing to the direction of the disciples from the crystal leaf sect.

The crystal leaf disciples eyes went wide of fear as they sensed the incoming high level monster. "Run!" the leader of the group shouted.

Everyone rushed to escape the monster, but the monster was closing in at fast pace. Cold sweats drenched their body when the bear suddenly increased its speed. They started to tremble and was unable to move because of fear. Each and everyone of them felt hopeless as the bear appeared directly infront of them. Consumed by extreme fear, the young man right infront of the bear stumbled and fell on his back.

The armored bear lifted its arms and roared madly as if the wants to pound the helpless person right in front of him.

The young man's pupils constricted as his mind went blank and there was nothing he could do but scream. When he screamed at the top of his lungs, a figure suddenly appeared infront of him. The figure of a man magically glowed with symbols and pointed at the armored bear. When the bear's attack was about to descend, the symbols surrounded the bear forcing it to stop its movement and groan in pain fully suppressing it.

The rest of the crystal leaf clan members gasped in shock when they saw the bear in extreme pain. When leader of the group came to his senses he bowed and said "Senior my Name Duang Ho, We thank you for your help. May we know the name of our savior?"

Ming Li glanced over them and happily said "I am Ming Li, an adventurer who recently arrived in town. No need to call me senior, we are almost from the same generation. You can simply call me by my name, also I was only lucky that this armored bear is weak against my skill." 

Ming Li pulled out another set of magical chain to tie up the monster, The chain can suppress monsters below the Fusion Realm. It is expensive for common people but Ming Li can easily afford one.

The rest of the members of the crystal leaf sect regained their senses and expressed their gratitude towards Ming Li. 

Duang Ho observed Ming Li when he tied up the bear and said "Ming Li, I am amazed you suppressed the bear in one move. I only noticed that you are only at the sixth level beginners realm. I guess you are from a known sect?"

"Actually I do not belong in any sect and came from a far away village. My master recently passed away, so I decided to go out of the village on my own to join a sect, hoping I can improve and make my master proud in the afterlife." Ming Li Replied

"Oh! With your skills I know you can get admitted in some sects. You can also try our sect if you wish, since you are our savior I can put in a good word for you, I may be young but I have a special standing in our sect." The others nodded in agreement.

"Really!? I would love to see your sect since all of you seem really nice."

The only girl of the group named Yu Lan suddenly spoke "Uhm. What do we do with the armored bear?"

"I'll just take it to the guards nearby and let them handle it, Since with my level, I cant even wish to pierce the skin of this bear." Said Ming Li

Everyone agreed and they walked back in town chatting along the way.