Luckily, he completely learned the skill despite failing the enlightenment. It took him more than two weeks to finally learn the skill. When he grasped the basic of the skill, the skill name appeared on his mind. "Sun's wave" It was a skill closely related to flames and the sun. However, it does not actually create a real flame. It is purely based on intense heat.
Also, he realized something, In the whole two weeks he never felt hungry or tired even without using his pills. Normally, he would use his pills to ease his hunger or fatigue, but this time he even forgot his hunger!
He probed his own organs and realized that he could now survive without food and water. His enhanced body could now survive without a wink of sleep. For the past months, he have been relying on pills so that he can avoid sleeping and eating. However, making these pills also requires a bit of effort, so he felt really delighted when he realized that he is now free of his worry on food and sleep.
The six changes that occurred in his body allowed him to become a being above a normal mortal. He had seen several people on this stage and also seen stronger people, however, those people still ate like normal humans. He thought that maybe they were still attached to the pleasure of eating nice food and could not let go of this pleasure.
On the other hand, Ming Li has decided to stop eating even before he entered the body tempering stage, so adapting to this new realm was easier for him. He was also annoyed by the fact that humans needs to occasionally eat. He has been poor since he was young, so sourcing out food was extremely hard for him and in many times caused him to get beaten.
Since he has been sitting on the same spot for days, he decided to continue his travel to the Main Crystal Leaf sect. He knew that he would still pass through some towns before he could actually arrive on the sect.
Right now, what he needs are resources to continue his growth. He never knows when those people from black spider guild would attack him again, so he immediately ran at the direction of the next town to get more details on the location of the Main Crystal Leaf sect.
....
On a shop at the Earth Hive town, Ming Li can be seen holding his chin and frowning several times as he observed a pill floating above a crystal prism.
Around the pill, text floated in mid air where it states that "Whoever can re create this pill shall be allowed to enter and choose an item in the Holy Inventory of the Ten Great Merchants Union.
The Holy Inventory of the Ten Great Merchants Union consist of rare treasures that has been collected by the Ten Great Merchants. Most of these treasures were extremely expensive that the Ten Great Merchants Union refused to sell them so they kept them in the Holy Inventory as their collections.
Being able to enter and get an item from the Holy Inventory is like a dream come true for most people. This offer has struck Ming Li's curiosity when he entered the town. He was just passing by several shops when he saw a huge crowd of people gathering around a merchant shop. This merchant shop is owned by the Ten Great Merchants Union. When he saw the pill, he got extremely curious about it and started inquiring on the details of what was going on. His eyes sparkled when he heard about the Holy Inventory, his curiosity and greed erupted at the same time. He then paid the necessary amount to have a chance to observe the pill.
The amount was one thousand soul ores, so at first Ming Li was a bit hesitant, but when he heard people gossiping about what is inside the Holy Inventory, he could't help his curiosity and paid the one thousand soul ores immediately.
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One thousand soul ores would only let someone observe the pill for hundred breaths of time. After the hundred breaths, that person should leave the area and let the next person observe the pill. If someone wish to observe the pill again, they have to go to the furthest portion of the line and wait until their turn. Anyone can go on unlimited number of times, but it will cost another one thousand soul ore per observation.
At first, the queue was long since there were a lot of alchemist who wished to test their skills and reap the rewards, but after a single try, almost everyone gave up and didn't bother coming back on the line. However, Ming Li was different, he has been on the line for 2 days now. He already observed the pill for about twenty times and spent 20 thousand soul ores.
His hair was in disarray as he refused to give up on observing the pill. He also heard that the Ten Great Merchant Union will only stay on the town for thirty more days, so he have to complete the pill by that time. The time limit made him agitated and almost made him give up, but he already paid a lot of soul ores so he decided to gamble it until he gets broke.
On his 30th try, his eyes were bloodshot and his frown was more evident. The people guarding the pill felt his unusual aura. Whenever he stares at the pill, everyone became wary that he might actually do something stupid.
Deep inside, Ming Li was extremely depressed from the loss of his soul ores, and the fact that he still haven't had any clue on how to make the pill made him slightly regret his decision. Something inside him wants to just grab the pill and run away, however with all the powerful seeker around, he won't be able to do that.
He kept trying to understand the pill and its use. Thirty tries and he still have't found out the actual use of the pill. He started to think that the pill might actually be fake and the Ten Great Merchant Union was playing a fool of him.
Ming Li brushed away that thought, since he heard the good reputation of the Ten Great Merchant Union when he entered the town. Whenever he asked for a rare herb, everyone would say that he can probably find it at the Ten Great Merchant Union.
So he gritted his teeth and tried several more times. Five days passed and Ming Li had been going back and forth in the line for a hundred times. He spent a hundred thousand soul ores, and everyone from union guarding the shop already knew who he was. They were amazed that Ming Li was willing to spend so much just to observe the pill. Many people who were watching laughed at him for his crazy determination. Anyone who could see him would think of a gambler who has already lost it, and decided to bet his life just to get another chance at victory.
He continued doing this until he spent around 300 thousand soul ores. When Ming Li spent around 100 thousand soul ores, he already threw away the idea of giving up.
The people who were laughing at him started to get amazed by his determination. Some of the few determined people gave up at their 100th try. The queue for the pill observation grew shorter, there are times where only Ming Li was on the line, so he had the chance to view the pill for as long as he want.
On the tenth day Ming Li's eyes were extremely bloodshot, his hands were trembling, his hair was a mess and his lips were awfully dry. He has been staring at the pill for some time now and people on the queue started to grow longer. The guards were reluctant to disturb him, since he has been emitting murderous aura and he seems to be gaining enlightenment. The people on the line also didn't dare bother Ming Li, since they saw him day after day trying to figure out the pill nonstop. His perseverance somewhat scared them.
After a bit of time, Ming Li's eyes started to glow with a bizarre light, his aura fluctuated, and his lips slowly turned into a smile. Then he raised his head and started laughing. His laughter echoed out in the entire area near the Ten Great Merchant Union. The elders who are in charge of the shop was startled with his laughter, the laughter was so profound and creepy. They thought that something might have happened to the pill, so they quickly went out and they saw Ming Li laughing like a fool and constantly looking at the pill. They remembered him since he has never left the shop ever since he started the challenge.
They became curious if Ming Li actually found something about the pill. They were also informed that Ming Li spent around 500 thousand soul ores for the challenge. He is the only person who spent so much just to take a look at the pill.
After laughing for some time, Ming Li strode away and left without a word. Everyone was dumbfounded on what exactly happened to Ming Li for him to react like that.