"Who cares where I am going? I just want to go!”

Audrey's talons clawed the ground in irritation. At this point, she was thoroughly convinced that someone had called upon the Old Ones to curse her with bad luck.

Not only had she failed to find her friends, she hadn't even managed to find a good nest to rest in. She really had to wonder, who in their right mind would build a city with so little trees?

And as if being reduced to sleep in a burrow wasn't bad enough, Mister Spirit even had the audacity to advise her to find a pond to sleep with the fishes! What did he mean dragons ruled the seas? He said they could fly, and she knew that trying to with wet feathers could ruin someone's life.

“Yes, yes, I know you find this city fascinating, but I don’t. If I am going to be starved and forced to sleep on the ground, it better be somewhere I am free to fly and twirl in the wind, not in this oppressive land. All right, it’s decided, I’ll join the adventurer’s guild and try to join a team with an exploration mission!”

"Out of the question. A dragon can only rule, not be lorded upon by those weaker than it. Don’t be rash, for some decision bring about a lifetime of regret.”

There was a solemnity to Avery’s words that made Audrey pause, but only for a moment.

“Ok fine, I will go exploring alone. I’ll just choose a random direction, and fly that way. Happy now? Because I am not staying trapped in this cursed place for a second longer.”

Was Mister Spirit allergic to fun? Every time she wanted to do something interesting or amusing, he would go on and on about how much time she was wasting or how bad her ideas were, always exhorting her to cultivate diligently.

Why did he even care about what she did? If he did not think she was fulfilling her promise fast enough, then he should go bother and train someone else! Besides, she bet that he really didn’t mind being a spirit, since he liked nothing more than to sit somewhere isolated and think. His current spiritual existence was probably perfect for him.

"Wait, you can't leave now, I haven't finished analyzing the cathedral yet. Be patient and I will be able to improve your cultivation technique tenfold!”

“I don’t care. I am healed, I am free, I can fly, I am strong, and I am beautiful. Your technique is fine, and there is no need to improve it. If I listened to you, I would be stuck cultivating all the time, never enjoying the fruit of said cultivation. Now, I am going to fly all around the world, and if you don’t stop arguing I really am going to join an adventuring team!”

Not waiting for a response, Audrey jumped into the sky, propelling herself towards the horizon, feeling the world around her lighten up as she left the oppressive domains of the city’s rulers.

Avery was startled by the sound of his tea shop’s door opening. His peaceful contemplation of the Tao had almost made him forget his arrangements, and he hastily recast his illusory body. He had dispelled it earlier, as he had found that his runic body was becoming unable to withstand his comprehension of the Tao, and was holding him back. To cultivate any further, he had to reforge and upgrade his body, constantly improving it at a similar rate that his understanding grew. He found it strange that his runes restricted him in a way that his mortal human body never did, but for now, all he could do was comply with these strange rules, using the information on the formation of a Dao body and his improved runes to keep up.

Glancing around, making nothing he wanted hidden was visible, he turned his attention to his customer.

“Welcome, esteemed guest. What brings you to my humble establishment?”

Looking around vigilantly, a tall middle-aged lady strode in, her strong build and wide shoulders making her decorated armor appear weightless, exuding a dangerous feeling. Actually, his Dao vision was the only thing that let him be confident he was facing a woman, since her obvious strength, colossal stature and the air of controlled savagery were by far a better match for the male archetype.

She appeared to be only armed with a dagger on her waist, and was holding her helmet under her arm, so he guessed she wasn’t expecting any trouble, and her unusual alertness to danger was only proof of her competence. He had to admit this really wasn’t the sort of customer he was expecting to attract, but he was curious to see what such a warrior would have to say about the Tao.

“Your shop is new, isn’t it? We passed in front of it while parading, and it gave me a very strange feeling.”

Noticing her armor made her unable to sit with him on the mats he had prepared, he stood up to fetch a pair of chairs.

“Ah yes, it should be quite new. I find it hard to keep track of time, but if it is any indication, you are my first customer.”

“Oh really? For a shop in the prime merchant street to lack customer is rather surprising. Perhaps it stems from your subpar marketing. After all, I still have no clue what you are selling. If this is even a shop that is, I only assume so because of your placement.”

Avery inclined his head to thank her for her suggestion, before picking up the teapot. It should have been very awkward, since the low table was not meant to be reached by those sitting on tall chairs, but his high cultivation lent a certain naturalness and elegance to all his movements, letting his undignified posture appear casual.

“It matters not. I have advertised enough, and the rest is up to fate. This is a simple shop, and my only ware is tea. Here, take a sip, I dare you to find a better tea in this country.”

Handing her a cup and making one for himself, Avery smiled confidently. His tea leaves were bought from the system, and they were an inferior version of the fabled comprehension tea. They might not be true treasure immortals would fight over, but mortal tea leaves simply couldn’t compare.

“I know this is your first time, but I must inform you that it is customary to inform the customer of the price before serving them, and let them decide whether they wish to make a purchase or not. Otherwise, if you wait for your wares to be consumed before revealing the cost, some might accuse you of being dishonest, and of overcharging.”

Despite her remark, the soldier confidently carried the tea cup to her lips, obviously unbothered by the danger she had just outlined.

“Fret not, I have no intention of robbing you. Even if I dared, I have no need for money or riches. I can already afford to keep this shop open for centuries, so why would I want more? No, you have already paid the price of my tea. Words from the wise are worth far more than gold, and as long as you have some insights to offer, you will be welcome here.”

His words were sincere, and despite his social anxiety lurking in the background, he greatly anticipated exchanging with someone he now knew was a learned and refined individual.

“Words from the wise are worth far more than gold? Then it seems to me that you are still making a deficit.”

Avery smiled but did not respond, accepting the compliment.

“What a peculiar establishment you are running. You chose one of the best spots in the city yet remain desolate, you wish to receive guests yet refuse to advertise, and you offer your services yet refuse to be paid. More bizarre yet, you are a merchant claiming to have more than enough riches, and you profess you do not wish for more. How extraordinary. A suspicious mind might even conclude that you are not a shopkeeper at all, and that you have ulterior motives for occupying such a strategic location in the capital.”