Tea house (1)

After arriving in Jade City, Leo wandered around in search of a place to get himself a cup of tea. As he walked through the city square, he noticed a shop that looked promising and decided to check it out. Upon entering, he spotted an empty corner seat and made his way over.

Taking a moment to survey his surroundings, Leo saw that the shop was bustling with mortals and cultivators alike. He waited patiently for a waiter to approach him, and soon enough, a beautiful mortal lady greeted him with a warm smile.

Leo returned the greeting and placed an order for their strongest tea, hoping it would satisfy his craving for a caffeine boost.

As Leo waited for his tea, he mulled over the events that had taken place in the sect market and the disturbance he had encountered. Leo had gained a better understanding of the system's workings since his first encounter with a disturbance. He realized that the disturbances the system mentioned were likely to be events where an external factor caused a shift in destiny's course, such as when someone stumbled upon a powerful item or treasure, leading to unforeseen opportunities. The system had tasked Leo with finding the cause of these sudden changes in power, but he had no intention of stealing or destroying any opportunities. Leo found his assessment of the situation plausible and believed it posed little danger.

As Leo reflected on his priorities, he realized that he didn't need to actively seek out these opportunities, nor did he have any desire to do so. He was a firm believer in the principle of minimizing risk while maximizing gain, and he wasn't willing to put himself in harm's way for the sake of an uncertain opportunity. For Leo, the most important thing was survival, even if it meant slower progress without taking advantage of every opportunity that came his way.

"That being said," Leo continued, "I won't actively destroy these opportunities or anything of the sort. If the situation presents itself, I will certainly take advantage of it, like I did in the sect market when I bought that ring, which earned me an additional 3,000 karma points."

Leo snapped out of his thoughts when he spotted the cup of tea he had ordered placed on the table. He heard the waiter ask if he needed anything else, but Leo declined with a curt "no." He watched the waiter leave and then took a tentative sip of the tea. Disappointment washed over him as he realized that the brew didn't pack the same punch as coffee. 'If this is their strongest tea' he thought, 'I don't hold out much hope for finding a stronger drink like coffee in this world.' He felt that his journey to the city had been a waste and decided to leave after finishing his tea.

Just then, he heard Rose's voice and turned to see her and Jack enter the tea house. Leo inwardly groaned at the prospect of having to entertain them again. He hoped they wouldn't notice him, but his luck ran out as Rose caught sight of him and waved. They made their way over to his table.

Rose invited Jack to the city for tea with the hope of strengthening their bond and deepening their connection. Despite her attraction to Jack, Rose found it challenging to express her feelings and intentions directly. She noticed that Jack seemed oblivious to her hints and brushed them off as insignificant. Rose concluded that Jack was somewhat dense when it came to matters of the heart.

However, Rose remained optimistic that if they spent enough time together, Jack would eventually become more comfortable around her and open up. She believed that as they continued to share experiences and build a deeper connection, Jack would become more receptive to her romantic advances. Rose hoped that one day, Jack would finally recognize their chemistry and ask her out on a date.

Upon entering the tea house, Rose was surprised to see Leo there. She waved to him and led Jack to his table. Although Rose had been hoping to visit Leo after their last encounter, she had been unable to find the time. So, she was pleased to run into him here. As they took their seats, Rose greeted Leo with a warm smile and said, "Hi Leo, we didn't expect to see you here!"

Upon noticing the duo seated at his table, Leo felt annoyed that they had not asked for permission to join him. Despite this, he greeted them back with the same line.

To Rose's surprise, Leo responded with a slightly annoyed expression and a cold tone. "Hi," he said, "I didn't expect to run into you guys either." As Rose studied Leo, she noticed a change in his demeanor. His eyes seemed dimmer than before, and his voice lacked its previous warmth. Rose felt uneasy, and when she looked at Jack, she could see that he was also feeling the tension.

After exchanging greetings with the duo, Leo felt curious and decided to inspect them with system.

[

Name: Rose

Spirutal Root : Redwood (Divine Grade - Wood Qi)

Talent : 65

Cultivation Realm : Early Stage of Foundation Establishment

]

[

Name: Jack

Spirutal Root : Golden Saber (Saint Grade - Saber Qi)

Talent : 72

Cultivation Realm : Early Stage of Foundation Establishment

]

After Leo used the system's inspection feature to view their information, he became curious about the indicator of their Qi type. "What does the indicator signify for their spiritual affinity?" he asked to system.

The system responded, [ The indicator specifies the affinity of their spiritual Qi, which is unique to each individual based on their spiritual root. ]

Upon examining their information, Leo was impressed to find that both Jack and Rose had high talent and possessed a special spiritual root. 'They must be well-loved by the world' he thought to himself.

Leo then inquired, "What happens if someone doesn't have a specialized spiritual root? What is their affinity?"

The system explained, [ If someone doesn't have a specialized spiritual root and instead has a common spiritual root, it means they don't have a particularly strong affinity towards any Qi type. They can still learn any type of Qi, like anyone else in this world, but their affinity will be lower than that of individuals who possess a specialized spiritual root. ]