"The only thing better than finding something you're looking for, is finding something you weren't looking for at a great bargain!"

  - Common proverb in Iroh's various marketplaces

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  Sam, Ket and Machaka started their day off by visiting the Flowing Brush Sect. Ever since they learned that the Earth Drake was worth a lot of money, they were filled with excitement.

  Who would pay this much for such lousy materials? Machaka couldn't help but wonder. Do these people really have nothing better?

  Everyone was allowed to go through the loot from the mountain and forest expeditions, and no one took even a single item. Compared to the materials they were used to, everything they got here was simply inadequate. Still, I kept behind some materials, except for the Earth Drake's materials which we had to turn in for the bounty, so we could try crafting some items and weapons that wouldn't look out of place in this world. A shame, as the Earth Drake was the only spirit beasts whose materials were worth keeping.

  Sam gathered everything else into his storage ring and they left once more.

  After getting paid, they visited a few taverns, buying rounds for anyone interested in making a new friend. Machaka became somewhat known as the "Keg Champion", drinking quite a few contenders under the table. Sam and Ket spent their time making contacts and gathering more detailed knowledge about the city, the nearby sects, and the merchant's associations.

  Before returning for the night, Sam decided to make his information network a little more widespread by using the shadows of Iroh to his advantage. The main streets had solid formations, blocking his attempts at dominating the shadows when he tried to do so. The small alleys and deep corners of Iroh on the other hand, were far less protected. Leave a thread of qi here, a little bit over there, plop down a few shadow creatures to manage the flow, and a new information network was born.

  -In the Flowing Brush sect's embassy-

  "To hand in an Earth Drake so casually, they must be an elite squad." The clerk thought, enjoying his own fantasies of hunting monsters in the wilderness.

  It was a real shame he did such a poor job of forming his Golden Core. As things were, his cultivation had hit a brick wall. Every elder in the sect had advised him to pick a different path, as his core would quickly buckle under the assault of the famed Nascent Soul tribulation.

  So then, like the diligent disciple he was, he moved to continue what he was doing before he was disturbed. He made a quick scan of the room, and resumed his nap.

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  Gora, Qiao and Finn spent the day perusing various market stalls. Iroh was home to several large marketplaces, all unique in the goods and services they had to offer. Gora was looking at new combat gear, asking merchants about where she would find the highest quality weapons in Iroh.

  That's how we learned about an exclusive auction house belonging to one of Iroh's leading clans. The next auction was still several months away however, so this was quickly put on the back burner.

  Finn was looking at different seeds and produce he hadn't seen before. He asked questions until the merchants kicked him out, learning about different plants' light and soil preference among other things. He also may have nicked a few seeds while being kicked out.

  Qiao was distracted by all kinds of trinkets. She didn't learn much, but she got to help a lost kid find his mom. The boy seemed quite desperate and poor, but when he found his mom again, they seemed like they had everything they could ever need. Before leaving, Qiao snuck a few of her coins into the boys pocket. It never hurts to have little more than just what you need.

  Unexpectedly, she couldn't shake the happy feeling she got from helping someone, which turned out to be the highlight of her entire day, she came home smiling, feeling like she had purpose for the first time in a while.

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  The author's tale has been misappropriated; report any instances of this story on Amazon.

  When Ikkaku woke up, he was in a pretty good mood. This lasted until he'd learned he was given the responsibility of taking both Ruby and Sapphire into Iroh.

  Ikkaku then started preparing for a very rough day, Ruby and Sapphire were already arguing about where to go. They hadn't even left the inn yet.

  ...

  "If both of you don't shut up right now, there will be no next stop. We'll all sit together on a bench until we run out of time for today." The girls looked a little cross, but they knew when they were pushing it.

  The others may give you some leeway, but both Gora and Ikki were the type to bonk you on the head for the smallest things. So was Sam actually... And Ket also buried them in sand that one time.

  After coming across a little stand that sold maps, Ikkaku bought one and took a minute to plan a route for the group. "Ok so this is a map of Iroh with various points of interest on it. We can walk this way towards the library, where we'll drop off Sapphire. Then I'll take Ruby with me to the main boulevard to visit some clothing stores, per her request. Along the way we'll visit any apothecaries and alchemists we come across. Turn here, go back to pick up Sapphire, and then we return home." Both Sapphire and Ruby wholeheartedly agreed with Ikki's plan.

  "You know Ikki, for someone who blows himself up a lot, you're a smart guy!" Ruby declared appreciatively with a big smile, showing off her sharp teeth.

  Ikkaku winked back at her. "You know it."

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  Sirin and Caladrius spent their time looking around the inner city. Studying the architecture and all kinds of arts and crafts found in the various marketplaces.

  They drew many gazes as they walked around Iroh. Anytime a young master approached Sirin, Caladrius would flash his Spiritual Realm cultivation level to scare them off. When this wasn't enough, he'd use an artifact he and Sirin had created together. When one calls upon the power of the Spurious Azalea, an illusory spirit appears to instill the fear of death in their opponent. The spirit always reminded Henry of an older Yakuza boss.

  The Spurious Azalea itself is a lovely azalea flower pin Caladrius wears on the hem of his robes. He only had to use the artifact once - that poor young master nearly shat himself as he ran away, shouting something about his daddy.

  It seems not many people truly dare to make a scene here. Sirin thought, reflecting upon their day so far. They must have some serious law enforcers. She concluded with an appreciative smile.

  After a while they ended up at the Flowing Brush sect's art gallery, spending the last bit of of their day looking at different paintings, statues, illusions, and other expressions of art. They took the opportunity to make notes for future reference.

  At the end of the day, every merchant and artist in Iroh was either talking about the jade beauty and her fierce knight, or the handsome prince and his Ice queen.

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  I woke up sleepily and rolled around in my bed a little more. The inns in Iroh are at least 5*, everything is so soft and smooth. I take the opportunity to go full starfish and rest a little longer until Gerard knocked on my door, asking where we were headed today.

  I didn't make any plans ahead of time. I simply wanted to be a tourist and spend some money. I thought back on my monetary advice to the others. "Don't spend it all in one place." Well, do as I preach, not as I do.

  Time to treat myself a little.

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  Near the end of the day, Gerard and I had decided to enjoy some tea at a cozy-looking cafe.

  We spent our time there sampling various biscuits, and discussing future plans for our family.

  Establish my own sect? That doesn't sound like a bad idea actually.

  "Gerard, I can't say I disagree, but do you know how to establish a sect? I can't imagine it's an easy process" I ask my experienced butler with a small glimmer of hope.

  "I can't say I have any experience in this matter, but i'm sure you can do it." Gerard responds with a reassuring smile.

  "Things are never easy, are they?" I say with an exaggerated sigh.

  Gerard takes a moment to think. "If we want it to be official, it should happen through some kind of government. But we still don't have the required prestige, political backing, or money, so that makes things more difficult."

  Gerard makes a good point, we'd need the sect to be official, which sadly required politics. That means we probably need the Flowing Brush sect to trust and vouch for us, or to simply submit the official paperwork and hope for the best. The cores we got for the Flowing Brush from the Midor forest were a good start, but not enough for them to vouch for us just yet.

  I throw an idea at Gerard. "We don't know how long it'll take for such paperwork to go through, or if it would even be accepted. I say we submit it anyway, and then go to win the trust of the Flowing Brush sect. Then we just see whichever idea works first."

  "Splendid," Gerard responds. "But there's one important detail we're missing here. You."

  "Me?" I ask befuddled.

  "You are currently in the Nascent Soul realm, Henry. The sect masters of both the Fire Lily sect and the Flowing Brush sect are supposedly one step away from the Celestial realm. We'll have to admit to lying about our cultivation levels. You need to have a respectable amount of strength for people to take you seriously as a sect master."

  "You're right." And it'll be harder to earn their trust after telling them we've been lying to their faces. "What if.. wait, I heard the Fire Lily and Flowing Brush had been skirmishing around the edges of their territories. We could help either side, or bring a stop to the fighting in its entirety. That should earn us enough goodwill for them to forgive our little lie, right?"

  "I have a suggestion, I could dominate one of the Fire Lily sect's elders and have him attack a few Flowing Brush disciples. Then we simply appear to save the disciples, return them to the city and collect our reward."

  Gerard, don't say that like you mean it...

  "Good suggestion. A little demonic, but we'll keep it as a plan b, ok?" Gerard just shrugs, clearly a little confused as to why I called his plan demonic.

  "Let's wait a little bit, see if we get any other viable ideas, sound good?" Hopefully something slightly less illegal.

  "In the meantime, let's go and submit that paperwork."