The waiter gave a quick bow and hurried off, relief plain in his steps. Before long he returned, his arms laden with steaming platters—two heaping plates of fried eggs and the promised carp, one steamed to a delicate sheen, the other charred golden with crisped skin. He set them down carefully, eyes darting once more to the cub before quickly retreating.
Shi Yang slid one of the plates closer, breaking off a piece of the grilled carp and setting it before Little Yoke. The cub sniffed, then snapped up the morsel, crunching through the skin with sharp little teeth. It licked its chops, then immediately leaned toward the fish head, gnawing happily.
"Looks like he does like carp after all," Shi Yang mused.
Xiu Mei laughed softly as she broke apart the steamed fish, offering the tender white flesh. Yoke accepted eagerly, but before long its attention returned to the mountain of fried eggs. With a single-minded focus, it devoured them one by one until not a scrap remained.
Finally satisfied, the cub let out a tiny huff, padded across the table, and curled up directly in Xiu Mei's lap. Its little body rose and fell in a steady rhythm, eyes shutting as sleep claimed it.
Xiu Mei looked down, her arms instinctively wrapping around him. "So full already?" she whispered, her smile gentle.
Shi Yang chuckled, reaching for his tea. "Seems eggs will always be his first love."
When their meal was finished, Shi Yang signaled the waiter with a flick of his hand. A few coins changed hands, and the bill was settled without fuss. Xiu Mei adjusted her cloak around the dozing Little Yoke, who stirred only once before nestling deeper into her arms.
The three of them stepped out into the busy street, the late afternoon sun stretching long shadows across the cobblestones. Not far ahead, a heavy cart rattled past, its iron-bound cage shuddering as something within snarled—a low, guttural growl that made passersby flinch and give it wide berth. A pair of merchants strained at the reins, struggling to keep the frightened oxen steady.
Before the sound faded, another cart rolled from the opposite side, guarded by three men in matching coats. Its cages were stacked one above the other, housing a spread of beasts: a long-necked crane with pale golden feathers, a wiry monkey whose eyes burned with restless fire, and a lean gray wolf that paced ceaselessly, lips curled back from sharp fangs. The sight of so many spirit beasts moving openly through town drew whispers and stares from the crowd.
Shi Yang narrowed his eyes, stepping closer as the cart drew even with them. "Quite the collection you're moving," he said lightly, though his gaze lingered on the beasts. "Why are there so many being transported through the streets at once?"
One of the merchants glanced over, clearly wary at first—until he seemed to measure Shi Yang's bearing and thought better of dismissing him. He leaned closer, lowering his voice.
"You must not be from around here, friend. There's a spirit beast auction tonight, just outside the eastern square. Word spread quick, so every merchant and beast-handler within a hundred li is bringing their stock. Even wild captures, if they can cage them."
Shi Yang's brow lifted slightly. "An auction, is it? But why would cultivators here need spirit beasts? Spirit beast cultivation was lost with the Beast Sects' departure alongside the Immortal Road Sages' Alliance centuries ago. At best, they can serve as watchdogs, but there's no benefit—no shared cultivation, no Dao synergy and growth."
The merchant gave a small, humorless chuckle. "True enough. No one's trying to revive the Beast Sects. These beasts aren't meant for companionship, Daoist. They're ingredients. Take that flame-affiliated monkey I've got in the back—if a cultivator buys it, they'll bring it straight to the town lord's disciples seated in the back of the auction hall."
"Those boys will light up their furnaces, grind the creature's flesh and bones, and out comes a set of Flame Dao Pills. A few hours of refinement, and you've got pills that push your cultivation forward, reinforce your affinity, or even open a minor bottleneck. The demand never dries up."
Shi Yang's gaze narrowed slightly. "Pills made from living beasts, hm? Strange. Why have I not heard of this before?"
The merchant smirked, spreading his hands. "Why hadn't I heard about gold lying in the woods until I stumbled on it myself? The world's full of hidden trades, Daoist. Some of us just happen to trip over them at the right time."
An auction, then. Shi Yang's lips curved faintly, a flicker of interest passing through his eyes. "I see… and the location?"
"The Iron Lantern Hall," the man replied quickly. "Just follow the banners east after sundown—you won't miss it. But best come with a heavy purse; the competition will be fierce."
Shi Yang gave a polite nod, his hand absently brushing the bundle in Xiu Mei's arms where Little Yoke slept on. "Fierce competition, hm? Sounds worth a look."
Shi Yang watched the cart rumble away, his expression thoughtful. "A spirit beast auction…" he murmured, turning to Han Jie and Xiu Mei. "What do you two think? Should we attend?"
Xiu Mei's eyes lit up instantly. "Of course we should! Even if we don't buy anything, just seeing the kind of beasts they sell could be useful. And if we do find something worthwhile…" she trailed off, hugging the bundled Yoke tighter with a mischievous smile.
Han Jie nodded more cautiously. "I agree—but those kinds of auctions won't be cheap. If we want to bid, we'll need plenty of funds."
Shi Yang stroked his chin, gaze sharpening as his mind turned. "Funds, hm? Then it seems the Glory Clinic will have to hold its first full day of business." His lips curled into a sly grin. "If this morning's half-hour brought such results, imagine what an entire day could yield."
Not long after, the three of them made their way back to the clinic. By the time they opened its doors, the street outside was already swelling with curious faces. Word of Shi Yang's miraculous surgeries had spread—the men he'd paid to advertise had done their job well.
This time, it wasn't just a handful of bidders—it was a crowd. Dozens pressed forward, each shouting their offers for a chance to have their bodies reshaped, refined, or improved under Shi Yang's hands. The air was alive with clamor, silver and spirit stones flashing in the light as the bidding began anew.
The noise outside the Glory Clinic swelled until Shi Yang finally stepped forward. His robe sleeves fluttered faintly as he raised a hand, silencing the crowd with nothing more than a glance.
"Listen well," Shi Yang's voice cut through the din, steady yet edged with authority. "I will not be offering Complete Body Refinement today. That much work cannot be done in bulk." His lips curved, half-amused, half-cold. "Instead, I will open bidding on a limited set of procedures. Depending on my mood, there may be dozens of opportunities… or only one. So do not sit and wait like fools. Bid as though your lives depended on it."
A ripple ran through the crowd. Anticipation thickened the air.
Shi Yang lifted a folded sheet of parchment and read aloud, each word crisp.
"Breast Crafting—starting bid: eight copper."
Instantly, the silence shattered.
"Ten copper!"
"Twelve!"
"Fourteen copper!"
The bids rose fast, voices tripping over one another. Two men near the front snarled as they outbid each other in quick succession, their faces red with desperation.
Shi Yang allowed it to build, then raised a hand—pausing them mid-argument. "Hn. Fifteen copper, going once…" His eyes slid over the desperate bidder, lingering long enough to let the tension bite. "Going twice… sold."
The man sagged in relief as the crowd jeered or groaned.
Shi Yang smirked faintly and lowered the parchment again.
"Next—Feminization. Starting bid: five copper."
The reaction was sharper this time. Several young men elbowed to the front, throwing down bids in rapid fire.
"Seven!"
"Ten copper!"
"Thirteen!"
A flurry of numbers rose, the desperation in their voices thickening with each passing breath. Shi Yang's gaze swept over them, unreadable.
"One slot," he declared. "No more."
The tension spiked.
"Sixteen!"
"Eighteen!"
"Twenty!"
At last, a thin, sweating youth nearly shouted himself hoarse with a bid of twenty-three copper. The others faltered, grumbling curses under their breath as Shi Yang brought his hand down.
"Sold."
The boy nearly wept with joy.
Finally, Shi Yang tapped the parchment once more, the faintest smile tugging at his lips.
"Fat Distribution. Starting bid: five copper."
The crowd erupted again. Unlike the others, this procedure seemed to strike a chord with nearly everyone—men slapping their bellies, others gesturing at their legs or arms, voices overlapping in a storm of copper bids.
"Six!"
"Eight!
"Ten!"
"Eleven!"
The numbers climbed rapidly, the air hot with sweat and greed. Shi Yang chuckled darkly and raised a hand.
"This one… I may allow more than one slot." His words rolled like thunder through the crowd. "Or none at all, depending on how pleased I am. So if you want your chance—fight for it."
The frenzy redoubled instantly. Coins clattered, voices grew hoarse, and desperation turned men into snarling beasts as they fought to outbid one another.
Shi Yang leaned back in his chair, exhaustion sinking into his bones after nearly an entire day of orchestrating bids, answering questions, and performing the occasional demonstration of his craft. The clinic still smelled faintly of herbs, incense, and the tang of heated metal, though the crowd had long dispersed. Outside, the last of the curious stragglers drifted away into the evening, voices still buzzing about the "Glory Clinic" and its strange, miraculous surgeries.
Yoke darted in a circle across the room, the little spirit cub's claws clicking faintly against the polished wooden floor as it chased its own tail with dizzying vigor. Occasionally it skidded near Shi Yang's chair, let out a squeak, then bounded away again like a streak of gray fur.
Han Jie stepped forward quietly, handing Shi Yang a cup of cool water with both hands. "Master Shi, you've overworked yourself today. The crowd was relentless."
Shi Yang accepted it without looking, bringing it to his lips. The water was plain, but it tasted like victory. His eyes half-lidded as he calculated in silence.
Today's combined profit—after nearly a dozen rounds of heated bidding, from daoists offering their life savings for breast crafting, to wealthy young cultivators tossing around silver like it was copper—had reached an astonishing sum.
"Eighteen gold, seven silver," Han Jie reported carefully, as if the number itself was heavy enough to bend the air.
Shi Yang smirked faintly, swirling the last of the water in his cup. "Not bad for a first full day's work."
Xiu Mei, perched on a stool nearby with her sleeves rolled neatly back, raised a brow. "Not bad? You could buy out half a merchant's caravan with that. The town's already whispering—by tomorrow, people will come crawling just for the chance to watch, even if they can't afford it."
Shi Yang's smile deepened, lazy and sharp at once. "Good. Let them. A clinic that doesn't stir rumors is a graveyard."
Yoke, as if understanding none of this, finally tired from its frenzied play. It padded toward Xiu Mei, climbed clumsily onto her lap, and promptly collapsed in a warm bundle of fur. The little cub gave a soft, contented chirp before dozing off, its belly still round from the carp and eggs.
Shi Yang closed his eyes for a moment, one hand idly stroking his chin. With funds secured, the spirit beast auction tonight was no longer out of reach.
"Eighteen gold, seven silver," he repeated softly, almost to himself. "Let's see how much of that we'll need to spend."
The clinic was quiet now, but the fire in Shi Yang's eyes promised the night was only just beginning.