"Here?"

Zéyì and Fàn Bì'ān looked dubiously at the tiny tea house that Zyu Ji Sang had led them all to. It looked exceedingly ordinary, a small wooden shopfront that backed onto a soaring limestone cliff, as many of the neighbouring buildings did. The builders could save money and materials by using the cliff as the back wall.

As they stood and pulled faces at this venue, two people stopped at the entrance. A guard suddenly materialised from the shadows and challenged them. One of the people, a foreign man with blond hair and a big moustache, produced a small object from his pouch, and showed it to the guard. After some discussion, the man and the other person, also a foreigner, a tall, muscular woman with pale skin and dark hair, entered the tea house and disappeared from sight.

"Did you hear that, Gong jiě?"

"Bits of it. Sounds like there's something we need to show in order to enter. I guess this auction isn't open to just anyone."

"You're absolutely right, dàjiě," said an amused voice behind them. The women turned to see a group of demons had just arrived, not even attempting to hide their true natures.

At the head of the group was Prince Fàn Bì'ān.

Well, it was him, right? Zéyì stared at him. She had always thought his eyes were dark, and that the shape of his face had resembled her Fifth Brother, Měng Huàn, but this demon boy before her was red-eyed and had a sharp face, unlike the soft and friendly roundness of her brother.

Where she had seen him short like her brother, he was tall, and the only characteristics she had seemed to have seen right were the reddish hue of his skin, the appearance of his horns, and the long earlobes typical of a demon.

Gong Lau Jan caught her suddenly. She hadn't realised that she had swayed, dizzy and confused.

"A Lián?"

"I'm... I'm okay."

Zéyì glared at the prince. Stop playing around! Have you been changing your appearance to confuse everyone?

But Fàn Bì'ān only had eyes for Zyu Ji Sang. He bowed with exceptional politeness, mouth dripping honey. "Beautiful Zhū jiě, we meet again. Might I be of assistance to you?"

Zyu Ji Sang's mouth twitched. She looked as though she wanted to flay him alive with her words, but she merely said, "So it seems."

The prince snapped his fingers. Several servants hurried forwards, bearing small boxes. Within each box was a small badge. A round black circle, with a golden rim and the silhouette of a fox's face, and he directed three of the servants to present these to Gong Lau Jan, Zyu Ji Sang, and Zéyì.

As Zéyì took her badge, the demon prince looked at her suddenly, rubbing his chin.

"This dà jiě from before, her demonic aura has gotten stronger."

Zéyì opened her mouth to speak, but Gong Lau Jan hugged her firmly. "That's right, Your Highness. You noticed... I wonder if you might know of someone who can assist her? It is dangerous for a human spiritual cultivator to carry demonic energy, after all."

He shrugged. "Perhaps. But why would I do something that disadvantages me? I would always prefer there to be more demons in the world."

"May I take that as an act of aggression, Your Highness?" A dangerous aura seemed to emanate from Gong Lau Jan. The demonic energy within Zéyì shrank a little at the feeling. "I am still known to the world as Miss Fén, Demon Hunter."

"Haaa... You damned spiritual beasts are no fun," the prince pouted. "Alright, alright, I will have someone give you some possible contacts. You owe me, 'Miss Fén'."

"I accept that, Your Highness."

The demonic entourage swept coldly past them and entered the teahouse.

Zéyì stared after them in confusion. "Bì'ān dì?"

"Bì'ān dì?" Zyu Ji Sang repeated, looking horrified. "Is that what you called him?"

"He doesn't usually act so cold to me, Zhū jiě. If you get to know him-"

"Zéyì," Gong Lau Jan interrupted softly. "Demons can be difficult to understand. Don't take it personally."

Zyu Ji Sang looked like she wanted to say something else, but she swallowed it down and looked away. Zéyì sighed. "I'm just a little sad, that's all. He has been so kind to me recently, but I guess he was just playing around. He even changed his appearance. I'd almost forgotten what he originally looked like until I saw him now."

Gong Lau Yan was still hugging her. She squeezed Zéyì's shoulder. "A Lián, are you... are you okay?"

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"What... do you mean?"

"You seem... are you lonely? Have we been neglecting you?" The loong bent down a little so that she could lock eyes with the cultivator. "I'm sorry, I don't fully understand human interactions, and Siu W- Zyu Ji Sang is terrible with people -"

"Hey!"

"- so I just can't tell. What do you need from us? What... do you need from me?"

From you?

Zéyì stood captivated by Gong Lau Jan's grey-brown eyes for a moment. A thousand thoughts rushed into her head – Can we see the world together? Can we just sit and talk about our pasts? Will you let me follow you while I'm alive? - as she opened her mouth.

"It's... nothing, Gong jiě. I'm just happy to spend a little time travelling with you. I don't need anything else."

"Is that so...?" Gong Lau Jan didn't seem to think anything of this answer. She smiled and patted the top of Zéyì 's head. "Alright, good. If there's ever anything you need, let me know, okay?"

"Of course."

She was acutely aware of Zyu Ji Sang's piercing gaze from the corner of her eye, but she pretended not to see it.

"Then, let's go inside."

----------------------------------------

The tea house was merely a tiny façade. A huge structure had been carved into the limestone behind, a massive tiered hall where near a hundred people had already gathered; humans, demons and spirits of many races. The trio had to take a seat near the back of the hall, given how full the space was.

Zéyì scanned the crowd curiously, sensing that the mood seemed a little odd. The group of people just before them seemed very excited, craning their necks to see the stage. Meanwhile, a few rows down and to the left, a group of swarthy men glowered and muttered menacingly amongst themselves. A few small demons nearby were also scanning the crowd, albeit in a very nervous manner. From somewhere else, Zéyì could hear the sound of someone openly weeping.

"Not everyone is here to have fun, it seems," Gong Lau Jan murmured in her ear, having to come close due to the loudness of the audience. Zéyì merely nodded back, not trusting herself to speak while her ear was warm from the loong's breath.

A man walked onto the stage below, and as he looked out into the crowd, the din ceased. Gong Lau Jan frowned and leaned forwards, eyes narrowed as she stared at him.

At that point, Zéyì noticed that a slim woman stood just behind him, dressed in robes embroidered with gold. She couldn't see the details very well, given how far back they were in the hall, but she could tell that the pair made an attractive couple. For the first time, she contemplated the silver scars on her skin.

"Welcome, everyone." The man's voice was deep and seductive, and it rolled around the room without issue, such that everyone could hear him clearly. "It's good to see a full house, and eager faces."

A smile seemed to play on the corners of his lips as he said this. Gong Lau Jan was frowning harder than ever.

"You all know who I am. I won't speak for too long. Today I have gathered together items from across the world for your consideration. From the farthest reaches of the Jade Road, products with great powers, and great beauty. There has not been an auction like this before. If all goes well, it will not be the last, either."

The crowd muttered. Gong Lau Jan was shaking her head and muttering too, but her words seemed a little different.

"I hope you like what you see. I hope you are able to take something special with you today. Something you need, something you want, something you simply desire. There is something for everyone here. Please, enjoy your evening."

The man and woman turned to leave. Gong Lau Jan stood up suddenly, earning growls of annoyance from the unlucky people in the row behind, but she quickly composed herself and sat down again.

"Gong jiě?"

"Gong ze, what are you doing?"

"No way," she was saying to herself. Her hands unconsciously gripped those of Zyu Ji Sang and Zéyì sitting either side of her. "That was Siu Lei!"

"Who?"

"Saam Lei! The guardian spirit of Saam Lam(1)! He disappeared when Zyu was cursed..."

Zéyì vaguely remembered the 'Little Fox' from Gong Lau Yan's recount of the devastation of the Zyu Kingdom. "Isn't that great? One of your friends is alive!"

Gong Lau Jan's expression quickly darkened. "But what is he doing here? The way he spoke... as if he had organised this event. And that badge with the fox face?"

Before they could speculate further, the auctioneer brought a lectern onto the stage and began auctioning the first item.

Zéyì watched with growing anger as a box of jumbled dog teeth was carelessly displayed, while a group of evidently distraught dog-people from one of the countries in the west, present in humanoid form, desperately bid for it. They were skinny and poorly dressed, clearly without much money, but a smug-looking man kept casually outbidding them as his friend cheered him on. It was impossible to tell who was human and who was demon in that place

Zéyì met Gong Lau Jan's eyes. Her voice was harsh. "I can't sit here and see that bastard take those teeth."

"I don't like it either. Let's go backstage after the auction finishes, okay?" The loong smiled cheerfully.

Zyu Ji Sang rolled her eyes.

The auction was stomach-churning. One by one, products made from spiritual beasts were brought out; a belt made from Naga skin, a knife formed from the horn of a bái zé(2), other objects made from species Zéyì could not recognise. She only hoped the raw materials had been donated painlessly or taken from an already dead creature. She hoped, but did not believe.

The second-last item was a pair of live shī zi(3), which drew gasps of excitement and horror from the crowd. Gong Lau Jan and Zéyì gritted their teeth as the lion-dogs were auctioned off callously, so when Saam Lei returned to the stage, his attractive escort in tow, Gong Lau Jan looked ready to murder him with her eyes only.

"Everyone, I hope that this auction has exceeded your expectations so far. How have you enjoyed yourselves?"

A great din rose from the audience. Whether it meant yes or no was hard to say. It was likely that both opinions were present.

"You may be wondering what could possibly top two live shī zi. Well, what I am about to show you is my second most prized possession."

"Saam Lei, what the hell are you doing?" Gong Lau Jan snarled quietly. The wooden armrest of her chair splintered under her grip.

"This is the earliest item I ever obtained. I have held onto it for many, many years, and now, finally, I am ready to hand it over to its new owner."

Eight assistants struggled to wheel an enormous cloth-covered mass onto the stage. Those watching murmured to themselves. What could it possibly be?

"What will you do with it? Will you leave it as I have, to be displayed as it is? Will you use it to fashion for yourself clothing or armour? You have many, many options with this last item. I present to you..."

The eight assistants pulled hard at the cloth, and it came away with a rush.

There was silence.

There was noise.

And most of that noise came from Gong Lau Jan, as she stood up in her seat, roaring, transforming into her true form.