Chương 486: Can I Take a Look?

The ox-cart rattled over the wooden planks that served as the main thoroughfare into Misty Harbor. The town didn't sit on the land; it hovered over the water. It was a sprawling network of bamboo stilts, floating docks and suspended walkways that crisscrossed the massive, mist-shrouded lake. Li Yu hopped off the cart and tossed a wave to the old driver.

"Thanks for the ride. May your nets be full."

"May your bowl be full, traveler!" the driver called back. He cracked his whip gently to guide his beast toward the grain exchange. Li Yu took a deep breath. The air here was distinct. It smelled of deep water, algae and the sharp, tantalizing aroma of frying chilies or the like. Li Yu adjusted his travel pack where the jar of soy paste was safely nestled in cloth.

"It smells like potential here. A good place to spend a bit more time." He walked deeper into the town. The culture here was entirely amphibious. Children jumped from their porches directly into the water to swim to their neighbors' houses. Merchants paddled narrow canoes laden with vegetables and were selling their wares to pedestrians walking on the hanging bridges above. Li Yu found a restaurant called The Drunken Heron. It was an open-air establishment on a wide platform that was bustling with locals.

"Table for one," Li Yu told the host.

"And I want the Golden Carp. Extra Blue-Fire Peppers." The host was a woman and she raised an eyebrow.

"Extra peppers? You're not from around here, traveler. The Blue-Fire is no joke. It burns twice. Once going in, once coming out."

"I like a challenge," Li Yu smiled. When the dish arrived, it was a work of art. The carp was steamed whole, swimming in a broth that glowed a vibrant neon blue from the peppers. It looked quite odd for a dish but had its own appeal and charm. Li Yu took a bite. The heat was instantaneous. It was a chemical fire that raced up his sinuses and made his eyes water but underneath the burn, the fish was miraculous. The meat was so tender it dissolved on the tongue without any chewing. It was sweet and rich.

"Incredible," Li Yu whispered while wiping a tear from his eye. He pulled out a small notebook and began scribbling notes on the flavor profile. He didn't really need to since he could remember but he felt like the act of writing it down was somehow meaningful. It brought him that bit closer to the activity he was doing. After the meal, he didn't leave immediately. He approached the restaurant owner.

"I have a strange request," Li Yu said as he placed a bag of spirit stones on the counter.

"I'm a... collector of aquatic species. I'd like to buy a set of five live Golden Carps. Breeding pairs, if possible." The owner blinked.

"You want to keep them as pets? They're delicious but they aren't exactly conversation partners."

"I have a large tank," Li Yu said vaguely.

"Do we have a deal?" Ten minutes later Li Yu walked out with the bewildered Golden Carps in his Koi Sanctuary. He placed them in their own little pond for them to grow in population before letting them mingle with the rest.

"Five more for the collection," Li Yu muttered to Tekton.

"I hope I can find more on this continent. It is getting harder and harder to find completely new species to collect." Li Yu scanned behind him and around him to see if anyone was following him. He had shown some wealth just now and that generally attracted attention. However, to his surprise and delight there were no issues. At least none that were obvious. He wasn't being picked on or targeted for the slight wealth he had shown with his bag of spirit stones.

Li Yu's journey continued Southward as he followed the waterways to explore more. He moved slowly and stopped in small villages and hamlets. He wasn't in a rush and because he wasn't rushing, he could enjoy himself and stop everywhere. In a village known as Reed-Knot, he saw a crowd gathered around a frantic young man holding the reins of a massive beast. It was an Iron-Scale Ox, a beast of burden in the wetlands but this one was thrashing wildly with foam dripping from its mouth.

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"Stand back!" the young man shouted as he struggled to hold the rope.

"He's gone mad! He kicked the plow to splinters! Be careful or else you might get hurt as well." The villagers were terrified at the sight. A mad beast could level a house in seconds. Li Yu pushed through the crowd to see what was happening. He simply walked up to the thrashing ox.

"Easy there," Li Yu said. His voice was laced with a trace of soul power and was soothing and authoritative. The ox beast froze. It instinctively sensed that someone much stronger than it was here. Its eyes were wide and rolling. It snorted and pawed the ground. Li Yu stepped into the beast's personal space. This was somehow a non-aquatic beast even though it looked like it would be. Its background was that of the ground and iron so his special senses couldn't be used but his experience was vast.

He observed the ox's gait. It was favoring its left side. He saw the way it pinned its ears back when the wind blew.

"It's not mad," Li Yu announced to the crowd. Just loud enough for those around to hear but not too loud.

"It's in agony. May I check it out further? I am well versed in treating beasts." Li Yu said to the young man. The young man nodded back to him in agreement but kept a close watch on him. He walked to the ox's left ear to continue his examination. The beast flinched but Li Yu was faster. He grabbed the horn to steady the head and peered into the ear canal. His spiritual sense had detected it earlier but he wanted to see it with his own eyes.

"Ah. Swamp Mite." Li Yu reached into his pouch but actually pulled from his storage ring and pulled out a pair of long thin silver tweezers. With surgical precision, he reached into the ox's ear. Snap. He pulled out a writhing thumb-sized insect with nasty pincers. The ox let out a long shuddering breath and instantly slumped. The tension left its body. It nudged Li Yu's chest with its wet nose.

"Just a bug bite," Li Yu flicked the mite away that destroyed it and wiped his tweezers.

"Wash the ear with salt water and keep him out of the deep mud for two days." The young owner fell to his knees.

"Thank you, Physician! I thought I'd have to put him down. I have no money but please, take these river clams that I harvested just a while ago!" Li Yu accepted the basket of clams.

"Fresh clams are better than money, young man. This is much better. Make sure you check his ears daily." It sounded quite weird for Li Yu to call the person a young man since they both looked the same age but Li Yu was used to doing such things when he was a doctor.

"If anyone else needs help with their beasts, I am willing to do so mostly free of charge. I only ask for stories or local foods or fish. I am known as the Quiet Physician.." Li Yu announced as he was walking away. Word spread quickly. As he traveled, Li Yu found himself adopting his moniker once again. He didn't advertise but he didn't turn people away. Sometime later in a riverside market, a wealthy merchant approached him.

"I heard of you," the merchant said while wringing his hands.

"They say you have a way with beasts. My prized Aqua-Strider... it won't eat. It just floats there. Please help me." Li Yu followed the man to a private dock. In a large netted enclosure, a beautiful creature floated. It looked like a cross between a seal and a water strider with long elegant legs and sleek fur. This was an aquatic beast and will make things much simpler. As soon as Li Yu stepped onto the dock, he felt it. He didn't need to look at its tongue or check its temperature.

He could feel the beast's internal state as if it were his own body.

'It would seem like my ability towards aquatic beasts has grown at some point. It is much clearer now than ever before… I wonder what caused it.' Li Yu thought to himself. He felt a blockage. Cold. Hard. Located in the lower digestive tract. Li Yu walked to the edge of the dock and knelt. He extended a hand into the water. The Aqua-Strider swam over slowly and pressed its nose against his palm.

"You swallowed something shiny, didn't you?" Li Yu whispered. He closed his eyes. He sent a pulse of pure water-attribute Qi into the beast. He didn't cut it open, he didn't need to. He manipulated the water, slime and blood within the beast's body. He was coating the obstruction in a slick layer of fluid and gently stimulating the muscles with his Qi. The beast shuddered and then it coughed. It retched once and spat out a large glittering object. It was a ring but the pearl on it was massive. The merchant gasped.

"My wife's wedding ring! She lost it a month ago! We thought it was stolen!" The Aqua-Strider chirped happily. It did a flip in the water and splashed Li Yu.

"He liked the smoothness of the pearl, most likely anyways.," Li Yu explained while drying his hand.

"Keep your jewelry box closed and away from it. You might want to get a few small pearls every now and again, it seems to like them. Just make sure it doesn't eat them."

"Physician!" The merchant bowed deeply.

"Name your price!"

"I see that you import the Bitter-Melon wine from the South. You can save me some time of not needing to going down there to get some." Li Yu said.

"I'll ask for two bottles."

"Of course, you can take more than that." The merchant responded. He wanted to make a connection with Li Yu as well.

"Two is more than enough for my work. Thank you for the wine, I will be on my way now. Take care of yourselves." Li Yu said as he waved them goodbye with a smile.