A Land Without Men

After burning the two items, Su Qing returned to her room and rested for the night.

The next morning, the sunlight was just right. The Green Ox, transformed into an old man, came to the guest room and knocked on the door to wake everyone.

"Everyone, breakfast is ready. Come and eat!" he called out.

The Green Ox had no intention of keeping Su Qing and the others for long. After all, his residence was mostly a mirage, not reality. Over time, Su Qing wouldn't be the only one to see through the illusion.

As for the events of the previous night, the Green Ox naturally wouldn't mention them to Su Qing. Whether she had seen through the mystery was her own business. He had done his part; the rest was up to fate.

After being woken, Su Qing and the others got out of bed. Su Qing stretched, dressed, and stepped outside. Seeing the old man, she smiled slightly and said, "Thank you for preparing the food, old sir."

She didn't mention the bamboo slips, acting as if she had never received them.

The old man shook his head and said, "My servants prepared it; I just came by to greet you. By the way, are you all leaving today?"

Su Qing nodded. "We were only staying for the night. Now that it's passed, it's time for us to move on."

The Green Ox nodded. "In that case, have breakfast with me before you go. Oh, do you need any travel funds?"

Su Qing shook her head. "That won't be necessary."

Seeing this, the Green Ox said no more. Once the others were dressed, he led them to breakfast. His reason for leading them personally was simple: he didn't want them wandering around. Su Qing was one thing, but if the others saw through his mirage, it would cause no end of trouble.

Breakfast was simple—just thick porridge and some pickled vegetables. It wasn't that the Green Ox was stingy; he simply didn't have much ordinary food. Vegetables were even scarcer. And besides, he couldn't exactly feed them grass—they weren't cows!

Breakfast passed without incident. Afterward, Su Qing and the others led their horses and bid the old man farewell.

"Thank you, Old Benefactor, for taking us in for the day," Chaoyan said with a bow.

The old man shook his head. "No need for thanks. I did little more than provide a spare room. The road to the west is treacherous; please be careful."

"Thank you for the warning, Old Benefactor. We will keep it in mind," Chaoyan replied with a nod.

The old man nodded back, recited a Buddhist greeting, and bid them farewell.

Shortly after they left, the pavilion and houses in the mountain valley vanished, leaving only a quiet forest and small demons tidying up.

After leaving the Green Ox, Su Qing and her group continued westward for several days. Before they knew it, autumn had ended and early winter had arrived. The journey had been peaceful, with no demons or bandits in sight—the easiest stretch they had traveled in a long time.

One cold day, they reached a large river that blocked their path. Instead of immediately building a boat, they walked along the bank to see if they could find a ferryman. Finding none, and seeing that the river wasn't particularly wide, Yudie gathered some wood and fashioned a small boat to ferry them across.

Though Chaoyan was under many restrictions, Su Qing and the others weren't. Using a spell to make a boat was effortless. In no time, Yudie had the boat ready and was ferrying everyone across.

The river was narrow, and the rowing was leisurely. However, seeing other boats passing by made Yudie feel a bit speechless. If she had just waited a little longer, she wouldn't have had to build one herself.

Su Qing saw Yudie's frustrated expression and let out a soft laugh. Meanwhile, Chaoyan and Jingyue noticed something unusual about the passing boats.

"Mother... cough, Godmother," Chaoyan said. "How come all the ferrymen we've seen along the way are women?"

Spending so much time with Su Qing and hearing Yudie call her 'Mother' had started to rub off on Chaoyan.

Su Qing looked up at the departing boat, then down at the river water. She leaned against the side of the boat with a chuckle. "I've heard that in Xiliang, there is a Women's Kingdom with a moat called the Mother-Child River. It seems we've reached the borders of that kingdom."

"The Women's Kingdom? The Mother-Child River?" Chaoyan was confused.

Su Qing continued, "Yes. Legend has it that if you drink this water, you'll give birth to a child in three days."

"Godmother, you must be joking. How can childbearing be accomplished just by drinking river water?" Chaoyan had been teased by Su Qing so many times that she instinctively doubted such an incredible claim. Even though she was a monastic and didn't know much about worldly affairs, she at least knew that having children required both a man and a woman. The fact that everyone had parents was proof enough. She was convinced her godmother was talking nonsense.

Su Qing smiled, resting her chin on her hand. "If you don't believe me, shall we make a bet?"

Chaoyan froze, then quickly shook her head. "I always feel like you're trying to play a trick on me!"

"Am I that kind of person? You don't even believe my words anymore? I'm so heartbroken!" Su Qing said, pouting.

Chaoyan rolled her eyes. "Fine, fine. I'll bet with you. So, Godmother, what are the stakes?"

"Let's bet on whether this river water has the effect I described," Su Qing said with a bright smile.

"Godmother, do you want me to drink it?"

Su Qing blinked. "Why? Do you want to have a daughter?"

"Godmother, what are you saying?"

"You really can't take a joke, can you?" Su Qing laughed helplessly. "To prove it, you don't need to drink it yourself. We'll just look around and ask once we're inside the kingdom. Then we'll know."

Chaoyan scratched her head. "I really didn't think of that..."

Su Qing rolled her eyes.

"Anyway, since we're betting, there must be stakes. Girl, what should we wager?"

"Godmother, I have no money! You know that."

"I know you're broke," Su Qing sighed. "In that case, let's bet something else. If I win, you must do one thing for me. If I lose, I'll grant you one request."

Chaoyan nodded. "That works... but Godmother, you can't ask for anything too outrageous!"

"Would I ever do that?" Su Qing smiled faintly.

And so, the bet was settled. Su Qing leaned against the boat, watching the river scenery. As she watched, she noticed Jingyue had quietly taken out a gourd and was filling it with river water. Su Qing looked away, pretending she hadn't seen a thing. She didn't know what the girl planned to do with the water, but she certainly wasn't going to drink anything Jingyue handed her from now on. Getting tricked by that girl would be a disaster.

As Yudie rowed, she listened to their chatter and glanced down at the water. She didn't do anything, merely curious if it really worked. However, after hearing Su Qing's words, the horse—which had been about to take a drink to quench its thirst—quickly pulled its tongue back, not daring to touch the water. It didn't dare doubt Su Qing's words, even if she might be lying.

The Mother-Child River wasn't wide, and Yudie soon reached the other side. They went ashore and left the boat behind.

Since it wasn't late yet, they continued their journey. Along the way, they didn't see a single man. Everyone they encountered was female—the laborers, the farmers, the woodcutters... it seemed as if there truly wasn't a single man in the entire country.

Chaoyan observed this throughout the walk. By now, she realized she had likely lost the bet. She didn't dwell on it; losing was fine, it just meant one favor for her godmother. Besides, the bet wasn't officially over until the properties of the Mother-Child River were confirmed.

As evening approached, they found a house to stay for the night. There were many dwellings within the kingdom's borders, and they quickly found a place.

An old woman came to the door. "What do you need?"

Chaoyan explained their purpose. Learning they were travelers seeking shelter, the old woman nodded and let them in without much fuss.

"I'm sorry, but you'll have to squeeze in together. My house isn't large, and I have three daughters, so there's only one spare room," the old woman said casually.

Chaoyan didn't mind. "Squeezing in is no problem."

"By the way, I'm curious about something. Could you enlighten me, Old Benefactor?" Chaoyan asked.

"Ask away. If I know the answer, I won't hide it from you," the old woman replied.

Chaoyan thanked her and then asked about the Mother-Child River.

"Oh? You're asking about the river?" the woman chuckled. "It's true. This is the Xiliang Women's Kingdom. There are no men here, so our survival depends entirely on the Mother-Child River!"

"It really has such a miraculous effect?"

"Why would I lie? If you don't believe me, drink a ladleful and see for yourself," the old woman joked. "I happen to have a jar of it inside. Want some? Don't be shy; if you finish it, I'll just go to the river and get more."

Chaoyan waved her hands frantically, her face full of refusal. "No, no, that's quite unnecessary! I'm a monastic; how could I have children? I believe you, I believe you!"

The old woman laughed heartily, finding amusement in teasing the girl. Then she said, "Your godmother is quite knowledgeable, though. Not many people know about our kingdom... to know of the Mother-Child River without having been here is impressive."

Su Qing smiled. "You flatter me, Granny. I only heard it mentioned by a friend."

The old woman didn't think much of it. "Wait here a moment; I'll go cook something for you."

After she left, Chaoyan sat beside Su Qing. "Alright, Godmother, you win!"

Su Qing rested her head on her hand and laughed. "Since you've admitted defeat, you owe me a favor."

"Aren't you going to ask for it now?"

"I'll save it for when it's more necessary," Su Qing said playfully.

Chaoyan nodded, not suspecting anything. "Just don't forget."

Su Qing chuckled and pulled her into an embrace. "I won't forget... you know I'm not the type to let a debt go unpaid."

Chaoyan stuck her tongue out but didn't argue. Nearby, the old woman's daughters were having a great time playing with Yudie. They were young, only fifteen or sixteen, so they got along well. Watching them play, Su Qing couldn't help but smile, enjoying the tranquility.

They ate dinner and huddled together for the night. The night passed quickly, though there was one small detail Su Qing noticed—the old woman's daughters seemed to be quite intimate with each other in a romantic sense. Su Qing didn't mind; it wasn't her business.

The next day, they set out again. After traveling dozens of miles, they reached the capital of the Women's Kingdom. They entered a marketplace where everyone wore long skirts and short coats, their faces powdered and hair sleekly styled. From the young to the old, every single person was a woman.

Su Qing wasn't surprised and continued forward on her horse. Riding through the streets, Chaoyan felt strangely bashful despite everyone being female.

Su Qing laughed. "Why so shy? Just walk. They're all women; are you afraid of being stared at?"

Chaoyan pouted. "It's not that... it's just a bit overwhelming."

"What's there to be overwhelmed by?" Su Qing shook her head with a smile. "The world is full of wonders; even the strangest things aren't strange at all."

Chaoyan sighed, wanting to ask her godmother if she even realized what she was saying, but knowing she could never win an argument against Su Qing's twisted logic, she just pouted and said no more.