At the same time, boats—both large and small—began to appear on the river, approaching the area where they had landed. Among them were warships with armed troops standing on deck. Yet strangely, there wasn't a single male soldier among them—all were women, bearing military discipline and strong cultivation auras. In their eyes shone a scorching heat, a longing hard to miss.
"Boss Zhen… Could this place be the legendary Kingdom of Women?"Yi Tianxing asked slowly, his gaze flickering with intrigue.
"Haha! As expected of Daoist Yi, well-informed and widely traveled,"Zhen Deqiong laughed and nodded."You're right. This is the Kingdom of Women."
He didn't keep it secret.
"This nation is quite... special. The land is unique, and so is its culture.For example—take this river. Never, ever, drink the water here. It's called the Forget-Worry Mother-Child River.Anyone—man or woman—who drinks its waters will become pregnant in no more than a moment's time. And I mean that literally."
Yi Tianxing's eyes flickered.
"This river nourishes the entire Kingdom of Women.There are no men here. If any woman desires a child, she simply draws a bowl of water from the river and drinks it. The result? Guaranteed pregnancy—and always with a baby girl."
"The generals are women. The soldiers are women. The queen is a woman. This nation is a matriarchal monarchy, and men are the rarest resource here."
Zhen Deqiong's tone held a hint of admiration and mystery.
According to legend, the Kingdom of Women possessed a fated power—a mysterious destiny-based law. Regardless of how a woman became pregnant—through union with a man or by drinking from the Mother-Child River—only daughters would be born. This strange phenomenon had persisted for generations.
It wasn't unbreakable, but escaping its effect required leaving the kingdom, and even then, it would take two to three generations to completely remove the river's bloodline imprint. Every citizen here was tied, by fate, to the Mother-Child River from birth.
A literal bond with the river's luck and fate.
"General Hong Ying, apologies for the intrusion. I hope our arrival hasn't caused any inconvenience."Zhen Deqiong cupped his hands respectfully toward a warship near the shore.
There stood a group of valiant female soldiers, led by a strikingly heroic female general—Hong Ying. Her presence exuded a bright, commanding aura, and just a glance was enough to leave an impression.
"Boss Zhen! What a rare visit.I take it you brought something interesting again? And… what of that favor I asked last time?"
As she spoke, her gaze shifted toward Yi Tianxing—and her eyes lit up.
Although Yi Tianxing hadn't revealed his true face, and it wasn't exactly the most handsome to begin with, his current appearance was plain yet elegant. What stood out most was not his looks but his aura—a calm, transcendent presence that made him distinct even in a crowd.
"Hehe, since it was an official request from your nation, how could I be careless?I've brought plenty of fine young men this time.But as always, everything must be by mutual consent. After all, they are my clients."
Zhen Deqiong chuckled.
"Of course. The Kingdom of Women recruits husbands—we don't capture them, and we don't buy slaves.Still, I believe many of them will choose to stay,"Hong Ying said confidently. Her tone suggested: once here, they won't leave.
At that moment, a steady stream of young cultivators began pouring out of the trading hub on the back of the Wandering Bird.
They hadn't been noticed earlier, but now one could see clearly—over a hundred thousand men, aged eighteen to thirty-five, all walked out with excitement and anticipation in their eyes.
"So this is the Kingdom of Women… wow, they really are all women!"
"Amazing! I've heard about their annual Husband Selection Festival—all the single women open their doors to recruit husbands. As long as you're willing to join, you can pick any eligible beauty. It's every man's dream!"
"They say that in the Kingdom of Women, a man doesn't even have to work—he just enjoys pampering and affection. You even get a redo every three years—you can leave your current marriage and choose again!"
"That's why I came! I'm done struggling. I just want peace and passion."
These men had clearly come specifically for this.
After all, the Kingdom of Women had no shortage of young beauties, and men—even average or ugly ones—were in extremely high demand.
"Of course, everything is voluntary,"Zhen Deqiong added."I won't interfere. This time, I'm also here to purchase a batch of Sparrow-Tongue Tea. I trust your kingdom will make the arrangements. I'm offering a generous price."
"That's no problem,"Hong Ying replied with a smile."Aren't you going to enjoy our city, though? The Queen is eager to meet you."
"Haha, no, no. If I go in… I fear I might not come back out. I prefer staying out here where it's peaceful."Zhen Deqiong waved his hands quickly.
"And this fellow is…?"Hong Ying turned her attention to Yi Tianxing, sensing something unusual.
"My surname is Yi. Yi Tian,"he replied calmly,"I came with the merchant caravan to travel the world. Your kingdom just happens to be my first stop."
Yi Tianxing's tone was calm and detached, in sharp contrast to the buzzing excitement of the other men.
To him, beauty was not rare. Within the Great Yi Holy Court, countless peerless women—Cai Yan, Wang Zhaojun, and others—surrounded him. Whether in looks or aura, they were often superior to what he saw here.
That said, he wasn't arrogant enough to say all women here were inferior. A nation like this could certainly produce remarkable individuals.
Still, he had no interest in joining a husband selection festival. As the Holy King of Great Yi, marrying into another kingdom would be a joke. Countless critics would mock him.
That didn't mean he couldn't explore the Kingdom of Women. It was, after all, a cultural and mystical anomaly worth studying. And he had other thoughts in mind as well…
"The Husband Selection Festival is tomorrow,"Hong Ying announced to the crowd."Any gentleman who wishes to participate may remain.For now, please board the boats—we're heading to Red Embroidery City, where the festival will be held."
This event wasn't held nationwide but in designated cities, and only when enough young men arrived. Without them, there would be no point.
The festival was a long-standing tradition in the Kingdom of Women. Every time it was held, it turned into a grand celebration. Young maidens would gather from across the land.
The Sparrow-Tongue Tea produced here was also famous throughout the realms—a delicacy made from trees found only in this region and picked with a special feminine technique. The resulting tea had a unique charm, invigorating aroma, and spiritual properties that subtly enhanced cultivation. Outside the kingdom, it was rare and extremely expensive.
As the young men boarded the boats and prepared to cross the river toward Red Embroidery City, something unexpected happened.
From upriver, a bamboo raft came floating down the stream, attracting everyone's attention.
Yi Tianxing's gaze shifted—and his pupils contracted slightly.
Not because of the raft…But because of the people on it.
There were several figures aboard.
At the center was a young monk, about twenty years old, clad in kasaya robes, holding a monk's staff, chanting softly with a prayer bead necklace in hand. His features were handsome, serene.
Beside him stood a golden-furred monkey, with a thunderous face, tiger-skin attire, and a massive golden iron staff. His sharp eyes darted around vigilantly.
Next to him was a pig-headed man with a round belly and a steel rake slung over his shoulder. His floppy ears twitched slightly.
Another companion had a fierce and sinister face, a skull necklace, and carried a crescent shovel.
Finally, tied beside them was a pure white horse, with no blemishes at all—clearly a rare beast.
"A monk, a monkey, a pig demon, a river demon, and a white dragon horse…"Yi Tianxing's expression twitched."Isn't this… Journey to the West?!"
Even with Yi Tianxing's calm nature, he couldn't help but be stunned. The resemblance was uncanny.
Could this really be Tang Sanzang and his disciples?
If so, what were they doing here?
"Monk—where do you come from?"Hong Ying called out toward the raft.