“…” Well, you asked me to say it.
Yun Jiao spoke earnestly: “Actually, I’ve always wondered—what if this world didn’t have mate contracts?”
The shaman froze, then lifted her chin toward her: “Go on.”
“Males are stronger than females, faster too. Whether in survival or hunting, females can’t compare. If there were no mate contracts in this world, what would happen to females?”
“…” The shaman’s brows furrowed. She had clearly never considered this question before.
Without mate contracts, females would probably become slaves to males. They could be humiliated at will, with no responsibility taken. That, that, that…
As the thought struck her, the shaman’s expression shifted again and again.
Yun Jiao caught every change in her face and pressed on. It wasn’t really manipulation—she truly believed this.
“But Master, look. Females may be weak and unable to fend for themselves, but they are protected by mate contracts. And who set the rules for mate contracts? Wasn’t it Lord Beast God?”
“Doesn’t that prove the point?”
A flicker of regret crossed the shaman’s eyes. She realized she had never thought about this before. So all these years, her attitude toward females had actually gone against Lord Beast God’s original intention.
Clearly, Lord Beast God cherished all females. Yet she had judged them only by their value to the tribe.
But the shaman’s sense of “benefit” was always for the entire tribe.
Yun Jiao thought for a moment, then said seriously: “I don’t think you’re cold. In fact, I even understand you a little.”
The shaman was surprised: “You understand?”
Yun Jiao nodded, then shifted her tone: “I understand, but I was once a useless female. I know what it feels like to be rejected, to have no one to rely on. I don’t want the females in the tribe to suffer the same as I did—facing their hardest times without a single beastman to lean on.”
“I also believe that Lord Beast God is a deity who cares deeply for all females. He wouldn’t abandon them just because one is useless and another is holy.”
The shaman shook her head with a bitter smile: “Maybe… you’re right. I’m so old, yet I haven’t seen things as clearly as you.”
Yun Jiao smiled: “It’s fine. No beastman can be perfect. If they were perfect, they wouldn’t be beastmen—they’d be the Beast God. Master, you’ve spent years healing the tribe’s beastmen. Even at your age, you still climb the mountains to gather herbs. Even if you dislike certain females, you’ve never deliberately made things hard for them, and you’re willing to reason with them. I think you’ve already done very well.”
Just like when Yun Jiao had lit a fire before—the shaman hadn’t liked it, but once she saw its value, she let it go.
“Heh…” The shaman, once gloomy, was cheered by Yun Jiao’s words.
After all, who doesn’t like being praised? She hadn’t expected Yun Jiao’s little mouth to be so sweet. Most importantly, Yun Jiao was a kind child.
Now she had a successor; her only worry was her distant grandniece, Bai Wei. She hoped that after returning to the Beast God’s side, Yun Jiao wouldn’t hold grudges against her.
“Alright. I’ll keep my word. From now on, I’ll treat all females equally.”
“Master truly is a kind and amiable female. Our tribe’s females are blessed to have you.”
“Hahaha…”
With just a few words, Yun Jiao had the shaman smiling from ear to ear, leaving the other females astonished.
Everyone knew the shaman was a stern old woman who rarely smiled. Was she possessed by a spirit?
…
After resting, the great troop continued forward, capturing more wild beasts.
Yun Jiao also gathered many herbs as she had hoped. Some were herbs that existed in this world but not in modern times, and the shaman patiently explained each one to her.
Yun Jiao, already nearly a fully trained practitioner of traditional medicine, learned quickly—almost never forgetting what she heard.
The shaman grew more and more satisfied, and Yun Jiao felt she had chosen the right master, enriching her knowledge of herbs.
As dusk approached, the troop finally turned back.
Near the tribe, they passed through a bamboo forest, and Yun Jiao asked Lei Xiao to cut down a few stalks to carry home.
Back at the cave, Yun Jiao picked up her small stone knife—something she had worked hard to grind into shape—and began stripping bamboo. But the knife was too dull, and the bamboo in this world grew thicker, longer, and far tougher than the bamboo of her old world. The stone knife simply couldn’t cut it.
Lei Xiao saw Yun Jiao gripping a stone and cursing as she tried to slice the bamboo. He went back into the cave, and after a short while came out again. His face was a little pale.
Lei Xiao handed Yun Jiao a small knife: “Use this. It’s very sharp.”
Yun Jiao looked at the knife in surprise. It was thin, the blade a bluish color, made of some unknown material. The handle was wrapped thickly in the same blue substance, and it looked beautiful.
Yun Jiao fell in love at first sight. She took the knife, unable to put it down: “What’s this made of? It’s so pretty.”
Lei Xiao’s lips curved slightly: “I don’t know. I found it. Keep it with you—it’ll be useful for defense and cutting things. I’ll sew a beast-hide sheath for it. When you’re not using it, keep it inside so you don’t hurt yourself.”
“Thank you!” Yun Jiao replied, liking the knife more and more. She lightly drew it across the bamboo, and the stalk split open effortlessly.
Her mouth formed an O. Was this a knife? It was practically a divine artifact!
With this “artifact” in hand, Yun Jiao easily split the bamboo into strips. Then she began weaving a basket. Luckily, she was a country girl, and her grandmother had known how to weave baskets. Though she wasn’t skilled, she had picked up enough to manage.
As the sky darkened, Mu Bai arrived with a torch. Eagerly, he built a fire for her: “What are you making?”
“A carrying basket, for gathering,” Yun Jiao answered without looking up, assuming it was Lei Xiao.
Mu Bai, seeing she didn’t reject him, carefully sat down beside her. When he noticed the knife at her feet, his eyes trembled, then he gave a bitter smile: “He treats you really well.”
“What?” Yun Jiao looked up in confusion, realizing it wasn’t Lei Xiao but Mu Bai: “Why are you here?”
“I saw Lei Xiao bring back so much wood and bamboo today, so I came to see if you needed help.”
“…” The words *no need* almost slipped out, but Yun Jiao remembered the Beast God’s warning and swallowed them back.
One must listen to advice, not blindly trust oneself. This world was indeed far more dangerous than the one she had come from.
When in Rome, one must adapt.
Besides, Mu Bai’s looks were really not bad. His short blond hair had a slight curl, fluffy in texture. Broad shoulders, narrow hips, a youthful face, and large eyes that shone with curiosity and innocence. When he smiled, his crescent-shaped eyes seemed to melt hearts instantly.
If Lei Xiao was like a cold, noble immortal, then Mu Bai was the very image of a boyish “shota”—even his voice carried that youthful tone.
Just then, Lei Xiao came out.
Seeing Mu Bai, a flicker of coldness passed through his eyes, though he quickly suppressed it. Awkwardly and indifferently, he said: “You’re here.”
“Mm-hm, I came to see if you needed help!”
“There’s plenty to do!”
Lei Xiao didn’t bother with politeness. The trees he had dragged back were lying outside the cave: “Yun Jiao, what do you want to make with those trees? Mu Bai and I will do it for you.”
Yun Jiao immediately set down her work, picked up a branch, and drew on the ground: a bed, a cabinet, a table, and stools.
“These are what I want. The joints need to be made like this.” Afraid they wouldn’t understand, Yun Jiao sketched out some mortise-and-tenon structures: “They must be cut with absolute precision. Otherwise, they won’t fit together, or even if they do, they won’t be durable.”