Heilong-kou (Black Dragon-Mouth/Pass)
Heilong-cheng (Black Dragon-City)
Heilong-yuan(Black Dragon Wall)
Heilong Bay (Black Dragon Bay)
Heilong Ridge (Black Dragon Ridge)
Censorate (Supervisory Court)
Yuling City (Jade City)
Jingui Town (Golden Turtle Town)
Xuanwu City (Black tortoise City)
Qinglong (Azure Dragron)
...
Yin Jixue and Lou Zhao personally attended the wedding of Lina and Tiesheng.
This wasn't the first "unequal-status" couple in Black Dragon City, though by now, such terms were obsolete—all citizens of the Black Dragon Clan were equals, and social rank no longer held any weight.
By human standards, the bride and groom might be considered older singles—but among demons, they were still youthfully in their prime.
Their wedding was a grand affair. Both Lina and Tiesheng were outstanding individuals, each representing the best of their fields in the Black Dragon Clan.
Yin Jixue had never expected the two of them to end up together.
Their careers were worlds apart—no overlap at all. But rumor had it they ended up as neighbors after moving into the same residential district, and that's how they got to know each other.
That made sense. The very first luxury housing developments in Black Dragon City had been constructed as incentives to reward top talent. Units were assigned to the city's most exceptional professionals across various fields.
Gousheng, after reaching adulthood, also received a unit—but he still preferred living at home, so his place remained empty.
He lived in the same complex as Qingyuan and Lian Rui, though Lian Rui was away most of the time, and Qingyuan often stayed in his research dorms at the university. So when on break, Gousheng usually went back to his parents' place alone.
Qingyuan had signed a talent agreement with the city: as long as he worked in Black Dragon City, the housing was his for life. After one hundred years of residence, the property could even be passed down to his descendants.
He had accepted without hesitation. Black Dragon City was the perfect environment for his academic pursuits. His relatives back home fought tooth and nail to buy even a single home outside the city limits—and here he was, given a luxury condo outright.
The Sixth Princess was constantly beaming with pride, boasting to anyone who'd listen that her son had made it: "My boy received official housing from Black Dragon City! Isn't that amazing!"
Demon weddings weren't as formal as human ones. The celebration was more like a bonfire party and martial arts tournament. These days, they also included open banquet tables—piled high with food. Guests could sit, eat, and stay as long as they liked.
The traditional rule of the wedding: the groom must defeat all challengers before he can carry the bride into the bridal chamber. If he lost, the challenges would continue until every opponent was beaten.
This was meant to showcase the groom's strength—and challengers could also attract attention from potential partners through the display.
Of course, people are now mostly held back. Brawn alone wasn't enough to find a spouse these days—rumor had it that demon women preferred guys who could cook. Chefs in Black Dragon City were in high demand.
And this was Engineer Tiesheng we were talking about—challenging him was practically sacrilege.
Children raced about the wedding venue, including Eggy, Bai Baobao, and Little White Dragon.
The three were close in age. Technically, Bai Baobao was older, but he had only gained sentience and human form after coming to the Black Dragon Clan. His memories from before were a blank slate, so he counted more as a "big baby" than a big brother.
The children giggled and chased each other. The one in front dove into Yin Jixue's arms, who caught Eggy and kissed his chubby little cheek.
"Why are you running so fast?"
Eggy wrapped his stubby arms around her neck and said in his soft, milky voice:
"Missed Mommy. I didn't see you all night."
Yin Jixue nuzzled his forehead with a smile. "Really? But I heard you two snuck out and were dashing through the streets like hooligans."
Eggy blinked innocently and played dumb.
"What's that?"
Bai Baobao climbed into Lou Zhao's lap and sat comfortably. Despite Lou Zhao's usual disdain, he adjusted his posture so the little tiger could sit better.
"We weren't playing. I was helping my little brother study."
Lou Zhao pinched Bai Baobao's soft belly. This little tiger had eaten himself chubby in Black Dragon City. Lou Zhao worried: If he shifts to tiger form, will his belly drag on the ground?
Eggy quickly nodded along. "Yeah, yeah! I was studying too, not playing."
Bai Baobao wiggled in place, but his belly couldn't escape Dad's claws.
The first group of graduates from Black Dragon City's primary school now sat with the adults. The eldest among them were 21 and already little grown-ups in their own right.
Lian Ze had been the youngest of that cohort—now twelve years old and a top performer among his peers.
Gousheng scanned the crowd and finally spotted Lian Rui.
He sighed in relief. "You made it—I thought you wouldn't get back in time."
Lian Rui had grown into a striking young woman. Gone was the soft, delicate girl of the past. In her place stood a confident, independent figure with a powerful presence.
Within the demon race, only the lowest-tier clans outside the city were ever called "ugly." Everyone living in Black Dragon City had above-average looks, thanks to ancestral bloodline purity. The word "ugly" had almost gone extinct among demons.
Lian Rui had an exotic, mixed-ancestry appearance: striking features, a high nose bridge—if she wore rimless glasses, she'd be the very picture of a cool, aloof goddess.
Lifting her dress, she took a seat. "Sorry, I'm late. There's no way I'd miss Professor Tiesheng's wedding."
After graduation, they'd all been sent on internships. Lian Rui's mentor was none other than Tiesheng, and she'd chosen to study the most difficult, hands-on engineering field. Determined to use her skills where they were needed most, she volunteered to go to the Human Realm.
As it happened, the Yin Dynasty was facing serious challenges. The students they sent to study abroad were great at memorizing theory—but once home, they forgot everything. The Queen's uncle Yin Ao was so furious he nearly exploded.
Since Lian Rui wanted to work with humans, Yin Jixue gave her an official internship role, assigning her to help guide the Yin Dynasty's infrastructure development.
Don't be fooled by the title of "intern." Her training blended practical work with theory. She aced both.
The Yin Dynasty, now aligned with the Black Dragon Clan, wasn't exactly a vassal state—it had simply found a powerful ally. The Black Dragon Clan didn't interfere in its politics, and the Yin Dynasty didn't pay tribute. Their relationship was one of mutual equality.
None of the other Demon Kings objected. After all, their elders and merchants frequently worked or traded with humans—everyone just turned a blind eye.
And besides—this was Yin Jixue's maternal family. Who dared to complain?
They were all secretly green with envy, wishing they had a friendship treaty with the Black Dragon Clan. Honestly, they were dying of jealousy.