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)
…
The Xuanwu Demon Lord hadn't expected that this kid, ever since getting married, would turn into a different person.
Henpecked.
He was a little disappointed.
He had at least shared some ties with the former Demon King. So, how did this child grow up to be like this? No backbone, completely under the thumb of a human woman!
But when he met Yin Jixue, the Demon Lord couldn't help but sigh—there's always someone more formidable out there.
Are all human princesses this terrifying?
Right off the bat, she asked him what benefits they'd get from building the road. A human woman daring to negotiate with him—bold, to say the least.
"We can talk about all this slowly. I had some ties with the former Demon King…" The Demon Lord tried pulling seniority, but Yin Jixue wasn't buying it.
She calmly tossed his words right back: "The former Demon King is in the past. The current King is Lou Zhao. Best not to confuse seniority, my lord."
This little girl is hard to deal with. Seems like he wouldn't be getting his road back without shedding a layer of shell.
But the road was important. Even if he had to lose a shell, it'd be worth it.
While most merchants thought everything about Black Dragon City was convenient, the real game-changer was infrastructure.
Many Demon Kings in the past had considered building roads, but the projects always got shelved.
The Xuanwu Demon Lord was the oldest among them, thanks to his Xuanwu bloodline.
Back in the day—ten thousand years ago—flying vehicles filled the skies, and transmission stones were so common no one batted an eye.
The Demon Clan hadn't been strong back then, but there was plenty of food and immortal brew, and no scorched earth.
Back then, several Demon Kings had discussed building roads, but they never found suitable materials. As the scorched lands grew and survival became the priority, such projects were abandoned.
"This matter will need to be discussed among the elders," said the Demon Lord with a troubled expression.
Yin Jixue smiled lightly. "No need to be cryptic, just say it."
The Demon Lord hesitated, then said, "If the road negotiations don't go through… would it be possible for children of the Xuanwu Clan to study at Black Dragon Pass?"
So that was it. She'd thought it was something serious.
Yin Jixue replied, "Of course they can. Cooperation is one thing, students are another."
With that assurance, the Demon Lord promised a swift reply.
He'd been surprisingly reasonable, which caught Yin Jixue off guard.
He didn't linger in the Demon Palace. Once the talks were over, he left.
Lou Zhao exposed his true colors: "That old turtle's sly as ever. He just realized you weren't easy to fool."
So he's the bullying-the-weak, fearing-the-strong type.
The demons of Black Dragon City were pure and simple, and Lou Zhao himself was straightforward.
The Xuanwu Demon Lord, by contrast, was sharp and cunning. No wonder the Xuanwu Clan used to dominate the Demon Clan's commerce.
…
Yinchao Empire.
Court officials pleaded desperately, nearly clinging to Emperor Yin Ao's leg.
"Your Majesty, you absolutely must not personally venture into the Demon Realm. Please, reconsider!"
But Yin Ao had already made up his mind. No one could sway him.
He walked into the Empress Dowager's palace. "Father, Mother, are you packed and ready?"
Originally, Yin Jixue had only invited her parents to visit the Demon Realm for a vacation, but Yin Ao decided to tag along upon hearing the news.
As Emperor, he couldn't be dissuaded by the Retired Emperor, and the Empress Dowager wouldn't oppose him either.
Since ascending the throne, Yin Ao had promoted the widespread use of paper and ink, drastically lowering their cost so that even the poor could study.
Then he began road construction, funded entirely from his treasury.
The Retired Emperor admitted he never could've done something like that. How could an emperor's funds be used to subsidize the people?
But Yin Ao didn't care. Even if he drained his vault, the roads would be built.
Eventually, it was the Empress Dowager who compromised: "Let the Emperor go if he wants. The Three Departments and Six Ministries weren't established just to sit around doing nothing."
Their daughter had married into the Demon Clan and now held a lofty position. As long as the Yinchao court didn't sabotage itself, its dynasty could last for centuries.
The Retired Emperor was bound by the Empress Dowager's will—after all, their daughter was closer to her mother. He had forced her into marriage back then, and even opposed her practicing martial arts. Did she still resent him?
The Retired Emperor grew uneasy at the thought.
Then again, he had voluntarily abdicated to his son and maintained respect with the Empress Dowager. While distant, he and his daughter had no deep grudges.
As the Emperor's attendants packed, even the head eunuch wanted to go along.
"Your Majesty, this old servant can't rest easy unless I accompany you!"
The head eunuch had always been loyal, so Yin Ao allowed it.
The traveling party consisted of the Empress Dowager, the Retired Emperor, Yin Ao, the head eunuch, and a court historian.
At the palace gates, officials saw them off, just as the famed demon automobile rumbled into view.
That black beast of a vehicle ran on four wheels and zoomed forward without any horses or donkeys pulling it.
The ministers squinted hard, trying to see more clearly.
One couldn't help but reach out to touch it, only to be yanked back.
"Are you mad? That's a demon thing! Don't you fear your hand will rot?"
The bold minister protested, "But didn't the head eunuch touch the door to get in? Surely it's fine to touch the door?"
His colleague faltered. "That… makes sense? But aren't demon things supposed to be untouchable by humans?"
The first minister retorted, "Is that something you read in a book again? Who knows who wrote it? Let's test it ourselves!"
He lunged forward dramatically.
"Your Majesty! This old servant cannot bear to part! When will you return?"
He dove toward the car wheel and touched it, getting a small jab from the tread. Assuming it was "demon energy," he quickly pulled back but slipped, landing hands-first on the car door.
Nothing happened. Not a scratch.
Huh? No reaction? Skin's still intact.
Inside the car, Yin Ao's feelings were… complicated.
The Retired Emperor laughed, "Looks like the Minister of Rites is deeply loyal—so loyal he's forgotten decorum!"
Yin Ao thought, That same minister is always nagging me about decorum.
Not taking concubines? Improper.
Donating my private treasury? Improper.
Visiting the Demon Realm? Utterly improper.
Always threatening to resign or worse.
Now here he was—touching demon tech.
"Sir, how does this thing run faster than horses without pulling beasts?" the minister asked.
The demon chauffeur glanced at him. "I'm the one pulling it."
Awkward silence. The minister stepped aside.
His colleague, the Minister of Works, whispered, "So? How did it feel?"
The Minister of Rites shook his head. "Just a bit tingly on the palm. Cold when I fell on it. Nothing else."
"I see space in the car… should we try getting on?"
The Minister of Rites threw his earlier words back at him. "Weren't you scared? Ready to die?"
The Minister of Works was too curious to care—he wheedled his way into the car. The Minister of Rites didn't make it; he got shoved aside by the Minister of War.
"You're from Rites—why are you even here? We need to see the world."
The Minister of Rites fumed and called him a brute.
Thankfully, this was a stretch RV. Not as fancy as a modern one, but well-equipped.
After all, the journey from Yinchao to Black Dragon City was no short trip.
The RV had separate rooms for privacy, especially for female passengers, and distinct areas for dining and sleeping.
The Minister of Works, Minister of War, court historian, and eunuch all slept on the sofa benches, like long dining seats. Not luxurious, but better than nothing.
As the car sped along, they saw landscapes they never imagined.
The drive took three days to reach the Demon Realm's border, but there was ample food onboard.
To their shock—
Why is demon food better than human food?!
Were they the real demons?
The Minister of War muttered, The Demon Clan lives better than humans. Why did people say the Princess was suffering?
Maybe they just couldn't stand to see her doing well.
Even Yin Ao was surprised, though he masked it well.
The Empress Dowager and Retired Emperor, no longer constrained by court protocol, were openly amazed by everything.
There was even a small fridge—not high-tech, but using sealed ice blocks to stay cold. As long as the ice held, the fridge worked.
Inside were various juices and fine demon wines. Human consumption didn't result in instant death; it was just like eating slightly "unclean" food—dosage mattered.
If a human ate 500 pounds of sweet tubers, they'd die from overeating, not from "demon contamination."
Everyone went from afraid to shouting "Delicious!" in less than a sentence.
They saw parts of Yinchao they'd never seen before, and finally reached the Demon Realm's border—curiosity now running high.
Only demons could see the entrance to their realm. Humans needed to be guided in, even if they knew the exact spot.
It was unclear whether this barrier protected demons or humans.
Crossing it was like passing through a waterfall. Light shimmered, and in the blink of an eye, they arrived in another world.
Towering trees rose all around, a vast dirt road carved through the center, clearly well-trodden over time.
The car drove for another day before reaching a paved road.
Despite expectations, the ride wasn't bumpy. Still, the demon driver insisted they couldn't stop. Bathroom breaks were taken onboard.
Even the Minister of War was embarrassed.
The toilet was like those on a high-speed train—complete with a mirror and toilet paper. Standing to pull up your pants, you'd see your reflection. And it was very clear.
Highly uncomfortable.
Yin Ao, entering the Demon Realm, slept with a dagger under his pillow at first. But once he saw the well-built highway outside, he calmed down.
This was the road his sister had written about. The highway she'd ordered built.
The driver slowed the car. "Half-hour break. Don't wander. Don't enter the forest. Stay on the road—it's safe."
The Minister of War, who was about to "go into the woods," had to use the bathroom again. He dreaded the mirror.
Are demon mirrors secretly monster-revealing mirrors?
The group got out.
Both the eunuch and the historian had the same thought:
Demons… aren't that different from us, are they?