The Demon King was getting married.
It was said that the queen was a stunningly beautiful human princess.
There was no grand banquet, no invitations sent to other Demon Kings, and even whether the Demon King would return that night remained unknown.
The empty palace was decorated in a festive red. In the bedchamber, the only grand bed in the room sat a breathtakingly beautiful young woman.
She appeared to be around fifteen or sixteen, dressed in an exquisitely embroidered wedding gown. The phoenix crown on her head was adorned with twenty pearls of various sizes, though it lacked a traditional wedding veil.
Her long black hair cascaded like a waterfall, and her oval face still carried a hint of youthful innocence. Her delicate arched brows framed a pair of almond-shaped eyes that looked pure and guileless. A faint blush dusted her fair cheeks, and the small dimples at the corners of her mouth occasionally peeked out.
Tonight was her wedding night.
In her past life, at the age of sixteen, Yin Jixue experienced the apocalypse. She had managed to navigate the chaos using an unexpected system she acquired. However, the system's final upgrade required the crystal core of the Zombie King.
No matter how skilled Yin Jixue was, the Zombie King was not an easy opponent. Fueled by determination, she fought to the death—and perished alongside the Zombie King.
Reborn into this world, she became the sole princess of the Yin Dynasty's royal family, hailed from a young age as the "Most Beautiful Woman of the Yin Dynasty."
She had heard that in this world, humans coexisted with demons, but humans were as insignificant as ants in the presence of demons. Fortunately, the Yin Dynasty was stable, its people lived peacefully, and her father was a wise and benevolent emperor.
However, the surrounding small nations were like wolves and tigers, and behind them lurked the shadow of the demon clan. To break free from this predicament, she carefully plotted her course and was ultimately "forced" into a political marriage with the Demon King.
Finding a strong backer wasn't difficult. Since those smaller nations liked to curry favor with the demons, she decided to target the Demon King himself.
Recalling what she had seen upon first arriving in the demon clan, she knew this was both an opportunity and a bargaining chip.
Inside the dimly lit bedchamber, red candles flickered. The spacious Demon King's sleeping quarters were illuminated by dozens of luminous pearls, their glow softened by thin red silk draped over them for this special occasion.
The room was vast and sparse, devoid of excessive decorations, making it look nothing like a bridal chamber.
On the round table, two red candles burned steadily.
Even the small couch by the window had been covered in red satin.
This was where the Demon King resided—a place far less luxurious than Yin Jixue's palace back home.
She had heard that the Demon King was hideous, with a monstrous face, sharp fangs, an unpredictable temper, and a thirst for battle. She had mentally prepared for the worst.
Suddenly, footsteps echoed from outside.
"Creak..."
The heavy wooden doors were pushed open, and the sound of approaching steps grew closer.
"Hmm? Why is there a person here?" The Demon King paused, glancing around. It was indeed his bed-chamber, but why did it suddenly look so festive?
Lou Zhao scoffed, "Little girl, you must have entered the wrong place."
Yin Jixue, bored from waiting, had let down her guard. She was about to crawl into bed when, instead of waiting for the Demon King, she encountered a thief.
Wait a minute—would any thief dare to steal from the demon palace?
As the figure entered the inner chamber, Yin Jixue froze.
She had never seen a man this stunningly handsome before.
She couldn't even find the words to describe his beauty. Her heart pounded wildly, and if she had to sum it up in one phrase—it would be "a breathtaking sight to behold."
He was tall and slender, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, standing at an estimated 1.9 meters. He wore a deep blue robe with a black fur-lined cape draped over his shoulders. His long black hair was tied back with a silver crown, and his facial features were as exquisite as a masterpiece carved by the gods—flawless.
His eyes, a misty bluish-gray, were devoid of emotion, cold and indifferent.
Such a face could easily evoke admiration, yet it commanded distance rather than desire.
Was this not an actual male enchantress?!
She had lived two lifetimes and had never even been in a relationship—the apocalypse had kept her too busy surviving, and in ancient times, she had been too afraid of marriage.
But this man looked exactly like the handsome protagonists from the comics she used to love as a child!
Yin Jixue's mind was in turmoil, her face flushed red, and before she could stop herself, she blurted out:
"You—who are you? Are you here to rob me of money... or of my virtue?!"
Her words came out clumsy and stuttered in her excitement, completely ruining her momentum.
Lou Zhao leaned lazily against the doorframe, amusement flickering in his eyes. "Little sprout, I'm no lecher. Besides, the demon clan has no wealth. No one understands demons better than I do."
A thief!
Well, since he looked so good, she would call him a divine thief.
But... what kind of name was "little sprout"?!
Yin Jixue glanced down at herself. Where exactly did she look like a sprout?!
She was supposed to be a peerless beauty, the "Number One Beauty of the Yin Dynasty"! Did that mean nothing to him?!
Curse it all! Even when he smirked, he was too good-looking—she couldn't even muster the strength to be mad.
Yin Jixue wiped away her nonexistent drool. A man this gorgeous should be locked away.
No matter what, if a girl wants something, she should go after it.
She blinked her large, innocent eyes and declared:
"If you give up your thieving ways, I can take care of you. You only need to be my beloved, and I'll handle all the money-making. You'll never have to worry about hardship—only about whispering sweet words to me."
Lou Zhao had never met such an amusing little girl before.
She didn't recognize him.
She thought he was a thief.
With a chuckle, he straightened up.
"Unfortunately for you, I am no thief." His gaze turned sharp. "I am the Demon King of the Black Dragon Clan."
Huh?
Yin Jixue froze.
She had heard that the Black Dragon Clan's Demon King had no queen and assumed he was an old man past his prime.
Now, excitement surged within her.
So what if life was going to be hard? At least it would be exciting.
Embarrassment? What embarrassment? In the face of absolute beauty, shame was irrelevant.
Straightening her back proudly, she declared, "As your wife and the queen of the demon clan, you are my responsibility. I will make sure the demon clan thrives under my care!"
Lou Zhao recalled that he did have a little wife sent from the human world for political alliance.
He had assumed she would have run away by now.
Unexpectedly, not only was she still here, but she was also quite entertaining.
"So today is my wedding night?"
A Demon King would need a queen eventually.
This little girl was interesting to him, pleasant to look at, and, perhaps, a suitable choice.
But the demon clan was nothing like the human world—she would soon learn that the hard way.
Lou Zhao's lips curved slightly, but his tone remained indifferent.
"Little sprout, if you survive for two years, I will acknowledge your status as the Queen of the Black Dragon Clan."
Yin Jixue's heart leaped. Wasn't this just a disguised form of approval?
As for his so-called threat, she wasn't afraid in the slightest.
After all, how scary could the demon clan be when its king looked this good?
Yin Jixue cleared her throat. She needed to leave a lasting impression on the Demon King.
"First of all, I am not 'Little Sprout.' My name is Yin Jixue—'Jixue' as in the bright moon after the rain, and the falling snow of poetic romance. Second, I will prove to you that I am not some fragile little girl who can't endure hardship!"
Lou Zhao gave a slight nod. "When you come of age, I will tell you my name."
Hmph! If he didn't want to tell her now, it didn't matter.
She had already set her sights on him.
A smirk played on her lips. Heh, man, you won't escape from me.
Lou Zhao: Why is this little girl grinning like an idiot?
After that, Lou Zhao left the bedchamber to Yin Jixue and casually sprawled out on the small couch by the window.
With one arm behind his head, he gazed at the ceiling, already thinking about his upcoming battle in Winged Tiger City. Hopefully, they had stocked up enough supplies.
Meanwhile, Yin Jixue lay in bed, feeling wide awake.
The Demon King was less than three meters away from her, and she could hear his steady breathing.
Tonight had not gone as she expected at all.
She had prepared for the worst-case scenario—where she might have to fight to the death.
Instead, the Demon King had left her completely unharmed and even offered her a chance to prove herself.
Just as she thought the conversation had ended, Lou Zhao suddenly spoke:
"The demon clan is not as simple as you think. If you desire wealth and luxury, you should leave sooner rather than later. I will not hold it against your kingdom."
Yin Jixue was taken aback.
This Demon King… wasn't quite like the rumors had described.
But she had lived through an apocalypse, survived the most brutal of worlds, and thrived.
The demon clan was nothing compared to that.
"I don't care if you believe me or not," she said firmly, "but I never came here for comfort or luxury. I have ambition, and the demon clan is where I belong."
For two years, she had survived the apocalypse not by being naïve, but by being ruthless and smart.
Living as a submissive princess in the Yin Dynasty would have been the real suffering.
Lou Zhao glanced at her. "As long as you don't leave the city, you will be second only to me."
A warmth spread through Yin Jixue's heart.
No matter his reason, he wasn't trying to get rid of her.
He had even acknowledged her status as queen.
Lou Zhao continued, "When I am not here, the palace servants will obey your commands."
She wasn't trying to challenge him, she was just genuinely curious.
"What if someone disobeys?"
"They won't."
His response was short and decisive. Then, he turned his back to her, clearly done talking.
Yin Jixue pondered his words but couldn't figure out the underlying reason.
Oh well.
She pulled the blanket over herself. Sleep first. Think later.
She turned toward Lou Zhao's silhouette and whispered, "Good night—muah!"
Then she quickly dove under the covers, her face burning with embarrassment.
Lou Zhao: …What just happened?
By dawn, Yin Jixue had already woken up and started training.
When she glanced toward the small couch by the window, it was empty—as if no one had been there all night.
She hadn't even noticed when the Demon King left.
She had let her guard down.
To think that she had shared a room with him yet still managed to sleep so soundly.
Damn it. Beauty is dangerous.
If the Demon King stayed in the palace every night, she might end up malnourished from sheer exhaustion.
She pouted. Last night, he had admitted that he wouldn't stay in the palace often.
But leaving so soon?
She hadn't even had a chance to impress him yet!
…Also, weren't newlyweds supposed to spend time together?
Yin Jixue's face heated at the thought. Not that it mattered. At least she was his official wife, even if there was no honeymoon.
Shaking off her thoughts, she picked out a light yellow dress, tying her long black hair up with a few simple ornaments.
Even though this was a political marriage, she had willingly agreed to it.
If she won this gamble, she would secure her kingdom's safety and a powerful husband.
If she lost… there was no way back.
Her mother had worried about her being mistreated and had packed countless luxurious outfits and jewelry, fearing she would be looked down upon in the demon clan.
If only her mother knew how poor the demon clan was.
Just as she was finishing up, two tall female demons entered the room.
They were at least 1.8 meters tall—practically giants compared to her!
"Your Majesty, we are the attendants assigned to serve you by the Demon King."
Yin Jixue stared at them. Was this the demon clan or the land of giants?!
Back in the Yin Dynasty, she had been considered tall at 1.65 meters. Here, she felt like a child.
"What are your names?" she asked.
The two attendants exchanged a look before kneeling before her, placing their hands at their waists in a formal salute.
"Please, Your Majesty, grant us our names."
Giving names was considered a great honor in the demon clan.
Yin Jixue was stunned.
They think I'm beautiful, so they assume I'm powerful?
This is amazing!
She scratched her cheek. She was terrible at naming things.
After a moment of thought, she pointed to each of them in turn and said, "Fengxiu and Ruoshui."**
The names had no special meaning—they just sounded elegant.
The two attendants immediately bowed again.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for bestowing us with such honorable names."
Yin Jixue smiled. Great! The first step to winning the demon clan—complete!
Now, she needed to understand the real situation here.
She straightened up, her voice firm and confident.
"I want to take a walk around the city."
Fengxiu stepped forward. "We will remain by your side and protect you, Your Majesty."