Leaving the capital didn’t prove difficult. The people knew Nie Huang from the teahouse and with how similar Bai Mu and Xiao Li looked, people simply mistook them for each other. Soon enough the gates were left behind them and they found themselves on a small hill. Just when Nie Huang wanted to ask how they would find the person they were supposed to follow, Xiang Yong appeared a few steps away from them and nodded.
“Thank you for your cooperation. Let’s leave for the dragon realm then.”
Bai Mu nodded, pulled Nie Huang into his arms and pushed off the ground, following Xiang Yong up into the air. His spiritual energy shielded both of them from the glaring sun and the wind, making Nie Huang feel as if they were merely standing on the ground and not moving forward at all. The rapidly changing landscape below them was the only thing that let her understand just how far they were truly traveling.
Looking back toward the capital that got smaller and smaller in the distance, she felt a little regret. Maybe she should have taken some time to say her farewells. There was Madam Zhong whom she had worked with for so many years and some of the guests that returned to the teahouse almost every single day because of her tea. And … of course, there were also her parents. They had only managed to get a little closer after that whirlwind almost hit the capital. Now, she just left them behind.
Bai Mu sighed when he saw Nie Huang look back the whole time. He reached up and brushed through her hair with his fingers. “Do you want to go back?”
Nie Huang shook her head. “No. No, that’s not it. I just … wondered what my family will think. Maybe I should have told them that I’m going to start a new life with you somewhere far away.”
“Well, it’s not too late yet. The dragon realm isn’t that close but it’s not like you can’t visit them in the future. I’ll take you there first and we can settle down. Afterward, I’ll take you for a visit or … maybe I’ll go and explain first?” After all, she was still mortal. He wasn’t too sure if it would be a good idea to bring her back there so soon.
Nie Huang nodded. “That’s a lovely idea. For now … let’s concentrate on ourselves though. There’ll be many new things to see in the dragon realm.”
The capital had already disappeared from sight so Nie Huang turned back to the front and looked at Xiang Yong’s figure in the front. This person looked different from the people she had seen so far but only in terms of his eye- and hair-color and he was the only one she had ever seen that came from the dragon realm as far as she knew. Did all dragons look like this? Then the capital of the dragon realm might not be too different from the capital of their Long country. Maybe just … a little more colorful. Who knew?
Just when she tried to imagine the place where their life would take place in the future, Xiang Yong’s figure vanished.
“Ah!” Nie Huang clasped Bai Mu’s hand and looked up at his face in surprise. “What just happened? He … he just …”
“Don’t worry. I guess this is where we’ll enter the dragon realm.” Contrary to her he could see the air rippling with spiritual energy where Xiang Yong had just vanished. This should be some kind of portal even though he couldn’t see an array.
He didn’t hesitate and just rushed toward the same place, breaking through a layer of spiritual energy just as expected. He shot into the air on the other side and finally stopped, hovering in the air for a moment. His gaze flashed over the surrounding. It seemed they were … in a garden?
He brought Nie Huang back to the ground and put her on her feet, looking to Xiang Yong who nodded at them in return.
“This is one of the courtyards in the dragon king’s palace. I thought it might be better to bring you here directly so you can get used to everything before you start to explore your surroundings.”
“Ah, yes, that … might be a good idea.” Bai Mu glanced at Nie Huang who curiously looked around. He had never been here but he had at least seen a lot of the human realm and even visited the demon realm before. However the dragon realm was like, he didn’t question whether he would be able to adapt. As for Nie Huang though … It was hard to say.
She had spent her whole life in the human realm, surrounded only by other mortals. In fact, she hadn’t even left the capital for any other place and only came out every now and then to enjoy the surroundings for a while. Another realm had to be shocking to her. So starting in a garden, such an enclosed space that would have lots of similarities to those in the human realm, might make things easier.
Nie Huang finally turned back to Xiang Yong with a troubled expression. The garden was beautiful and not at all as strangely colored as she had expected. In fact, it looked just like the gardens she had seen in the capital. Something was bugging her though. “You’ve said that … this is inside the dragon king’s palace and also said that we would … be accommodated there for now. I just … I can’t help but wonder if that is really alright. Shouldn’t the dragon king’s palace only be for, well, the dragon king?”
Xiang Yong smiled. “I’m afraid things are a little different in the dragon realm than you know them from where you come from. Our king … even though he rules over our whole race, his position isn’t handed down in the same family as the humans tend to do it. Instead, our king is chosen after a trial. As for his palace … It is the place where he lives but he only occupies a few chambers. The other rooms are there for other important people of our race like his family or his advisers. Since your husband is His Majesty’s cousin-in-law, it’s only right to have him live here if that is what he wants. So there is no need to be overly concerned with things like that. Etiquette isn’t our strong suit either so … just go with the flow.” He smiled and motioned to a door leading inside. Yes, with their current king … even if things had been handled differently before, there would be no problem.

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