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)
…
During the Labor Day holiday, Yin Jixue finalized the enrollment regulations for the new school in Black Dragon Mouth.
Demons had never had formal schools before. While native-born demons could speak the common tongue from birth, they often couldn't write it, though, curiously enough, they could still understand it when reading.
To ease the burden on teachers, she divided the school into several levels: Kindergarten, Preparatory Class, Primary School, Vocational High School (Gaozhuan), and University.
All of these would be located within one campus and operated as a boarding school.
Kindergarten accepted young ones who couldn't yet control their true forms or maintain a stable humanoid shape, but who could manage basic self-care. There was no age limit for this stage—so long as tuition was paid, the child could remain enrolled. It essentially served as a daycare.
The Preparatory Class lasted for one year. Students who performed poorly could be held back and repeat the year.
After prep class came Primary School, which laid the academic foundation. Considering demons weren't lacking in intelligence, the primary curriculum was condensed into a four-year program.
Still, those who couldn't keep up would have to repeat grades until their scores met the minimum graduation requirements. Intelligence alone didn't guarantee academic success.
Upon completing primary school, usually around age ten, children would begin developing both practical and analytical skills.
The Vocational High School phase lasted three years. Students could either graduate and enter the workforce or continue to university.
The university had no age restriction. The program lasted four years, but graduation standards were strict. If a student didn't meet the requirements, they would have to retake the exams until they could graduate.
Thus, the standard education path for a demon child would look like this:
– Kindergarten (minimum 2 years)
– Preparatory Class (1 year)
– Primary School (4 years)
– Vocational High School (3 years)
– University (4 years)
That added up to fourteen years of schooling, although most could choose to graduate after ten.
Graduates from university would be assigned jobs—though they couldn't pick their roles, only be guaranteed that the position matched their field of study.
After reviewing the proposed guidelines, the instructors raised two questions, which Yin Jixue answered based on her rationale. The instructors were ultimately persuaded by her logic.
Painter Qinghe commented softly, "Fourteen years isn't long for demons."
In the past, demon children lived carefree lives under their parents' protection. Once grown, they'd leave home, marry, and raise their children. Life passed them by uneventfully.
But now, with schools, their fourteen years would be filled with richness and color.
Multiple copies of the enrollment regulations were printed and sent to each Demon King via Black Dragon Express.
Every Demon King who received the document thought it was addressed exclusively to them.
The Empress of the Qingluan Clan held the document delicately, muttering, "Is this unique to me, or did every Demon King receive one?"
The Sixth Princess, long accustomed to her older sister's delusions, replied bluntly, "Obviously, everyone got one. Otherwise, Her Majesty would've included specific notes for Qingluan Clan students."
But the Empress didn't hear her. She remained blissfully lost in her fantasy.
Yin Jixue had assumed the number of students wouldn't be very large. After all, this was her first time founding a school—and a fourteen-year school, no less!
Being locked in school for most of one's childhood… she was sure many carefree demon kids would curse her name once they heard about it.
But for now, she decided to take a stroll through the school grounds and imagine what the students' daily lives would look like.
The completed school stood tall in Black Dragon Mouth City.
Though all departments—kindergarten, elementary, vocational, and university—shared a campus, walls separated them to prevent older kids from bullying the younger ones.
There were no rooftops or hidden corners on campus, again to prevent school violence.
Even the bathrooms were modernized. Of course, nothing could eliminate bullying, but Yin Jixue hoped the teachers would stress a zero-tolerance policy.
This was the demon realm, after all. If family feuds spilled over into the school and led to exclusion or bullying, the offending student would be expelled, and their family's children banned from enrollment for five years.
That was the extent of what Yin Jixue could do to combat school violence.
Each school tier was designed with age-appropriate aesthetics. The kindergarten and prep class had colorful, playful murals on the walls. Play structures looked like mushroom houses and candy cottages, all painted in soft pastels.
Primary school was built directly behind the kindergarten, with its entrance facing the opposite direction, so students wouldn't overlap.
The decor of the primary school followed instructor guidance, promoting good habits and moral behavior—encouraging children to become upstanding young demons.
The vocational school, officially called "Gaozhuan," was more formal. Despite sounding like a community college, it focused on teaching professional-level courses.
Here, students could conduct hands-on experiments and work on academic projects. Gousheng, for instance, was only fourteen and already involved in a project.
Topics varied—from mechanical engineering to industrial chemistry—depending on the curriculum.
If students wanted to continue, they could apply for university. If not, they still have a useful skill to find work in the Black Dragon Clan's industries.
All students are boarded at the school. Kindergarten and prep classes were supervised by caretakers, while elementary school and above had dorm managers.
The dorms were a dream come true for many children in Black Dragon City: bunk beds with desks below, a central table for shared use, and personal wardrobes for every student.
Since the children were still young, bathrooms for kindergarten and elementary students were public, children-only facilities. Their dorms did not have attached bathrooms.
From primary school onward, dorms included private bathrooms and showers—part of training the kids to manage their hygiene independently.
Three of the Demon Kings responded to the enrollment letter, saying they would tally the eligible children in their clans and requested that the enrollment window remain open for a while longer.
Yin Jixue replied that the school year would officially begin on the first day of September. As long as the students arrived on time, there would be no issues.
Eventually, the First Primary School of Black Dragon City would take over managing kindergartens and prep classes, but for now, the Black Dragon Mouth campus was the only true school in the Black Dragon Clan.
The old teacher gathered his three students.
"Her Majesty the Queen has issued a new directive. All three of you are to begin teaching at Black Dragon Mouth. I know your abilities well—you'll be teaching in the primary school and the vocational school. For the next six months, you'll suspend your current courses. I'll send you to Mr. Zhongshang to learn pedagogy. Take it seriously."
Gousheng, Lian Rui, and Qingyuan were eager and excited.
…
After returning home, Yin Jixue officially appointed Mr. Zhongshang as principal of Black Dragon Mouth School. Mr. Nanlü and Painter Qinghe were named vice-principals, tasked with lecturing at the university level.
Though Qinghe was known primarily for his painting, his vast knowledge rivaled Nanlü's, and he held the title of "Sage." It was just that his fame came more from his art.
"So tired… It's finally over." Yin Jixue collapsed onto the soft bed.
Lou Zhao pulled her into his arms, and she melted into him like boneless jelly.
He looked at her with concern. "Let's go soak in the hot spring. I'll give you a massage."
Yin Jixue lazily opened one eye to look at him. Lou Zhao squeezed her little paw.
She lifted her arms. "Then carry me."
Roughly two hours later, she lay on the bed again, looking thoroughly satisfied. "Your massage skills are pretty good. I'll request you again next time."
Lou Zhao chuckled. "Many thanks for Your Majesty's favor."