Bai Mu continued to argue earnestly, but I shot a fierce glare at Lady Bai, which only earned her a sharp tug backward from Bai Mu’s father.
"Enough. I’ll handle this," he said, stepping forward calmly.
Turning his attention to me, his tone softened a bit. "Are these children truly yours and Bai Mu’s?"
I instinctively took a step back, clutching the dragon eggs tighter, reluctant to trust him.
"They are my children. They have nothing to do with you," I said coldly.
"Nothing to do with us?" he frowned. "I am the one in charge here, and I approve your marriage. From this day forward, you are a member of Baiyun Town. There is, however, one condition. I expect you to raise these eggs well and bring forth many white dragon offspring for our clan."
Lady Bai, standing beside him, tugged on his sleeve angrily, clearly disagreeing with his decision.
He gave her a warning glance but continued, "We need peace and growth, not ancient grudges. If we work together, our dragons can prosper. These eggs symbolize a chance for unity."
Lady Bai glared but said nothing more, for now.
Bai Mu looked at me, hope shining in his eyes. Though hostile forces surrounded us, perhaps this tentative acceptance was the start of a fragile alliance.
I exhaled slowly, realizing the real battle was just beginning not just for the survival of the black dragons, but for the hearts and minds of both clans.
"But she’s a black dragon. How can a black dragon and a white dragon be a good match?" Lady Bai was still arguing stubbornly.
"What nonsense are you talking?" Bai Mu shot back. "My grandfather was a black dragon, who died fighting alongside other black dragons. Are you telling me to deny my black dragon heritage? That is like telling me to deny my ancestors."
"But my father says black dragons are all bad news," Lady Bai reluctantly replied.
"That’s because your father got his tail whipped by black dragons during that family feud," Bai Mu's father retorted sharply.
Bai Mu’s father then shared stories from the old days with me. He told me how black and white dragons were originally one clan. But because black dragons used to be more numerous and some of the elder black dragons had fiery tempers, conflicts arose that eventually led to a bitter division.
A great family war broke out.
In the end, black dragons founded the Hei Dragon Gully, while the white dragons established Baiyun Town. From then on, the two clans went their separate ways and stopped mingling.
Many years ago, during the catastrophic Battle of Gods and Demons, both black and white dragons fought fiercely on the battlefield, often clashing with each other.
At the end of the war, nearly all the black dragons were wiped out; the white dragons who survived were only a handful, including Bai Mu’s family.
Bai Mu’s father had always longed for many offspring to carry on the clan line, but for over a thousand years, he only had Bai Mu. He was understandably anxious about the future.
So when I suddenly laid nine dragon eggs in one go, he was overjoyed beyond words.
All thoughts of the old grudges suddenly faded this was an incredible blessing.
Nevertheless, I still resolved to leave Baiyun Town and return to Hei Dragon Gully because that is truly my home.
Even though the gully was run down and nearly deserted except for me, I had to go back.
Only if I return will Hei Dragon Gully truly be the Hei Dragon Gully again.
When I left, Bai Mu’s father didn’t try to stop me. Instead, he gave me a generous gift of spirit stones and treasures, saying it was for me and our children so I could live well after returning home.
He advised me not to take Lady Bai’s harsh words to heart.
Just as I stepped outside Baiyun Town, Bai Mu came running after me, looking hurt and sulky.
"You always just leave like that without thinking about me," he said plaintively.
I thought to myself, You just locked me up and treated me like a prisoner. Don’t act all innocent now. I no longer believe you’re the sweet, naive boy you pretend to be.
"Then what? Stay here so you can keep locking me up?" I shot back coldly, watching him with amused interest.
Bai Mu hung his head in guilt, avoiding my eyes and softly admitting, "I was just so angry back then. Angry that you didn’t want me."
I crossed my arms and raised my brow. "Your apology is not quite convincing."
Instantly, Bai Mu reached into his pocket and pulled out the Mystic Binding Chains. Then, to my surprise, he wrapped them around himself.
" I’ve tied myself up now. Do whatever you want with me."
I burst out laughing until my eyes squinted shut. "Well, this time you’re tying yourself up voluntarily. Looks like I can do whatever I want."
END
Chapter 06
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