The delicate sound of the wilting Ice Crystal Orchid lingered in the East Wing Corridor as Aelia sat slumped on the Peacock Blue velvet chair, clutching the blood-stained Star Sand Pen.
Qin Si gently placed the Calming Tea on the side table beside Liujin and caught sight of Lady Ear's new Frosted White Strands entwined with the wilting petals, glimmering like Mother-of-Pearl under the moonlight.
"When you used the Star Moon Chain to mend his Heart Vein, you should have poured the last half spoon of Star Sand into the Furnace," a maid said, combing Aelia's silver hair that spilled over the back of the chair. Shu Chi caught three suddenly broken strands, still glistening with Light Purple halos from Tracking Magic.
Luna kicked off the goose-down quilt embroidered with the Star Chart in her cradle, and the Chaos Star Map spun faster in her pupils.
As the eighteenth petal of Ice Crystal Orchid outside the Window Lattice touched the Azure Brick's Shan Na, the baby suddenly emitted a magical Yiya Sound filled with Zhen Chan.
Hovering above the Cradle, the Book of Potions flipped to page seven hundred twenty, and blood seeped from the entry marked "Soul Resonance Technique" in Dark Red ink, staining the Parchment with a crooked outline of a castle.
"Father raised Leonard's Concubine!" Luna's handprint on the False Talent Detection Report suddenly burst forth with Strong Light, and her incoherent babbling collided directly with Aelia's Mind Sea through the Star Map and Resonance.
The Ice Crystal Orchid Ashes that had fallen on Lady Aelia's Skirt suddenly reformed, piecing together Leonard and the Red Skirt Woman embracing in Leonard's Last Night at Emerald Valley just as Qin Si gasped in shock.
The Bronze Candlestick crashed to the ground as Aelia staggered back, pressing her hand against her Heart. The wedding Oath scroll that slipped from her sleeve ignited upon hitting the floor.
The new bride’s bouquet emerging from the Ashes sent tremors through her entire being—Twenty Years Ago, when the Ice Crystal Orchid was supposed to bloom, it concealed half a leaf of Shadow System’s lover’s grass.
"Mother’s magic suddenly dissipated..." The Eldest Son, arriving through a Magic Circle, crushed a Celadon Tea Bowl. The backlash of Thunder Magic exploded within his shattered Meridian, sending forth Blue-Violet sparks.
He turned his Wheelchair over the gradually fading Ashes pattern on Peacock Stone Tiles. The Dark Pattern sealed within his sleeve activated automatically, projecting a Three-Dimensional Projection of Emerald Valley Annex into the void.
A muffled sound of shattering came from the direction of the Library of Hidden Books. When Lucius burst in, his cloak was still dusted with love letter Ashes.
The young man waved his wand, freezing a fragment of Parchment still Burning in mid-air: "These Ashes point towards Father’s tampering with the Marriage Contract using Shadow System’s Forbidden Technique after being arranged and combined seven times."
Aelia's fingertips brushed over the Star Moon Necklace that Qin Si had handed her, and the Ice Crystal Pendant sealed with the Guardian Spell suddenly emitted a sharp hum.
When she looked up at the Magic Star Chart hanging from the arching ceiling, she noticed that the Weaving Maiden Star Light, representing the Marriage Contract, was being devoured by a mass of black mist. To her shock, the Big Dipper Formation, which was supposed to protect the Magic Castle, had shifted by three degrees.
"Third Brother took the Fortress Defense Map to Emerald Valley." The voice of Second Brother came through the Communication Crystal just as seven Shadow Albatrosses swept past outside the window.
He paused, gripping the Alchemy Notes tightly, and noticed that one of the Bird Claws was wrapped in the Blood Pact Thread that should have been sealed in Father's Study.
On the surface of the crystal ball, an animated Energy Flow of the Magic Castle emerged, with the Blue Energy Flow representing the Defensive Barrier bizarrely pouring toward the Southeast.
Suddenly, Second Brother's Alchemy Notes began to crack with ice, and a Cornflower Specimen tucked between the Yellowed Pages trembled.
He stared at the Blue Energy Flow cascading within the crystal ball, his knuckles pressing white against the edge of the Parchment—three years ago, while adjusting Father's Magic Furnace, those Dark Purple Crystal Dust particles drifting from the vents flickered back into his memory.
"For every three gallons of Barrier Energy lost, the Defensive Nexus shifts half an inch." He dipped his finger in Cold Tea and drew a Coordinate on the table; Tea Stains crystallized into ice upon contact with the crystal ball's Projection.
The Astrolabe on the top floor of the Library of Hidden Books emitted a piercing Metallic Scraping Sound as Brother San stumbled and knocked over a Three-Legged Gilded Incense Burner.
He fixed his gaze on the Blood Pact Thread drifting from Father's Study, a metallic taste rising in his throat—three months ago, when Leonard had guided him in drawing the Defensive Formation Diagram, his fingertip had flashed with a similar Dark Red Flow.
"Father said this is an improved version of Guardian Runes..." The boy trembled as he tore open his collar; at that moment, black mist was seeping from the Magic Pattern on his chest.
In his panic, he knocked over a Magic Crystal Bottle that rolled to the window's edge. The liquid spilling from its mouth revealed a totem of Emerald Valley Annex's Outer Wall under the moonlight, perfectly overlapping with the increasingly heated Magic Pattern on his body.
Lucius suddenly thrust the magic wand into Zhang Jian's palm, blood seeping into the ornate wand's moonstone.
The love letter suspended in the air screeched, reassembling into a new secret script within the blood light.
A cold smile emerged on the face of the young man, Pale. The burning irises reflected in his pupils transformed into the soul binding clause hidden within the marriage contract from twenty years ago.
"Mother, look!" He slammed the wand heavily against the ground, and a dark red beam pierced through the star map hanging from the vaulted ceiling.
The weaving maiden star light, representing the marriage contract, shattered in response, and the splattered light spots coalesced into chains in midair, with one end entangled tightly with Aelia's neck, where her star moon necklace lay.
Frosted white strands from Aelia's ear suddenly grew wildly, ensnaring the window lattice amidst Qin Si's startled exclamation.
The shadow albatross that drifted into the room collided with the hair-woven net, causing each feather to begin shedding and revealing contract fragments hidden within their quills.
The eldest son turned his wheelchair, crushing a fallen piece of Hei Yu as thunder magic erupted from the bronze hub, creating a sparkling spider web pattern on the ground.
"The coordinates of Emerald Valley are shifting." He pressed his damaged left hand against the detection array on the wheelchair armrest, and a void projection suddenly split into twelve rotating mirrors.
Each mirror reflected different angles of the separate courtyard scene—on a terrace overrun with shadow roses, a woman in a red skirt was pouring some liquid into a pool engraved with the magic castle emblem.
Luna's swaddling suddenly floated up with seven starlights as the baby’s tiny fists accurately shattered three illusion mirrors.
The remaining nine mirrors simultaneously turned towards Aelia, reflecting her wedding ring's inner side where the oath inscription was melting away.
Ice crystal orchid ashes swirled at the lady's feet, lifting scattered contract fragments towards the vaulted star map above.
"Energy Overflow Channel has been established." Second Brother suddenly slammed the Alchemy Notes onto the table, causing the Transmutation Circle and the crystal ball Projection to overlap as they flew out from the Yellowed Pages.
His fingers, stained with Ice Crystal Fragments, traced through the air, and a Blue Energy Flow formed a vortex-shaped depression at the Emerald Valley Coordinate. "Every quarter of an hour we delay, the Magic Fortress Barrier will suffer permanent loss..."
The sound of a collision like Jing Lei interrupted his words, as roars of magical creatures in revolt echoed from the West Tower.
When Lucius rushed to the window, he caught sight of the Six-Winged Griffin raised by Father crashing through the Stable Dome, with Dark Red Contract Thread continuously pulling away from its decaying wing roots.
The boy's Pupil constricted—these Dark Purple Threads were woven in a manner identical to what he had seen three days ago in Father's Study, resembling the "Barrier Reinforcement Device."
Suddenly, Brother San tore open his shirt hem, and with bloodied fingers, drew a Reverse Symbol on the Magic Pattern on his chest.
As the black mist turned silver-white in an instant, the Totem Projection on the Emerald Valley Outer Wall twisted abruptly, revealing the buried Seventy-Two Barrier Pillars beneath.
He staggered to support himself against a stone pillar and saw that each column was inscribed with core runes that should belong to the Magic Fortress Defense Array.
The Detection Array on Eldest Son Wheelchair Armrest suddenly overloaded and began to smoke. He grabbed a bottle of Chilled Wine from the table and poured it over the glowing red Symbol.
Amidst the rising Bai Wu, twelve faces of an Illusion Mirror simultaneously reflected the image of a Red Skirt Woman holding an Emerald Cup—the residue in the cup rim was precisely what Father had him mix into the Magic Castle Moat as an Energy Stabilizer three days ago.
"Mother, please immediately cut off the energy supply from the Star Moon Necklace." The feather pen of Second Brother suddenly ignited, and he drew a Disruption Rune amidst the ashes. "Blood Pact is siphoning your Original Magic Power, transmitting it through the Marriage Contract Channel to..."
As Aelia Fingertip brushed against her Ice Crystal Pendant, the sealed Guardian Spell emitted a dying Buzzing.
The fragment of her contract entwined in her silver hair began to carbonize, revealing in its moment of shattering, Leonard's Soul Mark.
The reflection in the lady's pupil showed the increasingly dim Big Dipper Formation in the Star Map, and she suddenly reached out to snap the clasp of her necklace.
Deep within the foundation of the Magic Castle, a thunderous roar echoed, causing the Peacock Stone Tiles beneath everyone's feet to light up with the patterns of an emergency Defensive Formation.
Luna's starlight surged suddenly, and seven intertwining Star Trails emerged around the infant, forcefully locking the shifting Barrier Node in place.
Outside the window, the thirteenth Shadow Albatross swept by, its claws entangled not with a Contract Thread but with a half-broken Magic Castle Emblem Chain.
Lucius raised his hand to freeze the flying bird, and the moonstone on the boy's palm reflected fresh blood at the broken chain's end—blood that bore the unique Mithril purity of Leonard's Family Crest from This Morning.
The Magic Crystal Chandelier cast a spider web-like shadow on the Dome, while Aelia's cascading silver hair tangled with the Rose Engraving on the Assembly Hall's Golden Handrail.
As Qin Si packed Ice Crystal Orchid Ashes into a Star Sand Bottle, he noticed that the sediment at the bottom of the bottle formed a Gemini Star Pattern with the chandelier's shadow—this was precisely how the constellation was arranged in the Dome when the Marriage Contract took effect twenty years ago.
"The Mirror Coordinates of Emerald Valley shift twelve degrees every hour." Second Brother’s Alchemical Engraving Knife sparked against the table as he moved it, causing the Ice Crystal Coordinate Map to begin its Reverse Rotation. "Dawn's Barrier Pillar will completely detach from the Magic Castle's energy field; at that time..."
Suddenly, three clusters of Blue Fire erupted from Eldest Son’s Wheelchair Armrest Detection Array, revealing cracks forming on the Outer Wall of Emerald Valley Annex in the void Projection.
His damaged right hand pressed against the Thunder Crystal, electric currents surged through the Bronze Hub and into the Floor Tile Gap. "Father is attempting to transfer the Contracting Party; now every crack on the Outer Wall corresponds to a certain defensive Node of the Magic Castle."
Luna's starlight suddenly pierced through the swaddling cloth, projecting a Star Trail Mark from her forehead onto the Dome.
In the Rotating Star Map, the Blue Energy Flow representing the Magic Fortress Barrier abruptly solidified into an Ice Spike, forcefully pinning down the shifting Mirror Coordinates at their current angle.
Brother San's Reverse Symbol emitted a sound that scorched flesh as Ice Cracks suddenly emerged from the Barrier Pillar within Emerald Valley Projection.
"Three hours." Lucius used magic to lift the still-burning love letter's ashes, the Dark Red Secret Script forming a countdown in the air. "The residual heat of these Soul Binding Clause ashes can sustain three more Lunar Phase changes."
Aelia's broken Star Moon Necklace suddenly floated up, the Blood Pearl seeping from the Ice Crystal Pendant drawing the full outline of the Magic Castle in the void.
As the Blood Pearl fell to the ground, the Defensive Array beneath everyone's feet suddenly lit up with a blinding Silver Light—the Southeast Tower emitted a crisp sound of shattering Crystal Dome, and the outermost layer of the Seven-Layer Barrier, the Winter Shield, collapsed in response.
"I'll cut off the Energy Overflow Channel." Second Brother grabbed the Alchemy Notes and rushed toward the Spiral Staircase, his cloak brushing against Ice Crystal Fragments causing the family portraits on the wall to collectively turn.
When he kicked open the crystal door leading to the Stargazing Platform, he noticed black resin oozing from his grandfather's portrait's Eye Socket—that was precisely the Contract Sealing Material excavated from Emerald Valley.
Leonard's Ailya's Roar, accompanied by a Thunderstorm, crashed through the Gilded Gate just as Qin Si poured the eighth bottle of Soulbinding Potion over Aelia's Hair Tips.
The Lord's cloak, embroidered with Shadow Rose, was stained with red earth from Emerald Valley, and his left hand clutched a half-broken Magic Castle Emblem Chain.
The moment he stepped into the Assembly Hall, twelve Wall Lamps exploded simultaneously, and splintered Magic Crystal shards coalesced into an Ice Shield around Aelia.
"Madam should return to her room to rest." His Fingertip shot out a Dark Red Contract Thread that wrapped around the Ice Shield, with a Dark Purple Thread emerging at its end from Xu Ying's Wedding Ring.
The Blue Energy Flow in the Celestial Star Map, which had already solidified, suddenly trembled; three Barrier Pillar Projections in the Southeast Corner swayed precariously.
Luna suddenly let out a Loud Cry imbued with magic Resonance, as an infant clutched a False Talent Detection Report that ignited in Silver Fire.
The Burning Parchment Ashes formed a Big Dipper Formation in midair, forcibly suppressing the Zhen Chan barrier Projection.
The Eldest Son's Wheelchair Armrest Thunder Crystal exploded in response, and the flying shards formed a Disruption Rune pattern on the Ground, severing Leonard's Contract Thread outside of the Ice Shield.
"Father, aren't you going to explain the Shadow Rose of Emerald Valley?" Lucius turned the moonstone of Palm, casting a strange blue hue on the face of the young Pale.
He crushed a fallen Magic Crystal under his Boot Heel, the sounds of dying squeaks emanating from the Contract Sealing Material that should have belonged to Lord's Study.
The red earth on Leonard's cloak suddenly coalesced into arrows, but as they touched Aelia's silver hair, they transformed into Dust.
The dark mist swirling in Lord's Pupil suddenly contracted as if stung by something—Madam Ear's newly sprouted Frosted White Strands were growing wildly, entangling the Star Moon Chain that hung from the Dome. Each Hair reflected Leonard's Last Night, when the Ice Crystal Orchid had suddenly wilted at their wedding twenty years ago.
"By Sunrise Tomorrow, I want to see the complete Barrier Restoration Plan." Aelia brushed her fingers over the reformed Ice Crystal Pendant, and the broken Star Moon Necklace suddenly burst forth with Strong Light.
As the radiance faded, Blood-red Runes emerged on the Peacock Stone Tiles of the Assembly Hall, displaying a seventy-two-hour countdown. Each number corresponded to a collapsing defense Node within the Magic Castle.
The shadow beneath Lord twisted into a vortex, pulling him three inches away from the Ground.
The Contract Scroll he flung ignited upon touching the countdown runes, and within the Ashes, a new bride's bouquet pattern emerged, causing Qin Si to topple over the Star Sand Bottle—what should have been a pure white Ice Crystal Orchid twenty years ago now had each petal embedded with Shadow System Curse.
Luna's starlight suddenly enveloped the entire swaddling, and the Star Trail spinning in the baby's Pupil projected onto Aelia's back.
The Star Moon Chain entwined in Madam's silver hair tightened in response, forcibly dragging out the black mist that was consuming the Big Dipper Formation from within the Dome.
A roar of collapsing buildings came from the direction of Emerald Valley, and on Eldest Son's Wheelchair, the Detection Array displayed Leonard's Last Night—the Separate Courtyard terrace collapsing as Red Skirt Woman Qian Jiao fell into a pool engraved with the Magic Castle Emblem.
When Leonard's Ailya's Roar finally dissipated towards the Southeast Tower, an Ice Crystal Orchid decoration from the Council Chamber Dome suddenly fell.
Aelia reached out to catch the largest petal and discovered that today's date was written on its back in shadow ink—it was precisely at this moment twenty years ago that they exchanged Wedding Rings.
The Ice Crystal Orchid Fragment refracted the Twelve Rays of Yue Lun in Aelia's Palm, and the Star Moon Chain hanging from the Council Chamber Dome suddenly emitted a brittle sound as if Qin Xian had shattered.
From Luna's swaddling, seven Xing Zi floated out, forming a Thorned Totem in the direction where Leonard had vanished. The baby's indistinct Yiya Sound wrapped in magical Zhen Chan crashed into the Mother’s Mind Sea: "We must separate!"
Aelia staggered to hold onto the Peacock Blue chair's backrest as Ice Cracks resembling a Spider Web suddenly blossomed from her Fingertip's Ice Crystal Orchid.
The Star Sand Teacup handed over by Qin Si hovered in mid-air, its Amber Liquid surface reflecting the lady's suddenly Pale face—those tiny Star Sand particles cascading down her silver hair resonated with the Star Trail swirling around Luna, creating a Resonance Halo.
"The lady should retire for the night." Leonard's hoarse voice seeped out from behind the Emerald Corridor Relief, entwining Aelia's ankle with a Contract Thread wrapped in Shadow Rose and Cedar Fragrance.
Luna's starlight surged suddenly; the baby’s small hand gripping the Swaddling Tie erupted with Yin Mang, incinerating three Dark Red Threads into Ashes.
The Eldest Son rolled over the ground covered in Star Sand with his Wheelchair, remnants of Thunder Crystal dragging across the Ground to leave a Scorch Mark: "Father, why don't you explain why there is Shadow Nectar from Emerald Valley mixed into my healing potion?" His deformed left hand pressed against the Wheelchair Armrest's Detection Array, projecting an image of Pharmacy storage jars—at the bottom of what should have been filled with Moonlight Grass in the Liuli Jar, Dark Purple Crystal Dust had settled.
Leonard's shadow twisted and contorted on the Carved Door frame: "During tomorrow’s Family Council..."
"Clarify it now!" Luna's Loud Cry shattered three Wall Lamps, and splintered Magic Crystal fragments coalesced into a Big Dipper Formation in mid-air.
The Chaos Star Map spinning within the baby's Pupil suddenly froze. The reformed Ice Crystal Pendant around Aelia's Neck cracked open, revealing engraved Marriage Contract runes on its inner layer—what should have entwined with the Double Serpent Totem’s Oath Emblem was now parasitized by Shadow Rose Roots.
Frosted White Strands from Aelia’s Ear suddenly entangled with the Star Moon Chain, pulling a blinding Electric Arc from the Dome.
As Leonard's Xu Ying forcefully broke through the starlight barrier, the Ice Crystal Orchid Ashes from the lady’s Skirt suddenly condensed into an Arrowhead but turned to Powder upon touching her husband's Shan Na cloak.
Luna anxiously kicked off her down comforter as a Starlight Sphere, about the size of a fist, repeatedly pierced through six sides of an Illusion Mirror.
"Mother should not have used Star Sand to mend his Heart Vein." Lucius suddenly thrust his wand into the Ground, and the moonstone erupted with Yin Hui, illuminating the writhing shadows of the Marriage Contract's Root System.
The young Boot Sole crushed two fallen Contract Fragments, and the collapsing Emerald Valley Annex let out a roar that tripled in intensity.
Leonard's physical form finally materialized beside the Southeast Corner Obsidian Pillar, the edges of his Dark Red Cloak still glimmering with the fluorescence of Contract Thread.
As he reached out to touch Aelia's shoulder, Luna's entire being was suddenly engulfed in a Star Trail that began to Reverse Rotation, forcibly tearing apart the magical link between the couple.
The baby, with a flushed face, spat out words infused with magic: "Bad! Separate!"
The light in Aelia Pupil dimmed abruptly, and her fingers trembled slightly as they brushed against Luna's Golden Hair.
From the cracks in the Ice Crystal Pendant, a Pale Golden Liquid seeped out—this was the Guardian Oath Blood that Leonard had personally infused into her on their wedding day, twenty years ago.
"The matter of Emerald Valley..." Lord Fingertip shot forth new strands of Contract Thread, mingling with waves of Hypnosis within the Dark Red Flow.
Luna suddenly emitted a high-frequency magical Screech, shaking the last three blooming Ice Crystal Orchids outside the Window Lattice, causing them to wilt simultaneously.
Aelia stumbled back a step, her lower back knocking over a Crystal Bottle filled with Star Sand. The flowing Yin Sha on the ground formed an "Escape Quickly" message in ancient magic script.
Seizing the opportunity, Leonard grasped his wife's Wrist, and the inscription inside her melting Wedding Ring suddenly re-solidified: "Tonight should..."
"Father, why not take a look at elder brother's Magic Pattern!” Lucius waved his wand, ripping through the void, and remnants of the Thunder Crystal suddenly flew toward his elder brother's shattered Left Arm.
As the Azure Purple Lightning surged through the Meridian, shadows from the Backlash Scar, which should have remained sealed, suddenly emerged, resonating with the runes of the Marriage Contract and forming a Root System.
Ailya's Silver Hair moved without wind, entwining around the end of the Star Moon Chain, which then abruptly pierced the Ground Defensive Formation.
The entire Assembly Hall's Peacock Stone Tiles began to rotate clockwise, drawing Leonard's Contract Thread into the center of the formation.
At the moment Lord was forced to release his grip, Luna's starlight enveloped Aelia, creating a galaxy flowing with Star Sand between them.
"Return to your room." The swirling black mist in Leonard's eyes suddenly solidified, wrapping around Aelia's waist and pulling her toward the intricately carved archway.
In a panic, Luna bit her gums, still without teeth, causing a Blood Pearl filled with Source of Magic to shoot out and bloom into a Disruption Rune at the hem of her mother's skirt.
As the Golden Gate slammed shut behind her, Aelia heard Luna's cries wrapped in the shockwave of Star Trail penetrating through the stone walls.
Leonard's Calming Aromatherapy mixed with Shadow Nectar as Qing Yan coalesced into a Hypnotic Spell beneath the Palace Dome.
The Star Sand that slipped from Madam's sleeve quietly seeped into the carpet, forming fragmented phrases conveyed by Luna's starlight in the shadow of the Canopy: "Brother... Backlash..."
The Ying Luo hanging from the crystal chandelier suddenly stopped swaying. Aelia gazed into the Dressing Mirror at her husband’s Xu Ying.
When Leonard's Palm rested on her shoulder, the mirror unexpectedly reflected a cracked Detection Array on the Eldest Son's Wheelchair Armrest—the shape of that crack perfectly coinciding with the Dark Pattern on the Marriage Contract Scroll from Twenty Years Ago.
Comment 0 Comment Count