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The lingering aura of Xuan Shuang wrapped around my fingertips as I curled up in the corner of the Canopy Step Bed, counting the sound of dripping water. When the Gilded Sundial cast its shadow of Three Quarters past noon on the Liuli Tile, the space beside my pillow remained empty enough to hear the delicate fluttering of spirit butterflies.
"Young Mistress, it's time for your meal," a maid's knock startled the snow accumulated on the Window Lattice.
As I stepped into the dining hall wrapped in a cloud-patterned cloak embroidered with azure phoenixes, the aroma of Nine-Turn Spirit Mushroom Soup wafted from the Zitan Eight Immortals Table. Several elders from the celestial sect lightly tapped their intricately carved silver cups with jade sticks, exchanging knowing smiles as I entered.
"Last night, the Xuan Shuang barrier fluctuated quite violently," remarked Elder Seven, who oversaw the spiritual veins, stroking his long white beard. "It seems Young Master Yang has made significant progress in his dual cultivation techniques?"
The sound of a white jade spoon clinking against the edge of a jade bowl broke the silence as I stared at the floating snow lotus petals in my soup. "Recently, I've been contemplating the Xuanjie star map; it’s inevitable that it consumes more of my focus."
"But what about Brother Yu's star map?" Suddenly, a little celestial child with twin buns piped up from beside me. His master hurriedly covered his mouth. "Do not speak carelessly about Young Master Yang's secret arts!" With Elder Old Immortal Lord's reprimand, I caught sight of the silver bell dangling from Little Disciple's waist, its core surprisingly containing Peach Blossom Dew unique to Wang Xuan's star map.
Outside the dining hall, a spirit crane called out clearly as a servant approached with a gilded tray. "Young Master Yang sends word that he will be going to Xuanbing Cave today to reinforce the seals of the Eight Hundred Spirit Springs." The ice crystal scepter reflected dazzling light under the sun; I recognized it as a pattern imprinted on my mother’s marriage contract.
"Is he rushing to nurture the spirit springs before stabilizing the Soul Contract?" Elder Three tapped his jade ring against the table. "Could it be that he intends to borrow power from the spirit springs..."
"Cough!" Elder Seven suddenly broke into a fit of coughing, and a piece of Peach Blossom Shaped Ice Crystal floated up from his soup bowl.
The Soul Contract mark around my neck suddenly grew hot, and dark golden patterns twisted beneath my skin, forming arcs reminiscent of Wang Xuan's star map.
The little celestial child pointed at my Lapels in surprise. "Sister's necklace is glowing!" In the sudden silence, his master’s whisk fell and knocked over a glass lamp. " Child's Words Wujin! Hurry and go to your quiet chamber to transcribe the Mantra of Clarity!"
The Shattered Ice Glass reflected my flustered image; those sealing patterns that once flowed across my marriage contract were now reassembling in my soup spoon.
As the last piece of Peach Blossom Shaped Ice Crystal sank to the bottom of the soup, I heard my own rapid heartbeat reverberating against the remnants of a soul-calming bell.
"You look unwell, Young Mistress; perhaps you should rest early," said the maid, her support infused with an undeniable spiritual force.
I tightened my grip on the fragment of last night's star map tucked in my sleeve; Xuan Shuang's chill was creeping up my meridians toward my heart—wherever it was positioned among those seven stars, it unmistakably resembled Wang Xuan's spirit butterfly resting on a Peach Blossom Branch.
At the corner of the corridor, sparks suddenly erupted from a copper sparrow lamp, causing me to stumble against the Vermilion Pillars. Deep within my consciousness came a crisp sound signaling that Xuan Shuang's barrier had shattered, as if someone had cut through sealed memories with an Ice Blade.
When the gilded bell rolled from my sleeve, I vaguely heard a woman's light laughter echoing from deep within the Eight Hundred Spirit Springs, mingling with the howling winds and snow characteristic of Xuan Yu performing her Teleportation technique.
The bronze remnants of the soul-calming bell suddenly burned against my palm; within its newly formed Frost Flower lay half a Peach Blossom Seal identical to that found on Wang Xuan's star map.
As I collapsed onto an embroidered stool, my reflection in a diamond-shaped mirror revealed that my Soul Contract mark was glowing with an eerie rose-red halo—just like when Wang Xuan's spirit butterfly scattered its shimmering powder over the bridal sedan chair that day.
The gilded bell rolled across the bluestone tiles, producing delicate sounds as I lifted my skirt and turned to leave. The aroma of Nine-Turn Spirit Mushroom Soup followed closely behind me, stirring up incessant buzzing from the star map fragment in my sleeve. The whispers among several elders wrapped around me like spider silk clinging to my nape.
"Slow down, Young Mistress, watch your step," the maid called softly from behind. However, the Yun Tou Lu embroidered with dust-repelling charms had already become stained with Frost Flower.
The ancient cedar outside the corridor suddenly blurred into a swirling blue mist. It wasn't until I crashed through the intricately carved door adorned with Xuan Shuang dragon patterns that I realized it was Tears clouding my vision.
Xuan Yu's Palace was forever bathed in the cold light reminiscent of Cold Moonlight in the Frosty Pool.
The Eight Treasures Rack was piled high with various Star Disks, and the Purple Jade Paperweight, knocked askew during last night's argument, still pressed against half a roll of talismans.
I curled up on his usual Xuan Bing Couch, the lingering Snow Cedar Fragrance in the bedding mixed with the Peach Blossom Dew from the Wang Xuan Star Map, sending ripples through my Soul Contract Mark.
"Young Master Yang said this Liuli Lantern should be placed three feet from the bed," a low voice from outside the window whispered. " Immortal Princess Wang personally painted that Star Chart years ago; it must not touch Zhuo Qi."
Suddenly, sparks erupted from the Copper Sparrow Wick, scorching my Fingertip and causing it to tremble.
In the Lattice Mirror, I caught sight of a scroll peeking out from under my pillow, clearly tied with Xuan Shuang silk—an unmistakable gift sent by Wang Xuan on the day of the dual cultivation ceremony.
As I pulled apart the icy silk ties, twelve Heavenly Harmony Bells filled with enchanting spells rolled across the couch.
"Sister, do you know that to bathe in the Lingquan of Xuanbing Cave requires two people..." The lingering sound of Little Celestial Child being dragged away suddenly exploded in my ears.
I grabbed a Heavenly Harmony Bell and was about to throw it out the window when I froze at the sight of its Dark Patterns—the celestial images swirling upon it were identical to those Xuan Yu had drawn on my back last night as a Protective Charm.
A shard of Zhenhun Bell suddenly heated up in my sleeve, melting into a string of ice-crystal Messaging Talismans.
I wiped away the Frost Flower on the talisman with my fingertip. Xuan Yu's cold voice mixed with the howling Feng Xue from Xuanbing Cave crashed into my Eardrum: "Three Quarters Past the Dog Hour has returned."
My reflection in the Copper Mirror suddenly burst into laughter.
It turned out he even used Wang Xuan's most adept Ice Soul Resonance Technique for Transmission Talismans. Those remnants of Xuan Shuang Qi he passed to me during our intimate moments must have been refined remnants of old feelings.
A crisp sound of jade clasps clashing suddenly echoed from the bottom layer of Zhuang Lian.
Lifting the Jiao Xiao scarf revealed that lying in the Malachite Box was indeed the Lingxi Pendant gifted by Mother—meant to be a pair tied around my waist and Xuan Yu's as tokens of affection, now it lay alone, soaked in Peach Blossom Dew.
At the bottom of the box lay a faded Hongye leaf inscribed with " Xuan Shuang flower Yu Shi, Star Map fully displayed," its sharp strokes capable of cutting through my Fingertip.
Outside, Ling He's clear call rang out; the Sundial's Golden Needle had already pointed to an unmarked hour.
I snatched up a piece of gilded rice paper from the desk and formed a Transmitting Spirit Flame with my fingertip: "Shen Shi has returned to the pavilion; is there anything that needs to be carried?"
The ink in my inkstone suddenly boiled over, scorching a "no" onto the paper.
The final stroke bled into a peach blossom-shaped ink stain, perfectly overlapping with the Guardian Seal on Wang Xuan Star Map.
I tore off my Soulbound Pendant necklace and pressed it hard into the ink, watching as its Dark Gold Pattern twisted into a Ling Die shape within the Xuan Bing inkstone.
Zhuang Xia was suddenly overturned, dozens of Messaging Talismans fluttering like snowflakes.
The first one was actually Moji's message from The Day After the Wedding at the Hour of Chen: "There is something unusual at Xuanbing Cave; You Shi has returned." Yet today it had clearly just reinforced its seal—underneath Eight Hundred Spirit Springs' ice layer lay three hundred years' worth of unmelting Peach Blossom Brew.
The Lingxi Pendant suddenly emitted a mournful cry as cracks seeped Rose Mist.
I grabbed half-packed Liujin Box and turned to leave but stepped on a shard of ice crystal at the Threshold.
Picking it up and examining it under the sunlight, I found that what was frozen inside the Frost Flower was a half-wing of Wang Xuan's spirit butterfly, with pearl powder from the day of the dual cultivation ceremony still clinging to its veins.
As I turned the corner of the Corridor, a sudden Xuan Shuang storm swept through, and my hand formed the incantation faster than my thoughts could catch up. When the Teleportation array blossomed beneath my feet, the last thing I saw was the Ice Soul lamp on the Xuanjade desk suddenly illuminating—a soul lamp that should only ignite when its master is in danger, now shining over a half-exposed peach blossom note in the box, which bore the Cinnabar words: "At the hour of Xu, three quarters past, meet at the old place."
As the aura of the Spirit Illusion Technique engulfed my vision, a familiar Xuan Shuang energy suddenly surged around my wrist. The protective spell of Xuanjade spontaneously formed a Barrier, gently wrapping around my chaotic spiritual veins. The communication bell trembled lightly in my sleeve, and his cold voice rarely mixed with warmth: "You dare to use Teleportation amidst spiritual fluctuations?"
I bit my tongue and swallowed the metallic taste of blood, crushing the last flicker of communication spirit flame in my palm. As snow-white light points drifted toward the direction of Xuanbing Cave, the Soul Contract pattern suddenly ceased its burning heat—like someone gently smoothing all restless star trails across a hundred miles of wind and snow.
The Xuan Shuang Barrier wrapped around me like fine snowflakes falling into my hair, resonating with a clear sound from the jade bracelet on my wrist and the protective spell of Xuanjade. I slid down slowly against the Vermilion Pillars, ice crystal lotus patterns forming on the bluestone tiles, supporting my trembling fingertips.
"Showing off," the communication bell vibrated again, and Xuanjade's voice trailed off like melting snow water flowing past my ears. I looked at the red marks on my palm burned by spirit flames and suddenly recalled how he had bandaged my wounds that night of dual cultivation; his spiritual energy had wrapped around me with three parts coolness and seven parts warmth.
"It's just a disturbance in my spiritual veins." I extinguished the last few drifting communication spirit flames, sweeping my sleeve embroidered with dust-avoiding spells across the Corridor's Icicle. "The seal of Xuanbing Cave..."
"Return at Xu's hour, three quarters past."
Hearing those same words from him now felt like silver needles dipped in honey. I gazed at the winding spirit crane claw prints in the snow and suddenly realized that those marks formed half a protective spell—it was the star trail pattern that Xuanjade had drawn on my nape last night.
As the glow of the Ice Soul lamp spread over the carved Window Lattice, I was facing a diamond-shaped mirror, re-styling my hair. The copper mirror suddenly reflected ripples from Xuan Shuang's barrier fluctuations; Xuanjade stood outside the beaded curtain, covered in wind and snow, with ice crystal fragments unique to spirit springs still clinging to his dark hair.
"Weren't you supposed to come at Xu's hour?" My hand holding the Jade Comb paused as I saw his Soulbound Pendant glowing faintly in the shadows at his waist. That piece of spirit jade matching the pattern on my neck now flowed with rose-red dark patterns similar to Wang Xuan's star map.
Xuanjade raised his hand to brush away icicles from above; his wide sleeves swept over the star plate on the desk: "The spirit spring's disturbance has calmed earlier." He spoke while staring at a fragment of a soul-requiem bell exposed from my sleeve; frost-colored Lashfeather cast trembling shadows beneath his eyes. "Your spiritual power..."
"It's nothing." I turned around and slapped down the Jade Comb onto the dressing table when suddenly, the Malachite Box popped open.
The pair of spirit resonating pendants rippled under moonlight, reflecting Xuanjade's figure as he drew closer. His fingers carried a scent of cedar as they touched my wrist pulse; Xuan Bing's spiritual energy flowed into me like spring streams thawing.
I focused on his Lapels where an Ice Crystal Buckle swayed and suddenly noticed that its back was engraved with a miniature star map—the very shape of Wang Xuan's spirit butterfly resting on a Peach Blossom Branch.
Just as I was about to withdraw my hand, he unexpectedly wiped away the Blood Pearl I'd bitten from my lips with his fingertip, his Frost and Snow aura mingling with an almost inaudible sigh: "Fool."
A peach-colored glow suddenly emanated from the Xuan Shuang barrier outside the window, accompanied by the sound of spiritual butterflies flapping their wings from the direction of the Eight Hundred Spiritual Springs.
Xuanjade extinguished the Ice Soul lamp with a flick of his wide sleeves and grasped my hand, which I was about to retract. "If your spiritual power is unstable, don't touch the fragments of the Soul-Settling Bell."
The darkness amplified the warmth of our skin against each other, his palm's Xuan Shuang Curse Seal shimmering alongside the Soul Contract mark on my wrist.
I recalled what the Little Celestial Child had said in the dining hall about the "dual cultivation secret method," and my ears suddenly burned, thankfully concealed by my falling hair.
"I'm going to Linghuan Xian Pavilion to retrieve some old items." I pulled my finger away to reach for the Liujin Box on the dressing table, my hairpin snagging on his jade belt.
Xuanjade's hand at my lower back paused for a moment, and as the Ice Crystal Cloak slipped off, it revealed claw marks on my collarbone—wounds I had inflicted in a moment of panic when he had unleashed his profound spiritual energy last night.
"Let Xuanbird send you..."
"I'll go myself." I snapped the golden thread entangled in his jade belt and sent the Liujin Box crashing into the moonlit floor.
Peach blossom notes rolled out from the box, brushing against Xuanjade's robe hem before he pinned them in midair with frost.
The words "old place" bled crimson under the moonlight on the note, resembling the scales of Wang Xuan's spiritual butterfly wings.
Xuanjade crushed the note between his fingers, ice crystal shards falling into my collar.
As he turned to walk toward the Eight Treasures Rack, his profile was sharply illuminated by moonlight, yet his fingers gliding over the star plate trembled slightly. "The third pavilion in the west wing has the Ling Huan Treasure Mirror you need."
I crashed through the intricately carved door while holding onto the Liujin Box, and twelve guiding ice lamps suddenly rose in the snow.
The last lamp contained a frozen peach blossom petal, its veins forming half a protective incantation—perfectly matching the Seal I had left on Xuanjade before he left this morning.
The ice crystal lock in the west wing pavilion melted into mist under moonlight as I gazed at the jade slips arranged according to constellations on the shelf, suddenly catching sight of a dusty Sandalwood Box in a corner.
The surface of the box bore a familiar pattern flowing with Xuan Shuang seals; it was a unique secret technique that Xuanjade had used to seal important documents on his birthday.
Compelled by an unseen force, I bit my fingertip, letting a drop of Blood Pearl land on the seal, which surprisingly resonated.
In an instant, the lid of the box sprang open, revealing half a scroll beneath icy silk—the end of which was tied with Xuan Shuang threads… faintly revealing intertwined black hair and a peach-colored hemline.
As the icy silk slipped from my fingers, I felt numbness spread through my fingertip from the Thousand Year Cold Jade scroll.
The Xuan Shuang seal melted into fine streams that seeped into the paper, and under moonlight, ink began to spread—Xuanjade donned a star-patterned cloak from our wedding day, adorning it with gilded hairpins that skewered into a woman's cloud-like hairstyle.
Wang Xuan's peach-colored hemline was adorned with spiritual butterflies; when her pinky finger curled up, it revealed a glimmering protective powder that mirrored the rose-red glow of my Soul Contract mark.
"When Xuan Shuang transforms into rain, all star maps unfold." The inscription on the scroll stung my eyes with its poignancy.
I trembled as I brushed over Xuanjade's hand wrapped around Wang Xuan's waist; suddenly, his pinky ring glimmered with fireflies within the painting—it was unmistakably transformed from a protective hairpin he had taken from me before leaving this morning to reinforce his seal.
The gilded mirror in my makeup box rippled with water patterns, reflecting Xuanjade’s figure as he performed incantations in Xuanbing Cave at that moment.
The ice crystal reflected his unhealed claw marks at his collarbone while Wang Xuan's spiritual butterfly perched upon his shoulder, its wing scales fluttering down into the peach blossom brew surging from Eight Hundred Spiritual Springs.
"Young Mistress, we need to replenish Ice Toad Sand in the west wing pavilion." The footsteps of a maid outside startled me into knocking over the Sandalwood Box.
Dozens of jade slips tumbled to the ground, the last one surprisingly wrapped around a peach-hued volume of the "Xuanjie Star Record." The red leaf bookmark tied with silk by Xuan Shuang happened to land right at the spot of Wang Xuan's guardian sand in the painting.
I brushed away the illusion from the pages, and suddenly, the Ink Sigil floated and reassembled in mid-air. The characters of Xuanjade were enveloped in frost: "Xuan'er fears the cold; the Pisces Palace needs three warm sun spells." The date on this annotation was actually the day after our wedding, and on that day, he mentioned going to Xuanbing Cave to reinforce the seal, yet here it was detailed how to adjust Wang Xuan's spiritual veins.
The ice crystal lamp suddenly emitted a crisp sound, and the lamp oil twisted into a shape resembling peach blossoms on the blue bricks. I stumbled and leaned against the bookshelf, my fingertip brushing over a certain indentation—hidden within was a gilded Heirloom Jade Register.
As soon as Xuan Shuang's seal was broken by the Soul Contract pattern, Wang Xuan's spiritual breath enveloped me with the scent of hehuan incense. On the inner pages of the Jade Register, entwined lotus patterns depicted Xuanjade and Wang Xuan's Fate Star in a tail-biting embrace.
I stared at the Cinnabar annotation stating "the convergence of star paths, shared fate," suddenly recalling how he had traced my spiritual veins last night; his fingertip had also traced the same star map trajectory. However, at that time, the overwhelming energy of Xuan Shuang had clouded my senses, preventing me from noticing that formation’s overlap with Wang Xuan's destiny chart.
A communication talisman in my makeup box suddenly ignited spontaneously, its ashes coalescing into Yang Lin's profile. "Did Ah Yao suffer any grievances in Xuanjie?" His voice carried the unique fragrance of Apricot Blossom Rain from Linghuan Xian Pavilion. "The fragments of star maps you sent me—I calculated them against the Milky Way for three nights..."
I crushed the ice-cold tears forming in my eyes and held up the Heirloom Jade Register before the communication talisman. The copper mirror reflected my own image, with hair ornaments trembling like Wang Xuan's tassels blown apart by the wind in the painting.
"This is... a forbidden technique from Xuanjie!" Yang Lin's phantom suddenly drew near; his fingertip pressed down on a certain part of the Jade Register marked with a Curse Seal. "The Pisces tail-biting requires your partner's heart blood as a guide; how could Xuanjade have inscribed your Soul Contract onto Wang Xuan's destiny chart!"
The Ice Soul lamp abruptly extinguished, yet all around, star maps began to glow spontaneously. I gazed at the peach-colored thread connecting me to Xuanjade and Fate Star, finally realizing that its other end was entwined around Wang Xuan's wrist—those protective spells he mentioned during our intimate moments were actually using my spiritual power to nurture his broken Fate Pattern from a past lover.
The Liujin Box suddenly exploded open, resonating with the spirit jade pendant given by my mother alongside Wang Xuan's Peach Blossom Hairpin. I grabbed Xuan Shuang’s brush from the table, ready to destroy the Jade Register; yet, the brush tip automatically sketched out last night's star map that Xuanjade had taught me to complete—this so-called formation stabilizing our Soul Contract was currently channeling spiritual energy for Wang Xuan’s Fate Star.
"A Lin..." I bit my fingertip and drew a blood array on the communication talisman. "Do you remember that volume of 'Taiyin Record' in Linghuan Celestial Realm’s forbidden area that can reverse star paths?"
Yang Lin’s phantom reached out to wipe my tears; his sleeve’s Apricot Grove patterns overlapped with Wang Xuan’s peach-colored Hemline under moonlight: "Three days later at midnight, I will use celestial techniques to conceal Linghuan Celestial Realm from prying eyes." His fingertip traced half a Release Talisman on my palm. "I will ensure that Peach Blossom Fairy tastes her own charm spell’s backlash."
Suddenly, there was a disturbance in the Xuan Shuang barrier outside; I formed a seal to freeze the melting Ice Crystal Window Flower. The last beam of moonlight illuminated the open pages of "Xuanjie Star Record" on my desk, revealing hidden annotations—"At Xu hour three-quarters, bring peach blossom wine to our old meeting place to enjoy the sight of Pisces entwined."
In that moment when the ice crystal lamp reignited, I heard a mystical bird soar past the western pavilion with a clear cry. The remnants of my soul-requiem bell resonated with Wang Xuan's Peach Blossom Hairpin, casting intertwined star paths on the blue bricks—one of which pointed towards deep within Xuanbing Cave, where it is said one can glimpse into past lives and reincarnations through an ancient spring.
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