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墨書 Inktalez
The Dome of the Spirit Vein Chamber was sliced into a galaxy of stars by nine hundred and ninety-nine Ice Prisms. Lucius knelt at the Central Altar, the hem of his robe still dusted with Gold Dust drifting in from the banquet hall.
Aelia burst in, clutching her frosted Skirt Hem, as the Twelve-Layer Protective Barrier thunderously sealed behind her, isolating Leonard's Fury from the Bronze Door.
"Mother, Sister's swaddling is seeping ice crystals." Lucius's wrist trembled slightly as he cradled the infant in his arms.
The hexagonal Bing Hua that emerged from Luna's collar cascaded down, clinking against the etched Ancient Law Array on the altar.
Aelia's fingertip, stained with Dan Kou, hovered just above the Spirit Crystal Testing Platform when Luna suddenly grabbed her pinky finger.
The girl’s Silver Blue pupils reflected the Magic Crystal Stone suspended in midair. Laughter filled the air as she stuffed saliva-soaked Ice Crystal Shards into the crystal ball's Groove—fragments still frozen with remnants of swaddling drifting in the Outer Chamber basement.
"Is the Lady of the Fortress really going to test this baby?" The Bronze Door swung open with a crash as Leonard, draped in a Dark Pattern Cloak, stepped through, shattering the Bing Hua scattered on the ground. "Why not let Lucius explain first why the Astral Sphere Core is embedded with the Guardian Charm stone from the Nursery?"
Just then, their eldest brother, adjusting his Wheelchair, suddenly broke into a violent cough. His mangled right hand pressed against the altar's edge, dark red blood droplets seeping into the etched Xiao Ying Totem.
Second Brother's fingers turned white as he gripped a Magic Scroll; it was a High-Level Protective Spell earned three days ago at the cost of a scar left by betrayal from a dear friend.
Brother San lowered his head to wipe his ever-present Pocket Watch, its case reflecting ten years wasted due to misguided choices now flowing backward.
"Father, you have Blue Iris Pollen on your collar." Lucius suddenly spoke up, watching as Leonard instinctively clutched his neck—indeed, there was juice from Outside Lover’s favorite Nightlight Iris staining it.
Aelia’s emerald pupils glimmered with Ice Mist as she pressed Luna’s tiny hand against the surface of the Ling Crystal. "Let’s begin."
Initially, the Magic Crystal Stone lay dark and dormant.
Luna tilted her head, gnawing on a Silver Bell on her other wrist. The High-Level Protective Spell hidden within Ling She vibrated, causing Brother San’s Pocket Watch to chime.
Leonard scoffed softly; the Soul Devouring Thorn embedded at the tip of his Scepter quietly coiled around the altar's edge.
"Look, even Elemental Resonance..."
Before she could finish her sentence, Luna suddenly slapped the crystal ball with her palm, which was stained with milk.
The handprint she had carelessly made on the nursery's ice wall yesterday began to glow on the surface of the Ling Crystal. Those marks, which everyone had dismissed as childish doodles, were now perfectly covering the nine Magic Nodes of the Magic Crystal Stone.
"Impossible!" Leonard's staff struck the ground heavily. "This is clearly a lost art..."
A roar echoed from within the Ling Crystal, resembling the cracking of glaciers.
Luna excitedly waved her suddenly glowing Silver Bell. The hollow patterns that had once been seen merely as decorations were now projecting the frequency of the Defensive Formation in the Outer Chamber's basement onto the Dome.
Two fetuses curled up within the Magic Circle had their Xiao Ying Totem flickering in sync with Luna's rhythmic slaps.
"Father, doesn't this look familiar?" Lucius suddenly pointed to the Ice Prism refracting Leonard's Last Night. "The Soul Devouring Thorn you prepared for your illegitimate child shares the same source magic as that which entangles Mother’s skirt."
Aelia's skirt hem suddenly tore apart, releasing several Bing Wen, and frost snow dripped from her hair tips onto the altar.
At that moment, Luna tilted her head back and let out a lactation burp filled with ice crystals. The Star Map emerging on the surface of the Ling Crystal perfectly aligned with the Star Trail in her pupil.
As a deafening explosive sound erupted, Leonard was attempting to shield himself from the projection of Leonard's Last Night cast by the Ice Prism with his scepter.
Shards of Ling Crystal splattered into the air, forming a Twelve Rays Ice Ring, each ring locking onto a gap in the Defensive Formation of the Outer Chamber's basement.
Luna grabbed the largest shard, ready to shove it into her mouth when suddenly, three blood-red eyes opened within the reflection of Xiao Ying Totem in the shard.
"Enough!" Leonard swung his staff and shattered the Ice Ring. "This kind of action will cause the Ling Crystal to explode..."
He suddenly fell silent.
The shards of Ling Crystal on the ground began to spontaneously arrange themselves into a Magic Castle Three-Dimensional Projection. Each flickering red Node corresponded to magical incidents that had occurred over the past six months.
Leonard's wheelchair emitted a grinding noise as its gears jammed—exactly where he had encountered a Magic Backlash three years ago.
Aelia's frost-kissed fingertip gently brushed against Luna's forehead, where the Star Pattern glimmered. The soft golden hair of the infant wove the ambient energy of the Spirit Vein Chamber into a Defense Formation.
When she looked up at the Dome Ice Spikes mirror, it reflected the twelve dimensions, simultaneously revealing the broken boundary Star Map swirling in the infant's pupil.
"Mother, should we activate the Spare Spirit Crystal?" Qin Si's hands trembled as they cradled the velvet Soft Cushion. The surface of the Spare Crystal, resting on the cushion, was now covered in bite marks left by Luna.
At the Turn Corner, the Astrolabe suddenly projected a blood moon warning. Aelia pressed down on her sleeve, which was billowing with Ice Mist, and gently wiped away the Ling Crystal dust from Luna's mouth.
Unaware, the baby clutched a strand of her frosted white hair. Those striking silver strands suddenly faded back to dark hues, only to spread into a deeper shade of Xue Se in the next moment.
Outside the Bronze Door, chaotic footsteps of the Frostwolf Guard echoed. As Aelia tucked Luna back into Lucius's arms, her fingertip traced an inverted Xiao Ying Totem on his palm.
The Silver Bell on the infant's wrist suddenly fell silent. The Defensive Formation that should have been activated by its ringing was quietly altering its Magic Patterns instead.
The Ice Prism of the Spirit Vein Chamber's Dome dimmed by thirty percent, casting fragmented shadows from the floating Star River Map onto Aelia's gaze.
She subtly adjusted the Ice Crystal Hairpin that was precariously swaying by her ear, her fingertip stained with Dan Kou absentmindedly stroking the Frost Flower crystallized on Luna's swaddling.
The Silver Bell on the infant's wrist fell silent once more, like a nightingale with its throat constricted.
"The elemental concentration at the West Side Lingmai Node has decreased by twelve percent since yesterday." Aelia suddenly spoke up, her Emerald Eyes scanning Leonard’s collar where remnants of Blue Iris Pollen lingered. "If Lord has time to concern himself with the Nursery's test results, why not explain why last month's missing Frostwolf Knight Order appeared in the Outer Chamber?"
Suddenly, Luna in Lucius's arms let out a loud Lactation Burp. The fragments of Ling Crystal she had been gnawing on reflected an eerie red light, illuminating Leonard’s sleeve where the Thorn Emblem rolled back.
Brother San paused in his action of wiping his Pocket Watch; within the flowing time on its surface flashed memories of ten years ago—Leonard’s Last Night when Father had taught him swordsmanship. The vines entwined around his wooden sword had been vibrant green ivy then.
"Mother!" Second Brother exclaimed suddenly. The Protective Spell Scroll he clutched ignited with Azure Blue Flame. Blood oozed from his fingertip, which had been scratched by a close friend yesterday, dripping onto the altar’s edge and corroding it into a Xiao Ying-shaped dent.
The eldest brother in the wheelchair suddenly coughed violently; dark red blood droplets seeped into the array from his mangled right hand. The etched Xiao Ying Totem abruptly opened its Third Eye.
The tip of Leonard's Staff suddenly surged with the Soul Devouring Thorn, but as it touched Luna's Swaddling, it was instantly covered in frost.
Aelia's Ice Mist flew from her sleeve, enveloping the restless Thorn. As the Frost Flower climbed along the Dark Pattern Cloak, it emitted a series of delicate cracking sounds. "It seems that the Lord's Magic Plant is also struggling to adapt?"
"Enough!" The heavy thud of the Scepter caused the Astrolabe to tilt by three degrees. The Blue Iris Pollen that fell from Leonard's sleeve ignited phosphorescence on the Ice Surface. "Rather than playing house with you all here, we might as well go see those who can truly inherit in the Outer Chamber..."
His voice abruptly cut off.
Luna had somehow seized Qin Si's dangling hair ribbon, and the Silver Ribbon adorned with ice crystals was weaving the energy drifting from the Spirit Vein Chamber into a net.
The Light Spots randomly struck by the infant began to assemble a Three-Dimensional Projection of the Outer Chamber's basement within the Dome—two fetuses curled up within a Magic Circle, their foreheads flickering in sync with Luna's Breathing Frequency alongside the Xiao Ying Totem.
Aelia's frost-covered Fingertip suddenly pressed against the edge of the Spirit Crystal Testing Platform, causing nine hundred ninety-nine Ice Prisms to simultaneously turn towards the altar's center.
The surface of the suspended Magic Crystal Stone emerged with fine Ice Cracks. Those handprints once regarded as Luna's Doodle were now frantically absorbing the black mist seeping from her brother's Wheelchair gears.
"Mother, the elemental concentration has dropped below critical levels!" Lucius suddenly knelt on one knee. The Gold Dust at the hem of his black robe coalesced into chains, entwining with the ice crystals seeping from Luna's Swaddling to form a Twin Curse pattern.
The Second Brother's Protective Scroll completely turned to Ashes, yet the burning fragments automatically filled in the cracks at the altar's edge.
Leonard stepped back half a pace, and the black mist erupting from the tip of his Scepter barely blocked the refracted light from the Ice Prism.
The Iris juice at his neck suddenly boiled, scorching his skin with Scorch Marks. "This Disaster Star that triggers anomalies in Ling Crystal..."
The deafening Explosive Sound drowned out his last words.
The suspended Magic Crystal Stone exploded into Twelve Rays and an Ice Ring, with splintered fragments coalescing in mid-air into a Blood Star Map.
Luna excitedly waved her fist stained with Milk Stain; the Star Trail in her Pupil perfectly aligned with the Outer Residence Coordinates locked by the Ice Ring.
"Defensive Formation!" Aelia's Skirt Hem erupted into layers of ice waves, but the barrier formed from Frost Snow was just a moment too slow.
The elder brother's wheelchair suddenly lost control and crashed into the altar. The dark injury left from three years ago oozed with black blood; the second brother clutched his heart and collapsed to the ground, where the spot he was stabbed by his close friend emerged with a mark identical to that of the outer mansion fetus. Brother San's watch case snapped shut, and in the flowing time, flashes of Leonard teaching the illegitimate child swordsmanship appeared, reminiscent of Leonard's last night.
Amidst the chaos, only Luna laughed. She grabbed the largest shard of Ling Crystal and brought it to her mouth, the bite marks from her milk tooth perfectly completing the missing northwest corner of the magic castle's three-dimensional projection.
As Qin Si lunged forward, the milk foam spilling from the infant's mouth unexpectedly etched the emblem of the Frostwolf Knight Order onto the ice surface.
"Is this what you call mediocrity?" Aelia's white hair suddenly faded back to a dark hue, only to spread into an even thicker shade of crimson in the next moment.
Her fingertip, dyed with ice crystals, lightly touched the scattered fragments on the ground. The exploding Ling Crystal spontaneously reformed into a flowing map, each flickering red node corresponding to the frequency of her elder brother coughing blood.
Leonard's black mist barrier shattered inch by inch, and the refracted light from the ice prism split him into twelve residual shadows.
Each residual shadow had sleeves adorned with different colored ribbons—Qin Si's silver ribbon, Brother San's pocket watch gold chain, and even Ailya's blood-stained ribbon from her outside lover.
"Father should recognize this fluctuation frequency, right?" Lucius suddenly lifted his robe. Amongst the folds dusted with gold from the banquet hall were dense new patterns rewritten from defensive formations.
The elder brother on the wheelchair suddenly pressed his hand against his heart; his magic circuit that had been backfired three years ago resonated with the shards of Ling Crystal.
Aelia's ice mist suddenly enveloped all Ling Crystal fragments, and a box formed from frost snow sealed away the restless energy into star sand.
As she bent down to pick up Luna, the silver bell that the infant was gnawing on suddenly rang out. Those sound waves that should have activated the defensive formation were quietly altering the course of the magic fortress leyline at that moment.
The footsteps of Frostwolf Guard outside the bronze door abruptly halted, and the blood moon projected by the astrolabe shattered into remnants on the ice surface.
Within Luna's unaware grasp of a Ling Crystal shard, two children bearing Xiao Ying and Luna marks could be vaguely seen being pushed into a magic circle.
Aelia’s frost-colored eyelashes trembled as she pressed her palm stained with milk against her suddenly restored dark-tipped hair—there emerged a star pattern identical to that of the outer mansion fetus.
The light spots refracted by the ice prism danced across Aelia’s face as she held Luna’s wrist, which trembled slightly.
The Ling Crystal shard that the infant was gnawing on was melting away, its milk fragrance mingling with a taste of iron rust—a magical aftertaste reminiscent of what she had sensed twenty years ago at the extreme north icefield when she encountered a rift in reality.
The decay period of the Elemental Tide has been advanced by Three Months. Aelia's Ice Crystal Hairpin suddenly shattered, and the fragments fell into Luna's Silver Blue Pupil, creating subtle ripples. The frequency of the Magic Fortress Leyline perfectly matched the rhythm with which this child struck the Ling Crystal.
Leonard's Scepter emitted a creaking sound under the strain, while the Soul Devouring Thorn curled up in the Ice Mist.
As he stepped back, he crushed the remnants of Second Brother's High-Level Protective Spell. From the Ashes, the Xiao Ying Totem suddenly spread its wings, revealing a young creature with three blood-red eyes on its belly.
"Nonsense!" He waved his sleeve to disperse the floating Star Sand, but the Dark Pattern on his cuff stuck to several glowing Crystals. "This is clearly from those in the Outer Chamber..."
The gears of the Wheelchair suddenly screeched sharply. His elder brother's mangled right hand gripped the armrest tightly, and the Magic Circuit that had broken during the backlash three years ago manifested under the light of the Ling Crystal.
The energy that should have dissipated as Dark Purple Thread was now being re-woven by the ice crystals seeping from Luna's Swaddling.
"Father, please look." Lucius suddenly lifted the hem of his black robe. The chain pattern formed by Gold Dust in the banquet hall intertwined with Luna's Ice Crystal Incantation. "Sister repaired seven points of collapse in West Side's Lingmai when she struck the Nursery's ice wall yesterday."
Brother San's Watch Case suddenly popped open, revealing Xu Ying, who had taught swordsmanship ten years ago, emerging on its dial.
In Leonard's Last Night, the ivy entwining a wooden sword suddenly faded, transforming into a Soul Devouring Thorn identical to those in the Outer Chamber.
Aelia's white hair moved without wind, and as her Hair Tips brushed against Luna’s chewed Silver Bell, the Defensive Formation patterns unexpectedly unfolded into a Three-Dimensional Projection in mid-air.
"Lady of the Fortress!" Qin Si suddenly exclaimed.
The Spare Spirit Crystal she held was inexplicably covered with Ice Cracks, and those patterns matched exactly with the designs on Luna’s bed sheets that had been wet yesterday.
The infant girl suddenly laughed and reached out with her little hand covered in Star Sand. The Spare Crystal exploded into a shower of Light Rain, each particle reflecting the Xiao Ying Mark of fetuses in the basement of the Outer Chamber.
Leonard's black mist barrier abruptly contracted into a sphere, freezing Ailina's Burn on his neck into an Ice Shard with Iris juice.
Just as the Soul Devouring Thorn at the tip of his Scepter was about to erupt, Luna sneezed suddenly, sending ice crystals flying.
The splattered Star Sand burrowed into the Thorn’s veins, and like a ferocious beast, the Magic Plant unexpectedly drooped its tips submissively, blooming a cluster of Edelweiss.
"Elemental Contract" reversed...
Second Brother, clutching his heart, staggered to his feet as the magic energy lost when his dear friend was wounded began to flow back. "Sister is reconstructing the Magic Source!"
Aelia's skirt hem suddenly froze layer by layer, ice crystals crawling up Luna's swaddling from her fingertips.
When the Frost Flower touched the nape of the infant's neck, the Magic Castle's Underground was suddenly filled with the sound of Twelve Bell Chimes—exactly like the alarm that sounded when the extreme northern rift opened twenty years ago.
"Three months ago, when the Frostwolf Knight Order went missing, the Water Clock in the West Tower stopped for seven minutes." Aelia's white hair abruptly faded to black, only to be dyed a heavier frost color in the next moment. "And yesterday, what Ye Luna knocked over—the Crystal Baby Bottle—just happened to restart the stopped Water Clock."
Eldest Brother's wheelchair suddenly emitted a crisp sound of gears meshing, and Ice Crystal Threads emerged from the Dark Injury left by the backlash three years ago.
Those crystalline threads climbed up his incomplete right hand, sketching a complete Magic Circuit Diagram in midair.
Second Brother's Protective Scroll suddenly coalesced into a shield, its surface displaying the ancient Defensive Formation he had sought for ten years.
"Does Father still want to call this a coincidence?" Lucius's black robe suddenly disintegrated into Gold Powder Chain, reassembling into a diagram for breaking the Outer Residence Protection Array. "Every toy Sister gnawed on and every ice wall she struck is correcting the impending collapse of the Magic Fortress Barrier."
Leonard stumbled backward into the Astrolabe, panic etched across his face as the Light Spot from the blood moon warning sliced through him.
The Edelweiss at the top of his Scepter suddenly wilted, its withered petals exuding the scent of Nightingale Blood Perfume commonly used by Outside Lovers.
Just as he was about to swing his staff to shatter the floating Star Sand map, Luna suddenly tugged at Aelia's white hair and stuffed it into her mouth.
"Ah—!" The infant's muffled cry stirred the entire Spirit Vein Chamber into action.
The Dome Ice Spikes simultaneously turned toward the Northwest Corner, and beams of light refracted on the ground to form the emblem of the Frostwolf Knight Order.
Brother San's Pocket Watch began to spin wildly backward, revealing Leonard's Last Night within its Watch Case—a lesson from Father on how to control the Soul Devouring Thorn for his illegitimate son.
Aelia's Ice Mist suddenly condensed into a Prism, gathering all the Ling Crystal shards scattered on the ground into a Star Sand Compass.
When her fingertip touched Luna's forehead, which shimmered with Star Patterns, the Zhen Chan from the Magic Fortress Leyline became as rhythmic as a heartbeat.
"Prepare the supplies for departure." Her emerald-colored pupils shimmered with the Star Map of the boundary. "Luna needs the Moonlight Shuttle, the Eternal Frost Box, and..."
"Mother!" The eldest brother's incomplete right hand suddenly grasped the floating Ice Crystal Threads, weaving them into the form of a Starlight Cloak. "My Backlash Scar can sense the Geothermal Rift; I can extract Bone Marrow to create a Protective Potion."
The Second Brother tore open his shirt, revealing the Xiao Ying Mark on his heart, which was seeping Silver-Blue Blood. "This is the best medium for Tracking Magic. If I use my blood to draw an Orientation Scroll, it can pinpoint the source of the Parasitic Curse from the Outer Mansion Fetus."
Brother San's Pocket Watch suddenly embedded itself into the Altar Array, and within the flowing time emerged Father's hidden Ancient Spellbook. "Ten years ago today, Father hid the Breaking the Boundary Scroll in the Study Room Secret Compartment—the Pocket Watch can lead us to it."
Leonard's Scepter suddenly cracked open, and the Soul Devouring Thorn shrieked as it retracted into the staff.
He opened his mouth, and suddenly, the cries of the fetus in the Outer Chamber basement came through the Ice Prism, echoing explosively in the Spirit Vein Chamber.
"Lord, you should go take care of the real Heir." Aelia's white hair suddenly surged, with her Hair Tips wrapping around the Soul Devouring Thorn that was trying to escape towards the Bronze Door. "After all, these children..." She looked down at Luna, who was gnawing on Star Sand, with milk foam spilling from her mouth etching out the Frostwolf Knight Order's marching route on the ground. "They're far more interesting than your experiments."
As the last fragment of Ling Crystal merged into the Star Sand Compass, a roar from moving glaciers echoed through the underground of Magic Castle.
Luna's wrist Silver Bell suddenly rang out; those modified Defensive Formation patterns flowed across the ground into a Star Trail, pointing towards the collapsing Boundary Stone in the northwest.
Qin Si's hands organizing supplies suddenly froze; the blade of the Moonlight Shuttle reflected an anomaly in the Spirit Vein Chamber Dome—the once complete Star River Map now had a glowing red crack tearing open in the Northwest Corner.
Lucius's gold dust beneath his black robe silently reformed, coalescing into a Reversed Hawk Eagle Totem identical to Aelia's palm on the inside of his sleeve.
Deep within Luna's gnawed Silver Bell, a breath of Cold Wind from the Extreme North Land gently knocked against a seal that had been dormant for millennia.
Moonlight penetrated through the Stained Glass of Magic Castle's top floor, refracting Seven-Colored Light Spots onto the Crystal Prism on the testing table.
Wrapped in Embroidered Golden Swaddling, Luna’s eyes resembling those of a moon stared intently at the floating Ling Crystal before her.
The Great Mage’s Awareness sleeping within this infant body was awakening; she could feel the undercurrents surging deep within Magic Castle's foundation.
"Place your hand on it, Young Miss." Qin Si gently trembled as he supported Luna’s wrist.
The loyal maid was unaware that the baby in her arms was gathering an imperceptible energy known as Xing Hui.
Suddenly, the Ling Crystal emitted a blinding white light, causing the Protective Array in the testing chamber to shatter.
Luna curled her lips into a smile amidst the Strong Light—according to her memories from a past life, this was supposed to be a sign of impending collapse that would occur three years later.
The surface of the crystal ball was spreading with Ice Cracks resembling a Spider Web, and the ground echoed with the roars of magical beasts.
"Magic Crystal Vein is reacting!" Brother San burst through the door, his lantern illuminating his Pale face. "All the crystals in the warehouse have turned grayish-white, and black water is seeping from the foundation of the West Tower!"
Aelia's Ailya's Silver Gloves brushed against a Crystal Shard, and Dark Red bloodstains spread along the edges of the Lace. "Leonard, are you going to keep playing deaf and mute? Last month, when the Northern Merchants went missing, I warned you about the Geomancy anomalies."
The Master of the Demon Fortress crushed the Golden Handrail in his grip, leaving blood marks on his fingers. "Are you insane, Aelia? You want to send this unknown baby into the Rift Valley?"
Luna suddenly giggled, her Chubby little hand grasping a Crystal Fragment that floated down from above.
When the fragment touched her Palm's Starshine Birthmark, it surprisingly reformed into a transparent Crystal about the size of her Thumb.
This sight plunged the hall into silence, even Leonard, filled with Fury, stood frozen in place.
"Madam, the Teleportation Circle is ready." The eldest brother limped over on his twisted Left Leg, his Mechanical Prosthesis carving shallow golden runes into the Ground. "I used Three Months and Ten Years for Divination; tonight at Midnight is the best time to cross the barrier."
Deep within the Cellar, Second Brother knelt in the center of a blood-red magic circle.
The Curse Mark left by betrayal from a close friend writhed on his back as he pressed his poisoned Fingertip against a protective talisman. "Luna, wait for me to carve this last Curse; this talisman can bear three fatal blows for you..."
As Qin Si draped a fox fur cloak around Luna, the moonlight was suddenly swallowed by black mist.
Lucius's figure flickered behind the Pillar, while the young Fingertip's Obsidian Ring absorbed the Dark Element from the air.
He gestured for Luna to be silent, and a wisp of black mist quietly wrapped around the swaddled infant, transforming into an almost imperceptible Protective Barrier.
In the secret room at the bottom of the dungeon, Leonard tossed a bloodstained Letter into the fireplace.
From the flames emerged the enchanting figure of Xu Ying: "My dear, once that Little Monster perishes in the abyss, the Magic Castle will belong to our children..." Aelia's Skirt Hem brushed against the dust on the testing table, and the Light Spot refracted by the Crystal Prism danced across her Pale face.
I lay back in the swaddle, gazing at the twelve-pointed Sealing Array on the Dome. The grooves flowing with Jin Sha now glimmered with a sickly Dark Red hue.
"Madam, this is against protocol." Elder Yinxu, the Chief Mage, trembled. "A Child under one year old undergoing a Talent Test has not occurred in three hundred years at the Magic Castle."
"Let’s begin." Aelia's Fingertip traced across my Mei Xin, leaving a tooth-like imprint of Gilded Armor on my skin.
I could feel her cold sweat seeping from her Palm. The rumbling collapse of Subordinate Mine over these Seven Days had shattered the dreams within Magic Castle night after night, and the Barrier Rift from West Tower had already spread to Main Hall and Pillar.
The Crystal Column emitted a misty Red Glow, unresponsive beneath my Chubby Palm.
Whispers rustled from the Viewing Platform as Leonard paused in wiping Leonard's Sword, his hawk-like gaze piercing towards my swaddle.
Suddenly, a sharp sound of glass shattering echoed from within the crystal. Black Veins exploded like Spider Webs, enveloping the entire testing table in Dark Purple Mist.
"Shadow Corruption!" The Second Brother's Defensive Formation instantly activated but was corroded into Honeycomb-like hollows by the mist.
I stared at the writhing Black Substance within the crystal Remains; it was unmistakably what I had seen in my past life at the apocalyptic volcano—the Devouring Demon Egg.
Aelia wrapped me in a cloak embroidered with Holy Light Rune. The Gilded Armor clashed against Leonard's Jian Qiao with a resonant clang: "Ming Ri Li Ming, my daughter will carry the Holy Light Guard to Northern Mine Vein."
"Are you insane? That place even terrifies the Earth Dragon Knight Order..."
"The Lord of the Fortress should worry more about the newly acquired Black Rose Separate Courtyard in the outer city." Aelia's voice was like a blade tempered in ice. I saw her neck veins pulse; it was a curse backlash she had acquired while eavesdropping on last night's secret conversation.
The sulfur smell wafted through the air as my elder brother's wheelchair rolled over a ground scattered with crystal fragments.
His mangled right hand was assembling a Micro Element Separator, the mechanical joints clicking as the gears meshed together. "The Defensive Formation disk needs to be replaced with one that has three times the capacity of Fire Opal."
Second Brother stuffed a Defensive Scroll into my Crystal Baby Bottle bag, the parchment still stained with the blood of betrayal left by a dear friend. "If you encounter Poison Fog, just tear off the purple label..."
Brother San suddenly emerged from the ventilation duct, his hair tips tangled in spider webs.
He tossed me a bag containing glowing Crystal Pacifiers, said to be soaked in Speed Potion. "If monsters chase you, blow this; it can summon an Albatross Knight."
Qin Si was sewing a Seventh Layer Protection lining for my swaddling blanket, silver needles tracing the track of a Guardian Spell under the moonlight.
The window lattice made a soft sound as Lucius hung upside down from the eaves like a shadowy bat. He tossed in an Obsidian Pendant, which still resonated with traces of Shadow Magic.
"Take this." Young Master Three's cloak swept over the snow on the windowsill. "The Snowy Owls in the Northern Territory have been singing dirges lately."
As the first rays of morning light pierced through the mist, Aelia placed me into a specially made Elemental Protection Basket.
For the first time, her Head of House Badge was fully visible on her chest, but the spot where the Family Spirit Crystal should have been was now empty.
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