As the Pegasus Car broke through the Crimson Rift, Aelia's silver silk armor shimmered with rippling Blue Light, firmly protecting Luna within a magical barrier.
Brother San's silver hair suddenly ensnared Che Yuan, the ice crystals at the tips colliding with the barrier, creating a flurry of Xing Huo. Second Brother's Dragonbone Staff struck heavily against the car's frame, violently tearing open a half-inch Passage through the crack.
"The Southwest Corner Tower!" The hoarse voice of the eldest brother pierced through the Magic Turbulence. His right hand, marred by Burn Scars, pressed against the Sapphire on the Wheelchair Armrest, causing the Magic Castle Dome to illuminate with a Guiding Beam.
Leonard's Leonard's Sword reflected seductive shadows, its hilt embedded with a Family Crest that automatically guided the Pegasus Car into a dive.
Luna's fingertip brushed against Aelia's Collarbone, where the Star-Moon Pattern recently infused into her secret tome felt slightly warm.
Through the moist Pupil of an infant, she saw the Outer Wall of the Magic Castle crawling with Dark Purple Vines—these marks of the Dark Night Witch that were supposed to appear three years later were now gnawing at the barrier like venomous snakes.
"Slow down." As Second Brother helped the eldest brother stumble to the ground, Brother San suddenly swung his silver hair to wrap around their brother’s Knee Bend.
From beneath his tattered Magic Robe, black mist seeped out; he had to lean against a Pillar to catch his breath every three steps. In contrast, Second Brother, despite his pale complexion and burdened with three magical satchels, still managed to leap and kick open the crooked Bronze Door.
Aelia carried Luna straight through the courtyard, her Skirt Hem brushing against the dried bloodstains on the Stone Steps, tainted with dust from the demon realm.
Luna noticed that Mother deliberately avoided the East Corridor—there hung a Family Portrait Frame painted by Leonard himself, now oozing a Black Slime resembling Asphalt.
"Move Xuan Yue Jing next to Luna's Cradle." Aelia suddenly stopped and commanded, her fingertip gliding over her daughter's grasp on an Aged Bronze Pocket Watch.
This was a treasure Luna had stealthily taken from the Library of Hidden Books amidst last night's chaos; its dial bore twelve Three Degrees intricately carved with their Four Siblings' Destiny Element totems.
Leonard approached with a Swamp Stench emanating from his cloak. "When did my lady become interested in antiques from the Obsidian Era?" His Ruby on Jian Qiao reflected Luna's infant blue eyes. The Infant Girl suddenly laughed and expelled a Rainbow Bubble that enveloped the Pocket Watch and dove into Brother San's messy silver hair.
"Perhaps you should be more concerned about the West Tower." The eldest brother coughed and pointed out of the window; his Sapphire on the Wheelchair Armrest was beginning to crack.
It was then that everyone noticed that what should have been a crystal-clear dome at Noon was now shrouded in a Spider Web-like Haze. Seventeen out of twenty-eight Defensive Nexus glowed with an eerie Peach Pink hue.
Seizing the opportunity, Luna submerged her Awareness into the Star Moon Ring as remnants of pages from her secret tome surged within her Mind Sea.
When she saw the chapter titled "Bloodline Resonance," her chubby little hand suddenly slapped Xuan Yue Jing—the mirror instantly reflecting the events of that fateful night when her elder brother was backlashed. The once complete Star Formation had been altered, two runes replaced.
"This is..." Second Brother's Dragonbone Staff clattered to the ground.
Brother San's silver hair suddenly wrapped around Gold Frame, the ice crystals at the tips of his hair resonating with his elder brother's wheelchair and the Sapphire embedded within it.
Aelia's Star-Moon Pattern unexpectedly spread across the mirror, completing the fragmented Star Formation into the shape of a Six-Winged Phoenix.
Leonard stepped back half a pace, pressing down on the hilt of his sword. This movement exposed a flaw in the Communication Crystal at his waist—Luna caught sight of the Violet Petals sealed within, which were essential for reviving the Dark Night Witch.
The baby suddenly let out a heart-wrenching loud cry, successfully prompting Mother to turn Xuan Yue Jing towards Lord.
"Isn't Father going to guide us in repairing the formation?" Brother San tilted his head, shaking his frozen silver hair, while Second Brother seized the opportunity to push his elder brother's wheelchair towards the Formation Core.
As Aelia's starlight infused into the Phoenix Tail Feather, the entire Magic Castle suddenly began to rise with a Seven-Layer Barrier. The screeching from the West Tower was instantly suppressed into sobbing.
As twilight descended, Qin Si, holding a Lavender Pillow, walked through the corridor and saw Lucius prying open a Creeping Rose with Leonard's Sword to inspect the Barrier Stone.
Third Young Master Lucius's battle armor bore an unusually bright Family Crest, and his shadow split into three distinct forms beneath him.
The Head Maid paused to gaze at the flickering Window Lattice of the East Tower, where a figure emerged from what should have been an empty guest room—it resembled that deceased formation master who had tampered with runes in Xuan Yue Jing.
Luna bit down on the chain of an Aged Bronze Pocket Watch in her cradle, watching as moonlight filtered through twenty-eight formation eyes to cast a Star Map on the ceiling.
As the seventeenth Peach Pink Light Spot began to erode the Phoenix Pattern, she quietly spat out a Rainbow Bubble into Xuan Yue Jing—the mirror reflected Qin Si in panic tossing aside her pillow during Leonard's Last Night; those Lavender Seeds that fell to the ground transformed into writhing Purple Worms.
When moonlight crystallized into ice on the Gray Veil Dome of the Magic Castle, Qin Si's fingertip clutched tightly onto her Lavender Pillow, drawing blood from her skin.
The Purple Worms that burrowed into the Earth Rift emitted faint sounds as they devoured Sandy Gravel. The Head Maid’s skirt, embroidered with Defensive Runes, suddenly moved without wind; hidden within her sleeves, Yin Sha cascaded down like a waterfall, sealing the writhing Swarm within a Diamond Barrier.
"Third Young Master Lucius!" She turned to call out but froze in place—Lucius’s shadow beneath him had twisted into a noose-like shape, one of which unmistakably belonged to Magic Castle’s First Patriarch Lucius.
The young warrior crushed the last Purple Worm beneath Leonard's Boots, using the Sword Tip to lift the Yin Sha that Qin Si had dropped. "Go inform the lady that the guest room in the East Tower needs a moonlight cleansing."
From the other end of the corridor came the sound of ice crystals shattering.
Brother San swept past the Colored Window, his frosted silver hair trailing behind him. The tips of his hair curled around the Defensive Formation Diagram that Second Brother had drawn last night, with Xue Xie marking a red cross at the eye of the formation as a warning.
As he passed through the courtyard, he suddenly spun around, his silver hair ensnaring the vines hanging from the West Tower like a Spider Web. The dark purple Tentacles began to ooze a substance reminiscent of his brother's wound, a dark fluid known as Hei Nuo.
Aelia's Star-Moon Pattern flickered on her neck as she pushed Luna's Cradle toward the center of the Light Spot refracted by Xuan Yue Jing.
The baby's chubby palm slapped against the mirror surface. The tampered formation that had emerged last night was now being imprinted on Silk by Jing Guang, each twisted rune corresponding to a crack in her brother's Wheelchair Armrest.
"Lady, there’s unusual activity at the seventh eye of the West Corridor." Lucius's Battle Armor clinked as he approached, mixed with the hum that Leonard's Sword suddenly emitted. Within the Yin Sha barrier he presented, half a Violet Petal was sealed.
Aelia's pupils suddenly constricted—this matched perfectly with what she had seen this morning in Leonard's Communication Crystal regarding the Petal Veins.
Luna abruptly grasped the Aged Bronze Pocket Watch suspended above her Cradle, and among the Twelve Elemental Totems, the Ice Crystal Pattern shone blindingly bright.
Brother San's silver hair inexplicably lifted, and Ice Spikes formed at its tips shot like arrows out of the window—just as Leonard was inspecting the Defensive Barrier in the courtyard. Within the Magic Mist torn apart by Lord Leonard's Sword, one could faintly see the Residual Shadow of the Dark Night Witch.
"Father might want to take a look at this?" Brother San leaped down from the terrace, unfurling a Formation Diagram entwined in his silver hair before Leonard.
The Ruby on Lord’s sword hilt reflected runes that had been replaced in the Formation Diagram; those lines that should have represented Stellar Trajectory were now twisted into shapes resembling vines from the West Tower.
Leonard traced his fingertip over the Formation Diagram, which glowed Azure Purple. "Back in those days, Grand Mages..."
His unfinished words were interrupted by a Roar coming from the East Tower.
The Sapphire on his brother's Wheelchair Armrest shattered completely, and splintered shards began to reassemble in mid-air into a Micro Defense Array.
Second Brother’s Dragonbone Staff struck heavily against the ground, and a violent Wind and Snow surged with Chip Array toward Zhen Chan’s tower but was engulfed by a Peach Pink Light Membrane upon contact with the stone wall.
"Lord!
The West Side Barrier requires Bloodline Authentication!" Lucius's voice echoed through the air, amplified by magic.
As Leonard hurried through the Emerald Corridor, his sword accidentally sliced through a drooping vine, causing dark purple liquid to drip onto the blueprint, miraculously restoring the tampered runes—this detail did not escape Aelia, who held Luna in her arms.
Suddenly, the baby waved an aged bronze pocket watch and began to cry, while twelve elemental totems cast a rotating star chart under the moonlight.
Leonard paused to gaze at the pocket watch, a glimmer akin to ruby shining in his pupils. "Madam, do you know that this object is the key used by the Obsidian Era Archmage to seal the Eternal Night Icefield?"
Aelia's star-moon pattern spread to the edge of the cradle. "It seems as if you have seen it with your own eyes." Her fingertip brushed against the phoenix relief on the edge of the pocket watch when a dark pattern suddenly reacted to Leonard's reaching hand—this subtle resistance allowed Luna to catch a whiff of her father's lingering violet fragrance, mingling oddly with the foul stench marked by the Dark Night Witch.
When Qin Si returned with Yin Sha bathed in moonlight, he saw Leonard adjusting his collar before Xuan Yue Jing.
The mirror subtly reflected a new dark pattern at the back of his neck, shaped like the venomous vine Luna had seen last night at the Magic Castle's outer wall.
As the head maid scattered Yin Sha towards the gold frame, Lord's image suddenly twisted into that of a three-headed python.
"Be careful!" Luna's loud cry erupted as the aged bronze pocket watch slipped from her grasp, its chain expertly snagging Leonard's Jian Sui.
Aelia gently stroked her daughter's flushed face. "If Luna likes it, why not give it to Father to play with?" Her star-moon pattern quietly wrapped around the back of the pocket watch, concealing a flickering totem in shadow.
A deafening crash echoed from the West Tower as debris fell, and seventeen peach pink light spots connected on the ceiling's star map, forming a poisonous snake pattern.
Luna's rainbow bubble floated towards Xuan Yue Jing once more; this time it reflected Leonard standing alone before the First Patriarch's image—his pocket watch in hand displayed a phoenix relief directly facing the gem groove missing from the figure in the painting.
As moonlight condensed into frost flowers on Xuan Yue Jing's surface, Luna suddenly tightened her grip on the aged bronze pocket watch and hurled it towards Leonard.
Her baby fat arms drew an awkward arc, yet twelve elemental chains accurately ensnared Lord Jian Sui. The pocket watch collided with his chest armor's family crest relief with a resounding "ding."
"Luna!" Aelia moved as if to snatch it away, but her star-moon pattern quietly retracted into her sleeve.
Leonard caught the Pocket Watch that Shan Na tossed to him. The icy crystal totem on its face suddenly glowed, illuminating the hidden Violet Emblem within his Battle Armor.
The Infant Girl waved her saliva-soaked hands, suddenly grabbing a scarlet mineral from the edge of the Cradle.
The Aged Bronze Pocket Watch came crashing down onto the Crystal surface, causing the Phoenix Relief and the fiery elements within the mineral to collide, scattering golden sparks. Leonard instinctively reached out to stop it, exclaiming, "This relic from the Obsidian Era can't withstand..."
"Ah!" Luna stuffed the mineral into her mouth to gnaw on it, and as the Pocket Watch struck again, an Ice Blue Halo burst forth.
The frozen Flame Pattern revealed traces of tampering—what should have been a straight magical conduit now twisted like vines from the West Tower.
Aelia gently stroked her daughter's hair, saying, "It's just a child playing around; why must you take it so seriously, my husband?" Her cascading silver hair concealed the cold glint in her eyes as she watched Leonard use Leonard's Sword to pry open the Pocket Watch and mineral. The dark purple residue from Jian Feng perfectly matched with the mineral Shi Wen.
Suddenly, Luna threw her head back in laughter, hiding ice crystals stolen from Brother San's silver hair in her chubby cheeks.
As the ice particles fell into the Pocket Watch Gear, the entire Magic Castle's Defensive Formation resonated with a hum from Leonard's Sword.
The Peach Pink Light Spot within the twenty-eight array eyes spun rapidly, projecting a mural on the ceiling depicting the First Patriarch slaying the Three-Headed Serpent.
"Father must know..." Brother San entered the room with Han Qi in tow, his silver hair ending in seventeen Ice Spikes as he was about to speak when a sudden sound of tiles cracking echoed from the West Tower.
As everyone turned to look, Luna seized the opportunity to press the Pocket Watch against Leonard's palm. The baby's Magic Resonance forced the watch face to reveal a Hidden Layer—half of a Violet Petal marked with Tooth Marks overlapped with Lord's sleeve bearing a Dark Pattern.
Leonard abruptly closed the Pocket Watch but noticed Aelia's Star-Moon Pattern had already wrapped around his wrist. "If Luna is willing to part with it, then you should keep it, my husband," she said, her fingertip brushing over the mineral that had Luna’s Tooth Mark. The wet surface revealed a totem of a coiled serpent.
Outside, Lucius's Battle Armor clanked as Third Young Master Lucius lifted Leonard's Sword to prod at a writhing Wisteria vine. "Father, do you want to inspect the Core of the Barrier?" As he crushed the vine under his Leonard's Boots, Blue Blood Fern Juice left an imprint on the stone slab that mirrored the petal shape of both the Pocket Watch and its Hidden Layer.
Luna suddenly reached out for a hug; as Aelia bent down, her Neck adorned with Star Patterns brushed against Leonard's Hand Back.
Amidst the burning Qing Yan, Lord’s Dark Pattern on his nape emerged uncontrollably, reflecting the form of a Three-Headed Serpent from Xuan Yue Jing.
At that moment, the Pocket Watch began to spin automatically, and Twelve Elemental Totems formed an incomplete Celestial Chart under the moonlight.
"Tomorrow, please have the Grand Mage redraw the Formation Diagram." Leonard flicked his sleeve and turned away, the ice crystals that fell from his cloak revealing his chaotic Magic Fluctuation.
The Pocket Watch creaked in his grip, and suddenly, a gem from the Phoenix Eye section fell off, rolling into Brother San's silver hair, where he was forming an Ice Spike.
Aelia cradled her daughter as she approached the Xuan Yue Jing. The starlight reflected in the mirror, revealing a cold smile: "Luna seems to be having quite a good time tonight." She pretended not to notice the reflection in the mirror—Lord, who should have left, was in the shadows of the Emerald Corridor, using a fingertip stained with Wisteria Juice to repair the crack in the Pocket Watch.
When Qin Si entered, holding the moonlight-purified Yin Sha, Luna was stuffing the last piece of ore into the Cradle Gap.
The baby’s unaware little feet accidentally touched a Hidden Mechanism, causing the Pocket Watch to suddenly project a holographic image: the First Generation Fortress Master from the Obsidian Era held a complete Pocket Watch and embedded it into a brick wall somewhere in the East Corridor, which now displayed a Family Portrait.
"Third Young Master Lucius, West Tower..." Before the Head Maid could finish her sentence, the entire Xuan Yue Jing was suddenly shrouded in blood-red.
In the mirror, Leonard's figure split into three; one of them held the Dark Night Witch's skeletal staff, with a missing groove that matched exactly the size of the gem from the Pocket Watch.
Luna's Loud Cry rang out at just the right moment, and as Aelia turned around, all strange phenomena vanished instantly.
Only the ice crystals remaining in Brother San's silver hair continued to quietly record the frequency of the Defensive Formation being eroded. Those pulsating Magic Ripples resonated with the formation monitor he had secretly concealed in his sleeve.
Moonlight filtered through the crystal stained glass windows, casting mottled Light and Shadow on the Oak Long Table in the Library.
Luna curled up in Aelia's specially made Baby Basket, her chubby little hands playing with a Starlight Hourglass that had come from a secret chamber.
This ancient magical timer flowed with Silver Blue Halo under the moonlight, creating a Subtle Resonance with Aelia's Amethyst Pendant around her neck.
"Madam, Third Young Master is experimenting with a new Spell again in the West Tower." As Qin Si entered with a Silver Tea Tray, the crystal chandelier suddenly swayed violently.
I gazed at the cracked magical Protective patterns on the ceiling and intentionally made the hourglass emit a crisp ringing sound.
Aelia set down her Feather Pen as her Amethyst Pendant suddenly burst forth with Strong Light.
She pressed her temples and breathed heavily: "It's happening again... that feeling of being watched." Ever since she discovered Golden Marigold Pollen on her husband's collar half a month ago, her awakened magical perception had become increasingly acute.
"Just a bit of Elemental Turbulence," Leonard's voice came from the shadows.
The dark green Magic Robe swept past the Bronze Candlestick as he leaned down, his flowing silver hair brushing against me, Luna. The scent of Agave wrapped around us, mingling with the sweet aroma of Succubus—Leonard's Concubine's favorite Nightingale Perfume.
I quickly expelled a Magic Bubble, perfectly encasing the Scrying Crystal hidden in his sleeve.
Suddenly, Second Brother burst through the door, a charred Messenger Falcon perched on his shoulder. "A Demon from the Southern Forest has broken through the barrier!"
The entire castle shook violently, ancient tomes in the Library fluttering like leaves in a storm.
Brother San's panicked shouts echoed from the tower; his out-of-control Alchemical Array was consuming the Defensive Barrier.
I quietly infused magic into the hourglass. Twelve Rays of Xing Mang spread along the floor's patterns but were halted just before reaching the Magic Fortress Core by Leonard's foot.
"Be careful!" Aelia suddenly pulled me into her embrace. The Amethyst Pendant on her chest reflected a terrifying scene outside: countless Skeleton Hand arms wrapped in black mist were piercing through the Protective Shield, some adorned with Dark Red Patterns—the unique Blood Curse marks of the Soul Devourer.
The overturned teacup knocked over by Qin Si spread brown stains across the Parchment, revealing remnants of an ancient Prophecy Poem.
When the first Demonic Claw grasped Brother's Wheelchair, I could no longer maintain my disguise.
The Time-Space Binding Technique's Curse coalesced into an infant's Loud Cry on my Tongue, and time within the castle suddenly froze into blue Amber.
In that moment when everyone was frozen, I caught sight of Leonard's Scrying Crystal still spinning in his sleeve, Blood-red Runes flickering deep within his Pupil—this Demon night was nothing but his meticulously planned Trial Grounds.
As Aelia carried Luna through the rotating Bronze door, the Steam clock at the top of the Magic Castle chimed its seventh note of Zi Yan.
The floating staircase sensed its master’s return and carried everyone up to the Dome hall. The Light Spot cast by the Crystal Chandelier danced upon Luna's Bronze Compass, and those tadpole-shaped ancient runes suddenly glowed with a ghostly blue hue.
"Father, look at the toy Sister found!" Brother San reached out to touch the crescent Groove at the edge of the compass but was abruptly pulled back by Second Brother.
Suddenly, Brother coughed violently in his Wheelchair; his bandaged fingers tapped out three short and two long signals on the armrest—this was their childhood pact for a dangerous Warning.
Leonard's Silver Boots made a peculiar Resonance as they stepped on the floating stairs, while his Liujin Embroidered Shoes brushed against Luna's Swaddling. "Aelia, hand that to me," he commanded. The Lady of the Fortress's Emerald Earrings trembled as she took a step back, her back pressed against the Pillar etched with Defensive Runes.
Luna Yi Ya placed the compass against Mei Xin, memories from her past life flooding back like a tide.
A Hundred Years Ago, she had seen the same patterns on the Holy Demon Battlefield, and now they resonated with the Magic Artifact in the Cellar's Third Sealing Chamber.
The delicate fingers of the infant traced the Star Trail at the center of the compass when suddenly, a deafening explosion echoed from the Dome as a Steam Pipe burst.
"Be careful!" Lucius shouted, swinging his Silver Staff to expand the Protective barrier just in time as black mist surged out from the ventilation shaft like a living creature.
The illumination crystal in Qin Si's In Hand flickered and went dark. The elder brother in the wheelchair suddenly opened his gray eyes wide. "Fifteen degrees southeast, the Evil Energy Core is moving!"
Luna felt the Temperature gauge in the swaddling grow hot; it was her secretly modified evil energy detector.
Just as Leonard's Palm was about to touch the compass, Aelia's Family Heirloom Necklace erupted with golden light. The Guardian Spell of the Ancient Royal Family wove a net in midair, isolating the Magic Mist three meters away.
"Mother, duck!" Luna urged, channeling her past life's Spell with Divine Sense as all Twelve Zodiac Palaces on the compass lit up simultaneously.
Amidst the infant's feeble Loud Cry, a Holy Barrier blossomed like a lotus flower, revealing Leonard's Concubine Maid with her face marred by Curses emerging from the black mist.
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