Luna's small hand, like a soft cloud, gently rested on her brother's rough hand.
His hand, worn from years of gripping a staff, was covered in calluses and bore the pallor of illness due to the Magic Backlash.
Yet, Luna's touch felt like a warm current, infusing his cold blood vessels with life.
"Don't worry," Luna said in a baby voice, her tone as gentle as feathers brushing against skin. "I know how to help you."
Her brother abruptly looked up, a flicker of hope igniting in his dark purple eyes, only to fade just as quickly.
"Luna, you're still young; you don't understand these things..." His voice was hoarse, laden with deep exhaustion.
The pain from the Magic Backlash coiled around him like a venomous snake, gnawing at his body and soul day and night, leaving him nearly devoid of hope.
Luna blinked, her clear eyes sparkling with wisdom that belied her age.
"Brother, do you remember that ancient magic tome? The one locked away in the Forbidden Chamber?" Although her voice was youthful, it carried an undeniable conviction.
Her brother froze; that tome contained knowledge of long-lost ancient magic and methods to break the Magic Backlash.
But he had tried countless times to unlock the Frost Magic Seal on the Forbidden Chamber and had failed each time.
"But that Forbidden Chamber..."
Luna smiled mysteriously and pulled a small silver key from her pocket.
"I know the spell to open the Forbidden Chamber," she whispered into her brother's ear, reciting an obscure incantation softly.
The sound of the spell resonated like a strange energy rippling through the air.
Her brother stared at Luna in shock, as if he were gazing at a little sprite from another world.
He approached the Forbidden Chamber with a mix of curiosity and anticipation, holding the Silver Key in his hand.
As the doors of the Forbidden Chamber slowly creaked open, an ancient and mysterious aura enveloped him.
Following Luna's instructions, he located the Magic Tome and successfully lifted the curse of Magic Backlash using the methods described within its pages.
Feeling the flow of magical power coursing through him once again, he was overwhelmed with emotion, tears welling up in his eyes.
He tightly embraced Luna, unable to find the words to express his gratitude.
Luna gently patted his back, comforting him like a wise elder soothing a wounded child.
Meanwhile, Second Brother found himself trapped in a Magic Trap set by a close friend, caught between a rock and a hard place.
He could never have imagined that a friend he once considered a brother would turn against him in a deadly struggle for family inheritance.
Just as despair began to consume him, Luna appeared.
She revealed to Second Brother how to break free from the trap and exposed his friend's treachery.
Though he managed to escape, Second Brother was filled with bitterness and guilt.
He was astonished by Luna's wisdom and insight, feeling ashamed of his own past foolishness.
As for Brother San, he had been so engrossed in his innate Magical Talent that he neglected the importance of hard work, causing his progress with Magic Water to stagnate.
Using both encouragement and gentle prodding, Luna reignited his dormant ambition, rekindling his passion for magic.
With Luna's assistance, all three brothers overcame their predicaments, filled with gratitude and admiration for her.
Luna's resolve to protect her family grew even stronger.
However, the tranquility of the Glorious Demon Fortress was about to be shattered.
Aelia sat before the grooming table, her gaze blankly fixed on her reflection in the mirror.
Qin Si trembled as she delivered the news to Aelia: Leonard had taken a concubine and had a child with her.
"It can't be... this is impossible..." Aelia murmured to herself, as if unwilling to accept this cruel reality.
For years, she had loved Leonard deeply and had given him everything.
She believed their love was unbreakable, only to discover that it had all been a lie.
Tears, like pearls strung on a broken thread, rolled down from Aelia's eye sockets.
She gripped the combing mirror tightly in her hand, her knuckles turning white, her body trembling slightly.
In the mirror, her face was pale, her eyes hollow, resembling a shell that had lost its soul.
"My lady..." Qin Si looked at Aelia with concern, wanting to comfort her but unsure how to begin.
Aelia took a deep breath, striving to control her emotions.
"Qin Si, you go..." She paused,
As Aelia called out, an indescribable sense of oppression surged within the Glorious Demon Fortress, as if an invisible storm was brewing.
Every shadow in the corridor seemed to whisper softly, compelling one to tread lightly, lest they disturb the tense atmosphere.
Every passerby seemed to carry a secret, exchanging fleeting yet knowing glances, as if anticipating the arrival of a judgment day at any moment.
The kitchen maids and porters ceased their idle chatter, focusing intently on their tasks, yet occasionally stealing glances at one another, their eyes betraying an unmistakable worry.
By the Long Table, the once-vibrant discussions faded into silence, leaving only the faint clinking of silverware against porcelain plates.
Even the flames in the fireplace, which had been roaring fiercely, seemed to diminish in intensity, their remaining warmth feeling hollow and superficial.
An unnamed tension hung in the air, as if Lei Yun loomed overhead, pregnant with the promise of an impending eruption.
Luna sat quietly by the window, gazing at the sky outside. Her heart remained calm beneath a veneer of tranquility, yet her whimsical spirit sensed that change was imminent.
Her small hand gently brushed against the Window Lattice, feeling the rough texture of the cold wood.
The dawn's light was obscured by Wu Yun, causing her vision to blur slightly, and all these changes occurred silently and subtly.
In this restrained stillness, urgent and chaotic footsteps echoed from the end of the corridor, shattering the taut atmosphere.
It was a sound filled with urgency and unease; as its owner approached, Zhen Chan reverberated through the corridor like a signal heralding some ominous portent.
And perhaps these sounds would culminate in even greater upheaval.
In that instant, Luna rose from her seat, gazing intently ahead, awaiting the unfolding of future events.
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