459: Chapter 459 This Isolation Is Not That Isolation

Inside the wing room, red candles burned bright, and a festive atmosphere permeated the air.

Shi Qingxuan sat upright on the wedding bed; beneath her red bridal veil, a pair of beautiful eyes gazed through the window paper toward the door.

Three silhouettes were reflected on the window paper—two slender and one tall.

Those two slender figures were the two Supreme Elders, Lu Yao and Supreme Elder Zhou Zhi.

That tall figure must be him.

"Hmm?"

Shi Qingxuan blinked, a hint of confusion rising in her heart.

She noticed the three shadows were very close together, seemingly whispering or perhaps handing something over face-to-face.

But if they were just handing something over, why did they need to be so close? The movements seemed a bit too intimate and lingering.

Perhaps... it was to show extra respect for the ceremonial customs?

Shi Qingxuan had no time to think further.

Before she could dwell on it, footsteps approached from the direction of the door, and then the door was gently pushed open.

Ling Hao walked in wearing a bright red wedding robe, his eyes full of smiles; the robe looked like flowing flames under the candlelight.

Shi Qingxuan's heart rate quickened instantly, and her hands subconsciously tightened around her wedding handkerchief.

She heard her own breathing and his footsteps—steady and resolute, each step treading upon her heartstrings.

Ling Hao's gaze fell directly on the red figure by the bed, a smile playing on his lips as he approached step by step.

Ling Hao came to a halt before the bed but did not immediately lift the veil.

He lowered his head and met Shi Qingxuan's eyes through the thin layer of red gauze.

"Have you been waiting long?" he asked softly.

Shi Qingxuan shook her head, then nodded.

"...It was alright."

Ling Hao chuckled softly, reached out, and pinched a corner of the red gauze, slowly lifting it.

The veil slid off, revealing her exceptionally beautiful and refined face.

The candlelight reflected on her cheeks, casting a faint crimson glow, like March peach blossoms falling onto snow.

Her brows were like distant mountains, her eyes like cold pools, her lips a pale crimson, and her skin fairer than snow; within her dignified bearing was a hint of shyness and tenderness.

Tonight, she was her complete self, without a single flaw hidden.

Ling Hao gazed for a moment, then leaned down and kissed her lips.

A gentle and lingering exploration.

Shi Qingxuan's hands also slowly climbed onto Ling Hao's shoulders, her fingertips tightening on his robe, then loosening, then tightening again.

Amidst the entanglement of their lips and teeth, she tasted the fragrance of tea in his mouth mixed with a hint of wine, leaving her somewhat intoxicated.

After a long time, Ling Hao pulled back slightly, his forehead resting against hers, their breaths intertwining.

"So beautiful."

Shi Qingxuan lowered her gaze, her eyelashes trembling slightly, yet her lips couldn't help but curve upward.

Ling Hao sat down beside her and reached out to gently lift one of her feet.

The moon-white silk sock fit snugly, wrapping the jade-like foot in an exquisite shape.

Ling Hao's fingers slid slowly along the instep, feeling the warm skin and bony contours beneath the thin silk sock.

Shi Qingxuan's body trembled, and she instinctively wanted to pull her foot back, but he held it gently.

"Don't move."

Ling Hao lowered his head and pressed his lips to her toes, giving them a gentle kiss through the silk sock.

Shi Qingxuan felt a wave of numbness surge from the sole of her foot to the top of her head; her whole body felt as if its bones had been removed, leaning limply against the bedpost.

Only then did Ling Hao slowly remove the silk sock. He gently rolled up the opening and slid it down inch by inch, revealing a jade-white ankle, a rounded heel, a slender arch, and finally, ten pearl-like toes.

Under the candlelight, that jade foot seemed carved from the finest mutton-fat jade—warm, delicate, and tinged with a faint pink.

Ling Hao took out a pair of small bells on red strings—the Heart-Linking Bells.

The bells were only the size of a fingertip, entirely crimson, with fine runes engraved on the surface; a light touch produced a crisp, pleasant sound.

Ling Hao placed Shi Qingxuan's right foot on his lap, passed the first bell around her ankle, and tied it tight.

The red string against her snow-white skin was exceptionally striking. He took the second one and tied it alongside, adjusting the tightness to ensure it wouldn't slip off without being too tight.

Shi Qingxuan kept her gaze lowered, watching his fingers dance around her ankle as a warm current surged in her heart.

His movements were very light and gentle, as if he were handling a precious treasure.

"There."

Ling Hao said softly, his fingers still stroking her ankle.

"Move it a bit, listen to the sound."

Shi Qingxuan complied and shook her ankle slightly; the bells made a soft "ding-ling" sound, crisp and pleasant, exceptionally clear in the quiet wing room.

She couldn't help but curl her lips into a smile and looked up at Ling Hao.

Ling Hao suddenly raised his hand, spiritual light glowing at his fingertips as he began to draw in the Void Realm.

Golden-red spiritual runes flowed from his fingertips, intertwining and winding in the air to form a complex Formation diagram.

Shi Qingxuan was slightly taken aback. "Husband, what... are you doing?"

"Setting up a Formation."

Ling Hao didn't even look up as he continued drawing. "To keep outsiders from disturbing us."

Shi Qingxuan's cheeks flushed as she whispered:

"Isn't there... already a Formation outside?"

"That one isn't enough."

Ling Hao's lips curved slightly; with a gentle push of his finger, the golden-red Formation diagram turned into countless points of light, passing through the walls and window lattices to silently merge into the air of the courtyard.

He withdrew his hand, turned to look at Shi Qingxuan with a mischievous smile in his eyes.

"Now, no matter how much noise we make inside, it won't be heard outside."

Shi Qingxuan lowered her head bashfully.

Ling Hao leaned down and kissed Shi Qingxuan's lips again.

His hand slid down the line of Shi Qingxuan's shoulder, found the sash, and with a gentle tug, began to remove the layers of her luxurious wedding dress.

The red candles flickered, and the gauze curtains fell.

"Wait..."

Shi Qingxuan's voice came from within the curtains, sounding a bit flustered.

"I... I need to take out a handkerchief first."

After a rustling sound, the curtains went quiet for a moment. A soft, wet sound followed, then a cry of pain.

The flame of the red candle flickered gently, reflecting the overlapping shadows within the curtains.

A pair of bare jade feet poked out from the bottom of the curtains; the Heart-Linking Bells tied around the ankles swayed gently with the movement, making a soft "ding-ling" sound.

...

In the courtyard.

Under the osmanthus tree, Supreme Elder Lu Yao and Supreme Elder Zhou Zhi were about to turn and leave.

Suddenly, a soft sound of bells drifted from the direction of the wing room—crisp and distinct, exceptionally clear in the night.

The ringing was slow and gentle, like the first spring rain falling on plantain leaves—sparse and scattered, carrying a hint of hesitation and shyness.

Gradually, the ringing became more frequent, one after another, crisp and hurried, as if the rain had intensified, pitter-pattering against the eaves.

Supreme Elder Lu Yao paused, listening intently, and her ears quickly turned crimson.

Supreme Elder Zhou Zhi was also stunned, then covered her mouth and chuckled, her eyes sparkling.

"An opportunity like this only comes once, you know. We... shouldn't leave just yet."

Supreme Elder Zhou Zhi whispered.

"Besides, what if the Supreme Lord has further instructions? For instance, if he needs our help?"

Supreme Elder Lu Yao said nothing, silently withdrawing her step.

When the golden-red runes drifted out from the wing room earlier, the two of them thought the Supreme Lord didn't want to be disturbed.

Unexpectedly...

The Supreme Lord had converted the original isolation Formation inside and outside the wing room into a Sound-Transmission Formation, allowing every inch of air in the courtyard to clearly hear every vibration of those bells.

Then he set up another layer of Formation covering the entire small courtyard (including part of the area outside the wall). Outsiders could not peer into the garden, and not even a sound could escape.

So, Ling Hao indeed set up a Soundproofing Formation. It was just that the scope was a bit larger, covering the entire courtyard.

And outsiders truly couldn't hear it—because those who could hear were not outsiders.

The two of them, Lu Yao and Supreme Elder Zhou Zhi, stood side by side under the osmanthus tree, the moonlight stretching their shadows long.

They looked up at the night sky, listening to the joyful sound of the bells.

In the night sky, fireworks rose one by one.

At first, they climbed slowly and gracefully toward the heights, then grew faster and faster, trailing bright tails and carving out hot, dense trajectories in the night.

They surged into the clouds in succession, their rhythm becoming increasingly frantic, as if they were about to break through the entire night sky.

The ringing hurried and slowed intermittently, echoing in the courtyard; Lu Yao and Supreme Elder Zhou Zhi just listened quietly, neither of them speaking.

Only, Lu Yao's fingers secretly tightened on her sleeve, while a faint, elusive smile remained on Supreme Elder Zhou Zhi's lips.

Outside the courtyard wall, Shi Yunyu's curvaceous figure leaned against the corner.

She heard it too.

The sound of the bells came wave after wave—crisp, dense, hurried, and slow...

Every rhythm felt like someone plucking at her heartstrings. She gently bit her lower lip, her cheeks flushing.

"Truly shameless."

She scolded in a low voice, but her tone was as soft as melted honey.

Her gaze fell under the osmanthus tree—Supreme Elder Lu Yao and Supreme Elder Zhou Zhi stood side by side, seemingly with no intention of leaving.

She hesitated for a moment, then leaned her body against the wall.

She lowered her head, her fingers slowly pulling open the lapel of her dark purple cross-collared dress—the very side Ling Hao had pulled open earlier.

The fabric slid down, revealing her snow-white fullness.

She closed her eyes and gently covered herself with her right hand; her fingertips touched her slightly damp skin, and a sigh escaped her lips.

"Mmm..."

That sigh mingled with the night breeze and the sound of the bells, disturbing no one.

Inside the wing room.

Candlelight flickered, gauze curtains hung low, and shadows overlapped.

In the center of the courtyard, under the osmanthus.

Two figures stood side by side, one in dark cyan and one in moon-white; their postures were like bamboo and pine, yet also like snow reflecting peach blossoms.

Outside the courtyard gate, at the corner, a curvaceous dark purple figure leaned against the wall, her lapel slightly open, long hair falling down, her lush body trembling slightly.

In the sky, a crescent moon hung quietly, illuminating the courtyard, looking like a silver hook that caught all the unspoken thoughts.

That crisp sound of bells echoed gently in the courtyard.

Until the moon reached its zenith, an exceptionally bright meteor tore through the night sky, trailing a scorching tail as it surged toward the heavens, exploding with a boom at its highest point and bursting into a dazzling rain of light.

Immediately after, a second, a third...

Exploding in succession, silver-white, golden-red, and crimson-purple lights poured down like rain, illuminating half the night sky as bright as day.

As each firework exploded, it was magnificent to the extreme, then slowly dissipated, leaving only fine fragments of light drifting through the sky, trembling slightly in the darkness.