The Legend of Qingpeng: Starting from the Costinus

As the last rays of sunset were swallowed by the horizon, the night, like a gentle painter, gently spread its deep blue-purple canvas across the sky.

Li Qing and his wife snuggled beside the flickering bonfire. The firelight reflected on their gentle faces, adding a touch of warmth and peace to the quiet night.

In the firelight, the shadows of the two people intertwined, as if it was the most ingenious arrangement of fate, tightly connecting them.

Li Qing's eyes were full of tenderness, and his hands tightly wrapped around his wife's hands, as if he wanted to engrave this warmth in his heart forever.

They began to recount the trivial and interesting events of the day, whether it was the work in the fields or the growth of their children. Every word was filled with love and cherishment for life, turning into the most sincere emotional exchange.

Not far away, their child Li Yanning stared at the huge dragon leg roasting on the campfire with a pair of eyes full of curiosity and desire. The huge size and tempting aroma made him swallow his saliva.

It was a rare delicacy in their life on this island.

The firelight reflected on his young face, adding a bit of innocence and purity.

His presence, like the brightest light beside the campfire, makes this tranquility more complete and becomes one of the warmest pictures of the night.

As the night deepened, the stars gradually filled the entire sky, like nature's most exquisite jewels inlaid on the black velvet.

Whether they are visible or hidden, they are all firmly guarding this land that has been invaded by the devil.

Li Qing lay down on the soft grass, looking up at the starry sky, with an indescribable calm and determination surging in his heart.

He knew very well that the outside world was suffering from the ravages of the devil and that all lives were being destroyed, but on this island, he and his family could temporarily forget all the suffering and enjoy this rare peace.

However, in this tranquility, there was always a subtle sense of uneasiness quietly spreading in Li Qing's heart.

He tried to grasp the source of the uneasiness, but it was like grasping a handful of quicksand; the harder he tried, the more it dissipated without a trace.

He recalled every detail of his acquaintance and friendship with his wife, and recalled his child's growth from a toddler to his current smartness. Every scene was so clear, yet it seemed as if something was missing.

The memory seemed to be shrouded in a layer of fog. No matter how hard he tried, he could not reach that forgotten corner.

That feeling of being forgotten was like a huge rock pressing on his heart, preventing him from completely relaxing.

In the end, he could only bury this doubt deep in his heart and continue to enjoy every warm moment with his family.

Time seems to have lost its meaning on this island.

For Li Qing, a year, ten years, or even a hundred years are just the passing of time spent with his family.

His life was simple and happy. His virtuous wife and intelligent children constituted the most perfect world in his heart, but he had inadvertently and completely forgotten his former identity.

However, what he didn't know was that all this beauty was just an illusion, and the ever-changing situation in the outside world was brewing an unprecedented crisis.

All of this originated from a sudden illusion that isolated him from the outside world and immersed him in a seemingly perfect dream.

……

In the dim demonic realm outside, Li Qing was under an illusion, and his figure slowly fell to the ground. Then, like a manipulated puppet, he slowly moved towards a steep mountain.

His eyes were empty and his movements were mechanical, as if he had lost his soul.

In the sky, a six-armed bone demon was hiding in the dim demonic energy. Its eyes penetrated the darkness and locked onto the ground below, observing Li Qing's every move, with scarlet light flashing in its eyes.

Suddenly, a deep voice came out of the Bone Demon's mouth, and he said to the air: "Master, do you want me to kill Feng Peng now?"

After the words were spoken, the space fell into silence, with no response.

A moment later, a cold voice suddenly echoed in the Bone Demon's mind, revealing a sense of playfulness and cruelty.

"No need. Feng Peng is a very talented person. His Qi and blood are so powerful. It shows how strong his physical body is. We can train him into a puppet and play with him for a while."

Hearing this instruction, a hint of greed and excitement flashed in the Bone Demon's eyes, but more of it was awe of the mysterious master.

He immediately half-knelt and saluted in the empty space and replied respectfully, "Yes, Master."

At this time, Li Qing on the ground still had no expression on his face, as if he had no emotions or consciousness. He walked towards the mountain with firm and mechanical steps.

His eyes were empty and his body was shaking slightly, making him look like a body without a soul.

He seemed completely unaware of the danger above, or the changes in his surroundings.

Or perhaps, he simply didn't realize that he was now just a controlled zombie with no self-awareness, and he was completely unaware of all the conspiracies and calculations.

He was addicted to the illusion, with only love for his family and dependence on that illusion in his heart, but he didn't know that he was walking towards an unknown abyss step by step.

His steps became faster and faster, as if an invisible force was pushing him forward.

His figure gradually disappeared into the distant mountains, leaving behind only a silent and desolate scene.

In the illusion, Li Qing was already very old and he had spent tens of thousands of years here.

As the night faded and the sky turned pale, Li Qing slowly woke up from his deep sleep.

The surroundings were still the familiar fantasy scene, his wife beside him was smiling gently, and everything seemed so harmonious and beautiful.

But in Li Qing's heart, the feeling of uneasiness became stronger and stronger, like the mist in the morning light, light but lingering.

He stood up and looked through the window at the hazy mountains in the distance. An inexplicable urge surged in his heart, wanting to explore the boundaries of this world and find the lost memories and self.

He knew very well that although this peace was good, it was not all he wanted.

As Feng Peng, he was once a powerful demon who soared into the sky, but now, he was like a caged bird, having lost his wings to fly.

"Husband, what's wrong with you?" The lady noticed Li Qing's abnormality and asked with concern.

Li Qing came back to his senses, forced a smile, and shook his head gently: "Nothing, I just suddenly felt that we should tell Yan Ning about the outside world, let him know that there is a wider world besides here."

When the lady heard this, a hint of sarcasm flashed in her eyes, but it was quickly replaced by a smile.

So, she nodded and suggested: "Then let's sit around the campfire tonight and tell Yan Ning the stories of those demon-slaying heroes together."