Black Myth: The Legend of Tianpeng Seeking Demons

Zhu Feifei stared at the gradually cooling fragments of the Flame Demon on the ground, as if contemplating the meaning of life: "Did we underestimate the ancestors of the Jingjue Kingdom? Why would they create such a huge monster? Just to scare their descendants?"

Ling Xuan calmly straightened his robes and casually brushed the dust off his shoulders: "It's just a trial, how can you show your sincerity if it's not difficult?" He said it casually, but his hands trembled slightly, clearly the tremor had made him a little uncomfortable.

The Queen of Jingjue stood up, gently brushing the dust from her hair. Her tone remained dignified, but her eyes held a hint of wariness: "This is just the beginning. The power hidden in the 'Sleeping Land' is far more than just the Flame Demon."

Zhu Feifei blinked and gave a helpless smile: "Hearing you say that, I really regret teaming up with you guys."

Upon hearing this, Lingxuan finally revealed a faint smile: "If you knew you would regret it, then why did you charge so fiercely just now?"

"Hey, that was just my instinct! You think I wanted to? I was—acting bravely and selflessly!" Zhu Feifei patted his chest, then muttered under his breath, "But next time, could you try running ahead of me?"

After the Balrog fell, the underground space gradually quieted down. The cracks in the crystal floor were still there, but they seemed lifeless, and no more flames emerged.

"Everyone be careful, there are definitely other traps here." Queen Jingjue raised the blue gem and continued to illuminate the path ahead.

The three walked towards the center of the hall, where a huge and complex magic circle appeared on the ground. In the center of the magic circle was an ancient bronze coffin, the surface of which was carved with countless intricate patterns, seemingly the unique rune system of the Jingjue Kingdom.

Zhu Feifei stood to the side, cautiously examining the bronze coffin: "This thing looks unusual, Your Majesty. Are you sure you want to open it?"

The Queen of Jingjue nodded solemnly: "The true secret of the 'Heart of the Desert' may be hidden in the bronze coffin."

Lingxuan examined the surroundings, gently shook the bell, and her ears twitched slightly: "There are no other signs of life, but... this magic array is a bit strange, as if it has just been activated."

Zhu Feifei scratched her head: "What do you mean? Someone beat us to it?"

"It could be the Black Wind Bandits, or it could be..." Queen Jingjue didn't finish her sentence, but her expression grew increasingly solemn.

She carefully inserted the blue gemstone into the groove of the bronze coffin. With a soft hum, the runes on the bronze coffin gradually lit up, and the entire hall was enveloped in a ghostly blue light.

The coffin lid slowly opened, and a wisp of pale golden mist rose from it, revealing a woman dressed in an ancient priest's robe. Her appearance was lifelike, as if she had just woken up from a dream.

"Hey! Another big sister has appeared. Is she going to be a monster again?" Zhu Feifei gripped her nine-toothed rake tightly, going into battle alert mode.

The woman showed no intention of attacking; instead, she floated silently in mid-air, her gaze fixed on the Queen of Jingjue: "Descendant of the bloodline, you have finally arrived..."

"Who are you?" the Queen of Jingjue asked tentatively, her tone tinged with awe.

The woman did not answer directly, but slowly extended her hand, pointing to the blue gem in the queen's hand: "I am another part of the soul of Jingjue. My mission is to guide you to find the final answer."

Lingxuan crossed her arms and calmly asked, "What exactly is the 'Heart of the Desert'? Why do so many people want to obtain it?"

The woman's expression shifted slightly: "The Heart of the Desert... is not an ordinary gem, but a key to the 'Void Realm.' It connects to the deepest secrets of the Jingjue Kingdom and is also the source of power that protects this world."

Zhu Feifei looked completely bewildered: "Huh? What's this 'Void Realm'? Can you talk about something more down-to-earth?"

The woman smiled gently: "To put it simply, the 'Heart of the Desert' is a key that, once opened, releases immense energy. If it falls into the hands of evildoers, this world will cease to exist."

Zhu Feifei's eyes widened: "My God! Why couldn't such an important thing be hidden more discreetly? Like, buried under a dog hole!"

The Queen of Jingjue sighed and rubbed her forehead in exasperation: "If it were buried under a dog hole, there would probably be dog guardians."

Zhu Feifei chuckled: "Then I'll catch a dog, and we'll have a guardian artifact too!"

Lingxuan glanced at him and said indifferently, "Given your performance just now, even a dog might have to protect you."

Just as everyone was still joking around, a series of hurried footsteps suddenly came from outside the hall, followed by a cold laugh: "Oh, how could such a lively scene be complete without us Black Wind Bandits?"

Zhu Feifei turned her head and gasped. The leader of the Black Wind Bandits was leading a group of his men in single file, each holding a crossbow and staring intently at the bronze coffin in the center.

"Oh my god, there really was an ambush!"

Zhu Feifei trembled with fright and quickly raised her nine-toothed rake, placing it horizontally in front of the Queen of Jingjue, as if this would build an unbreakable defense for her.

His face was filled with terror, and he muttered, "Your Majesty, you must think of a way quickly! I, Old Zhu, really don't want to fight them to the death this time!"

Seeing this, the Black Wind Bandit leader, standing not far away, curled his lips into a cold smile and let out a chilling laugh:

"Hmph! Stop pretending! If you know what's good for you, hand over the 'Heart of the Desert' right now, and maybe I'll be merciful and leave you with a whole corpse!"

Upon hearing this, Ling Xuan, who had been silent all along, finally couldn't hold back any longer. A cold glint flashed in his previously calm eyes, and he said coldly:

"How utterly ridiculous! Do you really think that simply obtaining the 'Heart of the Desert' will allow you to control its immense power? That's utterly delusional!"

However, the Black Wind Bandit leader completely disregarded Ling Xuan's warning. He waved his hand impatiently, signaling his men behind him to take immediate action.

In an instant, the sound of bowstrings rang out, and dozens of powerful crossbows were simultaneously drawn, their sharp arrows gleaming coldly, all aimed at the Queen of Jingjue and her entourage.

Faced with such a dire situation, the Queen of Jingjue tightly gripped the gem in her hand that emitted a mysterious blue light—

"Heart of the Desert," her eyes were firm and resolute. She gritted her teeth and forced out a sentence:

Even if I die today, I will never allow you villains to defile it in the slightest!

Zhu Feifei steeled himself and raised the rake: "Well, Brother Lingxuan, let's stick to the old rules. You take the lead, and I'll cause trouble!"

Ling Xuan's lips curled up slightly: "This time, you go first."

"What?!"

A battle was about to erupt in the hall, and the arrival of the Black Wind Bandits further complicated the situation. While the Black Wind Bandits and Zhu Feifei's group were locked in a stalemate, the runes on the bronze coffin suddenly lit up again, and a powerful force enveloped the entire space…