Black Myth: The Legend of Tianpeng Seeking Demons

Behind the stone gate was a vast, dark crevice, as if a crack had been torn open between heaven and earth. Fluorescent mist flowed around it, and the ground was covered with obsidian that emitted a ghostly glow.

As they stepped into this mysterious and dark realm, a powerful and invisible sense of oppression surged forth like a tidal wave, instantly enveloping them.

This force was strangely eerie, seemingly able to penetrate the body and directly affect the depths of the soul. Everyone could clearly feel a nameless fear and unease spreading through their hearts.

Zhu Feifei involuntarily reached out and touched her chest, a look of fear on her face, and muttered to herself:

"Huh, why do I feel a chill in my chest? This isn't just ordinary palpitations; it's a real chill emanating from within..."

As he spoke, his body trembled, his eyes filled with terror and helplessness.

Standing to the side, Ling Xuan glanced at him indifferently, a slight smirk playing on her lips, revealing a hint of disdain:

"Hmph, this is due to pressure on your soul. Someone like you, with soul power as weak as an overripe eggplant, is naturally unable to withstand such strong pressure." After saying that, he ignored Zhu Feifei's pitiful appearance.

Hearing Ling Xuan's merciless words, Zhu Feifei stomped his feet in anger. He clutched his rake tightly, his eyes wide with fury, and shouted:

"Hey, now that you know the reason, hurry up and come up with a solution! We can't just rely on our words to get through this, can we? If we don't come up with a solution soon, we might both be done for here!"

The Queen of Jingjue's gaze was much sharper. She stared into the depths of the rift and slowly said:

"This is the rift of souls, the only path before the gates of destiny. All who step in must undergo a 'true judgment'—are you prepared to confront your deepest fears?"

Zhu Feifei shuddered upon hearing this: "Wait a minute, that sounds ominous! What fears could I possibly have to talk about? Old Zhu is incredibly brave!"

As soon as the words were spoken, the ground suddenly trembled violently, and a huge vortex emerged from the mist. As the obsidian shattered and collapsed, a massive phantom appeared in the center of the vortex, its form indistinct yet exuding boundless majesty and oppressive power.

“The Soul Judge… has arrived.” Ling Xuan’s expression darkened.

The illusory figure's deep voice echoed through the rift: "Challengers of fate, offer up your 'truth.' Those who attempt to deceive will never escape this place."

Zhu Feifei mustered her courage and stepped forward, pointing at the illusory figure and shouting, "What is this thing? Is it going to judge us directly? Give us a number first! We can always pull strings!"

The phantom snorted coldly, and the surrounding mist suddenly condensed, binding Zhu Feifei tightly. In an instant, his vision turned into a chaotic void, and he heard various indistinct and rapid screams.

The next second, a light shone in the void, and his memories of Gao Village appeared one by one.

Zhu Feifei was stunned: "What is this? I've been out in the world for a long time, are you trying to scare me with these things?"

However, the scene suddenly changed. The familiar house collapsed with a roar, and Gao Laozhuang and Cuihua were engulfed in flames, with heart-wrenching cries echoing in their ears.

"Impossible! This is fake!" Zhu Feifei struggled violently, but those scenes seemed to have grown into the depths of his soul.

"Your fear stems not only from the helplessness in the face of losing loved ones, but also from a deep self-doubt about your own worthlessness," the phantom said coldly. "You cannot escape it."

"Old Zhu refuses to believe in evil!" Zhu Feifei roared, brandishing his nine-toothed rake and frantically slashing at the illusions. Accompanied by a dazzling golden light, a crack was torn open in the void.

He staggered back into the real world, panting heavily, his whole body soaked.

The Queen of Jingjue gave him a complicated look: "Being able to come back alive from the trial means that your heart has not been completely consumed by fear."

"Of course!" Zhu Feifei pounded his chest and stamped his feet. "I'm a true hero, even if I'm scared to death inside, I have to keep a straight face!"

Then, Lingxuan confidently walked towards the illusory figure. His soul scene, however, was completely different—an endless night, with a childish voice in his ear: "Why do you always go alone? Are you afraid that others will see through your true thoughts?"

Ling Xuan sneered, "That's right, I don't need others to see through me, because no one in this world is trustworthy."

The phantom's voice deepened: "But because of this, you are destined to be alone for life."

Lingxuan was silent for a moment, then said softly, "Loneliness is not painful; it is the excessive entanglements that are the real burden."

He gently shook the bell in his hand, and a clear sound wave pierced through the illusion. He returned to the rift unharmed, without even a ripple on his face.

Finally, it was the Queen of Jingjue's turn. She appeared unusually calm as she walked towards the illusory figure, but the illusion before her directly depicted the tragic destruction of the ancient Jingjue Kingdom.

—Amidst the endless yellow sand, the city of Jingjue was reduced to ruins, and the cries of its people and the jeers of its enemies mingled into a jarring noise.

"You cannot protect your country!" The illusory figure, as if from the deepest hell, exuded a chilling aura, coldly tearing open the deepest scar in the Queen's heart.

His words were like a sharp sword, mercilessly piercing the Queen's last line of defense.

The Queen clenched her teeth tightly, refusing to let the pain and despair show in her eyes.

However, her heart had already been torn to pieces by this cruel reality.

She once firmly believed that her faith could save the country, but now, all of that has vanished.

But at that moment, the Queen suddenly whispered, "I know I have failed..."

Her voice was soft, yet it carried an unwavering determination.

"But that's precisely why I will keep moving forward! Even if the road ahead is full of thorns, even if hope is as faint as a candle flame, I will never give up!"

As she finished speaking, the Queen slowly raised her hand.

Suddenly, a dazzling golden light shone forth, instantly illuminating the entire space.

The light was like the first ray of sunlight piercing the darkness at dawn, full of boundless vitality and power.

Under the impact of this golden light, the once arrogant phantom was slightly taken aback, clearly not expecting the queen to have such a powerful counterattack.

Immediately afterwards, a crisp cracking sound rang out, and the illusory image shattered like a mirror, turning into specks of starlight and dissipating into the air.

After the phantom disappeared, everyone was surprised to find that the huge vortex that was originally located in the center of the rift was now gradually condensing.

The vortex spun faster and faster, eventually forming a dazzling golden gate tens of feet high.

The gate was made entirely of gold, and it was covered with countless intricate and mysterious runes, shimmering with a faint light.

"The Gate of Destiny..." Queen Jingjue murmured, her eyes filled with a complex mix of anticipation and hesitation.

A deep voice came from behind the door: "What lies ahead is your final trial. Each of you will face different choices in your destiny—choose correctly and you will gain unparalleled power; choose incorrectly and you will fall into the abyss forever."

Zhu Feifei stroked her chin, looking nervous, and asked, "What does this mean? Are we playing blind box games? We need some strategy, right?"

Ling Xuan coldly replied, "There is never a strategy for the game of fate."

The Fire Feather Phoenix stood by the door and whispered a reminder: "Your choices will determine the future, but remember, power never means success; it can also bring destruction."

As the door slowly opened, an invisible force pulled the three inside, plunging them into boundless darkness. From the world beyond the door, a cacophony of laughter, weeping, and roars could be faintly heard…