Black Myth: The Legend of Tianpeng Seeking Demons

Zhu Feifei and Yue Ling looked up and saw a dark red sky like a huge curtain covering the earth, with an indescribable and strange floral fragrance in the air.

In the distance, a seemingly boundless forest rises, its branches shimmering with a mysterious light, as if the entire forest is breathing.

Various bizarre creatures swam around them, emitting strange sounds. Some looked like translucent jellyfish floating in the air, while others resembled hybrids combining features of plants and animals.

"Where...where is this?" Zhu Feifei exclaimed, her voice filled with shock and disbelief. "It's like...like a fairyland from mythology..."

The weak spirit, Xiaobai, floated beside Zhu Feifei, her voice faltering: "According to the data analysis of the remaining treasure ring, this planet is named 'Morning Star.' It possesses a unique ecosystem, teeming with unknown life forms."

She paused, seemingly struggling to maintain her physical form, "Unfortunately, the ring's energy is insufficient for a more detailed scan..."

Yue Ling leaned against Zhu Feifei, one hand supporting her forehead, her face as pale as paper. She was clearly still recovering from the violent impact of the spaceship crash.

"Zhu Xinghe, I...I'm alright..." Yue Ling said, forcing a smile, but her voice was clearly filled with pain. "What...what should we do now..."

Seeing Yue Ling's weak state, Zhu Feifei was filled with worry. He carefully supported her and said softly, "Yue Ling, rest for a bit. I'll think of something."

He looked around, his gaze settling on the dense forest not far away. The towering trees seemed to beckon them with an eerie light shimmering among their branches, exuding a mysterious allure.

“Let’s go check out that grove of trees first,” Zhu Feifei suggested. “We might find some food and water there. Besides, it should be safer than here.”

Supporting each other, the two walked slowly but steadily into the woods. As they ventured deeper, the light dimmed and the air became more humid. Strange plants and creatures appeared before them, each step a new exploration of this unfamiliar world.

The enormous flowers opened and closed slowly, as if they were breathing, emitting a captivating yet slightly dangerous fragrance. Colorful butterflies fluttered among the blossoms, their wings shimmering with a metallic sheen in the sunlight. Strange insects crawled among the branches, emitting a variety of peculiar sounds, some like deep drumbeats, others like melodious flute notes.

Suddenly, Zhu Feifei sensed a powerful energy fluctuation coming from ahead. He was startled and instinctively shielded Yue Ling behind him.

"Watch out! There's something ahead!" Zhu Feifei warned in a low voice, her muscles tense, ready to deal with any potential danger.

They cautiously approached the direction from which the energy fluctuations were emanating. After passing through a dense thicket, a breathtaking sight appeared before them. In a clearing stood an ancient and mysterious altar.

The altar was made of an unknown crystalline material, its surface covered with intricate runes. These runes emitted a soft glow, forming a strange energy barrier in the air.

Even more surprisingly, several humanoid creatures dressed in strange attire were surrounding the altar, seemingly performing some kind of mysterious ritual. These creatures were tall and elegant, with skin that was a pale blue, like lake water under the moonlight.

They have a pair of pointed ears on their heads, twitching slightly, as if they can catch the faintest sound. Most striking are their eyes, large and bright, their pupils seemingly containing the entire starry sky, deep and mysterious.

Their attire was also quite unique, a perfect fusion of ancient robes and futuristic technology. Tiny specks of light shimmered on the soft fabric, changing patterns with their movements, creating an atmosphere full of mystery and technological sophistication.

"Who...who are these people?" Yue Ling asked in a low voice in surprise, her eyes filled with curiosity and vigilance.

Zhu Feifei stared at the humanoid creatures, her brows furrowing slightly. A strange sense of familiarity welled up inside her, as if she had seen them in some distant memory.

"They... seem to be... the Spirit Race..." Zhu Feifei said slowly, a hint of uncertainty in her voice, "I feel like I've seen them... somewhere before..."

“The Eldar?” Yue Ling repeated doubtfully. “What kind of race is that? I’ve never heard of it in the Interstellar Federation’s database.”

“I…I’m not quite sure either…” Zhu Feifei shook her head, trying hard to recall those blurry fragments of memory, “But I have a feeling…they…don’t mean us any harm…”

Yue Ling pondered for a moment, then cautiously suggested, "Should we...go over...and ask for directions? Maybe they can help us."

Zhu Feifei nodded, but her eyes remained wary: "Okay, let's be careful. If there's any danger, I'll take you away immediately."

They cautiously approached the group of Eldar, attempting to communicate with them. However, they couldn't understand each other's language and could only convey meaning through gestures and facial expressions.

The Spirit Clan seemed filled with curiosity about Zhu Feifei and Yue Ling's sudden appearance. They surrounded the two, pointing and chattering, their voices sounding like the rustling of wind through a bamboo forest.

Zhu Feifei carefully observed the Spirit Clan's eyes and expressions, seeing friendliness and curiosity rather than hostility. He tried to express his goodwill and request for help using the simplest body language.

“We…are lost…and need…help…” Zhu Feifei pointed to herself and Yue Ling, then pointed into the distance, hoping to convey their situation.

One of the older-looking Spirit Clan members seemed to understand Zhu Feifei's meaning. He smiled and nodded, then made a "follow me" gesture, leading them towards the entrance of a cave hidden at the base of a giant tree.

When they followed the Eldar into the cave, the sight before them left them speechless with astonishment. Deep within the cave lay a hidden world, a magnificent underground city that appeared before them.

The city boasts a unique architectural style, blending the grandeur and solemnity of ancient Chinese palaces with the dazzling brilliance of futuristic technology.

The towering towers shimmered with an eerie light, and glowing crystal spheres floated on the streets, replacing the traditional streetlights.

The city is filled with shimmering runes and arrays, as well as various strange plants and animals.

"This...this is...the city of the Spirit Race?" Yue Ling exclaimed, her eyes filled with disbelief. "It's amazing...it's like stepping into a legendary fairyland..."

Zhu Feifei was so shocked by the scene before him that he was speechless. He felt as if he had traveled to a fairyland from mythology, where every detail was full of mystery and fantasy.

The Spirit Clan led Zhu Feifei and Yue Ling to an exceptionally magnificent palace. The palace gates were made of a translucent crystal, with strange light patterns flowing across their surface. Standing at the entrance was an elderly man with white hair, dressed in a pure white robe, holding a wooden staff carved with mysterious runes. The old man's face was kind and gentle, yet his eyes gleamed with wisdom.

"Welcome to the sacred land of the Spirit Clan, guests from afar," the old man said in an ancient and elegant language. To Zhu Feifei and Yue Ling's surprise, although they had never heard this language before, they could fully understand its meaning.

"You...hello..." Zhu Feifei said in surprise, her voice filled with awe, "You...you can speak our language?"

The old man smiled and explained, “We, the Spirit Race, possess the ability to communicate with all things. I have read your language and thoughts from your consciousness. Don’t worry, this does not violate your privacy.”

"You are..." Yue Ling asked cautiously, clearly shocked by the old man's abilities.

“I am the Great Elder of the Eldar, Rock,” the old man said gently, his eyes filled with kindness and wisdom. “May I ask, where do you two guests come from? And why have you come to our planet?”

Zhu Feifei and Yue Ling exchanged a glance, unsure how to explain their complicated situation. Just then, a sharp headache suddenly struck Zhu Feifei. He felt a strange energy surging within him, as if something was about to break free from its cocoon.