Black Myth: The Legend of Tianpeng Seeking Demons

In the 14th year of the Tianbao era, during the height of summer, the bustling scene in Chang'an City almost overflowed this magnificent capital.

The sky was a clear, deep blue, and sunlight streamed down like golden threads across the earth. The streets and alleys of Chang'an were bustling with activity, as merchants from other regions and ordinary people moved about. Vendors loudly hawked their silks, porcelains, and spices, and the rumble of horse-drawn carriages echoed along with their shouts.

Tourists from all directions flocked to this bustling city, their faces filled with reverence for this world capital.

Not far away, the majestic Daming Palace stood tall, its glazed tiles shimmering with golden light in the setting sun, seemingly symbolizing the majesty and wealth of the Tang Empire. Today was Emperor Xuanzong's birthday banquet, and the entire city of Chang'an was filled with boundless festive atmosphere.

The Hanyuan Hall within the Daming Palace was now lavishly decorated. Countless colorful lanterns hung from the corridors, and flowers and brocades shone brightly, creating a dazzling spectacle. Inside the hall, civil and military officials sat in their seats, while palace maids in brocade robes bustled about, serving delicacies and fine wines.

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang sat regally on his golden dragon throne, draped in a dragon robe embroidered with a nine-clawed golden dragon. His twelve-tasseled crown swayed slightly with his head, exuding an unquestionable majesty. He gazed at the dancers gracefully moving within the hall, a slight smile playing on his lips. Musicians played the elegant "Rainbow Feather Garment Dance," each note echoing throughout the hall, carrying the splendor of a golden age.

The Hu Xuan dance performed by the Western Region dancers drew cheers from the audience. With their blonde hair and blue eyes, and dressed in light gauze dance costumes full of exotic charm, their skirts bloomed like flowers as they spun. Their gorgeous dance steps and spins captivated the audience.

"Where is An Lushan?" Emperor Xuanzong asked calmly, but a hint of anticipation flashed in his eyes. He had always favored this powerful regional general, and he was especially looking forward to An Lushan's congratulatory gift.

Before long, An Lushan stepped into the hall. He was stout, with his usual smile on his face, yet his steps remained steady. Although it was the height of summer, the beads of sweat on his forehead were not wiped away, as if he wanted everyone to see the hardships he had endured traveling all the way from Fanyang.

"Your subject, An Lushan, respectfully wishes Your Majesty a long and prosperous life, long live the Emperor!" An Lushan bowed without hesitation, performing the grand ceremony of three kneelings and nine kowtows, his tone filled with obsequiousness. Yet, deep within his gleaming eyes, a hint of undisguised ambition and a hidden light shone through.

Seeing this, Emperor Xuanzong of Tang appeared quite pleased, nodded slightly, and gestured for An Lushan to rise. An Lushan thanked him repeatedly and then stepped aside.

At that moment, the palace doors slowly opened again, and a gentle breeze blew in, carrying a hint of exoticism. Zhu Rong, sitting to one side, caught a glimpse out of the corner of her eye of a Western Region envoy in a golden robe, led in by a guard. The envoy was tall and imposing, with slightly dark skin, a tall hat adorned with jewels, and a jewel-encrusted scimitar at his waist. He exuded an enigmatic and exotic aura.

"The envoy from the Western Regions has come to offer birthday greetings and wish Your Majesty boundless happiness and longevity." He bowed to Emperor Xuanzong of Tang in slightly broken Chinese, his voice carrying a heavy foreign accent.

Zhu Rong had no intention of paying attention to the gifts presented by these foreign envoys, but for some reason, the appearance of this envoy made her feel uneasy. Although his gorgeous clothes were dazzling, she felt that there seemed to be some kind of undetected danger hidden in this festive occasion.

The guards carried an exquisite wooden box slowly to Emperor Xuanzong. Zhu Rong glanced at the box, a hint of curiosity flashing in her eyes. The moment the box was opened, the atmosphere in the entire hall seemed to subtly shift.

Inside the wooden box, a delicate and translucent crystal pagoda lay quietly, its body carved with intricate patterns, each line seemingly telling an ancient and mysterious story. At the top of the pagoda was a large luminous pearl, its light not warm and gentle, but cold and piercing, as if radiating an unusual power.

Zhu Rong's gaze sharpened, a sudden unease rising within her. She had a gut feeling that this pagoda was no ordinary offering. Although everything seemed normal, a subtle sense of threat simmered within her like an undercurrent, impossible to ignore.

"This tower... is strange." She murmured to herself, her brows furrowing slightly, her gaze involuntarily following the light emanating from the tower. It was as if some unknown danger was slowly infiltrating this otherwise peaceful birthday banquet.

He stood before the emperor and said in a somewhat slurred voice, “Your Majesty, I am the King of a certain country in the Western Regions. I have come to offer my congratulations on Your Majesty’s birthday and present you with our country’s rare treasure – the Linglong Pagoda.”

The emperor gazed at the exquisite pagoda, a look of amazement on his face: "What a treasure!"

The envoy from the Western Regions smiled and said, "This pagoda is called the 'Exquisite Pagoda,' a national treasure passed down through generations. Legend has it that it possesses magical power, which can protect the Tang Dynasty and ensure the Emperor's good health."

Emperor Xuanzong was overjoyed and repeatedly praised it, placing the pagoda on the dragon table with admiration in his eyes.

As Zhu Rong gazed at the exquisite pagoda, a strange feeling welled up within her. The pagoda seemed to possess some unusual power, making her feel vaguely uneasy. She immediately asked in her mind, "Xiao Bai, have you noticed anything unusual?"

Xiao Bai pondered for a moment and said, "It is indeed a bit strange. I sensed a strong fluctuation of spiritual energy, but I can't be sure what it is yet."

Zhu Rong's expression turned grave, and she said in a low voice, "Could it be sorcery?"

“That’s possible,” Xiaobai replied, “but it could also be a powerful magical artifact.”

Zhu Rong stared at the pagoda, pondered for a moment, then quietly reached out and grasped the nine-bead bracelet, silently reciting a spell. In an instant, a faint golden light flashed, and a scene appeared before her eyes—the inner world of the Western Regions envoy.

She saw darkness and greed lurking deep within the envoy's heart, his treacherous eyes concealing a dangerous desire. His true aim was to control Emperor Xuanzong and seize the Tang Dynasty's throne!

Zhu Rong was startled, cold sweat beaded on her forehead, and she quickly withdrew her supernatural powers. Her hands gripped the nine-bead bracelet tightly, her heart pounding, as if she were in the midst of an unseen crisis.

"That envoy from the Western Regions... he is Elder Jinchi!" Zhu Rong thought to herself, "He disguised himself as an envoy, infiltrated the palace, and attempted to control the emperor!"

As the joy of the birthday banquet faded and night fell, the Daming Palace was enveloped in tranquility. Even the wisps of ambergris in the emperor's bedchamber could not dispel the strange tension that permeated the air.

Emperor Xuanzong of Tang leaned against his dragon bed, his gaze fixed on the exquisite pagoda at the head of the bed, his fingers gently caressing its surface as if bewitched. The once warm and smooth jade now radiated a strange light in his eyes, as if possessing a hypnotic power, making it impossible for him to look away.

Consort Yang tiptoed into the imperial bedchamber. Seeing the emperor's state, she couldn't help but worry. She approached him and softly asked, "Your Majesty, what's wrong? Are you feeling unwell?"

The emperor abruptly raised his head, his eyes filled with wariness and suspicion, a stark contrast to his usual gentle and loving demeanor. He coldly uttered two words: "I'm fine."

Yang Guifei's heart skipped a beat. The emperor's cold tone made her feel unfamiliar and fearful. Suppressing her unease, she asked again with concern, "But Your Majesty, I see you are pale and listless. Shouldn't you summon the imperial physician to examine you?"

"I said it's nothing!" The emperor's tone became even sterner. He abruptly stood up, pointed at Yang Guifei, and said sharply, "You...have you been getting too close to An Lushan lately?"

Consort Yang was stunned. She didn't understand why the emperor would suddenly say such a thing. Although An Lushan was deeply trusted by the emperor, the two had no personal relationship, let alone be "too close".

"Your Majesty, what...what are you saying?" Consort Yang looked at the emperor in surprise, trying to find a trace of familiar tenderness in his eyes, but only saw cold suspicion and anger.

"Hmph, don't think I don't know," the emperor sneered, his tone full of sarcasm. "Every time An Lushan came to the palace, you exchanged glances and flirted with him. You... do you really think I'm a fool?"

"Your Majesty, you have misunderstood me!" Consort Yang said, tears welling in her eyes. "I am utterly loyal to Your Majesty and have no other intentions whatsoever!"

"Loyal? Humph!" The emperor's cold laughter pierced Yang Guifei's heart. "If you were truly loyal, why would you be so close to An Lushan? He...he is...but..."

The emperor suddenly stopped, as if he had thought of something terrible. His face turned deathly pale, and a fine layer of cold sweat beaded on his forehead. He clutched his chest, breathing heavily in pain, his eyes filled with fear and struggle.

"Your Majesty, what's wrong?" Seeing the emperor in such pain, Consort Yang was even more worried. She quickly stepped forward to support him, trying to comfort him, but the emperor pushed her away, pointing at her and trembling as he said, "You...you...get away!"

The emperor's eyes were empty and lifeless, as if he had lost his soul. He muttered incomprehensible words, his body swaying precariously. Consort Yang called out anxiously, "Your Majesty! Your Majesty!" But the emperor did not respond, as if trapped in some terrible nightmare.

Section 5: Exploring the Mysteries of the Night

Zhu Rong remained restless in her palace. She felt there was something fishy about the Western Region envoy and the exquisite pagoda at the birthday banquet, and her suspicions deepened, especially after seeing the emperor's recent unusual behavior.

"Xiaobai, what should we do?" Zhu Rong asked anxiously. "The Emperor seems to be possessed by something. Could it be related to that pagoda?"

"Silly pig, don't panic," Little White's voice echoed from the jade pendant, "Let's go check out that exquisite pagoda first; maybe we can find some clues."

Zhu Rong nodded. She decided to go to the emperor's bedchamber herself to check on the exquisite pagoda. Late at night, she quietly arrived at the emperor's bedchamber and saw the emperor lying on the bed, fast asleep. The exquisite pagoda was placed at the head of the bed, emitting a faint golden light, as if something was flowing within it.

Zhu Rong carefully examined the pagoda, trying to find some clues. Suddenly, she noticed several lines of strange characters carved at the bottom of the pagoda. The characters were twisted and winding, like some kind of ancient incantation.

"Little White, look, what's this?" Zhu Rong asked.

Xiao Bai examined it carefully and said, "This is an ancient spell from the Western Regions, used to control a person's mind."

"It really is sorcery!" Zhu Rong exclaimed in shock. "No wonder the Emperor has become like this!"

Zhu Rong knew she had to move the pagoda as soon as possible to save the emperor. But the emperor was extremely fond of the pagoda, and moving it rashly would surely arouse his suspicion.

Just as Zhu Rong was at her wit's end, Consort Yang arrived at the Emperor's bedchamber. Seeing Zhu Rong standing by the bedside, Consort Yang turned pale, her eyes filled with worry: "Rong'er, what are you doing here?"

Zhu Rong told Yang Guifei about her discovery and expressed her concerns.

"What should we do?" Consort Yang asked anxiously. "The Emperor is very suspicious of me now. If I rashly move the pagoda, he will definitely suspect me even more."

“Your Majesty, don’t worry, I have a plan,” Zhu Rong said. “Just say… say that the pagoda is too dazzling and disturbs the Emperor’s rest, so it needs to be moved elsewhere.”

"This...will this work?" Consort Yang hesitated.

“Trust me, Your Majesty,” Zhu Rong said. “His Majesty is currently delirious and easily persuaded.”

Consort Yang nodded; she decided to trust Zhu Rong. She walked to the bedside, gently picked up the pagoda, and said to the emperor, "Your Majesty, this pagoda is too dazzling and disturbs your rest. I'll move it elsewhere."

The emperor groggily opened his eyes, glanced at Yang Guifei, and then mumbled, "Hmm... alright..."

Consort Yang breathed a sigh of relief and quickly moved the pagoda to a side hall.