Black Myth: The Legend of Tianpeng Seeking Demons

At Huaqing Palace, the hot spring waters are steaming, and the pavilions, appearing and disappearing in the mist, resemble a fairyland. The autumn breeze brings a touch of coolness, but the steam from the hot springs is incredibly comforting, as if all the troubles of the world have evaporated with the heat.

By the pond, Yang Guifei, draped in a light veil, her skin as white as snow, appeared exceptionally alluring in the rising mist. She leaned languidly against Emperor Xuanzong's chest, her long eyelashes fluttering, a hint of weariness in her eyes, but more so, contentment and satisfaction. She was like a flower blooming in the warm, humid air, so beautiful that one could not look away.

"Your Majesty, this hot spring is truly soothing; it has dispelled much of my recent worries." Consort Yang spoke softly, her voice as melodious as a nightingale's song, filled with sweet affection and tenderness. Her gaze held a hint of tenderness, yet also a slight unease, as if recalling the incident a few days ago when An Lushan had barged into her bedchamber—a scene that still lingered in her heart.

Emperor Xuanzong lowered his head, gazing tenderly at the beauty in his arms. His fingers gently stroked her smooth, jade-like arm, his tone full of doting affection: "If my beloved consort likes it, then I will order someone to bestow this Huaqing Pool upon you. You can come and soak in the hot springs whenever you wish." A thought stirred within him, and he tried to dispel the gloom in Yang Guifei's heart with this gesture of care.

“But I’m still a little worried.” Consort Yang looked away slightly, her tone revealing a hint of hesitation. “What An Lushan did a few days ago was really unsettling. His behavior was too presumptuous, as if he didn’t take me seriously.”

Emperor Xuanzong's expression changed slightly. He took Yang Guifei's hand and whispered to comfort her, "My beloved consort, there is no need to worry. I know what I'm doing. Although An Lushan is brave, I have always been watching his intentions. Tonight, I will spend this wonderful night with you and make sure you forget all your troubles."

Consort Yang felt slightly relieved and a smile appeared on her face. She thought to herself, "His Majesty always dotes on me so much, making me incredibly happy." But the hidden worries in her heart were still hard to shake off.

At this moment, Emperor Xuanzong noticed that Yang Guifei's expression was no longer as relaxed as before, so he tried even harder to create a pleasant atmosphere: "Come, my beloved concubine, let's soak in the hot spring for a while longer and enjoy this moment of tranquility."

Yang Guifei nodded. Although she still had some concerns, Emperor Xuanzong's gentleness offered her some comfort. At this moment, she wanted to temporarily put her worries aside and enjoy the warmth and sweetness before her.

Standing to the side was Gao Lishi, who had just been released after being confined for several days. Seeing this sweet scene, he quickly stepped forward and said with a fawning smile, "His Majesty's favor towards the Imperial Concubine is truly boundless; everyone in the world envies it!"

Upon hearing this, Emperor Xuanzong was even more delighted and laughed heartily, "My beloved concubine is the apple of my eye. If I don't pamper her, who else can I pamper?"

Just as the atmosphere was pleasant, the air suddenly became somewhat heavy, and a slow, steady footstep broke the momentary tranquility. A monk in a robe, with a solemn expression, walked slowly in, holding a whisk, his eyes deep and unfathomable, exuding an undeniable air of authority.

"This humble monk pays his respects to Your Majesty." Elder Jinchi bowed slightly, his tone calm yet firm.

When Emperor Xuanzong saw Elder Jinchi, his smile faded slightly, and he asked with a hint of doubt, "Master, what brings you here so late at night?"

Elder Jinchi's eyes were sharp and his expression solemn: "Your Majesty, this humble monk observed the celestial phenomena last night and discovered that a malevolent aura was rising from the northeast, which may indicate that war is imminent. Your Majesty must make preparations as soon as possible."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Xuanzong's expression instantly turned serious. He frowned slightly, released Yang Guifei, and sat up straight: "A murderous aura? Could there be trouble at the border?"

Elder Jinchi nodded slightly, clasped his hands together, and said solemnly, "This humble monk observes that this malevolent aura is not ordinary. I fear that we must be extra careful in our border defenses."

Emperor Xuanzong's expression grew increasingly grave. After a moment of contemplation, he thought of his beloved general An Lushan, who was stationed in Fanyang to guard the border, and breathed a slight sigh of relief: "What you say is absolutely right, but General An Lushan is brave and skilled in battle. He has been stationed in Fanyang for a long time and has made many military achievements. With him here, the border will be safe."

Elder Jinchi nodded slightly, seemingly having no objection to Emperor Xuanzong's arrangement: "General An is indeed a pillar of the state. This humble monk believes that as long as he is here, there will be no worries on the border."

However, no sooner had he finished speaking than a messenger clad in armor rushed into Huaqing Pool, his face filled with anxiety, and knelt down on the ground: "Your Majesty! Urgent report from the border!"

Emperor Xuanzong's heart tightened. He abruptly stood up, took the urgent report from the messenger, and quickly unfolded it with a furrowed brow. As his gaze swept over the contents of the letter, his expression grew increasingly somber.

"The Khitans have suddenly launched a large-scale invasion, and An Lushan has requested the court to send reinforcements!" Emperor Xuanzong's voice was low and urgent, revealing a suppressed anxiety.

Upon hearing this, Yang Guifei immediately felt uneasy, her delicate brows furrowing slightly: "Sanlang, what... what should we do?"

Emperor Xuanzong glanced at his most beloved woman, trying to suppress his inner turmoil and feign composure: "My dear consort, there is no need to worry. I will immediately order reinforcements. As long as An Lushan is on the front lines, there will be no trouble on the border."

Gao Lishi and Elder Jinchi echoed in unison, "Your Majesty is wise."

Emperor Xuanzong ordered messengers to quickly relay the order, commanding generals to immediately mobilize troops. However, An Lushan, far away on the border, had already been plotting for some time.

On the city wall of Fanyang, An Lushan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing coldly at the desolate border in the distance. Behind him stood rows of well-trained soldiers, their ranks perfectly aligned, their drills echoing through the air. A sneer appeared on An Lushan's face, his eyes filled with sinister calculation.

"The Khitans?" An Lushan muttered to himself, scoffing with a tone full of sarcasm. "They're nothing but a decoy. By using them, I can test the court's reaction and pave the way for my grand plan."

The deputy general stood beside An Lushan with a respectful expression and said in a low voice, "General, you are wise. The court has now agreed to increase the number of troops, which will help you to advance your plan smoothly."

An Lushan laughed triumphantly, his voice booming like thunder, filled with arrogance and confidence: "Hahaha! Sooner or later, the court will be manipulated by me. When the time is right, Chang'an will also bow down before me!"

The lieutenant quickly echoed, "General, your talent and strategy are unmatched by anyone in the world!"

An Lushan sneered incessantly, as if he could already see the day he would seize control of the Tang Dynasty. However, he was unaware that, thousands of miles away in Chang'an, someone had already discerned his ambition.

The night was deep in Chang'an.

Zhu Rong paced back and forth in the room, her face filled with anxiety and worry. She had just used the "clairvoyance" of her nine-bead bracelet to witness An Lushan secretly expanding his army on the distant border. Her heart felt as if a huge boulder was pressing down on it, making it hard to breathe.

"Xiaobai, what should we do? An Lushan's ambition is obvious! If I don't expose all this in time, the Tang Dynasty will be plunged into a catastrophe!" Zhu Rong bit her lower lip, her voice filled with urgency and unease.

The little white creature inside the jade pendant sighed softly and calmly replied, "Silly pig, don't rush into anything! Going to the Emperor now, do you think he'll believe you? Besides, what proof do you have?"

Zhu Rong was taken aback by what she heard, and her anxiety was gradually overwhelmed by the calm reality. She knew that Xiao Bai was right. She was just a concubine in the harem. How could she convince the emperor of what she had seen with her own words? Moreover, her "clairvoyance" was too supernatural. Without solid evidence, it would probably arouse suspicion instead.

"But this concerns the safety of the nation, how can I sit idly by?" Zhu Rong clenched her fists, her voice trembling slightly.

Xiao Bai remained calm: "First, you need to find solid evidence to prove that An Lushan was indeed plotting a rebellion. Otherwise, even if you expose him, it will just be empty talk."

Zhu Rong gritted her teeth and nodded, saying, "You're right, I can't act rashly. Tomorrow morning, I'll go to the Imperial Concubine and ask her to help me find out the truth."