Black Myth: The Legend of Tianpeng Seeking Demons

"Little White, take us away from here!" Juckley grabbed Avril's hand tightly and shouted loudly for the Ringwraith Little White.

Suddenly, the space around Juckley and Avril distorted and disappeared from their spot.

In a moment of dizziness, they left Augustus's attack range and appeared in a dense forest outside the village.

Moonlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the ground. Zhu Feifei stumbled to his feet, panting heavily, his clothes soaked with cold sweat. He turned to look at Avril, whose face was pale, her eyes still flashing with anger.

"Are we...are we safe?" Juklee asked breathlessly, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

Avril didn't answer immediately. She gripped her longsword tightly, trembling with anger and fear. Her gaze pierced through the woods, as if she could still make out the outline of the manor in the distance.

“We can’t just run away!” she suddenly roared, her voice filled with pain and rage. “I must avenge my parents! That devil… Augustus… he must pay the price!”

Juckley sensed the intense emotions emanating from Avril, and he cautiously approached, gently taking her hand on the shoulder.

“Avril,” he said softly, his eyes firm yet gentle, “I understand how you feel. But acting impulsively now will only get us killed. We need greater strength to fight Augustus.”

Avril turned around and looked directly into Zhu Feifei's eyes. In the moonlight, her eyes glistened with tears, but even more so with a resolute determination. "Then what do you suggest we do?" Her voice trembled slightly. "We've lost everything, even our last hope has been shattered."

Zhu Feifei took a deep breath; he could feel the restlessness of Xiaobai inside the ring. "Perhaps...perhaps there's still a glimmer of hope," he murmured, as if deep in thought. "I've heard that a magical artifact is hidden in the dark mage's dungeon. Legend says this artifact possesses unparalleled power. If we could find it..."

Avril's eyes suddenly lit up, as if she had seen a glimmer of light in the darkness. "You mean...we can use that artifact to fight Augustus?"

Juklee nodded, but his brow furrowed slightly. "Theoretically, it's possible. However, infiltrating Augustus's dungeons is extremely dangerous. We might face countless traps and magical defenses."

Avril was silent for a moment, then her gaze hardened. “No matter how dangerous it is, we have to try. This might be our only chance.” She squeezed Juckley’s hand. “Will you take this risk with me, Juckley?”

Juckley felt the warmth of Avril's hand, and his heart raced. "Of course," he said firmly, "I will stay by your side until the very end."

With the help of Xiaobai's power, the two teleported again, this time directly to the underground of the Dark Mage's castle. A cold, damp air rushed towards them, like an invisible blanket tightly wrapping their bodies. Scattered torches flickered in the darkness on the walls, casting eerie shadows, as if monsters might leap out at any moment.

Juckley glanced around warily and whispered, "Be careful, there's definitely a trap here. We have to proceed cautiously."

Avril nodded, her hand already on the hilt of her sword, ready to face any potential danger. The two moved forward cautiously, each step feeling like walking on a knife's edge.

Suddenly, a slight tremor ran through the ground. Jukli's pupils constricted, and he instinctively shouted, "Get down!"

As soon as she finished speaking, a row of sharp spikes shot out from the wall, whistling past their heads. Avril quickly jumped back, her long hair grazed by the spikes, a few strands falling to the ground.

"That was close!" Avril gasped, beads of sweat forming on her face. She looked at Juckley, a flicker of gratitude in her eyes. "Thank you. If it weren't for your warning..."

Jukeli shook his head, a wry smile on his face. "Don't be too happy yet; this is probably just the beginning. We need to be even more careful."

The two continued forward, each step fraught with danger and uncertainty. An ancient and mysterious aura permeated the air, as if the entire dungeon were whispering, recounting its secrets.

Suddenly, Jukele stopped, his nine-bead bracelet emitting a faint glow. Avril looked at him, puzzled. "What's wrong?"

Zhu Feifei frowned. "Wait, I sense something." He closed his eyes and used his "Eye of Insight" ability. In his mind's eye, the structure of the entire dungeon gradually became clear, and complex magical lines flickered in the darkness, outlining a mysterious pattern.

"Left!" He suddenly opened his eyes and grabbed Avril's arm. Just as they dodged, the ground suddenly cracked open, revealing a bottomless trap.

Avril was still in shock. She looked at Zuckerley with awe in her eyes. "How did you do that?"

Juklee held up the nine-bead bracelet on his wrist. "This is the power of the 'Eye of Insight.' It allows me to see things that ordinary people cannot."

Avril nodded thoughtfully. "It seems our chances of winning are greater than I thought."

As they ventured deeper, the dangers increased. The power of the magic circle began to manifest, and an evil aura permeated the air as if it were tangible. Avril felt unwell; her face turned pale, and cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

Juckley noticed her unusual behavior and asked with concern, "Are you alright?"

Avril forced a smile. "I'm fine, it's just... the atmosphere here is making me very uncomfortable."

Juklee frowned. "I felt it too. This power... is evil, it's dangerous. We have to be careful."

They continued forward, each step becoming increasingly difficult. The dungeon seemed to be constantly shifting, the runes on the walls appearing and disappearing as if warning intruders.

“We’re almost there,” Juklee suddenly said, a hint of tension in his voice, “but… this power…it doesn’t feel right.”

Just then, a dazzling light suddenly burst forth, illuminating the entire dungeon. Avril and Juckley simultaneously closed their eyes, and when they opened them again, the sight before them stunned them.

A massive magic circle appeared on the ground, with intricate runes flowing within it, radiating powerful energy fluctuations. Before Avril could react, she was swept into it by an invisible force.

“Avril!” Juckley shouted, reaching out to grab her, but an ancient runic barrier suddenly rose up, separating them.

Avril was trapped in the magic circle, and she could feel a powerful force trying to control her consciousness. The force surged in like a tide, cold and dark, full of temptation and threat.

"No...no!" Avril cried out in anguish, clutching her head and curling her body into a ball. Countless images flashed through her mind—the deaths of her parents, the fall of the kingdom, Augustus's sinister grin. These memories were like sharp blades, tearing at her soul.

Juckley was sweating profusely outside the runic barrier. He could see Avril's pain, but he was powerless to help. "Hold on, Avril!" he shouted. "Don't let it control you!"

He closed his eyes again, using the full power of his "Eye of Insight." In his vision, the structure of the runic barrier gradually became clear. Complex runes intertwined, forming an exquisite magic circle.

“It’s ancient Elvish script,” he muttered to himself, his brow furrowed. “If only I could decipher it…”

Time ticked by, and Avril's resistance grew weaker and weaker. She could feel her consciousness being swallowed by that dark force. In her last moments of lucidity, she saw her parents' faces and heard their voices.

“Be strong, my daughter,” she seemed to hear her father saying. “Remember who you are, remember your mission.”

Just as Avril was about to be completely controlled, Juckley suddenly shouted, "I found it!"

His hands moved swiftly through the air, as if weaving an invisible net. Intricate symbols flashed in the air, echoing the patterns on the runic barrier. The entire dungeon began to tremble, the runic barrier shaking violently and emitting a piercing buzzing sound.

"Break!" Jukeli shouted, concentrating all his power into this single strike.

The runic barrier collapsed with a deafening roar, dissipating into countless specks of light in the air. The power of the magic circle also weakened, finally allowing Avril to escape. She stood up unsteadily, her face ashen, but her eyes shone with unwavering determination.

"Avril!" Juckley rushed forward to support her swaying body, his voice filled with concern, "Are you alright?"

Avril nodded weakly, her voice hoarse but full of gratitude. "Thank you, Juklee. If it weren't for you... I might..."

Juckley gently shook his head. "Don't say anything. The important thing is that you're alright." A hint of heartache flashed in his eyes. "What did you go through? That magic circle..."

Avril took a deep breath, seemingly trying to gather her thoughts. "That power...it wanted to control my consciousness, to exploit the dark side of me. I saw many horrific images..."