Black Myth: The Legend of Tianpeng Seeking Demons

On the morning after the trial ended, sunlight spread like golden silk across the vast plains. A gentle spring breeze caressed the verdant grass, bringing with it the fragrance of grass and wildflowers.

In the distance, the rolling mountains appeared and disappeared in the thin mist, resembling a beautiful ink painting. This magnificent scene seemed to welcome the travelers who had endured arduous trials.

Avril rode a snow-white steed at the head of the procession. Her golden hair shone in the morning light, as if she were wearing a golden crown.

She stood tall and straight, her eyes firm and piercing as she gazed into the distance, like a female general about to go into battle.

Her heart was filled with anticipation for the future, but also with a touch of anxiety about the unknown.

“We’ve finally embarked on our journey to find Dragon Lake,” Avril murmured to herself. “I wonder what challenges await us ahead.”

Juckley rode lazily on another brown horse behind Avril. He admired the scenery as he took a piece of bread from his backpack and ate it with relish.

His eyes sparkled with mischief, and a relaxed smile played on his lips, as if this trip was just a pleasant outing for him.

“I said, Avril,” Juckley mumbled, breadcrumbs dripping from the corner of his mouth, “how much longer until we get to Dragon Lake? I’m starving!”

Avril rolled her eyes at his words, but a smile involuntarily crept onto her lips. She turned back to Juckley, looking at her with a mixture of helplessness and indulgence: "We've only been gone for less than two hours, and you're already complaining?"

Just then, Xiaobai's voice came from the ring, tinged with helplessness and reproach: "Jukeli, can you eat less? Look at you, you've only been walking for half a day and you've already eaten all the rations I prepared! If you keep going like this, we won't even reach Dragon Lake before you've used up all our food."

Juckley shrugged dismissively, a self-righteous expression on his face. "Hey, Little White, you can't say that. Food is the most important thing for people! I need to be well-fed to have the strength to protect Avril, don't you think, Adrian?"

Adrian rode his frost dragon, circling in the air. Hearing Jukli's words, he looked down at his perpetually carefree companion, a hint of helplessness and mockery flashing in his eyes: "Are you sure you're protecting the princess, and not hindering her? Judging from your current state, you're probably having trouble even protecting yourself."

Juckley was immediately displeased upon hearing this. He straightened his back, raised his chin, and said defiantly, "Hey, what are you saying? I'm very capable! Don't forget, I saved Avril several times in the dungeon! If it weren't for me, she would have already..."

Adrian coldly interrupted him: "That was just luck. The real danger is yet to come. You'd better be careful, or you'll become a burden to us."

After hearing this, Jukeli curled his lip and muttered under his breath, "Tch, what's so great about him? He's just so arrogant because he has a dragon..."

Avril listened to their argument and couldn't help but smile. She knew that although they always bickered, they were reliable partners in crucial moments. She took a deep breath, looked firmly ahead, and said softly, "Alright, stop arguing. We have a long way to go, and everyone needs to stay vigilant."

They followed the ancient trade route, traversing the vast plains, heading towards Longhu Lake.

Wildflowers bloomed along both sides of the road, and butterflies fluttered about, as if offering blessings for their journey. However, beneath this seemingly peaceful scene lurked countless dangers.

Along the way, they encountered all sorts of dangers and challenges. Each time, it made this hastily formed team more united, and each of them continued to grow.

On one occasion, they encountered a group of ferocious orc bandits.

The bandits hid behind rocks by the roadside, waiting for their prey to take the bait. As Avril and her group passed by, a one-eyed bandit suddenly jumped out, wielding a giant axe, and blocked their path.

This one-eyed man was over two meters tall, with bulging muscles and an aura of wild beast. He roared in a hoarse voice, "This mountain is mine, these trees are mine! If you want to pass, leave your toll!"

Jukeli was taken aback at first, then couldn't help but laugh. He looked at the group of burly orcs, a mocking glint in his eyes: "Robbery? You guys are tired of living! Don't you know who we are!"

Adrian frowned slightly upon hearing this and warned in a low voice, "Juckley, don't underestimate them. These orcs don't look easy to deal with."

However, no sooner had Juklee finished speaking than Avril brandished her magic wand. A cold glint flashed in her eyes, and a powerful magical aura suddenly surged around her.

With a gentle wave of her magic wand, a dazzling bolt of lightning descended from the sky, instantly turning several orcs into charred remains.

"Ah—" The remaining orcs were terrified at the sight. They had never seen anything like this before, and they dropped their weapons and scattered in all directions, creating chaos.

Avril scoffed, a hint of disdain in her eyes: "Hmph, a bunch of rabble, utterly pathetic!"

Juckley was stunned by what he saw. Coming to his senses, he quickly gave a thumbs-up, his face filled with admiration: "Avril, you're amazing! You truly are a woman who doesn't yield to men!"

Adrian observed Avril silently from the side, his eyes filled with admiration and a hint of barely perceptible tenderness. He thought to himself, "Princess Avril truly lives up to her reputation as the kingdom's hope; her strength is far greater than I imagined."

Having eliminated the bandits, they continued their journey. However, the danger was far from over. While crossing a dense forest, they inadvertently strayed into a dark swamp.

The swamp reeked of decay, the air thick with dampness and mold. The ground was a muddy mess, dotted with puddles and pools of water overgrown with strange plants. A thick fog shrouded the entire area, reducing visibility to a minimum and instilling a sense of foreboding.

Adrian glanced around warily and warned in a low voice, "Be careful, this swamp is dangerous. There might be highly poisonous creatures in it, we need to be extra cautious."

No sooner had the words left his mouth than a gigantic swamp crocodile suddenly emerged from the mud. Its eyes gleamed with a cold light, and it opened its blood-red maw, revealing rows of sharp teeth, before lunging at Juklee, who was walking at the front.

"Ah!" Juckley screamed in fright, quickly hiding behind Avril. "Help! What kind of monster is this?!"

Seeing this, Avril immediately stepped forward. She brandished her magic wand, a blue light flashing in her eyes, and an ice spike shot out instantly, accurately hitting the giant crocodile's mouth and freezing it.

The giant crocodile let out an angry roar, but its mouth was frozen shut, and it could only make muffled sounds. It struggled a few times, and finally, unwillingly, turned and burrowed into the mud.

Seeing this, Adrian frowned. "It seems we'll have to take a detour. This swamp is too dangerous; we can't risk crossing it."

Avril nodded in agreement: "You're right, safety first. Let's take a detour."

They bypassed the swamp and continued on. However, fate seemed to always like to play tricks on them. Not long after leaving the swamp, they encountered another mysterious labyrinth.

This labyrinth is composed of towering tree walls, their intertwined branches forming natural barriers. At the entrance to the labyrinth, an ancient stone tablet is inscribed with mysterious runes, as if telling some ancient legend.

The paths were intricate and riddled with traps and mechanisms. Sunlight struggled to penetrate the dense foliage, creating a dimly lit labyrinth that made it easy to lose one's way. A mysterious and ancient atmosphere permeated the air, as if one had traveled to another time and space.

Jukele stared at the maze before him, swallowing hard. "What...what kind of place is this? Are we really going in?"

Avril pondered for a moment, then said firmly, "We have no choice. Dragon Lake is at the other end of the maze; we must cross it."

Adrian nodded. "Avril is right. But we must be careful; these ancient labyrinths often hold hidden dangers."

They entered the labyrinth and began their arduous exploration. Juklee used his "Eye of Insight" ability to help them avoid many hidden traps. Adrian's combat skills helped them defeat some of the monsters within the labyrinth.

However, just when they thought they were about to find the exit, an unexpected test awaited them. In the center of the maze, they encountered a giant sphinx.

This sphinx, with its bronze-colored body, possessed eyes that gleamed with wisdom. In a deep, authoritative voice, it declared, "To escape the labyrinth, you must answer my questions. If you answer incorrectly, you will be trapped here forever!"

Juckley and Avril exchanged a glance, both seeing unease in each other's eyes. Adrian gripped his sword tightly, ready to face any potential danger.

Avril took a deep breath and mustered her courage to say, "We accept the challenge. Please ask."

The Sphinx nodded, then posed a strange riddle: "What has no feet, yet can travel the world?"

This question left everyone deep in thought. Jukele scratched his head, looking puzzled. "Travel the world without legs? Is it some kind of magical creature?"

Avril frowned and murmured softly, "Around the world...without legs...what could that be?"

Adrian was also trying to figure it out, but he didn't seem to have any clue.

Just then, Xiaobai's voice suddenly rang in Zhu Keli's ear: "I know the answer! It's the wind! The wind has no form, yet it can blow all over the world."

Juklee's eyes lit up, and he quickly told the Sphinx the answer: "I know! The answer is wind!"

Upon hearing this answer, a flicker of surprise crossed the Sphinx's eyes, then it nodded: "Congratulations, you're correct. You've passed."

As the Sphinx finished speaking, the maze's exit suddenly appeared before them. Juckley and Avril were overjoyed and quickly walked out of the maze. Looking back, the Sphinx had vanished, as if it had never existed.

After emerging from the maze, Avril looked at Juckley gratefully: "Thank you, Juckley. If it weren't for you, we might really have been trapped there."