Black Myth: The Legend of Tianpeng Seeking Demons

The setting sun cast its golden rays upon the three of them. Avril stood atop a protruding rock, gazing at the distant, undulating mountains. Her golden hair fluttered gently in the evening breeze, and her eyes shone with unwavering determination.

“We’ve come so far,” Avril said softly, a hint of感慨 in her voice, “but I feel the real challenge is just beginning.”

Juklee was sitting on a tree stump nearby, polishing his dagger. Hearing Avril's words, he looked up, a signature mischievous grin spreading across his face. "Don't worry, Your Highness. With me, Juklee, here, no difficulty is insurmountable!"

Adrian leaned against an ancient tree, arms crossed, his eyes scanning his surroundings warily. Hearing Juklee's words, he couldn't help but scoff, "Hmph, with your meager skills, you'd better worry about yourself."

Upon hearing this, Juckley immediately jumped up, feigning injury and clutching his chest: "Oh dear, Adrian, your words have broken my heart. I saved your life in the last battle!"

Adrian's expression softened slightly, a hint of gratitude flashing in his eyes, but he quickly regained his seriousness: "That...that's because you were lucky. However, I do want to thank you."

Avril watched their interaction and couldn't help but smile. She lightly jumped off the rock and walked between them. "Alright, you two. We should prepare dinner; it's getting late."

Juckley perked up immediately at the mention of dinner: "Great! I'm starving. Avril, what are we having for dinner tonight?"

Avril shook her head helplessly: "We don't have much food left; I'm afraid we can only cook some simple porridge."

Upon hearing this, Jukeli slumped his head in disappointment: "Oh? Porridge again? I've been eating porridge for three days straight; my stomach has almost forgotten what meat tastes like!"

Just then, Adrian suddenly looked up alertly, his eyes sharpening: "Shh, be quiet. I heard something."

The three immediately became alert, holding their breath and listening carefully. Sure enough, a faint rustling sound came from the bushes not far away.

Adrian slowly drew his longsword and whispered, "It might be a wild beast. Everyone be careful."

Juklee gripped his dagger tighter, but an excited expression crossed his face: "A beast? Great! We can finally have a better meal tonight!"

Avril, on the other hand, had her magic ready and was prepared to cast defensive spells at any time.

Just as the three were nervously watching the bushes, a fawn suddenly darted out. It looked at them warily, then quickly ran away.

The three of them breathed a sigh of relief, their tense nerves finally relaxing.

Jukeli sighed in disappointment, "Sigh, another bowl of porridge..."

Avril couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, stop complaining. Let's hurry up and prepare dinner; we need to discuss tomorrow's itinerary afterward."

The three began to divide the work: Adrian went to fetch water from a nearby stream, Juckley was in charge of starting a fire, and Avril began to prepare the ingredients.

Around the campfire, the three sat together, enjoying a simple yet warm dinner. The moonlight bathed them, adding to the tranquility and warmth of the small group.

Avril looked at her two companions, her heart filled with gratitude. She whispered, "Thank you for coming this far with me. Without you, I might have given up long ago."

Juckley smiled brightly upon hearing this: "Don't say that, Avril. We're a team, helping each other is only natural. Besides, it's an honor to adventure with you!"

Adrian smiled slightly, a rare occurrence for him: "Juklee is right. We will stay by your side until our mission is complete."

Avril nodded, touched, tears welling in her eyes. "Thank you. I'm so lucky to have friends like you."

In the midst of this warm atmosphere, Xiao Bai suddenly emerged from the ring, breaking the tranquility: "Sorry to disturb you, but I have something important to say."

The three immediately became alert. Jukele asked, "What's wrong, Little White? Is there some danger again?"

Xiao Bai shook his head: "It's not danger, but an opportunity. I just sensed an ancient ruin not far ahead of us. It might hold important clues about Dragon Lake."

Avril's eyes lit up: "Really? Then let's explore that ruin tomorrow!"

Adrian frowned. "We must be careful; ancient ruins often harbor hidden dangers. We must be fully prepared."

Juckley rubbed his hands together excitedly: "That's fantastic! I love adventures. Maybe we'll even find some treasure!"

Avril smiled gently, then turned to Little White: "Little White, can you tell us more about this ruin?"

Xiao Bai nodded: "This ruin is said to have been left behind by the ancient dragon race. Legend has it that there is a magical array inside that can guide people to the location of Dragon Lake. However, to activate this array, three things are needed: a heart of courage, an eye of wisdom, and a hand of strength."

Juckley scratched his head. "This sounds really complicated. Where are we going to find these three things?"

Xiao Bai smiled mysteriously: "That's the interesting part. These three things aren't physical objects, but symbols. Each of you three represents one of them."

Avril said thoughtfully, "I understand. Adrian represents the heart of courage, Juklee represents the eye of wisdom, and I represent the hand of strength."

Adrian nodded. "That certainly suits our style. But how are we going to use these 'symbols' to activate the magic circle?"

Xiao Bai explained, "Once you enter the ruins, you will face three trials. Only by passing these three trials can you activate the magic array. Each trial corresponds to your individual characteristics."

"That sounds exciting! I can't wait to go on the adventure!" Juckley exclaimed excitedly.

Avril, however, became serious: "We can't let our guard down. This might be our closest chance to Longhu; we must succeed."

Adrian stood up, his gaze resolute. "Avril is right. We need to get a good rest tonight and set off first thing tomorrow morning."

The three began preparing for bed. Adrian volunteered to be the first to keep watch, while Avril and Juckley crawled into their sleeping bags.

In the stillness of the night, Adrian quietly stood guard by the campfire. His gaze occasionally swept over the sleeping Avril, a hint of tenderness flashing in his eyes. He murmured to himself, "I will protect you and fulfill this mission."

Although Jukely's eyes were closed, he wasn't asleep. Hearing Adrian's words, a slight smile crept onto his lips. He thought to himself, "It seems our knight isn't as cold-hearted as he appears."

Avril gently turned over in her sleep, a peaceful expression on her face. Perhaps in her dream, she was already seeing the beautiful scenery of Longhu Lake.

The moonlight bathed the small campsite, casting a mysterious hue over the upcoming adventure.

Tomorrow they will face even greater challenges, but for now, they are enjoying this brief respite, gathering their strength in preparation for a new adventure.