Rise of the Otherworld.

Zhang Hao pointed to the narrow crack and said to the herbalist, "Let's try from here!" There was a hint of urgency and determination in his voice, and his eyes flashed with a desire to survive.

The herbalist looked at the crack, which was barely wide enough for one person to pass sideways, and said with hesitation, "Is this even possible?" His eyes were filled with hesitation and fear. Beads of sweat kept rolling down his forehead, and his voice trembled with nervousness. "This crack looks too dangerous. What if I get trapped in it..."

"No time to hesitate! This is better than waiting here to die!" Zhang Hao said, squeezing in first. His body pressed against the stone wall, he struggled to move forward, each step forward seeming incredibly difficult. Water droplets from the stone wall dripped onto his shoulders, making him feel a chill.

A foul odor permeated the cracks, and the surrounding stone walls were damp and slippery. Zhang Hao struggled forward, followed closely by the herbalist. He could feel the herbalist's breathing coming fast and heavy, as if he would collapse at any moment.

"Ah!" The herbalist suddenly shouted. It turned out that he slipped and almost fell.

"Be careful!" Zhang Hao turned around and warned. His voice echoed in the narrow crack, with a hint of tension.

At this moment, the beasts outside the cave seemed to notice their movements and attacked even more violently.

"Bang!" A huge rock fell from above the cave entrance, narrowly missing Zhang Hao. The debris rained down, striking them both with excruciating pain. Zhang Hao's arm was scratched by a sharp stone, and blood instantly stained his sleeve.

Zhang Hao was terribly anxious, but he knew he couldn't panic. He gritted his teeth and pressed on, his mind focused on one thing: getting out alive. His breathing quickened, his heartbeat audible in the cramped space.

Finally, Zhang Hao saw a ray of light.

"We're almost at the exit!" Zhang Hao shouted excitedly. His voice was filled with hope, as if he had seen the light of life.

However, when they were about to reach the exit, they found that it was blocked by a pile of rocks.

"Damn it!" Zhang Hao cursed, his eyes filled with anger and despair. But he quickly pulled himself together and used his sword to desperately chop at the stones. Every strike sent a cloud of stone chips flying.

The herbalists also helped to move some of the smaller stones. They were exhausted and panting. Their hands were cut by the stones, and their blood stained the stones red, but they still did not give up.

Finally, thanks to their efforts, the exit was opened.

Zhang Hao and the herbalist had just emerged from the crack when they heard the beast's roar. Turning back, they saw the beast charging toward them. The beast was massive, its eyes glowing red, and a foul odor emanated from its mouth. Its fur stood up like steel needles, and every step it took made the ground tremble slightly.

"Run!" Zhang Hao pulled the herbalist up and ran as fast as he could. Their footsteps echoed through the woods, shattering the tranquility. Branches and thorns lashed at them, leaving streaks of blood.

They ran wildly in the woods, branches scraping their clothes and scratching their skin, but they no longer cared about the pain. Zhang Hao's breathing became rapid, and his lungs seemed to be about to explode, but his pace did not slow down at all.

Suddenly, Zhang Hao tripped and fell to the ground.

The herbalist wanted to help him up, but found that the beast was already very close.

"Hurry up!" Zhang Hao pushed the herbalist away, ready to face the beast alone. There was no fear in his eyes, only firm determination.

The herbalist hesitated for a moment, and finally turned and ran away.

Zhang Hao stood up, gripping his sword tightly, and glared at the beast. His heartbeat raced, his blood boiling. Sweat streamed down his cheeks, blurring his vision.

The beast opened its bloody mouth and lunged at Zhang Hao. Zhang Hao dodged the beast's attack by moving sideways. He thrust his sword into the beast's belly, but the beast's fur was as hard as iron, and the sword only left a shallow mark.

The beast grew even more enraged, and it lunged at Zhang Hao once more. Zhang Hao continued to dodge the beast's attacks, searching for its weaknesses. His strength was rapidly depleting, but his resolve was growing stronger.

Just when Zhang Hao felt a little powerless, he suddenly discovered that the beast's eyes seemed to be its weakness. He took a deep breath, and when the beast pounced again, he suddenly jumped and stabbed at the beast's eyes.

The sword pierced the beast's eyes, and it roared in pain. It struggled madly, but Zhang Hao held the hilt tightly to prevent it from falling.

Finally, the beast fell to the ground, motionless.

Zhang Hao sat down on the ground exhausted, breathing heavily. At this time, the herbalist also ran back.

"That's great that you're okay!" the herbalist said excitedly.

Zhang Hao smiled weakly: "We survived..."