Rise of the Otherworld.

After Zhang Hao and the herbalist left the temple, they breathed in the fresh air. The sunlight bathed them, bringing a touch of warmth and comfort. A gentle breeze blew away the gloom in their hearts, but the life-ordeal they had just experienced still left them with lingering fears.

"This was a narrow escape," the herbalist sighed, his face still tinged with the lingering fear of having survived a catastrophe. His eyes were filled with fatigue, and his body seemed shaky, as if a gust of wind could blow him over.

Zhang Hao looked into the distance, thoughtfully: "But we are not without gain." His eyes were deep and firm, as if he saw a glimmer of hope in the unknown distance.

The herbalist looked at him in confusion: "Harvest? What harvest?" He frowned and tried hard to recall his experience in the temple, but he only remembered the endless fear and darkness.

Zhang Hao squatted down and started drawing on the ground: "Do you remember where that figure appeared? And some strange symbols in the temple." His fingers drew marks on the ground, trying to reproduce those mysterious patterns.

The herbalist shook his head and said, "I was so scared at that time that I didn't pay attention to these things." A trace of shame appeared on his face, and he felt that he had let down at the critical moment.

Zhang Hao explained patiently: "I observed that those symbols seemed to point to a place, perhaps there is some secret hidden there." His voice was low and powerful, full of desire to explore the unknown.

"Could this be related to our getting out of this valley?" The herbalist's eyes lit up and hope rekindled in his heart.

Zhang Hao nodded: "It's possible. Let's go in this direction." He stood up, patted the dust off his body, and took firm steps in the speculated direction.

They advanced cautiously, following Zhang Hao's presumed direction. The forest scenery remained beautiful, sunlight filtering through the leaves, creating patches of golden light. Birds sang cheerfully from the branches, seemingly mocking their predicament. But they had no time to appreciate the scenery. Every step was filled with caution, fearing another encounter with danger.

As they walked, they came to the edge of a cliff. The cliff towered into the clouds, and the steep cliffs were daunting. The bottom of the cliff was shrouded in clouds and mist, and it was bottomless, like a portal to hell.

"Is this a dead end?" The herbalist looked at the bottomless cliff, feeling lost. His eyes were filled with despair, as if all hope had been shattered at this moment.

Zhang Hao didn't give up. He carefully searched for clues along the cliff edge. His eyes were focused and sharp, not missing a single detail. Suddenly, he discovered some traces of climbing on the cliff. Although those traces were already blurred, they were like a life-saving straw to Zhang Hao.

"Look, this isn't a natural formation. Someone has been down here before," Zhang Hao said excitedly. His voice was filled with excitement, as if he saw hope of escaping the predicament.

The herbalist came over and took a look: "But this is too dangerous." His voice trembled and his legs involuntarily took two steps back.

Zhang Hao gritted his teeth and said, "Even if it's dangerous, I have to give it a try. It's better than wandering around in this forest." His eyes revealed a determination, and he had already made up his mind.

The herbalist hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded. He knew this was their only option.

Zhang Hao found some vines, made a simple rope, and fixed it to a large tree. He pulled the rope hard to make sure it was secure.

"I'll go down and take a look first. If it's safe, I'll call you back," Zhang Hao said. His eyes were firm, and he gave the herbalist a reassuring smile.

The herbalist warned, "Be careful." His voice was full of concern and worry.

Zhang Hao took a deep breath, grabbed the rope, and slowly climbed down the cliff. The rocks on the cliff wall were loose and kept falling, and his heartbeat accelerated rapidly. Every time he descended a certain distance, he would stop and look for a reliable foothold. Sweat soaked his clothes, but he did not retreat.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Hao finally reached the bottom of the cliff. He looked up and shouted, "Come down, it's safe!" His voice echoed in the valley, filled with joy and anticipation.

The herbalist took a deep breath and began to slowly descend. He gripped the rope tightly with both hands, not daring to look down. His heartbeat quickened with every descent.

Just as the herbalist was about to reach the bottom of the cliff, the rope suddenly made a crisp snapping sound...