Rise of the Otherworld.

The moment the rope snapped, the herbalist let out a terrified scream. The sound echoed through the empty valley, filled with despair and terror. His body instantly lost its support and plummeted toward the cliff. At that moment, time seemed to freeze, and the herbalist's eyes were filled with fear of death.

Zhang Hao's heart suddenly sank. Without a second thought, he rushed over, stretching out his hands to try to catch the herbalist. His eyes were firm and resolute, as if this was his mission that he had to complete in this life.

The herbalist's body plummeted, bringing with it a gust of wind. The sound whistled in Zhang Hao's ears like the clarion call of death. Zhang Hao gritted his teeth, his eyes fixed on the falling figure, with only one thought in his mind: I must catch him!

Just as the herbalist was about to fall, Zhang Hao managed to catch him. However, the immense force of the impact sent both Zhang Hao and the herbalist tumbling to the ground, rolling several meters away. Their bodies scraped against the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

"Cough cough..." Zhang Hao coughed violently, feeling as if every bone in his body was falling apart. Every breath brought a sharp pain, and his arms were numb from the immense impact. But he ignored his own injuries and hurried to check on the herbalist.

"How are you? Are you hurt?" Zhang Hao asked anxiously. His voice was trembling, and his eyes were full of concern and worry.

The herbalist was pale and still in shock. "I... I'm fine, thanks to you." His voice was weak and trembling, and his body was still shaking.

Zhang Hao breathed a sigh of relief, "It's good that you're okay. Let's rest for a while." He endured the pain and slowly sat up.

The two men lay on the ground, gasping for breath. Their heartbeats were remarkably clear in the silence of the cliff, each beat a pulse of life. After a while, Zhang Hao, having recovered somewhat, stood up and surveyed his surroundings.

The cliff bottom was dark and damp, permeated by a foul odor. All around, jagged rocks and overgrown weeds filled the air. The rocks varied in shape, some resembling ferocious monsters, others like sleeping giants. The weeds swayed gently in the breeze, as if telling of the mystery and danger of this land. Not far away, a stream gurgled, its water crystal clear, its surface shimmering with a faint light.

"It seems that few people have been here before," Zhang Hao said, frowning. His voice was low and full of vigilance against the unknown.

The herbalist also stood up and asked, "What should we do next?" His eyes were full of confusion and helplessness.

Zhang Hao thought for a moment and said, "Let's walk along the stream first and see if we can find a way out." He looked firmly at the direction of the stream, as if there was hope hidden there.

They walked along the stream, carefully. The ground beneath their feet was muddy and slippery, and they had to be extremely careful with every step. Suddenly, Zhang Hao heard a slight rustling sound.

"Hush, don't make any noise." Zhang Hao signaled the herbalist to stop. His eyes instantly became sharp, and he listened carefully to the source of the sound.

The two of them looked around cautiously, and saw a pair of eyes flashing green light in the grass not far away. Those eyes were particularly eye-catching in the darkness, making people feel creepy.

"It's a beast!" the herbalist exclaimed, his voice filled with fear, and he involuntarily took a few steps back.

Zhang Hao gripped his sword tightly, ready to face the impending danger. His heartbeat quickened, but his expression remained remarkably calm. "Don't be afraid, I'm here."

The beast slowly emerged from the bushes. It turned out to be a gigantic black panther, its fur glossy, its body agile, and its sharp teeth gleaming coldly in the darkness.

The black panther stared at Zhang Hao and the herbalist, and let out a low growl from his throat.

Zhang Hao took a deep breath and said, "Let's retreat slowly and don't provoke it."

The herbalist nodded and followed Zhang Hao to slowly retreat. However, the black panther kept pressing forward, seemingly determined not to let them go.

At this moment, Zhang Hao discovered that the black panther's hind legs seemed to be injured...