Rise of the Otherworld.

Zhang Hao, sword in hand, flashed and charged at the leading man. His sword gleamed coldly through the air, carrying a fierce aura. His eyes, sharp as a hawk's, locked onto his enemy.

The burly man, unfazed by the blow, raised his broadsword to meet Zhang Hao's sword. With a clang, the swords clashed, sending a shower of sparks flying. The powerful impact numbed Zhang Hao's arm slightly, but he didn't flinch. Instead, he used the rebound force to quickly adjust his stance and attack again.

The herbalist wasn't to be outdone, swinging his stick at the robber nearby. Although his kung fu wasn't as good as Zhang Hao's, he was still trying his best. His stick whirred through the air, and each blow was filled with all his courage and strength.

The robbers swarmed forward, surrounding Zhang Hao and the herbalist. For a moment, shouts of killing and the clash of weapons resounded throughout the forest. Zhang Hao parried and charged left and right, his sword moves swift as the wind, each strike laced with the determination to kill. His clothes were stained with blood, both his own and his own. Sweat mixed with blood and streamed down his cheeks, but his gaze remained firm, unwavering.

The herbalist gradually lost strength and his movements became sluggish. A robber seized the opportunity and swung his knife at him, barely able to dodge. A ferocious grin appeared on the robber's face, as if he had already seen the dawn of victory.

"Be careful!" Zhang Hao shouted, leaping forward to block the knife for the herbalist. The sharp blade slashed across his back, causing a sharp pain that made him frown, but he gritted his teeth, endured the pain, and stabbed the robber with his sword.

"Zhang Hao, how are you?" the herbalist asked anxiously, his voice trembling and his eyes filled with worry.

"Don't worry about me, protect yourself!" Zhang Hao shouted, swinging his sword even more fiercely. His figure shuttled among the robbers like a flash of lightning, and wherever he went, the robbers fell to the ground one after another.

Seeing Zhang Hao's bravery, the robbers felt a little timid, but under the scolding of the leader, they continued to attack. Their attacks became more frantic, trying to overwhelm Zhang Hao with their superior numbers.

Zhang Hao's eyes were filled with determination. He knew that today it was either the enemy or himself. He took a deep breath and focused all his strength into his sword. The sword shone brightly, like a scorching sun, blinding the robbers.

Finally, under Zhang Hao's fierce fighting, the robbers began to suffer casualties, and their morale gradually declined. One robber was stabbed in the chest by Zhang Hao's sword and fell to the ground with a scream; another robber was kicked by him and hit a tree, fainting.

"Brothers, retreat!" The leading man saw the situation was not good and shouted, turning around and running away. His face no longer had the arrogance he had before, only fear and embarrassment remained.

The rest of the robbers also fled in all directions like dogs that had lost their homes.

Zhang Hao watched them walk away, sighing with relief. His body softened, and he nearly fell. His breathing was rapid, like a bellows.

"Zhang Hao, hold on!" The herbalist hurriedly supported him, his eyes full of concern.

"I'm fine, just a little exhausted," Zhang Hao said weakly. His voice was hoarse, as if squeezed from deep in his throat.

They found a relatively safe place to sit down and began to treat the wound. The herbalist tore off a strip of cloth from his clothes and bandaged the wound on Zhang Hao's back.

"Thanks to you this time, I would have died," the herbalist said gratefully, his hands trembling slightly and tears glistening in his eyes.

Zhang Hao smiled and said, "We are together, no need to be so polite." His smile was a little pale, but full of warmth.

After a short rest, they set out again. But after this fierce battle, their bodies were even more exhausted, and each step seemed particularly heavy. The mountain path was rugged and uneven, and their steps stumbled, but they continued to move forward with determination.

The sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting patches of light on them. However, they had no intention of appreciating the beauty of the scenery. They had only one thought in mind, which was to get out of the forest as quickly as possible.

As he was walking, Zhang Hao suddenly felt a black screen in front of his eyes and his steps became weak.

"Zhang Hao, what's wrong with you?" the herbalist asked anxiously.

"I may have lost too much blood and feel a little dizzy." Zhang Hao said while suppressing his discomfort.

The herbalist supported him and said, "Let's take a rest first."

"No, we can't stop. It will be troublesome if those robbers come back." Zhang Hao gritted his teeth and continued to move forward with difficulty.

The herbalist looked at his stubborn back, his heart full of admiration.

They supported each other and walked step by step. After walking for an unknown amount of time, they finally saw a small village ahead.