Rise of the Otherworld.

Zhang Hao dodged to the side, thrusting his sword at the beast. The blade gleamed coldly through the air, leaving only a shallow mark on the beast's tough fur. The beast's skin was thick and tough, so the blow felt like a mere tickle.

The beast, enraged by the blow, roared and lunged at Zhang Hao again. Its maw opened wide, its fangs gleaming with a chilling gleam in the dim forest. Zhang Hao quickly retreated, losing his balance and nearly falling. His heartbeat raced, and beads of sweat formed on his forehead.

Seeing this, the herbalist waved his stick, trying to attract the beast's attention. "Come on, beast!" he shouted, his voice trembling, yet full of courage.

As expected, the beast was attracted by the herbalist's provocation and turned to pounce on him. At that moment, the herbalist felt his heart stop beating, and the fear of death instantly enveloped him.

The herbalist's heart tightened, but there was no way back. He gritted his teeth, closed his eyes, and hurled his stick at the beast. However, his strength seemed insignificant in the face of the ferocious beast.

At this critical moment, Zhang Hao rushed over and kicked the beast in the abdomen. He used all his strength in this kick, and the beast felt pain and temporarily stopped attacking.

"Run!" Zhang Hao pulled the herbalist and ran deep into the forest. Their footsteps were particularly clear in the silent forest, accompanied by heavy breathing.

The beast was hot on their heels, its heavy footsteps shaking the ground. Each step seemed to carry the power of destruction, filling Zhang Hao and the herbalist with despair.

Zhang Hao and the herbalist ran desperately, branches and thorns scratching their cheeks, bringing bursts of stinging. Blood flowed from their wounds, mixing with sweat, but they dared not stop for a moment.

"Running like this isn't an option. We need to find a place to hide," Zhang Hao panted. His voice was hoarse from exhaustion, but his eyes were still filled with determination.

The herbalist looked around and pointed to a huge tree hole and said, "There!" There was a glimmer of hope in his voice, as if the tree hole was their last life-saving straw.

The two of them quickly hid in a tree hole, not daring to breathe. The tree hole was filled with a rotten smell, and the darkness was filled with unknown fear.

The beast lingered outside the tree hole for a while, sniffing the air, its nose twitching constantly and making low growling sounds.

Zhang Hao and the herbalist's heartbeats raced, fearing they would be discovered by the beast. They huddled close together, each feeling the other's pounding heartbeats.

After a long time, the beast finally left. The heavy footsteps gradually faded away until they disappeared into the depths of the forest.

"We should be leaving now," the herbalist whispered. His voice was trembling, as if he hadn't fully recovered from the fear he had just felt.

Zhang Hao cautiously poked his head out and observed, confirming that the beast had left. "Let's leave quickly," Zhang Hao said. His voice was low, but full of determination.

The two emerged from the tree hollow and continued on their way. A thick fog filled the forest, blurring their vision. The white mist moved through the trees like a ghost, adding a touch of mystery and terror to the forest.

"Be careful, don't get lost," Zhang Hao warned, his voice hazy in the thick fog.

The herbalists followed Zhang Hao closely, their steps cautious and vigilant.

Suddenly, the herbalist slipped and fell into a trap. "Ah!" The herbalist's scream echoed through the forest. The sound, filled with pain and fear, seemed to tear through the thick fog.

Zhang Hao hurriedly stopped and turned to check. The trap was deep, and the herbalist was groaning in pain at the bottom.

"How are you?" Zhang Hao asked anxiously, his eyes full of concern and worry.

"My legs seem to be injured and I can't move," the herbalist said painfully, his face pale and his forehead covered with cold sweat.

Zhang Hao looked at the trap, feeling anxious. He searched for something to save the herbalist. There was nothing around except trees and weeds.

"Hold on, I'll definitely find a way to get you out," Zhang Hao said. His voice was firm and powerful, trying to give the herbalist a glimmer of hope.

Zhang Hao began to try to break off some branches and weave them into ropes. His hands were cut by the branches, and blood stained his palms red, but he didn't care at all.

After some effort, Zhang Hao finally managed to weave a simple rope. He threw one end of the rope into the trap and said, "Hold on to the rope, I'll pull you out!"

The herbalist endured the pain and grabbed the rope. Zhang Hao used all his strength to pull the herbalist up bit by bit.

Finally, the herbalist was pulled out of the trap.

"Thank you, Zhang Hao." The herbalist said weakly.

"Don't talk, take a rest first." Zhang Hao said.

However, before they could catch their breath, they heard a loud noise coming from the forest...