Rise of the Otherworld.

The monster collapsed to the ground with a crashing thud, sending up a cloud of dust. Zhang Hao, the herbalist, and the old man all gasped for breath, looking exhausted at the fallen monster. Their eyes were filled with both the relief of defeating a powerful foe and the palpitations of the intense battle just now.

"It's finally over..." The herbalist slumped to the ground, his entire body drained of strength. His clothes were tattered, stained with blood and dust, and his face was filled with exhaustion and relief at having survived.

Zhang Hao also slowly sat down against a rock. His arms and body were covered in wounds, blood staining his clothes. Each wound burned with pain, but his eyes remained resolute. "But we can't let our guard down yet." His voice was weak, but filled with alertness.

The old man's condition wasn't optimistic either. His mana had been depleted, and his face was as pale as paper. His once piercing eyes had lost their former brilliance, appearing somewhat dim. "Take care of the wound first, then make plans." His voice trembled slightly, revealing his current weakness.

The three of them supported each other and found a relatively safe place to sit down. The herbalist pulled some herbs from his pocket and began bandaging the wounds of Zhang Hao and the old man. His movements were a little awkward, but he was very serious.

"This monster is so powerful! If we hadn't worked together, we probably wouldn't have been able to defeat it," Zhang Hao sighed. He gazed into the distance, recalling every moment of the battle, his heart filled with admiration for the power of teamwork.

The old man nodded slightly, "This can be considered a test of life and death. I believe that after this, your strength will be improved to a higher level." A relieved smile appeared on his face. Although he was physically exhausted, his spirit seemed particularly excited.

While bandaging the wound, the herbalist said, "I hope I won't encounter such danger again in the future. My heart can't stand it." There was a hint of complaint in his voice, but more of it was gratitude for being able to survive.

Zhang Hao smiled and said, "With more experience, you will naturally become stronger." His smile was full of confidence and anticipation for the future.

After bandaging their wounds, they rested and recovered their strength. The valley gradually grew quiet, save for the gentle breeze and the rustling of leaves, as if playing a soothing requiem for them.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Hao opened his eyes, feeling somewhat rejuvenated. "We can't stay here much longer. We need to leave as soon as possible," he said, his voice piercing the silence with a hint of urgency.

The old man stood up and said, "That's right, but before we leave, we have to find out why this monster appeared here." His eyes were firm, and he was determined to find out the truth of the matter.

They began searching the surroundings and discovered some strange runes and sigils. The runes were carved into the stone, emitting faint magical fluctuations. The sigils resembled some mysterious patterns, leaving people baffled.

"This seems to be a sealing spell," the old man said as he studied it carefully. His brow furrowed, his fingers gently touching the runes, trying to decipher the secrets within.

The herbalist asked in confusion: "Could it be that the seal has failed, allowing the monster to escape?" His eyes were full of doubts, and he looked at the old man, hoping to get an answer.

Zhang Hao frowned, "Maybe someone deliberately broke the seal." A bad premonition arose in his heart. If someone really did it on purpose, the conspiracy behind it must be quite big.

Just then, footsteps were heard in the distance. They were light, but remarkably clear in the silent valley. The three men tensed up and tightened their grip on their weapons.

"Who is it?" Zhang Hao shouted loudly.

The footsteps suddenly stopped and the surroundings fell into dead silence.

The herbalist's heartbeat quickened rapidly. "Could it be another enemy?"

The old man made a gesture of silence, signaling everyone to be careful.

After a while, a figure emerged from the woods...