Rise of the Otherworld.

Everyone lay on the ground, gasping for breath, exhausted. The herbalist's chest heaved violently. "I... I feel like my legs aren't mine anymore." His voice was weak and feeble, as if he would die in the next second. Sweat dripped down his forehead, dripping onto the ground beneath him and disappearing in an instant.

Zhang Hao sat leaning against a tree, breathing in the damp air with deep gulps. "Everyone, hurry up and recover your strength. I wonder if that shadow will catch up with us." His voice, though thick with fatigue, was filled with worry and vigilance. His gaze flickered around, his sword never loosening its grip.

The old man closed his eyes, silently channeling his magical powers, trying to recover as quickly as possible. His brows were furrowed, the wrinkles on his face seemed to deepen, and each breath seemed heavy.

The black-robed man examined his wounds, his face grim. His clothes were tattered, and the blood from the wounds had dried, clinging to his clothes. Every movement brought a piercing pain.

After a while, Zhang Hao stood up and said, "We can't stay here for long, we have to move on." His voice broke the brief silence. Although it was a little hoarse, it was full of determination.

Everyone forced themselves to stay together and followed Zhang Hao as they continued to grope forward in the fog. Their steps were weak and each step seemed to exhaust all their strength.

After walking for a while, they found a cave in front of them. The entrance of the cave was hidden by weeds and vines, and it was barely visible.

"Why don't we go in and take a look? Maybe we can hide for a while," the herbalist suggested. There was a hint of anticipation in his voice, as if this cave was their last hope.

Zhang Hao hesitated for a moment, "Be careful of traps, but there is no better choice at the moment." His eyes moved back and forth between the cave and the crowd, and finally decided to take the risk.

They walked into the cave, which was dark and damp, with a foul smell. The ground was covered with stagnant water and gravel, and water droplets kept dripping from the walls, making a crisp sound.

Suddenly, a deep roar came from the depths of the cave. The sound seemed to come from an ancient beast, carrying endless anger and majesty.

"Oh no, there's something in here!" the old man exclaimed. His voice trembled, and the staff in his hand unconsciously raised up.

Everyone suddenly tensed up, tightening their grip on their weapons. Their heartbeats quickened, and their breathing quickened.

A gigantic python leaped out of the darkness, its maw wide open, and pounced upon them. Its body was as thick as a tree trunk, its scales gleaming with a cold light.

Zhang Hao, unafraid, charged forward to fight the python. His sword shone rays of light through the darkness, each strike carrying a killing determination.

The python twisted its body and swept its tail across with such force that wherever it passed, gravel flew and blocks of stone from the wall fell.

The herbalist was so scared that he stepped back repeatedly, "This...this is too big!" His voice was full of fear, his legs were weak and he almost collapsed to the ground.

The old man quickly cast a spell to support Zhang Hao. Rays of light shot out from his staff and hit the python, but only caused it to pause briefly.

The black-robed man circled behind the python, looking for an opportunity to attack. His figure was like a ghost, moving through the darkness.

After a fierce battle, Zhang Hao finally found the python's weakness and stabbed it with his sword. Blood gushed out instantly, staining the ground red.

The python twisted its body in pain, screaming repeatedly. Its strength gradually weakened, and it finally fell to the ground, motionless.

"It's finally solved." Zhang Hao breathed a sigh of relief. His body was shaky and he leaned against the wall, gasping for breath.

At this moment, a strange sound came from the depths of the cave. It sounded like someone whispering, and also like the whistling of the wind, which made people shudder.

"What...what is this?" The herbalist's voice was filled with tears, and his body was shaking even more violently.

Zhang Hao stood up straight and gripped the sword tightly in his hand. "No matter what it is, we have to go and see it." His voice was tired but full of courage.

Everyone walked cautiously towards the source of the sound, each step filled with unknown dangers...