Rise of the Otherworld.

After Zhang Hao and his companions escaped the stone chamber, they discovered a dark passageway outside, shrouded in thick fog, making it impossible to see the path ahead. The fog, like thick ink, shrouded everything in a hazy haze, as if hiding countless unknown dangers.

"What kind of place is this?" the herbalist's voice trembled, his heart filled with fear. His body trembled uncontrollably, and his eyes darted around, as if he was afraid something would suddenly burst out of the mist.

Zhang Hao frowned and said, "No matter what, let's move forward and see if we can find a way out." His voice was firm and powerful, and he held the sword tightly in his hand, bringing a bit of courage to everyone.

Everyone groped their way cautiously through the passage. The ground was slippery, covered in moss and water stains, requiring extreme caution with every step to avoid slipping. From time to time, water dripped from the wall, making a crisp sound that was particularly clear in the silent passage, like a countdown to the passage of time.

As we walked, we suddenly heard a sinister laugh coming from the front. The laugh seemed to come from the depths of hell, full of evil and mockery, echoing in the narrow passage, making us shudder.

"Who?" the black-robed figure shouted, his voice echoing through the passage. His eyes were sharp as he stared ahead vigilantly, his body tense, ready to respond to any danger that might arise.

The laughter did not stop, but became louder and louder, sharp and piercing, as if mocking their incompetence and helplessness.

The old man stopped and said, "Be careful, this might be some kind of trap." His voice was low and serious, and the staff in his hand trembled slightly, showing his inner nervousness.

Before he could finish his words, countless sharp arrows suddenly shot out from both sides of the passage. Like locusts, the sharp arrows pierced the air with a shrill sound, leaving no room for escape.

"Hide!" Zhang Hao shouted. He quickly turned sideways and used his sword to block the arrow that was shot at him.

Everyone dodged quickly, the arrows grazing past them, a thrilling experience. Some arrows penetrated deeply into the wall, while others fell to the ground, the arrowheads colliding with the ground, splashing sparks.

However, the attack did not stop, and soon another fireball flew in from the front. The fireball burned fiercely, illuminating the passage, bringing a brief moment of light, but also bringing a greater threat.

Zhang Hao waved his sword to resist, "This is not a solution, we have to find the source of the attack." His forehead was covered with sweat, his eyes were firm, and he kept observing the situation around him.

They dodged the attacks while observing their surroundings. The passage was filled with smoke and flames, greatly obstructing their vision.

At this moment, Zhang Hao noticed some strange runes flickering on the ceiling above his head. Those runes emitted a strange light, sometimes bright and sometimes dim, as if they were controlling everything.

"Perhaps that's the key to controlling the mechanism." He leaped up, attempting to destroy the runes. His body arced through the air, his sword pointed at the runes.

Just as he was about to touch the rune, a powerful force pushed him back. He fell heavily to the ground like a cannonball, making a dull sound.

"Zhang Hao!" others exclaimed. Their voices were filled with worry and concern.

Zhang Hao fell heavily to the ground, "I'm fine, keep thinking of a solution." He gritted his teeth and struggled to get up from the ground, a trace of blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.

The old man thought for a moment and said, "Let's concentrate our strength and attack that place." His eyes were firm and his staff was raised high.

Everyone nodded, unleashing their strongest spells and abilities. Light emanated from their hands: blue magic light, black sword energy, and green herbal energy.

The light gathered together, forming a powerful force, rushing towards the runes on the ceiling.

After a loud bang, the attack finally stopped. The passage was filled with smoke and dust, and everything became quiet.

They continued forward, and at the end of the passage, a door appeared. The door was black, engraved with strange patterns, and exuded a mysterious aura.

Zhang Hao slowly pushed open the door, revealing a vast hall. In the center of the hall sat a massive crystal ball, emitting an eerie glow. Surrounding it were various strange statues, some with hideous faces and others with bizarre shapes.

"What on earth is this place?" the herbalist couldn't help but ask.

Before they could react, the crystal ball suddenly shone brightly...