Rise of the Otherworld.

The moment their fingers touched the runes, a powerful light erupted from the stone door. Everyone instinctively closed their eyes. The light was so dazzling that it seemed to illuminate their very souls. Like a newborn sun, it was blazing and intense, instantly illuminating the entire dark cave like daylight. The light held a mysterious and ancient power, causing their skin to sting and burn slightly.

As the light gradually faded, they slowly opened their eyes, stunned by the sight before them. Beyond the stone doorway lay a vast secret chamber, its walls inlaid with countless glittering gems, illuminating the entire space. The gems shone like stars, emitting a dazzling array of light, adorning the chamber with a dreamlike quality. The gems' radiance intertwined, forming a dazzling curtain of light that made one feel as if they were transported to a mysterious wonderland.

"This...this is magnificent," the herbalist exclaimed, his eyes aglow with the light of the gemstones. His mouth dropped open, his eyes filled with disbelief and greed. He couldn't help but take a few steps forward, wanting to reach out and touch the gemstones.

Zhang Hao walked into the secret room cautiously, "Be careful, there might be a trap." His voice was low and alert. He held the sword tightly in his hand and his eyes kept scanning the surroundings, not missing any corner that might hide danger.

The man in black robe followed him and said, "Never mind him, let's go in and take a look first." There was a hint of impulse and curiosity in his tone, and he couldn't wait to explore this mysterious place.

In the center of the chamber, there was a large stone platform upon which rested an ancient scroll. The cover of the scroll had turned yellow, and was engraved with mysterious symbols and patterns, exuding an ancient and mysterious aura.

The old man stepped forward and examined the scroll carefully. "This may be the key to unlocking the mystery of the artifact." There was a hint of excitement and anticipation in his voice. His fingers gently touched the cover of the scroll, feeling the ancient power coming from it.

At that moment, a sinister laugh suddenly erupted. "Hahahaha, you're finally here!" The voice echoed through the secret room, sending chills down everyone's spines. The laughter seemed to emanate from the depths of the underworld, carrying an endless chill and evil that sent chills down everyone's spines.

Everyone suddenly became nervous. Zhang Hao clenched the sword in his hand, "Who is it? Come out quickly!" His voice was full of majesty and anger, and his eyes shot towards the direction where the voice came from like lightning.

A dark figure slowly emerged from the corner, his form blurry and emitting an evil aura. The shadow's outline was vague, as if blending into the darkness, making it difficult to discern his true appearance.

"You think you can easily obtain a divine artifact? How naive!" The shadow sneered. His voice was like the cry of a night owl, harsh and unpleasant, filled with mockery and disdain.

Zhang Hao glared at the black shadow, "Who are you? Why are you stopping us?" His eyes were burning with anger, and the sword in his hand trembled slightly, ready to attack at any time.

The black shadow laughed, "I am the guardian of this secret room. If you want the artifact, you have to get past me first." His figure suddenly flashed and appeared in front of everyone in an instant. He stretched out a hand, turned into a black claw, and grabbed towards Zhang Hao.

With that, the shadow launched its attack, sending a black energy wave hurtling towards everyone. The energy wave, like a black flame, carried the power to destroy everything. Wherever it passed, the air sizzled.

Zhang Hao stepped forward, brandishing his sword to block the attack. "Everyone, be careful!" His sword collided with the energy wave, creating a loud bang and sending sparks flying. The powerful impact knocked him back a few steps, but he managed to keep his footing.

The old man quickly cast a spell, offering protection for everyone. His staff shone with light, and a transparent shield appeared around them, blocking the remaining power of the energy wave.

The black-robed man and the herbalist were not to be outdone and launched their attacks. The black-robed man's weapon flashed with a cold light as he stabbed at the shadow, while the herbalist threw handfuls of herbs, which transformed into green light and shot towards the shadow.

For a moment, the secret room was ablaze with light, and a fierce battle unfolded. Lights of various colors collided with each other, emitting a deafening sound. Dark figures moved through the light, as elusive as ghosts.

The black shadow was so powerful that Zhang Hao and the others gradually fell into trouble. Their attacks seemed to have little effect on the black shadow, and every attack from the black shadow made them exhausted.

"This isn't going to work," Zhang Hao fretted. His forehead was covered in sweat, and his breathing became rapid, but his eyes remained firm as he continued to ponder a strategy.

While fighting, he observed the shadow's flaws. Although the shadow's movements were fast, every time it attacked, there would be a brief gap in its defense on the right side.

"Attack his right side!" Zhang Hao shouted loudly. His voice was particularly clear in the clamor of battle, pointing everyone in the right direction.

Upon hearing this, everyone concentrated their strength to attack the right side of the black shadow. Various weapons and spells gathered together to form a powerful force that rushed towards the right side of the black shadow.

The black shadow was caught off guard and was hit, screaming miserably. His body trembled slightly, and the black aura became disordered.

Taking advantage of this opportunity, Zhang Hao rushed forward and stabbed the black shadow with his sword. His sword, with unstoppable momentum, instantly penetrated the black shadow's body.

The shadow transformed into a wisp of black smoke and dissipated into the air. Silence returned to the chamber, leaving only the heavy breathing of the crowd.

"Finally solved." Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Their bodies were exhausted, their wounds ached, but their hearts were filled with the joy of victory.

Zhang Hao walked towards the stone platform and picked up the ancient scroll. The moment his hand touched the scroll, a powerful force flowed into his body...