Rise of the Otherworld.

"Be careful!" the old man called out, but it was too late. The black-robed figure's hand had already touched the crystal ball, and instantly, a powerful light burst forth from it, illuminating the entire chamber like daylight. The light was dazzling, carrying an irresistible power that instantly filled every corner. Everyone instinctively closed their eyes, the light too glaring to look directly at. The intense light stung their eyes, causing them to burst into tears.

Zhang Hao thought to himself, "Retreat!" He shouted. His voice was faint in the light, but filled with anxiety and worry.

However, the light quickly spread, forming a powerful energy field that trapped them in place. The energy field was like an invisible cage, tightly binding their bodies and making them unable to move at all.

"What on earth is going on?" the herbalist said in horror, his voice filled with anxiety. His eyes were wide open with fear, and his body was shaking with nervousness.

Zhang Hao tried hard to break free from the restraint of this force, but to no avail. "Everyone calm down first and see if we can find a way to break it." Veins bulged on his forehead and sweat poured down like rain. Every struggle seemed so powerless.

At this moment, the light from the crystal ball began to converge into images, depicting ancient scenes and mysterious rituals. The images were so vivid that they seemed to transport them to a distant era. In the images, a mysterious figure held aloft a sacred artifact, which radiated a dazzling light. The surrounding people knelt in worship, their faces filled with awe and reverence. Suddenly, the scene shifted to reveal a terrible catastrophe: the earth cracked, the sky burned, and endless darkness enveloped everything.

"Is this a sign of something?" The black-robed man frowned, his eyes fixed on the images, trying to find some clues.

Just as they were puzzled, the light from the crystal ball became even more dazzling, and a powerful suction force seemed to be sucking their souls out of their bodies. The suction was so strong that they felt dizzy and as if the whole world was spinning.

"Oh no! Our souls are about to be sucked in!" the herbalist cried out in agony. He held his head tightly with both hands, his face distorted with pain.

Zhang Hao gritted his teeth and tried his best to resist the suction. "Everyone, concentrate and hold on!" His voice was trembling, but still full of determination.

Just when they were about to collapse, Zhang Hao suddenly discovered a rune on the crystal ball. The rune was flickering with a faint light, and it was particularly eye-catching in the chaos.

"Perhaps this is the key!" He exerted all his strength, injecting spiritual power into the rune. His body trembled slightly, and every bit of spiritual power he exerted made him feel extremely exhausted, but his eyes were full of hope.

A miracle happened. The crystal ball's light gradually dimmed, and its suction gradually disappeared. The powerful energy field receded like the tide, and everyone was finally able to move freely.

Everyone collapsed to the ground, gasping for breath. Their bodies were exhausted to the extreme, as if they had experienced a long and brutal battle.

"I finally escaped," the black-robed man said. His voice was weak and hoarse. He lay on the ground, looking at the ceiling, his eyes filled with relief at having survived.

Zhang Hao looked at the crystal ball and said, "But the picture shown in this crystal ball must have important meaning." His eyes were deep and solemn, and he fell into deep thought.

After a short rest and regaining some strength, they continued to study the secrets in the crystal ball.

The old man stepped forward and carefully observed the image on the crystal ball. "This seems to be related to the artifact we are looking for."

The herbalist came over and said, "But this image is too blurry. It's hard for us to get accurate information from it."

Zhang Hao thought for a moment and said, "Perhaps we need to find more clues to solve this mystery."

At this moment, the crystal ball flickered again, and the outline of a map appeared on the screen.

"Is this the map that guides us?" the man in black robe said in surprise.

Zhang Hao carefully observed the map and said, "It's possible. Let's look for it according to this map."

Following the map's instructions, they left the secret room and continued exploring the ruins. Along the way, they encountered various traps and mechanisms, but with their previous experience and cooperation, they were able to overcome them one by one.

"This place is full of dangers." complained the herbalist.

Zhang Hao encouraged everyone, "As long as we persevere, we will definitely find the artifact."

Finally, they arrived at a huge hall...