Rise of the Otherworld.

Everyone lay on the ground, enjoying a moment of peace, the sun warming their weary bodies. A gentle breeze brought a touch of coolness, soothing their frayed nerves. Zhang Hao slowly sat up and looked around, his heart filled with emotion. His gaze swept across everyone's face, seeing expressions of exhaustion yet hope.

"This time, I really narrowly escaped death," the herbalist said, panting heavily. His voice was filled with a hint of relief at having survived a disaster. He lay on the ground, unable to move, as if all his strength had been drained.

The black-robed man stood up and dusted himself off. His movements were a bit stiff, clearly expending considerable energy. "But at least we dealt with that mysterious man." A hint of determination flashed in his eyes, as if this victory had reinforced his belief that they could handle future challenges.

The old man nodded. His white hair shone brightly in the sunlight, and the wrinkles on his face deepened. "But this place may hold more secrets than this." His voice was low and wise, carrying a sense of caution about the unknown.

At that moment, Zhang Hao suddenly noticed a faint flicker of light where the mysterious man had fallen. The light wasn't noticeable in the sunlight, but it caught Zhang Hao's keen attention. "What's that?" He walked over curiously, his steps stumbling slightly but steady.

Everyone followed his footsteps and arrived at the light. A jade pendant emitting a mysterious glow appeared before their eyes. The jade pendant was emerald green, and the light on it flowed like flowing water, imbued with a mysterious aura.

"This jade pendant looks unusual," the old man said, examining it carefully. His eyes narrowed, trying to discern any clues from the pendant. He reached out and gently touched it, feeling a cool, refreshing power emanate from his hand.

Zhang Hao picked up the jade pendant and felt a cool energy coming from his hand. The energy spread through his arm and throughout his body, instantly revitalizing his exhausted body. "Perhaps this is the key to solving the mystery of this place," he said with a hint of anticipation.

The man in black robe came over and examined the jade pendant carefully. "The runes on it look ancient and mysterious. I'm afraid they are not easy for us to decipher." He frowned and fell into deep thought.

The herbalist frowned, "I have never seen these runes before. Could they be some kind of ancient language?" His eyes were full of confusion as he tried to search for information about these runes from his memory.

Zhang Hao thought for a moment and said, "Anyway, let's take it with us first. Maybe we can find a way to decipher it later." He carefully put the jade pendant away, as if it were an extremely precious treasure.

Just as they were about to leave, a cry suddenly came from the distance. "Help!" The voice was filled with fear and helplessness, and it seemed particularly abrupt in the silent forest.

Everyone looked at each other and ran towards the sound without hesitation. Their figures shuttled through the woods, and the leaves were lifted up by their movements and fell down in a flutter.

Passing through a forest, they came upon a young woman surrounded by a pack of ferocious beasts. The beasts bared their fangs and claws, their eyes gleaming with greed. The woman's clothes were torn by branches, her face filled with despair, tears streaming down her face. Upon seeing Zhang Hao and the others, a glimmer of hope flashed in her eyes.

Zhang Hao shouted, swung his sword, and charged at the beast. His figure was as swift as lightning, his sword arcing through the air, stirring up a gust of wind. The black-robed figure cast a spell, sending beams of light shooting towards the beast, providing support for Zhang Hao.

The old man cast a defensive spell on them, muttering something to himself, while the herbalist searched the surrounding area for usable herbs, ready to heal everyone's wounds at any time.

After a fierce battle, the beasts were finally driven back. They roared in despair and disappeared into the depths of the forest.

The woman burst into tears of gratitude, "Thank you all for saving my life." Her voice trembled and her body was still shaking with fear.

The old man asked, "Girl, why are you here?" His voice was gentle and kind, trying to calm the woman.

The woman cried and said, "I was originally a villager from a nearby village. I accidentally came here and encountered these wild beasts." Her eyes were full of fear, as if she had not yet recovered from the danger just now.

Zhang Hao looked at the woman and asked, "Do you know any strange places nearby or anything about this jade pendant?" His eyes were full of anticipation, hoping to get useful information from the woman.

The woman wiped away her tears and thought for a moment. "I think I heard from the elders in the village that there is an ancient temple deep in this forest. It is said that it hides many unknown secrets. Perhaps there will be the answers you seek."

Upon hearing this, everyone decided to go to the temple to find out what was going on. They took the woman with them and embarked on a new journey. Along the way, they carefully avoided various dangers, their hearts filled with anticipation for the temple and trepidation about the unknown...