Rise of the Otherworld.

When Zhang Hao regained consciousness, he found himself in darkness, his body aching as if crushed by a huge rock. A damp air filled the air, making it difficult to breathe. He tried to move his fingers, but even such a simple movement proved incredibly difficult. Every muscle protested, every nerve screamed.

"Everyone...are you all still alive?" Zhang Hao spoke with difficulty, his voice faint in the darkness, as if it would be swallowed up at any moment. His throat was so dry it was practically smoking, and every word he spoke was like enduring immense pain.

A weak response from a woman came from not far away: "I... am still here." Her voice was intermittent, filled with fatigue and pain.

Then came the herbalist's voice: "I'm not dead, but I can't hold on any longer." His voice was full of helplessness and despair, as if he was on the verge of collapse.

The old man and the black-robed man also spoke one after another, indicating that they still had a breath of air. But their voices were also weak and powerless, like a candle in the wind, which could be extinguished at any time.

Zhang Hao endured the excruciating pain, trying to clear his mind. His thoughts were a tangled mess, and every thought was accompanied by a wave of dizziness. But he knew they couldn't just sit there and wait for death; they had to find a way out.

"Everyone, look around to see if there's anything useful," Zhang Hao said. His voice was weak, but it carried a firm resolve.

Everyone began to grope in the darkness. The woman's hands frantically grasped at the dark, accidentally touching a sharp stone and cutting her finger, but she remained silent. The herbalist groaned in pain as he explored the ground with his feet. The old man, drawing on years of experience, carefully sensed his surroundings. The man in the black robe silently chanted an incantation, attempting to use magic to sense the objects around him.

The woman touched a sharp stone. "I found a stone," she said with a hint of surprise in her voice.

The herbalist found a fairly sturdy stick and said, "I have a stick here."

The old man found some dried vines. "These vines might be useful."

Zhang Hao thought for a moment and said, "Let's use these things to make a simple tool and see if we can climb out of the cave by grabbing the wall."

They immediately got to work. Under Zhang Hao's direction, everyone pieced together their supplies. A woman sharpened one end of a wooden stick with a stone, while an old man wove vines together to connect them to the stick. Herbalists helped secure the pieces.

Zhang Hao took the lead, gripping his tools tightly as he inched upwards. Every inch he climbed required immense effort. Sweat soaked his clothes, mixing with the blood on his body to create dark red streaks. His arms trembled from the exertion, as if they would give out at any moment.

Just as he was about to give out, he finally felt a relatively stable bump. "Come on, everyone! There's hope!" Zhang Hao shouted, his voice trembling with excitement.

Others were inspired and began to climb one after another.

While climbing, the woman accidentally missed a step and instantly fell. "Be careful!" Zhang Hao reached out and held her tightly. The woman's heartbeat was racing, and her face was filled with fear.

The herbalist, severely injured, climbed very slowly. His breathing was rapid, and every movement required immense effort. But with everyone's encouragement, he never gave up.

Finally, after a long and arduous climb, they saw the exit above. Sunlight streamed down from the exit, forming golden beams that illuminated their tired and hopeful faces.

"Try harder!" Zhang Hao shouted, his voice full of power.

Everyone worked together and climbed out of the cave.

When they stood in the sunshine again, feeling the gentle breeze, their hearts were filled with the feeling of surviving a catastrophe. The warm sunshine on their bodies was like a mother's embrace, giving them endless comfort.

"We survived!" the woman cried with joy. Her tears slid down her cheeks, sparkling in the sunlight.

However, before they could celebrate, they discovered their surroundings were completely unfamiliar. They were in a desolate valley, surrounded by steep mountains, with no way out in sight. A thin mist filled the valley, creating a sense of mystery and fear.

"Where is this?" The herbalist looked around with a confused look on his face.

Zhang Hao frowned, "I don't know, but let's look for water and food first."

They dragged their exhausted bodies and trudged forward through the valley, the ground beneath their feet was rugged and overgrown with weeds, and they had to be careful with every step they took.

Suddenly, a low roar came from a distance...