Rise of the Otherworld.

In this eerie calm, everyone's nerves remained tense, not daring to relax even a little. Zhang Hao vigilantly observed his surroundings, his sword tightly gripped in his hand, the blade gleaming faintly, as if reflecting his inner vigilance. His eyes were as sharp as an eagle's, not missing a single subtle movement.

The woman's body trembled slightly, her eyes filled with uneasiness. "It's so quiet that it's scary." Her voice was as thin as a mosquito's. Her hands unconsciously twisted the corners of her clothes, and her knuckles turned white from the force.

The herbalist also looked nervous, with beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. "I always feel that something bad is going to happen." His breathing became rapid, and he gripped the wooden stick in his hand even tighter.

The old man sat on the ground, adjusting his breathing, trying to recover his strength as quickly as possible. His chest rose and fell violently, and every breath seemed so difficult, but his eyes remained firm, silently preparing for the danger that might come next.

The black-robed figure paced around, his magic surging subtly. A faint halo of magic seemed to emanate from beneath his feet. His expression was solemn, as he carefully considered his response.

The mysterious man still had his eyes closed, but a barely perceptible smile played at the corner of his mouth. That smile was like the cold wind on a cold night, chilling people to the bone.

Zhang Hao glanced at the mysterious man, and his doubts grew even stronger. "What on earth are you planning?" His voice was low and stern, with an irresistible majesty.

The mysterious man slowly opened his eyes, a hint of cunning flashed in his eyes, "Just wait and see, you will know." His tone was full of mystery and provocation.

At this moment, a strange fragrance suddenly spread out. The fragrance was as ethereal as a veil, but it quickly filled the entire space.

"What's that smell?" The woman covered her mouth and nose, frowning, her eyes full of panic.

Zhang Hao frowned, a bad premonition rising in his heart, "Be careful, this may be poisonous." He reminded everyone loudly, while using the strength in his body to try to resist the invasion of the fragrance.

Everyone became alert, but as the aroma grew stronger, their consciousness began to blur. The aroma seemed to have an invisible magic power, eroding their minds bit by bit.

Zhang Hao tried hard to stay awake. He clenched his teeth and veins bulged on his forehead. "Everyone cheer up!" His voice sounded a little weak in the fragrance, but it was still full of encouragement and persistence.

But he also felt his body growing heavier, his vision gradually blurring, and the scene before him began to distort, as if everything had become unreal.

The herbalist shook his head, his eyes became blurred, "I... I can't do it anymore." After saying that, he fell to the ground with a dull sound.

The old man could no longer hold on and fainted, his body collapsing limply like a house without its support.

The woman took one last look at Zhang Hao, her eyes filled with helplessness and despair, and she lost consciousness. Her body slowly fell to the ground, like a withered flower.

Only the black-robed man, relying on his powerful magic, was still struggling to hold on. Magical light flickered around his body, forming a thin shield that tried to block the intrusion of the fragrance.

The mysterious man watched everyone fall, stood up, and laughed triumphantly, "Hmph, all of you fall down." His laughter echoed in the silent space, sounding particularly harsh.

The man in black robe glared at the mysterious man, his eyes almost spitting fire, "What did you do?" His voice trembled with anger, and magic power gathered into a huge magic ball in his hands.

The mysterious man smiled and said nonchalantly, "This is the incense of the ruins. You can't escape it." His tone was relaxed, as if everything was under his control.

The black-robed man gritted his teeth, ready for a desperate fight. He poured all his magical power into the magic ball. "Even if I die, I'll take you with me!" He roared and threw the magic ball at the mysterious man.

The mysterious man dodged the attack easily by moving to the side. "You are overestimating your own abilities."

At this moment, a low roar came from the depths of the passage...