Rise of the Otherworld.

Just as they approached the core, a powerful force pushed them back again. They fell to the ground and rolled a long way. The hard ground scraped their skin, and the pain was instantly overwhelming, but they didn't care about the pain at the moment.

Zhang Hao struggled to get up, his clothes were already in tatters. "This power is too strong, how can we get close to it?" His eyes were full of helplessness and unwillingness. Looking at the core emitting mysterious light, his heart was full of frustration.

The woman rubbed her arm which was hurt from the fall. Her fair skin was covered with purple marks. "There must be a way. We can't just give up like this." Her voice was a little trembling, but it revealed a firm determination.

The old man looked at the core, thinking about something. The wrinkles left by the years on his face appeared even deeper at this moment. "The power of this core seems to be bound by some kind of restriction. We have to find a way to break this restriction." His eyes were deep and focused, as if he wanted to see the essence of the restriction through the light.

The herbalist had a bitter look on his face, and the wounds on his body made him grimace. "Can we do it?" There was a hint of doubt and fear in his voice, and he was extremely worried about the predicament before him.

The little girl's eyes were determined, and her small body seemed to contain great strength. "How do you know if you don't try?" Her eyes were clear and brave, without any intention of retreating.

The man in black robe snorted coldly, "Then give it a try." His expression remained indifferent, but a hint of determination flashed in his eyes.

Everyone began to carefully observe the situation around the core, searching for a flaw in the restriction. The light around the core flickered, causing their eyes to sting, but they still endured it, not missing a single detail.

After some investigation, the old man discovered some patterns. "This restriction seems to be related to the surrounding runes." He pointed to the complex and mysterious runes on the ground, with a hint of excitement in his voice.

Following the old man's instructions, everyone saw densely packed runes carved into the ground around the core. Those runes were like ancient codes, leaving people baffled.

"Perhaps we need to activate these runes in a specific order to break the ban." Zhang Hao speculated, his brows furrowed and his brain working rapidly.

So, they tried cautiously. Every time they touched the rune, it was like touching an unknown fate.

But every wrong attempt would trigger a powerful backlash that made everyone miserable. That force hit them like a hammer, knocking them back time and time again.

"This won't work. We need to rethink it." said the woman, her forehead covered with sweat and her face growing paler.

Just when everyone was in trouble, the little girl suddenly said, "I seem to be able to feel the emotions of these runes." Although her voice was childish, it was full of mystery.

Everyone looked at her in surprise, their eyes full of confusion and expectation.

The little girl closed her eyes and tried to feel the runes with her heart. "The runes on this side are more urgent, the ones on that side are more peaceful..." Her voice was soft and focused, as if she had established some special connection with those runes.

Under the guidance of the little girl, everyone tried again, their hands trembling, each touch filled with tension and anticipation.

Finally, when the last rune was correctly activated, the restriction emitted a dazzling light, then shattered and dissipated. The light was as brilliant as fireworks, illuminating the tired yet excited faces of everyone.

The power of the core no longer resisted them. However, before they could breathe a sigh of relief, a new crisis quietly arrived.

The surrounding space began to tremble violently, and black cracks appeared in the air. From these cracks came waves of terrifying roars, as if countless demons were about to break out of the world.

"What is this?" the herbalist shouted in horror.

Zhang Hao gripped his sword tightly, "No matter what it is, we must face it!"

The woman took a deep breath and gathered the power of the spell once again.

The old man's eyes were serious, "Everyone, be careful."

As the roar grew louder, huge claws stretched out from the cracks and grabbed at everyone...