Rise of the Otherworld.

Suddenly, a sinister laugh echoed from the front. It echoed through the thick fog, sharp and piercing, chilling the very bones of the body. Every note seemed to emanate from the abyss of the underworld, carrying with it an endless chill and malice.

"Who is it?" Zhang Hao shouted, his voice filled with alarm and anger. He gripped his sword tightly, his muscles tense, ready to respond to any danger. His eyes darted around, trying to locate the source of the laughter in the dense fog.

The woman unconsciously approached Zhang Hao and said in a trembling voice, "This laughter is so scary, what on earth is that?" Her body trembled slightly, her hands tightly grasped Zhang Hao's sleeves, her eyes full of fear and anxiety.

The old man frowned and muttered to himself, "It seems that the dangers in this valley are more than just this." His eyes were deep and worried, and he unconsciously clenched the staff in his hand as he secretly thought about how to deal with it.

The herbalist turned pale with fear and stammered, "Could it be...could it be the ghost of this monster?" His legs went weak and he almost collapsed to the ground, his eyes full of fear and despair.

The black-robed man snorted coldly, then flashed towards the source of the laughter. His figure, like a ghost, instantly vanished into the thick fog. However, he didn't get far before he hit an invisible wall and was repelled.

"Be careful!" Zhang Hao shouted. His voice echoed in the thick fog, filled with anxiety and worry.

At this moment, the laughter stopped abruptly, and the surroundings fell into a deathly silence. This sudden silence was even more unsettling than the previous laughter, as if a pair of invisible eyes were watching them in the darkness, waiting for the perfect moment to strike.

"What the hell is going on?" the little girl clutched Zhang Hao's clothes tightly, her voice tinged with tears. Her face turned pale with fear, tears welling up in her eyes.

Zhang Hao comforted her, "Don't be afraid, I'm here." He patted the little girl's shoulder gently, trying to give her some courage and comfort, but his own heart was also full of doubts and uneasiness.

Everyone was at a loss in the thick fog, and the atmosphere became increasingly tense. Everyone's breathing became rapid, and the sound of their heartbeats was particularly clear in the silent environment.

Suddenly, a cold wind blew, carrying with it a strange breath that was so cold it seemed to penetrate one's soul.

"Not good! Everyone, stand back to back and be careful!" the old man shouted. His voice broke the brief silence and made everyone alert.

The wind grew stronger and stronger, blinding everyone. The howling wind whipped up the sand and rocks on the ground, forming small tornadoes. Everyone's clothes rustled in the wind, their hair tangled.

When the wind died down, they noticed the surrounding landscape had changed. The original valley was gone, replaced by a barren desert. Looking out, there was an endless expanse of yellow sand, emitting billowing waves of heat under the scorching sun.

"Where... where is this?" the herbalist asked in horror. His voice became sharp with fear, and his eyes were wide, unable to believe what he saw.

Zhang Hao looked at the endless desert, his heart filled with doubts. The desert seemed like a huge maze, making it impossible to find a way out.

At this moment, a dark figure appeared on the distant sand dunes. The figure looked particularly mysterious under the scorching sun, and its face could not be seen clearly.

"What's that?" the woman said, pointing at the figure. Her voice was filled with nervousness and curiosity.

Everyone looked closely and saw that the figure gradually became clearer. It turned out to be a mysterious man shrouded in a black robe. His black robe fluttered in the wind, as if blending into the desert.

The mysterious man spoke slowly: "Do you think you can leave here by defeating that monster? You are so naive!" His voice was low and hoarse, full of disdain and ridicule.

Zhang Hao stepped forward and said, "Who are you? Why are you stopping us?" He stared at the mysterious man firmly, without any retreat.

The mysterious man sneered: "Who am I? You don't need to know. You only need to know that this is where you will die!" He slowly raised his hands, and a powerful force gathered in his palms.

After saying this, the mysterious man waved his hands, and countless waves of sand suddenly surged up from the desert, sweeping towards the crowd. The waves were dozens of meters high, like moving mountains, carrying the momentum of destruction.

Everyone unleashed their skills, attempting to resist the surging sand waves. Zhang Hao wielded his sword, its energy carving gaps through the sand. A woman unleashed a magical shield, enveloping everyone. An old man waved his staff, summoning a fierce wind to disperse the sand waves. The herbalist desperately threw rocks, trying to slow the waves. The black-robed figure flashed, weaving through the sand waves, searching for the mysterious figure's weakness.

However, the sand waves became more numerous and fiercer, and everyone gradually felt powerless...