Rise of the Otherworld.

Before me lay a vast wasteland, barren and cracked. In the distance rose dark peaks, their summits shrouded in a black mist. The sky was sunless, a gray haze. A howling wind swept through, stirring up a cloud of dust so thick it was impossible to open my eyes.

Zhang Hao gazed at this unfamiliar scene, his heart filled with confusion and worry. He frowned, scanning his surroundings for clues. His clothes rustled in the wind, his expression grim and resolute.

"This place doesn't look good," the woman muttered to herself, a hint of uneasiness in her voice. She unconsciously clung to the magic wand in her hand, as if it was her only support.

The old man sighed lightly and said, "Anyway, let's go forward and see." Although his voice was steady, it also revealed a hint of helplessness.

They carefully stepped into this desolate land. The ground beneath their feet was as hard as iron, raising a cloud of dust with every step. The dry air seemed to suck every drop of moisture out of their bodies, leaving them thirsty.

After walking for a while, they found some strange footprints on the ground. The footprints were large, deep, irregular in shape, and had some messy scratches around them.

"What left this?" the herbalist asked curiously. He squatted down and gestured with his hands to measure the size of the footprint, his eyes full of confusion.

The mysterious man squatted down and observed carefully. "It doesn't look like human footprints, but more like some kind of huge beast." His voice was low and serious, his brows were furrowed, and he seemed to be thinking about something.

As soon as he finished speaking, a deep roar was heard in the distance. The sound seemed to come from hell, full of anger and threats, making people tremble with fear.

Everyone tensed up, gripping their weapons tightly. Zhang Hao's sword gleamed coldly in the wind, the woman's magic wand glowed, and the old man's staff emanated a mysterious aura.

The little girl was so scared that she hid behind the old man, "Grandpa, I'm scared." Her voice was crying and her little body was trembling.

"Don't be afraid, child," the old man soothed her. He gently stroked the little girl's hair, his eyes filled with determination and protection.

As the roar grew closer, a massive monster appeared before them. It was massive, tens of meters tall, its body covered in sharp thorns, each one as sharp as a sword. Its eyes gleamed with a ferocious light, and from its bloody mouth spewed a pungent, hot breath.

Zhang Hao took a deep breath and said, "Everyone, get ready for battle!" His voice was loud and decisive, instantly igniting everyone's fighting spirit.

The woman immediately cast a spell, sending streaks of light flying towards the monster. Like meteors, the magical light streaked across the sky, illuminating the gloomy landscape. The monster waved its claws, easily deflecting the magical attack, and the light instantly dissipated under its claws.

Zhang Hao seized the opportunity and rushed forward, swinging his sword at the monster's leg. Sparks flew as the sword collided with the monster's skin, but the monster's skin was as hard as iron, and the blow didn't cause much damage. The monster, in pain, angrily lunged at Zhang Hao.

The mysterious man and the old man also launched their attacks. The mysterious man's weapon transformed into streaks of light and shadow, piercing the monster's body; the old man's staff released powerful spells, forming runes that flew towards the monster. For a moment, the battle with the monster fell into a stalemate.

The monster's attacks grew more and more fierce. With a flick of its claws, it whipped up a gust of wind that blew everyone around. Its tail swept across like a giant whip, and everyone dodged quickly.

At this moment, Zhang Hao discovered that the monster's weakness was in its abdomen. The skin there was relatively thin and not protected by as many spikes.

"Attack its belly!" Zhang Hao shouted. His voice was faint in the strong wind, but everyone still heard his instructions.

Upon hearing this, everyone focused their efforts and launched an attack towards the monster's abdomen. The woman's magical light converged into a powerful beam, shooting towards the monster's belly. The mysterious man leaped up, his weapon stabbing straight at the weak spot. Zhang Hao and the old man also used all their strength, various attacks heading towards the monster's abdomen.

After a fierce struggle, the monster finally fell to the ground, raising a cloud of dust. Its body twitched a few times and then stopped moving.

Everyone collapsed to the ground exhausted, gasping for breath.

"We... finally defeated it..." the woman said weakly.

However, before they could rest, an even more terrifying roar was heard in the distance...