Rise of the Otherworld.

Everyone boarded the boat carefully. The boat was tossed and turned by the waves, in danger of capsizing at any moment. The wind howled, and the waves roared like wild beasts, shaking the boat violently with every impact.

Zhang Hao gripped the side of the boat tightly, trying to maintain his balance. "Everyone hold on tight! Don't let go!" His voice was shattered by the strong wind. His eyes were firm and focused. His clothes were soaked by the seawater and clung to his body, but he didn't care.

The woman's face was pale, and she clutched a rope beside her tightly with both hands. "The waves are too fierce!" Her voice trembled, and her beautiful face was filled with fear and exhaustion.

The old man held the little girl tightly in his arms, using his body to shield her from the splashing sea water. "Don't be afraid, child, it will be fine." His voice was gentle and steady. Although he was also shaking in the wind and waves, he still tried to bring a little comfort to the little girl.

The mysterious man and the herbalist were also trying to steady themselves, their eyes filled with tension and anxiety. The mysterious man's brows were furrowed, and he was trying to think of a response; the herbalist's face was full of fear, and he kept mumbling something.

Wave after wave crashed in, and the boat rolled on the sea like a fallen leaf. The seawater continued to surge onto the boat, icy cold, and everyone's clothes were already soaked, and the chill penetrated to the bone.

"This isn't going to work. We have to find a way to control the boat!" Zhang Hao shouted. His voice was so small amidst the strong wind and huge waves, but it was full of determination.

The mysterious man climbed to the bow with difficulty and tried to control the direction, "Let me try!" He gripped the rudder tightly with both hands and tried with all his strength to turn the direction of the boat, but the power of the waves was too strong and the mysterious man's efforts seemed insignificant.

At this moment, a huge wave rushed towards the boat. The wave was like a mountain, with the momentum of destroying everything.

"Be careful!" the woman screamed, her voice drowned out by the roar of the waves.

Everyone's heart was in their throat, watching the waves about to swallow the boat. In that moment, time seemed to stand still, and everyone's face was filled with despair.

At the critical moment, a strange light shot out from the old man's staff, and the light turned into a shield, blocking the impact of the waves. The sea water exploded on the shield, turning into countless splashes.

"It's safe for now, everyone, keep going!" the old man gasped. His face was covered in sweat, but his eyes remained firm.

Everyone took advantage of this brief respite to spring into action. Zhang Hao and the mysterious man worked together to adjust the boat's direction, their arms throbbing with the effort. The woman cast a spell, attempting to calm the waves. Rays of light shot from her wand and merged into the sea. The herbalist helped drain the water, desperately scooping out the seawater that had surged onto the boat with a basin.

With everyone's joint efforts, the boat gradually stabilized and moved forward with difficulty. Every inch of progress seemed like a life-and-death battle.

After an unknown amount of time, the waves finally subsided and the sea returned to calm. The warm sunlight penetrated the clouds and sprinkled on everyone, bringing a long-lost warmth.

"We succeeded!" the herbalist shouted excitedly. His face was filled with the joy of surviving the disaster, and his eyes were sparkling with tears of excitement.

However, before everyone could breathe a sigh of relief, the scene before them changed again.

They came to a dark forest covered with thorns, and a gloomy and terrifying atmosphere hit them. The tall trees blocked out the sun, and the thorns were so thick that it was daunting to walk into.

"Is this another test?" the little girl asked in a trembling voice. Her small hands tightly grasped the old man's clothes, her eyes filled with fear.

"No matter what it is, we can get through it!" Zhang Hao said firmly, and walked into the forest first. The sword in his hand flickered faintly in the darkness, illuminating the path ahead.

The crowd followed closely behind, moving cautiously through the forest. The thorns tore their clothes and scratched their skin, but they did not stop.

Suddenly, a sinister laugh sounded in the forest...