Rise of the Otherworld.

The wind howled, rustling everyone's clothes. Just as everyone was at a loss as to what to do, a melodious flute note suddenly emerged from the gusts. The sound was clear and melodious, as if coming from a distant horizon. In this tense and critical moment, it seemed particularly mysterious and moving.

The robbers were also somewhat flustered by this sudden change, and their pursuit could not help but slow down. They looked at each other, their eyes full of confusion and vigilance, wondering what the flute sound meant.

Zhang Hao frowned, straining to discern the source of the flute's sound amidst the gusting wind. His hair was ruffled by the wind, but his eyes were fixed on the direction of the sound. As the flute's sound grew clearer, a massive bird swooped down from the distant clouds. Its slender form, its feathers a dazzling array of colors, shimmering captivatingly in the sunlight. Its wingspan stretched several feet, and the gusts of wind it whipped up bent the surrounding trees.

On its back sat a mysterious man in green. He was handsome, with an otherworldly aura. He held a jade flute in his hand, and his eyes were gentle and wise.

"Come up quickly!" the mysterious man shouted. His voice was clear and loud, as if carrying an irresistible power.

Without a second thought, everyone climbed onto the bird's back. The little girl was held tightly in the woman's arms, a look of fear still lingering on her face. Lingyu and the old man also hurriedly climbed onto the bird, using both hands and feet.

Seeing this, the bandits roared angrily and waved their weapons, trying to stop the crowd from leaving. But they could only watch helplessly as the crowd gradually rose higher with the flying bird, away from their control.

The bird flapped its wings and soared high, carrying everyone away from danger. The wind whistled in their ears, and the scenery below became smaller and smaller. Everyone finally breathed a sigh of relief, and their tense nerves gradually relaxed.

Zhang Hao thanked the mysterious man: "Thank you for saving me. May I know your name?" His voice was full of gratitude and respect.

The mysterious man smiled slightly, and that smile was like a spring breeze. "Just call me Qingyu. I was practicing in this forest. I heard some movement over here, so I came to take a look."

The woman asked curiously, "Mr. Qingyu, this forest seems to be full of dangers. Aren't you afraid of practicing here?" Her eyes were full of curiosity and admiration.

Qingyu shook his head slightly, looking into the distance: "I have my own way of dealing with it. But why did you come to this dangerous place?"

Zhang Hao told Qingyu everything they had experienced, from the fight with the giant beast, to the puzzles in the castle, to the encounter with the bandits, leaving out every detail.

After listening to this, Qingyu nodded thoughtfully: "I see. So what are your plans next?" His eyes revealed his concern for everyone.

Zhang Hao looked into the distance and said firmly: "We must keep moving forward and find the way home." His eyes were full of determination and expectations for the future.

Qingyu said, "I'm afraid the journey won't be peaceful. I can give you a ride."

Everyone was grateful.

After flying for a while, the bird landed in a peaceful valley. The valley was covered with green grass, with a gurgling stream and surrounded by mountains, like a paradise.

"It's relatively safe here. You can rest here before setting off again." Qingyu said.

They set up camp in the valley, lit a bonfire, prepared food, and after a short rest, they regained a lot of strength and energy.

However, just as they were about to set off again, a sudden noise came from outside the valley. It sounded like a large group of people approaching, with footsteps and shouts intertwined.

Zhang Hao immediately stood up, holding the hilt of his sword: "Everyone be careful!"

Everyone became alert and stared at the entrance of the valley.

Soon, a group of people in strange clothes appeared in everyone's sight. Their clothes were embroidered with complicated patterns, and they held various strange weapons in their hands.

"Who are you? Why are you here?" a tall man in the lead asked loudly.

Zhang Hao took a step forward: "We are just passing by and resting here. No offense intended."

The man looked everyone up and down and said, "Hmph, you all look suspicious. You might have some ulterior motive."

Qingyu stepped forward and said, "Brother, please give them some leniency. They have indeed encountered many dangers to come here."

The man looked at Qingyu and said, "Who are you? Why are you pleading for them?"

The two sides are at a stalemate and the atmosphere is becoming increasingly tense...