Rise of the Otherworld.

Alone in a quiet room, a mysterious man painstakingly studied the symbols he had copied. In the flickering candlelight, his silhouette was stretched out, silhouetted against the rough wall. The symbols on the paper seemed to come alive, constantly leaping and transforming before his eyes. Sometimes he frowned in thought, the wrinkles on his forehead as deep as ravines, as if trying to see through the symbols. Other times, he wrote and drew on the paper, the tip of his pen making a rustling sound as if he were engaging in a silent dialogue with an unknown, mysterious force, trying to retrieve information related to the symbols from his memory.

Meanwhile, the rest of the village was busy too. Zhang Hao, like a general about to fight, solemnly organized the villagers to strengthen their defenses. He moved through the streets and alleys of the village, directing them to set more traps and warning devices around the village. He personally demonstrated how to cleverly conceal spikes in the grass and how to arrange ropes so they would be barely noticeable yet effective at the critical moment, ensuring that every trap posed an effective threat to any potential danger.

Lingyu, like a nimble hunting dog, went door to door, questioning the villagers. He listened patiently to each villager's story, not missing a single subtle change in expression or word. His eyes revealed a focus and persistence, hoping to unearth other unusual details from the villagers' memories, before and after the strange light appeared.

At the village chief's house, the old man and the woman cared for the frightened villager, their eyes filled with concern. The old man gently comforted the villager, his weathered voice lending him strength, hoping to calm his panic. The woman attentively brought the villager hot water and food, gently probing for any possible clues, hoping he would recall more crucial information.

After several hours of research, the mysterious man finally made a discovery. His eyes sparkled with excitement, as if he had found a ray of light in the darkness. He hurried to Zhang Hao, his voice filled with uncontrollable excitement: "I've discovered that these symbols are related to an evil formation recorded in ancient texts. This formation seems to be used to collect souls."

Zhang Hao's expression darkened upon hearing this, as if a heavy stone weighed down his heart. "Collecting souls? That's terrifying. Is there any way to break this formation?" His voice was low and urgent, his eyes fixed on the mysterious man, hoping for a viable answer.

The mysterious man shook his head helplessly and said, "I have no clue yet. However, ancient books mentioned that this kind of formation usually requires a specific location and time to be activated. We may be able to start from this aspect and find the source of the formation." There was a hint of regret in his tone, but more of it was firm determination.

Just then, Ling Yu returned, his face a mixture of excitement and nervousness. "Some villagers say there's been a lot of strange noises coming from the abandoned temple east of the village lately, and the vegetation there is withering, as if it's been undermined by some sinister force." He spoke quickly, clearly believing this information to be crucial.

Zhang Hao and the mysterious man looked at each other and said in unison: "Let's go and take a look at the abandoned temple!" Their eyes revealed firm belief, as if they were ready to face all challenges.

They quickly gathered the old man, Lingyu, and the woman, explained the situation to the village chief, and headed together to the abandoned temple east of the village. Along the way, the atmosphere was solemn and tense, with everyone's hearts filled with fear of the unknown, but also with the determination to uncover the truth.

When they arrived at the abandoned temple, a chilling atmosphere overwhelmed them, as if an invisible hand were gently tugging at their clothing, trying to keep them out. The temple's gate was dilapidated, the paint peeling off, revealing rotten wood that resembled twisted, ghostly faces. Weeds grew all around, taller than a person, rustling in the wind, as if telling an ancient and terrifying story. The statues within the temple were also incomplete, some missing arms, others headless, appearing utterly forlorn, as if tormented by some sinister force.

The mysterious man carefully observed the temple's surroundings. He squatted down and gently parted the grass with his hands, searching every corner for clues. Finally, he discovered some faint symbols on the ground, similar to the ones he had copied. Following the trail of symbols, he found a hidden passage behind the temple. The entrance was obscured by debris and vines, making it difficult to find without careful observation.

The passage was filled with a putrid odor, like spoiled meat mixed with sewage, making one nauseous. Countless eyes seemed to be watching them from the darkness, as if countless ghosts were wandering the passage. Zhang Hao, weapon in hand, his eyes firm and alert, walked cautiously ahead, clearing the way for everyone. The others followed closely behind, their breathing remarkably clear in the silent passage; each could hear his own heartbeat, pounding as if it threatened to burst through his chest.

Suddenly, a deep roar echoed through the passage, resonating like thunder, jarring everyone's eardrums. A massive figure burst forth from the darkness. In the dim light, they saw a massive monster, its body covered in black scales. Those scales gleamed eerily in the dim light, as if coated with an evil grease. Its eyes gleamed an eerie red, like two burning flames, brimming with bloodlust. Its mouth was filled with sharp fangs, each as large as a dagger, seemingly capable of tearing through anything with ease.

"Be careful! That's the monster making those strange noises!" Zhang Hao shouted, charging at it first. His figure loomed in the darkness like a fierce cheetah, his weapon gleaming with a cold light as he lunged at the monster. A fierce battle ensued, with everyone unleashing their skills in a desperate struggle against the monster. Their figures flickered in and out of the darkness, their cries of battle echoing through the passage...