Rise of the Otherworld.

Everyone lazily sprawled on the soft grass, savoring this hard-earned moment of peace and tranquility. Sunlight filtered through the dappled leaves, casting tiny shadows like golden raindrops, gently falling upon them. A gentle breeze, carrying the fragrance of flowers and plants, soothed their weary bodies and minds like a pair of gentle hands. After a long moment, they slowly rose, their eyes a touch of confusion after a moment of comfort, and began to carefully survey this unfamiliar yet mysterious valley.

Zhang Hao was the first to stand up. He stood tall and straight, like a pine tree. He looked around, his sharp eyes scanning every corner of the valley like an eagle's. The valley was surrounded by towering peaks. Those peaks stood tall and majestic, as if they were a solid barrier built by nature for this valley. The peaks were covered with dense vegetation, and from a distance, they looked like a green ocean. On one side of the valley, there was only a narrow path winding its way into the depths of the valley. The path was lined with unknown wild flowers and weeds, adding a bit of mystery to the path. "This valley doesn't look simple. We have to be careful." He said vigilantly, with a hint of unquestionable seriousness in his voice.

The mysterious man nodded slightly in agreement, "Being able to connect to the ruins through that mysterious space, there must be a lot of secrets hidden in it." His eyes were deep and focused, as if he wanted to see through the surface of the valley and see through the mysteries hidden in it.

The group advanced slowly along the path, their steps gentle and cautious, fearing to disturb the unknown hidden within this tranquility. Along the way, they discovered that the flowers, plants, and trees in the valley exuded a strange aura, as if they did not grow in this ordinary world. Some flowers were unnaturally vibrant, red like a burning flame, blue like the deep ocean, and their petals had a translucent texture, as if carved from the purest crystal. In the sunlight, they emitted a faint, enchanting spiritual light. The branches of the trees twisted and coiled, as if they had been shaped by the ruthless manipulation of time. Every texture seemed to tell an ancient and mysterious story, inspiring a curiosity about the history of this valley.

As they walked, they came to a small lake. The water was crystal clear, like a giant mirror, reflecting the white clouds in the sky and the lush green mountains around it. The rocks at the bottom of the lake were colorful and varied, like a work of art carefully arranged by nature. Fish swam freely in the water, their scales gleaming with golden light, like lively spirits. However, in the center of the lake, a huge whirlpool swirled slowly, emitting a low humming sound, as if attracting everyone's attention, or issuing some mysterious call.

"This vortex is a bit strange, everyone, stay away from it," Zhang Hao frowned and warned loudly. He stared at the vortex with an ominous premonition in his heart.

At this moment, a rustling sound suddenly came from the grass by the lake. Although the sound was not loud, it was particularly abrupt in this silent valley. Everyone immediately became alert and quickly took up fighting stances. Zhang Hao gripped the long sword in his hand, and the sword blade flashed with a cold light; Ling Yu held a dagger, his eyes sharp, and was as alert as a cheetah; the mysterious man secretly gathered spiritual power in his hands, ready to cast spells at any time; the woman and the old man also cast spells to bless everyone's defense. A creature that looked like a deer but had wings slowly walked out of the grass. It exuded a soft light all over its body, and the light was as bright as moonlight, giving people a warm and peaceful feeling. Its eyes were clear and bright, like the deep lake water, looking at everyone curiously, without any hostility in its eyes.

"What kind of creature is this? It doesn't look malicious." The woman said softly, her voice like a whisper in the breeze, with a hint of surprise and curiosity.

The creature seemed to understand her words and nodded slightly, then gestured towards the group, as if inviting them to follow. Its movements were light and graceful, as if performing a mysterious dance.

"It seems like it wants to take us somewhere. Do you want to go with it?" Ling Yu asked, with a hint of hesitation in his eyes.

Zhang Hao pondered for a moment, then said with a firm gaze, "We don't have any other clues at the moment. We might as well follow it and see, but everyone must remain vigilant."

Following this strange creature, the group walked along the path beside the lake. The path was bumpy and uneven, with branches and leaves intertwined on either side, forming a natural arch. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating patches of light that seemed to guide them along the way. Soon, they arrived at an ancient building hidden in the woods. The building's exterior was dilapidated, its walls covered in moss, which resembled a green carpet, adding a touch of age to the ancient structure. The door was closed, its paint peeling, revealing the mottled wood grain, exuding an air of age and decay.

The creature walked up to the door and gently touched it with its delicate horn. The door slowly opened with a dull creak. A long-forgotten smell filled the air, mingled with the dust of time and ancient mysteries. Everyone entered the building cautiously, their footsteps leaving a trail of footprints on the dusty floor. Inside were ancient bookshelves, tables, and chairs. Most of the books on the shelves were decaying, their pages incomplete, as if telling of their former glory and current desolation. However, a few books remained relatively intact, lying quietly on the shelves, waiting to be discovered.

Zhang Hao gently picked up one of the books. The pages were slightly yellowed, and the text on it was similar to the runes in the cave, as if they were different forms of the same ancient language. "It seems that this place is closely connected to the ruins," he said, his voice tinged with excitement and anticipation.

Just as everyone was preparing to study the books carefully, they suddenly heard a loud noise coming from outside the building. The sound was like countless footsteps and low roars intertwined, as if something huge and dangerous was approaching...