Rise of the Otherworld.

Zhang Hao struggled to his feet, each movement laced with excruciating pain. Blood still clung to the corner of his mouth, evidence of the injuries sustained during the fierce battle with the stone beast. Yet, his gaze remained unwavering, as if no difficulty could shatter his resolve. The stone beast's attack was imminent. Its massive form, like a crumbling mountain, bore down upon the group with devastating force. The air seemed to be filled with the oppressive force emanating from the stone beast, making it difficult to breathe.

The mysterious man reacted quickly, knowing that everyone's lives hung in the balance and that every second counted. He quickly gathered his spiritual energy, his hands dancing like a phantom, muttering something to himself. Instantly, a thick earthen wall rose before them. Rising from the ground like a solid fortress, it glowed with an earthy-yellow light. The stone beast recklessly rammed into the wall, its immense force instantly cracking it like a shattered spiderweb. Then, the wall collapsed with a thunderous thud, crumbling into a pile of rubble. But this brief moment of resistance, like a ray of light in the darkness, bought the group a few precious seconds.

Ling Yu was terribly anxious, beads of sweat rolling down his forehead. He knew that if he couldn't find the stone beast's weakness at this critical moment, everyone would be doomed. His eyes scanned the stone beast like a hawk, not missing a single detail. Suddenly, he noticed a trace of stone powder quietly falling from the joint of the stone beast's leg, where the dagger had pierced it. This discovery, like a flash of lightning in the darkness, ignited a glimmer of hope in his heart.

"Its joints are damaged! This is our chance!" Ling Yu shouted at the top of his lungs, his voice echoing in the empty square with a hint of surprise and eagerness.

Upon hearing this, a flicker of hope ignited within the crowd's previously despairing hearts. The woman immediately focused, strengthening her defenses. Her hands shone with a soft light, a warmth like a spring breeze, enveloping the crowd even more tightly, as if casting an indestructible shield. The old man wielded his staff, chanting an ancient and mysterious incantation. The light at the tip of the staff shone brightly, unleashing a powerful wind spell. Winds whistled like blades, lashing out at the stone beast, attempting to disrupt its movements and slow its attacks.

Zhang Hao and the mysterious man exchanged glances, and without words, they understood each other. The mysterious man waved his hands, as if directing a grand magical feast. He summoned several vines condensed from spiritual power, which emitted an emerald green light and were full of vitality. The vines, like nimble pythons, wrapped around the stone beast's legs. The stone beast sensed the danger and tried to break free, but the pain in its leg joints was like shackles, slowing its movements. The vines took the opportunity to successfully wrap around the stone beast's legs and tightened. The stone beast's huge body lost its balance and fell to the ground with a dull thud, stirring up a cloud of dust.

Zhang Hao seized the opportunity and, like a flash of black lightning, rushed towards the stone beast at top speed. The longsword in his hand shone brightly, as if it had condensed all the strength in the world. He leaped high, drawing a graceful arc in the air, and stabbed the stone beast's neck again, fiercely piercing it. His eyes were filled with determination, as if he was pouring all his strength into this single strike.

The stone beast, as if sensing the mortal danger, let out a deafening roar, like thunder, threatening to collapse the entire square. It struggled mightily, attempting to rise and avoid the fatal blow. But Ling Yu, seizing the moment the stone beast fell to the ground, rushed forward without hesitation, stabbing the dagger once more into the wound in the stone beast's leg joint and twisting it vigorously. The stone beast roared even more fiercely in pain, unable to rise for a moment, and could only struggle on the ground.

Zhang Hao's longsword finally pierced the stone beast's neck, this time sinking deep, all the way to the hilt. The beast's body trembled violently, as if a small earthquake had occurred. A powerful force surged from its body, crashing against Zhang Hao like a surging tide. But Zhang Hao gritted his teeth, his face contorted with the effort, and held the longsword tightly, continuously injecting spiritual energy to widen the wound. Blood gushed from the stone beast's neck like a fountain, staining the ground red.

As the blood continued to flow, the stone beast's struggles gradually weakened. The light in its eyes gradually dimmed, and the gaze that was once filled with anger and murderous intent became empty and lifeless. Finally, the stone beast's massive body fell heavily to the ground, raising a cloud of dust, and there was no more movement. Its death seemed to make the entire square fall silent, leaving only the sound of people's rapid breathing.

Everyone looked at the fallen stone beast, their hearts finally at peace, and breathed a sigh of relief. But at the same time, they felt a wave of deep fatigue, as if all their strength had been drained from the fierce battle. However, they knew they couldn't let their guard down just yet, because the box on the stone platform might hold the key to finding the Spirit Breathing Grass, which was crucial to their ability to stabilize the Spirit Pearl and continue their journey.

Zhang Hao slowly approached the stone platform, his steps slightly heavy. He reached out and picked up the box. It felt warm to the touch, as if it had a life of its own. The patterns on the box's surface were delicate and intricate, seemingly imbued with some mysterious power, as if telling an ancient story. He gently opened the box, his movements cautious, as if afraid to disturb the secrets dormant within. Inside the box was a jade piece engraved with runes. The jade piece emitted a faint light, and the runes flickered, as if conducting some mysterious communication with the surrounding space.

The mysterious man stepped forward, his eyes filled with curiosity and caution. He carefully examined the runes on the jade shard, his expression changing slightly. After a moment's silence, he slowly spoke, "This rune records the location of the Spirit Breathing Grass, but it seems there's a greater danger hidden there..." His voice was low and solemn, like a warning bell, causing everyone's nerves, which had just relaxed, to tense up again.