Rise of the Otherworld.

Ling Yu's pupils constricted as the sharp arrows instantly magnified before his eyes, their piercing tips seemingly poised to pierce him in an instant. Faced with this sudden and fatal threat, his brain reacted instantly, his body twisting in mid-air on instinct. His movements were swift and breathtaking, like a bird struggling in a storm. The arrows grazed the hem of his clothes, their sharp tips slicing through the air with a piercing whistling sound, as if death were brushing past his ear.

Zhang Hao, seeing this, was terribly anxious. He shouted, "Lingyu, be careful! We'll cover you from here!" His voice echoed through the dim passage, unwavering in its resolve. Before he'd finished speaking, he swiftly drew his sword, its blade gleaming with a chilling cold light. He poured his spiritual energy into the sword, causing it to radiate a brilliant light, as if condensing the sharp energy of heaven and earth. Then, he swung his sword with all his might, aiming in the direction of the arrow from the mist. Streams of sword energy shot out from the blade like lightning, tearing through the air and swiftly charging towards the danger hidden in the mist, attempting to repel the unknown threat.

The mysterious man didn't dare slack off, his hands forming seals as fast as a phantom. He muttered something to himself, a series of ancient and mysterious spells emanating from his mouth. As the spells rang out, a gust of wind roared up above the ravine, the wind like thunder, as if to engulf everything. The wind was like a giant broom, blowing away some of the mist, gradually revealing the mechanical crossbow hidden within. The crossbow had an ancient shape, and it was about to fire a second round of arrows, exuding a cold murderous intent. The mysterious man's eyes were sharp, and he saw the right moment, concentrating his spiritual power into a sharp blade. The spiritual blade flashed with a faint blue light, like a meteor streaking across the night sky, shooting towards the crossbow. With a crisp "click", the crossbow was accurately hit by the blade and instantly broke into two pieces, scattering to the ground.

Lingyu seized this opportunity, not wanting to waste any time, and sped up his leap. His figure moved swiftly across the ravine, like an agile monkey. However, just as he was about to reach the other side, victory in sight, the rocks beneath his feet suddenly gave way. Lingyu felt his feet go empty, and he instantly lost his balance, plummeting into the ravine.

"Ling Yu!" Everyone exclaimed in unison, their voices filled with fear and worry. The shouts echoed in the passage, as if infinitely amplified by the gloomy environment.

In the nick of time, Ling Yu, with incredible reflexes and a tenacious will to survive, quickly reached out and grabbed a protrusion on the edge of the ravine while falling. His fingers gripped the protrusion tightly, his knuckles turning white from the strain. His body hung suspended in mid-air, beneath him was a bottomless darkness, like an endless abyss, waiting to swallow him whole. Mist swirled around him, cold and damp, like invisible hands trying to drag him down into the darkness.

Seeing this, the woman, distraught, quickly cast a healing spell. Her hands danced rapidly, and light emanated from her palms, forming a soft yet resilient spiritual shield that gently enveloped Lingyu's hands, protecting them from the rough rock. The old man also swiftly waved his staff, chanting an ancient incantation. As the incantation rang out, a surge of earth-element spiritual energy surged from the ground, forming a solid platform beneath Lingyu. Though small, this platform temporarily stabilized Lingyu's shaky form, preventing him from plummeting into the abyss.

Zhang Hao and the mysterious man exchanged glances, their understanding mutual. The mysterious man immediately cast a gravity spell, raising his hands high. A mysterious force emanated from him, acting upon Lingyu, reducing the weight of his descent. Like a flash of black lightning, Zhang Hao scurried to the edge of the ravine and, without hesitation, reached out to grab Lingyu. His arm muscles tensed, and he exerted all his strength, attempting to pull Lingyu back from the brink of danger. With everyone's concerted efforts, Lingyu was finally successfully pulled aloft.

Ling Yu was still terrified, breathing heavily as if he had just walked through the gates of hell. His voice trembled slightly as he spoke, "Thank you, everyone! The traps in this palace are even more dangerous than we imagined."

Everyone nodded, their expressions solemn and serious, knowing the road ahead would become increasingly difficult and treacherous. But they had no intention of retreating, for they were tasked with finding the Spirit Breathing Grass and stabilizing the Spirit Pearl. They encouraged each other and continued along the passage.

Soon, they arrived at a spacious hall. The floor was paved with smooth marble, and the walls were inlaid with various gemstones, emitting a faint glow that cast a dreamlike light on the hall. In the center of the hall stood a massive statue, depicting a warrior wielding a longsword. His expression was majestic, as if guarding this mysterious space.

Just as the crowd approached the statue, its eyes suddenly glowed red, like two burning flames, emitting a strange and dangerous aura. Then, the statue began to move. Its movements, though slightly stiff, were imbued with power. It raised its longsword and slashed fiercely at the crowd. The wind from the sword whistled like the roar of a dragon or a tiger, carrying such immense force that it seemed as if it would cleave the crowd in half.

"Be careful! This statue is alive!" Zhang Hao shouted, quickly raising his sword to block the blow. A resounding clang echoed through the hall like a bell. Zhang Hao's arm went numb from the overwhelming force, his knuckles cracked, and blood trickled down the hilt. He stumbled back several steps uncontrollably before finally stabilizing himself.

The mysterious man, Lingyu, the woman, and the old man quickly dispersed, each casting spells to attack the statue. The mysterious man formed hand seals rapidly, muttering something to himself. Instantly, several massive fireballs appeared from nowhere, their surfaces ablaze with flames like fragments of the sun. They roared towards the statue with devastating force, seemingly intent on burning it to ash. Lingyu, like a ghost, circled behind the statue, his figure looming in the dim hall, searching for the perfect opportunity to strike. The woman waved her hands, casting an ice spell. Crystal-clear shards of ice flew from her hands and flew towards the statue, attempting to freeze it, immobilizing it. The old man swung his staff, its tip ablaze with light. Bolts of lightning unleashed from the staff, snaking like silver snakes, striking the statue with a sizzling sound, as if to shake the very soul out of it. For a moment, all sorts of spells flashed and intertwined in the hall, forming a brilliant and dangerous scene, like a grand and deadly fireworks display...