Rise of the Otherworld.

As they continued deeper into the passage, the atmosphere grew increasingly heavy, as if the air were compressed by an invisible pressure, and every breath felt heavy. It felt as if invisible eyes were watching them from the shadows, and the uneasy feeling of being peeped in the backs of their bodies strained their nerves to the limit. As they advanced, a faint light gradually appeared ahead. Though faint, it seemed alluring in the inky darkness of the palace, like a ray of hope emerging from the abyss of despair.

"Could it be that the Lingxi Grass is just ahead?" Ling Yu whispered, with irrepressible anticipation in his voice and excitement flashing in his eyes, as if he had already seen the Lingxi Grass waiting for them not far away.

Upon hearing this, everyone was delighted and involuntarily quickened their pace, hurrying towards the faint light. As they drew closer, the light gradually grew brighter, illuminating a small area around them. When they finally reached the source, the sight before them took their breath away. For a moment, it felt as if the entire world had fallen silent, leaving only the rapid beating of their hearts.

Atop a stone platform, a single herb of immortal grass grew. Its emerald green, like a piece of natural jade, exuded a soft and mysterious aura, as if it were nature's finest masterpiece. Its leaves shimmered with a crystalline light, each one seemingly carved from the finest jade. The veins were clearly visible, as if imbued with the rhythm of life. A faint halo enveloped the herb, like a dreamy veil, gently enveloping it, as if it were an innate protective barrier, yet also a reminder of its preciousness and extraordinary qualities.

"This is the Spirit Breath Grass!" the mysterious man said with certainty, his eyes showing excitement, his voice trembling slightly. It was the excitement of finally getting what he wanted after going through so many hardships.

However, the joy didn't last long. Just as everyone was about to approach the stone platform to pick the Spirit Breathing Grass, a light curtain suddenly rose from beneath it, like a transparent yet solid wall, tightly shielding the platform and the Spirit Breathing Grass. Runes flickered on the light curtain, emitting powerful spiritual energy fluctuations, like mysterious incantations, humming in the air, as if warning everyone not to approach easily. Any attempt to infringe would be severely punished.

Seeing this, Zhang Hao reached out and tentatively touched the light curtain. The moment his finger made contact, a powerful force like a surging tide instantly rebounded upon him, unstoppable. Zhang Hao felt a surge of force, and he was thrown backward uncontrollably, landing heavily on the ground, raising a cloud of dust. "This light curtain is very powerful. We must find a way to break it," Zhang Hao said solemnly, frowning as he struggled to rise from the ground.

Everyone gathered around the light curtain, studying it quickly, trying to find a way to decipher the runes. The mysterious man crouched down, his eyes fixed on the runes on the light curtain, his gaze etched with concentration and thought. He discovered that these runes bore some similarities to those he had seen on the jade fragment, yet subtle differences remained, as if a deliberate puzzle awaiting their solution.

After racking his brains for a moment, the mysterious man took a deep breath and attempted to slowly channel his spiritual energy into the runes according to a specific sequence. Like a trickle, the spiritual energy flowed slowly along the runes' lines. The runes flickered, as if responding to the mysterious man's efforts. The light curtain seemed to loosen slightly, flickering slightly, but it didn't completely disappear. It remained like a solid fortress, blocking everyone's path.

Seeing this, Ling Yu hurried to join in. He stood shoulder to shoulder with the mysterious man, sharing their thoughts and then adjusting their method of injecting spiritual energy. Their coordination was seamless, as spiritual energy flowed through the runes, like a mysterious and harmonious symphony. The mysterious man controlled the rhythm and intensity of the spiritual energy, while Ling Yu precisely guided its flow. Each injection was perfectly timed, as if achieving some subtle resonance with the runes.

With their unremitting efforts, the runes on the light curtain gradually grew brighter, their glow growing stronger and stronger, like the breaking of dawn. The runes flickered faster and faster, as if engaged in a fierce struggle. Suddenly, the runes on the light curtain flickered a few times, then slowly faded. Like the receding tide, the light curtain also dissipated, revealing the spiritual breath grass within.

"Success!" the woman said excitedly, with a joyful smile on her face and tears of excitement in her eyes.

Zhang Hao stepped forward and carefully plucked the Spirit Breathing Grass, as if he were plucking the most precious treasure in the world. The Spirit Breathing Grass felt soft and smooth to the touch, and a fresh spiritual energy instantly surged into his body, flowing through his meridians like a clear spring, invigorating him and instantly dissipating some of his fatigue.

However, joy is always short-lived. At this moment, the palace began to shake violently, as if struck by a powerful earthquake. Cracks appeared in the ground, like hideous wounds, spreading and widening. Stones from the walls fell, hitting the ground with a dull thud.

"Oh no, maybe the picking of the spiritual breath grass by us triggered the palace's self-destruct mechanism!" the old man said anxiously, with a hint of panic in his voice.

Without a second thought, everyone rushed out of the palace. Along the way, rocks rained down upon them, blocking their path. Not daring to pause, they cast spells one after another. Fireballs, ice arrows, wind blades, and other spells exploded like brilliant fireworks, clearing away the obstacles ahead and accelerating towards the exit.

But the palace's tremors grew stronger, and the passageway began to crumble. Huge rocks fell from the roof, burying the passageway behind them. Whether they could escape before the palace completely collapsed remained uncertain, and the question of life and death hung like a dark cloud over everyone's hearts...