Rise of the Otherworld.

Everyone rested for a moment, their frayed nerves relaxing slightly during the brief respite, their physical strength recovering somewhat from the flow of spiritual energy. Zhang Hao cast his gaze upon the Flame Tiger's massive corpse and said solemnly, "This Flame Tiger is quite powerful. I'm sure it has a lot of valuables on it. Let's look for them." Everyone nodded in anticipation as they began to carefully search the Flame Tiger's body.

Like a sharp hawk, Lingyu spotted a fiery red crystal core within the Flame Tiger's belly. The core resembled a burning gem, emitting a scorching aura, like a miniature sun, with flames dancing joyfully within. "The energy contained in this core is powerful; it may aid our cultivation." Lingyu's voice was tinged with surprise. He carefully handed the core to Zhang Hao, his eyes filled with cherishment for this discovery.

The mysterious man focused his attention beneath the flame tiger's claws, where he found a stone with strange carvings. The stone's surface was as smooth as a mirror, and the lines, like flowing liquid, shimmered with an uncanny luster, as if revealing an unknown secret and exuding an irresistible mystical aura. "This stone looks unusual. Perhaps it's connected to the mysterious ruins," the mysterious man muttered to himself as he carefully examined the stone, his eyes filled with deep thought.

After collecting their unexpected finds, the group continued their exploration of the Sunset Mountains, both filled with anticipation and caution for the unknown. They followed a winding path, the trees growing taller and denser, like a maze meticulously crafted by nature. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, creating patches of light that resembled golden raindrops, adding a touch of dreamlike charm to this mysterious mountain forest.

Suddenly, the woman's sharp eyes spotted some symbols carved into the trees ahead. These symbols were strangely shaped, unlike any familiar writing, yet seemed to hold a profound meaning. "Everyone, come over here and see what these symbols mean," the woman's voice broke the silence of the forest, tinged with eagerness and excitement.

Everyone quickly gathered around, their gaze fixed on the symbols. The mysterious man stared at them, his brow furrowed, his eyes filled with concentration and thought. He stared for a long moment, his expression growing increasingly serious. "These symbols are an ancient warning, seemingly telling us there's danger ahead, and they're connected to a mysterious relic," the mysterious man said slowly, his voice low and solemn, filling the air with a tense atmosphere.

"Since it is related to the ruins, we must be more careful when moving forward." Zhang Hao's eyes revealed a firm determination. He knew very well that every step closer to the ruins meant more challenges and opportunities.

They continued forward cautiously, taking every step with extreme caution, as if every blade of grass and tree around them held hidden danger. Before long, they arrived at a valley. A light mist filled the valley, shrouding it like a soft veil. A faint glow flickered through the mist, as if a mysterious treasure hidden behind the fog was beckoning them.

"This valley looks unusual. Let's go in and take a look." Zhang Hao was the first to step into the valley. His figure was like a flash of black lightning, cutting through the barrier of fog. As soon as they entered, they felt a rich spiritual energy rushing towards them. This spiritual energy was richer than the spiritual energy elsewhere in the mountains, as if it was the essence of time and space, which made them feel refreshed.

After walking for a distance through the valley, they discovered an ancient stone tablet. Like a silent guardian, it stood there, witnessing the passage of time. The tablet was densely engraved with text, but unfortunately, most of the words had become blurred over the years, as if the torrent of time had washed away their memory.

The mysterious man approached the stele, his eyes filled with determination and concentration as he carefully deciphered the inscription. His brow furrowed at times, then a look of sudden realization crossed his face. After much painstaking effort, he finally deciphered a portion of the text. "The stele records that this was once the home of a mythical beast that guarded a mysterious relic. Though it has vanished, it has left behind clues leading to the ruins." The mysterious man's voice echoed through the valley, tinged with excitement and anticipation.

"Where is the clue?" Ling Yu asked impatiently, his eyes flashing with desire, as if he had already seen the door of the ruins opening to them.

The mysterious man pointed to a groove at the bottom of the stone tablet and said, "It should be here, but we need to find something that matches it to trigger the clue."

Upon hearing this, everyone immediately began a thorough search. Like treasure hunters, they left no stone untouched, examining every stone and leaf. However, time slipped away in their anxious search, and nothing was found. Just as everyone was beginning to lose heart, Zhang Hao suddenly remembered the stone the mysterious man had found beneath the flaming tiger's paw. "Perhaps this stone could be a try," Zhang Hao said, a glimmer of hope in his eyes. He quickly pulled the stone from his storage bag and placed it in the groove.

As soon as the stone was placed in the groove, it seemed as if some mysterious mechanism had been triggered, and a soft, dazzling light suddenly emanated. The light flowed across the stone tablet like a clear spring, and the previously blurred words instantly became clear. The words seemed to come alive, pointing to the depths of the valley, as if leading everyone towards the mysterious and unknown ruins...