Rise of the Otherworld.

Following the direction indicated by the stone tablet, like warriors searching for a mysterious treasure, they resolutely advanced deeper into the valley. The fog in the valley grew thicker, like layer upon layer of heavy curtains, enveloping the entire world. Vision became extremely blurry, and only a few steps ahead could be vaguely seen, as if they were in a chaotic and undeveloped world. Zhang Hao walked at the front with a solemn expression, like the team's anchor. He held a longsword, the blade trembling slightly, emitting a faint spiritual light, like a star twinkling in the darkness, vigilantly sensing even the slightest movement around him.

"Everyone follow me closely, this fog is a bit strange, don't get lost." Zhang Hao said in a low voice, his voice spreading in the fog with a dull echo, as if some of his vitality was devoured by this mysterious fog.

A mysterious man stood in the center of the group, his compass tightly gripped, his eyes fixed on the frantically spinning needle. Like a mad dancer, the compass needle spun erratically, indicating the abnormally turbulent spiritual energy here, as if warning everyone of the dangers of this area. "The spiritual energy fluctuations in this area are highly volatile. We must be careful; danger could arise at any moment," the mysterious man warned solemnly, his brow furrowed, beads of sweat already forming on his forehead.

Lingyu and the woman watched over each other, their eyes revealing a mixture of determination and vigilance. Lingyu raised his hands slightly, ready to cast a wind spell, while the woman concentrated her ice energy, ready to cast a spell at any moment, just in case. The old man waved his staff, muttering something, and a protective shield slowly rose around them. The shield emanated a soft, pale yellow light, like warm sunlight, enveloping everyone and providing a solid layer of protection.

As they deepened into the valley, the temperature around them began to plummet, as if they had suddenly stepped from the warmth of spring into the frigid polar regions. The chill felt like countless tiny ice needles, piercing through their clothing and into their skin, sending shivers down their spines. "It's so cold! The temperature is dropping so quickly," Ling Yu complained, her teeth chattering slightly.

Zhang Hao channeled his spiritual energy, attempting to dispel the chill, but it seemed to penetrate his defenses, penetrating like a ghost. "Everyone, channel your spiritual energy and strengthen your defenses. This cold is not simple," Zhang Hao declared, increasing his spiritual energy output. A faint flame burned across his body, like a blazing cloak, temporarily shielding him from the cold.

At that moment, dark shadows suddenly appeared from the mist. They moved incredibly fast, like black lightning, darting towards the group. "Be careful! Something's coming!" Zhang Hao shouted, his voice echoing through the mist, filled with alarm. Without hesitation, he swung his sword at the shadows.

With a clang, the longsword struck the shadow, making a metallic sound like striking steel. Zhang Hao peered closely and saw a swarm of metallic, bat-like monsters. Their wings, sharp as blades, gleamed coldly in the mist, and their eyes glowed an eerie red, like demons from hell, emitting a chilling aura.

Upon seeing this, the mysterious man immediately cast a spell, rapidly forming hand seals with his hands and muttering something. Spikes of earth erupted from the ground like bamboo shoots, piercing the metal bats. The metal bats were incredibly agile, swiftly twisting their bodies in mid-air to avoid most of the spikes. Only a few that were slow to react were pierced, turning into a pile of scrap metal and falling with a crisp sound.

Lingyu and the woman also attacked quickly. Lingyu controlled the wind blades, which whizzed through the air like sharp blades and flew towards the metal bats. The woman fired ice arrows, which flashed with cold light and shot towards the metal bats like meteors. The metal bats were not afraid at all. They let out shrill cries, so piercing that they seemed to pierce everyone's eardrums and give people splitting headaches.

The old man swung his staff, and the tip of the staff glowed brightly, releasing a powerful bolt of lightning. The lightning exploded among the metal bats like a dragon, instantly charring many of them. Puffs of black smoke rose from the lightning, and they fell to the ground, creating small craters.

However, the metal bats were so numerous, seemingly endless, descending upon the crowd in wave after wave. Zhang Hao realized this wasn't going to work. He quickly surveyed his surroundings and spotted a massive rock not far away. It stood like a small mountain amidst the mist. "Everyone, move toward that rock. Use it as cover to reduce their attack angles," Zhang Hao shouted, his voice firm and powerful, offering a glimmer of hope.

The crowd fended off the metal bats' attacks while moving towards the rock. The metal bats' attacks grew more intense, their wings flapping, stirring up strong winds that collided with the crowd's spells, emitting a dazzling light. During their difficult movement, the woman was accidentally scratched on the arm by a metal bat, blood staining her sleeve and quickly congealing in the cold air.

Seeing this, Ling Yu immediately came to the woman's side. His hands radiated a soft light, and he cast a healing spell to heal her. Meanwhile, the mysterious man and the old man increased the intensity of their spells. The mysterious man summoned a huge rock and smashed it towards the metal bat, while the old man unleashed even more powerful lightning. For a moment, the metal bat's offensive was temporarily suppressed.

Finally, they made it to the rock. With their backs against it, the pressure on them suddenly eased considerably. The metal bats still surrounded them, attacking them relentlessly. They pounded the rock frantically, making a thumping noise, but they showed no sign of giving up, as if they were determined to devour them.