Rise of the Otherworld.

Everyone paused briefly, striving to recover some of their spiritual and physical strength. The prolonged battle had exhausted them both physically and mentally, yet a gleam of determination shone in each of their eyes. At that moment, the statue in the center of the square shone brightly once more, its dazzling light illuminating the entire square. The phantom that had appeared earlier slowly emerged. He gazed silently at the crowd, a subtle flicker of approval in his eyes, but quickly returned to his solemn expression, as if concealing all emotion.

"You have successfully passed this round of tests, demonstrating outstanding teamwork and adaptability. However, the real challenge has just begun." Phantom's voice echoed in the square. The voice seemed to come from the ancient abyss, with unquestionable majesty, striking heavily on everyone's hearts.

As his words fell, the ground in the square began to shake violently, as if an enraged beast roared from the depths of the earth. Cracks spread rapidly like a spiderweb, shattering the bluestone pavement wherever they touched. Then, a vast labyrinth slowly rose from the cracks. Built of black boulders, their surfaces were engraved with mysterious runes, emitting a mysterious and ancient aura, as if telling of a forgotten history.

"There are three keys hidden in this maze. Only by collecting all the keys can you open the door to the next level. But the maze is full of various mechanisms and traps, as well as powerful guardian beasts. You must complete the task within one hour, otherwise you will be trapped here forever." After the phantom finished speaking, it disappeared in the light like smoke, leaving everyone there, facing this maze full of unknowns and dangers.

Zhang Hao looked at the maze and said solemnly: "Listen carefully, everyone. Time is running out and we must act as soon as possible. But we can't be blind. We must stay vigilant and be ready for emergencies at any time. Every decision may be related to our life and death, so we must be cautious." His eyes swept across everyone firmly, conveying calmness and confidence.

Everyone nodded, then cautiously entered the maze. The interior was dark and damp, filled with a lingering smell of decay, as if it had been forgotten for millennia. The walls were inlaid with faintly glowing stones, their light flickering in the darkness, barely illuminating the path ahead, yet adding a touch of eeriness to the otherwise gloomy environment.

They walked along the narrow passage, and Lingyu whispered, "I feel that the flow of spiritual power here is very strange, as if it is deliberately guiding us in a certain direction. This feeling is subtle, but it does exist." He frowned slightly, trying to capture the subtle changes in the flow of spiritual power.

The mysterious man nodded in agreement. "Perhaps this is a hint. If we follow the direction of the flow of spiritual energy, we may be able to find the key faster. But be careful, this may be a trap." His eyes revealed vigilance, and as he spoke, he kept an eye on the movements around him.

As they walked, they came to a three-way intersection. The three passages, like the mouths of a vast beast, awaited their choices. The left passage was filled with a chill so deep it seemed to penetrate the very bone marrow, sending shivers down their spines. From the middle passage came a faint roar, a voice imbued with immense majesty and ferocity, as if a sleeping beast were awakening. The right passage glowed with an eerie light, flickering between bright and dim, as if luring everyone towards an unknown abyss.

"None of these three roads look simple. Which one should we choose?" the woman asked with a frown. Her eyes wandered between the three passages, trying to find clues from the traces.

Zhang Hao pondered for a moment and said, "There was a roaring sound coming from the middle passage. There might be a guardian beast. We don't know its strength yet. It's too risky to go there rashly, so let's avoid it first. The left passage is cold, there might be ice traps. With a woman's ice magic, it might be relatively easy to deal with it. Let's go to the left." His tone was steady and decisive, and his analysis was very logical.

Everyone followed their instructions and walked into the left passage. The temperature inside the passage dropped ever lower, as if entering an ice cellar. Their breath instantly condensed into icy mist, spreading before their eyes. Suddenly, a row of massive ice spikes appeared in front of them, like a row of sharp fangs, rapidly shooting towards them. The ice spikes flashed with a cold light and moved at an extremely fast speed, reaching them in the blink of an eye...