Rise of the Otherworld.

Faced with the crystal fragments that flew like hidden weapons, everyone was instantly in danger. Zhang Hao shouted, "Defend with all your strength!" He quickly formed a spiritual shield in front of him, enveloping him in a blue light. The shield rippled under the impact of the crystal fragments, making a crisp sound.

The mysterious man quickly formed hand seals, reinforcing the earthen ball that trapped the crystal scorpion. Simultaneously, a thick earthen wall rose beneath the crowd. Like a solid fortress, the wall blocked some of the crystal shards that were aimed at their legs. However, many fragments still collided with the wall, sending up a cloud of dust.

Ling Yu manipulated his wind energy, creating a massive whirlwind above everyone's heads. The whirlwind whirred, sweeping up most of the crystal fragments that had been shot towards them. As the wind swirled, the crystal fragments collided with each other, turning them into dust. However, the whirlwind's range was limited, and some fragments still struck from the side.

The woman struggled to maintain her ice shield, which cracked under the impact of the crystal shards. She gritted her teeth, beads of sweat dripping down her forehead as she struggled to strengthen the shield. The old man swung his staff, unleashing a series of flame barriers. The flames sizzled as they met the crystal shards, causing some to melt under the intense heat.

Despite everyone's best efforts, some were injured. Ling Yu's arm was scratched by a crystal shard, and blood stained his sleeve. The mysterious man was also hit in the shoulder, and his body swayed slightly. But they showed no sign of retreating.

Zhang Hao watched the frenzied crystal scorpion descend, knowing that if they didn't quickly eliminate it, everyone would be doomed. He glanced at his companions and shouted, "We can't just passively take a beating like this any longer. We must find an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow!"

Trapped and injured, the crystal scorpion's movements became increasingly sluggish. Zhang Hao, seizing the perfect moment, called out to Lingyu, "Lingyu, use your wind energy to entangle its stinger so it can't swing!" Lingyu nodded, concentrating all her energy and transforming it into a sturdy rope that entangled the crystal scorpion's stinger.

Sensing danger, the crystal scorpion struggled frantically, its massive pincers repeatedly smashing into the dirt ball and the surrounding ground. Zhang Hao seized this opportunity, unleashing his agility and approaching the crystal scorpion like a ghost. He channeled all his spiritual energy into his longsword, which shone brightly, seemingly illuminating the entire cave.

As he approached the crystal scorpion, Zhang Hao leaped high and thrust his sword into its back, where the cracks were most severe. The sword pierced the scorpion's body with a dull thud. The scorpion roared in pain, its body trembling violently. More crystal fragments fell from its body, shooting out in all directions.

Seeing this, the old man immediately increased the power of his fire spell, sending a thick column of flames blasting towards the crystal scorpion's wound. The flames raged through the wound, melting the crystal scorpion's body. The woman also condensed a massive ice spear and fiercely stabbed the crystal scorpion. The ice spear penetrated the crystal scorpion's body, emitting a chill that further slowed its movements.

The mysterious man manipulated his earth-element spiritual power, raising a sharp stone pillar from the ground and stabbing it towards the crystal scorpion's abdomen. Under the combined attack of everyone, the crystal scorpion finally collapsed, emitting a shrill scream, and its massive body collapsed to the ground, transforming into countless crystal fragments.

Everyone looked at each other wearily. Although they had defeated the crystal scorpion, each of them was seriously injured. However, they knew that time was running out and they had to find the key as soon as possible. After a short rest, everyone began to search the cave carefully...