Rise of the Otherworld.

The cave shook violently, as if the whole world was collapsing. The crystals on the cave ceiling fell like raindrops, and the sharp shattering sounds echoed in the cave. Each crystal was like a deadly meteor, smashing to the ground with the sound of whistling wind. The cracks in the ground spread rapidly like a spider web, as if to swallow everyone. Everyone's face changed drastically in an instant, and a trace of fear flashed in their eyes, but more of it was firmness and determination, knowing that a life-and-death crisis was approaching step by step. Zhang Hao quickly put away the key. The key seemed to carry all their hopes. He shouted loudly, and his voice was still clear and powerful in the noisy environment: "Everyone be careful, find a place to hide first!"

The mysterious man reacted swiftly, his hands forming hand seals like a phantom, muttering something to himself. As he moved, earth-element spiritual energy surged beneath the ground like a surging undercurrent. In the blink of an eye, a massive earth shield quickly formed above everyone's heads, like a towering mountain, firmly blocking the falling crystals. Each crystal struck the shield with a dull thud, rippling its surface, yet it stubbornly withstood the impact.

Ling Yu, not to be outdone, unleashed a wind spell. He waved his hands, as if dancing with the wind, wind energy swirling and gathering around him. Then, gusts of wind roared out, like invisible hands, blowing away the flying debris and clearing a relatively safe area for everyone. The debris tumbled and clashed in the wind, making a crackling sound.

The woman hurriedly cast an ice spell. Her hands shimmered with a shimmering blue light, and her icy energy spread like flowing threads. A thick layer of ice quickly formed on the ground, not only reinforcing the surface and preventing everyone from falling into the cracks, but also reflecting a multicolored light, making the entire scene seem dreamlike. However, no one had the heart to appreciate this beauty at the moment; everyone was fully focused on responding to the crisis.

The old man swung his staff, and the tip of the staff glowed brightly, unleashing defensive spells like dazzling fireworks. The light enveloped everyone, interweaving with the spells of his companions to form a solid protective net, strengthening everyone's defense. The defensive spells collided with the fallen crystals, emitting a dazzling light that illuminated the entire cave.

As the tremors intensified, a deep roar echoed from the depths of the cave. It sounded like something from the Netherworld, filled with rage and majesty, sending chills down one's spine. A giant crystal beast, several times larger than the previous crystal scorpion, slowly emerged. Resembling a unicorn, its body emanated powerful crystal spiritual energy. Each wave was like an invisible force, impacting the surrounding air. Each of its steps was heavy and powerful, and the ground trembled violently under its stomping feet, as if unable to bear the weight.

"This is the ultimate guardian beast guarding the final key. Looks like we need to go all out," Zhang Hao said solemnly, his eyes fixed on the crystal beast. There was no fear in his eyes, only firm determination. Everyone nodded, their eyes revealing a courageous willingness to face death. They all mobilized their spiritual energy, preparing for this life-or-death battle.

The crystal beast launched the first attack, opening its maw and blasting out a powerful crystal beam. Like a brilliant laser, the beam shone brightly, seemingly piercing through everything. With a sharp whistling sound, it shot towards the crowd, so fast that no one had time to react. Zhang Hao quickly condensed a spiritual shield in front of him, and a blue light instantly bloomed, like the brightest star in the night sky. At the same time, he shouted, "Everyone, defend together!"

The mysterious man immediately reinforced the earth shield. His hands formed seals again, and earth energy poured into it continuously. The shield grew thicker, and the runes on its surface shimmered, as if speaking of an ancient power. Lingyu manipulated wind energy to try to redirect the beam. He concentrated all his energy in his hands, and violent winds swirled wildly around the beam, attempting to deflect it. However, the beam was too powerful, and the wind energy only slightly deflected its trajectory.

The old man unleashed a fire spell to counter the rays. The flames, like a roaring dragon, charged at the rays, carrying a billowing wave of heat. However, the cold force of the crystal rays and the intense heat of the flames collided, instantly producing a large amount of vapor that filled the cave. The fire spell was instantly extinguished by the powerful crystal rays, leaving only wisps of smoke.

The woman condensed a thick layer of ice armor on her shield. The armor was crystal clear and shimmered with a cold light. As the armor came into contact with the beam, it sizzled and began to melt rapidly, transforming into a pool of icy water. Under the powerful impact, everyone stepped back, their bodies as if struck by a sledgehammer. A trace of blood flowed from the corner of their mouths, staining their clothes red.

"This crystal beast is too powerful. We can't fight it head-on. We need to find its weakness." Ling Yu wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, his eyes revealing a hint of determination. He knew that in this battle with such a huge disparity in strength, only by outsmarting the enemy could he have a chance of survival.

Zhang Hao stared at the crystal beast, his gaze piercing, closely following its every move. He noticed that although its eyes shone brightly, they would occasionally dim for a moment, as if revealing a flaw in the blink of an eye. A thought struck him, as if he had found a glimmer of hope in the darkness. He said, "Everyone, pay attention! Its eyes might be a weakness. Let's distract it, then focus our attack on them."

Upon hearing this, everyone sprang into action. The mysterious man manipulated earthen walls, attacking the crystal beast from all directions. Like moving mountains, the walls, carrying the power of the earth, slammed into the crystal beast. The crystal beast's attention was drawn, and it roared angrily, turning to meet the attack. Its massive claws slashed at the wall, instantly shattering it and turning it into a pile of dust.

Ling Yu cast a wind spell, creating a series of tornadoes around the crystal beast. Like ferocious beasts, the tornadoes roared and swept over, disrupting the crystal beast's movements. The crystal beast struggled forward in the tornado, its body swaying in the wind, a flicker of anger in its eyes.

The old man unleashed a variety of powerful spells: fire, lightning, and frost, like bursts of brilliant fireworks, continuously attacking the crystal beast's body. The spells struck the crystal beast, emitting dazzling light and deafening noises. Cracks appeared on the crystal beast's body, but it continued to stubbornly endure the attacks.

The woman cast a supporting spell, her hands gleaming with a soft light, restoring the spirit power of the crowd. At the same time, she was also looking for an opportunity to attack the crystal beast. Icy arrows shot out from her hands like meteors, piercing the crystal beast.

Zhang Hao seized the opportunity and unleashed his skills, charging towards the crystal beast like a flash of black lightning. His figure flashed by amidst the radiance of the crowd's magic, so fast that it was almost invisible. The moment the crystal beast's eyes dimmed again, he focused all his spiritual energy into his sword, which shone brightly, seeming to illuminate the entire cave. He leaped high, and the sword in his hand, like a meteor, stabbed fiercely at the crystal beast's eyes...