Rise of the Otherworld.

Everyone took a breather. Though exhausted and throbbing with pain from their wounds, the urgency of finding the final key quickly lifted their spirits. The cave was filled with the spiritual mist left by the dissipated crystal beast, a dreamlike illusion yet harbouring unknown dangers. This mist, like a veil, drifted through the multicolored crystal light, as if telling an ancient mystery. But the crowd had no time to admire it, their minds preoccupied with the desperate search for the final key.

Zhang Hao glanced around with unwavering determination, his gaze etched with undeniable resolve. He declared, "We must find the last key and leave this place as soon as possible. The longer we wait, the greater the uncertainty." His voice echoed through the cave, a steady force that felt like a shot of strength in the arm. Everyone nodded, a flicker of determination in their eyes. Despite the pain, they began to search the cave carefully.

They spread out, leaving no corner untouched. Lingyu surveyed the cave's edges, inch by inch, his gaze as sharp as a hawk's, scanning the ground and walls repeatedly. Every grain of crystal, every subtle bump, escaped his gaze. He knew that in this seemingly pointless search, even the smallest detail could be the key to finding the key. The mysterious man focused his attention on the pile of crystals shattered by the battle. He squatted down, gently parted the fragments with his hands, and searched carefully. He believed that the key might be hidden among these seemingly ordinary fragments, like a pearl in the ocean, waiting to be discovered.

The old man, with his rich experience, searched for possible secret compartments in the cave. His eyes moved slowly across the walls and floor of the cave. Sometimes he tapped the wall gently, listening for subtle changes in the sound; sometimes he squatted down, observing the cracks in the floor, trying to find hidden mechanisms. His fingers groped on the wall, as if playing a silent piece of music, and every movement was full of exploration of the unknown. The woman used her ice-type spiritual power to sense the abnormal fluctuations in the surrounding spiritual power, trying to find clues from it. She closed her eyes and slowly released her ice-type spiritual power, like an invisible net covering the entire cave. She could feel the spiritual power flowing in the air, and every subtle change. Any unusual fluctuation could lead them to the key.

Time ticked by, their search yielding no results. The cave was so quiet that only the soft breathing and the occasional clink of falling crystals could be heard. The atmosphere grew increasingly tense. Just as everyone was growing anxious, the woman suddenly called out, "Everyone, come! The spiritual energy fluctuations here are strange." Her voice shattered the silence, like a ray of light in the darkness. Everyone quickly gathered around, only to see a patch of crystal ground before the woman, faintly emitting a different glow than the surroundings. Like a faint star, the light stood out against the shimmering brilliance of the other crystals, yet barely perceptible.

The mysterious man crouched down, carefully examining the patterns on the ground. He discovered they seemed to form a formation. A flicker of excitement flashed in his eyes, his mind quickly recalling his previous experience deciphering the light curtain runes. He experimented with touching the patterns in a specific order, his fingers gently sliding across them as if in dialogue with an ancient formation. As he moved, a crystal platform slowly rose from the ground. The crystal was translucent, emitting a soft glow. On the platform sat a softly radiant key, its light like warm sunlight, illuminating the faces of the crowd.

"Finally found it!" Zhang Hao smiled with relief. He stepped forward and picked up the key. The moment he grasped the key, a powerful and pure spiritual energy surged into his body, like a spring pouring into parched earth, recharging his exhausted body. With the three keys in hand, everyone's hearts were filled with joy and hope. Their eyes gleamed, as if they saw the dawn of victory just around the corner.

However, before they could celebrate, the cave suddenly began to shake violently, even more violently than when the crystal monster had appeared. Crystals from the ceiling fell like a torrential rain, and the sharp sound of shattering echoed through the cavern, as if the world had come to an end. Cracks in the ground rapidly widened, like gaping maws, ready to devour everyone. The entire cave seemed about to collapse, and dust billowed, filling the air and making it almost impossible to breathe.

"Oh no! We have to get out of here!" Zhang Hao shouted, his voice tinged with anxiety. Following their remembered path, they sprinted towards the maze's exit. Along the way, falling crystals and collapsing ground constantly blocked their path. They dodged falling crystals, leaped over cracks in the ground, each step fraught with danger. But with their tenacious will and mutual understanding, they overcame each danger.

Finally, they saw a glimmer of light ahead, pointing to the maze's exit. Like a beacon of hope, it guided them forward in the darkness. They quickened their pace, desperately rushing towards the light. The moment they stepped out of the maze, it collapsed behind them, sending up a massive cloud of dust. The dust rose like a giant mushroom cloud, obscuring the sky.

Everyone watched the scene before them, their hearts trembling with fear. Their chests heaved violently, they gasped for breath, their clothes drenched in sweat. But they knew this was only part of the test; far greater challenges awaited them. They took a deep breath, adjusted themselves, and prepared for the next round. Their eyes were filled with determination, as if declaring to the world that no matter how many difficulties and obstacles lay ahead, they would bravely move forward and never give up...