Rise of the Otherworld.

Armed with the strength and knowledge they had gained from the ruins, the group confidently left the site. However, the moment they stepped outside, they sensed a strangely heavy atmosphere. The once azure sky was now shrouded in a haze, and a sense of oppression hung heavy in the air, as if a massive storm was approaching.

Zhang Hao frowned, a sense of foreboding welling up in his heart. He said to the others, "Something seems amiss. Let's first ask the nearby residents." Everyone nodded and headed towards the nearest town.

Upon entering the town, they saw pedestrians hurrying along the streets, faces filled with fear and worry. They stopped an elderly man and inquired about what had happened. The elderly man's voice trembled as he spoke, "You may not be aware, but recently, mysterious dark rifts have suddenly appeared across the continent. Countless terrifying dark creatures have emerged from these rifts, bringing devastation wherever they go. While the immortal cultivation sects across the land have risen up to resist, these dark creatures seem endless, and the situation is becoming increasingly critical."

Everyone's faces changed when they heard this. Zhang Hao clenched his fists and said, "It seems that the time we gain power is when the continent is facing a crisis. This may be our mission, to prevent this disaster."

Ling Yu said with a firm gaze, "That's right, we can't just sit back and watch. With our current strength, we can definitely contribute to the fight against the dark creatures."

The mysterious man nodded in agreement. "We must first understand the distribution of dark cracks and the characteristics of dark creatures before we can formulate an effective response strategy."

The woman said solemnly, "I'm worried that there's a powerful force behind these dark creatures. We must proceed with caution."

The old man stroked his beard, pondered for a moment, and then said, "The most urgent task is to contact the immortal sects in various places and discuss countermeasures together. We are weak alone, and only by uniting can we defeat the darkness."

After discussion, they decided to split up. Zhang Hao, Ling Yu, and the mysterious man headed north to the Lingyun Sect, the woman to the Bingxin Pavilion in the west, and the old man to the Danxia Sect in the south. They each relayed messages and discussed a plan to unite against the enemy.

Zhang Hao and the other two sped along, quickly arriving at Lingyun Sect. They saw a bustling scene within, with disciples rushing in and out, carrying various cultivation supplies. The atmosphere was tense. After explaining their purpose, they were quickly ushered into the Sect Master's meeting room.

The Lingyun Sect's leader looked at them solemnly and said, "You three have arrived just in time. We were just beginning to worry about this dark crisis. These dark creatures are incredibly powerful. Ordinary attacks have little effect on them, and they seem to be able to continuously absorb the surrounding dark energy to restore themselves."

Zhang Hao said, "Master, we have gained new powers and cultivation methods in a ruin, which may be useful in fighting against the dark creatures. We came here this time in the hope of uniting the major sects to fight against darkness together."

A glimmer of hope flashed in the eyes of the Lingyun Sect's leader, who said, "If that's true, that would be wonderful. However, these dark cracks are increasing in number, and the number of dark creatures is also growing. We must come up with a comprehensive countermeasure as soon as possible."

At this moment, a disciple hurried in, his face pale as he said, "Master, this is bad! The dark rifts on the northern border have suddenly widened, releasing a large number of even more powerful dark creatures, and they're approaching our Lingyun Sect!"