The contestant is too old, sister Zhou is crazy

At this point in the conversation, an unknown and exciting sense of challenge spread among the four people. They understood that this was not just a task of finding the key and balancing the world, but also a journey of growth and self-discovery.

"Well, Arya, tell us how to start." Su Mo's voice was calm and firm, and the vines swayed gently, symbolizing her confidence and determination.

"Very good." Arya nodded approvingly and turned to point to a misty mountain. "On the top of the mountain, there is an ancient trial tower. That will be the next stop on your journey. Remember, only by uniting as one can you overcome all difficulties."

Following Arya's guidance, the four set out on a journey to the Tower of Trials. Along the way, they encountered all kinds of creatures, some with strange shapes, some with extraordinary abilities, but all of them were curious and surprised by their arrival.

"Look, travelers from the outside world!" A huge eagle circled above their heads, its feathers shining with changing luster. "You are the first team to arrive here, you must be extraordinary people."

"Extraordinary? I think you are just foolish and bold." A cunning fox poked its head out from the bushes, with a playful glint in its eyes. "The spirit world is full of dangers. Not every step is paved with flowers."

The reactions of these passers-by not only add to the fun of the journey, but also reflect the difficulty and extraordinaryness of the challenge faced by the four people. Their interactions with these creatures are sometimes humorous and sometimes tense, making the journey full of variables and full of expectations for readers.

"If you are not so foolish and brave, how can you see the beauty that has never been revealed in this world?" Zhao Ming answered with a smile. His calmness infected his companions around him and also quietly influenced the onlookers.

As the journey progressed, they finally arrived at the misty trial tower. The tower was majestic, with simple stonework, revealing a kind of vicissitudes of life and inviolable majesty. In front of the door, a transparent barrier blocked the way, with mysterious runes flowing on it.

"It seems that this is our first hurdle." Ajie took a step forward and lightly touched the barrier with the tip of his sword, but it failed to cause any ripples. "How can we pass it?"

"The Tower of Trials tests not only your strength, but also your wisdom and heart." Arya's voice rang in their ears. She did not follow them personally, but she always seemed to give them hints at critical moments. "Find the resonance between the tower and you, and the door will open."

Following Arya's guidance, the four began to calm down and try to establish a connection with this ancient building. Li Zixue gently opened the Book of Wisdom, and the words on the pages seemed to come alive at that moment, resonating with the runes on the tower; Su Mo let the vines gently touch the barrier, conveying the message of growth and life; Zhao Ming closed his eyes and meditated, connecting his determination with the foundation of the tower; Ajie inserted the sword into the ground, allowing his courage and perseverance to resonate with the solidity of the tower.

Just as they were fully engaged, the barrier began to ripple and then quietly opened. A warm stream of light came towards them, as if the tower recognized their efforts.

"We did it!" Ajie shouted excitedly, and everyone else also smiled with relief.

Entering the tower, each floor has a test, which is not only a challenge to personal limits, but also a test of teamwork. Every victory on each floor will allow the four people to gain a special ability, which will become a valuable aid in the subsequent adventure.

"It's unbelievable that you have passed my test." At the top of the tower, a wise man who looked old but still dignified had been waiting for a long time. His voice echoed in the empty tower room, "I am the guardian of the Trial Tower and the final gatekeeper."

"You are..." Zhao Ming asked doubtfully. They had already expected such a person to appear, but they did not expect him to appear in such a mysterious form.

"The title is not important. What matters is that you have proven your worth." The wise man smiled. "I have a final test that concerns the deepest part of your heart. Are you willing to accept it?"

Faced with unknown challenges, the four of them smiled at each other without saying a word, but their eyes were full of determination and trust.

"We accept." Su Mo answered on behalf of everyone, and the vines swayed gently, as if to boost their morale for the challenges they were about to face.

"Very good." The wise man nodded with satisfaction. He waved his hand, and the air around him suddenly froze. Time seemed to stand still at this moment. A bright ball of light rose from his hand and slowly floated to the center of the four people. The light contained the mysteries of the universe and the true meaning of life. "This is the mirror of the soul. It will reflect the deepest fears and desires in your heart. Only by facing and overcoming them can you truly control your own destiny."

When the light ball touched the four people, it suddenly spread out, forming four independent but connected spaces. Each space reflected the most secret scene in their hearts:
Li Zixue saw a desolate ruin in front of her eyes. The Book of Wisdom was lying alone in the center, with its pages in tatters, as if all her efforts would be in vain. She tried to touch the book with trembling hands, but found that she could not get close to it no matter what.

"No, I can't give up. My knowledge and my beliefs are my most powerful weapons." Li Zixue said firmly, with an unyielding light flashing in her eyes. The pages of the book began to slowly recover, and the light reappeared in her world.

Ajie was surrounded by countless phantoms of himself, each mocking his powerlessness and failure. Every swing of his sword seemed to hit nothing. He took a deep breath, gathered all his strength, and declared loudly: "I am Ajie. My sword swings for justice and fights for protection. My courage will not be shaken by the mockery of the shadows!"

Su Mo was in a withered forest. Her vines became dry and lifeless. She knelt on the ground, stroking the dead branches, tears falling. "No, I can't let life wither in my hands." She prayed softly, and a green light bloomed from her heart, spreading to every inch of land. The trees sprouted new buds and revived.

Zhao Ming is facing a wall of past failures and regrets. Every time he tries to cross it, he is mercilessly bounced back. He covers his chest in pain, but soon, a look of determination flashes in his eyes: "I admit my past mistakes, but I look to the future. I want to prove with my actions that every failure is a stepping stone to success."

When they woke up from the trial, not only were they sublimated, but also the four of them formed an unprecedented close bond. The wise man nodded with satisfaction and said slowly: "Very good, you have passed the trial of the mind. As a reward, I will give you an ancient power - elemental resonance. It can allow you to use the power of nature in times of crisis and release energy beyond imagination."

As soon as the words fell, the air around the four people surged and transformed into elemental symbols of wind, fire, water, and earth, surrounding them as if merging with their souls.

“Now, you are ready to face the real challenge. Remember, no matter what difficulties you face, keep your faith, believe in each other, and there will be no difficulties that cannot be overcome.” The wise man’s voice gradually faded away, and with his disappearance, the Trial Tower began to collapse, turning into points of light and merging into the bodies of the four people.

The four looked at each other, their eyes flashing with a more determined light after the trial. When they walked out of the tower, they were greeted by a whole new world and more unknown challenges.

"Where do we go next?" Applejack asked, holding the sword that was glowing with new light.

"We will go wherever we are needed." Zhao Ming looked into the distance, his tone full of determination, "Our journey has just begun."

"That's right, as long as we are together, nothing is impossible." Su Mo stroked the more lush vines with a smile.

Li Zixue gently closed the Book of Wisdom. It was thicker than before, as if it had recorded a lot of new knowledge. "The Book of Wisdom shows that there is a forgotten relic in the southeast, where the key clues may be hidden."

At this moment, a hurried and weak voice interrupted their discussion: "Help... Help..." The voice came from not far away, and an injured creature was crawling towards them with difficulty.

The four of them immediately rushed forward and surrounded this unknown creature. Its appearance was strange, but the desire to survive revealed in its eyes was something they could not ignore.

"Don't be afraid, we will help you." Su Mo said gently, her vines gently wrapped around the creature's wounds, providing it with warmth and healing.

"Who hurt you?" Zhao Ming asked sternly, looking around vigilantly.

The creatures weakly raised their heads and answered in their own language. Li Zixue's Book of Wisdom automatically translated: "It is... it is the dark forces... they, they want..."

The sound became weaker and weaker, and finally disappeared. But its message was enough for the four people to understand that a greater adventure, a battle between light and darkness, was waiting for them.

“No matter how powerful the dark forces are, as long as we have light in our hearts, we can overcome everything.” Ajie gripped the hilt of the sword tightly, his eyes as sharp as torches.

"It seems that we still have a long way to go." Zhao Ming murmured, his eyes showing both worry and expectation.

"We should not only look for answers, but also become the light that illuminates the way forward." Li Zixue's gaze stayed on the Book of Wisdom for a moment, and then he looked at his companions firmly.

At this moment, the surrounding environment seemed to respond to their words. A warm breeze blew, bringing the fragrance of flowers and plants in the distance, as if nature itself was encouraging them to move forward.

"Let's go, let's help this friend back to a safe place first." Su Mo suggested, and her vines gently wrapped up the injured creature, gently but powerfully.

As they carefully escorted the injured creature, they attracted many curious glances from creatures along the way, some of which talked about it and some cast admiring glances at them.

"Look, it's those brave travelers! Not only did they pass through the Trial Tower, they also saved lives."

"I heard that they possess the power of elemental resonance. It's really desirable."

"If I could have that kind of power, maybe I could protect my home from being invaded."

The conversations among these passers-by are like a melodious background music, accompanying the four people as they continue their journey, and quietly planting the seeds of expectation in the readers' hearts.

Arriving at a hidden cave, they settled the injured creatures and left enough supplies. Before leaving, the creatures expressed their gratitude in their own unique way, and the light in their eyes made people feel sincere and warm.

"I hope you can recover soon." Su Mo said goodbye softly, his heart full of respect and love for life.

On the road again, they followed the guidance of the Book of Wisdom and headed towards the ruins in the southeast. Along the way, Ajie's sword flashed from time to time, as if reminding them of the upcoming challenge.

"The secret hidden in that forgotten relic is probably related to the dark forces." Li Zixue flipped through the book as he walked, brows furrowed.

"No matter what it is, we have to face it." Zhao Ming's words were simple and direct, but powerful.

Just as the group was immersed in thinking about future challenges, the road ahead suddenly opened up, and an ancient and majestic relic came into view. There was a depressing atmosphere all around, as if telling the past glory and silence.

"Here... there's an indescribable heaviness." Ajie slightly tightened his grip on the sword and looked around vigilantly.

"It is the weight of history and the call of unsolved mysteries." Li Zixue sighed softly, and the pages of the book of wisdom turned by themselves, as if looking for answers.

"Let's go in and take a look. Remember to be careful." Su Mo's words made the atmosphere a little more relaxed. Her words always carried a power that warmed people's hearts.

The ruins are so complicated that the four have to explore separately, relying only on the resonance of their hearts and the guidance of the Book of Wisdom to maintain contact. Every step is full of unknowns and dangers, but the faith in their hearts is like a bright light that dispels the darkness.

In the middle of a spacious hall, a huge stone statue caught their attention. There seemed to be something embedded in the eye sockets of the statue. Just as they were about to go forward to check it out, a deep voice echoed in the empty space:
"What are you looking for here?"

The sudden sound made the four people alert. They looked around but did not see any figures.

"Who is it? Please show yourself." Zhao Ming responded calmly, his sword drawn, ready to deal with any possible threats at any time.

"I am the guardian spirit of the ruins. I have been sleeping for many years, just waiting for the right person." As the words fell, a light suddenly flashed in the eyes of the stone statue, and then an illusory human figure slowly emerged.

"Destined one? We are just seeking the truth and fighting against darkness." Ajie said bluntly, pointing the tip of his sword at the stone statue without flinching.

"The truth is often accompanied by sacrifice. Are you ready?" There was a hint of sadness in the guardian spirit's voice, as if foreshadowing the upcoming test.

"As long as it's for justice and peace, there is nothing we can't face." Su Mo said in a firm tone, and the vines surrounded her like the guardian of life.

"Very good, then let me see your determination." After the guardian spirit finished speaking, the whole hall began to shake, a series of mechanisms were activated, and a trial for the four people began again... (End of this chapter)