The contestant is too old, sister Zhou is crazy

The secret passage was long and winding, as if it was specially designed by ancient sages to test the will of those who came later. Finally, when they almost thought there was no way out, a ray of natural light came in, and the exit was right in front of them.

Just as they were preparing to welcome the free air, a gust of wind suddenly blew up, and a figure blocked the entrance of the cave. The man was wrapped in a black robe, with only a pair of sharp eyes showing, as if he could see into people's hearts.

"Leave the scroll behind and I can spare your life." The man in black robe spoke coldly, his voice full of unquestionable majesty.

Zhao Ming stood up, his eyes firm: "We have a heavy responsibility, and we can't let you destroy the balance of the world."

"Balance?" The man in black robe sneered, "Do you really think you are maintaining balance? You are ignorant! What this world needs is change, not maintaining the status quo."

"Change? At the cost of sacrificing the innocent?" Su Mo took a step forward, the tip of his sword pointed directly at the other party's heart, "Your so-called change will only bring chaos and destruction."

“Chaos is the price for the birth of a new order. The weak are destined to be eliminated.” The black-robed man’s attitude became increasingly tough, and a strange black mist began to surround him.

"You are wrong." Yueyue suddenly spoke, and the notebook in her hand emitted a soft light, bringing a touch of warmth to the surroundings. "Real power is used to protect, not to destroy."

Li Zixue also stepped forward, and the book of wisdom was gently opened in her hands. Every page seemed to contain ancient wisdom and power: "History has proven that only love and peace are the long-term way."

The mysterious traveler stood at the end. His eyes moved among the five people and finally fixed on Zhao Ming. He silently conveyed trust and strength: "The five of us are united in mind and will. There is nothing we cannot overcome."

Faced with the guardians' determination, the black-robed man's eyes flashed with surprise, but he quickly regained his indifference: "In this case, let me see if you are qualified to protect this power."

After saying that, the man in black robe waved his arms, and the surrounding environment distorted. A sudden storm swept in. Obviously, they were about to face a tough battle.

"Are you ready, guys?" Zhao Ming's voice was inspiring, and his eyes were burning with the fire of faith.

"Until death!" the four of them said in unison. Their figures stood taller in the storm, like fearless warriors ready to face the challenge of fate.

In the center of the storm, light and darkness collided violently. The confrontation between the five people and the man in black robe was not only to protect that power, but also to prove that true protection comes from the love and responsibility deep in the heart.

"Let's begin!" Zhao Ming shouted, and the five people showed their abilities. Yueyue's notes shone brightly, releasing rays of light of knowledge and weaving a protective barrier for the team; Su Mo pointed his sword to the sky, and wherever the sword pointed, the haze in the storm was split inch by inch, revealing a ray of light; Li Zixue chanted a spell, and every page of the Book of Wisdom that was opened turned into a protective rune, surrounding everyone; the mysterious traveler lightly put his palms together, and the ancient and powerful energy condensed in his hands, ready to give the enemy a fatal blow at the critical moment.

"Your power is indeed impressive." The black-robed man said coldly, but he could not hide his inner shock. As his gestures changed, the surrounding dark elements seemed to be summoned, gathering into ferocious shadow beasts, roaring and rushing towards the guardians.

"Come on, let's see who is the real master of this land!" Zhao Ming led the crowd to meet them, and a battle between light and darkness officially began.

The battle was fierce and magnificent. Whenever the shadow beast approached, it would be repelled by the wisdom or courage of the guardians. In the storm, the villagers' exclamations could be heard from time to time. Although they were not at the scene, they seemed to be able to glimpse this epic battle through an inexplicable telepathy, and they felt both worried and proud.

"Look, it's Brother Zhao Ming and the others fighting!" the little girl said to her mother excitedly, her eyes full of admiration.

"Yes, they are the pride of our village." The mother stroked her daughter's head, her tone filled with pride and expectation.

After a series of fierce battles, the black-robed man's offensive gradually became inadequate. For the first time, his originally determined eyes wavered. Zhao Ming seized the opportunity and launched the final joint skill with the four people. The collision of light and darkness reached its extreme, and the world seemed to tremble at this moment.

"It's over." With Zhao Ming's order, a huge light that combined the power of five people penetrated the black-robed man's defense and directly surrounded him. The black-robed man struggled in the light and eventually turned into a wisp of smoke and dissipated with the wind.

The storm stopped, the sun shone on the battlefield again, and everything returned to calm. The guardians looked a little tired, but there was a gleam of victory in their eyes.

"We did it." Su Mo panted, looking at his companions, his eyes full of relief.

"Yes, but there are more challenges waiting for us." The mysterious traveler reminded, his eyes deep.

Yueyue closed her notebook, her eyes sparkling with longing for the future: "Next, we will uncover more secrets of this world."

Li Zixue stroked the Book of Wisdom and smiled gently, "As long as you are here, there are no difficulties that cannot be overcome."

Zhao Ming looked into the distance, where there was a new starting point: "Yes, we are the guardians. For the sake of balance and justice, no matter what the future holds, we will move forward side by side."

At this moment, the five of them were clinging to each other, welcoming the next dawn together. In the afterglow of this victory, a voice came from afar, as if it was a foreshadowing of the unknown challenges they were about to face:
"The real trial has just begun..."

"What?!" Yueyue turned around suddenly and looked around, trying to find the source of the sound, while the other guardians also looked alert.

"Who...is it?" Li Zixue asked in a low voice. The Book of Wisdom in her hand seemed to sense the owner's nervousness and automatically turned a few pages, but no answer was found.

“No need to look for it. This voice does not come from the outside world, but... from our hearts.” The mysterious traveler closed his eyes and said in a deep voice, “It is that power that is guiding us, telling us that the real battle has not yet come.”

"But we have already defeated the man in black robes. Could there be a more powerful enemy waiting for us?" Zhao Ming clenched his fists. The fire in his heart was still burning, but mixed with a hint of uneasiness.

“A strong enemy may be just an appearance. Our real challenge is how to use this power and make it a weapon to protect world peace and justice instead of causing new disputes.” Yueyue seemed to be thinking about something, and the notebook shook gently in her hand, as if responding to her thoughts.

"Yes, the battle just now allowed us to prove our strength, but it also exposed our existence. In the future, more people may try to obtain this power for various purposes." Su Mo put away his sword and his eyes became deep.

"So, what should we do?" The little girl's voice sounded in Zhao Ming's mind again, this time, with more curiosity and expectation.

"First, we must unite as one and constantly hone our abilities." Zhao Ming's voice was firm. He turned to look at each of his partners, "Then, we must find the source of that sound and explore the truth behind it all."

"I agree." Li Zixue nodded, and the Book of Wisdom emitted a soft light, illuminating their way forward. "Only by understanding it in depth can we better protect it."

"But how do we find the source? The secret of the cave has been revealed, where else can we look for clues?" Yueyue raised the key question.

The mysterious traveler pondered for a moment and pointed to the distant horizon: "According to ancient legends, there is a hidden temple. It is said that it contains the deepest secrets of this power and the revelation that will guide our next move."

"The temple? That sounds like a legend." Although Su Mo said this, his hand holding the sword was already eager to move, and he was obviously eager to try.

“Things in the world often originate from legends and return to legends. Now that we have embarked on this journey, we must explore until we find all the answers.” The mysterious traveler’s tone was filled with unquestionable determination.

"Okay! Then let's set off. No matter what lies ahead, we will face it together!" Zhao Ming raised his arms and shouted, and others responded one after another. Their eyes were filled with desire for the unknown and fearless courage.

Just as the five people were preparing to embark on a new journey, they suddenly heard hurried footsteps behind them, accompanied by the panting of an old man.

"Children, wait a minute!" A white-haired old man appeared in front of them, holding a stone tablet with strange symbols carved on it, his eyes flashing with excitement and hope. "I am the elder of the village, I have sensed the movement here, and you... you are the guardians in the legend."

The old man's words surprised everyone, especially Zhao Ming. He didn't expect that someone in the village knew their identities.

"How do you know?" Zhao Ming asked.

The old man handed over the slate with a smile: "This is a relic passed down from my ancestors. It contains the prophecy about the guardian and the temple. It guided me here to find you."

"Prophecy?" Yueyue took the mysterious stone tablet and studied it carefully, sparks of wisdom jumping in her eyes.

“It seems that our journey is more destined than we thought.” The mysterious traveler sighed, his eyes showing both emotion and expectation.

"So, old man, do you have any suggestions?" Su Mo asked. He was ready to set off at any time.

The old man looked at them deeply and said solemnly: "The road to the temple is full of unknowns and dangers, but you are not alone. Take this prophecy with you, it will guide you at the critical moment. Remember, the real power comes not only from yourselves, but also from the faith and support of the people."

The five people looked at each other, their hearts filled with an unprecedented sense of mission. With the old man's help, they set out on a journey to find the temple, with the peace of the village behind them and unknown challenges ahead.

The villagers gathered at the entrance of the village, talking a lot and bidding farewell to these brave guardians with tears in their eyes.

"Look, that's Zhao Ming and the others! Where are they going?" A young man pointed at the figures in the distance, his eyes full of admiration.

"The legendary temple. I heard that there is ancient power hidden there." The aunt next to her said, her eyes flashing with curiosity about the unknown.

"They are really amazing. I hope they can find a solution to the problem." An old man murmured to himself, with both reluctance and expectation in his eyes.

Zhao Ming and his group of five walked further and further away under everyone's gaze. Their backs, elongated in the morning light, looked lonely and resolute.

"I'm afraid that many people will try to obstruct us along the way." Walking in front of the team, Zhao Ming frowned slightly, with a hint of worry in his tone.

Su Mo followed closely behind and said with a smile: "That's great, it will give us more opportunities to practice and let us see our progress during this period of time."

"Don't be careless," Yueyue opened her notebook and quickly wrote down the possible hidden dangers along the way, "Be careful at every step."

"Don't worry, with the Book of Wisdom here, we won't lose our way." Li Zixue patted the book in her hands with a firm tone.

The mysterious traveler walked at the end, his eyes seemed to penetrate the fog and see the future: "Remember, the real enemy is often the shadow hidden under the light."

During the journey, they encountered various challenges, including natural obstacles and man-made tests. Every time, when they overcame difficulties with amazing tacit understanding and strength, they could always hear the exclamations of passers-by:
"Who are they? So powerful!"

"It must be the gods from heaven coming down to earth!"

“I really hope I can protect my homeland like them.”

These words were like a spring breeze, quietly blowing into the hearts of the guardians, making their steps more determined and their strength growing invisibly.

One evening, they stopped at a small village and sat around a campfire. Yueyue suddenly said, "Have you ever thought that after we find the temple and master that power, can we really protect this world?"

This question is like a stone thrown into a lake, causing ripples.

Su Mo pondered and said, "Protecting is not just about fighting, it's also about leading and educating. What we need to do is to make more people understand the true meaning of power."

Li Zixue said softly: "There is also love and sacrifice, which cannot be replaced by any power."

The mysterious traveler nodded: "Yes, everything we do is to convey a belief: true strength is to make this world a better place."

Zhao Ming looked up at the brightest star in the night sky and said firmly: "No matter what the future holds, as long as we are together, nothing is impossible."

At this time, a gust of wind blew by, seemingly carrying their words away, and the words "The real trial has just begun now" once again echoed in everyone's mind, becoming a new motivation in their hearts.

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's keep moving forward tomorrow!" Yueyue closed her notebook, her eyes flashing with anticipation for unknown challenges.

"Well, no matter what lies ahead, we will face it together." Zhao Ming's face was filled with a firm smile. (End of this chapter)