The contestant is too old, sister Zhou is crazy

"Well said, Yueyue." Su Mo stood up and stretched. His figure was stretched out by the campfire in the night. "Tomorrow, no matter what happens, we will fight side by side."

"Yes, tomorrow is a new day." Li Zixue also agreed. The Book of Wisdom was gently turning over by the campfire, making a slight rustling sound, as if previewing the upcoming adventure.

The mysterious traveler looked around at everyone, and a barely perceptible smile appeared on his lips: "Rest, friends. Strength comes not only from resting the body, but also from preparing the mind. Tomorrow, we will witness more."

As the night deepened, the small village returned to silence, leaving only the light snoring of five people around the campfire. The stars dotted the night sky, as if silently paying attention to this group of travelers with a mission.

The next morning, the first ray of sunlight penetrated the mist and awakened the sleeping earth. Zhao Ming and his party packed their bags and prepared to set out on their journey again. The villagers gathered spontaneously and sent them off with a simple breakfast and blessings.

"Dear heroes, please return safely!" A woman said with tears in her eyes, holding a freshly baked pancake in her hands.

"We will, thank you for your blessing." Zhao Ming took the pancake, and the warmth spread from the palm of his hand to his heart.

Just as they were about to leave the village, a thin boy squeezed through the crowd and timidly handed over a cloth bag: "Brother and sister, this is what I drew. I hope you can carry it with you, just like I am with you."

Zhao Ming bent down to take it, unfolded it, and saw a rough but emotion-filled picture - five people standing side by side in front of the towering temple, the sun shining, and all things reviving.

"Thank you, little friend. We will move forward together with your courage." Zhao Ming's words were gentle and firm, making the little boy's eyes light up instantly.

As they embarked on a new journey, the five people felt more heavy-hearted and determined. Yueyue would take out the little boy's paintings from time to time, as if she was drawing some kind of strength and inspiration from them.

"Look, even such a young child believes that we can succeed. What reason do we have to retreat?" She raised the painting, her eyes flashing with determination.

"Indeed, children's innocence is often the best encouragement." Li Zixue smiled, and the Book of Wisdom reflected warm light in the sun.

"Besides, this is also our responsibility." Su Mo gripped the hilt tightly, his eyes flashing with fighting spirit, "For those who are looking forward to us, we must move forward."

The mysterious traveler raised his head and looked forward, his tone revealing a certain solemnity: "Soon, we will reach the ancient forest, which is the key to the temple and the first real test we face."

As we went deeper into the forest, the surrounding scenery became darker and darker, and the air was filled with an ominous atmosphere. Suddenly, a huge beast jumped out of the forest, opened its bloody mouth, and rushed straight towards us.

"Prepare for battle!" Zhao Ming shouted and drew his sword. The others also quickly entered combat status. The atmosphere around them became extremely tense.

After a fierce battle, the beast finally fell to the ground. The five men gasped and looked at each other, with an indescribable tacit understanding and trust in their eyes.

Just as they were about to move on, a low horn sounded from the depths of the forest, echoing endlessly and making people feel chilled.

"Is this... a summons?" Yueyue murmured to herself, flipping through the notes in her hands, trying to find relevant information.

“Whether it’s true or not, we must find out.” The mysterious traveler took the lead, and the others followed closely behind. It seemed that the key to unlocking all the mysteries was hidden in the depths of the forest.

As they went deeper and deeper, the sound of the horn became clearer, until they came to an open area. The scene before them shocked them - a group of armored warriors surrounded an ancient altar, and on the altar, an old man in gorgeous clothes was thinking with his eyes closed.

"Welcome, guardians." The old man slowly opened his eyes, his gaze seemed to penetrate the mist of time, "I have been waiting for you here for a long time."

"Who are you? Why do you know our identities?" Zhao Ming asked cautiously, his hand never leaving the hilt of the sword.

"I am the last guardian of the temple," the old man said in a solemn and vicissitudes tone, "I am waiting here only to pass on this responsibility to you - the real challenge, and the fate of the world, will be written by you."

"A real challenge?" Su Mo raised his eyebrows, a sharp look flashed in his eyes, "Then please tell us, how can we pass the test and protect this world?"

The old man smiled and did not answer directly. Instead, he pointed to a glowing gem in the center of the altar: "The answer is right there. But remember, only those with pure hearts can touch its power."

As the five people looked at each other, an invisible belief flowed between them. Amid the expectations of the villagers, the little boy, and all the unknown passers-by, they walked towards the gem, ready to meet their destiny.

"Together," Zhao Ming whispered, his voice firm and powerful, "the five of us will move forward fearlessly."

Su Mo gripped the hilt tightly, a resolute smile on his face: "No matter how dangerous the road ahead is, we will face it together."

Yueyue put away her notes, took a deep breath, and a determined light flashed in her eyes: "Every step we take will be recorded and serve as a guide for future generations."

Li Zixue gently stroked the book of wisdom, and said in a calm but powerful tone: "The book contains thousands of bushels of grain, as well as fearless courage and love. Let us bear it together."

The mysterious traveler slowly stepped forward, his eyes full of foresight for the future: "The wheel of fate has turned, and our story will be a new chapter in which light shines through darkness."

The five people slowly approached the gem that emitted a mysterious light. The air around them seemed to vibrate with their determination. When they touched the gem, a dazzling light shone out, and the whole forest seemed to be lit up.

"Wow! What kind of magic is this?" Not far away, several travelers who got lost exclaimed. They stopped and looked at the scene in disbelief.

“They must be the legendary guardians!” exclaimed an elderly traveler, with admiration shining in his eyes.

"Look, there is still hope in the world." The young woman held her boyfriend's hand tightly, her tone full of excitement and hope.

After the light faded away, a faint circle of glow was left where Zhao Ming and others were standing. Their eyes became brighter, and an indescribable power seemed to linger around them.

"How does it feel?" Su Mo asked softly, the tip of his sword lightly scratching the ground, leaving a shining mark.

"It's like... something deep inside me has been awakened." Yueyue lowered her head and stroked her chest, as if she could feel the newfound strength.

"With power comes responsibility. Are we ready?" Although Li Zixue's voice was soft, it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer.

The mysterious traveler slowly raised his arm and pointed to the distance: "The temple is within reach, but the greatest test is always the inner struggle and choice."

"Then let us keep moving forward until every corner of the world is bathed in light." Zhao Ming waved his arm and led the team on the final journey to the temple.

Behind them, the group of passers-by stared for a long time until their backs disappeared into the depths of the forest.

"Are they really guardians?" asked a young traveler.

The older traveler smiled, his eyes deep: "They are not just guardians, they are hope, the dream we all share."

"Then what else can we do for them?" the girl asked curiously.

"Believe." The old traveler answered simply, "Believe in their power, and believe in our own power. Maybe one day, when we encounter difficulties, they will also become our light."

The mysterious gem slowly melted into the five people's bodies after they touched it, and a warm and powerful force surged, as if an ancient oath was awakened in their blood. Just as they were immersed in this sudden change, strange noises came from the depths of the forest, and the branches swayed, as if something was approaching.

"Everyone be careful, this power may have attracted unnecessary attention." Su Mo said vigilantly, gently waving the sword in his hand, and the wind brought by the tip of the sword made a crisp sound.

Yueyue quickly flipped open her notes, frowning, "According to ancient records, touching such gems usually attracts guardian beasts or trials..."

Before he finished speaking, a bloody wind blew in his face, and a huge black shadow fell from the sky, blocking out the sunlight. It was a strange monster that he had never seen before, with eyes like burning torches, emitting a bloodthirsty light.

"Get ready for battle!" Zhao Ming roared, and he jumped up suddenly. The sword flashed like a dragon, and rushed straight to the monster's throat.

The battle was fierce and brutal, and everyone played to their strengths. Li Zixue used the Book of Wisdom to release brilliant light, providing protection and assistance to the team; the mysterious traveler shuttled like a ghost, accurately attacking the monster's weaknesses; Yueyue evaded flexibly, while recording the monster's attack pattern and looking for flaws.

Su Mo and Zhao Ming fought the monster head-on, sword shadows and fist winds intersected, stirring up layers of air waves. However, in a fierce confrontation, Zhao Ming was accidentally hit by the monster's tail, and the whole person flew out like a kite with a broken string, fell heavily to the ground, and was unable to get up for a while.

"Zhao Ming!" Yueyue exclaimed and ran towards him quickly.

"It's okay..." Zhao Ming struggled to sit up, blood oozing from the corners of his mouth, obviously he was seriously injured.

"We must get rid of it as soon as possible." The mysterious traveler chanted a spell, and a ball of light appeared in his hand and was thrown towards the monster. The light exploded on the monster, but only made it roar even more violently.

The situation was critical, Su Mo's eyes were stern, he took a deep breath, his whole body seemed to be wrapped in golden fighting spirit, his sword skills became fast and fierce, each sword accurately fell on the monster's vital points. Finally, after a fierce attack, the monster let out a final wail, and its huge body fell down with a bang.

The battle was over, but the joy of victory did not last long, because Zhao Ming's injury made the atmosphere solemn.

"We need to find a safe place to treat you." Li Zixue said anxiously, gently flipping through the Book of Wisdom, looking for a suitable healing method.

Yueyue took out emergency herbs from her backpack and carefully treated Zhao Ming's wounds. The mysterious traveler looked around vigilantly to make sure there were no new threats.

"I'm sorry for making everyone worry." Zhao Ming forced a smile.

Su Mo patted his shoulder: "Protecting your partners is also part of guarding. We are a team, aren't we?"

After a short rest and treatment, Zhao Ming's injuries improved. Although he could not fully recover, he could walk. They decided to move on, explore the secrets brought by the gems, and find the entrance to the temple.

Night fell again, and they camped under a towering old tree. The flickering firelight illuminated everyone's thoughtful faces. Yueyue was sorting out today's notes, and suddenly her finger stopped on a vague description.

"It's mentioned here... on the road to the temple, the power of the gem will guide us through the trial, but it will also attract the ancient guardian beast. And..." Yueyue raised her head with a serious expression, "Every trial will involve sacrifice."

These words were like a huge rock thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples.

"We won't let anyone sacrifice." Su Mo said firmly, his eyes revealing unquestionable determination.

Zhao Ming smiled bitterly and adjusted his posture to make himself more comfortable: "It seems that our journey is more difficult than we imagined. But as long as we are together, there is no difficulty that we cannot overcome."

The mysterious traveler was silent for a moment, then said, "Indeed, the road ahead is unknown and full of dangers, but it is these trials that make us stronger. And those who are willing to face the unknown and dangers with us are true partners."

At this point in the conversation, the atmosphere gradually warmed up, and the five people sat around the fire. Although the road ahead was full of thorns, their eyes were full of desire for the unknown and trust in each other.

"Okay, that's all for today. Have a good rest and we'll continue tomorrow." Zhao Ming said, smiled slightly and closed his eyes.

As the night deepened, the conversations around the fire gradually died down, and everyone fell asleep in exhaustion and anticipation. The moonlight shone through the treetops, casting a mysterious tranquility on their peaceful faces, adding a touch of tranquility to this extraordinary night.

The next morning, the first ray of sunlight penetrated the mist, awakening the sleeping earth and Zhao Ming's group. They quickly packed up and checked each other's equipment to ensure that everyone was in the best condition. Yueyue reconfirmed the clues in the notes, while Li Zixue recited softly. The light of the Book of Wisdom gently surrounded the team, bringing a sense of reassurance for the new day.

"Let's go, friends." Zhao Ming stood up and looked forward with a firm gaze. "No matter how difficult the trial is, we have each other and the unyielding determination."

As they moved forward, they found that the surrounding scenery gradually changed, the vegetation became more ancient, and the air was filled with an ancient and sacred atmosphere. As they continued to go deeper, an unprecedented sense of urgency enveloped everyone.

"Be careful, we may be approaching the temple." The mysterious traveler whispered. His keen perception can always detect subtle changes in the environment in advance. (End of this chapter)