The contestant is too old, sister Zhou is crazy

"Evil? You mean..." Zhao Ming asked puzzledly.

"That's right. The one sleeping here is a monster that almost destroyed the world. I am old and unable to continue protecting it, so I rely on the guidance of the Book of Wisdom to summon capable warriors." The old man's gaze fell on the Book of Wisdom in Li Zixue's hand, and a hint of relief flashed in his eyes.

"Then what do we need to do?" Yueyue took a step forward. Although she was petite, she exuded a determination that was no less than anyone else.

"My child, you are very brave." The old man nodded approvingly. "First, we must break the seal on the altar to prevent the ritual from being completed. But this is not an easy task. Once we start, someone must stay behind as the cornerstone of the seal, sacrifice themselves, and imprison the monster forever."

The team fell silent, and everyone understood the weight of this choice. Finally, Su Mo stepped forward and said, "I will take on this responsibility. My sword was born to protect."

"No, Su Mo, let's come together." Zhao Ming, Li Zixue and Yueyue said almost in unison. There was no retreat in their eyes, only determination.

“You…” The old man was moved, then slowly shook his head, “No, the seal requires a pure and powerful soul, and the child’s future should not be sacrificed like this.”

"Then let me do it. My life is coming to an end and this is my destiny," the old man said firmly.

"No!" Yueyue suddenly said loudly, "We are partners, we should face difficulties together, right? Let's think of other ways!"

With Yueyue's insistence, the team began to re-examine the details of the altar and the ritual, and the Book of Wisdom continued to provide clues. After some discussion and experimentation, they found a way to seal the monster without sacrificing anyone - gather the strength of the four people, activate the ancient mechanism around the altar, and use collective strength to complete the seal.

The moment of decisive battle came, the four stood side by side, each using their unique skills, Li Zixue interpreted the mechanism, Zhao Ming escorted with arrows, the mysterious shadow guard controlled the shadow to assist, and Su Mo struck the vital point with a sword. With a deafening sound, the ancient mechanism was activated, a beam of light burst out from the center, and the seal was successfully established.

The light faded, and the ruins were completely silent, with only the sounds of four people breathing. They were either sitting or kneeling, with scars on their bodies, but their expressions were more resolute than ever before.

"Success..." Su Mo forced a smile and looked at other people. Although he was exhausted, his eyes were shining with relief.

Li Zixue coughed lightly, covering her scraped arm. The Book of Wisdom lay flat on the side, its light dim, and it had obviously exhausted a lot of its power. "But... this is not the end. The seal does not seem to be stable."

Yueyue's face was pale, and the wound on her knee was still bleeding. She gritted her teeth and said stubbornly: "We can't fail at the last moment. There must be a way to strengthen the seal!"

The mysterious shadow guard silently checked the surrounding environment, shadows circling around him. His voice was steady: "There is movement. The fluctuations of the seal caused some... unusual reactions."

"What reaction?" Zhao Ming asked vigilantly, while adjusting his posture to prepare for a possible surprise attack.

"Ancient powers are gathering, and the instability of the seal has attracted other unknown beings..." As soon as the mysterious shadow guard finished speaking, the ground suddenly shook, dust flew, and a huge black shadow slowly rose from the ground.

The four of them quickly gathered together, back to back, and looked around vigilantly. The shadow gradually became clear, revealing a huge body made of rocks and shadows, and a pair of deep eyes that seemed to be able to see into people's hearts.

"The crack in the seal has attracted me, weak creatures. You have awakened a fear that should not exist." The monster's deep voice echoed in the empty ruins, chilling people.

"Monster, your doom has come." Su Mo tightly grasped the ancient sword, the tip of the sword pointed directly at the terrifying figure, his words full of determination.

"Su Mo, don't fight hard, we have to outsmart them." Li Zixue quickly flipped through the Book of Wisdom, looking for a solution. "The book mentions an emergency seal reinforcement ceremony, which requires the concerted efforts of the four of us, as well as... a key item."

"Key items? Where are they?" Zhao Ming asked anxiously.

Yueyue's eyes suddenly lit up, and she took out a small crystal ball from the cloth bag around her waist. "I picked this up on the road, and I thought it would be useful."

Li Zixue took it and examined it carefully, and said in surprise: "This is the tears of blessing from the ancient sages. It is exactly the key we need! Quick, arrange your positions according to the ritual in the book!"

As the four people stood in specific positions, the Book of Wisdom emitted a dazzling light, guiding them to perform a series of complex spells and movements. The crystal ball was placed in the center of the altar, slowly rotating, releasing a soft and powerful light, which merged with the power of the four people and flowed towards the crumbling seal.

"Together, inject power into the crystal ball!" Su Mo shouted. The four of them concentrated at the same time, and their respective energies flowed into rivers and seas like streams, constantly strengthening the power of the seal.

Just when they were about to reach their limit, the huge monster launched a final charge, intending to destroy everything. But with everyone's firm will and fearless efforts, the seal finally stabilized, the light shone brightly, and the monster was bounced back by an invisible barrier, roaring in pain, and finally disappeared into the darkness.

As everything returned to calm, the four of them collapsed to the ground in exhaustion, leaning on each other, with smiles of victory on their faces.

"It seems that no matter what difficulties we encounter, as long as we are together, there is nothing we can't overcome." Su Mo smiled softly and looked at the first ray of sunlight coming through the sky.

Yueyue clenched her fists, her eyes full of pride: "Yes! We are the best adventure team!"

Li Zixue gently stroked the Book of Wisdom and said softly, "Yes, we have used knowledge and courage to prove that light can always dispel darkness."

The mysterious shadow guard smiled rarely, although the smile was hidden in the shadows. "I am honored to be one of you."

In a harmonious atmosphere, they quietly waited for their strength to recover and prepared to face the next unknown journey. And this time, they were more convinced than ever before - as long as they fought side by side, nothing was impossible.

"Okay, guys, we've rested enough, let's move on." Su Mo was the first to stand up and stretch out his hand, and the others held his in turn, forming a tight circle.

"Let's go together!" Yueyue's voice was clear and loud, carrying infinite vitality and hope.

"New challenges, new adventures." Zhao Ming stood up, his eyes flashing with desire for the unknown. His bowstring was still taut, ready for the next battle at any time.

Li Zixue smiled slightly, and the Book of Wisdom closed automatically, as if she was also enjoying this moment of tranquility. "The book contains countless mysteries, and I believe it will lead us to find the right direction."

The mysterious shadow guard nodded silently, his figure blending into the surrounding shadows and suddenly reappearing, as if he had always been there, yet as if he had never really appeared. "Shadows are everywhere. I will clear the obstacles for our path."

The four of them set out on their journey again. The Book of Wisdom occasionally opens to guide them through the maze. Zhao Ming's arrows occasionally cut through the air to clear the roadblocks, while the mysterious shadow guards are invisible shields that eliminate the hidden dangers one by one. Although Yueyue is small, she always walks at the forefront of the team. Her curiosity and optimism make every adventure full of fun.

As they went deeper into the ruins, the environment became more and more dangerous, and unknown traps emerged one after another, but every challenge was resolved one by one by their wisdom and unity.

"There is a secret room here!" Yueyue excitedly pointed to a secret door that was almost integrated with the wall. The door was carved with complex runes, exuding an ancient and mysterious atmosphere.

Su Mo stepped forward and gently touched the runes. The Book of Wisdom opened automatically. Li Zixue slowly recited a spell to unlock it according to the instructions in the book. With a low roar, the door slowly opened, revealing the dim space inside.

In the center of the secret room stood an ancient statue, with two dazzling gems embedded in its eye sockets, as if it contained endless knowledge and power. But just as they approached, the ground suddenly shook, and the statue came alive, its eyes emitting a breathtaking light.

"Oh no! This is the guardian statue and its defense mechanism has been triggered!" Li Zixue quickly identified the situation and shouted urgently.

"Then what should we do?" Yueyue asked nervously, her little hands tightly grasping the corners of her clothes, but her eyes were filled with more excitement and anticipation.

"Don't panic, every mechanism has its own way of breaking it." Su Mo said in a deep voice, looking around for possible clues. Zhao Mingze had already pulled the bowstring to its full extent, watching every subtle movement of the statue with vigilance.

The mysterious shadow guard said softly at this time: "I noticed that there is a text engraved on the base of the statue, which mentions 'the balance of light and shadow'."

"The balance of light and shadow." Li Zixue repeated this sentence and flipped through the book of wisdom. "The book mentioned an ancient ritual that requires us to use the interweaving of light and shadow to activate the balance mechanism inside the statue."

The four of them moved quickly, using the torches they carried with them and the shadow control abilities of the shadow guards to skillfully move around the statue, forming a pattern of light and shadow. As the last ray of light perfectly overlapped with the shadow, the light in the statue's eyes gradually dimmed, and finally returned to silence, and a door leading to a deeper realm slowly opened.

"Great, we did it!" Yueyue cheered with her little face flushed, looking particularly cute.

"Yes, we did it." Su Mo responded with a smile, his eyes full of infinite longing for the future. "Next, no matter what we encounter, as long as we are together, there will be no difficulties that we cannot overcome."

"Su Mo is right." Zhao Ming put down his bow and arrow, showing a rare relaxed smile, "This time, we will face it together."

"Moreover," Li Zixue added, gently turning the Book of Wisdom in her hands, as if a force was guiding them, "it seems that there are more secrets about the ruins in the book, and perhaps we can find the key to fighting the ultimate threat."

The mysterious shadow guard's eyes flickered in the dim light, and he whispered, "No matter what is hidden ahead, I will protect you in the dark and ensure your safety every step of the way."

"Okay, don't be so serious!" Yueyue clapped her hands and smiled. "A new adventure is about to begin. We should be full of expectations, right?"

The group entered a new passage after the secret room, which was filled with an even more ancient and mysterious atmosphere. Intricate historical scenes were carved on the walls, and every step seemed to be stepping into the long river of time.

"Look at these murals, what stories are they telling?" Li Zixue studied them as she walked. The book of wisdom turned pages automatically, as if resonating with some power in the ruins.

"It seems to be about the rise and fall of an ancient civilization, and a hero's struggle against the forces of darkness." Su Mo stared at the mural with a hint of respect in his tone.

"Then, are we also writing our own legends?" Yueyue blinked her eyes, full of yearning for the unknown.

“That’s right, Yueyue.” Zhao Ming put his arm around Yueyue’s shoulders. “Everyone is the protagonist of his or her own story, and we are creating our own epic.”

As they were talking, a faint light appeared at the end of the passage. As they approached, a huge underground palace appeared before them. In the center of the palace, a radiant throne stood quietly, with a dazzling gem on it, emitting warm and powerful power fluctuations.

"Is that the purpose of our trip?" Yueyue looked up at the gem, her eyes sparkling with excitement.

"It seems so." Su Mo nodded carefully, "However, with such a large scale, the gem must be surrounded by many traps and mechanisms."

"Don't worry, we have proved that there is nothing we can't solve." Li Zixue encouraged, and the light of the Book of Wisdom in her hand became brighter and brighter, illuminating the way forward for them.

The mysterious shadow guard silently surrounds the surroundings to ensure safety. His figure blends into the shadows, like an invisible guardian.

Just as they were approaching the gem cautiously, suddenly, a ray of light appeared on the stone wall of the palace: "A true warrior must use the key of the heart to unlock the shackles and touch the treasure of destiny."

"The key to the soul?" Yueyue turned to look at everyone in confusion.

Su Mo pondered for a moment, then his eyes became firm: "Perhaps, this not only tests our wisdom, but also our hearts. Each of us carries different stories and beliefs, and this may be the key to the soul."

"Then let's turn our voices into strength and try to touch it." Zhao Ming suggested, pulling up Su Mo and Yueyue's hands. Li Zixue also put his hand on top, and the mysterious shadow guard stood silently by, giving support in his unique way.

The four of them closed their eyes, and their respective wishes and beliefs echoed in their hearts. These pure and powerful emotions gathered into an invisible torrent, rushing towards the gem.

Instantly, the entire palace was filled with light, and the gemstone seemed to respond to their wishes, flying away from the throne on its own, slowly floating in front of them, and gently embedded in the palms of the four people. (End of this chapter)