Suddenly, the ground began to shake slightly, and then a crack spread along the ground beneath their feet. A faint blue light shines from the cracks, like the eyes of the abyss, peering into everything on the ground.
"This is..." Before Su Mo could finish his words, he saw a huge stone hand stretching out from the crack, firmly grasping the boulder next to it, and gently tossing it, the boulder flew out as lightly as a feather, smashing Into the depths of the jungle.
"Stone guard!" Yueyue exclaimed. This ancient defense mechanism was recorded in her notes. They were set up on the key path leading to the temple to screen the true intentions of visitors.
"How should we get there?" Li Zixue asked nervously. The light of the Book of Wisdom seemed insignificant in front of this stone statue.
"I'm afraid it would be unwise to confront them directly." The mysterious traveler observed the movement patterns of the stone statues. "These stone statues are usually set up with specific mechanisms or puzzles. If we solve them, we can pass safely."
After careful observation, Yueyue discovered a line of inscriptions on the base of the stone statue that had been almost worn away by time. The translation was an ancient saying: "Use wisdom as the key to open the ancient door."
"Wisdom..." Zhao Ming thoughtfully turned to look at Li Zixue, "Can the book of wisdom provide us with answers?"
Li Zixue nodded and turned the pages of the book gently, and an ancient rune appeared. She copied the runes one by one on the ground. When the last rune was completed, the shaking on the ground intensified, and the stone statue's eyes suddenly lit up, and then slowly lowered its head, as if in acquiescence, and a passable road appeared in the crack.
The five people smiled at each other and carefully crossed the gap. At the end of the road, a majestic temple stands in the morning light. The sun shines on the ancient stone walls, and the golden light shines, making people feel awe.
"We did it." Su Mo sighed softly, the tip of his sword gently touching the ground, as if he was having a conversation with the witness of this history.
"But this is just the beginning." Zhao Ming reminded, with a serious tone that cannot be ignored, "There must be more unknowns in the temple waiting for us to reveal."
They walked towards the gate of the temple step by step, and as the distance shortened, their heartbeats accelerated involuntarily. The door opened silently, and it was dark inside, as if it was the entrance to another world.
"Together, no matter what the road ahead is." Zhao Ming held the hand of the person next to him tightly. This sentence was both encouragement and an oath.
As the team stepped into the temple and the light gradually adapted, they were surprised to find that not only did it contain countless wisdom and treasures, but more importantly, it seemed to be quietly waiting for the arrival of the person who could truly inherit the will of the guardian. , rekindle the light of the world.
"Then, what's next..." Yueyue's words echoed in the empty hall, leaving endless room for imagination.
"Let's go step by step." Su Mo answered with a meaningful smile on his lips, "After all, the best stories are always reserved for brave explorers."
"That's right." Li Zixue nodded in agreement, and opened the book of wisdom gently, as if in response to their determination, "Although the unknown is scary, it also contains the power to change destiny."
At this time, a low and ancient voice sounded in the temple, as if coming from all directions, making it impossible to distinguish the exact source: "Brave travelers, you have proven your worth. But remember, the real test is , is the struggle and self-transcendence deep in the heart.”
The five people looked at each other, shocked and curious. The voice seemed to be able to see through their minds and penetrate deep into their souls.
"Who's talking?" Yueyue looked around, holding the pen in her hand tightly, ready to record everything.
"I am the spirit of the temple, guarding this holy land and the eternal existence of knowledge." The voice replied without any emotion.
Zhao Ming took a step forward and said firmly: "In that case, Spirit of the Temple, please tell us how we can pass your test and unlock the true power of the guardian?"
"The test is not in the outside world, but in your hearts." The voice of the temple spirit said slowly, "You must face your deepest fear, understand and accept it, in order to grow."
As soon as the words fell, the light in the temple began to change, and the five people found themselves in different scenes, each scene being connected to the memory they most didn't want to face deep in their hearts.
"This is... the fire scene of my childhood." Su Mo looked at the burning houses around him in shock, with a flash of pain in his eyes.
"I...my despair after failing the exam." Li Zixue found herself sitting in an empty classroom, and the test paper was full of red crosses.
Yueyue went back to the days when she was ridiculed as a "freak", surrounded by the merciless ridicule of her classmates, which was harsh and cold.
Zhao Ming was standing in a deserted land, surrounded by the fallen figures of his comrades. That was a wound in his heart that could never be healed.
The mysterious traveler closed his eyes and seemed to be experiencing some kind of indescribable loneliness and wandering. It was the heaviness and loneliness he had accumulated from traveling around the world for a long time.
"Only by facing our fears can we grow." Su Mo's voice sounded in their respective spaces. Although they were in different scenes, their hearts were closely connected by this common experience.
"Yes, we are not alone." Yueyue clenched her fists, and the fear in her eyes was gradually replaced by determination.
"I understand." Li Zixue closed the book of wisdom. The soft light emitted from the book brought her comfort and courage.
"We accept the test." Zhao Ming stood up straight. Even in the illusory battlefield, he was still a warrior.
The mysterious traveler opened his eyes, and an indifferent smile appeared on his lips: "No matter what the past is, now, we are each other's light."
After they each overcame their fears and achieved spiritual breakthroughs, the scene in the temple began to fade. The five people gathered together again and found that each other's eyes were a little more firm and calm.
"We did it." Yueyue said excitedly, recording this extraordinary experience in the notes in her hand.
"Yes, we are stronger." Zhao Ming stretched out his hand, and the palms of the five people were stacked together, and strength and belief were passed between them.
"Next, what else is waiting for us in the depths of the temple?" Li Zixue looked into the depths of the temple, which was still shrouded in a mysterious darkness.
The mysterious traveler smiled slightly: "No matter what it is, let's face it together. Remember, the real power comes from the trust and unity between us."
Su Mo nodded, his tone full of confidence: "Go forward, friends. The unknown journey is the most anticipated adventure."
As they stepped deeper into the temple, a ray of light suddenly lit up from the center of the temple. It was a warm and powerful light. "Look! What is that?" Yueyue pointed to the source of the light, curiosity flashing in her eyes. with surprise.
"It seems... the remains of some kind of ritual?" Li Zixue followed closely, and the book of wisdom automatically turned the pages, revealing ancient records related to the scene in front of her.
"Yes, according to records, this is the heart of the temple, the source of the guardian's power." The mysterious traveler's words were somewhat affirmative, and he seemed to be familiar with this.
They approached slowly, and a human silhouette was vaguely visible in the light. It was the shadow of the temple guard, standing in a solemn posture, holding a radiant sword in his hand.
"The inheritance of the guardian..." Zhao Ming murmured in a low voice, feeling a resonance coming from the depths of his bloodline.
"Wait, listen!" Su Mo interrupted suddenly. Everyone held their breath and heard only a weak and urgent cry for help. It seemed that someone was struggling for help on the other side of the light.
"Someone needs help!" Li Zixue said anxiously, she was unwilling to stand idly by in front of such power.
"We can't ignore it." Zhao Ming made a decisive decision and led everyone towards the figure in the light.
When they passed through the light, a strange space appeared in front of them. It had a completely different scene from the outside. There was a transparent crystal cage in the center, and a young man wearing strange clothes was trapped inside, which was the source of the cry for help.
"Please, help me!" When the young man saw them, hope flashed in his eyes.
"Don't be afraid, we will find a way to rescue you." Yueyue immediately stepped forward, trying to find a way to open the cage.
"Strange, this lock has no keyhole." Su Mo checked it carefully and shook his head.
"Perhaps, we need our joint strength." Li Zixue stroked the book of wisdom, and the pages automatically turned around, finally stopping on an ancient totem.
"Combine our forces and try to activate this totem." The mysterious traveler suggested. The five people formed a circle and placed their hands on the mark on the ground corresponding to the totem.
"One, two, three!" Following Zhao Ming's command, five different forces gathered, the ground trembled, the crystal cage emitted a dazzling light, and then shattered, and the young man staggered out.
"Thank you. I am a time traveler. I accidentally fell into an ancient trap and was trapped here." The young man said gratefully. His clothes and temperament revealed information that did not belong to this era.
"Time traveler? How is this possible!" Yueyue looked shocked, and the notes in her hand almost fell out of her hand.
"This world is much broader than we imagined." Zhao Ming said thoughtfully, his eyes deep.
"You are the chosen ones. I have an important mission to entrust to you." The time traveler became serious and took out a token shining with a strange light from his arms. "This time and space token can guide you." Finding the lost artifact is the key to fighting the coming forces of darkness."
"Fighting the dark power?" Su Mo clenched the hilt of the sword with firm eyes.
"Yes, a crisis across time and space is about to sweep across time. Only by gathering artifacts can we protect the balance of the world." The time traveler explained.
"We are willing to accept this task." Zhao Ming solemnly took the token on behalf of everyone.
"Remember, time is running out. You must not only face external enemies, but also overcome inner fears and doubts." The figure of the time traveler gradually became blurred, and finally turned into a ray of light and disappeared.
The five people looked at each other without saying a word, but they already had the answer in each other's eyes. They stepped out of the temple and faced the rising sun, their hearts filled with an unprecedented sense of mission.
"This will be an unprecedented adventure, are you ready?" Zhao Ming turned around and asked.
"Ready!" The four of them said in unison, their voices full of determination and expectation.
Walking on the corridor outside the temple, passers-by cast surprised glances. Although they did not know what this group of young people had experienced, the determination and extraordinaryness emanating from them was enough to make people look at them.
"Look, there is light in those people." A child held his mother's hand and said in a childish voice, his eyes full of longing for heroes.
"Yes, little one, maybe they are the legendary warriors." Mother responded gently, her eyes also shining with admiration.
Passing a teahouse, the conversation inside turned to them involuntarily:
"Did you see that, those few people have extraordinary bearings and must have come from the temple." An old man said slowly while sipping tea.
"Temple? Did you find the inheritance of the guardian?" The person next to him put down the chess piece in his hand, his eyes full of curiosity.
"The guardians reappear? This is really good news. I hope they can bring us peace." Another tea guest said with emotion, and there were nods around him.
The five people walked out of the town and embarked on a journey to find the lost artifact. The scenery along the way kept changing, but their determination never wavered.
"Where should we go first?" Yueyue recorded as she walked, curiosity about the unknown shining in her eyes.
"There are ancient patterns on the token, like mountains pointing to the north." Su Mo carefully studied the space-time token in his hand and said in a deep voice.
"Northern Mountains? There is snow all year round and dangers are everywhere. It is not an easy place to reach." Zhao Ming frowned, but there was no flinch in his tone.
"The more difficult it is, the more important the hidden secrets are." There is a detachment in the mysterious traveler's words, as if he has been accustomed to traveling through wind and rain.
"No matter what, as long as we are together, there is no difficulty that cannot be overcome." Li Zixue patted the book of wisdom, her eyes gentle but firm.
Their conversation attracted whispers from passers-by on the road, and everyone was talking about them, full of curiosity and speculation.
"Can these young people really find the artifact?" A businessman on the way stopped and looked at their retreating figures with both doubt and expectation in his heart.
"If they succeed, it will be good news for us." A passing soldier whispered to his companions, his tone full of longing and admiration.
As the sun set, the five people stopped at the foot of the mountain and looked at the majestic snow-capped mountains ahead, where clues to their first artifact were hidden.
"Tomorrow, we will reveal the first secret." Zhao Ming raised the token, and the afterglow of the setting sun shone on his determined face, bringing endless strength and hope to the team. "Good night, everyone. Tomorrow, we will write a legend together." Li Zixue said softly, her voice seemed particularly soft in the night, adding a bit of warmth to the tense atmosphere. (End of chapter)