At night in the small town, several old people sat around the campfire and discussed in low voices what they had seen and heard during the day.
"I remember the last time there was this kind of atmosphere, it was decades ago when the guardian first appeared." An old man stroked his gray beard, memories flashing in his eyes.
"I was still young at that time, and I only heard that they brought peace and light back." Another old woman sighed with nostalgia in her eyes.
"What will they bring back this time?" A young traveler joined the conversation, curiosity shining in his eyes.
While they were talking, a gust of wind blew by, bringing distant whispers, which seemed to indicate something extraordinary was about to happen.
In the early morning of the next day, the sun penetrated the mist, and the five people were ready to set off on the journey to the northern mountains. The residents of the town gathered one after another to watch them leave, with their eyes full of blessings and expectations.
"Come on, children! May good luck be with you!" A woman waved her handkerchief and shouted.
"I hope you can find the artifact and save the world!" A child jumped excitedly, as if he was also a member of the adventure team.
The five people gradually drifted away in the spotlight, with determination and hope at every step. Along the way, they met many pedestrians, and every conversation became a footnote to their journey.
"Are you the heroes who came out of the temple?" An old man stopped them on the road, with a mixture of awe and expectation in his eyes.
"We just do what we should do." Zhao Ming responded with a smile, modesty and unshakable determination.
"I also dreamed of becoming such a person when I was young." The old man sighed, with unfinished dreams flashing in his eyes, "Please be sure to succeed."
"We will." Yueyue said firmly. The notes in her hand seemed a little thicker, carrying more and more stories and hopes.
After several days of trekking, the five people finally arrived at the entrance of the northern mountains. The snow was white and the wind was so cold that even my breath seemed to freeze.
"It's really cold here, but I can feel that the artifact is nearby." Su Mo held the hilt of the sword tightly, scanning the surrounding environment with his eyes, looking for any possible clues.
"Look over there!" Li Zixue pointed to a snowy slope, where there seemed to be an unusual light shining.
They approached cautiously and found that it was an ancient stone tablet embedded in the snow, with patterns similar to those on the space-time token carved on it.
"Yes, this must be a guide." The mysterious traveler stepped forward and gently touched the stone tablet. In an instant, the stone tablet released a soft light, illuminating a secret path ahead.
"Let's go, the real test has just begun." Zhao Ming encouraged, and the team followed him and embarked on this road to the unknown.
As they were marching, they suddenly heard a rush of footsteps. Several locals wrapped in thick fur appeared from their hiding place, holding rough weapons in their hands and looking at them warily.
"Who are you? What are you doing here?" the leading strong man asked, his tone full of hostility.
"We are here to find the lost artifact to fight against the coming darkness." Zhao Ming explained patiently, trying to sound friendly and firm.
"Artifact? Haha, what do you outsiders know?" Another local sneered, and the people around him also agreed.
"We may not understand the rules here, but our hearts are sincere. Please believe us." Li Zixue stepped forward, and the book of wisdom unfolded automatically, emitting a warm light and easing the tense atmosphere.
"Well, your eyes don't look like you are lying." The leading strong man said after a moment of silence, his attitude softening significantly, "Okay, I will tell you a secret passage leading to the temple deep in the mountains. But be careful, It’s full of traps.”
The five people expressed their gratitude and followed the locals through a series of complex and hidden passages, finally arriving in front of an ancient temple.
"We can only deliver it here, and you have to walk the rest of the way by yourself." The strong man nodded, then turned and left.
Standing in front of the temple door, the five people exchanged glances and then opened the door. Inside the door, there is a bright light, and the artifact is quietly suspended in the center, exuding gentle but powerful power.
"We did it." Yueyue's tone was full of excitement and disbelief.
"But this is just the beginning." Su Mo reminded, clenching his sword tightly, ready to face possible challenges.
Just as they were about to step forward, a low and mysterious voice suddenly echoed in the air:
"Prove your worth, and the artifact will recognize you."
The five people looked at each other, and they understood that this was not only a test of strength, but also a test of soul and belief.
"No matter what happens, we have to face it together." Zhao Ming reiterated, and the five people held hands tightly again.
"Then let's get started!" Li Zixue's voice was full of determination, and the book of wisdom opened gently, as if to guide them forward.
The sudden change caught everyone off guard. The originally quietly suspended artifact seemed to sense something, and suddenly burst into dazzling light, shaking the surrounding air. It suddenly sped up and spun, making a low buzzing sound. Then, as if being pulled by invisible hands, the artifact flew directly through the dome of the temple and flew toward the vast sky outside.
"No, the artifact is trying to escape!" Su Mo shouted, his body rushing out of the door before he could speak, the tip of his sword pointing straight at the sky, trying to track the disappearing light.
"Hurry up!" Zhao Ming followed closely, and the five of them rushed out of the temple without hesitation, speeding in the direction where the artifact flew away.
Outdoors, the originally sunny sky was suddenly clouded, thunder was faint, and the wind was raging, which seemed to indicate that an inevitable storm was coming. The artifact drew a stream of light in the sky, causing the situation to change. It was obvious that it was being attracted by some powerful force.
"We must prevent it from falling into the wrong hands!" Li Zixue hugged the book of wisdom tightly with a firm gaze. Her words inspired the fighting spirit of her partners.
At this moment, a black shadow suddenly burst out from the clouds and headed straight for the artifact. It was a figure wearing a black cloak, his face obscured by shadows, only a pair of eyes shining with greed were exposed.
"Who is that? He wants to take away the artifact!" Yueyue exclaimed, and the pen in her hand almost slipped.
"No matter who he is, we can't let him succeed!" As soon as the mysterious traveler finished speaking, his figure appeared like a ghost and rushed towards the mysterious man in black.
An aerial chase kicked off. Each of the five people showed their extraordinary abilities and had a fierce confrontation with the man in black and the shadow creatures he summoned. There was lightning and thunder in the sky, and the battle was extremely fierce. Every move and every move contained the power of destruction.
"How can you bugs stop fate!" The man in black sneered, condensing a ball of dark energy in his hand and hitting the five people directly.
"United as one, we can do anything!" Zhao Ming raised his arms and shouted, a warm power surged out of his body, converging into a shield of light, blocking the fatal blow.
Just as the two sides were in a stalemate, the artifact suddenly emitted a stronger light. It slowly stopped in mid-air, and then split into five parts, flying towards the five warriors.
"This is..." Su Mo looked at the fragments of the artifact flying toward him in surprise, and felt a power that resonated with it.
"The artifact recognizes us!" Li Zixue's book of wisdom glowed softly, seeming to explain this wonderful phenomenon.
The five people grabbed their respective artifact fragments, and instantly, an unprecedented powerful force poured into their bodies. Their eyes became more determined and their fighting power doubled.
"It seems that this is a destined test." The mysterious traveler said solemnly, and the fragment in his hand blended perfectly with his breath.
"Now, it's our turn to fight back!" As soon as Zhao Ming finished speaking, his whole body turned into a bolt of lightning and rushed towards the man in black first, followed closely by the others. The colorful lights intertwined into a huge net, covering the black people. Surrounded by people in clothes.
The man in black was defeated step by step under the joint attack of the five men. Finally, under a fierce impact, his figure staggered and disappeared into the rolling sea of clouds.
"We won!" Yueyue cheered excitedly, quickly recording this thrilling battle in the notes in her hand.
After the battle, the sky gradually cleared up, and the fragments of the artifact were reunited in the hands of the five people, intact. It quietly radiates a warm and peaceful light, seeming to affirm their identity as guardians.
"Next, we have more challenges waiting for us." Su Mo looked into the distance with firm eyes.
"As long as we are together, nothing is impossible." Li Zixue responded softly, and the book of wisdom closed gently, as if to announce that this adventure was coming to an end.
"Yes, as long as there is hope, light will always shine into the darkness." Zhao Ming nodded in agreement. He turned to look at the others, with a confident smile on his lips, "We not only need to recover all the artifacts, but also Use this power to protect the world.”
"Yes, we are the chosen ones and have a heavy responsibility." The mysterious traveler's eyes flashed with a deep light, as if he had some premonition of the future battle.
"So, where should we look for clues next?" Yueyue flipped through the thicker notes, which not only recorded their adventures, but also vaguely revealed guidance for the next journey.
"Does the book of wisdom have any revelations?" Li Zixue gently stroked the cover of the book, as if asking an old friend for his opinion.
The book of wisdom opened slowly, and the pages turned automatically, finally stopping at an illustration depicting an ancient forest. The forest was dense and deep, and seemed to hide countless secrets.
"It seems that the answer lies in the dark forest." Su Mo stared at the illustration, his sword unsheathed, ready to face new challenges.
"The dark forest is said to be full of unknowns and dangers." Zhao Ming put away the token with no fear in his eyes, "But as long as we are together, nothing can stop us from moving forward."
"Let's go, friends!" Li Zixue's voice was inspiring, and the team's morale reached its peak at this moment.
With the firm pace of the five people, they once again embarked on a journey full of unknowns and challenges, heading towards the remote and mysterious dark forest. The scenery along the way keeps changing, but their beliefs remain the same. In order to protect the peace and light of this continent, they are willing to face all difficulties and obstacles.
"No matter how many unknowns and challenges there are in the future," Zhao Ming said as he walked, looking firmly ahead, "as long as we walk hand in hand, we can write our own legend."
"Yes," Li Zixue responded with a smile, "Every challenge is a test for us and makes us stronger."
"And," Yueyue winked and interjected playfully, "every adventure has wonderful stories waiting for us to record."
Their conversation gradually faded away in the warm sunset, and their backs stretched on the long road, indicating that more unknown explorations and thrilling adventures were about to begin. Behind them is a sky that has just returned to tranquility, and in front of them is an even more magnificent journey.
"So, Dark Forest, here we come." The mysterious traveler said softly, with both expectation and awe of the unknown in his eyes.
The sun shines through the sparse clouds and onto the path leading to the dark forest, adding a bit of warmth and light to this unknown journey. The five of them walked together, paying attention to the surrounding movements along the way. The occasional chatter and laughter among each other seemed particularly loud at the edge of this ancient forest.
"According to the guidance of the Book of Wisdom, we should reach the edge of the dark forest soon." Li Zixue said softly. Her eyes glanced around from time to time. The Book of Wisdom glowed slightly, seeming to guide them on the way.
"It is said that there are many ancient creatures hidden inside the forest. We have to be careful." Su Mo held the sword in his hand tightly with a serious expression. His experience taught him that a calm appearance often conceals hidden crises.
Just as the group was discussing the strategy of entering the forest in depth, a rapid and intensive sound of breaking branches broke the tranquility around them, like a precursor to the attack of wild beasts, making everyone immediately alert.
"Get ready to fight!" Zhao Ming quickly stood in front of the team, the weapon in his hand shining coldly in the sun. Others immediately spread out and formed a defensive formation, preparing to deal with the incoming threat.
From the depths of the jungle, accompanied by rustling sounds and low roars, a group of creatures that looked like wolves but were several times larger than ordinary wolves slowly approached. Their eyes were shining with bloodthirsty light, and they clearly had evil intentions.
"This is the guardian beast of the dark forest - the Shadow Moon Wolf. It is extremely ferocious and cunning." The mysterious traveler introduced in a low voice. At the same time, he moved his fingers slightly, and several sharp hidden weapons appeared silently in his palm.
"We can't force our way in, we must find a solution." Yueyue hurriedly flipped through her notes, hoping to find information or weaknesses about the Moon Wolf.
"Leave it to me." Li Zixue said softly, opening her book of wisdom gently, and a page of text with a faint glow appeared in front of everyone's eyes, which recorded an ancient spell to appease the beast. As Li Zixue sang softly and rhythmically, the Moon Wolves who were ready to move seemed to feel comforted by some kind of power. Their originally violent emotions began to subside, and doubts and hesitation appeared in their eyes. (End of chapter)