The contestant is too old, sister Zhou is crazy

Chapter 697 Test
"Is this... a test for the sword drawer?" Bai Ling exclaimed, and at the same time quickly summoned the elemental power of nature, preparing for battle.

Su Mo nodded, with a fighting spirit burning in his eyes: "Yes, it seems that we must defeat these guards to prove that we are worthy of owning this sword. Get ready, Bailing, let's face it together!"

The battle broke out immediately. Su Mo, with his excellent swordsmanship and the initial response of the Ares Sword, engaged in a fierce battle with the light and shadow warriors. Bai Ling used the power of nature to assist and heal, making the victory of each battle more secure. The two of them had a tacit understanding, as if they had fought side by side for many years.

After an arduous fight, the last light and shadow warrior fell down with a bang, and the entire ruins seemed to tremble, and then everything returned to calm. Su Mo finally succeeded in pulling out the God of War Sword completely, and the sword light shot up into the sky. At that moment, he felt an unprecedented power surging in his body, as if the whole world was under his protection.

"We did it!" Bai Ling cheered, tears in her eyes, she was both excited and proud.

Su Mo turned around and raised his sword into the air. The light illuminated the entire ruins and their way home. "No, we did it. Thank you for your company and support, Bailing. Without you, I would not have come this far."

They hugged each other tightly, celebrating the hardships along the way and the final victory. At this moment, the ruins began to collapse, as if they had completed their mission of protection and were unwilling to let this power fall into the hands of others.

"We must leave here immediately!" Su Mo shouted, pulling Bai Ling's hand, carrying the Sword of War, and ran towards the exit of the ruins.

At the last moment, they rushed out of the ruins that were about to collapse, and looking back saw only ruins. The Sword of God of War in Su Mo's hand shone with new promises and hope.

The two sat on the grass outside the ruins, looking at the rising sun, catching their breath. Su Mo stroked the sword gently and said to Bai Ling: "This sword will be used to protect everything we cherish, including you. However, I still believe that true power comes from inner faith and courage."

Bailing smiled and held Su Mo's hand: "Also, the support and trust from my companions. We have proved that as long as we have each other, nothing is impossible."
Just as Su Mo and Bai Ling were immersed in the joy of victory, enjoying the peaceful moment with the warm sunshine on their faces, an ominous aura quietly approached. A shadow spread from behind them, quickly covering the grass, and even the light of the rising sun was stained with a haze.

"Oh my, what a touching scene." A lazy and piercing voice suddenly sounded, interrupting this rare tranquility. Su Mo turned around suddenly and saw a woman in a black robe slowly walking into the light. Her eyes were like the abyss in the middle of the night, revealing a hint of playfulness and evil. It was the witch feared by the world - the daughter of darkness, Leah.

"Daughter of Darkness, what are you doing here?" Su Mo stood up vigilantly, protecting Bailing behind him, holding the God of War Sword across his chest. The tip of the sword trembled slightly, showing its owner's vigilance and uneasiness.

Leah raised a cold smile and approached step by step: "Of course it's for the legendary artifact, the Sword of the God of War. I heard that it has recognized a new owner, that is you, Su Mo. It's really enviable."

"Don't even think about it!" Bai Ling shouted, gathering elemental power in her palm, ready to attack at any time. But she knew in her heart that facing such an enemy with unfathomable magic power, the chances of winning were slim.

"Oh, don't be so nervous." Leah stretched out her fingers and shook them gently. It seemed as if invisible threads were plucked in the air, and an irresistible force suddenly separated Su Mo and Bailing, making them unable to get close to each other.

"You..." Su Mo gritted his teeth and tried to resist, but the force was as heavy as a mountain, making him almost unable to move.

"Now, let me see how magical this sword is." When Leah stretched out her hand and her fingertips were about to touch the Sword of the God of War, Su Mo struggled with all his might and stabbed the tip of the sword forward, but Leah dodged it easily and struck back. Su Mo's chest was immediately left with a deep scar that could be seen to the bone, and blood slowly flowed along the sword wound.

"Su Mo!" Bailing screamed. Seeing her beloved one fall to the ground injured, her heart was broken. Anger and despair made a strange light appear in her eyes, and the power of nature surged more violently than ever before.

"Hmph, foolish resistance." Leah sneered. When she was about to attack again, she suddenly felt the surrounding environment change strangely. Countless vines grew wildly and attacked her like living things. It was Bai Ling who mobilized the power of nature in an almost uncontrollable way.

Taking this opportunity, Su Mo endured the severe pain and crawled towards the Ares Sword with difficulty. When he finally touched the hilt, a warm current flowed from the sword into his body, and his injuries miraculously began to heal, and his strength also recovered.

"So, this is the true power of the sword..." Su Mo muttered to himself, his eyes becoming more determined.

"You're back too soon, aren't you?" For the first time, a hint of surprise appeared in Leia's words. She didn't expect that this sword could give the user such magical recovery ability.

Su Mo stood with his sword in hand, a faint light surrounding him: "Daughter of Darkness, I will not let you succeed. Every dream, every protection, is worth fighting for."

"Then let's see, is your dream stronger, or is my darkness deeper." Leah's figure shook, and the magic power gathered into a black vortex, and the two sides officially engaged in a fierce battle.

In the fierce attack and defense, Su Mo and Bai Ling cooperated well, one hard and one soft, and the sword shadows and natural elements intertwined into a magnificent picture. Although Leah was powerful, she gradually became powerless under their joint efforts. Every attack was cleverly resolved and even backfired on her.

Finally, under the bright sunlight, Su Mo found a flaw in Leah. The Sword of War flashed a dazzling light, penetrating her defense and forcing her to retreat temporarily.

"We will meet again. Remember, true darkness will never be completely driven out by light." Leah's figure disappeared into the darkness, leaving behind a meaningful warning.

After the battle, Su Mo fell to his knees, panting heavily with the relief of surviving the catastrophe. Bai Ling hurried forward, checking his wounds, crying distressedly: "You fool, why are you holding on?"

Su Mo forced a smile and held Bai Ling's hand: "Because, with you by my side, I am fearless. This time, it's my turn to protect you."

The two smiled at each other, their friendship in adversity was deeper than any words. In the distance, the battle between light and darkness seemed to have just begun, but they were ready to meet all challenges.

"Let's go, Bailing," Su Mo stood up slowly. Although he was exhausted, his eyes were still firm. "We still have a long way to go. We must find a safe place as soon as possible to treat my injuries."

Bai Ling nodded and helped Su Mo stand steady. The two of them set out on a journey to find a shelter. They passed through the dense forest, the sun shone through the gaps between the leaves, and each step seemed particularly heavy. On the way, Su Mo occasionally stumbled due to his injuries, but there was always a warm hand to support him in time.

"Come to think of it, the power that the War God Sword just demonstrated is truly incredible." Bailing tried to break the silence and ease the tense atmosphere.

"Yeah, I didn't expect it to give me such power." Su Mo smiled and looked down at the sword in his hand. The sword seemed to still retain the warmth of the battle. "It seems that we should not only protect each other, but also deeply understand the secret of this sword."

"By the way, do you feel the source of that power? It seems to be more than just the sword itself." Bailing thought thoughtfully.

"Indeed, I feel that it is a resonance of belief. When the sword and I are in tune with each other, its power can be exerted to the maximum." Su Mo explained, his brows revealing curiosity about the unknown.

They found a small village before sunset. The people there were simple and kind. When they saw the seriously injured Su Mo, they immediately provided assistance. In a simple but warm hut, the old doctor in the village carefully bandaged Su Mo's wounds, while the villagers gathered around the fire and listened to Bai Ling's adventure stories.

"I can't believe that you fought against the Daughter of Darkness and came back alive!" A child widened his eyes in admiration.

"There is light in everyone's heart. As long as you don't give up, light will always dispel darkness." Su Mo leaned on the bed, his tone calm, his eyes flashing with determination.

As night fell, the village returned to silence, with only the occasional chirping of insects breaking the stillness of the night. Su Mo and Bai Ling sat outside the house, looking up at the starry sky and talking about the road ahead.

"Where should we go next? Look for other artifacts, or challenge the dark forces directly?" Bailing asked, with a determination in his eyes that could not be ignored.

Su Mo pondered for a moment and replied, "Before that, I think we should first improve our own strength and find like-minded partners. It is difficult for the two of us to fight against the entire dark world alone. Moreover, since the God of War Sword chose me, there must be a reason for it. Perhaps we will find the answer along the way."

"That's right, unity is strength." Bai Ling nodded in agreement, "Then we will start tomorrow, starting from here, to find ways to increase our strength, and also find friends who are willing to fight for light."

Just as they were planning for the future, a meteor streaked across the sky, leaving behind a brilliant trail. Su Mo and Bai Ling made a wish at the same time, which was not only a pursuit of personal power, but also a beautiful vision of the world.

"No matter how difficult the road ahead is, as long as we are together, there are no difficulties that cannot be overcome." Su Mo said softly, his voice gentle but powerful.

"Yes, together." Bailing repeated, holding Su Mo's hand tightly. Their shadows overlapped in the moonlight, as if foreshadowing some immortal promise.

Just as the two were immersed in their beautiful vision of the future, a burst of hurried footsteps and slightly panicked shouts broke the tranquility of the night. "Oh no, a monster is attacking the village! Please come and help!" A young villager rushed into the hut with a look of fear on his face.

Su Mo and Bai Ling looked at each other and stood up immediately without any hesitation. Although Su Mo's injuries had not healed, he knew that he had to act at this moment. This was his responsibility as the holder of the God of War Sword and his commitment to this land and its people.

"Bai Ling, take care of yourself. I'll go check on the situation." Su Mo urged, holding the Ares Sword tightly and taking steady steps. But Bai Ling was unwilling to let Su Mo face the danger alone. "Let's go together. Two people are always better than one."

They hurried to the entrance of the village, where many villagers had gathered, each holding crude tools and showing fear. In the distance, a huge beast was wreaking havoc, knocking down houses easily, and the villagers' cries for help were heard one after another.

"That's... a giant stone beast! How can we deal with it?" an old man said in a trembling voice, obviously having no idea how to deal with this sudden disaster.

"Don't be afraid, everyone. Do as I say. We have a way." Su Mo commanded loudly, and his voice calmed everyone. He quickly made a plan, asking some villagers to evacuate the uninjured people, and the rest to help him attract the attention of the giant stone beast, while he and Bailing looked for an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow.

The plan was implemented in an orderly manner. The villagers used torches and noise to lead the stone beast to the open space outside the village. Su Mo and Bai Ling took advantage of the terrain and approached quietly. At the most critical moment, Bai Ling summoned a fierce storm, blocking the moonlight and making the stone beast lose its direction. Su Mo seized the opportunity, wielded the God of War Sword, and chopped down with one sword, hitting the stone beast's vital point. The stone beast fell to the ground with a bang and stopped moving.

The villagers gathered around, their shock and gratitude evident in their words.

"It's a miracle! How did you do it?" a young woman exclaimed, with stars in her eyes.

"It's faith and courage, as well as your support and cooperation." Su Mo answered breathlessly, and his words drew applause of approval.

Just as everyone was immersed in the joy of victory, the old doctor came over, frowned slightly, and said to Su Mo: "Child, your injury can't be delayed any longer. You must find someone who can really heal you as soon as possible."

Su Mo nodded. He knew the old doctor was right, but a vague idea gradually became clear in his mind. "Perhaps, we should go find the healers in the Holy Light Valley. It is said that they have the ability to heal all injuries."

"Holy Light Valley?" Bailing repeated the unfamiliar name, a hint of curiosity and hope in her eyes.

"Yes, if we can find that place, not only can my injuries be healed, but maybe we can also learn more knowledge and techniques to fight against the dark forces."

When the villagers heard the decision, they expressed their willingness to help. So, Su Mo and Bai Ling set out on their journey again with the blessings of the villagers, heading towards the unknown Holy Light Valley, their hearts full of expectations for the new journey and courage to face unknown challenges.

(End of this chapter)