At 100 years old, he joined the army in place of his granddaughter, and became a national war god.

In a side room of Qianlong Village.

Su Mu sat cross-legged on the bed, his hands resting on his knees, his eyes closed, his breathing steady and long.

His consciousness had sunk into that dark space, and the golden system panel slowly unfolded before his eyes.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the side quest: Personally visit Qianlong Village and subdue the heroes of Qianlong!]

[Rewards: 100 days of lifespan, 1 year of reverse aging, max level in swimming, max level in Nine Yang Turtle Breathing Technique!]

"Claim your reward."

He meditated in his heart.

Instantly, a warm current surged from deep within his chest, seeping into his limbs and bones.

He was already familiar with that feeling.

Each time he defies aging, it's like he's snatched a little time back from the clutches of time, restoring elasticity to his muscles and bones and making his breathing more powerful.

Although it was only a year, it was a real gift for his old bones.

But what truly shocked him were the two memories that followed.

The first memory flooded my mind like a tidal wave—it was maxed-out swimming skills.

That feeling is like a fish's natural instinct to swim in water; it's an instinct ingrained in its very bones.

Various underwater postures flashed through his mind—diving, floating, turning sharply, flipping over, each one as if he had practiced them his whole life.

Su Mu's lips curled up slightly.

Before he could recover from the shock of that first memory, a second wave of memories surged up.

That memory was even more profound and deep, like a wisp of air that had been dormant for thousands of years, slowly awakening in his meridians.

Su Mu closed his eyes, feeling the trajectory of that memory as it traveled through his body.

Tortoise breathing...

Like an old turtle lying dormant in a deep pool, seemingly asleep yet not asleep, seemingly awake yet not awake, breathing in harmony with heaven and earth with every breath.

The wonders of the Nine Yang Turtle Breathing Technique go beyond this.

He could feel that the true energy within his body was more condensed and heavier than before.

The true energy flowed through his limbs and bones, and wherever it passed, his previously stiff joints became more flexible.

What surprised him even more was that this technique seemed to have a special "healing" effect.

He could feel that some minor, hidden injuries in his body were being slowly repaired by that warm current.

Su Mu slowly opened his eyes, looked down at his hands, which were still withered and thin, with veins still prominent, but he could feel that the power in his hands was more concentrated than before.

"What a great technique," he murmured to himself.

He slowly stood up and stretched his limbs.

Just then...

Su Qingxue's clear voice came from outside the door.

"Grandpa, Grandpa!"

"Uncle Ye Qingzhou is calling you to dinner! The head chef has prepared lots of delicious food! There are so many big fish!"

Su Mu withdrew his consciousness from the system space, straightened his robes, and walked out the door.

"Okay, let's go, don't keep everyone waiting."

Su Qingxue nodded and skipped ahead to lead the way.

……

Inside Qianlong Hall, the lights were on and the atmosphere was lively.

Several long tables were pushed together and were filled with all kinds of dishes.

A whole roasted lamb, braised fish, braised pork knuckle, a large bowl of meat soup, and several jars of freshly opened rice wine filled the hall with their aroma.

Dozens of brothers from Qianlong Village sat on both sides, chatting and laughing, creating a warm and harmonious atmosphere.

But no one touched their chopsticks.

The moment Su Mu led Su Qingxue into the Hidden Dragon Hall, the noise inside abruptly ceased.

Everyone stood up in unison, clasped their hands in a fist salute, and said in a unified and loud voice, "Greetings, General Su!"

Seeing this scene, Su Mu waved his hand and said, "Sit down, all of you. You're all so serious about drinking and eating meat. This old man is feeling quite pressured."

The people in the hall were taken aback at first, then burst into laughter.

Chu Tianba addressed his brothers.

"General Su is right! Everyone, please sit down! We're happy today, let's drink to our hearts' content!"

Laughter and shouts rang out again.

Chu Tianba strode forward and stood before Su Mu.

"Mr. Su, please take the seat of honor!"

Su Mu waved his hand.

"No need, it's the same for this old man wherever he sits."

Chu Tianba, however, remained resolute and spoke earnestly.

"Elder Su, from now on, there is no longer a chief in Qianlong Village, only General Su. If you don't take the head seat, the brothers will not feel at ease!"

The crowd behind him echoed his sentiments.

"yes!"

"Please take a seat, General Su!"

Su Mu's gaze swept over those sincere faces, and after a moment of silence, he finally nodded.

"Very well, I will take the seat of honor."

"However, while I am seated, the rules remain the same. Eat and drink as you please, there's no need to be restrained."

Su Mu walked to the main seat and sat down, then immediately picked up the wine bowl in front of him and raised it.

"Come, my heroes, raise your wine bowls."

"This old man will drink a bowl with you."

"From this day forward, on the battlefield, we will share life and death, and never abandon each other."

In unison, everyone raised their wine bowls, their shouts as powerful as a mountain collapsing and a tsunami crashing: "We'll share life and death, we'll never abandon you!"

Standing beside her grandfather, Su Qingxue imitated him, picking up the bowl of plain water in front of her and calling out in her childish voice, "Together in life and death, never to be separated!"

Xiao Zhi Qiu was amused by her appearance and couldn't help but pat her head: "Qing Xue, there's water in your bowl!"

Su Qingxue wasn't annoyed; she simply tilted her head back.

"Qingxue is too young to drink! But Qingxue's feelings are genuine!"

……

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Su Mu put down his wine bowl and turned to look at Chu Tianba sitting next to him.

The former leader had drunk quite a bit tonight, and his cheeks were flushed.

Su Mu narrowed his eyes slightly, with a hint of inquiry in them.

"Tianba, I've always had a question I'd like to ask you."

Chu Tianba put down his wine bowl: "Please speak, Elder Su."

"You agreed to join the army so readily; is there some other reason?"

"I know you are not the kind of person who acts impulsively."

Su Mu's gaze was calm yet profound.

"Your motivations go beyond simply killing enemies and serving your country, don't they?"

Chu Tianba was silent for a moment, then chuckled softly.

There was bitterness, relief, and a hint of weariness from finally finding an outlet after suppressing it for so long in that laughter.

He put down his wine bowl and placed his hands on his knees.

"Old Su, to be honest, besides wanting to kill the enemy and serve the country, I also have a long-held obsession: to seek revenge against the Prime Minister."

Su Mu was extremely surprised. He hadn't expected that Chu Tianba would have a grudge against the Prime Minister.

Chu Tianba continued speaking.

Five years ago, I was a merchant in Ninghai City and had accumulated some wealth.

"My parents are alive and well, my wife is virtuous, and my children surround me. Although we are not rich or noble, our lives are peaceful and stable."

"Later, the henchmen of Prime Minister Li Yuan set their sights on one of my plots of land and tried to buy it from me at a low price."

"If I refuse, I will offend them."

"In less than half a month, my parents, wife and children were all killed overnight. It was the Blood-Clad Tower that did it."

His voice trembled slightly when he said the words "overnight".

"I narrowly escaped death, but I was branded with the crime of 'murdering an official of the imperial court' and was wanted throughout the region."

"Ultimately, with nowhere else to turn, he could only take his remaining wealth and flee to this reed marshland, where he became an outlaw."

He raised his head and looked at Su Mu with intense gaze.

"Mr. Su, there has always been a fire burning in my heart."

"I will never get over this life if this fire isn't extinguished."

"I thought that only by joining the army, making meritorious contributions, becoming a general, and truly becoming powerful, would I be qualified to bring down that corrupt official!"

Xiao Zhi Qiu, who was drinking soup, immediately looked up upon hearing the words "Prime Minister." Before even swallowing the food in his mouth, he hurriedly said, "Boss, you don't know yet? That wicked Prime Minister has already been imprisoned in the Imperial Jail!"

Chu Tianba's pupils suddenly contracted.

"What? The Prime Minister has been imprisoned in the Imperial Jail?"

He suddenly turned to Xiao Zhi Qiu.

"Why...why?"

Xiao Zhi Qiu swallowed the food in his mouth, put his hands on his hips, and gave Su Mu a smug look.

"Because of all people to offend, he had to mess with Grandpa Su!"

"He instructed the Blood Robe Tower to kidnap Qingxue, intending to use her to blackmail Grandpa Su."

"As a result, Grandpa Su, in a fit of rage, massacred the Blood-Clad Tower and presented the evidence directly before His Majesty! His Majesty was furious and immediately imprisoned him in the Heavenly Prison!"

Chu Tianba's expression changed drastically.

He turned to look at Su Mu.

Su Mu didn't speak, but simply nodded slowly.

Chu Tianba's eyes suddenly reddened.

There's a sense of satisfaction in getting revenge.

"What a pity, that thieving prime minister got off easy."

His voice echoed in the hall, carrying a heavy weight.

Chu Tianba looked at Su Mu, wiped his eyes, and said in a trembling voice, "Elder Su, my life belongs to you."

Su Mu patted him on the shoulder.

"Tianba, rest assured, with this old man here, the Prime Minister will not be able to leave the prison, nor will he be able to cause any more trouble."

"I assure you, he will receive the punishment he deserves."

"Now, don't think about anything, eat and drink well, and leave your troubles behind."

After speaking, he turned around, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall, his voice steady and carrying an unquestionable firmness.

"My lords, let us eat and drink well tonight!"

"Tomorrow morning, we will set off for Haizhou City, the battlefield where you will establish your merits and avenge your grievances! The Eastern Barbarian bandits are ruthless, but I believe you are no less so!"

The crowd shouted in unison, "We swear to follow General Su to the death!"

Su Mu picked up the wine bowl and drank it all in one gulp.