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

The shouts of battle gradually faded into the distance, and the fleeing Northern Di cavalry were chased for more than ten miles by the soldiers of Daqian, leaving only a deathly silence on the battlefield.

Su Mu did not give chase.

He stood silently amidst the mountains of corpses and seas of blood, riding his Ferghana horse, his Dragon-Slaying Saber resting on the saddle, blood still dripping from its blade.

His eyes swept around.

The ground was littered with corpses, some of them from the Northern Di and others from the Great Qian, lying haphazardly, layer upon layer.

Severed limbs and remains were scattered all over the ground, tattered flags fluttered helplessly in the morning breeze, trampled armor, broken swords and spears, and burning grain carts were everywhere—the scars left by war.

He slowly dismounted, his hunched body walking to a small earthen slope where he sat down.

He rubbed his lower back and let out a long breath.

The battle to defend Qinghe County is now over.

He raised his head and looked eastward.

A touch of white appeared on the horizon, then slowly turned into light red, and then from light red to golden red.

A ray of sunlight pierced through the thin mist and shone on the devastated battlefield.

The sunlight shone on the corpses, turning the congealed blood clots a dark brown.

Su Mu's gaze swept over the corpses one by one.

Su Mu sighed.

After each battle, rivers of blood flowed and corpses littered the fields. The living cheered for victory, while the dead could never return home.

There are never any winners in war.

But the Northern Barbarians attacked. If he didn't fight back, his descendants would suffer, and his country would perish.

Therefore, he has to fight.

Those who invade our territory, no matter how far away, shall be punished.

Just as he was catching his breath, a clear mechanical voice suddenly rang in his mind.

[Ding! Congratulations, host, for completing the main quest: Check in at the cookhouse for thirty days!]

[Rewards: 3 years of reverse aging, 100 days of lifespan, 5 Brain Rejuvenation Pills, 5 Mighty Pills, and max-level Overlord Spear Technique!]

Su Mu's heart skipped a beat, his eyes lit up, and his spirits lifted.

The system's main task has been completed.

Immediately afterwards, a warm current surged from deep within his chest, like spring water in spring, slowly and gently seeping into his limbs and bones.

The warm current flowed slowly and steadily, yet it carried a revitalizing vitality, washing over every joint and meridian of his old bones.

The soreness in my bones lessened a bit, the agonizing pain in my knees subsided considerably, and even my breathing became easier.

Su Mu looked down at his withered hands and could feel the atrophied muscles under his skin gradually filling in.

Another three years of reverse aging.

He is now equivalent to an 88-year-old in terms of physical condition.

Before the feeling of defying age had faded, another wave of memories flooded his mind.

That was a set of marksmanship techniques.

Overlord Spear Technique.

Then, memories unfolded in my mind like a scroll painting.

A general clad in iron armor, wielding a long spear, rode atop a steed, his spear flashing like a dragon, sweeping across the battlefield.

Thrust, flick, sweep, deflect, smash, point—every move is fierce and domineering, every style is imposing.

With a single thrust, it was like a dragon emerging from the sea.

A single shot swept across, like an iron chain across the river.

The shot came crashing down like a mountain pressing down.

The Overlord Spear Technique emphasizes the word "overlord".

No fancy techniques or unnecessary variations are needed; it's all about overwhelming all opponents with absolute power and speed.

Su Mu closed his eyes, letting the memory replay itself in his mind again and again.

Thrust, pick, sweep, deflect...

Repeated hundreds and thousands of times, each time more skillful than the last, each time more instinctive than the last.

When he opened his eyes again, there was a sharp glint in them.

He raised his withered hand, made a gesture as if he were holding a spear, and gently pushed it forward.

The movements were fluid and seamless, without the slightest hesitation.

Su Mu's lips curled up slightly.

Although the swordsmanship is excellent, when it comes to mounted combat and charging, the spear is more effective than the sword.

With this Overlord Spear Technique, the next time I encounter a fierce general like Yeluqi, if a single slash doesn't kill him, I can pierce him with a single spear thrust.

He was about to retract his hand.

[Ding! Main quest has been issued. Please check it promptly!]

The system's voice sounded again, and a golden panel appeared before our eyes.

Su Mu sank into his consciousness and stared intently.

[Main Quest: Recapture Lost Territory. Host, please recapture Yuzhou City of the Great Qian Dynasty within thirty days!]

[Mission Rewards: 3 years of reverse aging, 100 days of lifespan, and max-level Divine Archery!]

Su Mu looked at the line of golden words, a hint of eagerness flashing in his eyes.

Yuzhou City.

That was one of the five states occupied by the Northern Di people in the north.

It was also a springboard for their southward invasion.

Taking Yuzhou City would be like cutting off one of the Northern Di people's arms, allowing us to gradually reclaim the five prefectures and thirteen cities they had occupied.

Thirty days.

Su Mu took a deep breath and snapped out of his daze.

He stood up, stretched his legs, and was about to go get the horse...

"Old man!"

An excited voice came from behind.

Su Mu turned his head and saw Qin Hao striding over.

His armor was covered in blood and dust, and his left arm was wrapped in bandages.

That was where Yeluqi had injured him, but his face showed no signs of fatigue, only barely suppressed excitement.

Qin Hao walked up to Su Mu, clasped his hands in a fist and bowed deeply.

"Sir, if it weren't for your slaying of Yeluqi, how could our army have achieved such a great victory? On behalf of all the soldiers, Qin Hao thanks you, sir!"

Su Mu smiled slightly and waved his hand.

"General Qin, you are too kind. As a member of the Great Qian army, it is my duty to kill the enemy. There is no need for thanks."

Qin Hao straightened up and looked at Su Mu's wrinkled face, feeling an indescribable sense of admiration.

Despite making such a great contribution, he did not boast of his achievements or seek credit or rewards.

How can one not admire such composure and magnanimity?

"Mr. Su, you've worked hard."

"Please return to camp and rest. I will organize the brothers, clean up the battlefield, and pursue the remnants of the Northern Di army." Qin Hao's tone was earnest. "Leave the rest to me."

Su Mu remained silent for a moment, then raised his head and looked towards the direction of Yuzhou City.

"General Qin," his voice held an unwavering firmness, "this old man cannot rest."

Qin Hao was taken aback: "Why?"

Su Mu turned around and looked at Qin Hao with eyes as sharp as knives.

"The first attack is the most powerful, the second is the weakest, and the third is the weakest. The Northern Di army has just suffered a defeat, Yeluqi has been beheaded, their morale is low, and their fighting spirit is low. If we don't press our advantage now, when will we?"

"I propose that we immediately reorganize our cavalry and launch a surprise attack, heading straight for Yuzhou City! We'll catch them completely off guard!"

Qin Hao's pupils contracted sharply, and he was greatly shocked.

"The old man is right!" Qin Hao slapped his thigh excitedly. "The Northern Di people never dreamed that we would have the strength to counterattack after just finishing a fierce battle! If we attack now, the defenders of Yuzhou City will be completely unprepared!"

He took a deep breath, looked at Su Mu with intense gaze.

"Old Su, you are both brave and resourceful; Qin Hao is ashamed of his own inferiority. I will go and reorganize the cavalry right away!"

Su Mu nodded and said nothing more.

Qin Hao turned and ran, shouting behind him as he ran, "Send the order! All cavalry to assemble!"

"Everyone, fully armed!"

"Each soldier should carry three days' worth of dry rations and plenty of arrows!"

"Half an hour later, we will follow Elder Su north to recapture Yuzhou!"