Eternal Life: My Lifespan Increases Daily

Both sides fought until the sky dimmed and the sun and moon lost their light, yet no clear winner emerged.

Hu Donghuo, without a doubt, is the most promising successor of the Hu imperial Family; although he had only recently broken through to Grandmaster, his combat prowess was nearly on par with that of Master Baitian.

He even displayed formidable talent in Sword Dao, making him a difficult opponent in battle.

Song Changming would find it tough to defeat this Commander of the First Army unless he fully utilized all Five Seals.

Fortunately, this was not a life-and-death duel. In the end, neither could claim victory, and the match concluded in a draw.

"Your reputation is well-deserved!"

Hu Donghuo paused in mid-air, panting while gazing at Song Changming, sincerely acknowledging his strength.

Sometimes, hearing tales isn’t comparable to experiencing them firsthand.

Otherwise, one would always harbor some suspicion towards hearsay.

"Thank you for letting me learn from you." Song Changming bowed slightly; he felt similarly.

If not for this duel, he wouldn’t have taken the highly praised Commander of the First Army seriously either.

He believed that only Grand Marshal Hu Tomb could compare with him in terms of strength within the Military Department.

At the level of Grand Marshal, he should have been the unrivaled leader in strength!

It wasn’t until today’s battle that he realized that, with his rapid rise in strength, his thoughts had become somewhat arrogant.

Hu Donghuo’s appearance served as a reminder not to let the hard-earned fruits of the Martial Tao cloud his judgment and vision, lest he one day become lost or fall into decline.

Or become another Tang Le Mountain, filled with nothing but obsession.

The alarm must continue to resonate.

Additionally, although he didn’t exert himself fully in this battle, it was clear that Hu Donghuo also had techniques he hadn’t used.

In a true life-and-death struggle, the outcome would still be uncertain.

Hu Donghuo steadied the fluctuating Qi Blood within him, restrained his Grandmaster Gang Qi, and walked closer to Song Changming to speak.

"The Imperial Banquet, which occurs every 25 years, is about to be held. Last time, the Great King took me along, but this time, he plans to choose one of us to accompany him."

"Imperial Banquet..." Upon hearing Hu Donghuo’s words, Song Changming roughly understood that this so-called Imperial Banquet was the primary reason for the duel.

He’d heard about the Imperial Banquet from Hu Tomb.

Back in the day, the vast Yun Province was divided into Thirty Six Paths by Emperor Yun, who appointed thirty-six kings to govern different areas.

Emperor Yun also set a rule that every 25 years, the kings had to return to the Imperial Capital to report to Emperor Yun, discuss governance achievements, negotiate resource allocation, and other essential matters.

Because Emperor Yun would host a banquet to welcome the thirty-six returning kings, it was referred to as the Imperial Banquet.

According to the unspoken rule, each king would only take one person as a Personal Guard on the day.

Given that attending such a high-level event and gaining the chance to meet the contemporary Emperor Yun is precious, the spot for the Personal Guard is special, justifying Hu Donghuo’s concern.

"I initially assumed the one chosen would be me, but I’ve come to understand why you can compete with me."

He wasn’t resentful of Song Changming’s strong capabilities, nor of competing with him for the precious spot, he merely stated the matter calmly.

"You indeed have the qualifications to go to the Imperial Capital; if the Great King ultimately chooses you, I only hope you don’t let him and our Cui Bai Dao down."

"What do you mean?" Song Changming asked, puzzled.

Isn’t the focus of the Imperial Banquet on the interaction between Emperor Yun and the Thirty-Six Kings? Even if he were to go, he’d just be a minor guard alongside Prince Cui, what does that have to do with him?

"You’ll find out then." Hu Donghuo didn’t want to elaborate further and left with his subordinates.

Subsequently, after the First Army took over the guard duty, Song Changming led his entire Nineteenth Army back to Cui Bai Main City.

It’s worth noting that as Song Changming and his officers passed through the city, they received spontaneous cheers and farewells from many locals.

During this period, Song Changming’s Nineteenth Army guarded the mineral site while also protecting Lei City.

The defeat of the Water Demon in Mineral River was one instance; thereafter, the Nineteenth Army swiftly cleared fierce demon beasts appearing around Lei City, saving many lives.

Thus, whether urban citizens or village folks, all regarded the Nineteenth Army under Song Changming as a righteous force worthy of respect and trust.

If possible, they preferred this army to remain with them.

But it’s not up to them.

Following Song Changming, his officers were somewhat gratified by the scene.

Being welcomed and supported is indeed a good thing.

This was also the optimal time for the army to establish its reputation, fostering a sense of belonging among the soldiers.

Therefore, Song Changming was happy to witness this.

In the distance, on the city wall, Hu Donghuo watched Song Changming leave the city, contemplating intensely.

In the past, he was always spoken of as the strongest Grand Marshal, his status highest among all Grand Marshals; even those like Meng Kunlun couldn’t rival his position.

But today, he suddenly realized that no one can be the eternal winner.

Perhaps in the near future, all of his accolades and prestige will be replaced.

The signs have already emerged, and that person is Song Changming!

...

[Opening Mansion Technique: Minor Achievement (0/400), Basic Success Rate of Cultivation Technique: 30%]

Nearing Cui Bai Main City, Song Changming achieved a breakthrough in Opening Mansion Technique during the journey.