Hong's Expectations

Inside Shen Mu's home, in the martial arts hall.

Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

In the hall, under Shen Mu's mental force control, ten brand-new Series 9 Mental Force Flying Knives circled and danced through the air.

The sound of ten golden streaks slicing through the air was faint, yet they were countless times stronger than the flying knives he had used in his previous life.

This set of Series 9 Flying Knives was a greeting gift from Inspector Liu Minghao of the Limit Martial Hall in Kyoto Base City.

At first, Shen Mu had declined. Although Series 9 Flying Knives were valuable, they were among the cheapest pieces of War God-level equipment, and his family could afford them.

However, Inspector Liu was quite straightforward and directly said that he simply wanted to befriend him. Shen Mu demurred once more before accepting them.

In the living room, his mother, Chen Wen, was speaking with Shen Gang over the phone. Her expression was excited and joyful, and her eyes were slightly red.

On the other end of the call, even the usually calm Shen Gang was extremely excited. He could not help sighing. "It probably won't be long before our son becomes one of humanity's pillars."

After Shen Mu had displayed exceptional martial artist talent as a child, the couple had imagined that their son would one day become a War God-level expert and one of the foundations of human civilization.

But they had never imagined that Shen Mu would become a Mentalist, much less one so extraordinarily gifted that even Hong, the head of the Limit Martial Hall, thought highly of him.

To the couple, who had lived through the Great Nirvana Era in their childhood, Hong and Thunder God, who had led humanity out of the Great Nirvana, were gods among men—unreachable legends and two insurmountable mountains in the history of human evolution.

"Just thinking that Liu He, the Martial Hall's Inspector, will come tomorrow to take our son to the headquarters to meet the head... makes me a little nervous."

At that thought, Chen Wen inexplicably began worrying about Shen Mu.

Chen Wen's state of mind was much like that of parents waiting for their children's college entrance exam results before the Great Nirvana. Her anxiety was hard to ease.

"Look at you. Xiao Mu isn't nervous, so why are you?"

Shen Gang deliberately said this, immediately shifting Chen Wen's attention. "You're the one with no ambition."

Early the next morning, the area around the Martial Hall was bustling. Shen Mu and Chen Wen were surrounded by a crowd.

At this moment, every martial artist in the neighborhood who had any connection with Shen Mu's family had come to watch the excitement.

The astonishing feat Shen Mu had accomplished yesterday had not been deliberately concealed, and news of it had already spread throughout the entire neighborhood.

Or rather, the entire base city and all major factions already knew that the Limit Martial Hall had produced a genius even more terrifyingly talented than Inspector Luo Feng.

Suddenly, a deep-blue streak shot across the distant sky and stopped above the neighborhood. Because it was flying so high, it appeared only as a tiny dot, but one could vaguely make out that it was a triangular deep-blue fighter jet.

The fighter jet then rapidly descended before slowly landing. Its hatch opened.

A remarkably handsome man stepped out. Even dressed in combat gear, he carried an air of elegance. He looked to be in his thirties, yet his eyes were tranquil, profound, and vast as the sea, with a faint smile on his face.

"Greetings, Inspector Liu." Shen Mu bowed slightly, maintaining the proper respect without showing excessive reverence. After all, his clone was likely stronger than this Inspector Liu.

Liu He nodded slightly. "Shen Mu, we spoke by video yesterday. Let's go. Don't keep the head waiting."

"Yes, Inspector."

Hearing this, Shen Mu turned slightly and quietly said goodbye to his mother, Chen Wen, before stepping onto his shield and flying to Liu He's side.

Liu He glanced at the worried Chen Wen and seemed to understand her concern. "Instructor Chen Wen, don't worry. The head wishes to see Shen Mu. That is a good thing."

Chen Wen hurriedly responded respectfully. Facing an expert beyond the War God-level, she was far more nervous than Shen Mu.

Hongning Base City was located in western Asia, close to Europe. It was the largest and safest base city in the world.

Because Hong, the Martial Hall's head, was Chinese, the architecture of Hongning Base City also leaned toward ancient Chinese styles. Pavilions, towers, carved beams, and painted rafters gave it a rich classical charm.

A moment later, an indigo fighter jet emerged in the distant sky and flew into Hongning Base City's airspace at tremendous speed.

Then, guided by the base city's intelligence system, the fighter jet rapidly slowed and gradually descended before the Global Headquarters of the Limit Martial Hall.

Inside the fighter jet, Shen Mu stood by the window and looked down from the air at the Limit Martial Hall's Global Headquarters.

It was a massive sci-fi spaceship-like structure stretching ten thousand meters, standing around a hundred meters tall. The gigantic spaceship building had an enormous hatch dozens of meters wide, large enough for people to enter.

As a transmigrator, Shen Mu knew that the Limit Martial Hall's headquarters was the shell of an alien transport spaceship. Even a Star-Level Golden Horned Beast could not destroy it.

Surrounding the spaceship structure were fully armed martial artist units and military camps. Every soldier was a high-ranking Warrior-level martial artist, while even squad leaders were Warlord-level martial artists.

"Let's go. I'll take you straight inside. Don't be nervous." Liu He stood beside Shen Mu and spoke gently.

"Yes, Inspector."

With Liu He personally leading the way, they naturally encountered no obstruction and headed directly into the deepest part of the Martial Hall headquarters.

The reception hall at the Martial Hall headquarters was rarely opened. Generally, it was only used when Thunder God, the head of the Thunder Martial Hall, came to visit.

The reception hall's decor was extremely simple, dominated by pure black tones. From the enormous floor-to-ceiling windows, one could overlook the entire Martial Hall.

Two gray meditation cushions rested upon the black carpet. A young man who looked to be in his twenties sat on one of them. He had a neat crew cut, and no aura emanated from him at all, yet he possessed a tranquil temperament.

"Head, Shen Mu has arrived."

Liu He respectfully bowed to the man before him.

Hong nodded slightly. "You've worked hard. Go on, then."

Liu He hurriedly acknowledged him, then turned and left. Before departing, he gave Shen Mu a reassuring look, telling him to relax and not be nervous.

After Liu He left, Hong turned his gaze toward Shen Mu.

The instant their eyes met, Shen Mu felt everything around him instantly sink into a boundless darkness. The entire world contained only Hong's figure, seated cross-legged upon the cushion.

Yet in only an instant, Shen Mu broke free from that state.

"Such powerful consciousness. It isn't the least bit weaker than that of a Planet-Level Mentalist." Hong looked at Shen Mu with great admiration. "No wonder you can control ten flying knives at full power."

"You praise me too highly, Head."

This was not Shen Mu's first time meeting Hong. Whether in his past life or this one, Hong had always made him feel incomparably powerful.

Those who possessed a domain and those who did not were simply beings from entirely different worlds.

"No need to be nervous. Sit." Hong smiled and spoke casually.

Shen Mu did not waste words. He obediently sat down opposite Hong.

"With your talent, so long as you have sufficient resources, you should be able to directly become an Invincible War God-level Mentalist. The Martial Hall can provide those resources to you free of charge."

"However, I hope you will not abandon your martial cultivation. I have high expectations for you. A truly powerful Mentalist must also be a powerful martial artist."

Hong had clearly obtained some information from ancient civilization ruins and understood something about Mentalists in the universe.

"I will remember the Head's teachings." Shen Mu answered respectfully and properly.

Seeing Shen Mu's attitude, Hong nodded slightly as well. It seemed Shen Mu had not become arrogant after suddenly gaining such power. Very good.

"Next, go directly to the Elite Training Camp for further study. This is the treatment the Martial Hall will provide you."

After Hong finished speaking, a virtual light screen appeared, displaying one reward clause after another tailored for Shen Mu.

After officially joining the Elite Training Camp on January 16, 2058, annual training funds of 10 billion Huaxia Currency will be provided. You will immediately receive one complete copy of the "World Extinction Spear Technique" manual, one copy of the "Mentalist Foundation" manual, and one portion of Dragon Blood free of charge.

After consuming Dragon Blood, once your force-generation multiplier reaches 1.2 again, you will receive one Essence of Flora, a Thousand-Year Willow Heart.

After consuming the Thousand-Year Willow Heart, once your force-generation multiplier reaches 1.2 again, you will receive one top-grade Essence of Flora, a Ten-Thousand-Year Willow Heart.

"As a martial artist, when your physical fitness suddenly improves by a large margin, your control over your own strength will inevitably decline. I do not demand that your force-generation techniques be particularly profound. You only need to maintain the techniques of the first level of the World Extinction Spear Technique."

Hong spoke with a quality in his voice that soothed the mind.

"Yes, Head."

Shen Mu knew just how excellent his treatment was. Hong's care for him was no less than what he had shown Luo Feng.

Moreover, the contract contained only reward clauses, without any restrictive clauses whatsoever. In theory, Shen Mu was not even prohibited from joining any other faction.

Hong nodded gently and spoke again. "With the effects of Dragon Blood and the Essence of Flora, your physical fitness will be enough to rapidly rise to the War God-level, while your mental force will reach the Advanced War God-level."

"If you can become an Advanced War God-level Mentalist before September 29, I will give you a mission. Of course, you will not be forced to accept it.

"If you choose to accept the mission, I will directly give you a Black God Suit, along with other rewards. Whether you accept it will be entirely up to you."

Shen Mu was slightly startled. September 29?

Combined with the arrival of the Black God Suit, Shen Mu almost instantly guessed that this mission was likely to enter Ancient Civilization Ruin No. 9.

"Yes, Head. I will definitely become an Advanced War God-level Mentalist before September 29."

Shen Mu deliberately put on an ambitious expression.

Seeing Shen Mu so high-spirited, Hong's face also revealed a faint smile. "Go. Cultivate diligently."