Choice

Central Building, Li Ping's office.

No one knew what Guan Chenglong and Li Ping had discussed, but Feng Qingmo had barely started training before he was summoned over by phone.

Li Ping said nothing, simply staring straight at Feng Qingmo.

But after the improvement in his state of mind last night—and perhaps thanks to his increase in strength as well—Feng Qingmo remained utterly calm under Li Ping's gaze, letting him stare all he wanted. It's not like he can see me anyway. No need to play a staring contest with him.

"You brat!" Li Ping finally looked away, his tone tinged with emotion. "When you left my office yesterday, I was thinking that it'd take you a year or two to surpass me. I never imagined that after just one night, you'd already reached War God Level..."

He felt as if his words had come back to bite him.

"Teacher Li, I'm still a long way from War God Level. My actual base strength is only at the intermediate Warlord level, and I'm still a ways off from the advanced Warlord level, let alone War God Level..." Feng Qingmo said calmly.

"Even if you add in my Force Amplitude, I might meet the Beginner War God standard. But which War God doesn't have a Force Amplitude? Plenty of them have a much higher amplitude than I do..."

Li Ping simply watched him. After a long while, he said, "Good. I was worried you'd get carried away. It's a good thing you know where you stand... But I wasn't wrong to say you have War God-level strength. Your body's base strength is at the intermediate Warlord level, so doesn't that make your Spiritual Force Beginner War God level?"

He let out a soft sigh. "Although I'm an intermediate War God and my Force Amplitude is higher than yours, if I faced you, a Beginner War God-level Spiritual Master, I probably couldn't stop more than a few of your flying knives..."

Hearing this, Feng Qingmo stopped being modest and nodded. "That's right, Teacher Li. I tested it last night. My Spiritual Force is around the Beginner War God level..."

He got straight to the point. "Did you call me here today because you have something planned for me?"

"I just got off the phone with the chief before you arrived." A smile appeared on Li Ping's face. "Ever since you came to the Huashan Training Camp, I've been talking to the chief a lot more often..."

His smile quickly faded, and he looked at Feng Qingmo. "The purpose of the Huashan Training Camp is to train more War Gods for the country. By rights, now that you have War God-level strength, you can graduate..."

"But you've only been at the Training Camp for a little over two months. You haven't even gone through the most important event of the year, the life-and-death trial. It wouldn't be quite right to graduate just like that."

"So I'm giving you two options. First, you can graduate right away, and I'll recommend you for a special task squad. Second, you can postpone graduation until after you've completed the life-and-death trial in July. Then you can still choose between joining a special task squad or taking up a position in a military district..."

"With your strength, the life-and-death trial shouldn't be much of a challenge. But for the same reason, the Training Camp can't do much more to help you. Think it over and let me know..."

He lowered his voice. "Technically, anyone who joins Huashan is already part of the Military, so obedience to orders should come first. But the chief took into account the fact that you've only been here a few months and is giving you this additional choice. The decision is yours."

Feng Qingmo thought for a moment, then said solemnly, "Teacher Li, I want to take part in the life-and-death trial. But before July, could I stay in the wilderness on my own to hunt monsters, instead of returning to the Training Camp every seven days?"

"Why?" Li Ping asked.

"First, to temper myself. I've just mastered the second level of the Wind-Washing Sword, and I hope to master the third level as soon as possible. Second, to hunt monsters and make money!"

"Are you short on money?" Li Ping had almost asked how long Feng Qingmo had even been practicing the second level, and how he could already be talking about mastering the third. But thinking of the young man's talent and speed of cultivation, he swallowed the question.

Feng Qingmo fell silent for a moment before answering. "My father lost a hand defending against a monster horde, and my mother suffered internal injuries. Back then, I heard Uncle Jian and the others mention a miraculous potion called Water of Life. It can regrow severed limbs, and it's even better at treating internal injuries. So I need to buy at least two doses of Water of Life. I heard each dose costs several tens of billions..."

"I see." Li Ping nodded. "Water of Life can indeed regrow severed limbs and treat internal injuries. It's not quite as expensive as you've heard, but it still costs over ten billion..."

He smiled. "You don't need to think of Water of Life as something so miraculous. America simply obtained a special device from an Ancient Civilization Ruins. As long as they feed it enough rare materials, it can produce Water of Life whenever they want... Of course, those rare materials aren't cheap either..."

"So that's how it is!" Feng Qingmo feigned surprise. As for Water of Life, he already knew how it worked.

"Do you know where the Purple Crystal Ganoderma you used yesterday came from?" Li Ping asked with a beaming smile.

Feng Qingmo's heart stirred. Was it also something from the ruins?

"Exactly!" Li Ping lowered his voice. "The chief obtained this remarkable device after entering an Ancient Civilization Ruins years ago. Like the device that produces Water of Life, it can produce its product as long as you feed it enough rare materials. The difference is that one repairs the body, while the other boosts strength!"

He chuckled. "You have no idea how badly America wants to trade its Water of Life production device for our Purple Crystal Ganoderma-producing instrument..."

Feng Qingmo nodded repeatedly. One repaired the body, while the other boosted strength. When it came to facing monsters, boosting strength was obviously more important.

"Unfortunately, Purple Crystal Ganoderma works best the first time you use it. The second time, it's almost useless, and the third time can actually harm your body..."

He looked at Feng Qingmo. "Our country trades a small portion of its Purple Crystal Ganoderma with America each year for some Water of Life, so we have a bit in reserve. But exchanging for it requires a large number of merits and a high enough rank..."

"There's another way." Li Ping thought for a moment. "Since you've reached War God Level, go kill a few Lord-level Monsters. Once your record is evaluated, I'll help you apply to join the War God Palace!"

"The War God Palace?" Feng Qingmo found it a little amusing. He already knew about the War God Palace, but for now, he had to play the role of an attentive audience.

"The War God Palace is a virtual space that only those with at least War God-level strength can enter. There are more than three thousand War Gods in the world, as well as fifty-two councilors and five grand councilors..."

"The councilors and grand councilors are beings who have surpassed War God Level, like the chief..."

Feng Qingmo's strength was certainly enough to qualify him as a War God, and Li Ping planned to recommend him for the War God Palace, so he told Feng Qingmo all about it, including the strengths of Hong, Thor, and the others, along with various taboos and points to keep in mind.

"Once you join the War God Palace, there's an auction every month. Water of Life is available at almost every auction, but it costs over ten billion. So you'd better get to work making money..."