Choice

Central Building, Li Ping's office.

Not knowing what Guan Chenglong had said to Li Ping, Feng Qingmo was summoned by a phone call before he had even finished his cultivation session.

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

However, after the mental state breakthrough last night—and perhaps due to the increase in his strength—Feng Qingmo remained as calm as an ancient well under Li Ping's gaze, letting him look. Anyway, he can't see through me, so there's no need to engage in a staring contest.

"You brat!" Li Ping finally withdrew his gaze, his tone filled with a hint of sighing. "When you left my office yesterday, I was thinking that it would take a year or two for your strength to surpass mine. I never expected that after just one night, your strength would reach the War God Level..."

He felt quite slapped in the face.

"Teacher Li, I am still far from the War God Level. My current base physical strength is only at the Intermediate War General level, and I'm still some distance away from the Advanced War General level, let alone a War God..." Feng Qingmo said steadily.

"Even if I include my force amplification, I can only meet the standards of an Entry-level War God. But which War God doesn't have force amplification? There are plenty who have higher amplification than I do..."

Li Ping watched him for a long time before saying, "Very good. I was afraid you would get cocky and let your tail reach the sky. Being able to recognize your own standing is a good thing... But it's no lie that you have War God strength. If your base physical strength is Intermediate War General, then doesn't that make your spiritual power that of an Entry-level War God?"

He sighed softly. "Although I am an Intermediate War God and my force amplification is higher than yours, once I face you, an Entry-level War God spiritual master, I likely wouldn't be able to block a few of your flying knives..."

Hearing this, Feng Qingmo stopped being modest and nodded. "Yes, Teacher Li. I tested it last night; my spiritual power is roughly at the Entry-level War God stage..."

He went straight to the point: "Did you call me here today for any specific arrangements?"

"Before you arrived, I just finished a call with the Chief," Li Ping said with a smile on his face. "Ever since you came to the training camp, the frequency of my calls with the Chief has increased quite a bit..."

He quickly reined in his smile and looked at Feng Qingmo. "The Huashan Training Camp exists to cultivate more War Gods for the country. Theoretically, now that you have the strength of a War God, you are eligible to graduate..."

"But you have only been in the training camp for two months, and you haven't even experienced the annual Life-and-Death Trial, which is the most important event. It wouldn't be appropriate to graduate just like this."

"So, I am giving you two choices. First, you can graduate immediately, and I will recommend you join a special task force. Second, you delay your graduation and wait until after the July Life-and-Death Trial. At that time, you can still choose to join a special unit or take a position in the military region..."

"With your strength, the Life-and-Death Trial shouldn't put much pressure on you. But at the same time, with your strength, the training camp doesn't have much left to offer you, so think it over before you tell me..."

He lowered his voice. "Technically, joining Huashan means you are already part of the military, so obedience to orders is paramount. But the Chief considered that you have only been here for a few months, so he is offering this extra choice. It depends on your own decision."

Feng Qingmo thought for a moment and said solemnly, "Teacher Li, I want to participate in the Life-and-Death Trial. However, before July, may I stay in the wilderness to hunt monsters instead of returning to the training camp every seven days?"

"Why?" Li Ping asked.

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

"Are you that short on money?" Li Ping had wanted to ask how long he had even been practicing the second layer to dare claim he wanted to master the third, but thinking of the brat's comprehension and cultivation speed, he swallowed the words.

Feng Qingmo was silent for a moment before saying, "In the past, to defend against a beast tide, my father lost an arm and my mother suffered hidden injuries. Back then, I heard Uncle Jian and the others mention a magical potion called the Water of Life that could regrow severed limbs and easily treat hidden injuries. So, I need to buy at least two portions of the Water of Life. I heard one portion costs several tens of billions..."

"So that's it." Li Ping nodded. "The Water of Life can indeed regrow limbs and treat hidden injuries. The price isn't as exorbitant as you've heard, but it certainly costs over ten billion..."

He smiled. "You don't need to think of the Water of Life as so magical. It's just a miraculous device obtained from an ancient civilization ruin by the Americans. As long as you input a large amount of precious materials, it can be produced at any time... Of course, those rare materials are quite expensive..."

"Is that so!" Feng Qingmo feigned amazement. Of course, he already knew the truth about the Water of Life.

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

Feng Qingmo's heart stirred. "Also a product from the ruins?"

"Correct!" Li Ping lowered his voice. "This was a magical instrument obtained by the Chief after he entered an ancient civilization ruin. Just like the device that produces the Water of Life, as long as you input a large amount of rare materials, it can be produced. The only difference is that one repairs the body, while the other enhances strength!"

He chuckled. "You have no idea how much the Americans want to trade their Water of Life production device for our Purple Crystal Ganoderma instrument..."

Feng Qingmo nodded repeatedly. One repairs the body, the other enhances strength. From the perspective of facing monsters, enhancing strength was naturally more important.

"However, the pity is that the Purple Crystal Ganoderma is most effective the first time you use it. It is almost useless the second time, and using it a third time will actually cause harm to the body..."

He looked at Feng Qingmo. "Our country trades a small portion of Purple Crystal Ganoderma with the Americans every year in exchange for some Water of Life, so we do have some in stock. However, if you want to exchange for it, you need a large amount of merit and a sufficiently high rank..."

"There is another way," Li Ping thought for a moment. "Since your strength has already reached the War God Level, go hunt a few Warlord-level monsters, establish your combat record, and then I will help you apply to join the War God Palace!"

"War God Palace?" Feng Qingmo found it slightly amusing. He knew about the War God Palace, but for now, he could only play the role of a supporting character.

"The War God Palace is also a virtual space that only those with War God strength or higher can enter. Currently, there are over three thousand War Gods in the world, fifty-two Councilors, and five Great Councilors..."

"The so-called Councilors and Great Councilors refer to existences like the Chief who have surpassed the War God level..."

Since Feng Qingmo's current strength was definitely enough to be rated as a War God, Li Ping prepared to recommend him to join the War God Palace and told him some information about it, including the strength of people like Hong and Thor, as well as some taboos and precautions.

"Once you join the War God Palace, there is an auction every month. Basically, every auction will have the Water of Life, but the price is always over ten billion, so you had better hurry up and make some money..."