Zombie World: Starting as an apprentice of the Thunder King

The two walked into the kitchen, and Shi Shaojian asked in a low voice, "Is that all?"

"Of course it's not over yet, this is just the beginning." Lin Bei patted his shoulder. "Come on, let's go to town and buy some good wine and food. We'll treat Uncle Simu to a good meal at noon."

The two left the mortuary and headed towards the town.

As they walked, Shi Shaojian asked, "So, what exactly are you planning to do to change Uncle Simu's opinion of you? Will just inviting him for tea and a meal be enough?"

"What do you know? This is called building up the emotional foundation."

Lin Bei laughed and said, "Invite him for tea and meals, chat about everyday things, let him feel that we're on good terms first, and then bring up the matter of learning skills. Even if he's not willing, he won't be embarrassed to refuse directly."

"Besides, the matter between Uncle Four Eyes and Master wasn't some insurmountable problem; all that was needed was a way to resolve it."

Shi Shaojian thought about it and realized it made sense. "He who eats another's food is bound to do his bidding." His Uncle Four Eyes was completely under his thumb this time.

The two went to the best restaurant in town, bought a jar of fine Shaoxing wine, and some good dishes, carrying it all back with their hands full.

Seeing the two carrying a pile of food and wine into the courtyard, Si Mu's expression softened a bit, but he still stubbornly refused to admit it!

Lin Bei didn't mind. He placed the food and wine on the stone table in the courtyard and invited everyone to sit down and eat.

The meal wasn't particularly lively, but the atmosphere wasn't awkward either.

Lin Bei poured wine for Simu three times, each time offering a toast before clinking glasses, demonstrating impeccable manners.

After drinking a few cups, Si Mu's expression softened considerably. Although he still didn't talk much, at least he no longer had a cold face.

Uncle Nine saw this and knew that the time was almost right.

After the meal, Lin Bei and Shi Shaojian tactfully cleared away the dishes and went to the kitchen.

Uncle Nine carried his teacup over and sat down next to Simu. After a moment of silence, he spoke: "Simu, it's been so many years. You should have let go of that grudge in your heart long ago."

"As for what happened back then, Senior Brother certainly spoke a bit harshly."

"But he was doing it for your own good. Back then, you went astray in practicing the Divine Strike Technique. If you had continued practicing, you would have suffered a qi deviation. If it weren't for your senior brother discovering it in time and scolding you awake, would you still be standing here drinking with me now?"

Si Mu remained silent for a long time before downing his drink in one gulp!

"I know he meant well back then!" After a long silence, a somewhat low voice came from Si Mu, "I just... couldn't bring myself to do it."

"What does face matter to a cultivator?" Uncle Nine turned to look at him. "Just for the sake of pride, you're planning to never have anything to do with him again?"

"Sigh, to be honest, we all owe our senior brother a debt!"

Uncle Nine's words instantly touched Four Eyes' heart.

Back when they were cultivating Taoism on Maoshan Mountain, it was basically their senior brother who taught them cultivation step by step. It would be impossible for them not to have feelings for each other!

Seeing that his attitude had softened, Uncle Jiu explained the whole story of Lin Bei and Shi Shaojian's visit to Renjia Town: "There's something you might not know. Actually, Lin Bei and Shaojian were originally going to your temple."

Si Mu stared blankly and said, "Go to my dojo... to find me?"

"That's right!" Uncle Nine nodded and smiled, "Our eldest brother told them to go to you to ask you for the divine fighting method, but these two lads took the wrong way and ended up here with me."

Si Mu suddenly looked up at Uncle Nine: "What did you say? Did Senior Brother send them to find me?"

Uncle Nine nodded: "Don't you know how capable Senior Brother is? His Lightning Thunder Fist is famous throughout the cultivation world. No one can surpass him in the art of thunder. Although he is not proficient in the Divine Strike Technique, he is more than capable of guiding two junior disciples."

"But he specifically sent Lin Bei and Shao Jian to your dojo to find you. Don't you understand what that means?"

Their eyes were tightly gripping their wine glasses, and tears welled up in their eyes.

In the end... it was the eldest brother who bowed his head first.

He sighed deeply, leaned back in his chair, and looked up at the sky: "So many years have passed... He has never forgotten me, his junior brother."

Seeing his expression, Uncle Nine said nothing more, stood up and patted Four Eyes on the shoulder: "When they come back, you should teach them. Don't let down your senior brother's good intentions."

Si Mu nodded, picked up his wine glass, and took another sip.

Around noon, Lin Bei and Shi Shaojian went to the street again to buy some cooked food and some seasonal vegetables. They also went to Aunt Qiusheng's shop to pick out a few boxes of fine tea. They carried the bags back to the mortuary.

Lunch was prepared by Chef Wencai, consisting of four dishes, a soup, and a fish, which filled the entire table.

At the dinner table, Lin Bei frequently toasted Simu, saying a few kind words with each toast.

"Uncle-Master, let me offer you a toast. Your divine strike technique is renowned throughout the cultivation world, and I have long admired it!"

"Uncle-Master, your legendary deeds of venturing alone into Lingnan to slay demons and monsters fill me with fervor!"

Shi Shaojian chimed in, "Yes, Uncle-Master, if you could master your divine striking technique and summon the Ancestral Master, how impressive would that be!"

Si Mu was pleased by the two's banter and drank a few more glasses of wine, a rare smile appearing on his face.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, he put down his wine glass and looked at the two men: "You two, you want to learn my divine fighting technique, don't you?"

Lin Bei and Shi Shaojian exchanged a glance, then quickly stood up and bowed respectfully: "This disciple is foolish and humbly requests guidance from our senior uncle!"

Looking at the respectful manner of the two men, and recalling what Uncle Nine had said before, the last trace of resentment in her heart finally dissipated.

He sighed heavily: "Fine, since you are so eager to learn, I will teach you."

"But let me make this clear first: the Divine Strike Technique is not easy to learn. It's easy to get started, but difficult to master. If you give up halfway, don't blame me for disowning you two as my disciples."

Lin Bei was overjoyed: "Don't worry, Uncle-Master! This disciple can endure hardship!"

Shi Shaojian patted his chest and assured him, "Don't worry, Uncle-Master, I will definitely study hard!"

Looking at the two of them in high spirits, Si Mu shook his head, picked up his wine glass and drank it all in one gulp, letting out a long sigh of relief.

The anger that had been building up inside me for so many years finally dissipated.

"Eldest brother, oh eldest brother... you certainly know how to pick disciples."

He muttered something to himself in a very low voice, but everyone present, except for Wen Cai, heard it clearly, and Lin Bei felt a sense of relief.

After finishing their meal, Lin Bei and Shi Shaojian rushed to clear the dishes and worked in the kitchen for a while before coming out.

Si Mu was already sitting under the old locust tree in the courtyard. As the two approached, he said solemnly, "The Divine Strike Technique sounds mysterious, but it can be summed up in just four words: using someone else's strength against them."

"The foundation of the Divine Strike Method lies in inviting the divine to enter the body and using the power of the divine to empower oneself, so that one's combat power can increase by several times when facing the enemy."

"As for how much power you can summon, it all depends on your own sincerity and cultivation."

"Remember, you can't just invite any god. If you invite the wrong one, the wrong one, or the god you invite is incompatible with your own Taoist practices, you may suffer serious backlash or even mental derangement."

"We Maoshan people usually invite righteous gods from Heaven or ancestral masters from the Underworld!"

"If you summon an evil god, there's even a risk of being possessed!"

"Therefore, the first step is to figure out what your own Taoist foundation is before you can invite a deity that is compatible with it."