Zombie World: Starting as an apprentice of the Thunder King

"It's a long story," Uncle Nine coughed a few times. "You should have heard these little rascals talk about what happened to Old Master Ren a few days ago, right? There was a feng shui master named Liu Santong pulling the strings behind the scenes."

Upon hearing the name Liu Santong, Si Mu narrowed his small eyes behind his glasses: "Liu Santong? Never heard of him. What kind of person is this guy?"

"A feng shui master who practiced unorthodox methods had a grudge against Old Master Ren back then." Uncle Nine walked to the door of the main room and recounted the events that had happened recently from beginning to end.

Si Mu's eyes widened even more as he listened, especially when he heard that Shi Shaojian had actually called down the ancestral master's tablet while holding it. He immediately turned his head sharply and stared straight at Shi Shaojian.

"Kid, you managed to invite the patriarch down with you?"

Si Mu rushed to Shi Shaojian, reached out and vigorously rubbed his head with both hands. The force wasn't strong, but Shi Shaojian couldn't resist the enthusiasm and instinctively flinched away. "Good lad! You're amazing! Your martial uncle really loves you!"

Shi Shaojian's hair was all messed up from being rubbed, and he shrank back while yelling, "Uncle-Master! Uncle-Master! Stop rubbing it! My head is spinning!"

"You won't faint!" Si Mu released his grip, looking Shi Shaojian up and down, becoming more and more satisfied. "You were able to summon the patriarch even before you learned Divine Strike. This talent... you should be a good candidate to cultivate Divine Strike!"

Shi Shaojian was a little embarrassed by the praise. He scratched the back of his head and said with a smug smile, "Uncle-Master, I have actually sensed a trace of the power of the Netherworld's Earth Deity."

"What did you say?" Four Eyes' smile froze abruptly, then he turned to Uncle Nine. "Senior Brother, how long has this kid been a disciple?"

Uncle Nine was also somewhat surprised by Shi Shaojian's words. He pondered for a moment and said, "According to Senior Brother, Shaojian has only been cultivating with him for a few years, and he entered the sect only half a year earlier than Lin Bei."

"So you just said you sensed the power of the underworld deities?" Four Eyes turned back to stare at Shi Shaojian. "Did you previously cultivate the Divine Strike Technique?"

"No... it was just what you taught me a few days ago."

Shi Shaojian felt a little uneasy under his gaze and honestly confessed, "After you taught me the incantation, I practiced it every night. Last night, when I was meditating, I suddenly felt a very faint power emerging from my dantian, like... like something was responding to me."

Si Mu gasped and exchanged a glance with Uncle Jiu.

The art of divine strikes is easy to learn but difficult to master. Even with the easiest entry, it still requires at least several months of arduous practice to sense even a trace of divine presence.

Shi Shaojian has only been practicing for a few days? At most, it's only been seven or eight days. This speed has already exceeded the normal range.

"This kid..." Si Mu's gaze towards Shi Shaojian changed, now carrying a hint of scrutiny and surprise. "Are you sure you sensed the power of the Earth Deity?"

"Yes, disciple felt that the power was profound and solid, and it was somewhat of the same origin as the magic power I cultivate!" Shi Shaojian answered honestly!

Four Eyes exclaimed in surprise, "Excellent! That's wonderful! The fact that your magic originates from the same source means that the one responding to you is our patriarch from Maoshan!"

"The fact that you were able to sense the Grandmaster's aura in such a short time shows that you have a very deep connection with the Divine Strike Technique!"

"Really?" Shi Shaojian's eyes lit up. "Then will I be able to summon a deity soon?"

"Dream on!" Si Mu slapped him on the back of the head. "Sensing the aura is only the first step. To truly invite a spirit to possess you requires a long period of cultivation and adjustment. It could take a year and a half, or even three to five years. You can't rush it."

Shi Shaojian shrank back when he was slapped, but he wasn't angry. He just grinned and rubbed the back of his head.

Qiu Sheng stood to the side, watching with envy, and muttered under his breath, "Senior Brother Shao Jian is too amazing... How long has it been? He's already mastered Divine Strike!"

Wen Cai stood in the corner, clutching his bandaged arm, watching Uncle Jiu and Simu showering Shi Shaojian with praise. The indescribable feeling in his heart grew stronger and stronger.

He received more scolding during this period than in the past few years combined. His master would often compare him with his two senior brothers, saying that he was not ambitious and good for nothing.

Although his master used to scold him, he would at least care about him, applying medicine to his wounds, making chicken soup, and telling him to rest early.

But ever since his two senior brothers arrived, Master's attitude towards him and Qiusheng has become noticeably colder. Every day, besides making them copy scriptures and draw talismans, he would scold them, his words full of disappointment and frustration.

And what about Lin Bei and Shi Shaojian?

One of them was exceptionally talented, proficient in all kinds of magic, including thunder and talisman techniques, and even their Uncle Four Eyes was willing to teach them the Divine Strike Technique.

The other one, though less talented, managed to sense the divine aura through sheer grit, earning praise from his two senior uncles.

Wen Cai lowered his head, his bandaged arm aching slightly, but what hurt even more was the feeling of resentment in his heart.

He secretly glanced at Lin Bei and Shi Shaojian, and couldn't help but feel a pang of envy and jealousy, and even a trace of resentment!

Why? Why is everything so good to them as soon as they arrive?

Why is Master so polite to them, but always beats and scolds me?

I didn't do anything wrong... I was just a little lazy!

And just now, when he was shot in the main hall, his master didn't even say a comforting word.

Wen Cai suppressed his emotions deep inside, forcing a smile onto his face.

Even Qiu Sheng, who was most familiar with him, did not notice the fleeting shadow in the depths of his junior brother's eyes.

After praising Shi Shaojian, Si Mu turned to Lin Bei: "And you! Kid, I saw all those lightning techniques you used! What stage of the Lightning Thunder Fist have you mastered?"

Lin Bei, who was tidying up the scattered talismans on the ground, straightened up upon hearing this: "This disciple has mastered the fifth move, Thunderous Mountains and Rivers. My magical power is insufficient to support further advancements; I must wait for a breakthrough in my cultivation before attempting to practice it!"

"The fifth move?" Four Eyes raised an eyebrow, his gaze towards Uncle Nine filled with complexity. "Senior Brother's teaching of thunder magic is quite profound. I remember when he taught me, he said that the power of thunder was too domineering, and I was not allowed to learn anything beyond the third move until I reached the True Person realm..."

"That was Senior Brother's protection for you!" Uncle Nine chimed in casually from the side. "If you had forced yourself to practice the third move back then, your meridians would have exploded on the spot."

Si Mu was taken aback, coughed twice, and changed the subject: "Alright, alright, let's not talk about this anymore. Since you said that Liu Santong is still causing trouble in the dark, we have to find a way to bring him out."

Uncle Nine nodded, his expression immediately turning serious: "Back then, Liu Santong only had one primordial spirit left to escape, so in theory he shouldn't have been able to cause too much trouble. But today, the fact that Awei brought people to cause trouble is definitely not a coincidence."

"You mean Awei is being controlled by him?" Four Eyes frowned.

"Most likely." Uncle Nine's gaze darkened slightly. "Although Ah Wei is greedy and lustful, he wouldn't dare to lead a group to storm the mortuary even if he had a hundred lives. There must be someone behind him instigating this."

"I reckon he's like this guy, controlled by ghostly energy and turned into Liu Santong's puppet!" Uncle Nine pointed at the tied-up security guard, his eyes still blazing with anger!