Zombie World: Starting as an apprentice of the Thunder King

Shi Jian sat to the side watching as Master Qingwei effortlessly broke his formation, and his eyes twitched almost imperceptibly.

Zhang Zhiling withdrew his magic power and cupped his hands in greeting to Lin Bei: "Brother Lin is amazing. You, a peak mage, were able to fight me to this extent. I'm afraid I won't be able to beat you once you break through to the True Person realm."

Lin Bei wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth: "You weren't using your full strength, were you?"

"If it really comes down to a life-or-death battle, I'm definitely no match for you."

Zhang Zhiling chuckled and didn't refute her further.

Even after the event ended, the disciples from various factions were still discussing the competition enthusiastically.

Lin Bei returned to his room to tend to his injuries. He had barely sat down when Shi Jian's voice rang out from outside the door: "Come out!"

Lin Bei quickly got up and opened the door. Shi Jian stood at the door with a cold expression.

"Come with me."

Lin Bei followed Shi Jian to a secluded bamboo forest on the back mountain.

Shi Jian stopped and turned to look at Lin Bei: "How did you feel about your fight with Zhang Zhiling today?"

"He's very strong...the strongest opponent I've ever faced!"

Lin Bei truthfully replied, "The early-stage True Person's magical power foundation is much deeper than mine. Towards the end, I was already struggling to keep up."

"It's already quite impressive that we were able to fight him to that extent."

Shi Jian, unusually, did not criticize, "But you also have shortcomings. Although your current thunder technique is powerful enough, it lacks variety. After you use your three basic moves, it is easy for others to see through your moves."

Lin Bei paused for a moment, then nodded: "This disciple also sensed it."

"I will teach you the remaining four forms of the Lightning Thunder Fist today."

Shi Jian raised his right hand, lightning crackling in his palm. "Sixth move, Thunderous Paths. With your current magical power, you can barely cast it."

With a flick of his right hand, countless bolts of lightning, as thin as fingers, burst forth from his palm, forming an impenetrable net of lightning that covered an area several feet in front of him.

Lin Bei carefully observed Shi Jian's movements, memorizing every detail: "Disciple understands."

"Seventh move, Thunder Prison Demon Suppression."

Shi Jian formed a hand seal, and lightning on the ground condensed into a small lightning prison.

"This move is primarily designed to trap the enemy. Lightning forms a prison, confining the enemy within, while simultaneously using lightning power to continuously erode their magical strength."

"Eighth move: Thunder Breaks All Laws"

Shi Jian threw a punch, and lightning on his fist condensed into a single point. It looked ordinary, but it had an extreme penetrating power.

"This technique does not pursue a wide range, but rather concentrates the lightning power to the extreme, specifically to break shields and spells."

"Ninth Form, Nine Heavens Divine Thunder..."

Shi Jian paused for a moment, then said, "You can't master this move yet. You need to break through to the True Person realm to barely be able to execute it!"

Lin Bei's eyes gleamed with excitement: "This disciple will definitely break through to the True Person realm as soon as possible!"

Shi Jian glanced at him: "What's the rush? Lay a solid foundation first."

He turned around and said, "Practice the rest of the moves on your own. Come find me if you have any problems."

"Respectfully seeing off Master."

In the days that followed, Lin Bei practiced the three new boxing techniques he had learned every day in the bamboo forest behind the mountain.

Shi Shaojian, on the other hand, was exchanging skills and knowledge with disciples from various sects in the outer sect.

Two days later, the cultivators from various sects took their leave one after another, discussing the competition along the way.

"The battle between Maoshan Linbei and Zhang Zhiling was really fierce."

"A peak mage can fight to a draw with an early-stage True Person. The Pure Yang Dao Body is indeed extraordinary."

"I've heard that people in the cultivation world are already calling them the 'Twin Prodigies of the Daoist School'."

"Little Thunder King Lin Bei, Little Thunder Lord Zhang Zhiling... these titles are quite fitting."

Maoshan has returned to its former tranquility.

The people from the Celestial Master's Mansion and Gezao Mountain stayed behind, since the talismans of the three mountains all originated from the same source.

Master Qingwei invited them to stay and exchange their experiences with talismans, which is considered a tradition in the cultivation world.

The core of the Lingbao School of Gezao Mountain's talismans is the Lingbao Talisman, which, along with the Zhengyi Talisman of Longhu Mountain and the Shangqing Talisman of Maoshan Mountain, are known as the Three Mountains Talismans, each with its own unique characteristics.

Several elders would discuss philosophy in the library every day, and Lin Bei would occasionally go to listen in and benefit greatly.

But he spent most of his time practicing the Spirit Contract Returning to Origin Technique.

Master Qingwei once said that the first step in transforming a demon beast into a spirit beast is to draw a purification talisman on the demon beast's forehead.

This talisman is not particularly difficult to make, but it requires drawing upon the water and wood elements of heaven and earth to cleanse the demonic and malevolent energy within the beast's body.

The key to activating the water and wood energies is the use of spiritual spring water as a medium.

"Spiritual spring water...where am I supposed to get this stuff?"

Lin Bei scratched his head; he had quite a bit of stuff on him.

We have cinnabar, yellow paper, and blood ink in stock, but we've never prepared spiritual spring water.

Left with no other choice, they had to go to Shi Jian.

In the rear hall of the Jiuxiao Wanfu Palace, Shi Jian was sitting cross-legged on a futon, meditating.

When Lin Bei entered, Shi Jian didn't even lift his eyelids.

"What is it?"

"Master, your disciple needs spiritual spring water."

"The first step of the Spirit Contract Returning to Origin Technique requires spiritual spring water as a catalyst..."

Upon hearing this, Shi Jian flicked his wrist, and a palm-sized jade bottle flew out of his sleeve and landed in Lin Bei's hand.

"That's enough. Come and get more if you need more."

Lin Bei held the jade bottle and sensed the spiritual energy fluctuations within it, his heart filled with joy: "Thank you, Master."

He felt that his master was now a walking treasure trove, capable of producing all sorts of strange and unusual things.

He returned to his room, where Bai Ling was squatting on the table watching him, her tail swaying gently.

"Little one, we're about to begin." Lin Bei walked over and rubbed Bai Ling's head.

Awooo!!!

Bai Ling seemed to understand something, obediently lying down, folding her two paws together, resting her head on her paws, and quietly watching him.

The talisman itself is not complicated; the runes are simple and do not consume too much magic power. The key is the accuracy of the spiritual power transfer.

Lin Bei drew more than a dozen yellow talismans to practice, and when he felt it was about right, he picked up Bai Ling.

"Don't be afraid, it'll be over in a bit." Lin Bei gently rubbed her head.

Then, he dipped his fingertip in a little spiritual spring water, mixed it with cinnabar, and quickly drew a purification talisman on Bai Ling's forehead.

The moment the rune was completed, a circle of pale golden light shone, enveloping Bai Ling's entire head.

Bai Ling trembled, then fell silent.

It was as if he had entered a meditative state, with his eyes slightly closed and his breathing steady and long.

Lin Bei acted quickly, and the purification talisman took shape between Bai Ling's eyebrows the instant it appeared.

He made hand seals and chanted the Qi-guiding mantra.

"Heaven and earth are natural, water and trees give birth to each other. When evil spirits are all gone, the divine light shines forth."

A soft halo spread from his palm, drawing upon the water and wood energies of heaven and earth, and slowly flowing into Bai Ling's body.

The water and wood energies circulated within her body, gradually cleansing and purifying the demonic energy in her meridians and the malevolent energy in her sea of ​​consciousness.

This process is extremely slow, and each cycle can only purify a very small portion.

Lin Bei dared not be distracted, and sat cross-legged opposite Bai Ling, continuing to cast spells.

A whole night passed, and only when the sky began to lighten did he slowly finish his practice.

Bai Ling remained lying quietly, but the faint demonic aura emanating from her body had faded somewhat compared to before.