Zombie World: Starting as an apprentice of the Thunder King

After practicing magic for a while, Lin Bei began practicing talismans. Now that he had a trace of magic power, he decided to try out an exorcism talisman!

Lin Bei laid out the yellow paper, ground the cinnabar, and picked up the wolf-hair brush.

He had already memorized the method of drawing the exorcism talisman. With careful concentration, he mobilized the trace of magic power within his body. After a series of smooth strokes, a stream of light flashed across the talisman paper, then quickly dimmed, and the entire talisman looked as if it had a faint luster.

Haha, it worked!

Lin Bei excitedly examined the talisman several times, then carefully put it away and continued drawing.

However, the trace of magic power in his dantian could only support him to squander the amount of one or two talismans before he had to replenish his magic power!

In the end, I drew more than a dozen pictures, but only four were successful, a success rate of less than 30%.

Even so, Lin Bei was still very satisfied with his results!

In the days that followed, Lin Bei kept his schedule packed every day.

In the morning, I run in the mountains, practice standing meditation, and Tai Chi. In the afternoon, I practice talismans and magic. In the evening, I meditate to cultivate my magical power.

Seeing his diligent practice, Shi Jian taught him a set of footwork called Yu Step, also known as Seven Star Step.

The Yu Step is a seven-step movement based on the Big Dipper constellation.

When walking, you should coordinate with hand gestures and mental techniques. The pace should be neither too fast nor too slow, and the distance of each step should be precise.

It took Lin Bei more than half a month to get the footwork right.

Two months later, one evening, Lin Bei was meditating and cultivating in the main hall.

After several months of diligent cultivation, the magical power in his dantian had reached eighty-seven strands, just thirteen strands away from the initial perfection of the Daoist novice stage.

He guided the magical power to circulate within his meridians, slowly and steadily, circle by circle.

With each complete cycle of magical power circulation, the amount of magical power in the dantian increases by a tiny bit.

Just as Lin Bei was cultivating, he suddenly felt his mind become clear and his cultivation speed suddenly increased. Then, the speed of the mana circulation in his dantian suddenly increased a lot.

After an unknown amount of time, Lin Bei suddenly trembled, and a faint fluctuation emanated from his body!

Lin Bei slowly opened his eyes, a smile appearing on his face. He hadn't expected to enter a meditative state during his cultivation tonight, and his cultivation had even broken through to the mid-stage of the Daoist Child realm!

Shi Jian stood at the entrance of the main hall, hands behind his back, looking at Lin Bei's back, and nodded.

This kid is growing up faster than he expected.

Shi Shaojian was squatting in the courtyard drawing talismans. After learning that Lin Bei's cultivation had broken through, he became somewhat agitated. Every talisman he drew was ruined, and he angrily threw down his pen.

"Why can't I break through this barrier?!"

He glanced at Lin Bei, who was meditating in the main hall, sighed, picked up his brush, and continued drawing.

Time flies, and another three months have passed.

Lin Bei sat cross-legged by the waterfall on the back of Qingzhu Mountain.

The waterfall was loud and the mist was thick, but he was completely unaffected, his mind focused on his dantian.

The magical power in his dantian already amounted to 183 strands.

He is at the mid-stage of the Daoist Child realm, still seventeen strands away from the perfect two hundred strands.

However, the progress of cultivation is getting slower and slower. When I first started cultivating, it took me two months to break through from the beginner level to the middle stage of the Daoist novice.

Three months have passed, and he hasn't even reached the mid-stage of the Daoist path.

Lin Bei opened his eyes, exhaled a breath of stale air, got up and stretched his limbs, then ran down the mountain path.

He didn't rest for a single day during those three months. Every morning he would run in the mountains, practice Tai Chi in the morning, draw talismans in the afternoon, and meditate and cultivate in the evening.

Shi Jian said that road construction is a long process and cannot be rushed, but Lin Bei was in a hurry.

He knew that there were ghosts and zombies in this world. As a novice in the middle stage of the Daoist path, he would be easy prey if he encountered something powerful. Who knew what would happen next?

In short, my cultivation level is too low, and I feel insecure!

When Lin Bei ran back to the mountain gate, Shi Shaojian was practicing boxing in the courtyard.

Shi Shaojian's cultivation had also broken through to the mid-stage of Daoist Child, but his magic power was less than Lin Bei's, around 150 swis. The two were evenly matched.

"Junior brother, Master said we'll be going down the mountain later." Shi Shaojian put down his fist and wiped his sweat.

Lin Bei was taken aback: "Go down the mountain? What for?"

"There's a wealthy merchant's house in town that's been haunted. Please, Master, go and take a look."

Lin Bei's eyes lit up. A ghost?

He's never even seen what a ghost looks like!

Lin Bei quickly changed into clean clothes and followed Shi Shaojian to the main hall.

Shi Jian was already waiting in the main hall, standing with his hands behind his back in front of the statues of the Three Pure Ones.

"Something's gotten into trouble at the Zhang family's house in town. You two are coming down the mountain with me." Shi Jian glanced at them. "Give them some experience, broaden their horizons!"

Lin Bei and Shi Shaojian exchanged a glance, both seeing excitement in each other's eyes.

The descent was quick, with Shi Jian leading the way with large, steady strides, while Lin Bei and Shi Shaojian followed behind, jogging to keep up.

Two hours later, the three arrived in town.

The town is small, with only one main street, bustling with people and various vendors hawking their wares; it's very lively.

Master Zhang's house was located at the east end of the town. It was the largest mansion in town, with blue bricks and gray tiles, and two stone lions at the entrance.

A middle-aged man wearing a silk jacket stood at the door. Upon seeing Shi Jian, he quickly came to greet him.

"Master Daoist, you've finally arrived!"

Shi Jian nodded: "Master Zhang, lead the way."

As Master Zhang walked, he said, "Taoist priest, things have been quite turbulent at my residence these past two days. Last night, my youngest daughter saw a white shadow floating in the courtyard, and she was so frightened that she developed a high fever that wouldn't go down. We called a doctor, but it was no use."

Lin Bei: Could it be a ghost? Is it the one I'm thinking of?

Shi Jian didn't speak. He entered the courtyard and looked around. The courtyard was very large, with a front yard, a back yard, a main house, and side rooms, totaling at least a dozen rooms.

Shi Jian walked around and stopped in a corner.

"A wandering soul." Shi Jian turned to Lin Bei and Shi Shaojian. "You two are in charge."

Lin Bei was taken aback: "Master, the two of us?"

"Or should I handle it?" Shi Jian said expressionlessly. "If you can't even handle this level of filth, you might as well get lost."

Master Zhang shrank back and took a few steps back. He knew Master Shi's reputation; he was a Maoshan Taoist priest with real skills, but... well, his temper was a bit... something else!

Lin Bei glanced at Shi Shaojian, and the two exchanged a look before nodding simultaneously.

Lin Bei took out yellow paper, cinnabar, and a pen from his bundle and began to draw exorcism talismans.

Shi Shaojian stood guard nearby, his hand gripping a sword incantation.

Wandering spirits are the lowest type of ghosts. They have no consciousness, are in a daze, and are only instinctively attracted by human presence, thus disturbing the living.

The problem is that Lin Bei has never had any real combat experience, and even his hand is trembling a little when drawing talismans.

The first talisman was ruined halfway through drawing.

Master Zhang's eyelids twitched. These two little brats seemed a bit too much for him!

The second talisman was ruined because my hand was shaking so badly while I was drawing it.

Shi Shaojian couldn't help but ask, "Seriously, are you even capable?"

"Don't let us down at the crucial moment!"

Lin Bei took a deep breath and steadied himself.

The third talisman was created stroke by stroke, with magical power steadily transmitted from the tip of the brush to the talisman.

A faint light shone on the talisman paper; it was finally done!

Lin Bei held the talisman in his hand and stood up.

"Senior brother, you lure it out from the front, I'll put up the talisman."

Shi Shaojian nodded, made a sword gesture, and began chanting the Golden Light Mantra.

"The mysteries of heaven and earth, the root of all energies, through countless eons of cultivation, I have attained divine powers."

A faint golden light shone from his body.