Uncle Nine: You were supposed to drive corpses, so you summoned the Monkey King!

yard.

The century-old mandrill lay on the ground, twitched twice, spat out a mouthful of black blood, and then fell completely still.

Lin Chen stood still and exhaled a long breath.

As he exhaled, the swelling of his muscles quickly subsided, and he regained his previous slender and upright appearance.

The basic summoning spell can only last for a short time, about one minute.

The physical exertion was astonishing.

Lin Chen's legs were weak and his stomach was growling with hunger. He wished he could eat three bowls of white rice right away.

"Amitabha Buddha, well said, well said."

Master Ikkyu walked over to the mandrill's corpse, examined it, and shook his head repeatedly.

"This mountain demon has been cultivating for a hundred years, with skin of copper and bones of iron, making it difficult to be harmed by ordinary swords and knives."

"I never expected to be killed by young friend Lin Chen with a single punch."

Master Ikkyu turned his head and looked at the Four-Eyed Taoist who had just come out with a smile.

"Brother Four Eyes, you've taken on a fine disciple! His martial arts skills are probably even better than yours, his master!"

Master Four Eyes was still in shock at Lin Chen's performance.

Upon hearing Master Ikkyu's words, his arrogant temper immediately flared up.

He put his hands behind his back, raised his chin slightly, and pretended to be inscrutable.

"You bald monk, what do you know?"

"A great teacher produces great students! My student is exceptionally intelligent and has naturally inherited my true teachings."

"If I hadn't exhausted my magic power, he wouldn't have had a chance to make a move. I could have wiped that mountain demon to ashes with a snap of my fingers!"

Master Ikkyu didn't refute, but simply smiled and put his hands together in prayer.

"A monk does not lie. If you say so, then it must be so. But I wonder who was shouting for help just now?"

"You're talking nonsense! That was Jiale shouting!"

Master Simu twitched his beard, and seeing that the two old enemies were about to start fighting again, Lin Chen quickly stepped forward to smooth things over.

"Master, Master Ikkyu, what should we do with the mandrill's corpse?"

"This thing is covered in corpse poison. Leaving it here might pollute the feng shui of the temple."

Master Four Eyes snorted coldly, glared at Master Yixiu, and then turned to look at Lin Chen.

He looked Lin Chen up and down, his eyes filled with inquiry and doubt.

"You brat, come with me."

Master Simu grabbed Lin Chen's arm and led him to a corner of the courtyard.

"To be honest, where did you learn that footwork technique and that summoning spell you just used?"

Master Simu lowered his voice, his tone somewhat serious.

The art of summoning spirits is a closely guarded secret of Maoshan, and outsiders have no way of accessing it except for a few direct descendants.

Lin Chen had already prepared his explanation.

He scratched his head, putting on an honest and simple look.

"Master, I secretly learned these skills from watching you practice."

"Every morning you would walk the steps and recite the incantations in the courtyard. I watched you do it so many times that I memorized it."

"The situation was critical just now, and in a moment of impulse, I tried it just like you did, and I didn't expect it to actually work."

After hearing this, Master Simu's brain was buzzing.

"You learned it by watching me practice?"

"It took me ten whole years to master the art of summoning spirits, and you think you can learn it just by watching?"

Master Simu felt that his worldview had been severely impacted.

May the patriarchs of Maoshan be upon you, where did this monstrous genius come from?

However shocked, Master Four Eyes was overjoyed.

In this chaotic world overrun by demons, finding such a disciple with terrifying talent is definitely a huge stroke of luck for him.

"Cough cough."

Master Si Mu coughed twice, trying his best to maintain his master's dignity.

"Although you have secretly learned our sect's secret techniques, you should be punished according to the rules."

"Considering your merit in slaying the demon tonight and saving your senior brother's life, we'll let it go this time."

"Starting tomorrow, do morning prayers with me every day, and I will formally teach you Maoshan Taoist arts!"

Lin Chen was overjoyed.

As long as one can legitimately learn Taoist arts from Master Simu, these arts can be incorporated into daily settlements through the system, allowing for rapid improvement in strength.

"Thank you, Master!" Lin Chen bowed respectfully.

At this moment, Jiale and Jingjing also ran out of the house.

Jiale looked at the dead mandrill on the ground, then moved closer to Lin Chen with a face full of admiration.

"Junior brother, you're amazing! That punch you just threw was even more powerful than the blacksmith's strikes in town!"

Jingjing then came over carrying a basin of water and a towel.

"Brother Lin, you were fighting the monster just now, are you alright? Quickly wipe your sweat."

Jingjing handed the towel to Lin Chen, her bright, watery eyes full of concern.

She had just peeked through the crack in the window and witnessed Lin Chen displaying his might. His composure in the face of danger and his domineering presence that sealed the deal with a single punch made the young girl's heart race.

"Thank you, Miss Jingjing. I'm fine, I just sweated a lot."

Lin Chen took the towel and thanked him with a smile.

Jiale watched from the side, his eyes wide with envy, feeling a pang of jealousy. He had spent so much time circling around Jingjing, yet she had never even given him a second glance.

Lin Chen had just returned when Jingjing proactively brought him water and a towel. It's infuriating how people compare themselves to each other.

"Alright, alright, stop crowding around here."

Master Simu waved his hand, directing Jiale.

"Go and rearrange those customers and put up new talismans to ward off evil spirits."

"Drag the mandrill's carcass to the back of the mountain and burn it. Make sure no one lives."

After explaining everything, Master Four Eyes yawned, put his hands behind his back, and went back to his room to sleep.

Lin Chen also returned to his room.

He closed the door, sat cross-legged on the hard wooden bed, and immediately brought up the system panel.

[Host: Lin Chen]

[Realm Level: Daoist Novice (Strong Mortal)]

[Physical fitness: 12 (average is 8)]

Strength: 15 (8 for an average person)

Agility: 15 (normal level is 8)

[Mental Strength: 18 (8 for average people)]

[Mastering the techniques: Maoshan Ordinary Fist (proficient), Invocation of Spirits (beginner)]

[Material implements: None]

Lin Chen nodded in satisfaction.

The month of hardship, enduring wind and rain, was worth it; the system's rewards were indeed generous.

As long as we proceed steadily and complete all our daily tasks, we will have more confidence even when facing that invulnerable royal zombie.

The next morning.

The sky was just beginning to lighten, and the mist in the mountains and forests had not yet dissipated.

"Bang!"

"Bang!"

The familiar sound of chopping wood came from the backyard.

Lin Chen, shirtless, was holding a dulled axe and was furiously attacking a pile of logs.

With each swing of the axe, the wood was chopped neatly.

Jiale, sporting dark circles under his eyes, yawned as he walked out of the room.

"Junior brother, why are you chopping firewood so early in the morning instead of sleeping? We have enough firewood at home to burn for half a year."

Jiale rubbed his eyes, his face full of confusion.

Lin Chen put down the axe and wiped his sweat.

"Senior brother, the day's plan starts in the morning. Master said that those who cultivate the Tao cannot be lazy."

No sooner had he finished speaking than the door to Master Four Eyes' room opened.

Master Simu, dressed in a neat Taoist robe and holding a ruler in his hand, walked out with a dark face.

He first glanced at Lin Chen, who was covered in sweat, and nodded in satisfaction.

Then, turning to look at the sleepy-eyed Jiale, he felt a surge of anger.

"Look at your junior brother, and then look at yourself!"

"All they do is sleep all day; when they encounter a monster, all they can do is scream for help!"

Master Simu struck Jiale on the head with a ruler.

"Go! Go and squat in a horse stance in front of the ancestral master for two hours! You're not allowed to eat breakfast until you finish!"

Jiale covered his head and walked towards the lobby with a wronged expression.

Master Simu turned around, looked at Lin Chen, and his tone became gentle.

"Lin Chen, go wash your face."

"Come with me to the study. Today, your master will teach you how to draw talismans."

Lin Chen was overjoyed.

Drawing symbols?

This is the fundamental means by which Maoshan Taoists make a living.

I wonder what kind of reward the system will give if I make drawing talismans a daily task?