Chapter 65

**Bang!**

A dull thud echoed as the zombie, unable to withstand Jiang Chen's kick, soared into the air and flew backward, crashing into two or three other zombies before finally stopping.

Jiang Chen's furrowed brows relaxed, and the fear in his heart receded like a tide. From the situation just now, these zombies didn't seem so terrifying after all!

"Ouch! That hurts!" At that moment, the zombie that Jiang Chen had kicked suddenly clutched its stomach and shouted loudly. Fortunately, Jiang Chen had only been testing things out, so he hadn't used his full strength. The zombie staggered to its feet and, while running away, glared angrily at Jiang Chen.

"Uh..." Seeing this, Jiang Chen was taken aback. He then remembered that this must be Chiu Sheng, who had been pretending to be a zombie to scare Wen Cai. He awkwardly rubbed his nose and said, "I'm really sorry, I kicked the wrong person."

However, despite his embarrassment, Jiang Chen didn't stop his movements. After a brief pause, he stepped forward, rushed into the hall, and delivered a spinning kick, sweeping two zombies away. They landed several meters away, but this was only because he had restrained his strength.

As a master-level expert, although Jiang Chen's control over his strength wasn't yet divine, it was already at a very refined level. He could clearly determine how much force to use against his opponents, without any waste.

Although these zombies could jump, they didn't have much killing power before fully transforming into zombies. They were essentially just jumping corpses!

For a master-level expert like Jiang Chen, dealing with them was even easier than dealing with humans. After all, these stiff-bodied zombies had only a few moves: jumping, grabbing, and biting. He didn't even need to use his true skills; simple combat techniques were enough to subdue them.

However, compared to living people, these zombies had their advantages. They were numb and insensitive, feeling no pain. No matter how hard they were hit, as long as it didn't exceed their limits, they would still jump around and relentlessly attack Jiang Chen, driven by their instinct to chase after the living.

Jiang Chen frowned, about to increase his force and knock them down again, when a powerful voice came from behind: "Young friend, thank you for your help. Now, leave these zombies to us!" As he spoke, two figures darted out from behind, facing the oncoming zombies.

"It's Uncle Kiu, the owner of the funeral parlor, and his junior, Fourth Eye Taoist!" Jiang Chen immediately recognized them and wisely stepped back, leaving the zombies to them. After all, this was their territory, and they were the experts in dealing with these non-human entities!

At that moment, Uncle Kiu and Fourth Eye Taoist were too focused on the zombies to pay attention to Jiang Chen. The room was full of zombies, and the two men looked grave, knowing that if these creatures escaped, they might transform into full-fledged zombies, causing even bigger problems.

Stepping in unison, they raised their hands and formed seals. The only difference was that Uncle Kiu raised his index and middle fingers, while Fourth Eye Taoist raised his fist.

"Huh?!" Seeing his junior raise his fist, Uncle Kiu raised an eyebrow and glared at him, as if scolding him for embarrassing himself in front of a stranger.

Fourth Eye Taoist realized his action had displeased his senior, so he awkwardly smiled and quickly relaxed his fist, raising his index and middle fingers instead.

Uncle Kiu let out a light hum and ignored Fourth Eye Taoist. He quickly formed a seal, bit his fingertip, and stepped forward, taking the lead. His movements were swift, and with a kick, he knocked a zombie to the ground. He then pressed his bloodied fingertip to the zombie's forehead, sealing it with a magical seal.

"Wow, so powerful!" At that moment, Jiang Chen clearly felt a mysterious force in Uncle Kiu's seal. If he wasn't mistaken, this was the legendary magical power.

Unlike internal energy and dan energy, magical power was a more mysterious existence. While internal energy and dan energy might be more effective against living beings, when it came to ghosts and monsters, magical power could exert even more incredible powers.

As he marveled, Fourth Eye Taoist also joined in, and together with Uncle Kiu, they quickly subdued all the zombies in the hall.

Before they could catch their breath, Fourth Eye Taoist complained, "Senior, you were too harsh. Many of my clients' limbs are broken!"

"That can't be." Uncle Kiu frowned. "I was careful with my movements. How could..." He paused, as if remembering something, and quickly turned to look at Jiang Chen.

"Uh..." Jiang Chen replied awkwardly, "I'm really sorry. I might have broken their limbs. I was a bit nervous and couldn't control my strength."

Fourth Eye Taoist was about to complain further, but Uncle Kiu glared at him, then smiled at Jiang Chen. "It's fine. These things are inhuman. It's better to be a bit harsh than to be hurt by them."

"Senior, that's not right," Fourth Eye Taoist quickly countered. "These are my clients. How can I explain to their families if they're damaged?"

"Shut up," Uncle Kiu barked, cutting him off. His expression was stern, and Fourth Eye Taoist, feeling afraid, quickly closed his mouth and went to tidy up his clients.

"Who are you, young friend? Where are you from? Why are you here so late at night?" After dismissing Fourth Eye Taoist, Uncle Kiu turned to Jiang Chen, his face filled with curiosity.

To Uncle Kiu, Jiang Chen, dressed in a suit, must have come from the provincial capital or a wealthy family. His sudden appearance at the funeral parlor late at night was suspicious!

Hearing Uncle Kiu's question, Jiang Chen was prepared. He replied with a hint of embarrassment, "My name is Jiang Chen. I'm from Hong Kong. I heard that there's a Taoist priest named 'Uncle Kiu' in this town who is very skilled in magic, so I came to seek him as my master. Unfortunately, I'm not familiar with the area, so I only found this place after it got dark."

"Seek me as your master?" Uncle Kiu was taken aback and stared at Jiang Chen with a puzzled look. "You really want to be my disciple?"

It was no wonder Uncle Kiu was surprised. This was no longer the feudal era. In the early Republic, young people were learning Western science. Even in the provincial capital, people didn't believe in ghosts and spirits, let alone a young man from Hong Kong!

"Ah?! You're Uncle Kiu?!" Jiang Chen exclaimed in surprise and was about to bow. "Disciple Jiang Chen, I pay my respects to my master..."

"Wait a moment!" Uncle Kiu quickly extended his hand to stop Jiang Chen. "Tell me, why do you want to be my disciple?"

"Well..." Jiang Chen hesitated for a moment before answering, "To be honest, I am a martial artist. I have always been pursuing the realm where one can see the divine by breaking through the void. However, after reaching a certain limit, I found it difficult to make progress. Someone suggested that I learn Taoist magic, which might help me break through my current state."

"Hmm?" Uncle Kiu's interest was piqued. "What level have you reached in your martial arts? Dark Energy, Transformation Energy, or Dan Energy?"

"Dan Energy," Jiang Chen replied proudly. "I have already achieved the highest level of Dan Energy and condensed my energy into a powerful force. I am just one step away from breaking through the void, but that one step is as difficult as climbing to the heavens."

"Dan Energy, condensed into a powerful force?!" Uncle Kiu was shocked. "You are so young, yet your skills are so advanced. No wonder you want to learn Taoist magic. You must be preparing to refine your soul for the final step."

"Exactly." Jiang Chen bowed and said solemnly, "I humbly request Uncle Kiu to take me in."

"This..." Uncle Kiu was still hesitant.

Fourth Eye Taoist, who had been watching the entire scene, stepped forward after tidying up his clients. He whispered in Uncle Kiu's ear, "Senior, it's rare for someone to be so sincere. Why not take him in? Besides..." He subtly glanced at Wen Cai and Chiu Sheng, implying that Uncle Kiu already had two disciples and wouldn't mind one more.

"Taking a disciple is no trivial matter!" Uncle Kiu glared at Fourth Eye Taoist, scolding him for speaking out of turn. Fourth Eye Taoist's face fell, and he dared not say more, only giving Jiang Chen a helpless look.

After reprimanding his talkative junior, Uncle Kiu turned to Jiang Chen, who was full of anticipation. After a long hesitation, he finally said, "Very well, a gentleman should help others achieve their goals. Since you are so sincere, I will make an exception and take you in as a disciple. From now on, you will be my junior."

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