Master of Strange Dao

After landing, she slowly opened her eyes, looking at the black cat and Yu Ziqing with some confusion.

"My name is Qing Ziyu, a friend of Xia Yixing. He has been kidnapped, and I was entrusted to deliver a message. The people who took him have gone to a Grotto Heaven with a Tomb Ghost."

"Hmm?"

The woman looked Yu Ziqing up and down, then suddenly revealed a smile.

"So you are a friend of Yixing, my name is Xia Shuang. Have you taken a master yet?"

"Huh?" Yu Ziqing was full of question marks. Was there not a single normal person in No.4's family? He was almost a goner, and instead of hurriedly thinking about rescuing him, why were they asking such questions?

"To come to our place and adapt so quickly, it would be such a pity if you didn't accept me as your master."

"Senior, please forgive me, I already have a master."

"No problem, I don't mind if you take a few more masters."

"Xia Yixing is about to die, that Tomb Ghost is already Eighth Tier, and also has a token and a Curse on him. He's already been there once, and if he goes a second time, he's surely doomed."

"No worries, he's not so easy to die. If he does, it's just fine; I'll collect his corpse. We've already reserved his grave," Xia Shuang seemed not too concerned, still staring at Yu Ziqing.

In the blink of an eye, Xia Shuang had disappeared.

With one hand on Yu Ziqing's shoulder, she felt his instinctive trembling and the immense strength erupting from within. Instead of concern, her face lit up with surprise.

"An individual cultivator, if I don't accept you as my disciple and pass on all my skills to you, I would surely be struck by divine retribution."

"Senior, how about we go save Xia Yixing first?" Yu Ziqing said with a dry laugh, feeling the power contained within that slender palm and giving up resistance.

Good lord, an individual cultivator?

At least an Eighth Tier Body Cultivation, but something felt off, not quite right.

Yet that power and terrifying physical body were undeniably real.

Xia Shuang's hand on Yu Ziqing's shoulder, just merely sensing, made her happier and more fond of him the more she looked.

Not only was he an individual cultivator with an incredibly strong physical foundation, but he also managed to completely adapt to the reversal in their blessed land in such a short time.

In their family, nobody had ever adapted so quickly, not even the most talented one who was born there and had adapted very well.

However, the problem arose again; that young prodigy would become very uncomfortable outside, needing over a decade to adapt to the outside world.

Someone naturally capable of adapting to such reversal must be taken under her wing immediately. If her family's elder awoke and knew about this, he would definitely subject her to divine punishment.

"How about I take on a disciple on behalf of my master? You can be my junior brother if you'd like?"

"Senior..."

Xia Shuang frowned slightly, struggling with herself. Then she gritted her teeth.

"If all else fails, I'll accept a disciple on behalf of my grandmaster, to give you a good deal. You can be my Little Uncle Master."

"..."

Yu Ziqing was resigned.

He could see that she was really not joking, she seemed quite serious.

"Senior, I should discuss this with my family, shouldn't I? I'm just out on an errand to deliver a message. If I casually accept a master now, I'll be beaten to death when I get back."

"Could they beat me?"

"I guess they couldn't withstand a single punch..."

"Right, you make a good point, we should ask your family's opinion." Xia Shuang looked natural, smoothing Yu Ziqing's clothes with a pat.

"Let's go then, and see if Xia Yixing is dead yet. If he is, we'll grab his body and bring it back."

Yu Ziqing was full of old complaints and didn't know how to spit them out.

No wonder No.4 had been chased by the Tomb Ghost like that, he was actually seeking help from him.

Now seeing Xia Shuang, Yu Ziqing understood a bit better.

It seemed that this family didn't care at all whether Xia Yixing lived or died.

Xia Shuang led Yu Ziqing outwards, and seeming to notice his confusion, she chuckled lightly.

"Our family's cultivation truly begins only after death."

"..." Yu Ziqing's face was aghast.

"Don't worry, you can also cultivate without dying.

Normal cultivation has no issues, we just have an additional choice, that's all.

The stronger you are before death, the greater your potential after death. Naturally, it's best if you don't die.

But if you do die, we can bring back the body, raise it in the tomb, and it can become a zombie and wake up again.

Having grown up cultivating here from a young age, even becoming a zombie won't make you lose consciousness.

If you can become a special kind of zombie, you will be much stronger than when you were alive."

"Like a Ba?"

"Somewhat, but not the same as us. So, what do you think? Are you tempted?

You continue cultivating in your own way, but after death, you will have another chance to keep living, just with a different method of cultivation.

Our family is very open-minded; you can do whatever you want. Think it over, Little Uncle Master."

"Let's talk about it later; I need to go home and report to the elders first."

"Yes, of course, of course..." Xia Shuang nodded repeatedly.

To have to consider the opinion of a big shot who could punch her to death—that was indeed necessary.

She just wanted to pull Yu Ziqing over to their side; in the future, everyone would be on the same team, and she didn't want to sour the relationship.

Having left the woods, Yu Ziqing asked a question.

"Senior knows where Xia Yixing is, right?"

"I do. That Tomb Ghost Cave Heaven, right? Last time he was being chased, I watched that joke for a long time. If he were to die from a curse, his future would be much greater than mine, possibly even reaching the Ninth Tier Peak.

I wish I could die like that, but I don't have the chance; what a pity. We can't choose our own way of dying; otherwise, it wouldn't be his turn."

Xia Shuang looked envious, apparently quite genuine.

Yu Ziqing frowned, truly at a loss for words.

"Senior, you should go ahead. I need to inform the elders at home first."

"Alright, then Little Uncle Master, go and come back quickly." Xia Shuang waved her hand, watching Yu Ziqing run away frantically, until he was out of sight.

After Yu Ziqing had disappeared, Xia Shuang sighed a bit and glanced at the black cat who had followed her out.

"What do you think of him?"

"His technique is very good... Ahem, he's extraordinarily talented. He adapted to the reversal in our area within a few breaths, just as if he were in the outside world. He's simply meant for our family's legacy.

Plus, I see his foundation is extremely robust; Ninth Tier isn't out of reach for him.

If he reaches Ninth Tier and then dies, he'll definitely have prospects of reaching Tenth Tier in the future."

"You're right. Xia Yixing is really blessed and insightful to have met my Little Uncle Master. Come on, let's go rescue Xia Yixing. He's been unwilling to die all this time, well then, this time, for the sake of my Little Uncle Master, let's break our rules and indulge him just this once."