Chapter 16：hermaphrodite

The yellow talisman, infused with Li Yunyang's true essence, radiated with a blinding light, exuding a devastating aura as it flew toward the Zombie King. At this moment, the old zombie finally panicked, pouring all his strength into the external Corpse Domain, which solidified once again under the immense power. The yellow talisman in the sky drew nearer, its dazzling brilliance too intense to behold directly, radiating a majestic aura.

"Come! I, the great king, shall utterly destroy your hope! Let's see what this talisman can do to me!" The old zombie roared, raising his hands to the sky, attempting to tear apart the blazing Inferno Talisman.

Tian Fan supported the injured Sun Yueying, standing completely behind her, watching the Zombie King's actions. A faint smirk appeared at the corner of his lips, and a subtle golden light flickered in his eyes. The figure of the old zombie materialized in his vision, divine light shimmering as a burst of mental force silently and effortlessly pierced through the old zombie's Corpse Domain, striking his soul directly.

"Ah!"

To the astonishment of Sun Yueying and Li Yunyang, the old zombie suddenly clutched his head, screaming in agony, driven mad. His vital energy went into chaotic disarray, and the Corpse Domain shattered, exposing his body fully to the talisman above.

"Now's our chance!"

Li Yunyang let out a fierce shout, summoning every ounce of his strength to command the Inferno Talisman to descend. The yellow talisman in the sky, empowered by his will, erupted with an even greater light, now twice as strong, its destructive energy engulfing the area. The old zombie, lying below, was the focus of its fury.

"No! This cannot be!"

As the blazing Inferno Talisman descended upon him, the Zombie King's face contorted with sheer terror. He frantically mobilized the corpse energy within him for a final stand, but it was too late. The talisman hurtled toward him at lightning speed, slamming into his body in an instant.

"Ah!"

For the first time, a gut-wrenching scream erupted from the old zombie. His once invincible flesh began to crumble under the talisman's inferno, the fire seemingly crafted to specifically incinerate his form. His once unbreakable body now showed signs of melting.

"No! Impossible! What kind of fire is this? It's burning my immortal body! No! My body is supposed to be indestructible!"

The old zombie was finally consumed by fear. The body he had prided himself on, his greatest asset, was about to be obliterated. Once his flesh was gone, so too would be his existence.

"It's finally over, but why did it feel so easy?"

Tian Fan, Li Yunyang, and Sun Yueying gathered together. The purple-blue sword returned to Sun Yueying's hand, and Li Yunyang wore a look of elation. He had just defeated a peak Nascent Soul Zombie King, and it felt like a dream. Yet, something puzzled him—why had the old zombie gone mad at the last moment, clutching his head? Tian Fan smiled faintly but offered no explanation.

"Perhaps it's karma! Haha!"

He cast a knowing glance at Tian Fan, grinning as he recalled how Tian Fan had once knocked down his swindler of a master. Seeing the look Li Yunyang gave him, Tian Fan could guess what was on his mind, smiling helplessly in response.

"It's over. This Zombie King is finished. Let's get ready to leave," Sun Yueying said cheerfully as she observed the dying embers of the fire and the weakening aura of the old zombie. But just then, a massive golden net descended from the sky, extinguishing the flames and revealing the old zombie's barely breathing form.

"A peak Nascent Soul Zombie King—such a rare find. Since fate has brought us together, I'll be taking it."

An arrogant voice echoed from above. The trio looked up to see four young men in lavish attire. At the forefront stood a handsome man holding a golden iron fan, his smile faint, with three attendants behind him.

"Who are you? Why did you stop us from slaying this evil?"

Just as the old zombie was on the verge of destruction, this man had thrown down the golden net to save him. Li Yunyang was furious and shouted angrily. But inwardly, he was also shocked. The fact that this man could extinguish his Inferno Talisman meant that either the golden net was an extraordinary artifact, or the man's cultivation was terrifyingly high.

"How dare you speak to my master in such a manner!"

One of the attendants stepped forward, his aura immense, laced with a faint killing intent. Under this oppressive force, Li Yunyang found it difficult to resist—it was clear this man was at least in the mid-Nascent Soul stage. Yet, despite knowing their strength, Li Yunyang's fury only intensified.

"You are truly despicable! We worked tirelessly to suppress this creature, and now you swoop in to reap the benefits. Don't think I didn't notice you lurking up there, watching from the start."

Hearing Li Yunyang's words, Tian Fan was momentarily surprised—how had he not detected their presence earlier? It seemed Li Yunyang had some skill after all, being able to sense others even amidst battle.

"So what? Even without your efforts, my master could have subdued this zombie just the same!" The attendant was infuriated, his aura now brimming with killing intent.

"Haha, how shameless! You cowards are terrified of the Zombie King, but once someone else defeats him and drains his strength, you come out to act tough. You're a disgrace!"

Li Yunyang, in truth, had no idea there had been anyone watching. He was just testing the waters, and it turned out the man was foolish enough to take the bait. The young master's face darkened, clearly displeased by his subordinate's stupidity.

"Enough! I'll kill you!"

The attendant, embarrassed and enraged, lunged at Li Yunyang with a palm strike. But a flash of sword light forced him back.

"What do you think you're doing? Not only did you stop us from vanquishing this creature, now you want to attack us?" Sun Yueying stepped forward, her voice filled with righteous fury after deflecting the strike.

"Hmph, do you think my master needs your permission to act? This old zombie will serve my master as his servant. If you know what's good for you, leave now!" Another attendant stepped out, his tone cold, and his cultivation also in the mid-Nascent Soul stage.

"I don't care who you are. This zombie must be killed. If it lives, the lives of over a dozen villagers nearby will be lost. As members of the righteous path, it's your duty to rid the world of such evil!"

Sun Yueying's expression was icy as she glared at the so-called Yin-Yang Young Master.

"Heh, just a few peasants. A handful of insignificant lives are hardly worth mentioning. You would do well not to get in our way, girl, lest you bring misfortune upon yourself."

The young man's eyes roamed lecherously over Sun Yueying's figure, his words full of thinly veiled threat. His subordinates' gazes followed suit, filled with lust.

"Master, there's no need to waste words on them. Kill the two men, and we can have some fun with the woman!"

The hawk-nosed attendant grinned wickedly, already picturing what was to come.

"You!"

Li Yunyang, seeing them humiliate Sun Yueying in this way, was filled with rage, but his injuries flared up, causing intense pain. Tian Fan steadied him, channeling gentle true essence into his body to ease the pain.

"Worthless fool! Second, Third, kill the men. The woman is ours, hahaha!"

The hawk-nosed man waved his hand, and the Yin-Yang Young Master merely smiled coldly, doing nothing to stop them, as if waiting to watch a show.