Chapter 17：Situation reversal

The two remaining henchmen of the Yin-Yang Young Master, under the direction of the hooked-nosed man, approached Tian Fan and Li Yunyang with chilling smiles. Each gripped a weapon, cold gleams flashing from the blades. 

"How dare you! I am the granddaughter of the Grandmaster of the Tai Fu Sect! Do you dare to lay a hand on me?" 

Seeing that the two were truly about to strike, Sun Yueying had no choice but to reveal her identity. Both she and Li Yunyang were severely injured, utterly incapable of matching their opponents in battle. Even at full strength, they may not have been their equals. 

"What? You are Sun Yueying, the granddaughter of the Tai Fu Sect Grandmaster?" 

At that moment, even the Yin-Yang Young Master's expression shifted slightly, and the others' faces paled as they halted in their tracks. If she truly was the Grandmaster's granddaughter, they absolutely would not dare harm her. Among the Four Great Sects, everyone knew that the old Grandmaster of Tai Fu Sect cherished his granddaughter like a precious jewel. If anything were to happen to her, not even the Yin-Yang Young Master's father could protect him. 

"Indeed I am," Sun Yueying replied calmly. 

"Very well, since you are the granddaughter of the Tai Fu Sect Grandmaster, I will not trouble you further. Take your men and leave," the Yin-Yang Young Master said, shaking his fan dismissively. 

"In that case, I ask that you hand over the Zombie King so we may destroy it and save the lives of those villagers," Sun Yueying said earnestly, eyeing the Zombie King, which was slowly regaining its vitality. 

Now the Yin-Yang Young Master truly found himself in a difficult position. His original intent was to kill the men and, after humiliating the women, kill them as well. But now, knowing she was the Tai Fu Sect Grandmaster's granddaughter, he dared not make a move. He was certain that her grandfather had left a trace of his divine sense upon her. If she were killed, the Grandmaster would immediately know who was responsible, and the Yin-Yang Sect would suffer unimaginable consequences. 

"Ha! This king still lives! Hahaha!" 

At that moment, the Zombie King rose once more. Its body was severely damaged, with bones exposed in places, and dark blood slowly oozing from its wounds. Even so, it was still alive. If it had been human, it would have long reported to the King of Hell by now. 

The Yin-Yang Young Master's henchmen paled. They had seen the Zombie King's ferocity earlier—it was impervious to blades and spears. Had it not been for Li Yunyang's desperate use of the Flame-Burning Yin Talisman, they would have been no match for the ancient undead. 

Sun Yueying and Li Yunyang grew tense, knowing that if the Zombie King went on a rampage, they would be the first to die. Tian Fan's gaze turned strange, as though he was deep in thought. But what was most surprising was the Yin-Yang Young Master himself—rather than showing any signs of panic, he smiled. 

"My servant, come pay your respects!" 

The Yin-Yang Young Master stepped forward, a haughty look on his face, pointing at the Zombie King in the center of the battlefield. Li Yunyang's jaw nearly dropped—had the Yin-Yang Young Master gone mad? Did he just call the Zombie King his servant and demand it pay him respects? Sun Yueying was equally stunned, and even Tian Fan looked bewildered. 

"My lord, are you... are you serious?" one of the henchmen asked nervously. 

"Come and pay your respects!" the Yin-Yang Young Master commanded again, ignoring his men, causing them to wish they could disappear from the scene. 

"Brat, though you saved this king, you dare speak to me this way? You're dead!" 

The Zombie King's face had been scorched black by the flames, its expression unreadable, but its fury was unmistakable. It swung its fist toward the Yin-Yang Young Master with the force to reduce him to pulp. Despite knowing that their own fates were grim, Li Yunyang couldn't help but smirk at the sight. Yet in the next moment, his smirk froze, his mouth forming an 'O'. 

"Argh!" 

The charging Zombie King suddenly clutched its head and fell to the ground, writhing in agony. "Damn it! What did you do to me, boy? Ah! The pain!" 

This scene confused not only Sun Yueying and the others but even the Yin-Yang Young Master's henchmen. Tian Fan furrowed his brows as he observed the Zombie King—it was clear its soul had suffered severe damage. Yet neither the Yin-Yang Young Master nor his men had done anything to attack it. What was going on? Could the Yin-Yang Young Master also wield the Divine Spirit Art? No, that was impossible! 

"Hmph, you old wretch, did you really think I saved you out of kindness? I've already embedded my Golden Net into your soul. It is linked to my will, and with but a thought, the net will slice your soul apart. I don't need to explain what that means, do I?" 

The Yin-Yang Young Master sneered at the Zombie King, which continued to writhe in agony on the ground. 

"Ah, I refuse to accept this! I refuse!" 

The Zombie King, after a brief inspection of its own soul, realized the truth of the Yin-Yang Young Master's words. A golden web had indeed ensnared its soul, and any thought of harming the young master would cause the net to tighten, shredding its very essence. The pain was unbearable. 

"Master, what a brilliant move! Now you have a loyal bodyguard as powerful as one in the Cloud Heaven realm. Of course, with your strength, no one could threaten you to begin with. Haha! Congratulations, Master, on gaining such a formidable servant!" 

The hook-nosed man, Li Ming, offered sycophantic praise, his face full of flattery. 

"Master, you're truly wise!" 

The other two henchmen quickly joined in, showering the Yin-Yang Young Master with compliments. 

"Hahaha..." 

The Yin-Yang Young Master smiled with satisfaction. He looked at the Zombie King lying on the ground and said, "Rise! From now on, you will serve me faithfully!" 

The Zombie King's face was grim as it stood, full of resentment. Its journey had been full of twists and turns—narrowly escaping death, it had thought itself reborn after the golden net had extinguished the flames. Yet in the next moment, it had become someone else's slave. Now, it could only silently curse the heavens. But still, living was better than dying. 

"No! You cannot let it live! If you take it away, those villagers will surely die! If you dare to leave with it, I will expose your atrocities to the world!" Sun Yueying stepped forward once more, her voice firm as she addressed the Yin-Yang Young Master. 

"Sun Yueying, we're talking about the lives of mere peasants! Don't push your luck. Were it not for your grandfather, I would have killed you long ago!" 

The Yin-Yang Young Master's expression darkened. A man like him, who thrived on flattery and adoration, could not tolerate being contradicted time and again. Were it not for her powerful backing, he would have struck her down already. 

"Heh, Master, though you cannot kill her, I can! Hehehe, let your servant take care of this for you!" 

The Zombie King, standing beside the Yin-Yang Young Master, let out a sinister laugh, its voice cold and menacing.