Chapter 18：Tianfan takes action

The old zombie harbored a deep hatred for Sun Yueying and the others. If not for them, how could it have ended up in such a miserable state? Without hesitation, it volunteered to kill Sun Yueying.

"This woman dares to threaten you, my lord. Allow me to end her life," the old zombie sneered again, its voice filled with malice.

"Indeed, my lord, we don't even need to dirty our own hands… heh heh…" Li Ming's incomplete sentence made his meaning clear. By using the old zombie to kill Sun Yueying, they could absolve themselves of any responsibility and even claim the credit for subduing the creature afterward.

The Yin-Yang Prince chuckled darkly and said, "Sun Yueying, you have defied me time and again. Did you truly think I wouldn't dare kill you? Zombie King, kill her!"

"How dare you, Yin-Yang Prince!" Sun Yueying's heart sank. As the zombie king had pointed out earlier, her death would only benefit the prince, leaving him unscathed.

"There's nothing I dare not do. Zombie King, kill!" the Yin-Yang Prince sneered as he retreated.

With a terrifying roar, the Zombie King's cry reverberated through the cavern, causing the mountain to tremble. As its voice rang out, the blood from the pool surged skyward, forming a crimson column that rushed toward its body, enveloping it entirely. In an instant, the blood pool was drained, and the zombie king was encased in a massive sphere of blood at the center of the chamber.

Moments later, a powerful aura emerged once again, thick with the stench of blood and violence. Sun Yueying's face grew pale; she could no longer see any hope of survival.

The blood around the Zombie King dispersed, revealing its fully restored form. The injuries it had suffered were completely healed, and its aura was even more menacing than before.

"Junior Sister, don't be afraid. Even if we die, we'll make these bastards pay!" Li Yunyang's face was deathly pale, yet he raised his Qingguang sword, stepping forward with a fierce glare.

"Humph, Second Brother, Third Brother, you deal with those two fools. Leave Sun Yueying to the Zombie King," the Yin-Yang Prince ordered coldly. At his command, the two men advanced toward Tianfan and the others with sinister smiles.

Seeing this, Sun Yueying couldn't stand by idly. Gathering the last of her strength, her Ziqing sword began to emit a faint glow. She swung it toward the advancing men, but the old zombie intercepted her attack with ease.

"Heh heh, little girl, let this king play with you for a while," the zombie sneered as it unleashed a relentless assault.

Meanwhile, the second and third men closed in on Tianfan and Li Yunyang. The latter held his sword defensively, his face a mixture of rage and vigilance as he stood in front of Tianfan.

"Heh heh, kid, kneel before me and crawl under my legs. Do that, and I'll make your death a little quicker," the second man taunted, pointing to his legs, while the third man smirked beside him.

"You!"

"What? Crawling under my legs would be the greatest honor of your miserable life. Hahaha..." The two men burst into mocking laughter.

"Enough!" Li Yunyang roared, his anger boiling over. "I'll fight you to the death, and I'll take you down with me!"

As his shout echoed, a faint glow began to envelop Li Yunyang, growing stronger with each passing moment. His aura surged, nearing the peak of the middle Spirit Condensation stage, and his eyes filled with bloodshot rage.

"You… you're insane!" The second and third men recoiled, startled by the sight of Li Yunyang burning his life force. As his aura continued to rise, even Sun Yueying turned in shock, her voice trembling, "Senior Brother, stop!"

She wanted to rush to him, but the old zombie held her back, laughing cruelly. "Heh heh, burning your life force? You're still going to die! There's no escape!" it mocked, toying with her like a cat with a mouse.

Even the Yin-Yang Prince and Li Ming turned to look. Li Ming's expression grew serious as he said, "This kid's lost it! He's burning his essence!"

The Yin-Yang Prince sneered dismissively. "Hmph, a worthless fool. Even burning his essence will only take him to the peak of the middle Spirit Condensation stage. Trash is trash, no matter what!"

Li Yunyang's cultivation was only at the early Spirit Condensation stage, barely touching the middle stage. The second and third men, though unstable in their foundations, were genuine mid-stage cultivators. Now grievously injured and faced with their humiliation, Li Yunyang chose the most desperate path—burning his essence for a fleeting surge of power.

"Senior Brother, no!" Tears streamed down Sun Yueying's face as she watched.

"Don't cry, Junior Sister. Even if I die, I'll take these beasts with me!" Li Yunyang's glow intensified, and the fierce energy scattered dirt and debris around him. The second and third men now gripped their own swords tightly, no longer daring to underestimate him. Burning one's essence was no joke.

With a roar, Li Yunyang prepared to charge. But at that moment, a hand gently rested on his shoulder, immediately quelling the overwhelming energy within him. The furious blaze of his essence was extinguished in an instant.

Behind him, Tianfan sighed softly. Smiling faintly, he looked at Li Yunyang and said, "Senior Brother Li, is this really necessary?"

"You... Xiao Fan, you..." Li Yunyang was speechless, his face filled with shock. He had been burning his essence, pushing himself to the very peak of his strength, yet Tianfan had effortlessly suppressed it. What kind of power did he possess?

The Yin-Yang Prince and Li Ming were equally astonished. The prince's expression darkened as he muttered, "I didn't realize he was such an expert."

"Xiao Fan... you?" Sun Yueying and the old zombie paused their battle, both staring in disbelief.

Tianfan smiled warmly at Sun Yueying before turning back to the stunned Li Yunyang. "Handsome, charming, and dashing—loved by all, and admired wherever he goes, Senior Brother Li, might you rest a while and lend me your sword?"

"Uh… well… heh heh…" Li Yunyang's astonishment faded as he recalled his own boastful words. Awkwardly, he laughed and handed over his Qingguang sword.

Tianfan stepped forward, holding the sword casually, and began to walk toward the old zombie.

"I do not wish to kill. Leave now, and never return."

His voice was calm, yet imbued with undeniable authority. Holding the sword loosely at his side, the blade's tip dragging along the ground, he slowly approached the zombie king, leaving a deep mark in the earth with each step.