Chapter 54: Zombie Assault

  The guards at the front of the group were caught off guard by the powder and began to cough violently, colpsing to the ground.

  Tang Ping also inhaled some of the powder. His face turned red, and he bent over, gagging, his shoulders heaving with each cough.

  Sanbao acted quickly, directing the water orb in front of her to fly out. The orb shot a few feet before suddenly exploding into a water curtain. The curtain expanded, forming a natural barrier that blocked the powder from reaching the others.

  After a brief moment of confusion, those who hadn’t inhaled the powder quickly gathered and retreated around the cart, forming a defensive formation. Tang Ping knelt on the ground, still coughing and in pain, while several of the guards who had inhaled the powder were already lying unconscious.

  The innkeeper, seemingly unaffected by the poison, walked through the water curtain. With his fingers spread wide, he moved directly toward Sanbao.

  A powerful, malevolent aura radiated from him, creating an oppressive atmosphere in the air. It was clear he had been suppressing his cultivation.

  Sanbao remained unfazed. She quickly formed a hand seal.

  A burst of golden fmes erupted in front of her, quickly turning into a towering fire wall. The intense heat and overwhelming force were apparent.

  The innkeeper’s expression changed in an instant. He quickly halted and stared at her with shock. "You can control Exotic Fire? Are you a dual-element cultivator, with both water and fire spiritual roots?"

  Sanbao didn’t answer. Instead, she pushed her hands forward, sending the fire wall straight at him.

  The innkeeper jumped into the air, avoiding most of the fmes, but a few sparks grazed him.

  The sparks stuck to his body and rapidly spread, engulfing him in fmes. The golden fire consumed him whole. He didn’t even have time to struggle before he turned to ash in an instant.

  Tang Mingli patted Sanbao’s shoulder. "When did you master this Exotic Fire?"

  Sanbao’s expression became serious. "Now isn’t the time to discuss that. Everyone, fall back! The agate pendant he crushed earlier is the ‘Heart of the Corpse’ pendant."

  Tang Mingli’s face darkened. He quickly returned to the carriage and lifted Zhu Chengzhi. Sanbao, along with the remaining guards, swiftly retreated to the side of the cart.

  The fallen guards began to change. Their faces turned ashen and their bodies began to twitch uncontrolbly. Then, they straightened their spines in a bizarre manner, their eyes rolled back in their heads. They had become zombies.

  The remaining guards were horrified, trembling and unsure how to fight the zombies who had only moments ago been their comrades.

  Tang Mingli stepped forward, his voice steady and commanding, "Do not fear!"

  His voice was firm and unwavering. "Form a double-yer defense! When the zombies approach, the front line will strike at their legs to bring them down, and the back line will aim for their heads to kill them completely!"

  The guards quickly followed his orders, forming a double line on either side of the cart.

  The zombies, with jerky movements, rushed forward. The guards waited for them to come closer, then struck decisively. Their bdes fshed as several zombies were brought down, their heads severed, and their bodies colpsed, motionless.

  Tang Mingli handed Zhu Chengzhi to one of the guards and spoke with unyielding authority, "Everyone, retreat back to the inn. What happens next is not something you can handle."

  His gaze swept over the group. "Just protect the coffin and the child in the cart."

  Tang Mingli turned to Sanbao and said softly, "You should go with them."

  "I’m not leaving!" Sanbao’s face flushed slightly as she lowered her head, speaking firmly, "Don’t think you can leave me behind. I’m staying with you."

  "We’re not leaving either!"

  "If we leave, we leave together! If we fight, we fight together!"

  "We’ll live and die with the Tang family head!"

  The guards' loyalty and fervor ignited in that moment.

  Tang Mingli’s eyes slowly scanned the loyal guards, then turned to Sanbao. He nodded without saying anything further. His eyes seemed a little moist.

  He knew, from this moment on, they were no longer just a leader and subordinates. They had become true comrades, ready to fight side by side.

  "General Tang hasn’t turned into a zombie!" one of the guards shouted.

  Everyone turned to see Tang Ping, standing with his back to them, motionless.

  He slowly turned around. His face was pale, and his fists were clenched tightly as though he was enduring immense pain.

  Suddenly, Tang Ping let out a loud roar. His body trembled, his face contorted, and he began to scratch at his body, tearing off his armor to reveal his muscur frame.

  But the muscles began to rot and peel away, pieces falling to the ground in a grisly, bloody mess.

  Sanbao couldn’t bear to look and quickly turned her head away.

  Moments ter, only a skeletal frame remained, but Tang Ping still stood straight.

  "General Tang!" Several guards cried out, wanting to approach and gather his bones.

  "Don’t go!" Tang Mingli commanded. The guards stopped in their tracks, quickly forming ranks once more.

  Then, the skeletal frame of Tang Ping began to transform. From his skull, two white bone horns grew, sharp and menacing. Red light began to glow from his eye sockets, and two white bone wings erupted from his back.

  Tang Ping leapt into the air, his bone wings fpping powerfully. He flew toward the group, moving with lightning speed, filled with murderous intent!