Cultivating the Body

Li Xiao recounted everything he had seen and heard—the blood pool, the iron chains, the battered golden-armored body, and the head that could speak—without leaving out a thing.

After hearing him out, the head fell silent for a long time. The light across the stone platform flickered violently, as though his emotions were surging.

At last, he let out a low growl through clenched teeth, his voice thick with hatred suppressed for centuries:

"Zong Yun... that bastard! Coveting my body while I lived wasn't enough for him. Even after death, he still wants to seize it!

"I knew he'd left himself a way back!"

Li Xiao's heart stirred. "Zong Yun? The grand elder who betrayed you?"

"Who else could it be?" the head said coldly. "He betrayed me back then and brought my Sect to ruin.

"I thought I'd killed him with my own hands. I never imagined he'd lodge the remnants of his soul in my body and seize control of my upper half while my consciousness was divided."

He looked at Li Xiao, his gaze growing grave.

"I'm afraid another Token has fallen into his hands as well.

"He's trying to take over my body completely and restore the Golden-Armored Zombie Body."

Li Xiao gripped the Token. After a moment's silence, he finally asked the question that had been circling in his mind:

"What exactly does this Token do? Why are you all looking for it?"

The head was silent for quite some time. His dark-gold helmet glimmered faintly in the red light, as though he were weighing his answer.

At length, he spoke, his voice carrying an emotion Li Xiao could not quite place:

"This zombie body of mine is hard for heaven to bury and hard for earth to destroy.

"Even an Eighth Turn expert could