Zhao Huai gasped. His face, usually so composed in its arrogance, drained of all colour. His golden Qi core, usually so vibrant, trembled.
"You... you're dead," Zhao stammered, his sword arm dropping slightly, a tremor running through his entire body. "Ling Xiaochen... that's impossible. You were thrown into the Abyss! You're nothing but a ghost!"
Xiaochen took a step forward, his boots making no sound on the polished stone. "A ghost? Perhaps. But even ghosts can walk the earth again, Zhao Huai." His voice was a low, resonant echo, a chilling blend of his own and Ye Cangtian's, that made the very air in the hall shiver.
"No! This is an illusion!" Zhao shrieked, his voice cracking with sudden, desperate fear. "A trick! Elder Wei's powerful enough to conjure a spirit, isn't he? To test my
