# Chapter 2331: Sacred Blood Shadow
The singing was melodious, pleasant to the ear, like a heavenly sound.
Yet, it was impossible to determine from which direction it came. Zhang Ruochen only knew that it was growing closer, sending chills down his spine. Unfortunately, he could not seal off his hearing. Once he lost his sense of hearing, it would only give the Blood Shadow Ghost Seed a greater opportunity.
Dao Prison Emperor and Wind Queen had sealed their hearing at the first moment, but hearing nothing only made their inner torment worse.
The singing contained powerful illusionary power, and gradually, Zhang Ruochen began to be affected.
As the song changed, various scenes from his past surfaced in Zhang Ruochen's mind.
There were images of being killed by Chi Yao eight hundred years ago; scenes of seeing Kong Lanyou with white hair in a bamboo forest eight hundred years later; the first time he saw Chi Yao's stone statue; the moment at Zijing Palace when he cut off his robe and severed ties with Huang Yanchen...
Every image, every memory, struck directly at some fragile point within his heart.
"Such brilliant illusionary art, merging seamlessly with the singing, making me lose myself within it."
Zhang Ruochen's spiritual will was extremely powerful. In an instant, he snapped awake and let out a loud roar: "Break!"
This single sound contained his sixty-fifth level spiritual power, erupting with a shocking force.
The singing vanished.
The various images in his mind faded away.
The underground river suddenly became extremely silent, with only the sound of flowing water.
"Has the Blood Shadow Ghost Seed retreated? The underground is truly terrifying, not a place to stay for long." Zhang Ruochen thought to himself.
"Ruchen Great Saint, what's wrong?"
Within the Space True Domain, Wind Queen's alluring figure swayed like a willow as she walked toward Zhang Ruochen, her eyes showing concern and tenderness. A single glance seemed capable of melting everything in the world, including a man's heart.
Zhang Ruochen felt no significant emotional fluctuation. Wind Queen only valued his strength, which was why she showed such concern.
Otherwise, even if he, Zhang Ruochen, died here, she wouldn't spare him a second glance.
Zhang Ruochen asked, "Where is Dao Prison Emperor?"
Wind Queen shook her head. "I don't know. He suddenly disappeared. Could he have been captured by the Blood Shadow Ghost Seed?"
Zhang Ruochen's brow furrowed deeply. He immediately released his spiritual power to investigate.
But he found nothing.
"That shouldn't be. Even an Immortal Realm Great Saint could escape. With Dao Prison Emperor's cultivation, how could he be captured so easily?"
"Moreover, even if he was captured, there should be some residual aura or trace left behind."
"Could it be that Dao Prison Emperor has been completely devoured by the Blood Shadow Ghost Seed?"
Thinking of this, Zhang Ruochen's expression grew even more grim.
Wind Queen's cultivation was not much higher than Dao Prison Emperor's. Clearly frightened and fearful, she showed a delicate, vulnerable side. Her jade-like hand grabbed Zhang Ruochen's arm, and her tall, fragrant body pressed entirely into his embrace. Worriedly, she said, "We must have encountered a Sacred Blood Shadow among the Blood Shadow Ghost Seeds. Sacred Blood Shadows are the most terrifying—they have already developed intelligence."
Zhang Ruochen felt the warm, soft body entering his arms. He looked down at her, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes. "You are a Goddess candidate and a powerful Great Saint. You should have some courage and boldness. It's just a Sacred Blood Shadow. Why be so afraid?"
"I am, after all, just a woman. I too can be afraid and timid. Ruchen Great Saint, if you mock me like this, aren't you afraid I'll get angry?"
Wind Queen lifted her snow-white neck, her eyes sparkling with crystal light, filled with a sense of grievance.
Zhang Ruochen said, "This is no place to stay. Let's leave first."
"But... I want to refine another Blood Shadow Ghost Seed. Please, Ruchen Great Saint, you must help me."
Wind Queen kept referring to herself as "me," completely abandoning her former nobility and sanctity, instead exuding a kind of tender charm that could stir a man's heartstrings.
Fortunately, it was Zhang Ruochen standing here. If it were another man, with Wind Queen throwing herself into his arms and being so affectionate, he would have surrendered long ago. Not just one Blood Shadow Ghost Seed—he would be willing to do anything for her, even die for her.
Zhang Ruochen stared at her closely. "Refining one Blood Shadow Ghost Seed has already greatly increased your blood energy. If you refine another, can you withstand it?"
"Of course I can. If Ruchen Great Saint is willing to help, I can satisfy your every desire."
Wind Queen smiled seductively, removing her gold-thread mask to reveal a flawless, exquisite face. Her long eyelashes fluttered gently, her red lips shimmered with an alluring luster. She said coquettishly, "I will be your woman sooner or later. I don't mind giving myself to you a little earlier."
As she spoke, she unfastened her blood-colored robe, revealing a crystalline, snow-white body. Every curve was exquisitely beautiful, more captivating than any scenery.
At the same time, her fragrant, alluring lips moved toward Zhang Ruochen's face.
"Do you really think I can't overcome the temptation of beauty?"
Zhang Ruochen's expression remained unchanged. He extended a hand and pressed it rather roughly against her face. With a burst of wrist strength, "bang," her head exploded into a cloud of blood mist.
A painful, piercing scream echoed through the Space True Domain.
Wind Queen's headless body turned into liquid, forming a small stream of blood that coiled around Zhang Ruochen.
The blood stream flowed to the position of Zhang Ruochen's head, extending a woman's head with long flowing hair, but her features were unclear. She said coldly, "Even if you saw through me, so what? I will still devour all the blood from your body."
That blood-red liquid woman's head was very close to Zhang Ruochen. If she stuck out her tongue, she could lick his face.
But Zhang Ruochen remained calm and composed. "You must be the Sacred Blood Shadow, right? Very impressive. At first, you really fooled me, completely trapping me in your illusion. Unfortunately, you don't know me well enough, otherwise you wouldn't have failed."
"Also, don't be so arrogant within my Space True Domain."
The blood stream let out an angry snort, contracting violently like a blood-red iron chain trying to bind Zhang Ruochen.
At the same time, the liquid head lunged toward Zhang Ruochen's neck to bite him.
"Freeze!"
The area covered by the Space True Domain became frozen. Space became frozen solid.
The blood stream and liquid head instantly became motionless.
Zhang Ruochen's body shrank until it was only the size of a thumb, flying out from the blood stream's restraint and returning to normal size.
"Mo Yin, can you absorb the Blood Shadow Ghost Seed?" Zhang Ruochen asked.
"Master, Mo Yin would be delighted."
The Devouring Saint Flower extended from Zhang Ruochen's back, splitting into dozens of root tendrils that pierced into the blood stream, directly refining and absorbing it.
Clearly, this Blood Shadow Ghost Seed was much more powerful than the one given to Wind Queen. Zhang Ruochen had almost fallen to it.
Such a powerful Blood Shadow Ghost Seed, Zhang Ruochen certainly wouldn't give it to Dao Prison Emperor.
"It seems Blood Shadow Ghost Seeds lean more toward spiritual power attacks. Their physical attacks aren't strong. Once frozen in space, they can't forcefully break through space to escape."
Zhang Ruochen had gained some understanding of Blood Shadow Ghost Seeds. These creatures, resembling soul bodies and liquid demons, were somewhat similar to the Night Wanderers of the Ghost Clan. Both were good at hiding, making them hard to guard against.
But their weakness was also obvious.
Once found, they were no longer frightening.
Of course, every Blood Shadow Ghost Seed was somewhat different. Zhang Ruochen had only encountered two so far, so he couldn't guarantee that other Blood Shadow Ghost Seeds had the same weakness.
Moreover, even if Blood Shadow Ghost Seeds really had obvious weaknesses, encountering one with higher spiritual power and illusionary art mastery would still be very dangerous.
Dao Prison Emperor and Wind Queen were still within the area covered by Zhang Ruochen's Space True Domain.
Dao Prison Emperor watched the blood stream being absorbed by Mo Yin. "That easily, you caught another one?"
"Easily? I almost died at its hands. The Blood Shadow Ghost Seed's spiritual power attacks and illusionary art attacks are very terrifying. You should be careful, don't let your guard down." Zhang Ruochen said seriously.
Wind Queen asked, "You fell into an illusion?"
Zhang Ruochen's gaze fixed on Wind Queen. Unconsciously, the seductive and alluring scenes from the illusion surfaced in his mind.
He said, "Yes. In the illusion, the Blood Shadow Ghost Seed took your form and used various means to tempt this Saint. I still find it quite memorable and endlessly evocative. Unfortunately, an illusion is just an illusion."
"Haha!"
Dao Prison Emperor let out a clear laugh. Seeing Wind Queen glare at him coldly, he controlled his facial muscles and said solemnly, "Indeed, it was very close. The Blood Shadow Ghost Seed can specifically target a cultivator's weaknesses to create illusions. It seems to have high intelligence. Moreover, it must have heard our earlier conversation to do this."
"Your conversation? What did you say earlier?" Wind Queen asked.
Dao Prison Emperor shrugged and spread his hands. "Nothing. Zhang Ruochen didn't tell me anything. I know nothing."
After refining and absorbing the Blood Shadow Ghost Seed, Wind Queen's blood energy greatly increased. The power fluctuation emanating from her body was much stronger than before. With such strength, even against Lei Emperor, ranked sixth on the Hundred Shackles Great Perfection Ranking, she felt she wouldn't lose.
The coldness in Wind Queen's eyes dissipated. She said softly, "Ruchen Great Saint, can you help me capture another Blood Shadow Ghost Seed?"
Zhang Ruochen had heard these words once before in the illusion.
Zhang Ruochen said, "Can you still refine and absorb it?"
"I have to try. The stronger I become, the more I can help in the Heaven Hunting Battle. Also, Great Saint shouldn't have forgotten the promise I made to you before. Whether I become Goddess or not, we are on the same side."
There was a moving smile in Wind Queen's eyes.
Zhang Ruochen naturally understood what Wind Queen was implying. He thought to himself, "So she also thinks that with her beauty, she can use me to do things for her."
If Wind Queen didn't still have value, Zhang Ruochen would have liked to use the same method he used against the Blood Shadow Ghost Seed—slap his hand hard against her face.
Giving nothing while constantly demanding—there's no such cheap deal in the world.
Even Dao Prison Emperor understood better than her what a transaction meant.
To gain, one must give.