Zhang Ruochen said, “The Blood Shadow Ghost Seed contains potent blood qi. Refining one can greatly boost a cultivator’s blood qi in a short time, but it also places a heavy strain on the body. Feng Hou, I suggest you refrain from refining another Blood Shadow Ghost Seed for now, to avoid backlash.”
Before Feng Hou could respond, Zhang Ruochen added, “Many Great Saints of the Immortal Vampires haven’t had the chance to refine a Blood Shadow Ghost Seed. They should have their opportunity.”
Beneath her golden silk mask, Feng Hou’s eyes flickered, grasping his meaning.
“It seems Zhang Ruochen isn’t naive. A mere verbal promise won’t earn his full support. I need to offer tangible benefits.”
This was only natural, as she and Zhang Ruochen had no deep prior connection.
Why should Zhang Ruochen give her everything for free?
After the Saint Devourer Flower absorbed the Holy Blood Shadow, it retracted into Zhang Ruochen’s body.
Zhang Ruochen sensed that the Saint Devourer Flower’s energy fluctuations had surged significantly, its mental power also enhanced, brimming with vitality.
“If we can capture more Blood Shadow Ghost Seeds, the Immortal Vampires’ overall strength could skyrocket in a short time. Then, what would we have to fear from the Yanluo Tribe?”
“No, that’s not right.”
Zhang Ruochen quickly realised his error, thinking, “If I can find a way to boost the Immortal Vampires’ strength within our home planet, couldn’t Yan Wushen and Yan Huangtu, exceptional as they are, seize opportunities within the Yanluo Tribe’s home planet?”
Having experienced the Ghost Clan’s home planet, the Dark Star, and the Immortal Vampires’ home planet, Zhang Ruochen understood that the Huntian War was more than just hunting celestial captives.
The Huntian Battlefield was rife with opportunities.
Hunting celestial captives aimed to select the Hell Realm’s future pillar figures, as did tribal competition and the opportunities scattered across the battlefield.
“Let’s not rush to capture more Blood Shadow Ghost Seeds. First, let’s see where the underground blood rivers converge. There might be greater discoveries.”
Zhang Ruochen took out the Purple-Gold Gourd, and together with Dao Prison Emperor and Feng Hou, they entered it.
The gourd flowed downstream, swiftly heading toward the planet’s core.
The underground rivers teemed with Blood Shadow Ghost Seeds—an abnormality that must have a source.
That source was likely far more valuable.
…
Zhang Ruochen’s breakthrough in cultivation within the Ghost Clan’s home planet spread like wildfire across the Huntian Battlefield.
All ten tribes’ cultivators deduced that their own home planets must hold extraordinary secrets.
Thus, Great Saints of the Hell Realm ventured into their home planets’ depths, seeking opportunities, which became a priority over hunting celestial captives.
At the Nether Tribe’s home planet, Wujiang, heavily injured, stood atop a towering black mountain beside a smoking volcanic crater.
His pale, handsome face twisted with ferocity as he growled, “Zhang Ruochen, no matter how strong you’ve become, I’ll defeat you and wash away my shame.”
Wujiang leapt into the crater.
At the Bone Tribe’s home planet, a pink skeleton stood on a vast plain, striking the ground with a palm. The earth split, revealing a bottomless chasm.
The pink skeleton stepped inside.
At the Temple of Fate, the gods of each tribe discussed their home planets’ opportunities and the prodigious figures among their Great Saints.
These opportunities were significant even to them.
“This generation is brimming with talent. Several opportunities might be claimed.”
“It’s not that simple. In the last Huntian War, only Fengchen Sword God succeeded. The one before had none. The opportunities in the ten home planets aren’t easily taken.”
“Zhang Ruochen, Yan Wushen, Yan Huangtu, Que, Lan Ying, Luo Shengtian, Wujiang—their talents are top-tier in any era. They have a chance.”
In Blood Absolute War God’s divine realm, a god asked, “What’s the opportunity in the Immortal Vampires’ home planet? Why are there Blood Shadow Ghost Seeds?”
“Could there be White Cang Blood Soil?” another god ventured.
Blood Absolute War God replied, “The opportunity was placed in the home planet by the Immortal Temple’s Lord five thousand years ago. Only the Lord knows its secrets.”
“Over five thousand years, countless prodigious Immortal Vampires have emerged. Some captured Blood Shadow Ghost Seeds, some reached the planet’s depths, yet none claimed the opportunity. It’s not easily taken.”
A god said, “Zhang Ruochen, a once-in-a-millennium genius, passed the Burial Gold White Tiger’s test. Reaching the depths of the Immortal Vampires’ home planet shouldn’t be hard. He might claim the opportunity.”
Blood Absolute War God’s expression grew solemn, his gaze fixed on the Huntian Battlefield, “That lad…”
He said no more.
He knew what was happening in the Immortal Vampires’ home planet and that Zhang Ruochen resisted blood-drinking, never fully seeing himself as one of them.
His concern wasn’t that Zhang Ruochen couldn’t claim the opportunity, but that he might choose not to.
“Splash.”
The Purple-Gold Gourd, protected by supreme power, navigated the underground rivers.
“Bang!”
“Boom!”
Blood Shadow Ghost Seeds attacked the gourd along the way, but they couldn’t penetrate its walls or the supreme power’s light membrane. The trio reached the planet’s core unharmed.
When Zhang Ruochen, Dao Prison Emperor, and Feng Hou emerged, they were met with a breathtaking sight.
The planet’s core was hollow.
It was a vast, hollow spherical world, over five hundred li in diameter.
Blood qi filled the space, and the sound of water echoed from all directions—blood waterfalls cascading from above.
At the centre of the spherical space, a stone coffin, over ten zhang long, floated, enveloped in blood qi.
Standing over two hundred li away, the trio’s keen eyesight allowed them to discern the ancient patterns and unrecognisable script on the coffin.
More striking was the tree growing atop the coffin—a humanoid tree!
Its body was crystalline white, more translucent and delicate than holy jade, resembling a graceful, enchanting maiden.
The “beauty’s” hair stood upright, like branches extending in all directions, piercing into the soil and rock.
Dao Prison Emperor, holding his breath, finally exhaled, staring at the humanoid tree, “So, those river channels were its hair—no, its branches.”
“It’s the true Blood Shadow Ghost Seed. The ones we encountered were likely just its stray thoughts or blood qi clones,” Feng Hou said, her eyes filled with awe as she bowed to the tree.
Dao Prison Emperor swallowed hard, wary, “Let’s go. We need to leave. If we awaken it, we’ll all die here.”
Feng Hou nodded, “Capturing some Blood Shadow Ghost Seeds from its branches is enough to boost the Immortal Vampires’ strength significantly.”
Zhang Ruochen studied the coffin and tree, showing no intent to leave, “What do you think is in that coffin? Could it be White Cang Blood Soil?”
Dao Prison Emperor and Feng Hou, about to depart, froze, their eyes sharpening.
Indeed!
Legend said Blood Shadow Ghost Seeds grew from White Cang Blood Soil and vanished with it.
With Blood Shadow Ghost Seeds present, the coffin might contain White Cang Blood Soil.
Zhang Ruochen’s Yin-Yang Five-Element Saint Intent had fused five saint intents, lacking only earth and fire to reach perfection.
According to the Heaven-Connecting Divine Tree, no one had ever fused six saint intents. Even with a Quasi-Emperor Saint Intent Pill, Zhang Ruochen faced immense challenges.
But with White Cang Blood Soil, his chances of fusing the earth saint intent would surely increase.
Zhang Ruochen ascended a stone staircase toward the floating coffin.
The opportunity was before him; he had to take the risk.
“Great Saint Ruochen, don’t take such a risk!” Dao Prison Emperor called.
Feng Hou also urged, “It’s too dangerous. The Immortal Vampires need your leadership. If something happens to you, how can we compete with the Yanluo and Asura Tribes for first?”
Zhang Ruochen paused, gazing at the humanoid tree, pondering deeply before smiling, “You’re right. The bigger picture comes first. But I’ll just scout the path. If there’s any sign of awakening the true Blood Shadow Ghost Seed, I’ll retreat immediately.”
He continued climbing.
Dao Prison Emperor and Feng Hou exchanged a glance and followed.
Both were proud and ambitious, eager to seize the coffin’s opportunity, so they decided to try.
But upon stepping onto the staircase, their expressions changed.
An invisible pressure bore down on them, and strange, unknown sounds invaded their ears, disrupting their thoughts and conjuring illusions in their minds.
With each step upward, it felt as if a mountain fell upon them.
Before covering a hundred li, they were drenched in sweat, faces flushed, struggling immensely.
The eerie noises grew louder, like demonic thunder roaring, unsettling their minds.
“I feel… like I’m carrying a planet. Can you keep going?” Dao Prison Emperor panted, asking Feng Hou.
Feng Hou, clenching her teeth, shook her head.
They looked toward the humanoid tree by the coffin, and suddenly, its maiden-like trunk seemed to tower infinitely, radiating overwhelming divine might.
Struck as if by lightning, Dao Prison Emperor and Feng Hou trembled, retreating without hesitation.
If they pressed forward, the tree’s pressure would likely overwhelm them, leaving them collapsed or dead on the path.
Zhang Ruochen reached nearly two hundred li when the spherical hollow world shook lightly.
“What’s happening?”
He stopped, looking ahead.
On the humanoid tree’s slender, snow-white arms, strands of blood-red light appeared, and its ten fingers began to move rhythmically.
