Chapter 108 The Heart of Guardians, The Birth of Two Grandmasters

The thick mist gradually dissipated, and a heart-palpitating dead silence returned to the sea's surface.

The ghost ship, flying a flag made of human skin, now resembled a soulless giant beast, quietly bobbing on the waves.

On the deck, blood trickled through the drainage holes and into the sea.

The air was thick with the scent of blood mixed with preservative spices.

Wearing his cotton slippers stained with a few drops of blood, Jiang Chen stepped onto the notorious pirate ship, accompanied by Su Qingyue and Mu Qingxue, whom he had just pulled back from the brink of death, and Little Fatty Chen, who was being supported by Su Qingyue.

As for Iliya...

She was being held in Jiang Chen's arms with one hand.

The girl's once-proud, snowy-white, fluffy fox tail was now a bloody mess, hanging limply.

Although the bleeding had stopped, the pain of her bones being crushed alive still left her small face as pale as paper.

She bit her lower lip tightly, burying her face in Jiang Chen's chest without making a sound, fearing her whimpers of pain might disturb the man who had just finished a "slaughter."

"These bastards really plundered a lot of good stuff."

Although Little Fatty Chen's legs were in splints (Su Qingyue had just set his bones), his eyes instantly turned into the shape of gold coins when he saw the mountain of treasure in the ghost ship's hold.

Jiang Chen kicked open the treasure vault in the lower hold.

Before them were crates of Top-Grade Spirit Stones radiating dense Spiritual Qi, along with various rare medicinal herbs and deep-sea Ores pillaged from the Endless Sea.

At the very back of the vault sat an extremely eerie-looking blood-red altar.

In the center of the altar, a black jade box wrapped in layers of Restrictions floated.

Jiang Chen stepped forward, ignoring the Restrictions, and reached out with the same hand that had just crushed the Blood Hand Butcher.

*Crack!*

The so-called Grandmaster-level Restriction shattered like a fragile eggshell before absolute violence.

Jiang Chen opened the jade box.

An incredibly pure and gentle Soul fluctuation, as if it could soothe all the turmoil in the world, instantly filled the lower hold.

Inside the box lay a deep blue jade stone that looked as if it were condensed from deep-sea water.

It emitted a faint halo; just a glance made one feel as if their Soul were soaking in a hot spring, their fatigue swept away.

[Ding! Detected Top-Grade natural treasure: Deep Sea Soul Jade.]

[Item Description: A Soul treasure nurtured from Ten-thousand-year-old Deep Sea Spiritual Marrow. It can bring the dead back to life, regrow flesh and bone, reconstruct a damaged Sea of Consciousness, and restore an Innate Foundation.]

[System Evaluation: This is top-tier material for performing "seamless repairs" on a damaged body pillow.]

Jiang Chen looked at the Soul jade, a satisfied glint flashing in his eyes.

He looked down at Iliya, who was huddled in his arms.

The little fox also seemed to sense the immense vitality within the jade, instinctively looking up with a hint of longing in her purple eyes.

"Want it?" Jiang Chen asked flatly.

Iliya froze for a moment, then shook her head frantically, even wincing as the movement pulled at her wounds.

"No... I don't. That is Master's loot..."

She looked down at her hideous, completely ruined tail, a deep sense of inferiority flashing in her eyes.

"I'm already... useless. My tail is ruined, I can't be Master's pillow anymore. This jade is so precious, using it on me would be a waste."

In her eyes, having lost the most beautiful fur of the Sky Fox clan, she had lost her utility to Jiang Chen.

Being allowed to live was already a great mercy; how could she dare to dream of a treasure of this level?

"You say it's a waste and it's a waste? Who do you think you are?"

Jiang Chen's brow furrowed, his tone becoming domineering and unquestionable.

He placed Iliya directly onto a fur-covered chair in the vault.

"My, Jiang Chen's, body pillow must be the most perfect and comfortable in the world."

"If it gets dirty or broken, I'll just fix it. Who gave you permission to give up on yourself?"

Jiang Chen picked up the [Deep Sea Soul Jade] and pressed it against the base of Iliya's bloody, severed tail without another word.

"Close your eyes and absorb it. If you dare waste a single bit of its power, I'll stew you for meat today."

Iliya's whole body trembled.

The moment the cool Soul jade touched her wound...

An indescribably massive wave of gentle energy surged into her body like a bursting dam!

It didn't just flood her broken Physical Body; it rushed straight into her Sea of Consciousness to repair her Soul Origin, which was nearly exhausted from forcibly activating "Fox Fire Incineration"!

"Ah..."

Iliya let out a soft moan of mingled pain and pleasure.

Her small body was completely enveloped in a brilliant blue-gold light.

At the center of the light, a miracle was occurring.

On the crushed tail, the necrotic flesh fell away, replaced by a blue stream of light.

Following that, strands of crystal-clear fur, looking like frozen snow, grew at a speed visible to the naked eye.

This wasn't just the regrowth of a severed tail.

This was the ultimate evolution of her Bloodline!

The Deep Sea Soul Jade supplemented the Sky Fox Foundation defects she had from being born premature.

*Boom!*

A clear and enchanting fox cry rang out from within Iliya.

Originally just an ordinary Saintess in the Organ Refining Realm...

At this moment, the blood-qi and Soul within her body achieved a perfect Fusion.

A massive pressure exclusive to a powerhouse of the Grandmaster Realm erupted from her petite frame!

Nine spiritual tails, as brilliant as crystal and emitting a faint holy halo, bloomed behind her like a peacock's fan!

First-level Grandmaster Realm!

[Ding! Iliya (Saintess) has completed Bloodline Nirvana.]

[Awakened Talent Domain: Sky Fox Domain (Can create an absolute illusion sufficient to bewilder a Grandmaster).]

[System Evaluation: Your exclusive body pillow has been upgraded to the "Adaptive Crystal Diamond Velvet" deluxe version; its feel is unparalleled in the world.]

The light dissipated.

Iliya slowly opened her eyes.

Her purple eyes became deeper and more charming; with every movement, she carried an allure capable of infatuating all living beings.

But she paid no attention to her skyrocketing strength.

With a thud, she lunged directly into Jiang Chen's arms, clutching his waist tightly and crying like a child who had finally found her home.

"Master... thank you... thank you for not throwing me away..."

Jiang Chen was knocked back half a step, feeling the new fox tails in his arms that were even softer and carried a faint, cool, Soul-soothing aura.

He rubbed Iliya's silver hair with satisfaction.

"Why are you crying? This feels much better than before. I'm requisitioning these tails from now on; no one else is allowed to touch them."

Standing to the side, Su Qingyue and Mu Qingxue watched this scene.

Their eyes held both shock and a hint of a relieved smile.

This man, though he always spoke of "hating trouble" or "only wanting a body pillow"...

In reality, he was more protective and loyal than anyone else.

Just as Jiang Chen was comforting Iliya...

Within his mind, the System, which had been silent for a long time, suddenly emitted an unprecedentedly crisp notification sound.

[Ding! Hidden condition triggered!]

[System has detected a major shift in the host's mindset.]

[Upgraded from "an escapist who fears his peaceful dreams being disturbed" to "a protector who builds an absolutely safe territory to guard those around him"!]

[Your killing is no longer for simple venting, but to protect this tranquility!]

[host's "Will of Protection" has officially awakened!]

[System rating increased! Issuing special ultimate reward—]

[Obtained: Heart of Nightmares!]

Jiang Chen's body suddenly froze.

He didn't even have time to let go of Iliya.

*Thump!* *Thump!* *Thump!*

His heart began to beat violently.

But the sound of these beats was like the pounding of heavenly drums, echoing throughout the ghost ship's hold.

With every heartbeat, a visible purple-black ripple spread outwards.

The so-called [Heart of Nightmares] fused directly with his heart the moment the System issued it!

"Ugh!"

Jiang Chen let out a muffled groan.

He felt an unimaginable, majestic power pump out from the depths of his heart, surging through his blood vessels and instantly washing through his entire body!

Before this, his Mental Energy had already far surpassed his Physical Body due to the Empress's purification.

But now, this [Heart of Nightmares] was like a perfect bridge.

It achieved a 100% perfect resonance between his sea-like Mental Energy and his Physical Body, which had been tempered by the Demonic Ape's essence blood!

*Crack!* *Crack!* *Crack!*

Inside Jiang Chen's body, a series of scalp-numbing Breakthrough sounds rang out.

The Physical Body barrier that was originally stuck at the fifth level of the Grandmaster Realm was torn apart as easily as paper under this resonance!

Sixth-level Grandmaster Realm!

Seventh-level Grandmaster Realm!

He surged all the way to the Peak of the seventh-level Grandmaster Realm before the violent physical transformation finally ceased.

And this was only the change in his Physical Body.

Deep within his Sea of Consciousness, that boundless starry dreamscape underwent a frenzied expansion.

His Mental Energy rocketed upwards.

It leaped across three minor stages from the fifth level of the Grandmaster Realm, firmly fixing itself at a height that countless geniuses could only look up to—

Mental Energy, eighth-level Grandmaster Realm!

A terrifying pressure, as if a god had descended, uncontrollably leaked from Jiang Chen.

The surrounding air became as viscous as water.

Little Fatty Chen was pressed directly onto the floor, even his breathing coming to a halt.

Su Qingyue and the newly broken-through Iliya were also forced back repeatedly, their eyes filled with horror.

Only Mu Qingxue, who had also broken through to the fourth level of the Grandmaster Realm, could barely remain standing, but her beautiful eyes were filled with extreme disbelief.

"He... he broke through again? And it's a double leap in both Physical Body and spirit?!"

Mu Qingxue felt like her worldview was collapsing.

When others break through to the Grandmaster Realm, who doesn't go into seclusion for years, trembling with fear?

This guy, on the other hand, just finished a fight and had a tantrum, and then he could just stand there and level up several times?!

[Ding! Heart of Nightmares Fusion complete.]

[Physical Body and spirit have achieved perfect resonance.]

[Congratulations to the host for unlocking a new skill tree: Guardian Dreamscape.]

[Skill Description: The host can actively pull teammates marked by the host into an absolutely safe "Guardian Dreamscape." Within the dreamscape, the host can provide them with injury-free high-intensity special training or deep Mental Energy healing.]

[Note: As long as it's in your dream, your teammates are immortal.]

Jiang Chen slowly closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

He felt the powerful force within him that he could control as easily as his own limbs, as if it could destroy heaven and earth.

A confident smile, truly belonging to a powerhouse, curled at the corners of his mouth.

"This feeling... isn't bad at all."

Jiang Chen opened his eyes, the purple-black light in his gaze flashing before disappearing.

With a casual wave of his hand, he withdrew the terrifying pressure that was weighing down everyone.

"Alright, everyone get up."

Jiang Chen looked at the pale but fanatical faces of the group, yawned, and returned to his usual lazy demeanor.

"Since the wounds are healed and the vault is cleared, let's get ready to leave. The smell on this crappy ship is too foul; it'll affect the quality of my upcoming sleep."

Just as Little Fatty Chen scrambled up, preparing to move the treasures...

Su Qingyue suddenly discovered a special scroll wrapped in parchment in a hidden compartment in the corner.

"Jiang Chen, look at this."

Su Qingyue handed the scroll over, her expression becoming somewhat solemn.

Jiang Chen took the scroll and unrolled it casually.

It was a wanted poster made of special waterproof material.

On it was a drawing of Jiang Chen's profile, yawning.

Below the portrait was a string of shocking text:

[Target: Jiang Chen. Heretic.]

[Bounty: One billion Top-Grade Spirit Stones, plus the position of Inner Sect Great Priest of the Sea God Temple!]

[Issuer: Endless Sea · Sea God Temple Branch.]

"Sea God Temple?"

Mu Qingxue stepped forward, and after seeing the signature, her expression changed slightly.

"This is an extremely xenophobic and powerful deep-sea religious organization. They call themselves believers of the Sea God and control nearly one-third of the Endless Sea's waters. The Skinning Cult... was actually acting under their orders?"

Su Qingyue grit her teeth, a flash of anger in her eyes: "No wonder these pirates dared to attack a military ship; they had a sea race power backing them! They must have taken benefits from those noble families in the Imperial Capital!"

Little Fatty Chen shrank back in fear: "Brother Chen, this is the Sea God Temple! They say they have a Great Grandmaster overseeing them! Should we... turn this ship around and go back?"

"Go back?"

Jiang Chen looked at the wanted poster and suddenly laughed.

That smile didn't contain a hint of fear, but rather a kind of madness and brutality that would make an enemy's blood run cold.

"They smashed my sunbathing lounge chair, hurt you all, and even want to kill me to collect a reward."

Jiang Chen's fingers tightened slightly, and with a "poof," the wanted poster turned into a pile of ash at his fingertips.

"Since they want to play a hunting game so badly..."

Jiang Chen turned around and picked up a asura mask emitting a strong scent of blood from the belongings of the Blood Hand Butcher he had crushed.

He gently placed the mask over his face.

Then, he grabbed the coat stained with the enemies' blood and draped it over his pajamas.

An indescribable Shura Evil Qi soared from the youth.

"From now on."

Jiang Chen's eyes, hidden behind the mask, flickered with a cruel purple light.

"We are the Skinning Cult."

"Don't they want to be hunters? Then let's go see who... is the real prey."