Chapter 62 The Saintess in His Arms, the "Spoils of War" That Caused a City-Wide Sensation
The North Border's Third Fortress was currently plunged into a strange, deathly silence.
Thousands of Garrison soldiers, holding firearms and battle sabers, stood with their mouths agape as if frozen by a spell, staring blankly at the youth on the drawbridge.
No, to be precise, they were looking at the... spoils of war in his arms.
Silver hair cascading like a waterfall, playful beast ears—though she was wrapped in Jiang Chen's oversized coat, the nine snowy-white fox tails peeking out and that peerless face, beautiful enough to make any man's heart race at a single glance, all clearly revealed her identity.
The Beast Clan Saintess, the jewel of the Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox Clan—Iliya!
That terrifying existence listed in intelligence reports as "extremely dangerous" and "all-enchanting" was currently like a wronged little kitten, huddled in Jiang Chen's arms, with tears of humiliation still clinging to the corners of her eyes.
*Gulp.*
Someone swallowed hard, the sound exceptionally clear in the silent battlefield.
"Jiang... Student Jiang Chen?"
Lei Heng leapt down from the city wall. The usually decisive and battle-hardened man was actually stuttering now. "Did you... kidnap her back?"
"Yeah, just in passing."
Jiang Chen was so sleepy his eyelids were fighting to stay open, and his body swayed slightly. "She said she wanted to visit our fortress and experience the Human Race's sleep culture while she's at it. Right, little fox?"
As he spoke, Jiang Chen looked down and gave Iliya's waist a gentle squeeze.
"Ugh... yes..."
Iliya's body trembled. Under the suppression of the Nightmare Contract, she could only grit her teeth and humiliatingly play along with this demon's performance.
*Hiss—*
A collective gasp filled the air.
Just in passing?
Going to Luohun Valley, where a Beast Emperor resides, and kidnapping their Saintess "in passing"? What kind of humblebragging nonsense was this?
"Awesome! Brother Chen is awesome!"
Little Fatty Chen was the first to react, dancing with excitement. "Who dares say the freshmen of our Imperial Capital Martial Arts University are greenhorns now? We straight up snatched the enemy boss's daughter to be a bandit queen! Now that's what I call prestige!"
"Shut up!"
Mu Qingxue gave a cold shout and stepped forward from behind. Her clothes were slightly disheveled, but her icy queen-like aura wasn't diminished in the slightest.
She looked at Iliya in Jiang Chen's arms with a complicated gaze, a strong sense of sourness rising in her heart.
All along the way, Jiang Chen had been holding this Fox Spirit, never once letting go.
Although she knew it was to suppress the opponent, seeing the two of them in such an intimate posture made Mu Qingxue's heart feel stifled.
"Regiment Commander Lei, she is an extremely dangerous war criminal and a core figure of the Beast Clan." Mu Qingxue took a deep breath, forcing herself to regain her reason. "She must be immediately imprisoned in a specially made 'Spirit-Locking Cage' and kept under strict supervision!"
"Right! Right! Teacher Lin is right!"
Lei Heng snapped out of it and immediately waved his hand. "Men! Bring the Special-Grade Shackles! Throw this enchantress into the Black Dungeon on the third basement level!"
Several fully armed soldiers immediately rushed forward with shackles engraved with runes.
Seeing those cold torture devices, a flash of fear crossed Iliya's eyes, and she instinctively burrowed into Jiang Chen's arms.
Although this human man was hateful, compared to the dark and damp Black Dungeon, the warm aura on him had unexpectedly become her only safe harbor.
"Hold on."
Jiang Chen suddenly turned his body, dodging the soldiers' hands.
He opened one eye, a hint of lazy coldness in his gaze. "Who said she was going to the Black Dungeon?"
"Jiang Chen! Don't mess around!" Mu Qingxue grew anxious. "She's a Nine-Tailed Celestial Fox. Once she's out of control, the entire fortress will be under her charm! Do you want us all to die?"
"She can't run."
Jiang Chen library yawned and pointed to his head. "I've already 'marked' her on a spiritual level. As long as I'm still sleeping, she's the most well-behaved... cough, prisoner."
"And..."
Jiang Chen paused, a look of infuriating entitlement on his face. "The evolution of my 'Nightmare Divine Body' is at a critical moment and requires the assistance of her Bloodline aura. If we separate, the failure of suppression is a small matter, but if my Cultivation is interrupted, who will take responsibility?"
"So, she must stay with me."
"Stay where?" Lei Heng asked subconsciously.
"In my room, on that big bed, of course." Jiang Chen said frankly. "Otherwise? Am I supposed to sleep on the floor?"
Silence.
A deathly silence.
The sword in Xiao Jian's hand fell to the ground with a "clang."
Publicly demanding to share a bed with the enemy nation's princess in front of the entire army? And saying it's for Cultivation?
This reason... was simply shamelessly refreshing!
"You... don't even think about it!" Mu Qingxue's face turned red with anger, her chest heaving violently. "A lone man and woman together, what kind of behavior is that! I am your mentor; I absolutely do not agree!"
"Then how about you join us too, Teacher?"
Jiang Chen suddenly turned his head and issued a very sincere invitation. "The bed is big enough anyway; it's not like three people can't squeeze in. Just right, I also need Teacher's ice-attribute aura to neutralize this fox's heat."
"Jiang Chen—!!!"
Mu Qingxue's roar echoed through the clouds.
...
Ultimately, amid a mess of chaos and compromise, Jiang Chen still got his wish.
After all, the fact was right there: besides Jiang Chen, no one could get within three meters of Iliya without being charmed.
For the sake of safety (and to satisfy someone's selfish motives), Lei Heng could only tearfully approve this utterly absurd guarding plan.
Inside the Area A Special-Grade Barracks.
The heavy alloy door closed, cutting off the clamor outside.
Jiang Chen threw Iliya onto the soft, large bed, then pounced on it himself without any regard for his image, limbs splayed out as he let out a satisfied sigh.
"Finally... I can get a good night's sleep."
Iliya curled up in the corner of the bed, hugging her knees and looking at the man warily.
"You... what are you going to do? I'm warning you, even though my demon power is sealed, if I blow myself up in desperation, you won't have it easy either!"
"Self-destruct?"
Jiang Chen rolled over, found a comfortable position, and patted the empty space beside him with his eyes closed. "Stop it. Come here, turn into your original form, or at least stretch your tails over."
"Huh?" Iliya was stunned.
"The human form looks good, but it's a bit bony to hold. Furry tails are much more comfortable to hug," Jiang Chen said dizzily. "Hurry up, I'm going to start my Cultivation. As long as you cooperate, I won't touch you inappropriately... probably."
Iliya bit her lower lip, looking at the man who had already started to snore lightly, her heart filled with humiliation and absurdity.
She was a noble Saintess!
The goddess dreamed of by countless Beast Clan warriors!
And yet, in this man's eyes, her value was merely a... furry pillow?!
"Damned human... one day, I'll trample you under my feet and make you lick my toes!"
Iliya swore fiercely in her heart, but her body could only honestly move over.
Because as Jiang Chen fell asleep, that strange attraction erupted once again.
She discovered in horror that if she didn't get close to Jiang Chen, the Bloodline in her body would boil due to the lack of suppression, a torture more painful than being cut a thousand times.
Ultimately, she could only humiliatingly lie down beside Jiang Chen, letting the man pull her and her tails into his arms like a rag doll.
The night grew deeper.
Inside the room, a man and a woman (plus nine tails) were entangled together.
It seemed romantic, but undercurrents were surging.
The System inside Jiang Chen's body was running frantically, extracting the Celestial Fox Luck from Iliya.
And Iliya, in this forced "Dual Cultivation," was surprised to find that her long-stagnant Bloodline Bottleneck actually showed signs of loosening...
Just what kind of monster was this man?