Both time-traveled characters ended up as villainous henchmen.

When He Nian concentrated his mind, his mental state was no longer like a lake, but transformed into a vast and boundless sea.

The vast ocean is calm and still, its surface like a mirror reflecting the brilliant starry sky.

The countless starlight falling from the sky was absorbed by the reflection of the stars and moon on the mirror, and eventually transformed into a special spiritual energy that slowly nourished He Nian's spirit and refined his will.

Beyond the mental landscape, the real world is also a scene of stars reflecting each other. In addition, He Nian has just returned from the black mist space, making his perception of the changes in the world's rules even more acute.

It can truly be said that the right time, the right place, and the right people all come together.

During this process, He Nian constantly felt the subtle changes in his body and mind, while slowly adjusting the images reflected in his mind so that the image of the stars and moon could absorb and transform more spiritual energy.

As time slowly passed, He Nian gradually got into the swing of things, and in the end he almost forgot what he was doing, forgot where he was, and forgot the world around him.

Only a vast, clear sea remains, reflecting the brilliant Milky Way.

One night passed.

As the sun rises and sets, the morning sun emerges from the sea, its even more intense light gently waking He Nian, who had been sitting quietly all night.

He opened his eyes, and it seemed as if stars were swirling within them; the whole world appeared different to him.

The rising sun, the sea breeze, the waves, and even the pirate ship beneath his feet all seemed to possess a unique rhythm, making everything in the world come alive and vibrant.

"All things breathe...all things move..."

He Nian knew that he had entered a new spiritual realm, and was able to more truly perceive the "pulse" of all things in the world. Whether it was living beings or inanimate objects such as stones and soil, he could sense the faint "charm" emanating from them.

At the same time, his control over his body has reached a new level.

He can now not only clearly observe his internal organs, but also inject his consciousness into every cell, causing cellular-level physical changes.

If combined with the self-healing ability he shared with He Nian from Demon Slayer, the self-healing effect would be doubled.

In a sense, as long as his body stores enough nutrition and physical strength, he can be considered an immortal being.

And it's the kind that can regenerate rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye.

"Is this the power of the unity of body and soul...?"

He Nian clenched his fist, sensing his current physical strength. A strong sense of satisfaction welled up in his heart, but he did not show any arrogance. Clearly, the mental technique he had painstakingly created overnight—"The Sea Reflects the Sky"—was very effective.

By visualizing the vast ocean through one's mind, and reflecting various celestial phenomena, one can receive the essence of heaven and earth and thus purify one's soul.

At the same time, because He Nian himself has already taken a big step in the realm of unity of spirit and body, he can also slowly temper his body through visualization and meditation.

This gradual unification of his mind and body also allowed him to better understand the unique innate domineering aura within him.

Dominance is the unity of a strong person's personal will and strength. The path to improving dominance is inseparable from the tempering of battle and the transformation of the mind.

In some ways, domineering aura can be described as a special energy refined and synthesized from physical and mental energy.

However, it is clear that the world of One Piece is different from the world of Naruto. Although Haki and chakra have similar origins, they have taken different paths.

Chakra is more tangible and has more complex variations; in contrast, Haki seems more mystical and focuses more on personal mental and physical training.

Although He Nian's domineering aura is different from that of the One Piece world, it still follows the basic rules for the enhancement of domineering aura, namely the enhancement and unity of mind and body.

Therefore, after a night of meditation and cultivation, his control over his innate domineering aura improved to a higher level, and his original Conqueror's Haki and Observation Haki both improved to varying degrees.

He Nian's understanding of Conqueror's Haki was still somewhat vague, but he had a premonition that he would be able to master it completely after a high-quality battle.

As for Observation Haki, it's quite obvious.

He Nian got up from the bow deck and walked towards the ship's cockpit.

As soon as he exited the meditative state, he sensed a very complex and intense "desire" emanating from the cockpit.

Inside the cockpit.

Jesper Valentine, the former navigator of the Blindfolded Pirates, has just woken up from his sleep.

"I slept so well last night, I didn't feel anything, I didn't even dream, I just slept straight until now."

Jesper wiped the drool from the corner of his mouth, savoring the high-quality sleep he had last night.

To be honest, ever since his captain inexplicably provoked a strangely dressed little devil half a month ago, he has barely had a good night's sleep. He falls asleep in fear and wakes up in terror every day.

Although He Nian didn't turn his sword against him, Jesper was still terrified.

After all, the heads of their captain and the other officers were currently preserved and lying in the storage room, waiting to be exchanged for bounties upon arrival at the naval base.

Only Jesper, because of his decent seamanship, was temporarily kept behind, but he would still be sent to the naval base once they arrived.

All of this was done by that boy who called himself a Taoist priest. Jesper had no choice but to be afraid; the outcome was already clear.

"When will we be able to escape and break free from this devil's control?"

Put drugs in his food today? No, I can't even get my hands on his food.

I tried to escape by jumping into the sea while he was sleeping, but the nearest island is still quite a distance away, and I can't swim to land.

"Should I just pledge allegiance to him, acknowledge him as my new boss, and follow him from now on? But he seems to be a bounty hunter, and his future doesn't look promising..."

Jesper got out of bed with a heavy heart and was about to wash up when he saw the figure outside the cockpit that had terrified him for more than half a month.

"Ah... Brother He Nian! Good morning!"

Jesper hurriedly stood at attention, but his hands and feet were somewhat out of his control, and he could only stand up with difficulty. He greeted He Nian with a trembling voice.

He Nian didn't care about Jesper's disheveled appearance due to excessive fear. Instead, he focused his attention on the changes in his own Observation Haki.

In his current perception, Jesper was emanating very strong and complex thoughts and desires.

Fear, hope, confusion, resentment, and so on, are all present, but the most intense of these is fear and the "desire" to survive.

This intense "desire" to survive almost materialized in He Nian's perception, manifesting as a state similar to the power of incense offerings, constantly overflowing from Jesper and eventually drifting away into an unknown distance.

Besides this strong will to survive, He Nian also sensed something else faintly.

A dream of becoming a distinguished architect and bringing honor to one's family.

Desire and...dreams?

He Nian silently muttered to himself, while looking at Jesper. Under the other's terrified gaze, he slowly asked:

"Jesper, what is your dream?"

"A dream...a dream?"

Jesper tilted his head, his face full of confusion and bewilderment.