Martial Saint with Passives

Tang Qiaoqiao followed his finger and saw several specks of vibrant red dotting the misty mountain face.

"Wow, they’re real!" Her face lit up with excitement.

Xie Xingwen smiled faintly, his demeanor suave. "Does Qiaoqiao like them? Wait a moment, I’ll go pick them for you!"

Before his voice had even faded, his figure flickered and vanished into the thick fog like a wisp of smoke, his Body Technique shockingly fast.

Tang Qiaoqiao gazed in the direction her beloved had disappeared, a sweet feeling blooming in her heart.

The mountain face was so steep and the fog so thick; it definitely wouldn’t be easy.

’But Brother Xingwen’s Body Technique is so good, he’ll be fine.’ Her heart was filled with sweet anticipation.

Jiang Che, on the other hand, had been keeping an eye on Xie Xingwen.

He noticed that just before leaving, Xie Xingwen had quickly shot his three guards a cryptic, mysterious look.

Jiang Che’s heart skipped a beat. His intuition told him something was about to happen, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on what.

The dense fog swirled around them, and the remaining seven people could only wait where they were.

The mountain wind, wrapped in the damp, cold mist, sent a slight chill through their clothes.

Suddenly!

The dense fog was torn apart as if by a sharp blade, and four black figures, as fast as phantoms, shot out without warning!

All four were dressed in black and wore masks, revealing only pairs of cold, vicious eyes.

The auras they exuded were all shockingly at the Mid-stage of the Bone Forging Realm!

What made Jiang Che’s heart tighten even more was that their auras faintly carried a trace of chaos and violence, exactly like the Demon Sect members he had encountered before!

"Who’s there?!" Liu Qing shouted sharply, instantly drawing her sword and stepping in front of Tang Qiaoqiao.

Su Wan also drew her weapon immediately, guarding the flank.

The four men in black didn’t bother to answer. After a single exchange of glances, they charged forward as ferociously as hungry wolves pouncing on their prey!

The glint of blades and swords instantly tore through the dense fog, carrying a bone-chilling killing intent!

Tang Qiaoqiao had never seen such a scene. Her pretty face instantly turned deathly pale with fright.

"Protect Senior Sister Tang!"

Jiang Che roared, his body moving like a lightning bolt as he directly met two of the black-clad men rushing toward Liu Qing.

His Kunji Saber flew from its sheath with a sharp whistle, parrying a strike aimed at Liu Qing’s back. The ear-piercing screech of metal on metal rang out, sending sparks flying!

"Demon Sect! Be careful, they’re from the Demon Sect!" Jiang Che shouted during a brief lull in the fighting.

Up close, he could feel it more clearly. Their cold and impure aura was definitely the result of Demon Sect Techniques!

"Demon Sect?! How did they get in here?!" Liu Qing exclaimed, her tone filled with shock and confusion.

Although it was four against seven, these Demon Sect members were powerful, and the battle quickly became intense and deadlocked.

Jiang Che spared a moment to glance at Xie Xingwen’s three guards.

He saw that although they were also at the Mid-stage of the Bone Forging Realm, they were being completely overwhelmed by the Demon Sect members!

Before long, they were sent flying one after another with wretched screams, spitting blood. They collapsed to the ground, groaning in pain, seemingly having lost their ability to fight!

Afterward, the Demon Sect members didn’t bother with a finishing blow, instead immediately turning to surround and attack Jiang Che and the others!

Jiang Che was alarmed.

He had been keeping his Omen Talent activated the whole time.

He discovered that when the Demon Sect members fought Xie Xingwen’s men, they had no killing intent!

Jiang Che immediately looked at the three guards.

At this point, he had already entered the Heart Stream state, and his powers of observation were incredibly sharp.

He saw the three men wailing on the ground. Though their cries were miserable, their breathing was steady and deep, and the Qi Force within their bodies flowed without obstruction. How could they possibly look seriously injured?

’Damn it, they’re acting!’ Jiang Che was suddenly stunned.

’This is definitely a setup! That punk Xie Xingwen has, in all likelihood, colluded with the Demon Sect!’

’But what is he trying to do? Who’s the target? Tang Qiaoqiao?’

Jiang Che parried attacks while thinking quickly.

With Xie Xingwen’s three men "out of commission," the pressure on the remaining fighters increased dramatically.

Liu Qing, who had the highest Realm, was especially targeted. Besieged by Demon Sect members, she bore the brunt of the assault.

Although Liu Qing was also at the Mid-stage of the Bone Forging Realm, two fists are no match for four hands. Facing several masters of the same Realm who coordinated seamlessly, she was soon struggling to defend herself, with danger at every turn!

Just as a poisoned long saber was about to strike the back of Liu Qing’s neck, Jiang Che explosively threw off his own opponent. His body shot forward like a bolt of lightning, his Kunji Saber just barely managing to block the fatal blow!

"CLANG!" Sparks flew!

Liu Qing broke out in a cold sweat and gave Jiang Che a grateful nod.

The pressure on her eased slightly, allowing her to reorganize her defense.

The remaining two, Tang Qiaoqiao and Su Wan, also gritted their teeth and joined the fight.

But while Tang Qiaoqiao had reached the Early Stage of the Bone Forging Realm, her actual combat experience was pitifully lacking. After just a few exchanges, her opponent had her in a fluster, and a blade nearly sliced open her shoulder.

Jiang Che had been keeping an eye on her. Seeing this, he instantly flashed over, and with a glint of his saber, he resolved the crisis for her.

"Th-Thank you!" Tang Qiaoqiao glanced at Jiang Che, still shaken, her tone somewhat complicated.

Jiang Che, however, seemed to grow stronger the more he fought.

Although he was only at the Late-stage of Force Integration, with the aid of his many Talents—Heart Stream, Insight, Stacking Force, and Break Extreme—his Kunji Saber Technique was grand and sweeping. He actually managed to suppress two Demon Sect members who were at the Mid-stage of the Bone Forging Realm!

The light from his saber was like a bolt of silk, his momentum like a rainbow. He wasn’t at a disadvantage in the slightest!

This scene left everyone present utterly shocked.

Only then did Tang Qiaoqiao truly realize that her mother sending Jiang Che to protect her was by no means a whim.

’This guy... he’s the real deal!’

The widely spread rumor about him killing the Bone Forging Realm bandit Ba Hui seemed to be completely true!

Liu Qing and Su Wan were equally stunned.

Although they had never said it aloud, they couldn’t help but feel that Jiang Che had only been able to come along because of his connection to Dean Ye.

Now, seeing this incredible combat prowess with their own eyes, they knew they had been dead wrong!

This wasn’t someone who got by on connections; he was clearly a hidden master!

Seeing that their prolonged attack was failing and that they were being held up by a mere Force Integration kid, the four Demon Sect members grew agitated. A barely perceptible flaw appeared in their coordinated attacks.

With all his Talents active, Jiang Che’s senses were sharp. He seized the opportunity in an instant. His Kunji Saber whistled through the air, aiming straight for the throat of one of the Demon Sect masters!

At that critical moment!

"Demon Sect scum, you dare harm a fellow disciple of my Cangyun Sect?! You’re courting death!"

A furious roar exploded like a clap of thunder!

A moon-white figure, carrying a fierce aura, charged into the battle from the side like a Divine Weapon descending from the heavens!

It was Xie Xingwen!

He thrust out a palm strike. It looked powerful, but it landed "just right" on the shoulder of the black-clad Demon Sect member Jiang Che had targeted!

"POW!" The man in black was sent flying, tumbling a few times on the ground in a somewhat exaggerated manner.

Seeing this, the other three men in black quickly exchanged glances, then turned and fled without hesitation, rapidly disappearing into the thick fog.

"Don’t let them get away!" Liu Qing shouted angrily, moving as if to give chase.

"Don’t pursue a desperate foe!" Xie Xingwen immediately stopped her, his tone serious. "This place is dangerous, and the Demon Sect is cunning. Who knows if they have an ambush waiting? Protecting Qiaoqiao is what’s important!"

As he spoke, his gaze swept imperceptibly over Jiang Che, carrying a hard-to-detect hint of scrutiny.

Liu Qing paused, glanced at the still-shaken Tang Qiaoqiao, and had no choice but to begrudgingly halt.

Jiang Che frowned slightly.

’Xie Xingwen clearly let those Demon Sect members go on purpose!’

’There’s something wrong with this Xie Xingwen!’