Martial Saint with Passives

"Brother Xingwen! Are you okay? You scared me to death!"

Tang Qiaoqiao immediately rushed to Xie Xingwen’s side, looking him over from head to toe. Her face was a mixture of relief at having survived the ordeal and boundless adoration for him.

In her eyes, Xie Xingwen had arrived just in time to drive off their powerful foe.

Jiang Che watched coldly, then walked toward the guards who were still on the ground, ’groaning in agony.’

"How badly are you hurt, Senior Brothers? I know a little about medicine. May I take a look?"

As he spoke, he bent down and reached out, posturing as if to check the pulse of the man nearest to him.

He wanted to see if he could expose their charade.

"Don’t trouble yourself, Junior Brother Jiang!" Xie Xingwen’s figure blurred as he moved to block Jiang Che from the guard.

His smile remained gentle, but he had already produced several lustrous white Elixir Bottles. "I have some top-grade Healing Elixirs here. They’re specifically for internal injuries. They’ll be fine after taking these."

He deftly stuffed the elixirs into the three guards’ mouths, then smiled at Jiang Che. "Thank you for your concern, Junior Brother Jiang. They were just a bit shaken up. They’ll be fine after they regulate their breathing."

The very instant Xie Xingwen blocked him, stopping his examination, Jiang Che felt a sharp, icy pain from his [Omen] Talent.

It was killing intent!

Xie Xingwen had directed killing intent at him!

A chill ran down Jiang Che’s spine, but his expression remained impassive. He simply nodded and stepped back. "That’s good to hear."

He knew that probing any further would only tip them off, and he wouldn’t be able to expose them for the time being.

But he was now more certain than ever: Xie Xingwen was definitely up to no good and was already starting to see him as a thorn in his side.

The group set off again, but the atmosphere had grown strange.

Tang Qiaoqiao was still clinging to Xie Xingwen, chattering away about the recent danger and Xie Xingwen’s ’heroics.’

Liu Qing and Su Wan had grown much quieter, their faces etched with caution.

Jiang Che, meanwhile, trailed behind the group, his mind racing.

’Xie Xingwen colluded with the Demon Sect to stage this act, and his target is obviously Tang Qiaoqiao.’

’But his plan failed because of me, an unexpected variable.’

’His next move will surely be to get rid of me, the obstacle in his path!’

’Xie Xingwen is at the Late-stage of the Bone Forging Realm; his strength is not to be underestimated.’

’Without my Black Armor Transformation, I have almost no chance against him in a direct confrontation.’

’What’s more, he has three guards at the Mid-stage of the Bone Forging Realm feigning injury, and who knows how many more Demon Sect cronies are lurking in the shadows!’

’But reveal my Black Armor Form in front of all these people?’

’It would solve my immediate problems.’

’But it would definitely create a whole new set of problems later!’

Jiang Che’s brow furrowed.

’This is such a pain...’

’I have to make Tang Qiaoqiao and the others realize the danger as soon as possible!’

However, Tang Qiaoqiao was always clinging to Xie Xingwen, leaving no opportunity to tell her.

Jiang Che could only wait patiently for an opportunity.

After a while, Tang Qiaoqiao needed to relieve herself, and Liu Qing went with her.

An idea sparked in Jiang Che’s mind.

When the two returned, he found an opportunity to approach Liu Qing and quietly told her his suspicions about Xie Xingwen:

"...Senior Sister Liu, when those Demon Sect members attacked, they clearly held back against Senior Brother Xie’s men! And the timing of Senior Brother Xie’s arrival was too convenient—it was like he deliberately let them go! Plus, the way he looks at me... it’s not right! I suspect he’s in league with the Demon Sect, and his target might be Junior Sister Tang!"

Liu Qing had also felt that something was off during the fight; the Demon Sect members had retreated far too decisively.

Now, hearing Jiang Che’s clear-headed analysis, her expression grew grave. "You have a point... I’ll find a chance to warn Qiaoqiao."

Later, when Qiaoqiao went to relieve herself again, Liu Qing followed and took the opportunity to tell her about Jiang Che’s suspicions.

But Tang Qiaoqiao scoffed the moment she heard it. "That’s ridiculous! Brother Xingwen just saved us! If it weren’t for him, who knows what would have happened to us! I think that Jiang Che is just incompetent and is slinging mud at Brother Xingwen out of jealousy!" She was completely unwilling to listen, convinced instead that Jiang Che was the one with a sinister mind.

Liu Qing sighed. She knew it was no use trying to convince Tang Qiaoqiao, so she dropped it. ’I’ll just have to be more careful from now on,’ she thought.

When Jiang Che saw Tang Qiaoqiao return and immediately start fawning over Xie Xingwen again, he sighed to himself.

’It’s hopeless,’ he thought. ’There’s something wrong with her. It looks like she’ll never believe me.’

’If it weren’t for Ye Lianzhen’s request, I’d leave this instant!’

Xie Xingwen seemed to sense something. His gaze swept over the faces of Jiang Che and Liu Qing, and his brow twitched slightly before he turned back to speak to Tang Qiaoqiao in the same soft, gentle voice.

For the rest of the afternoon, the group trekked through the dense fog, occasionally stopping to gather some rare medicinal herbs.

Whether because he couldn’t find a suitable opportunity or because he had other plans, Xie Xingwen surprisingly took no further action, behaving as if everything was normal.

But Jiang Che didn’t dare to lower his guard in the slightest, remaining on high alert.

Night finally fell. In the darkness, the dense fog seemed to grow even thicker, almost viscous.

The group found a relatively dry and sheltered clearing in the woods and began to set up camp.

A few simple tents were quickly pitched. A bonfire crackled, CRACKLE, POP, barely managing to ward off the chill and damp.

After a hasty meal of dry rations, the group decided on the watch schedule and went to rest.

Jiang Che took the first watch, along with one of Xie Xingwen’s guards.

The two stood on opposite sides of the camp, the atmosphere silent and tense with suspicion.

Time ticked by. The forest was deathly silent, save for the crackling of the bonfire and the distant, low growls of some unknown beast.

The time for the changing of the guard arrived. Yawning, Su Wan emerged from her tent to relieve Jiang Che.

As Jiang Che walked back to his own tent, he glanced over at Xie Xingwen’s.

The faint, rhythmic sound of breathing drifted from within, as if its occupant were fast asleep.