Martial Saint with Passives

Under the cover of night, Jiang Che once again activated [Shadow Escape]. Like a phantom melting into the darkness, he silently returned to his room at the inn.

Only after confirming there was nothing out of the ordinary did he slowly reveal himself, sitting cross-legged on the bed.

This trip to Luoyan Mountain had been incredibly fruitful.

Not only had he obtained the Divine Weapon "Seven-Star Dragon Abyss," which appeared to be of an extremely high grade, but he had also acquired a Jade Talisman storing a massive number of Cultivation Techniques.

More importantly, he had received the inheritance of True Master Xuan Yang’s Martial Dao Will!

This had greatly reshaped and enhanced his Comprehension, and even his Divine Soul Power had surged dramatically!

It was safe to say this trip had been a massive windfall.

But sitting in the dim room, Jiang Che felt little joy.

On the contrary, his brow was tightly furrowed, his mind unsettled.

True Master Xuan Yang’s final words before dissipating weighed on his heart like a colossal stone.

"Black Magic Disaster..."

Jiang Che murmured under his breath, his gaze flickering uncertainly.

Those three words made him instinctively think of the mysterious and dangerous Heart of the Black Abyss within his body!

He also thought of the indescribably terrifying existence he had caught a fleeting glimpse of in that bizarre Space.

The Master of the Black Abyss!

’They both have the word "black" in them...’

’Could it be... that this is the source of the so-called Black Magic Disaster?’

Jiang Che’s mind was reeling with doubt and suspicion.

Of course, logic told him he couldn’t arbitrarily assume a connection between the two just because they both contained the word "black."

After all, the word "black" was far too common.

Perhaps it was just a coincidence.

But...

what if it was true?

If the so-called "Black Magic Disaster" was truly a full-scale outbreak and invasion of this world launched by the Master of the Black Abyss...

then who in this world could possibly resist?

Jiang Che took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the suffocating chill in his heart.

He stood up, walked to the window, and pushed it open a crack to look at the pitch-black night sky outside.

The night was profound, like a giant black net blanketing the entirety of Lin Yuan City, and perhaps the entire world.

He suddenly recalled the unusual pack of Black Beasts he had encountered on his way back to Lin Yuan City.

’A pack of wolves at the Iron Skin Realm... and even a Wolf King at the Force Integration Level...’

Jiang Che’s expression grew grim.

Normally, with year-round human activity near the main roads, coupled with extermination efforts from various regions, a pack of Black Beasts of this level should absolutely not have appeared!

When he left three years ago, even deep in the mountains, Force Integration Level Black Beasts were as rare as a phoenix’s feather.

But now, they had brazenly appeared right next to a main road!

What did this mean?

It meant the Black Beasts were getting stronger!

And they were strengthening at an extremely unnatural rate!

’Could all of this... be a harbinger?’

Jiang Che couldn’t shake the feeling that beneath this world’s seemingly peaceful surface, something terrifying was quietly brewing in the darkness, gathering its strength.

It was only waiting for the right moment to erupt like a volcano and devour all that was good and peaceful!

A powerful sense of urgency washed over him.

’I’m still... too weak...’

Jiang Che clenched his fists, then relaxed them.

Although he was now at the Second Layer Peak of the True Master Realm and possessed the terrifying combat power to challenge those above his level,

he was already the undisputed number one of the younger generation in Cangzhou Prefecture.

Even looking at the entire country, he was confident that few were stronger than him.

But in the face of a catastrophe that could engulf the entire world, in the face of this unknown, terrifying tide...

this small amount of power still seemed far too insignificant, far too trivial!

After all, even True Master Xuan Yang, a Great Power of the True Mastery Realm who had been invincible in his time, had seemed so terrified after learning of the Black Magic Disaster.

’I must... get stronger!’

’Strong enough to ignore all rules, strong enough to suppress any calamity!’

He turned his head, his gaze seeming to penetrate the walls to the next room, where his parents and younger sister were already fast asleep.

Listening to their steady breathing, Jiang Che’s anxious heart slowly calmed, replaced by an unprecedented firmness and resolve.

His family had finally been reunited after so much difficulty.

His parents were alive, and his little sister was safe and sound.

This was the treasure he cherished most across two lifetimes.

He would not allow...

he would absolutely not allow anything or anyone to interfere with or destroy this hard-won peaceful life!

Not even...

the so-called "Black Magic Disaster"!

’If anyone dares to reach out, I will... sever their hand!’

A cold glint flashed in Jiang Che’s eyes as he slowly closed the window.

After composing himself, he once again sat cross-legged on the bed.

Although a sliver of worry about the future had taken root in his heart,

the most important thing right now was to take stock of his gains from the trip.

This was especially true for the few treasures he had obtained from the True Master Realm expert, as well as the mysterious Ancient Sword from the Treasure Chest.

’Strength is the foundation. Only by converting these spoils of war into immediate combat power can I seize the initiative in the changing times to come!’

Jiang Che took a deep breath and immersed his consciousness into his Sea of Consciousness.

The Active Skill of [True Nine Li Commander], [Soldier Resolution: Divine Descent], could extract Soldier Soul Techniques and identify item attributes.

But since he was currently limited to a single Divine Soul Slot, he couldn’t directly check the attributes of his new equipment.

At this moment, the [Illusionary Truth Ancient Mirror] lay quietly in that single slot.

’If I want to know how good these treasures are, I have to free up the slot first!’

Jiang Che’s mind stirred.

’Dispel Soldier Resolution!’

VMMMM—

The giant illusion of the Ancient Mirror in his Sea of Consciousness instantly disintegrated, transforming into a sky full of light motes that poured from between his eyebrows, re-forming in his hand as the palm-sized, ancient, and timeworn Illusionary Truth Ancient Mirror.