Martial Saint with Passives

As Lin Qingyun passed through the golden pillar of light, his feet landed on solid ground.

A familiar scent filled his nostrils—a mixture of fragrant earth and curling cooking smoke.

He stood there in a daze, gazing at the warm, peaceful little village before him.

The crooked old pagoda tree at the village entrance, the smoke drifting from the rooftops in the wind, the distant barks of dogs from across the fields…

It was all exactly as he remembered his hometown—a memory he had long since buried.

"Yun'er! What are you daydreaming about? Hurry home, it's time for dinner!"

A gentle, familiar voice called out from a nearby courtyard.

Lin Qingyun jolted, turning his head in disbelief.

At the courtyard gate stood a kind-faced, middle-aged woman in an apron, smiling and waving at him.

Beside her stood a cherubic little girl in pigtails, giggling as she called out to him:

"Brother! Hurry back! Mom made your favorite braised pork belly today!"

"Mom… Sister…"

Lin Qingyun's eyes instantly turned red.

His heart, which had grown cold and hard from practicing the Fast Sword.

In that instant, it was utterly melted by a sudden torrent of warmth called kinship.

He dropped his sword and charged forward like a madman, pulling his mother and sister into a tight embrace as tears streamed down his face.

It had been far, far too long since he had felt such warmth.

But the heartwarming reunion was mercilessly shattered by a series of blood-curdling screams!

A group of ferocious-looking Demon Sect marauders in black robes had stormed the village!

Like demons crawling out of Hell itself, they wielded cleavers and went on a rampage, burning, killing, and plundering!

The old man from the village entrance, the neighboring woman, his childhood playmates… all were brutally cut down!

At the same time.

Two Demon Sect marauders, leering sinisterly, were walking toward them!

"No!!!"

Lin Qingyun's eyes flashed crimson! He snatched his longsword from the ground and charged forward with a roar!

"Demon Sect scum! Die!"

Wielding his longsword, he poured all his strength into unleashing his swordsmanship, moving at the peak of his speed!

However, a bizarre scene unfolded!

His devastating Sword Techniques, which could shatter stone and sunder jade.

Landed upon the Demon Sect marauders like a gentle breeze, utterly powerless!

He was completely unable to inflict even the slightest wound!

"How can this be…? How?!"

Horrified, he could only watch helplessly as the leering marauders closed in on his mother and sister, who were frozen behind him, their faces pale with terror.

He could only watch as the cold cleavers were raised high, and then… brought down.

"No!!!"

He heard his sister's final cry, a shout filled with despair and confusion:

"Brother… save me… Why… why didn't you save me?"

...

VMMMM—

Outside the grotto, around the massive sinkhole.

When the white light representing Lin Qingyun appeared at the entrance,

Everyone present gasped in shock!

"Lin… Lin Qingyun failed too?!"

"Gods! Of the top ten on the Hidden Dragon List, Qin Wuya, Gu Qingxuan, Chen Jiayu, Xiao Qingge, Lin Qingyun… they've all come out!"

"Then… doesn't that mean… the only one left inside is…"

"The only one left… is Jiang Che!"

"How is that possible?!"

Everyone wore expressions of utter disbelief!

That Jiang Che with the mediocre Root Bone? The one who only got through the first pass by taking advantage of his low Realm?

The Jiang Che everyone thought would be eliminated by the second pass at the absolute latest?

He actually… made it to the very end?!

Up on the high platform, the expressions of the Elders from the Taiyuan Sect and the Profound Sound Sect had turned incredibly grim.

The geniuses their sects prided themselves on had all been defeated!

And the last one standing was a previously unknown disciple from the Cangyun Sect?

"Hmph! It's just a fluke!" a Taiyuan Sect Elder insisted stubbornly. "The Temperament Pass tests one's attachments! That Jiang Che has a shallow foundation and has only been cultivating for a short time. He probably hasn't even formed a solid Dao Heart, so of course he wouldn't have any Heart Demon to speak of! Even if he reaches the end, it's nothing but good luck! He absolutely will not receive True Master Bai Yi's inheritance!"

Fang Muye stared at the grotto entrance, which remained still and silent, and gritted his teeth.

He couldn't accept losing to Jiang Che, and he refused to accept that Jiang Che had made it further than everyone else!

On the other hand, those who were on good terms with Jiang Che were already overwhelmed by a mixture of tremendous excitement and anxiety.

"Junior Brother Jiang… he… he's really still in there!" Xiao Mingqian stammered, so excited he was nearly incoherent.

"Mom! I told you so! I told you he could do it!" Tang Qiaoqiao shook Ye Lianzhen's arm vigorously, her face alight with excitement, as if she were sharing in his glory.

Ye Lianzhen looked at her daughter, then glanced at Xu Qingshan beside her. Though he was trying his best to remain calm, his slightly trembling hands betrayed his inner excitement.

She, too, felt both shocked and overjoyed.

Chen Jiayu, Xiao Qingge, and Qing Ling exchanged stunned glances, each seeing the same disbelief in the others' eyes.

"Just how many tricks does that guy have up his sleeve?" Xiao Qingge murmured to herself.

As for Gu Qingxuan, she simply watched the grotto entrance in silence.

For the first time, within her eyes, which were still clouded by her own Heart Demon, an emotion she could only identify as "curiosity" sparked toward another person.

Everyone.

Whether they were rooting for him or against him.

Whether they felt jealousy or anticipation.

In that moment, all of them were focused on Jiang Che!

...

Within the Mists of Heart Inquiry.

Jiang Che's consciousness was sinking into a vortex of darkness and blood.

The scene shifted again. He was now in the Yanluo Courtyard.

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