Infinite Regressor: SSS-Ranked Skill In Cultivation World!
Chapter 48: Reputation and Expectations

Chapter 48: Reputation and Expectations

"Upper Rank C," Elder Wang’s voice finally cut through the stunned quiet, his tone flat and matter-of-fact.

The words hit the crowd like a thunderclap.

After all the buildup, all the anticipation and raised expectations, the prodigy who had vanished for three months had returned with... mediocre talent at best.

"Upper Rank C?" someone whispered in disbelief.

"That’s... that’s barely above average."

"What happened to him?"

The disappointment was palpable.

Disciples who had been straining to get a better view now stepped back, shaking their heads. The electric atmosphere deflated like a punctured balloon.

Zhao Gongzu’s expression transformed from jealous fury to satisfaction.

A slow, mocking smile spread across his features as he looked at the weak glow emanating from the crystal.

"A useless waste of time."

He sneered, his voice carrying just loud enough for those nearby to hear.

Even Elder Chen looked stunned, his earlier confidence shattered. He stared at the crystal’s feeble light as if he couldn’t believe his own eyes.

"Impossible," Fang Zheng muttered. The result startled him.

"Six months ago, his cultivation was already at the peak of body tempering. How could his aptitude be so... ordinary?"

However, Elder Wang shook his head with a deep sigh as he remarked.

"Before Qi-Refinement, aptitude is difficult to grasp. After all, body refinement is body refinement, essence cultivation is different from body refinement."

His words didn’t lessened the people’s disappointment or ridicules.

"There have been many case of talented individuals who could complete their body refinement quickly, but show a lesser degree of talent for essence cultivation."

In actuality, upper rank C is somewhat above average. Neither great nor bad. Normally, this sort of aptitude would not be ridiculed or praised.

However, Shi Jing understood the truth. As a matured transmigrator from earth, how could he not grasp the heart of people?

People and their expectation are like fleeting clouds, passing at one moment, and disappear another.

At the same time, these fleeting clouds can push ordinary things toward the heaven before disappearing, causing them to fall toward the earth again.

Upon thinking of this, he shook his head while returning to his corner.

Perhaps if disappointment could kill, then he would be stabbed a hundred time by now. But Shi Jing was not one to lament and lampooned about reputation and expectation.

Despite this revelation, he wasn’t discourage in the slightest. In fact, Shi Jing was satisfied with this outcome.

The way he saw this, the sword cloud manor organization is no different from a corporate office. Politics and conflict are rampant while people’s intention and ploy are even more concealed.

In the midst of this, it was best to keep himself low and only appear when necessary. The missing Ming Ye is a testament to this.

Despite senior Ming Feng status and influence, even Ming Ye disappeared with his fate unknown. Shi Jing was just an ’ordinary’ person, how can he even compare?

Another example is Elder Wang.

Just by entering the Sword Cloud Manor, he has already encountered this mysterious figure.

Who know what other secret and danger lurked within this manor?

Not to mention.

’I have never relied on my aptitude to cultivate this far... The system, my regression, as well as my talent for comprehension is the true source of my foundation!’

So as long as any of these variable remain unaffected, then Shi Jing believed that in the end, he can rise on top!

After Shi Jing’s poor performance, the crowd was silent.

In the midst of this, the two figure who was most confused was Xing Yue, and Supreme Elder Tian Long’s.

’How is this possible? He is clearly at the Peak of Qi-Refinement at the very least, his cultivation is even higher than Zhao Gongzu from the Zhao Family... Even if he has enough resources, without sufficient aptitude, it is impossible to bridge this gap!’

Xing Yue frowned upon thinking along this line.

But Tian Long’s thought was different.

’Aptitude cannot be faked! Even with my experience, I have never met anyone who can faked this... That means his aptitude is truly poor, but for him to have this cultivation... It must be due to an extremely ancient inheritance!’

This was the only explanation he could think of. At the same time, his eyes grew cold and a hint of greed appeared in his heart.

A child with such poor talent meant that he has no bloodline of significance... It can even be said that Shi Jing’s background is ordinary.

Just from this first round alone, Tian Long was able to deduced many information regarding Shi Jing.

At this moment, Elder Wang cold voice awaken the crowd.

"You, come up!" He said, pointing at Ye Ming’s position.

Seeing this person, Shi Jing’s eyes lit up unnoticeably.

His appearance was ordinary except for his indifferent expression which resemble that of a puppet. But as Shi Jing swept him over with his spiritual essence, it has a life imprint.

’Why do I have a strange feeling toward this person?...’ In his mind, he was confused.

The reason for his confusion stems from his own intuition. Clearly, this is the first time Shi Jing saw this person.

Yet, why does he feel this strange sensation, as though he has met Ye Ming before?

Regardless of Shi Jing’s thought, Ye Ming walked toward the Earth-Refining Stone.

Looking at this stone, his eyes was dazed. But for an instant of a moment, Shi Jing saw a strange flicker of light in his pupil.

Then, Ye Ming looked up, as though he regained a semblance of life and raised his hand to touched the stone.

The reaction was immediate and shocking. A dazzling, deep red light shot dozens of meter toward the sky.

The crimson pillar of light pierced the heavens like a divine spear, casting everything in an otherworldly red glow.

For several heartbeats, absolute silence reigned—a silence so profound it seemed to swallow sound itself.

Then Elder Wang’s voice shattered the quiet, desolate platform.

"Upper Rank A."