Infinite Regressor: SSS-Ranked Skill In Cultivation World!
Chapter 70: Forgotten Dark Forest (3)

Chapter 70: Forgotten Dark Forest (3)

From his concealment, Elder Wang’s eyes gleamed.

’Perfect. Shi Jing is being forced to reveal more of his capabilities.’

Shi Jing continued his apparent retreat, occasionally glancing over his shoulder with what looked like genuine concern.

"Burning your life force for a temporary power boost... how wasteful."

"Wasteful?" Fang Yu’s speed increased dramatically as the forbidden technique reached its peak. "I’ll show you wasteful when I paint these trees with your blood!"

The chase led them deeper into the forest, Elder Wang following at a safe distance. To his trained eye, it seemed like Shi Jing was genuinely struggling to maintain his lead.

But if Elder Wang could have seen Shi Jing’s face during the retreat, he would have noticed the subtle smile playing at the corners of his mouth.

’Three more minutes,’ Shi Jing calculated internally. ’At his current burn rate, Fang Yu will collapse from qi exhaustion in exactly three minutes. And we’re almost at the perfect location...’

Ahead of them, the forest opened into a small clearing dominated by a massive boulder formation.

’Now,’ Shi Jing decided, ’time to end this meaningless performance.’

He suddenly stopped running and turned to face his pursuer, his entire demeanor shifting in an instant from fleeing prey to the hunter.

"You know, Fang Yu," Shi Jing said conversationally as the blood-frenzied cultivator bore down on him.

"I’ve been wondering something. In your desperate flight from the Sword Cloud Manor, did you ever stop to consider that you might be running toward something without grasping the danger?"

Fang Yu’s eyes widened in sudden, terrible understanding, but his momentum carried him forward into the trap that had been three weeks in the making.

Fang Yu’s blood-enhanced strike came down like a crimson meteor, his sword crackling with destructive energy that could cleave through solid stone.

But as the blade descended toward Shi Jing’s head, something impossible happened.

Shi Jing caught the sword again—not between two fingers this time, but with his bare palm pressed against the flat of the blade.

The Blood Sacrifice Burst, a technique capable of temporarily elevating a cultivator’s power to the Late-Stage of Qi-Refinement, was stopped cold.

"How..." Fang Yu whispered, his face draining of color as he felt his life force continue to burn away uselessly.

"You asked what I am," Shi Jing said softly, his voice carrying an otherworldly calm. "The answer is simple. I am just a passerby."

With a gentle push, Shi Jing sent Fang Yu stumbling backward. The corrupted cultivator’s legs gave out beneath him as the Blood Sacrifice Burst finally consumed the last of his borrowed strength.

"Impossible," Fang Yu gasped, blood trickling from the corners of his mouth. "Your cultivation... it’s only Stage Qi-Refinement. I can sense it clearly..."

Shi Jing smiled enigmatically with a low whisper.

"Sensing cultivation levels... People rely too much on their senses. It makes it deceit easy, and tricks easier."

From his concealment, Elder Wang felt a chill run down his spine.

His thoughts were interrupted as Shi Jing began to move toward the fallen Fang Yu with unhurried steps.

"The Blood Corrosion Art," Shi Jing mused, crouching beside the weakened cultivator.

"An interesting technique. It consumes the life force of others to strengthen the user. I wonder, how many innocents did you kill to reach your current level?"

Fang Yu’s eyes blazed with extreme malice. "Dozens," he spat. "Men, women, children—their screams were music to my ears! And when I recover, I’ll add yours to the—"

His words were cut off as Shi Jing placed a single finger against his forehead.

"I see," Shi Jing said quietly.

As Fang Yu’s life force drained away, his body began to wither and age rapidly. Within moments, the Middle-Stage Qi-Refinement cultivator had become a desiccated corpse.

Shi Jing stood up slowly, as though he is greatly exhausted.

’Now,’ Elder Wang decided, his heart pounding. ’While he’s recovering from using such a draining battle. This is my only chance!’

Elder Wang burst from his concealment like a striking viper, his Wandering Sea Realm cultivation exploding outward in a display of overwhelming power.

His sword, wreathed in silver qi, aimed directly for Shi Jing’s back.

"Great Water Wheel Art - First Form!" Elder Wang roared, pouring his full strength into the sneak attack.

But as his blade was about to pierce Shi Jing’s heart from behind, the young man spoke without even turning around.

"Three weeks of following me, and this is the best opportunity you could find, Elder Wang?"

Elder Wang’s eyes widened in shock, but his momentum carried him forward.

At the last second, Shi Jing sidestepped with that same ghostly movement technique, causing Elder Wang to stumble forward into the clearing.

"You... you knew I was there?" Elder Wang stammered, quickly recovering his stance.

Shi Jing finally turned around, and Elder Wang felt his blood run cold. The young man’s eyes held the depth of someone who had lived far longer than his appearance.

"I have known," Shi Jing replied casually. "Did you really think a Wandering Sea Realm cultivator could trail me without my knowledge? The only question was when you would finally make your move."

Elder Wang’s mind raced. ’He knew all along? Then this entire confrontation with Fang Yu... was it all a trap for me?’

"You used Fang Yu as bait," Elder Wang realized aloud. "You wanted me to attack."

"Of course," Shi Jing nodded approvingly.

"A straightforward battle would have been... too difficult for me. Too many variables. But if I let you think you had the advantage, let you believe I was weakened from fighting Fang Yu..." He shrugged eloquently.

Elder Wang raised his sword defensively, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

"Foundation Establishment or not, you just fought a blood art cultivator, your essence must be emptied at this moment!"

"Are you sure about that?" Shi Jing interrupted, his aura suddenly spiking, stopping just at the Early Foundation Establishment.

Even at this moment, Shi Jing didn’t reveal his Peak Early Foundation Establishment Cultivation. Perhaps this minute act would make a significant impact later on.

"What... what are you?" Elder Wang whispered, his Wandering Sea Realm cultivation still pressed down on the air.

As a Wandering Sea expert, he should be able to kill Shi Jing easily, yet for some reason, he had a feeling that any rash action would get him killed instead!

Shi Jing’s smile was razor-sharp and utterly without mercy.

"I’m Shi Jing. And I want to know something," He said, his voice gradually turning into a curios whisper.

"What is the heavenly court?"

Boom!