Arrogance

As Yasuo pondered the worst possible scenarios that could arise during the cultivation test, his thoughts were abruptly interrupted by the sound of the first student being called.

"Sunny!" Professor Nat announced, his voice cutting through the murmur of the room being built up once again as he summoned the first student.

"Oh, we're starting with Sunny? One of the top students in our class—and one of the most handsome?"

"It seems like many first-row students have been keeping an eye on him given his background, so I reckon he won't be anything less than average talent."

Sunny stood up and immediately heard a few girls chattering incessantly about him in class. At the same time, he also attracted starry-eyed infatuations from his rivals.

Sunny's expression was indifferent. However, his eyes revealed that he enjoyed others discussing him.

He walked to the front and stood before Professor Nat with a humble and confident smile.

"Sunny, you're from the Sun Family, renowned for its second-grade martial arts sunshine, right?" Professor Nat asked with a slight smile.

"Right."

"Good, if you awaken above-average talent, you will be superior to others. However, don't forget to put in the effort. After all, talent isn't the decisive aspect of everything."

Sunny nodded, but he thought to himself, 'Yes, talent can't decide everything, but without talent and family resources, then one would have to live forever at the bottom of society,'

As his thoughts wandered, he couldn't help but recall an arrogant classmate whose mere memory made his blood boil. Each recollection brought back the humiliation he had endured during his first year of high school, a pain etched deep into his very bones.

Quickly brushing away those nightmares he had to sleep through during the first couple of years, he focused on the crucial matter at hand for now.

"Those with the top two talents will receive many benefits and resources to aid in their cultivation by the director of Nordo High School; as for those with the three talents below those, you don't have to worry. Although the support won't be on the same level as those two, it will be enough to support you for the first year till you join an organization." Professor Nat instructed.

His words were intended to reassure the group, but mentioning only a year of support greatly burdened the students. Who felt that time and dedication would play a massive part in their future years.

"We will measure your cultivation talent using this orb, which we call Power Stone," Professor Nat announced, holding up a gleaming white sphere. Simply place your hand on it and focus. The color and brightness it emits will reveal your cultivation potential."

"Now come Sunny, and do as told."

With permission from Professor Nat, Sunny slowly placed his hands on the floating Power Stone.

A thick, triangle-shaped compass and a clear palm print on the Power Stone emerged. Sunny seemed tranquil, but his heart was nervous as he placed his hands on the Power Stone…

Thanks to his family's ownership of multiple businesses across New York City, including hotels and casinos, and its allegiance to the powerful Dokin Family, it had grown into a formidable force in America. Over time, it nurtured numerous Foundation Establishment cultivators, with a few even advancing to the Golden Core level.

Sunny knew his family expected nothing less than an above-average performance in this assessment. If he fell short of that, his standing within the family would plummet to its lowest point. He would become the target of ridicule and might even be sent to the frontlines.

Deducing all the possible outcomes of his life if he turned out to be of low talent, he steeled his heart.

As he placed his hands on the Power Stone, a brilliant blue light erupted. Professor Nat's expression shifted instantly, revealing a look of genuine joy. " Above-average talent, well done, Sunny. Your future won't be anything less than the geniuses you see on TV and the ones you hear about."

Professor Nat was genuinely happy to see this and couldn't help but expect more good talents among his students.

These three high school years in this class significantly affected his mentality and body. At one point, he even considered retiring, but recalling that the duration was only a short few years, he kept on enduring.

Hearing his words and seeing his reaction, Sunny grinned from side to side.' Since I secured my position in the family, I can finally think of how to repay my 'kind-hearted' classmate, ' he thought, waiting for the day when the embarrassment and fury inside him would be extinguished.

Next in line was another middle-row student. As he placed his hands on the Power Stone, a yellow light that was way fainter than the one emitted by Sunny erupted. Professor Nat's eyes showed concern as he comforted," Low talent, but don't be too disheartened with it; there were several cases of such talents that stumbled upon a treasure or even became famous and reached high cultivation level with that same low talent."

Although the student's eyes turned from expectation to helplessness and disappointment, he still smiled at Professor Nat and thanked him for his comforting words. Then, he turned out and left, his eyes turning red as a tear dropped from his cheek onto his chin and onto the floor.

'This is why stealing students' hearts plus nerves and giving them proper education, especially in real-life struggles and hardships, is important,' Yasuo thought as he saw the scene of the broken kid.

"Next…"

"Next…"

"Next..."

The students stepped forward one by one and underwent the assessment. Their talents ranged from Low to average, with only a couple above average, including Sunny, and several non-existent talents for cultivation.

When the results showed only the bottom two talents among all the following students, neither Professor Nat nor Brian commented or reacted outwardly. However, inwardly, they felt a mix of displeasure and, perhaps more accurately, concern.

'More and more bottom talents in these past years. Is our earth gonna run into a crisis in the next fifty years because of this weird situation?' Brian couldn't help but recall the document the cultivator's organization vice leader gave him a month ago, a bad feeling blooming in the depths of his heart.

'As long as I have even a low talent, I'll be okay with this reincarnation,' Yasuo inwardly thought as he stood up from his seat, not even waiting for the professor to call him out.