His confidence did not blind him.
He knew his standing perfectly. Acting peak master or not, he was still unproven. Forget inner peaks; many outer peaks saw him as nothing more than a caretaker for a dying White Lotus Peak.
The ceremony dragged on as the remaining candidates were picked over. Some elders lost interest, deeming them mediocre; others hesitated, weighing potential.
Su Ming waited.
He leaned slightly forward, careful not to draw attention, eyes scanning the hall with quiet patience. He had already identified several promising prospects with his Essence Sight, but one after another, they had been claimed by other elders.
He knew he had no other option, an acting Peak Master with no disciples, no prestige. He would not be able to snatch them from the hands of the giants.
But he had already decided to put an end to that today. It was time to put some weight behind his title.
"Lin Yao," the elder called.
A slender girl stepped forward. Su Ming noticed her immediately—her name echoing faintly across the hall. Elders glanced at her, uninterested.
Elder Li of Azure Peak frowned, voice low. "The talent is there, but nothing remarkable. She won't make an impact among the prodigies."
As Lin Yao stood in the center of the hall, whispers began to ripple through both elders and disciples.
"She's already fifteen, with no cultivation - how did she even manage the earlier trials?" one disciple muttered.
Another scoffed, "If she starts this late, catching up will be nearly impossible. By the time she lays a foundation, her peers will already be far ahead."
An elder with folded arms shook his head, voice low but cutting, "She has weak roots. Even if it sprouts, it will never bear fruit."
Elder Fang of Crimson Peak shook his head. "I agree. Perhaps in ten years, she could qualify as an inner disciple. For now… outer disciple is all she deserves."
"Elder Ye, you take her to your Yellow Moon Peak as an outer disciple," someone added.
Elder Ye's brows furrowed deeply, and he replied immediately. "No. If she cannot catch the eye of a master here, then she should return to the outer sect like the rest. I will not waste my resources on her."
One by one, elders voiced their judgments.
"Not enough potential."
"Too ordinary."
Each word seemed to strike harder than the last, and though Lin Yao's shoulders trembled and her grip on the sword tightened, she clenched her jaw, forcing herself to endure in silence.
Su Ming's gaze sharpened. He quietly activated his Essence Sight. For a heartbeat, he almost missed it—a faint light pulsed within her, a dark yet fiery glow. A subtle flicker within the void.
Interesting… An aura like the Frost Phoenix girl's, yet something is different. Something dormant perhaps?
The elder on stage sighed. "Move to the outer disciple section."
The girl froze. The words cut deep, but the fire in her eyes refused to die. Inside, she screamed silently. Please, I need a chance. An opportunity. I can prove myself. I'll do everything… I will work hard.... please…
She thought back to the night that had forged her resolve. Her village engulfed in flames, demonic beasts tearing through her home, screams still echoing in her ears. She had fought desperately with a makeshift sword, surviving where no one else had. Alone, scarred, abandoned. No help had come. She had buried her parents and siblings with her own hands, swearing never to be powerless again. That vow carried her here.
Now, all these rejections threatened to push back that resolve.
"Wait."
The word rang out like a clear bell.
All eyes turned. Su Ming was stepping forward, calm and deliberate. He extended his palm.
"I am Su Ming," he said, cutting through the whispers, "acting Peak Master of White Lotus Peak. Are you willing to be my disciple?"
The girl's eyes widened, disbelief and hope warring in her chest. An acting Peak Master—no, a Peak Master—was offering her a place.
Her body trembled. She stepped forward with resolve. This was her one chance to rise, to ensure no one she loved would ever be lost again.
"I… I am willing."
Whispers rippled through the vast hall.
"Very well", Su Ming nodded.
She dropped to her knees, pressing her forehead to the floor. "Disciple pays respects to Master."
"White Lotus Peak?" a young disciple muttered. "Isn't that the dead peak?"
"Hopeless," another sneered. "That girl is ruined."
Another sighed, "There are far better candidates with good potential, yet he sets his eyes on her? Perhaps out of pity… or perhaps White Lotus Peak has already given up."
An elder sneered in contempt. "She'll be lucky if she can find another peak later. The two of them together? Nothing but dead weight dragging each other down."
"She should've accepted becoming an outer disciple. Better that than tying herself to a caretaker with no future."
The words weren't random—they were deliberate jabs, meant for all to hear. Lin Yao's face paled, while Su Ming only stood calmly, arms folded as if the entire hall were beneath his notice.
Did I make the wrong choice? Doubt flickered in her eyes as whispers gnawed at her resolve. She was worried—hesitating, wondering if she had just tied her future to ruin.
But the mockery didn't end with the disciples.
From the elders' seats, a cold voice cut through. "A caretaker dares recruit? White Lotus Peak has already fallen. This charade must end." It was Elder Ren of Thunder Peak, his lips curled in disdain.
Another, Elder Fang of Crimson Peak, nodded. "Indeed. We cannot waste sect resources on a peak that has neither disciples nor a future. Handing out such positions lightly only weakens the sect."
Murmurs of agreement rose among the elders. Each word was a knife, not toward Su Ming alone, but toward Elder Xuan's legacy.
Yet not all joined the chorus. Elder Qingya's soft voice broke through the noise.
"White Lotus Peak was entrusted to Elder Xuan. Even in death, his will deserves respect. Su Ming was chosen as the successor. Are we to dishonor his judgment now?"
Another elder stroked his beard. "Brother Xuan did choose that lad as his successor. By sect rules, he has the right to choose her as a disciple."
Yet beneath his calm exterior, Su Ming's mind raced. None of this was a coincidence. Over the past month, he had tested not only the limits of his strength but also considered the limits of his authority and how to take advantage of that carefully.
Yes, he possessed a secret artifact that aided his comprehension - but it could not summon spirit stones or fill empty jars of herbs directly.
Even though the Heavenly Cloud Sect was rich, resources assigned to the outer peaks were limited. In truth, he had to struggle like any other disciple, competing for it.
So today, he played his only card in front of everyone. He could not afford to appear weak. The title of "Acting Peak Master" was meager, but it carried a sliver of authority—just enough to bear results, if wielded correctly.
The debate grew large, dividing the hall. Elders sneered, disciples whispered, and every gaze turned toward Su Ming.
***
Suddenly, from above descended the Sect Master himself. Jun Tianya, leader of the Heavenly Cloud Sect, floated down, robes of silver and azure flowing like storm clouds. His eyes were as deep as the endless skies, and his presence alone silenced the hall.
He looked directly at Su Ming. "White Lotus Peak." His voice was calm, but each word struck like thunder.
"Do you truly wish to take her as your disciple, and do you believe you can uphold Elder Xuan's legacy?"
The world seemed to hold its breath. Even Lin Yao shrank back, her hand tightening around her sword.
Su Ming bowed respectfully, "Yes," then stood tall and extended the note that came with his invitation.
But now the biggest fish has taken the bait. Now it's time to play my hand.
"It was also mentioned in the invitation, Sect Master."
Inside, his lips curled further. Previously, he had suspected that the note might not be an official instruction, and from the reactions of the Elders, it almost assured him of his suspicion.
He has decided, if he is going down, he will sink the entire ship.
The Sect Master was known for his righteousness, and Su Ming wanted to use that.
Even with the extreme difference in status and power, with this move of his, he got a direct audience with the Sect Leader in front of the biggest audience.
"With the least resources and support, I still reached Foundation Establishment," he said clearly.
Sure, the Foundation Establishment realm was nothing much. But his current cultivation—already at the late stages of Foundation Establishment before the age of thirty—placed him on the same level as many of the better Inner Disciples.
But becoming an elder was another matter altogether. To hold that title, one needed to be at the Core Formation realm, to say the least. And to become a Peak Master? That required more than cultivation. It demanded contributions and recognition within the sect.
A stir swept the hall. Murmurs broke out.