Sect Leader Yun Miao listened quietly, the starry sky above his head swirling, as if he was making a final weighing of the situation.

A moment later, he made the decisive pronouncement.

"Since it is the will of heaven, it cannot be opposed."

As Yun Miao's voice fell, the spiritual pressure within the great hall relaxed.

"By my order."

"Su Ming, at Iron Wall Pass, has rendered meritorious service by organizing defenses in a crisis, by innovating combat methods, and by protecting the inheritance. Three merits to be rewarded."

Yun Miao flicked his fingers lightly, and three streams of light landed before Su Ming.

"First, the 'Border Defense True Seal' shall be temporarily nurtured and warmed by Su Ming. This matter is classified as a 'Heaven-Grade' secret of the sect. Those with knowledge are limited to the five of us within this pavilion today. Should the secret be leaked, regardless of status, it shall be treated as betraying the sect, with the soul banished to the Nine Netherworlds."

As he said this, the murderous aura on Peak Master Xing Yu erupted abruptly, sweeping across the entire hall, clearly serving as a final warning.

"Second, regarding the handling of the True Seal. Junior Brother Xuanheng is responsible for supervision, inspecting Su Ming's progress every three months to ensure the stability of the mark."

"Third, personal arrangements."

Yun Miao looked at Su Ming. "Promote Su Ming to a True Disciple of Formation Peak, studying under Xuanheng. Bestow the 'Gazing Star Cliff' Grade-A cave dwelling. Reward with one hundred thousand sect contribution points, three Foundation Establishment Pills, and grant access to the first six floors of the 'Myriad Scrolls Tower'." 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝚠𝕖𝐛𝗻𝗼𝐯𝕖𝚕.𝚌𝗼𝗺

Su Ming's heart shook violently.

True Disciple. This meant he had truly entered the core circle. And those one hundred thousand contribution points and three Foundation Establishment Pills were astronomical wealth.

"Many thanks, Sect Leader. Many thanks, Master." Su Ming prostrated himself and kowtowed, changing his address with lightning speed.

"Don't thank me yet."

Sect Leader Yun Miao's tone grew slightly heavier. "In this position, what you must bear is far heavier than you imagine. I give you one year. Within one year, you must achieve Foundation Establishment. If you cannot, for the safety of the True Seal, the sect will take extraordinary measures, even... stripping the mark."

Stripping the mark meant destroying one's foundation, even death.

A chill ran down Su Ming's back. "This disciple... accepts the order."

"There is one more matter you must know."

Sect Leader Yun Miao suddenly waved his hand, activating the surrounding soundproofing barriers to their maximum.

"The various factions of the Northern Border have activated their highest-level surveillance. According to reports from the Cloud Mirror Division, that insect king named 'Rockheart' is extremely cunning. Before its self-detonation, there were signs of a possible 'golden cicada sheds its shell' maneuver. It did not completely perish."

Su Ming's head snapped up, a flash of shock in his eyes.

"It's not dead?"

"A centipede dies but never stiffens. It is a variant born from the earth veins. As long as the earth veins of the Northern Border are not severed, it retains a thread of life." Yun Miao's gaze was as deep as an abyss, seeming to pierce through Su Ming and see the deeper earth below. "At this moment, it should be lying dormant in some deep, secluded part of the earth veins, licking its wounds, awaiting an opportunity to rise again."

Su Ming felt his heartbeat skip a beat, his back instantly soaked with cold sweat. Uncontrollably, his mind conjured the image of the endless darkness beneath the ruins of Iron Wall Pass, and within that darkness, a dark golden silhouette that might be slowly writhing and regenerating. This was not a distant threat, but a maimed but not-dead beast, currently lurking deep in the earth beneath his feet, ready to burst forth at any moment and bring destruction once more.

"You bear the Formation Heart, and your sensitivity to anomalies in the earth veins is acute." Yun Miao stared into Su Ming's eyes, enunciating each word clearly. "In your future cultivation, if you sense any abnormal underground fluctuations—even if it's just a trace of heart palpitation, a wisp of discordant spiritual energy tremor, or even just a strange dream—you must immediately report it to Xuanheng, or directly send a message to me using your True Disciple jade token."

"This is the true purpose for the sect keeping you, this 'living piece'."

A chill ran through Su Ming's heart.

So that's it.

The so-called "nurturing and warming" was actually using him as a human-shaped radar to search the vast earth veins for that monster that might revive.

"This job is not easy," Lin Yu sighed. "That thing has the foundation of a fourth-tier demon king. If it finds out you're monitoring it, we master and disciple will have to sleep with one eye open at night."

Su Ming nodded silently, burying this pressure deep within.

With this, the meeting concluded, and the overall situation was settled.

Su Ming was about to withdraw when his footsteps paused slightly. He hesitated for a moment, then cupped his hands again and said:

"Sect Leader, Master. This disciple still has one matter to clarify."

Xuanheng looked at him. "Speak."

"When this disciple was in the Outer Sect, I was fortunate to receive the appreciation of Vessel Hall's Elder Qingquan. Elder Qingquan once said that if I could return alive from Iron Wall Pass, he was willing to take me as a disciple and teach me the path of artifact forging. This disciple is grateful for his recognition and does not dare to conceal this."

This was a move Su Ming had considered carefully.

Elder Qingquan was a Golden Core late-stage artifact forging master. This connection could not be severed. Moreover, if Elder Qingquan came looking for him later, and Su Ming had already pledged himself to Formation Peak, it might create a rift between the two big shots. It was better to be forthright now, appearing open and honest.

"This kid is quite slick," the blurry figure brimming with vitality chuckled. "He's afraid of being caught between two fires, so he's reporting it first."

Hearing this, a trace of satisfaction instead appeared in Xuanheng's eyes.

In the world of cultivation, talent was important, but knowing when to advance and retreat was what allowed one to live long.

"I will personally speak to Qingquan."

Xuanheng waved his hand. "I know him. He has a straightforward temper and a sincere love for talent. But since you bear the Formation Heart, you should focus on the path of formations as your foundation and not be distracted. However..."

Xuanheng pondered for a moment. "Formations and artifacts are of the same family. I can permit you to concurrently study the practical formation arrays of the Vessel Hall. You can hold the title of a Nominal Disciple under Qingquan, and go to consult him often. I imagine Qingquan won't refuse to give me this face."

"Many thanks, Master, for your understanding!" The heavy stone in Su Ming's heart finally landed.

True Disciple plus Nominal Disciple. Offending neither side, and able to benefit from resources from both. This wave was stable.

"Go."

Sect Leader Yun Miao waved his sleeve, signaling the meeting's end.

Su Ming bowed and took his leave, step by step retreating from the great hall.

Just as his figure was about to cross the threshold of the hall, a voice as fine as a gossamer thread suddenly sounded in his ear. It was a secret voice transmission.

"Before Junior Brother Ma entered seclusion, he played a game of chess with me."

Su Ming's footsteps paused, but he did not turn around. This voice belonged to Xuanheng.

"He said he wanted to find a 'rivet' for the sect. Not seeking it to be sharp as a sword, cutting through everything; but seeking it to be tough as iron, able to be nailed fast at a critical point, maintaining the overall situation from collapse."

"Observing you today, you indeed possess that tenacity."

"Do not fail his expectations, and do not fail Junior Brother Mo's life-entrusting sacrifice."

Su Ming's heart contracted violently.

In that instant, images flashed in his mind: that Elder Ma who always sat in the back mountains of the Enforcement Hall, smiling as he looked at him, and that blue-robed middle-aged man who moved pieces silently on the chessboard.

So, the clues were there all along, the foreshadowing had long been laid.

So, the so-called "test" had already begun when he was still in the Repair Hall, fixing his first formation plate.

Su Ming stood at the threshold, his back to the lofty figures within the great hall, and took a deep breath.

He did not reply. Instead, he solemnly straightened his robes and headwear, and bowed deeply toward the void.

"This disciple... will certainly not fail the sect's trust, nor the hopes of the heroic spirits."

This bow was reverence for authority, and also a promise to that old man.

The starlight gradually dimmed, and the great doors slowly closed.

Su Ming was gently escorted out of the Starfall Pavilion by a soft force.