Su Lan Favourability

Meng Hao stood quietly on the wide stone platform, his robes fluttering gently in the evening breeze. Around him, dozens of outer sect disciples murmured in low voices, their eyes flickering between the seven glowing doors and the elevated stage where the Peak Masters sat like celestial judges. But Meng Hao's attention was suddenly drawn elsewhere—not by the glowing doors, not by the whispering crowd, but by a crisp notification from the system that bloomed before his eyes with a light chime.

At first, he ignored it like all the others, expecting it to be yet another frivolous declaration of someone's obsession, admiration, or delusion.

But when his eyes casually glanced over the contents, his heart skipped a beat.

[Su Lan – Sixth Peak Master]

Cultivation: Nascent Soul Late Stage

Status: Single

Known for: Rejecting all male disciples

Personality: Cold, Dispassionate, Untamed

Affinity: ★☆☆☆☆

(Interested in you. Has never seen a boy more beautiful than you. However, she is restraining herself. While your appearance is beyond any male she has ever encountered, it is not yet sufficient to make her forsake her pride and approach you.)

Tips: She values dedication to the Dao above appearances. She is watching to see if you have the resolve worthy of the path she walks.

Meng Hao blinked, stunned.

"…What?"

For the first time since stepping into the teleportation portal, genuine confusion rippled across his expression. He had received many odd messages from the system—declarations of infatuation, dramatic admiration, and even a few… unsettling levels of obsession. But never had he received a notification like this.

Su Lan. The Su Lan.

The Sixth Peak Master of Heaven Gathering Sect. A woman known across the region as the embodiment of cold asceticism, who had never so much as spoken a word to a male disciple with personal interest. Let alone considered taking one under her tutelage.

A few moments passed as Meng Hao reread the message, and then… a small smile curved his lips.

"I see now…" he muttered under his breath, eyes gleaming with a strange light. "So my future master is someone far more concerned about her image than I expected. Still, that has nothing to do with me."

His voice was soft, but steady.

"What matters," he continued, "is how I can become the first male disciple she has ever taken. One who's been rejected by every man before him—what a challenge. This… this is the kind of mission I've been waiting for."

The smile deepened. There was no arrogance in his tone, only a calm certainty—one born not from delusion, but a kind of calculated boldness.

He placed his hands behind his back and stood there silently, his gaze shifting toward the sixth door that glowed faintly with the colors of frost and starlight.

From above the stage, unseen by him, the Peak Masters were still watching.

Liu Mei, the Sect Master, had leaned forward slightly in her crimson seat. Though her expression remained composed, her eyes shimmered with intrigue as she glanced at her junior sister beside her.

Su Lan remained silent, arms folded, her gaze fixed on the group of disciples below—but there was a subtle focus in her eyes, a hint of disturbance that few could notice.

Liu Mei had known Su Lan for centuries. From the beginning of their cultivation journey to the height of Nascent Soul, she had watched her walk a solitary path—untouched by sentiment, unshaken by desire, and entirely devoted to the Dao. Even after becoming a Peak Master, Su Lan had been ruthlessly selective. Among the hundreds of hopefuls, she had only ever accepted a small number of disciples—and every single one had been female, and exceptional beyond question.

That cold indifference was part of what made Su Lan so feared and respected.

And now… now she was interested in a disciple?

Liu Mei raised an eyebrow, amused. "Junior Sister Su Lan," she said with a trace of teasing curiosity, "do you truly have your eye on someone other than Li Yao?"

Su Lan didn't immediately reply. Her lips pressed into a thin line as her cold eyes scanned the platform below once more.

Then, she gave a small nod. "It's nothing significant," she replied calmly. "Just curiosity. If he turns out to be what I expect… I may consider him. If not—he's not worth my attention."

She scoffed lightly as if brushing off the matter entirely. Yet even her scoff carried the weight of decision.

Liu Mei's smile widened. The other elders around them, most of whom had remained impassive throughout the ceremony, visibly stirred. A few blinked, clearly shocked. One elder even muttered, "Su Lan… interested in a male disciple? That's… unheard of."

Even Liu Mei, as composed as she was, could not hide her surprise. "You've never even considered taking a male disciple before," she murmured. "And now you're interested in someone who isn't even first place?"

The stage fell into momentary silence.

Then, one of the younger Peak Mistresses leaned forward. "Who is this boy?" she asked with interest. "To catch the eye of the Ice Flower of the Sixth Peak… he must be something special."

Liu Mei didn't answer. Instead, her eyes narrowed slightly, following the direction of Su Lan's gaze—and there, she saw him.

Meng Hao. Standing alone. Calm. Quiet. With a presence too still to be ordinary.

She couldn't help but chuckle.

"Interesting," Liu Mei murmured. "Very interesting."