The atmosphere in the Great Hall was heavy enough to crush a Foundation Establishment cultivator. Sect Leader Lingyun sat atop his throne of white jade, his eyes narrowed into slits of cold lightning. In his hand, he held a slip of paper—one of Su Chen's "Login" flyers.
Su Chen knelt on the cold floor, sweat trickling down his neck. Beside him, Elder Feng looked like he wanted to vanish into the floorboards.
"Disciple Su," the Sect Leader's voice boomed, vibrating in Su Chen's very marrow. "I have heard whispers. My disciples are no longer meditating. They are sitting in silence, yes, but their expressions... they are twitching. They are smirking. Some are even weeping while staring at nothing."
He leaned forward, the pressure in the room doubling. "And I have seen this 'Sect-Gram.' A brave outer disciple showed it to me to save his own skin. Explain why there is a moving image of me... stumbling... circulating through the minds of my entire sect."
Su Chen took a deep breath. It was time for the ultimate "Tech Bro" pivot.
"Sect Leader," Su Chen said, projected with a confidence he didn't feel. "What you saw wasn't a mockery. It was a Beta Test for the 'Heavenly Mirror Project.' We aren't just sharing images; we are building a collective consciousness. Imagine: an Elder in the North Peak discovers a flaw in a technique. In the old days, it would take weeks to write a scroll and deliver it. Now? One click, and every disciple has the update."
The Sect Leader paused. The lightning in his eyes flickered. "One click?"
"Instantaneous knowledge transfer," Su Chen pushed. "But, such a powerful tool requires... moderation. Control. I can grant you Admin Privileges."
"Admin... Privileges?"
"You would have the power to 'Delete' heresy," Su Chen explained, miming a swiping motion. "You could 'Ban' troublesome disciples from the network. You could even pin your own 'Daily Wisdom' to the top of everyone's vision so they must read it before they can see anything else."
The silence in the hall stretched. Then, the Sect Leader's face softened into a look of profound, terrifying interest.
"Show me," he commanded. "This 'Admin' path... does it come with a blue checkmark?"