Just as Chen Yan had said.
From the moment he began climbing Heavenly Summit Mountain, he had sensed the presence of a Qi Sea Realm cultivator positioned two thousand zhang or so up from the mountain foot.
Logically speaking, those Martial Spring Realm cultivators trying to climb Heavenly Summit Mountain were risking everything for a spot at the Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry, a chance to make a name for themselves.
But what was that Qi Sea Realm cultivator doing up on the mountain?
Something felt off.
Chen Yan thought so to himself.
After roughly less than an hour more, Chen Yan and Su Hongzhen climbed another thousand zhang or so, and on the necessary path up Heavenly Summit Mountain, they saw the figure of that Qi Sea Realm cultivator.
The Qi Sea cultivator was wearing a dark-golden daoist robe, which made him stand out.
His hair had turned gray with age and was tied back, making him look about seventy years old.
Although Chen Yan and Little Su did not exchange words, they behaved with perfect tacit understanding.
They ignored the Qi Sea elder blocking the mountain waist in the dark-golden robe and continued upward.
"Two young friends, please wait."
As Chen Yan and Su Hongzhen were about to pass the Qi Sea elder standing at the mountain waist, the elder called out to them.
He also faintly let his true qi pressure radiate.
Although the true qi pressure of this Qi Sea cultivator had no real effect on Chen Yan,
it did make Su Hongzhen feel his meridians' qi circulation slow down somewhat.
Chen Yan said nothing, only gave Su Hongzhen a slight look.
Little Su instantly understood. He turned, cupped his hands, bowed toward the Qi Sea elder, and then said:
"Esteemed Senior, may I ask what you need?"
"Since you’re heading to Heavenly Summit Mountain at this time, you two must be Martial Spring Realm cultivators, right?"
the Qi Sea elder said.
"That's right."
This time it was Chen Yan who answered.
"Promising youngsters indeed. I’m sure both of you will accomplish great things in the future."
The Qi Sea elder in the dark-golden robe, with his gray hair, smiled.
"Thank you for your kind words, Senior."
Su Hongzhen replied.
"However, the Dao Inquiry Assembly of Chenping Continent is the cultivation world's once-in-ten-years grand event. If you’ve not received invitations from the Five Great Sects, coming here in person—what sort of propriety is that?"
The Qi Sea elder's expression gradually turned serious, and he raised his chin slightly, looking very arrogant.
"So, Senior means..." Su Hongzhen continued.
"I can write two letters of recommendation for you young friends. When you arrive at Heavenly Summit Mountain, matters will naturally be easier. But I won't write them for free. I will require a number of spirit stones as payment."
As he spoke, the Qi Sea elder extended his right hand and spread all five fingers:
"Fifty high-grade spirit stones for one letter, a hundred high-grade spirit stones for two."
"......"
On hearing this, both Chen Yan and Su Hongzhen were slightly stunned.
Wasn't this outright robbery?
And to demand fifty high-grade spirit stones right off the bat—what ordinary cultivator could casually produce such a fortune?
Moreover, the cultivators attempting to climb Heavenly Summit Mountain were young people under twenty.
Even those exceptional youths who reached Martial Spring before twenty might have backing from other forces, but fifty high-grade spirit stones was still a sum almost no one could immediately cough up.
"That price seems a bit unreasonable, don't you think?"
Chen Yan said calmly.
"Unreasonable?"
The Qi Sea elder in the dark-golden robe immediately wore a displeased expression:
"Kid, do you know who I am? I personally write recommendation letters for you two and only ask for fifty high-grade spirit stones, and you still call that unreasonable? Let me tell you now, without my recommendation letters, don’t even think about stepping through the gates of Heavenly Summit Mountain!"
Chen Yan listened and couldn't help but find it amusing inside.
If this were a less experienced, more naive young cultivator, he might actually be frightened by such words.
"But between the two of us, we don’t have enough spirit stones to make up fifty high-grade spirit stones," Chen Yan continued. "Could you be flexible?"
"How many can you muster?"
The Qi Sea elder looked rather impatient.
"Maybe only seven or eight high-grade spirit stones."
"That's not enough."
The elder directly refused Chen Yan and shook his head.
Then he fixed his gaze on the sword scabbard hanging at Su Hongzhen's waist and his eyes brightened:
"Young friend, is that scabbard an ancient relic from Heavenly Summit Mountain?"
Su Hongzhen gently supported the scabbard at his waist with his hand and replied:
"What do you think, Senior?"
"This scabbard is indeed not bad. I’d say it’s worth at least a hundred high-grade spirit stones. If so, give me that scabbard and I will write the recommendation letters for you two!"
the Qi Sea elder declared.
In truth, regarding sheer strength, a Qi Sea cultivator like him could simply take the scabbard by force.
But he did not dare do so.
He was under the gaze of the Five Great Sects; causing trouble here would be suicidal unless he wanted to die.
Still, he sought profit in danger.
If he could extort some spirit stones from these greenhorns, all the better.
If extortion failed, the sly old man had other ways to make these Martial Spring youths miserable, to squeeze something out of them.
This dark-golden robed Qi Sea elder seemed to know some ancient relics, enough to recognize that the scabbard at Su Hongzhen's waist came from Heavenly Summit Mountain.
However, that the scabbard had once belonged to Realman Cangyue was beyond his knowledge and experience; he could not have recognized that.
"Actually, I still have a question."
Chen Yan asked:
"Why would the Five Great Sects accept a recommendation letter personally written by you?"
"What is wrong with you kid—what kind of question is that?"
The Qi Sea elder looked increasingly annoyed at Chen Yan:
"Of course it's because I am a sect elder of the Five Great Sects!"