At the Heavenly Summit Mountain ferry, people came and went.
Anyone who could appear on Heavenly Summit Mountain at this time, aside from those from cultivation sects backed by great powers at the Passable God Realm or above who were leading teams—such as powerful elders and mid-level cadres—were all outstanding young disciples from various sects.
In fact, aside from the deeply rooted Five Great Sects, roughly seven out of every ten of the most promising young cultivator sprouts on Chenping Continent over the past decade had gathered here on Heavenly Summit Mountain.
Wearing the pure white daoist robes of Kongyuan Mountain, with gold-threaded cloud crane patterns embroidered on the sleeves, a clear void extended three zhang around Li Haoran.
Few dared to recklessly approach this chief disciple of Kongyuan Mountain.
On the contrary, at a corner of the Heavenly Summit Mountain ferry, a young cultivator in plain-colored daoist robes had one cultivator after another brushing past him.
Although he wore a nameless token from Heavenly Summit Mountain at his waist, now that nearly sixty thousand years had passed since the mountain's destruction, no one took the token seriously.
Most cultivators only regarded Heavenly Summit Mountain's token as a collectible.
In fact, a whole industry chain had formed around replicas of Heavenly Summit Mountain's daoist robes and tokens on Chenping Continent's cultivation world.
"Unexpected, Senior, that you would also come to Heavenly Summit Mountain."
The crowd parted naturally on both sides, clearing a path for Li Haoran until he stood before Mr. You and bowed slightly, clasping his hands in salute.
"I have an appointment with someone, so I came."
As Mr. You spoke, his gaze swept over the cultivators on the ferry who were staring at him with curiosity and awe.
"It's quite stressful talking to the chief disciple of Kongyuan Mountain."
Mr. You said this as if teasing Li Haoran.
Hearing this, Li Haoran turned his head slightly, glanced at the people around him, and replied calmly:
"That was my oversight."
"No harm done."
Mr. You shook his head.
Li Haoran naturally knew what kind of important figure the young cultivator in plain-colored daoist robes standing before him was.
After all, as the one most favored by the Four Supreme Courts to become the fourth Immortal Ascension Steward of the Kongshan Sect—despite still only being a Martial Spring Realm cultivator—Li Haoran had considerable knowledge about the Upper Three Realms and the Realms Above Immortality.
Someone who could glimpse his future cause and effect like that had to be at least at the Immortal Ascension Realm or above.
So, after Li Haoran brought this seemingly young senior in plain-colored daoist robes into the Kongshan Sect, without any hesitation, he directly took him to the sect's Supreme Pivot Court.
But what exactly this senior in plain-colored daoist robes had said to the Supreme Pivot Elder after meeting him was something Li Haoran had no way of knowing.
"So, Senior, are you waiting for someone here right now?" Li Haoran asked.
"More or less." Mr. You nodded. "Interested?"
"Of course I'm curious about what kind of person could make Senior wait here," Li Haoran said with a smile.
"You'll meet one of them," Mr. You continued.
"Why?" Li Haoran asked.
"Because, at the Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry, you'll definitely cross paths with that little fellow," Mr. You said.
"Then... will I win?" Li Haoran seemed quite curious about the answer.
"What do you think?" Mr. You teased again.
"Since Senior says that, I think I already have an idea," Li Haoran said with just a smile, showing no displeasure at Mr. You's prediction.
"Still, I'll try to win," Li Haoran added immediately.
"I appreciate that attitude," Mr. You said.
"Thank you for the compliment, Senior," Li Haoran replied. "So... what about the other one?"
"The other one?" The senior in plain-colored daoist robes stood there, merely raising an eyebrow.
"Since Senior said I'd meet one of them, what about the other?" Li Haoran asked.
"You'll meet that one eventually too," Mr. You said slowly, his gaze then passing over Li Haoran to the ferryboats in the air at the Heavenly Summit Mountain ferry.
He had been waiting here all along for Chen Yan and Su Hongzhen to arrive.
But what Mr. You didn't know was that Chen Yan and Su Hongzhen hadn't taken a boat.
...
Heavenly Summit Mountain, seven thousand five hundred zhang.
Starting from the fifteen hundred zhang mark, the air temperature had already become bitterly cold, with the rock layers and soil underfoot beginning to freeze.
The mountain itself was completely covered in a thin layer of frost.
By seven thousand five hundred zhang, the altitude could almost be described as "high altitude."
Chen Yan and Su Hongzhen had even passed through multiple cloud layers several times, while Heavenly Summit Mountain's surface was buried under several zhang of accumulated snow.
Beneath the snow lay thick, solid ice.
At this altitude, among the dozens of young cultivators who were climbing Heavenly Summit Mountain—those who hadn't earned the right to participate in the Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry but had still broken through to the Martial Spring Realm before age twenty—Chen Yan and Su Hongzhen had completely left everyone else in the dust.
Eight hundred zhang to go.
The sky at this height was an incredibly clear blue, making the Heavenly Summit Palace suspended above the mountain especially dazzling under the sunlight.
"Eight hundred zhang to go—want to rest?"
Chen Yan turned his head and asked Su Hongzhen, who was following behind him.
"..."
Su Hongzhen didn't speak, only shook his head.
Su Hongzhen looked like he was struggling considerably.
He held the Xun-Li Sword in his hand, channeling a trace of his true qi into it, using the crimson flame emitted by the blade to warm himself.
For Heavenly Summit Mountain, which stood over eight thousand zhang tall, the four thousand zhang stretch from four thousand to eight thousand zhang was the most difficult part.
Because the snow that nearly covered the entire mountain couldn't bear any weight at all.
That was exactly why those other young Martial Spring Realm cultivators trying to climb Heavenly Summit Mountain were having such a hard time—every step they took cost a massive amount of effort.
But Su Hongzhen didn't have that problem.
Every step he took left almost no trace in the snow, as he kept following closely behind Chen Yan—who moved as if walking on flat ground—climbing toward the summit.
And Su Hongzhen's feat was almost no different from the airwalking that only Qi Sea Realm cultivators could achieve.