Su Hongzhen.
Li Haoran silently repeated the name in his mind, then nodded.
It must be said, this young man, who looked about the same age as himself, had a very good name.
Hearing it once was enough to leave a strong impression.
"Fellow Daoist Su, please follow me."
Li Haoran said softly, his voice still gentle. He then turned and walked on, the sleeves of his pure white robe fluttering in the wind, the gilded cloud-and-crane embroidery lifelike as if gliding through the air, exceedingly beautiful.
Little Su paused in place for a breath, then finally took a step and matched Li Haoran's pace.
When Su Hongzhen heard the other’s name, he was slightly surprised.
He had not expected that, when asking for directions, he would end up directly addressing the chief disciple of Kongyuan Mountain from the Kongshan Sect.
So he chose Li Haoran.
At first, Little Su had actually doubted Li Haoran's identity, thinking he might be deceiving him.
The knowledge of the robe colors for the Five Great Sects had been taught to him by Zhou Jinyun four years ago.
Mirage Palace was deep indigo, Lingxiao Temple red-gold, Star Heaven Sect crimson-purple, Kongshan Sect pure white, Wind Ravine Valley azure blue.
But back then, Little Zhou had not explained the distinctions between the robes of each peak in such detail.
One reason Su Hongzhen confirmed that the mild-mannered youth before him really was the chief disciple of Kongyuan Mountain of the Kongshan Sect was that he remembered the crane motif was indeed a symbol of the Kongshan Sect, or more specifically of Kongyuan Mountain.
Another reason was the jade token hanging at Li Haoran's waist.
It was carved with the four characters “Kongyuan Chief Disciple.”
Su Hongzhen did not believe that anyone on Heavenly Summit Mountain would dare forge a Five Great Sects token and wander about.
Kongyuan Mountain chief disciple…
Little Su pondered for a moment. He remembered Chen Yan’s teachings: no matter the situation or who the other person was, calling someone "Your Excellency" would rarely be too impolite. If the person appeared much older, it was better to call them "Senior." If one knew the person's position within their sect, one could address them by that title.
In other words, the best form of address for the Kongshan Sect disciple before him was "Chief Li."
Walking directly behind this renowned Kongyuan Mountain chief disciple, Su Hongzhen naturally drew a lot of attention.
The two walked together across the Daoyan Arena toward the eastern raised platform, where Star Heaven Sect's outer court disciples were stationed.
Along the way, many gazes fell on the sword scabbard at the waist of the youth in the cyan robe, whose eyebrows and eyes carried a free, unrestrained air.
This was Heavenly Summit Mountain.
Young cultivators who qualified to participate in the Dao Inquiry Assembly of Chenping Continent, or even the Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry, were all the rarest of prodigies among their peers.
Especially those sent by top-tier cultivation sects—Heavenly Summit Dao inquirers from prominent sects were the cream of the crop among already exceptional talents.
Their excellence extended beyond innate talent; their horizons were equally broad.
These well-traveled young elites could immediately recognize that the sword scabbard hanging from the youth in the cyan robe was an ancient relic left on Heavenly Summit Mountain.
Those eligible to enter the contemporary elite circles of Chenping Continent could even tell that this scabbard was not merely an ordinary ancient piece from Heavenly Summit Mountain; it was the scabbard once used by Cangyue Realman, the fifth-generation Steward of Heavenly Summit Mountain and the former Ascension Steward.
It had been the very blade that He An of the Unmoving Sword Sect had once been determined to possess.
The prodigies who recognized the scabbard stared at it for a moment, then lifted their heads and shot meaning-laden looks at Su Hongzhen.
This kid trailing Chief Li—could he be a rogue cultivator recommended by the Kongshan Sect to participate in the Heavenly Summit Dao?
Whether or not he was officially recommended, they all knew this youngster was probably heading for big trouble.
In this generation of young disciples, He An—the South Region’s top swordsman—did not earn his title lightly.
The Unmoving Sword Sect’s status in the southern territories of Chenping Continent easily placed it among the top five sects in the South, its foundation impressively deep.
In nearly three centuries, the best result the Unmoving Sword Sect achieved at the Heavenly Summit Dao was reaching the top sixteen.
Back then, their participant was He Rui, He An’s grandfather and the current sect leader.
During that Dao Inquiry, in his second-to-last round, He Rui even defeated the chief disciple of Wind Ravine Valley's Huiyi Ravine.
In a subsequent duel, He Rui narrowly lost to the chief disciple from Lingxiao Temple’s Dusheng Stage.
As for He An, when he was only eight years old ten years ago, He Rui had begun loudly proclaiming that his grandson’s cultivation and sword talent would surpass his own.
In fact, He An later showed a talent fully living up to He Rui’s praise—more than sufficient to qualify as a chief disciple of one of the Five Great Sects.
Even so, He Rui never dreamed of asking his treasured grandson to compete for the champion spot at this Dao Inquiry.
The reason was simple: there was no hope.
This era was perhaps the most prosperous age in nearly ten thousand years for the cultivation world of Chenping Continent.
People were dreaming of an upcoming new golden age of cultivation.
Li Haoran walked with measured steps, his white robe trailing like drifting clouds, naturally guiding the way.
One after the other, they passed through the crowd and soon saw the Star Heaven Sect disciples in outer court robes stationed on the raised platform of the Daoyan Arena.
The closer they drew, the more the surrounding noise faded.
Though those on duty were only Star Heaven Sect outer court disciples, on Heavenly Summit Mountain they still upheld the mountain’s unique order and dignity.
"By the way, fellow Daoist."
Li Haoran, who walked ahead, did not turn; he just spoke to Su Hongzhen:
"I haven't asked which sect recommended you to participate in the Heavenly Summit Dao…"
"Mirage Palace."
Su Hongzhen answered.
"So it is Mirage Palace."
Li Haoran nodded thoughtfully.
"May I ask which elder of Mirage Palace put forward your name?"
At this, Su Hongzhen only shook his head slightly and then said:
"It wasn't an elder who recommended me. It was Dao Traveler Zhou."
"……"
Li Haoran was momentarily silent.
Zhou Jinyun.
Since he had broken through to the Martial Spring Realm and assumed the position of chief disciple of Kongyuan Mountain, Zhou Jinyun's name had become one most often mentioned alongside his own.
People believed Zhou, a year older than Li Haoran, to be the more naturally gifted of the two.
Li Haoran did not care at all.
In cultivation, the most important thing was to walk one's own path.
Ambition was fine, but one must not act recklessly.
Li Haoran's moment of silence was because he had never expected that the person recommending Su Hongzhen would be that Dao Traveler from Mirage Palace.
It showed how highly Mirage Palace regarded the youth in the cyan robe.
Many glances in the crowd remained fixed on Su Hongzhen.
One reason was the presence of Li Haoran by his side; another was the sword scabbard at his waist.
Su Hongzhen could of course notice these eyes coming from all directions, but he paid them no mind. He simply followed behind Li Haoran up onto the eastern raised platform of the Daoyan Arena.
On the platform, an obviously in-charge, slightly older Star Heaven Sect outer court disciple saw Li Haoran and immediately bowed with cupped hands, showing respect:
"Chief Li."
Li Haoran raised his own hands slightly and returned the gesture toward the Star Heaven Sect disciple.
Then the Star Heaven Sect official turned his gaze to Su Hongzhen behind Li Haoran.
This Star Heaven Sect disciple, stationed on Heavenly Summit Mountain long-term, could roughly guess why Chief Li had brought an unfamiliar rogue cultivator here.
"Chief Li, are you here to register this fellow Daoist for recommendation?"
the Star Heaven Sect official asked.
"A favor, please."
Li Haoran said without elaboration, the words casual and brief.
The Star Heaven Sect official's face showed an "as expected" expression, and he courteously smiled toward Su Hongzhen:
"Fellow Daoist, please hand over the recommendation letter and the identity jade token that Steward Jiang gave you. I will register you now."
Su Hongzhen nodded, stepped forward two paces, and handed over the jade identity token and the recommendation letter.
The Star Heaven Sect official first took the identity token, then the recommendation letter that Su Hongzhen handed him.
When he saw the emblem on that recommendation letter, a slight look of surprise crossed his face.
Not a Kongshan Sect recommendation, but Mirage Palace?
Then why Chief Li...
Before he could fully think it through, the Star Heaven Sect official read the text on the recommendation letter and suddenly held his breath:
"Recommended rogue cultivator Su Hongzhen for Heavenly Summit Dao participation…"
His gaze moved downward to the signature:
"Mirage Palace, Dao Traveler Zhou Jinyun."
The official’s voice was not loud, but many near the platform could hear him.
Li Haoran, Zhou Jinyun, Dao Traveler, recommended inquirer Su Hongzhen…
Those cultivators who had been giving Su Hongzhen provocative, amused looks because of the scabbard that once brought disgrace to the so-called "He Haban" now grew serious.
Like a pebble dropped into a still lake, the ripples had quietly started to spread.