Heavenly Summit Mountain.
Chen Yan followed the Kongshan Sect delegation, walking amidst the crowd.
At the very front was the leader of this Kongshan Sect delegation, the Delegation Envoy, Martial Uncle Zhong Yin.
Behind him followed seven elders from the Three Mountains and Four Peaks.
Among these seven elders, Chen Yan only recognized one: the Alchemy Hall elder of Kongyuan Mountain, Martial Uncle Yue Chi.
In fact, there had been some controversy on Kongyuan Mountain regarding the final selection of personnel for this delegation.
The envoy was Zhong Yin, the sect leader's eldest disciple, and among the elders was Yue Chi, his second disciple.
The senior disciples sent were the sect leader's fifth disciple, Lin Qifeng, and his sixth disciple, Liu Yantang.
The participant for the Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry was also his grand-disciple.
In the procession, walking behind the elders, was Chen Yan.
To his right was the Chief Disciple of Qingchan Peak, Chu Xiyao, and behind them were Li Haowen and the other three chief disciples from various peaks.
Qin Yue followed behind the chief disciples.
If ranked strictly by seniority and status, as Kongyuan Mountain was the direct lineage of Kongshan Sect, Chen Yan should have been walking at the very front.
However, Chu Xiyao, as the Chief Disciple of Qingchan Peak, should not have been placed ahead of Li Haowen and the others.
But her identity on this journey was not merely that of the Qingchan Peak Chief Disciple.
Chu Xiyao was also the participant for this Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry and the Kongshan Sect's top seed.
Qin Yue's situation was similar.
Because she was a participant for the Heavenly Summit Mountain Dao Inquiry, her position in the procession was also quite far forward.
Heavenly Summit Mountain was vast.
The sect ruins on Heavenly Summit Mountain were not a cluster of buildings constructed on flat, open ground. Instead, they were scattered in an orderly yet picturesque manner across the entire mountain peak.
"Indeed."
Li Haowen sighed softly behind Chen Yan:
"Heavenly Summit Mountain lives up to its reputation; treasures are everywhere."
He was referring to the various spiritual grasses and immortal trees on the mountain.
Not a single plant or tree growing on Heavenly Summit Mountain was ordinary.
Because ordinary vegetation, aside from moss, could hardly survive at an altitude of over eight thousand zhang above the ground.
It was precisely because of these spiritual plants that the peaks of Heavenly Summit Mountain held a touch more vitality, rather than appearing as a lonely, snowy mountain.
How many heavenly treasures and rare materials did the Five Great Sects plunder from this Heavenly Summit Mountain back then?
Chen Yan couldn't help but wonder this in his heart.
The Five Great Sects took turns every fifty years to be responsible for managing and maintaining the port of Heavenly Summit Mountain.
Therefore, the mountain had also been divided by the Five Great Sects into five territories, each serving as the domain of one of the great sects.
The Kongshan Sect's territory was originally the location of one of Heavenly Summit Mountain's six major peaks and veins, the Slaying Heaven Pavilion.
After being cleaned by the Kongshan Sect outer sect disciples stationed long-term on Heavenly Summit Mountain, the current environment of the Slaying Heaven Pavilion was spotless.
Especially during the period around the Dao Inquiry Assembly of Chenping Continent, the outer sect disciples of Kongshan Sect dared not slack off.
When Elder Zhong Yin led the group before their territory, the Kongshan Sect outer sect disciples stationed on Heavenly Summit Mountain had long been waiting respectfully outside the courtyard gate.
"You've all had a tiring journey; go and rest first."
Elder Zhong Yin said.
Afterwards, under the guidance of the outer sect disciples stationed on Heavenly Summit Mountain, everyone was assigned their temporary rooms on the mountain.
"Chief Disciple Chen, please come this way."
An outer sect disciple who looked to be in his early twenties respectfully pushed open the door to Chen Yan's temporary residence:
"If you need anything, you can call for me anytime. My name is He Qing, just call me Little He."
The outer sect disciple said with enthusiasm and respect.
"Mm, you can go attend to other matters first."
Chen Yan said indifferently.
"Alright!"
The outer sect disciple replied, then turned and quickly left Chen Yan's courtyard.
Watching the back of that outer sect disciple, Chen Yan felt a surge of complex emotions.
Once upon a time, when he was also an outer sect disciple, becoming one who could be stationed long-term on Heavenly Summit Mountain was Chen Yan's dream.
Because the treatment was simply too good.
Outer sect disciples stationed long-term on Heavenly Summit Mountain, due to being far from the sect, received higher subsidies; the cultivation resources they obtained were 1.5 times that of ordinary outer sect disciples.
Even when their term ended and they returned to the sect from Heavenly Summit Mountain, they would receive a large lump-sum compensation.
The benefits didn't stop there.
Heavenly Summit Mountain was the sacred cultivation land of Chenping Continent; all the plants on its peaks were spiritual grasses and immortal trees.
Just by plucking a few leaves or picking a couple of fruits and taking them down the mountain, one could definitely sell them for a good price, thereby exchanging for even more cultivation resources.
In Kongshan Sect, nearly one-third of positions at the level of outer sect administrators and ceremonial officials were held by people with a background of having been stationed on Heavenly Summit Mountain.
He remembered when the External Affairs Hall once recruited people to be stationed on Heavenly Summit Mountain; Chen Yan had also enthusiastically signed up.
But afterwards, there was no news, as if a stone had sunk into the sea.
Later, Chen Yan learned that the candidates for stationing on Heavenly Summit Mountain were all predetermined long ago.
The selections were basically directly appointed by the outer sect stewards.
One must know that in the outer court, aside from the outer court elder and the outer court supervisor, the most powerful were these Martial Spring Realm outer sect stewards.
Everyone knew that guarding Heavenly Summit Mountain was a cushy job; why should such a good thing fall onto one's own head?
Chen Yan shook his head and let out two bitter laughs.
What was he still regretting about these old, moldy matters from the past?
His current identity was the Chief Disciple of Kongyuan Mountain. Even outer sect stewards, even the outer court supervisor, upon seeing him, had to bow respectfully and address him as Chief Disciple Chen.
"Senior Brother Chen?"
Suddenly, a young girl's voice came from outside.
For a brief moment, Chen Yan felt slightly dazed.
The similarity in timbre made him think of an old acquaintance.
But very quickly, Chen Yan realized who the visitor was.
"What is it?"
Chen Yan placed his hands behind his back and looked toward the outside of the courtyard.
He saw Qin Yue somewhat timidly surveying the small courtyard where Chen Yan was temporarily staying on Heavenly Summit Mountain.
"May I come in?"
Qin Yue asked.
"Of course."
Chen Yan replied.
Then, Qin Yue stepped into the small courtyard:
"Senior Brother Chen, same as last time, I've come to seek guidance on the Purple Mansion Kongshan Art..."
"I don't have any other meaning, in fact, I feel quite gratified that others are practicing the Purple Mansion Kongshan Art that I created."
Chen Yan said:
"But, Junior Sister Qin, why are you so fixated on the Purple Mansion Kongshan Art? Compared to it, wouldn't the Pure Dust Glazed Art be more compatible with your constitution?"
"I've always been practicing the Pure Dust Glazed Art. When Master gave me the Purple Mansion Kongshan Art, it was originally just meant for me to use as a reference..."
Qin Yue shook her head:
"But, I don't know why, I always feel that the Purple Mansion Kongshan Art has a certain inexplicable, profound feeling... I don't know how to put it."
"Don't know how to put it?"
Chen Yan said.
"Yes, although the Purple Mansion Kongshan Art was created based on the foundation of the Kongshan Art, it just feels... not like the Kongshan Art."