Mu Chunqiu naturally wasn't aware of Lu Yan's exact situation. Although he outwardly used words to comfort Lu Yan, in reality, he was quite worried about Lu Yan's cultivation at the Peak of Foundation Establishment.
Although the Taiyi Sect has someone like Mo Yangzi, a counterfeit Golden Core, anyone able to enter the True Successor Tournament as a true successor candidate is certainly not a weak person.
Based on Mu Chunqiu's estimation of Lu Yan, if Lu Yan could advance to the Golden Core, he could grasp the legendary Celestial Spirit Great Divine Techniques.
Even if the Golden Core Realm's Celestial Spirit Great Divine Techniques weren't fully developed, relying on the crushing power of the Divine Power Position, Lu Yan could almost securely seize a True Successor Position.
But right now, Lu Yan only has the Foundation Establishment Peak realm, which is a world apart from the Golden Core, especially almost a complete major realm's difference from those top true successor candidates.
Most importantly, Lu Yan hasn't broken through to the Golden Core Realm and can't manifest the Lifebound Divine Techniques nurtured by his Dao Foundation and unleash his potential.
Even if Lu Yan's realm were elevated enough to easily defeat counterfeit Golden Cores like Mo Yangzi, those true successor candidates at the Golden Core mid-stage or even late-stage would likely have mastered a top-tier Lifebound Divine Technique or even an Earth Evil Divine Technique.
Once unleashed, even if Lu Yan's foundation is strong, there would be no advantage to speak of.
"Given Lu Yan's talent, along with my Four Seasons lineage's ten years of foundation, he should absolutely be able to break through to the Golden Core Realm.
Where exactly did things go wrong?"
Thoughts flickered in Mu Chunqiu's mind, he even suspected whether someone was purposely withholding their resources because the Four Seasons lineage lacks a Divinity Transformation Daoist Monarch to oversee it.
But now is not the time to dwell on these matters. The True Successor Tournament is imminent, and even if he provided more resources, Lu Yan wouldn't have the time to digest and break through.
Thinking of this, Mu Chunqiu sighed internally.
"Since he hasn't broken through, this True Successor Tournament should just be an opportunity to see the world. After all, some of the true successors ranked at the bottom are nearing their hundred-year lifespan, and the next True Successor Tournament is estimated to be less than ten years away.
With Lu Yan's talent, in ten years he'll surely break through to the Golden Core Realm and possibly advance to mid-stage or late-stage Golden Core. By then, claiming a True Successor Position will be a breeze."
Although convinced inwardly that it's hopeless, Mu Chunqiu still didn't directly tell Lu Yan to give up on this True Successor Tournament, as this was key to the bargain he struck with Lu Yan in the beginning.
Moreover, he was sure that having progressed to this point in just over three years, Lu Yan would definitely not give up any opportunity.
"You've returned just in time, with less than two days before the True Successor Tournament starts. Presumably, the major and branch lineages have already gathered in Taiyi Cave Heaven."
As he spoke, a decree flew out from Mu Chunqiu's sleeve, and the space in front collapsed, revealing a spatial passage.
"This is the Taiyi Immortal Order, which is different from the Void Transmission Array. Follow current novels on 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡✶𝙛𝙞𝙧𝙚✶𝙣𝙚𝙩
The Void Transmission Array is exclusive to my thirteen main lineages, allowing teleportation to a random Spirit Mansion Celestial Palace according to the Four Seasons Order to begin cultivation, while the spatial passage opened by the Taiyi Immortal Order is the main gate, and cannot be easily entered into the Spirit Mansion Celestial Palace territory."
As he spoke, the seventh-grade Lotus Platform in the Spirit Pool slowly rose, and Mu Chunqiu, along with Lu Yan and He Dongsheng, stepped onto the Lotus Platform and entered the spatial passage.
The spatial passage was far less stable than the Void Transmission Array, with rampant spatial turbulence surrounding them. Without the protection of a Nascent Soul True Monarch, entering would surely spell certain death.
After flying for a short distance, a light appeared at the end of the spatial passage, and the surrounding pitch-black shattered space began to fade, revealing the outside world.
Cloud seas like waterfalls circulated in the Cave Heaven World, resembling an Immortal Secret Realm. Countless spiritual Qi waterfalls cascaded from the nine heavens, weaving into a net in the void, each spiritual Qi shimmering with seven-colored light, like a celestial rain.
Hundreds of Immortal Islands floated among the clouds, with jade palaces and pavilions layered upon one another, resembling reflections of the Celestial Palace.
Upon closer inspection, the pavilions and towers were condensed from seven-colored clouds, their roof beams and flying eaves engraved with ancient Dao charm, imbued with an indescribable Dao resonance. On the ground, spirit trees towered, with branches bearing Five-Colored Immortal Fruits emitting an alluring fragrance.
He Dongsheng, seeing this scene from the Cave Heaven World for the first time, was instantly captivated by the view before him.
Even Lu Yan, despite having cultivated in Taiyi Cave Heaven for five months, mostly shuttled between the Cloud Sea Celestial Palace and the Immortal Palace Hall and had never seen the immortal scenery of the outside world, momentarily lost his composure.
While the two were in a daze, a Nascent Soul True Monarch riding a white deer arrived before the trio from afar.
"Junior Brother Mu, long time no see!"
"I thought your lineage, being so sparsely populated, wouldn't be attending this True Successor Tournament. I didn't expect to be proven wrong."
The arriving person was a Peak Nascent Soul Great True Monarch. While greeting Mu Chunqiu, he surveyed Lu Yan and He Dongsheng behind him.
Seeing that both Lu Yan and He Dongsheng were in the Foundation Establishment Realm, the smile on this Great True Monarch's face grew even wider.
Mu Chunqiu didn't seem too keen on this self-familiar Great True Monarch before him and responded coolly:
"Does my Four Seasons lineage returning to Taiyi Cave Heaven need to be reported to you?"
This Great True Monarch chuckled softly, showed no anger, and instead introduced two young cultivators behind him with an inviting gesture to Mu Chunqiu.
The two cultivators, one male and one female, were dressed in Gold and Silver Magic Robes, appearing as a pair of celestial youths.
What was even more impressive was that the male cultivator had a late-stage Golden Core Realm and the female cultivator a mid-stage Golden Core cultivation. Bringing them into Taiyi Cave Heaven at this time indicated their ages were under a hundred.