This immediately gave Lin Lu a bit of confidence, and he quickly said:
"Since that's the case, there's no need for Junior Brother Lu to tie himself to the Four Seasons Lineage.
As long as Junior Brother Lu helps us seize the True Successor Position, the previously promised conditions will remain unchanged. We can even help Junior Brother Lu take charge of the Mang Mountain Branch!"
"The conditions are quite good." Lu Yan's lips curved into a cold smile:
Lin Lu's smile froze instantly on his face, and he asked instinctively: "Why?"
Lu Yan said nothing; he gestured with his right hand, and the sea of fire reflected in the Treasure Mirror surged drastically once more, accompanied by increasingly harrowing cries.
The pain of being consumed by the fierce flames finally shook the Divine Soul of a Golden Core Stage cultivator from the Supreme Profound Lineage, a mortal threat prompted an array feedback, and a star fell to earth, turning into a chess piece to guide them back above the sky.
Seeing this, Lu Yan again raised his hand, directing the Profound Yellow Merit Fire toward another Golden Core cultivator. Although the damage caused by the Merit Fire was not high, the pain endured had already exceeded the limits of these sect-born Golden Core cultivators.
Lin Lu's eyes were wide with rage as he questioned: "Why?"
Lu Yan's expression was indifferent: "Perhaps, I simply find you disagreeable."
With five fingers closing, accompanied by the surge of fierce flames, another Golden Core cultivator from the Supreme Profound Lineage was eliminated, leaving only four Golden Core cultivators in the sea of fire, with Lin Lu and Lin He remaining from the Supreme Profound Lineage. Tʜe source of this ᴄontent ɪs 𝙣𝙤𝙫𝙚𝙡⁂𝔣𝔦𝔯𝔢⁂𝘯𝘦𝘵
It seemed that no matter who was eliminated, the other would stabilize their promotion to True Successor.
Lin Lu's eyes were bloodshot as he stared at Lu Yan, rasping:
"Don't think you can always win, even if you are unparalleled among Golden Core cultivators, what does obtaining the True Successor Position achieve?
Our Supreme Profound Lineage can also seize the True Successor Position, with no less influence than you, and no matter how powerful the Golden Core Stage might be, before a Nascent Soul True Monarch, it is just a slightly larger ant."
Lu Yan said nothing, simply directing the Profound Yellow Merit Fire again, and Lin He, whose Dharma Body was mostly charred, finally ended their suffering and was teleported out.
Lin Lu glared at Lu Yan with a look filled with hatred, awaiting the outcome to come.
However... between heaven and earth, there was dead silence, only the continuous assault of the pain of being burned by the Profound Yellow Merit Fire.
"Why hasn't the True Successor Trial ended yet?"
"All Golden Core cultivators from every lineage have already gathered here, I can even clearly remember each person eliminated, leaving only four participants, how could this be happening?"
Lin Lu, who had maintained an appearance of having everything under control, finally showed a look of fear, staring in disbelief at Lu Yan.
For this trial, he had not hesitated to break promises, betray his comrades, and endure immense suffering.
If he could attain the True Successor, even if it only allowed a certain junior brother or sister to successfully advance, preserving the discourse power of the Supreme Profound Lineage, such sacrifices would be worth it.
But if they bore no fruit, he would face punishment from the Supreme Profound Lineage and the hostility of the various lineages of Taiyi Sect whom he had betrayed.
Unable to advance to True Successor, he could almost foresee the dismal fate awaiting him.
Seeing the panicked Lin Lu, Lu Yan finally laughed.
"Do you know why the trial hasn't ended?"
With that, Lu Yan raised his hand to dispel the overwhelming sea of fire, leaving behind a large area of white scorched earth in the mountains.
As the sea of fire receded, Lin Lu looked into the distant sky and saw the culprit.
It was a small cultivator at the Early Stage of Foundation Establishment, with a weak Divine Soul and murky Magical Power, even their ability to fly was surprisingly unskilled, such foundational cultivation and spell talent was not even qualified to join the Supreme Profound Mountain.
But this insignificant character, whom Lin Lu had never given a second glance, had become the fifth survivor in the entire True Successor Trial.
It was precisely due to their existence that the True Successor Trial had not concluded.
Lin Lu stared intently at this insignificant Early Stage Foundation Establishment figure, as if trying to engrave them into his Divine Soul.
As early as when Lu Yan used the Great Evil Sensing Skill to plant the seed of karmic retribution, he had already detected the presence of an extra individual in the trial.
Subsequently, Lu Yan confirmed through his spell that the extra person was He Dongsheng, who had accidentally entered the True Successor Trial.
Lu Yan was somewhat surprised, but nevertheless sent a message to He Dongsheng to stay clear of the battlefield to prevent being caught up in the fighting.
This unexpected trial taker directly foiled all the scheming of the Supreme Profound Lineage, leaving five trial takers remaining, necessitating one more elimination to determine the True Successor spot.
As for who the final eliminated would be, it was already obvious.
Lu Yan was about to bring this farce to a close, but after a brief contemplation, he beckoned, indicating for He Dongsheng to descend from the sky.
"Brother Lu, what's the matter?"
The descended He Dongsheng eagerly asked Lu Yan.
He had watched the entire battle from a distance, seeing Lu Yan suppress everything filled his heart with excitement, eager to step onto the field personally, while also growing more and more in awe of Lu Yan.
By clinging to such a powerful ally, he had directly snagged a Taiyi Sect True Successor Position, which was an immense opportunity.
It's worth knowing that Dongsheng was not yet thirty, meaning he could hold this True Successor Position for seventy years!
Just the fact that Taiyi Sect True Successors can cultivate in the Celestial World was enough to allow Dongsheng to advance smoothly to the Golden Core Peak, and with the generous resources provided during his seventy-year tenure, he even hoped to advance to the Nascent Soul True Monarch Realm.
For someone with poor talent like him, it was an opportunity that could only be encountered, not sought.