Just a Useful Pawn in the Stain Sect

The Beiji Exorcism Institute.

Light and colors filled the sky, accompanied by a hazy mist. Just as Lü Yang attained a sudden enlightenment of the karmic links and sensed the Tribulation, infinite strange phenomena naturally surfaced around him.

It wasn't until the Great Net of Karma Links abruptly collapsed—crushed by the sheer "weight" of the knowledge it displayed—and severed its connection with him that the vibrant lights gradually dimmed. The mist vanished without a trace, and the various phenomena ebbed away like the tide, finally revealing the interior of the hall once again.

Only then did Lü Yang snap back to his senses.

Looking around, he saw that Chong Guang had also opened his eyes, exhaling a puff of white air. The *He-Transformed Heart Demon Scripture* gleamed brilliantly in his hands.

He wondered, "Did he succeed?"

Lü Yang's eyes flickered. Although he had personally written the *He-Transformed Heart Demon Scripture*, making it relatively easy to comprehend, his own cultivation was simply too high.

With Chong Guang's current cultivation at Foundation Establishment Perfection, mastering this scripture should have taken at least two and a half years. Yet, he had achieved it in one fell swoop.

Lü Yang pondered, "I see. Because I sensed the Tribulation, it has re-emerged into the world, and Master Chong Guang was inadvertently drawn into it by me. Furthermore, the Heart Demon Dao has a unique nature. It's likely favored by the Tribulation, and some unseen force pushed him along, allowing Master Chong Guang to master it so quickly."

Lü Yang felt rather pleasantly surprised by this realization. Given the current situation in the Immortal Pivot, the faster Chong Guang mastered the *He-Transformed Heart Demon Scripture*, the more likely he was to achieve success—which, in turn, would bring Lü Yang even greater benefits.

"Thank you for your guidance, Immortal Monarch," Chong Guang said.

Sweeping his sleeves, Chong Guang stood up. Holding the scripture in his hands, he bowed solemnly.

Seeing this, Lü Yang narrowed his eyes slightly, inwardly thrilled.

"Rise." Lü Yang waved his hand, his expression filled with anticipation. "What Abilities did you obtain?"

Although the *He-Transformed Heart Demon Scripture* was created by him, it adhered to the nature of Heart Demons—everything originated from the heart. Therefore, different human cultivators would yield different results.

Hearing this, Chong Guang pointed to his heart and said, "Thanks to the Immortal Venerable's supreme Fa, this junior has refined Free Heaven. It grants the power of Enlightenment and the ability to command Heart Demons."

As his words fell, Lü Yang saw a profound, dark light rippling like water from Chong Guang's chest. Gusts of gloomy wind suddenly swirled around the area. The light then swiftly separated from his body, transforming into a blurry silhouette that stood opposite him, much like a shadow.

"This is my Heart Demon, and it is also my Ability!"

Lü Yang's eyes burned with keen interest. Reaching out, he pinched a wisp of the dark halo from the blurry silhouette and examined it closely.

He thought, "It really is a Heart Demon..."

From the dark halo, Lü Yang could clearly sense an intense obsession that couldn't be erased even by the passage of ages—it was a yearning for the Dao.

He concluded, "In a word, this is a demon of seeking the Dao."

Glancing at Chong Guang, Lü Yang thought, "The so-called Heart Demons are not merely flaws; they can also be obsessions, spiritual sustenance, or myriad thoughts.

"Master Chong Guang has dedicated his entire life to seeking the Dao. When the Fruit of Lamp-Cover Fire failed, he tried again. When that path was blocked, he forged a new one. Even in the most desperate situations, he never wavered. His determination to seek the Dao is as firm as iron, even in the face of death. This is both his resolve and his obsession. That is why it received Enlightenment and manifested as a Heart Demon."

Without a doubt, this was a good thing.

He reasoned, "Since the Heart Demon itself is Master Chong Guang's obsession, not only is there no conflict between them, but they also share the same goal. Therefore, commanding it requires no effort at all."

This was also due to Chong Guang's unwavering will. If his will hadn't been firm and pure enough, the Heart Demon would have easily developed a mind of its own, making it much harder to control later on.

"Not bad at all," Lü Yang praised.

The more he examined it, the more delighted he became. "It has perfectly inherited the characteristics of a Heart Demon. It is invulnerable to weapons, impervious to water and fire, and can strike directly from the heart."

This was the truly terrifying aspect of Heart Demons.

Because they originated from the heart, most methods were incapable of blocking them. A Heart Demon could dive directly into a cultivator's Spiritual Space, devour their soul, and even possess their body.

When that happened, no matter how sturdy your Dharma Body was, how vast your mana was, or how profound your magic was, without finding the True Skill, you would still be powerless to counter it. Even the highest cultivation would merely become food for the Heart Demon. And even if you managed to defend against it, the Heart Demon could temporarily lie dormant, waiting until you thought you were safe before exploiting a moment of weakness to launch a sneak attack.

"Is this your only Ability?" Lü Yang asked, looking at Chong Guang.

"Replying to the Immortal Monarch, yes, there is only one." Chong Guang cupped his hands. "However, given time, as long as I let this Heart Demon devour its way up step by step, I should be able to gather all five Abilities very soon."

This was the cultivation method of Heart Demons.

Since Chong Guang had only just succeeded in this Dao, the Enlightened Heart Demon—despite being treacherous and unpredictable—was only at the level of an ordinary Early Stage of Foundation Establishment cultivator who had refined a single Innate Ability.

However, given enough time to command the Heart Demon to devour cultivators realm by realm—from the Mid-phase of Foundation Establishment, to the Late Stage, and finally to Foundation Establishment Perfection—the Heart Demon would naturally grow stronger. Whatever realm of cultivator it consumed, it would gain that realm's cultivation. Its growth speed could only be described as divine.

Of course, under normal circumstances, it wouldn't be this fast.

The only reason it could be this fast was that Chong Guang himself was already at Foundation Establishment Perfection. The foundational strength of his Enlightened Heart Demon was already set, meaning there were almost no bottlenecks to speak of.

Moreover, this process was not without its risks. As the Heart Demon devoured other cultivators, it would also be influenced by them, losing its initial purity and becoming more prone to suffering a backlash against its master, Chong Guang.

Lü Yang thought, "At the very least, I wouldn't dare cultivate this.

"After all, it originates from the unseen Tribulation. What if there's a hidden trap? It's better to let Master Chong Guang suffer a little first and test the waters for me."

With this in mind, Lü Yang immediately spoke up.

"Daoist, now that you've switched to cultivating the Heart Demon Dao, you have achieved some minor success. However, there is no Fruit to seek in this Dao. If you wish to use it to advance to the rank of Perfected Lord, there is only one method available."

Chong Guang immediately bowed. "Please bestow this Fa upon me, Immortal Monarch."

"It's actually quite simple." Lü Yang smiled. "The Heart Demon Dao lies in seizing the Creation of cultivators. As long as you can manage to devour the Heart Demon of a Perfected Lord, Daoist, you will naturally achieve it.

"However, putting it into practice is still extremely difficult. First, Daoist, you must find a way to spawn a Perfected Lord's Heart Demon and let it devour the Perfected Lord's main body. Next, you must use your own Heart Demon to devour the Perfected Lord's Heart Demon. Finally, you must use your true self's Heart Thought to reverse-possess your own Heart Demon.

"There are three major hurdles, and in each one, you must fight Heaven for your life.

"If you fail to overcome them, your soul will scatter and perish. On top of that, your true self's Heart Thought will be eaten clean by the Heart Demon, erasing even the chance of reincarnation.

"But if you succeed, the sky's the limit."

He added silently, "And along the way, you can help me further sense the Great Dao of the Tribulation."

As his words fell, Lü Yang looked at Chong Guang with a smile.

He thought, "Oh, Master Chong Guang. Back when you were Seeking Gold, although you gave me some benefits, you also made me suffer quite a bit. Consider this me returning the favor."

The next second, Chong Guang cupped his hands.

"I understand. I am willing to walk the Heart Demon Dao. I ask the Immortal Monarch for guidance."

Hearing this, Lü Yang immediately nodded. "At the Sword Pavilion in the South, True Monarch Chengtian Zhengde is suffering from a Heart Demon affliction. If you are interested, Daoist, you can take a trip to the South.

"Whether you succeed or fail will depend entirely on your own planning. I will not interfere."

Lü Yang paused, suddenly feeling a surge of emotion, and sighed. "After all, Daoist, you should be well aware that, in the end, people must rely on themselves."

Chong Guang immediately looked up. After a moment of silence, he nodded heavily. "The Immortal Monarch's words are very true!"

With that, he bowed once again and took his leave. Lü Yang waved his large hand, and a streak of light sent Chong Guang back to the Immortal Pivot.

Almost at the exact same moment, Lü Yang felt another sensation in his heart.

He thought, "It's here...!"

In an instant, the Great Net of Karma Links rippled slightly. The Fruit of Divine-Empyrean Thunder surfaced between Lü Yang's brows, manifesting the Profound Mysterious. The Cataclysm Launcher and an inexplicable entity responded in unison.

Chong Guang's re-entry into the mortal world was like a pebble dropping into a lake, stirring up ripples.

And these ripples were none other than the Tribulation!