The [Arctic Exorcism Court].
Radiant light filled the sky, and mist obscured the surroundings. The moment Lu Yang gained sudden enlightenment regarding karma and sensed the [Tribulation], boundless anomalies naturally surfaced all around him.
It wasn't until the vast karmic net abruptly collapsed—having found the revealed knowledge far too "heavy" to bear—and severed its connection with him that the churning light gradually settled. The mist vanished without a trace, and the myriad anomalies receded like an ebbing tide, finally revealing the scene inside the grand hall once more.
Only then did Lu Yang snap back to reality.
Looking over, he saw that Chong Guang had also opened his eyes. Exhaling a breath of white mist, [Sovereign Heart-Demon Scripture] shone brilliantly in his hands.
'It worked.'
Lu Yang's eyes flickered. Although [Sovereign Heart-Demon Scripture] was written by his own hand and was relatively simple and easy to comprehend...
...his cultivation base was simply too high.
Given Chong Guang's current cultivation base at Foundation Establishment Perfection, it should have taken him at least two and a half years to master this scripture. Yet, he had achieved it in a single step today.
'Right. Because I sensed the [Tribulation], tribulations have re-emerged in the world, and Senior Uncle Chong Guang was implicated along with me. Add to that the unique nature of the Inner Demon path—which is likely favored by [Tribulations] to begin with—and there must have been some unseen force pushing him forward. That's why Senior Uncle Chong Guang was able to master it so quickly.'
Lu Yang pondered inwardly, feeling quite pleasantly surprised.
After all, given the current situation in the Immortal Nexus, the faster Chong Guang mastered [Sovereign Heart-Demon Scripture], the higher his chances of success, and the greater the benefits Lu Yang would reap.
"Thank you for your guidance, Immortal Lord."
Meanwhile, Chong Guang stood up with a flick of his sleeves. Holding the scripture in both hands, he offered a solemn bow. Lu Yang's eyes instantly narrowed, and a wave of intense satisfaction washed over him.
"Rise." Lu Yang waved his hand, his face then showing a look of anticipation. "What divine ability did you gain?"
Although [Sovereign Heart-Demon Scripture] was created by him, just like the nature of inner demons, everything originated from the heart. Therefore, the results of cultivating it would differ from person to person.
Hearing this, Chong Guang pointed at his own heart and said, "Thanks to the Immortal Lord's supreme method, this junior has refined the [Heaven of Sovereign], granting me the ability to enlighten and command inner demons."
As his words fell, Lu Yang watched as a dark, water-like ripple of light spread outward from Chong Guang's heart. Gusts of sinister wind suddenly began to blow around him. Then, that radiant light rapidly detached from his body, transforming into a blurry figure of light and shadow that stood facing him like a mirror image.
"This is my inner demon, and also my divine ability!"
Lu Yang's eyes shone brightly. He immediately reached out and plucked a wisp of dark halo from that blurry figure of light and shadow. Pinching it between his fingers, he examined it closely.
'It truly is an inner demon...'
From within the dark halo, Lu Yang clearly sensed an intense obsession that could not be erased even if the seas ran dry and the rocks crumbled. It was a yearning for the Dao.
'In short, this is a demon of seeking the Dao.'
Lu Yang glanced at Chong Guang, pondering inwardly: 'So-called inner demons are not merely flaws; they can also be obsessions, anchor points, and myriad swirling thoughts.'
'Senior Uncle Chong Guang has devoted his entire life to seeking the Dao. When the [Overturned Lamp Flame] failed, he tried a second time. When that path was blocked, he switched to another. Even when faced with the direst of circumstances, he never wavered. It can truly be said that his heart to seek the Dao is as hard as iron, even if it means death. This is both resolve and obsession. That is precisely why it was enlightened and manifested as an inner demon.'
Without a doubt, this was a good thing.
'Because the inner demon itself embodies Senior Uncle Chong Guang's obsession, not only is there no conflict between them, they actually share the same goal. Therefore, commanding it is entirely effortless.'
This was also due to Chong Guang's sufficiently resolute will.
If his will weren't resolute and pure enough, the inner demon could easily develop a mind of its own. When that happened, controlling it wouldn't be nearly as easy.
"Not bad, not bad at all."
The more Lu Yang examined it, the more delighted he became. "It perfectly inherited the characteristics of an inner demon. It's invulnerable to blades and spears, impervious to water and fire, and possesses the ability to strike from within the heart."
This was the truly terrifying aspect of inner demons.
Because they originated from the heart, most methods couldn't block them. Inner demons could directly slip into a cultivator's sea of consciousness, devour their soul, and even possess their body.
When that happened, it wouldn't matter how sturdy your Dharma Body was, how vast your spiritual power was, or how profound your dao arts were. If you couldn't find the right countermeasure, you still wouldn't be able to deal with it. No matter how high your cultivation base was, you would only become food for the inner demon. Even if you defended against it, the inner demon could temporarily lie low, waiting until you thought you were safe before slipping in to launch a sneak attack.
"Is this your only divine ability?" Lu Yang looked at Chong Guang.
"To reply to the Immortal Lord, there is only one."
Chong Guang cupped his hands. "However, given time, as long as I let this inner demon progressively devour upwards, it should be able to gather all five divine abilities very quickly."
This was the cultivation method of the inner demon.
Currently, Chong Guang had just attained this Dao. Although the enlightened inner demon was unpredictable and eerie, it was merely at the level of the early stage of Foundation Establishment, having refined only a single Life-Bound Divine Ability.
However, as long as he was given time to command the inner demon to devour cultivators realm by realm—from the mid-stage, to the late stage, to Foundation Establishment Perfection—the inner demon would naturally grow stronger. Whichever realm of cultivator it devoured, it would gain the cultivation base of that realm. Its growth speed could entirely be described as divine.
Of course, normally, it wouldn't be this fast.
The only reason it could be this fast was because Chong Guang himself was already at Foundation Establishment Perfection. The foundation of the enlightened inner demon was already there, so there were practically no bottlenecks to speak of.
And this wasn't without risks either.
Because as the inner demon devoured other cultivators, it would also be influenced itself. It would no longer possess its original purity and would be much more likely to turn on its master, Chong Guang.
'At least I wouldn't dare cultivate this.'
'After all, it originates from the unseen [Tribulation]. What if there's a trap? It's better to let Senior Uncle Chong Guang suffer a bit first and test the waters for me.'
With this in mind, Lu Yang immediately spoke:
"Fellow Daoist, you have switched to cultivating the Inner Demon Dao and have now achieved minor success. However, this Dao has no Dao Fruit to seek. If you wish to use it to ascend to the position of Perfected Lord, there is only one viable method."
Chong Guang immediately bowed. "I implore the Immortal Lord to bestow this method upon me."
"It's actually very simple."
Lu Yang smiled. "The essence of the Inner Demon Dao lies in usurping the fortunes of other cultivators. Fellow Daoist, as long as you find a way to devour the inner demon of a Perfected Lord, you will naturally achieve your goal."
"However, executing this will be exceedingly difficult. First, Fellow Daoist, you must find a way to spawn a Perfected Lord's inner demon and have it devour the Perfected Lord's main body. Then, you must use your own inner demon to devour the Perfected Lord's inner demon. Finally, you must use your true self's consciousness to reverse-possess your own inner demon."
"Three major hurdles, and in every single one, you must fight heaven for your life."
"If you fail to cross them, your soul will scatter and perish. Moreover, even your true self's consciousness will be completely devoured by the inner demon, and you won't even have the chance to reincarnate."
"If you succeed, the boundless sea and sky will be yours."
And conveniently, you can help me further sense the Great Dao of [Tribulation].
As his words fell, Lu Yang looked at Chong Guang with a smile.
'Senior Uncle, oh Senior Uncle. Back when you sought the Golden Core, although you gave me some benefits, you also made me suffer quite a bit. This can be considered me returning the favor.'
The next second, Chong Guang cupped his hands and said:
"I understand. I am willing to walk the Inner Demon Dao. I implore the Immortal Lord for guidance."
Hearing this, Lu Yang nodded immediately. "In the Sword Pavilion of Jiangnan, Perfected Lord Chengtian Zhengde is currently suffering from an inner demon affliction. If you are willing, Fellow Daoist, you may make a trip to Jiangnan."
"Whether you succeed or fail will depend entirely on your own planning. I will not interfere."
"After all..." At this point, Lu Yang suddenly felt a pang of emotion and sighed. "You should know very well, Fellow Daoist, that in the end, one can only rely on oneself."
Upon hearing this, Chong Guang abruptly looked up. After a moment of silence, he nodded heavily. "The Immortal Lord's words are profoundly true."
With that, he bowed once more, then took the initiative to take his leave. Lu Yang waved his large hand, and a streak of light sent Chong Guang back to the Immortal Nexus.
Almost simultaneously, he felt another sensation.
'It's here...!'
Instantly, the vast karmic net fluctuated slightly. The [Divine Firmament Thunder] surfaced between Lu Yang's eyebrows, its profound wonder manifesting as the [Master of Great Tribulations] responded to an inexplicable entity.
Chong Guang re-entering the world was like a pebble dropping into a lake, stirring up ripples.
And these ripples... were precisely the [Tribulation]!