Mang Shusheng's Ink Painting Practice

Chapter 319 An Uncommon Track
The Heavenly Demon appears to be a collection and manifestation of thoughts, a bewildering transformation of various emotions.

As someone who had eaten the Heavenly Demon, Zhao Yifu knew perfectly well that the Heavenly Demon itself had no soul or even self-awareness.

They are the tangled mess of desires of countless living beings. Or perhaps they are the lingering echoes of desire.

However, once one enters the Three Realms and successfully possesses or even seizes the body of a certain being... it is not that the Heavenly Demon has taken over the human body, but that the person has absorbed the Heavenly Demon!
It was only after absorbing the Heavenly Demon that he allowed his own soul to become the vessel for the Heavenly Demon's countless lingering desires, thus giving the Heavenly Demon a soul.

Zhao Yifu was learning the Way of the Heavenly Demon in the Demon Realm, but he felt that this could not even be considered life.

It's no wonder that the Demon Realm was able to form an alliance with the Nether Spring, because the Heavenly Demon's existence is similar to that of the Nether Spring in some ways.

The Heavenly Demon is similar to a 'madman', while the Nether Spring possesses a subjective consciousness.

Zhao Yifu pondered for a long time, especially the way the Heavenly Demon invaded the hearts of living beings, and gradually he understood what was going on.

Generally speaking, when a cultivator has a mental vulnerability and displays certain strong emotions, the Heavenly Demon can hide in these emotions and sneak in through the mental vulnerability.

The more powerful the Heavenly Demon is, the more silently it can infiltrate.

Conversely, if the Heavenly Demon is weak, it will be noticeable to people.

While learning this knowledge, Zhao Yifu also worked with the Eight Immortals to plan the 'Cao Guojiu's Demonic Possession Plan'.

Cao Guojiu's given name was Jingxiu, and he was a kind-hearted man.

I felt very nervous about being chosen as Youquan's first target.

He stammered, "Isn't this a bad idea? What if something really happens?"

Clearly, they lack self-confidence.

At this moment, the Eight Immortals gathered at Chunyang Palace, and Zhao Yifu's physical body also tore through space to arrive here.

He said, "Grandmaster Cao, rest assured, I have already made some research results on the situation of Heavenly Demons tempting cultivators to fall into depravity. With me watching over things, I am sure we can prevent Heavenly Demons from invading."

Upon hearing this, Patriarch Chunyang asked in surprise, "What?! What kind of stuff have you been researching?!"

His tone was loud, clearly indicating that he did not quite understand Zhao Yifu's actions.

Or rather, what respectable cultivator would study celestial demons? Those demons don't do that.

Clearly, Zhao Yifu is pursuing a very niche path.

This is so niche it's almost frightening.

Zhao Yifu said, "Isn't it because we're worried that when our grandmaster uncles are practicing their demonic arts, some celestial demons might come and cause trouble? Although I'm confident that as long as I'm here, there won't be any problems, it's always better to have an extra layer of insurance."

"Without the interference of the Heavenly Demon, I believe that with the steadfastness of the Daoist nature of our several grandmaster uncles and grandmasters, and knowing how to deal with it, they will definitely be able to successfully escape the demon."

Limping Li nodded and said, "That makes sense. We Eight Immortals are all disciples of the Taiqing Sect. Now, Junxin's request is actually what our eldest brother hopes to see. We can't back down."

"Think about all the things we've been through on our journey, including the time when our companions fell into demonic possession. We were able to get through it back then, and now that conditions are better, it's the same for us!"

These words, spoken with such confidence and righteous indignation, drew nods of approval from the other eight immortals.

Seeing this, Cao Guojiu could not refuse. He could only nod solemnly with a straight face and say, "Alright, then I will give it a try."

But he didn't start right away. Instead, he found a quiet room and began to adjust his state of mind.

For three days in a row, the remaining seven immortals and Zhao Yifu waited patiently outside.

But everyone's feelings were different.

Zhao Yifu frowned and said, "Why don't we call it a halt to Grandmaster Cao's training? Let me explain the precautions to him again, or let someone else try it first."

He felt it was unreliable.

If one's resolve to follow the Dao is truly firm, why would one need to make so many preparations?
Although he might seem a bit like someone who's talking without understanding the situation, it's true that the more you prepare, the less confident you actually seem!
Upon hearing this, Grandmaster Li paced back and forth a couple of times with his cane, then said, "Not bad, perhaps I should try first."

He was quite confident in his state of mind regarding Tao.

However, before anyone could react, a strong emotional surge suddenly erupted in the quiet room.

These emotional fluctuations quickly escalated to extremes, eventually twisting into something demonic.

"Oh no, he's started!"

The seven immortals were all startled, because they had already concluded that Cao Guojiu's condition was not suitable for attempting to enter the demonic realm.

Zhao Yifu looked up and saw dozens of demons seemingly attracted, hovering around the demonic domain above... They looked like they wanted to come down but dared not.

The Pure Yang Patriarch also looked up and said, "The Heavenly Demon has not fallen. It seems to be thanks to Fu Yinzi... Jingxiu may still be saved."

As he spoke, he rushed towards the quiet room, clearly intending to go in and take a look.

Following closely behind were Patriarch Zhengyang and Patriarch Ningyang.

These three were the ones who led Cao Guojiu into the path of immortality; to them, Cao Guojiu was essentially a disciple.

However, when they entered the room, they saw that Cao Guojiu's originally upright and noble face was now full of ferocity, and his eyes were filled with endless desire. This desire turned into demonic energy, causing black mist to rise from his entire body.

"Inner demons? How could there be inner demons?!"

Master Chunyang found it incredible.

He knew where his inner demons came from.

In essence, inner demons are actually manifestations of celestial demons that have invaded one's own mind!
The original demons had no self-awareness; they were simply drawn to desires instinctively.

If one finds a flaw in one's heart and lets it take root in one's mind, then the first step is to become a demon in one's heart because of that flaw.

At this point, the harm caused by the inner demon is not obvious, but if it is allowed to grow, then the inner demon will devour the cultivator's original mind, which means that the Heavenly Demon has taken over the body.

Zhao Yifu immediately said, "This disciple dares to guarantee that no Heavenly Demons fell before."

Master Ningyang, also known as Tieguai Li, sighed and said, "Jingxiu is confused! He must have been tainted by inner demons at some point!"

Master Zhengyang sighed, "If I had known this would happen, I certainly wouldn't have let him take the risk."

"Only now..."

Everyone seemed helpless and could only use their methods to control Cao Guojiu's body, and then try to calm him down with words.

Unfortunately, the results were minimal.

Inner demons can only be resolved by oneself; the help that outsiders can provide is truly very limited.

Seeing that his senior uncles' attempts at persuasion were ineffective, Zhao Yifu became very nervous.

After all, this was his suggestion. Wouldn't it be terrible if something really went wrong?
He originally thought that controlling the Heavenly Demon would solve the problem, but who knew that his Grandmaster Uncle Cao would have problems on his own.

At this moment, Zhao Yifu was truly at a loss. In his desperation, he quickly took out a "smart medicine" that the Sage Taiqing had refined for him and swallowed it.

This Enlightenment Elixir not only helps people attain enlightenment, but also expands their thinking.

With the help of the Enlightenment Elixir, Zhao Yifu's mind immediately became like a wild horse, and he began to think from multiple perspectives about how to help Cao Guojiu solve his inner demons.

However, Master Chunyang reacted even faster, immediately saying, "Let's chant sutras for him together and stabilize his mind first."

The seven fairies immediately formed a circle and began chanting incantations together.

This was indeed effective; the calming mantra of the Taiqing lineage took effect, gradually calming Cao Guojiu's turbulent desires.

Inspired, Zhao Yifu realized that the ultimate solution lay in understanding Cao Guojiu's inner state. So how could he monitor Cao Guojiu's inner state?

With the help of the 'smart drug,' Zhao Yifu suddenly had an extremely bold yet seemingly feasible idea.

The next moment, all seven immortals opened their eyes wide and looked at the figure that had quietly descended from the Demon Realm.

Zhao Yifu stretched out his hand, making a gesture of "Don't be impulsive, everyone," and then said, "Don't worry, it's my own demon." It was "my own demon," because this demon was the dream avatar that Zhao Yifu had left in the Demon Realm!

This incarnation used the methods of the Heavenly Demon, following the desires still surging within Cao Guojiu's heart, and burrowed down...

Well, it was my first time operating it and I wasn't very familiar with it, so much so that Cao Guojiu felt a strong sense of 'foreignness'.

At this moment, the incarnation was trying to burrow headfirst into the space between Cao Guojiu's eyebrows, but perhaps because it was unfamiliar with the task, its head and shoulders had managed to get in, but it got stuck halfway...

Cao Guojiu's forehead looked as if a person's lower body was embedded in it, making the scene extremely bizarre.

Even in his demonic state, he managed to yell, "Don't force your way in!"

The seven fairies looked at each other, unsure of what to do in this situation.

Fortunately, Zhao Yifu was still under the influence of the "smart drug" and realized that things were not going well, so he quickly came up with a solution.

That is, he discovered that his incarnation ultimately lacked the characteristics of a celestial demon, which is why it was more difficult to enter people's minds.

Now that the problem has been identified, the solution is to address the specific deficiencies.

Zhao Yifu reached into the void and grabbed a celestial demon that was howling loudly.

Then a yin-yang symbol of water and fire appeared before him, spinning rapidly like a millstone.

The demon was thrown into the water and fire millstone and was instantly ground into many gray particles.

These particles were gently blew by Zhao Yifu and flowed into the half of Cao Guojiu's body that was stuck on his head... and slowly became moist.

Zhao Yifu's avatar acquired some of the characteristics of the Heavenly Demon and slowly slid into Cao Guojiu's head.

At this moment, even the demon-possessed Cao Guojiu felt a void in his mind, as if something had burst...

The seven immortals looked at Zhao Yifu with horrified expressions.

Good heavens, this is simply inhuman!

Zhao Yifu smiled awkwardly and said, "At least the goal has been achieved. My avatar should have been able to help my grandmaster overcome his inner demons."

As soon as he finished speaking, Cao Guojiu's eyes regained their clarity.

He looked at Zhao Yifu with a complicated expression and said, "He's right."

The Seven Fairies exclaimed with delight, "You have finally regained your senses!"

Cao Guojiu's primordial spirit was somewhat weak, clearly indicating that he had expended a great deal of energy.

He sighed and said, "I'm sorry to have worried everyone. I never thought that the vanity and hedonism that I thought I had long since given up were still hidden in my heart."

As they were talking, a glint of light suddenly flashed in his eyes, turning into lingering waves of desire.

Master Chunyang asked with concern, "What happened?"

Cao Guojiu looked at Zhao Yifu again, his face showing a mixture of confusion and surprise.

He said, "Fu Yinzi, you just subdued my inner demons..."

As soon as he finished speaking, his weakened aura, caused by the depletion of his primordial spirit, rapidly recovered, even surpassing its former strength!
This move was truly unexpected.

So now Zhao Yifu's incarnation is inside Cao Guojiu's heart, refining the original inner demon as a tonic, and incidentally replacing the inner demon's position.

Seeing that everyone was looking at him more and more strangely, Zhao Yifu braced himself and suggested, "Grandmaster Cao, you can try the Pure Yang Demon Scripture again."

Upon hearing this, Cao Guojiu became much bolder, saying, "I'm just about to give it a try."

As he spoke, he immediately activated his demonic power, and his body once again erupted with intense demonic energy.

This time, however, his bewitching eyes held a deep clarity.

It became.

This is something that all the Eight Immortals realized.

Cao Guojiu has become possessed by a demon in a state of lucidity.

No one spoke, allowing Cao Guojiu to ponder the matter carefully before sharing his thoughts.

A moment later, he suddenly dispelled all demonic energy and bowed deeply to Zhao Yifu, saying, "Thank you for your guidance."

Zhao Yifu quickly stepped aside and said, "Grandmaster Uncle, there's no need for that."

Cao Guojiu shook his head and said, "The enlightened are my teachers. If it weren't for your incarnation, Fu Yinzi, holding my heart firmly in my mind, how could I have so easily seen through all desires and made all emotions and desires as fleeting clouds?"

Only then did everyone understand the role that Zhao Yifu's incarnation played in Cao Guojiu's heart.

Honestly, this is a function that no one could have imagined.

It's actually the complete opposite of inner demons, a 'cute little thing' that prevents one from getting lost in desires.

Cao Guojiu paused for a moment, then immediately entered a state of demonic possession again.

Before anyone could ask, he explained, "I feel that if I could control this state without Fu Yinzi's help, I might be able to go to the Demon Realm and face Bo Xun directly."

O Awakened One!

Cao Guojiu seemed to have seen a direct path to enlightenment.

This discovery astonished the other seven immortals, while simultaneously thrilling them.

Lan Caihe, being the most unconventional, said, "Fu Yinzi, hurry up and leave a little mark on my heart too!"

Zhao Yifu did not refuse, but hesitated for a moment before saying, "Just now I went through the process of entering the heart of Grandmaster Cao and found that this Heavenly Demon Method is ultimately not suitable for me, so I came up with a method that suits me instead."

"If Grandmaster Lan needs it, we can try entering his dream first."

Upon hearing this, Lan Caihe became interested and said happily, "Sleeping? That's my specialty!"

He stretched and yawned, then lay down and fell asleep, snoring loudly.

Everyone was speechless. Zhao Yifu also felt that Lan Caihe was quite compatible with him.

Therefore, he quickly found Lan Caihe's dream by using another dream avatar...

About two hours later, Lan Caihe rubbed his eyes and got up.

He looked at Zhao Yifu and said, "I had so much fun playing with you in my dream."

He Xiangu asked, "Caihe, has he entered your heart?"

Lan Caihe was slightly taken aback, then exclaimed, "I invited him into my heart, and now I really do have a little Fu Yinzi in my heart!"

All the immortals breathed a sigh of relief.

Fortunately, they succeeded. They felt a lot of psychological burden when they thought of Cao Guojiu's grotesque appearance with half of Zhao Yifu's incarnation on his head.

Fortunately, I can enter your heart directly through dreams...

and many more!

The way everyone looked at Zhao Yifu changed again.

Because whether it's entering people's hearts through the methods of a demon or through dreams, it's not something a decent, good person would do!
But regardless, with Zhao Yifu's protection, the demonic possession that cultivators fear so much doesn't seem to be a problem for the Eight Immortals.

In any case, three days later, the Eight Immortals officially became the 'Eight Demons'.

Meanwhile, Li Wenqing, who proposed the plan to lure the Eight Immortals into demonic possession, was sporting dark circles under his eyes and had painstakingly completed a 'plan document,' and was about to seek Zhao Yifu's advice...

(End of this chapter)