Chapter 577: Slaughtering God Worm

The swamp also contained some ancient, sparsely scattered trees that reached to the clouds, casting vast shadows. The area was very damp and heavy with a strong yin presence.

A lotus platform glowed with an ethereal light, as white and flawless as jade, translucent and radiant. A woman in pristine white robes sat cross-legged atop it, her dark hair like clouds. She recited Buddhist scriptures, appearing transcendent and ethereal.

The old blind man stood beside the lotus platform, waving vigorously towards them. His raspy voice was very penetrating. Everyone on this side heard him, but they all hesitated and didn't move.

Duan De squinted at him and muttered, "Where did this old geezer come from? He looks like an old scoundrel, not a respectable person."

"Can anyone be more dishonest or unreliable than you? The Immortal Burial Map was sold off, after all," Ye Fan whispered. In his opinion, the old blind man seemed more straightforward than Duan De.

Dongfang Ye was surprised and said, "He sold the Immortal Burial Map?"

"Gentlemen, how about we go together?" the old blind man said, waving to the three. "There's strength in numbers. We can share any ancient scriptures equally, and sacred artifacts will go to whoever is destined for them."

Finally, Ye Fan, Dongfang Ye, and Duan De walked forward together to meet the other two, but as soon as they got close, they were greatly surprised.

They had already seen strange insects hovering there, but they hadn't expected them to be so terrifying. Each insect was finger-length and looked as if it were clad in golden armor, and they could even gnaw away divine power.

Although the maiden had refined dozens of insects, there were still thirty left. They had gnawed away a portion of the Buddha's light, and the light screen around the old blind man's body was riddled with holes.

"What kind of insects are these?" the barbarian exclaimed in surprise. Even though he had lived in the wild old forests for years, he had never seen anything like them.

"Could... could they be those divine insects from ancient legends?" Duan De was horrified and stumbled back several steps.

"That's right, these are God-Slaying Insects. However, their blood isn't pure, so they're not as terrifying as the legends say," the old blind man said, beckoning to the others and asking them to help refine the insects.

God-Slaying Insects, legend has it, can gnaw through even deities. Almost nothing can stop them; they can bite through anything and devour anything.

"These are legendary, world-shocking spiritual creatures, no less valuable than an ancient scripture," the old blind man said. "Cultivate them for a few millennia, and a true God-Slaying Insect might actually emerge." He urged them to help capture a few for taming.

"You old geezer, that's really unscrupulous of you!" Duan De gritted his teeth. "Unless these insects are cultivated from eggs, they will definitely retaliate and lead to a bad end."

"Old rascal!" Dongfang Ye wanted to punch him after hearing that.

For the first time, Ye Fan felt that this old swindler was even worse than Duan De. He was the kind of scoundrel who deserved a beating, the kind even dogs would bite and geese would peck.

"What I mean is, quickly help us refine these divine insects, and then we can search for the insect nest together," the old blind man said, rolling his eyes and looking very innocent.

The barbarian swung his club down, striking one of the God-Slaying Insects. It didn't shatter, instead emitting a metallic clang, revealing just how incredibly hard it was.

These insects were thumb-sized, covered in tiny golden scales. They resembled small flood dragons, but without horns.

"These things cannot be shattered by force; they can only be refined with magic power," the old swindler reminded them. "Otherwise, why would they be called God-Slaying Insects?"

These divine insects, with their thin and nearly extinct ancestral bloodline, were currently in a primal, uncultivated state with little sentience. Yet, they possessed such power, enough to demonstrate their terrifying nature.

"If a few ancestral insects were to be born..." Duan De's eyes lit up, and he rubbed his hands together excitedly.

If a few true God-Slaying Insects could be cultivated, one could walk unimpeded across heaven and earth. Unfortunately, he could only dream of it; no one had ever succeeded.

Legend has it that in ancient times, only one sage successfully nurtured a few semi-divine insects, and together with the sage, they dismembered and killed a resurrected Primordial King.

"I don't believe you're that hard!" The barbarian's stubbornness flared up. He threw aside his wolf-fang club, reached out a hand, and squeezed a golden insect with force.

"Wild boy, don't mess with it!" The old swindler was startled and hastily shouted for him to let it go.

"Even a mighty expert's body can be bitten through; don't act recklessly," Duan De also exclaimed in alarm.

"Grinding and crunching..." The barbarian squeezed hard, and the golden divine insect screeched between his fingers, its sound grating.

Pop!

In the end, he actually crushed a God-Slaying Insect alive. Golden light scattered, and blood splattered, startling the old blind man so much that he rolled his eyes.

"You pervert!" Duan De muttered.

The old swindler said, "Hurry and help us refine them; there's no time to delay here. Even if we don't find ancient scriptures, finding the God-Slaying Insect nest would still be a great harvest."

Duan De took action and began to help them refine the insects. Dongfang Ye, on the other hand, directly grasped and crushed them with his hands. Both methods were arduous but slowly progressing.

Ye Fan also grabbed one, and it shattered with a "pop" inside his sleeve. However, the others still saw it, and everyone stared at him as if they had seen a ghost.

"Uh, I was just trying it out."

"When can we spar?" The barbarian's eyes gleamed with intense fervor. His physical body was peerless, and he had never found a worthy opponent.

"I only know how to shoot arrows. If you're the target, I guarantee there'll be no problem shooting you," Ye Fan chuckled.

Dongfang Ye: "..."

Ultimately, dozens of God-Slaying Insects were eliminated. They searched carefully in the swamp but found no trace of an insect nest.

"It's probably in the Immortal Burial Ground. I have a very bad feeling about this," Duan De muttered. "Could it be that pure-blooded ancestral insects have truly been born? If so, they could probably gnaw through even a saint's bones!"

"From your ominous aura, I gather you've spent years frequenting tombs, is that right?" the old swindler asked, rolling his eyes.

"You old geezer, you talk too much!" Duan De showed no respect for his elders.

"May the Buddha have mercy. Thank you, benefactors, for your assistance," the white-robed woman on the translucent, radiant lotus platform spoke with a gentle smile.

She exuded an aura of detachment from the three realms. Even divine Buddhas who smiled while holding a flower were no more so; she seemed not to belong to this mortal world, ethereal yet vivid.

A golden lotus flower adorned her brow, glowing brilliantly against her skin, which was like mutton-fat jade. Her figure was slender and graceful, her black hair like clouds, possessing a pure and captivating beauty.

"Are you from the Western Desert, Jue Youqing?" Dongfang Ye asked.

Jue Youqing – this was a very unusual name. However, it held great significance in Western Desert Buddhism, and few people throughout history dared to bear such a name.

It was another meaning for Bodhisattva, encompassing self-enlightenment and enlightening others. It signified one who is awakened and takes on the responsibility of awakening others, being compassionate yet enlightened.

It was already rumored that Jue Youqing would one day achieve the Bodhisattva path. She was one of the few in the Western Desert's history to be close to Buddhahood and would achieve the Great Dao.

Jue Youqing put away her lotus platform and stood in the swamp. Her white robes fluttered, her body was as clear and bright as iridescent glass, emitting a dreamlike Buddhist light.

She spoke no unnecessary words, maintaining a serene and peaceful Buddhist nature. She simply nodded and smiled at them, saying nothing more.

"Ah..."

Screams echoed from afar. The two-hundred-zhang-long Fish-Dragon Crocodile appeared and disappeared mysteriously in the swamp, having already slain dozens of masters, proving more terrifying than even a peak Saint Lord.

"Croak!"

A dozen miles away, the hundred-zhang-tall Toad roared, shaking mountains and rivers. It had devoured over a hundred powerful figures, making it even more gruesome, and the entire swamp trembled from its roars.

"...This won't do. With two fierce spirits guarding this place, we can't possibly bypass them," Ye Fan frowned.

"It's fine. We just need to wait here. When the sky falls, there'll be giants to hold it up," the old swindler said, perfectly calm, claiming this spot was safe from the two primeval beasts.

Boom!

Mud splattered, swirling high into the sky. An emperor and a supreme mighty expert made their move against the Fish-Dragon Crocodile. A massive cauldron descended from the heavens, suppressing it.

"Roar..."

The Fish-Dragon Crocodile roared, scattering the clouds in the sky. Its two-hundred-zhang-long crocodile body slammed powerfully, sending the massive cauldron flying and crashing into a distant mountain range.

Boom!

Smoke and dust billowed skyward, and rocks flew through the air. Seven or eight mountain peaks in that range were smashed, and the massive cauldron fell to the ground.

"What a beast!"

A large seal descended from the sky, pressing downwards, transforming into a jade-green peak. Lush vegetation thrived on it, silver waterfalls cascaded down, and birds and beasts appeared, making it incredibly vivid and majestic.

Thump!

The jade-green great seal, now a mighty mountain, pressed down on the Fish-Dragon Crocodile. The entire swamp sank, but then a fierce, malevolent aura suddenly surged skyward.

Bang!

The Fish-Dragon Crocodile violently struck the great seal, sending it flying as well. It snapped a distant mountain range in two, turning it into a barren wasteland.

"This ancient Fish-Dragon Crocodile is too terrifying!"

Ye Fan and the others were astonished that even an emperor and a mighty expert combined could not suppress it. Soon after, another Saint Lord flew in, wielding a Dragon-Flood Scythe to suppress it.

Clang! Zheng...

Sparks flew everywhere, and mud surged heavenward. Three supreme figures battled the Fish-Dragon Crocodile in a chaotic, desperate, and incredibly fierce fight.

On the other side, three supreme sect masters worked together to suppress the Toad. It was also terrifying, bearing nine golden lines on its back and shooting out nine divine arrows, nearly piercing a sect master to death.

"This Immortal Burial Ground is truly terrifying," someone remarked. "There are ancient beast kings of Saint Lord level guarding all four directions. Just in this swamp, two primeval beasts have appeared. Who knows what we'll encounter once we go inside!"

"Now's our chance, let's go quickly!" the old swindler said, beckoning to the others and being the first to rush towards the Heaven-Connecting Place.

Here, apart from supreme mighty experts, no one else could fly and had to proceed on foot.

This time, they had a safe but thrilling journey, encountering no strange beasts. They arrived directly at the Heaven-Connecting Place, where vast, boundless immortal cliffs exuded purple energy.

Vegetation was scarce here, yet it was not lacking in vitality. The plants that grew were either Spirit Orchids, Dragon Grass, or exotic trees – not a single mundane specimen.

On the cliff walls, ten-thousand-year-old spiritual medicines blossomed, emitting a faint fragrance. In front of ancient caves, divine vines intertwined, their flowers crystal clear and laden with exotic fruits.

Many cultivators had already rushed in, searching everywhere for the Great Emperor's ancient scriptures. This place, imbued with a mysterious Dao rhythm amidst the purple mist, was now disturbed by the crowd.

"Ah..."

Human cultivators were fighting among themselves. Someone discovered a cave dwelling, and a group of people swarmed in, fighting fiercely. In the blink of an eye, more than a dozen people had died.

"See? Who knows how many people will die today," the old blind man said. "This is just a sword art. If an ancient scripture of a Great Emperor were to appear, even peerless emperors would engage in life-and-death duels."

"Have you found anything?" Ye Fan nudged Duan De. This fellow, having plundered tombs for years, surely had a different perspective on this place.

Fatty Duan was very calm, with his hands behind his back, constantly pacing among the immortal cliffs. He was measuring, meticulously calculating, and deducing.

After a long while, he sighed and said, "This place is too vast, with endless cliffs and an excess of spiritual blessings. If I were to deduce it piece by piece, it would take at least half a year."

"Let me examine the general trend," Ye Fan murmured to himself. He used his Heaven Origin Divine Art to observe the Immortal Burial Ground as a whole, his divine eyes shooting out electric rays as he scanned all directions.

Just a moment later, his heart trembled. This place was profound and mysterious, as if an immortal lay sleeping on their side here, incredibly strange.

Ye Fan inscribed on the ground, marking the general layout of the land and the most spiritually abundant areas. He also indicated several inevitably fatal "dragon lairs."

"Alright, to discern such a grand terrestrial formation," Duan De said, his eyes glowing brightly. "If we cooperate, no ancient tomb in the world would be impenetrable, and we could even venture into the resting places of Great Emperors."

However, there were still many options, and they found it difficult to decide immediately.

"Let me try a divination," the old blind man said, picking up dozens of ancient tortoise shells, muttering incantations, and then tossing them onto the ground.

"What?! The Land of Nine Destructions, certain death!" After reading the divination on the ground, the old blind man's body trembled.

"What does that mean?" the barbarian asked.

"The divination shows this place is 'Heaven-Severing, Earth-Severing, Human-Severing, Ghost-Severing, Immortal-Severing'..." the old blind man said, his voice strained. "Let's put it this way: whatever enters here will be annihilated."

"Isn't this the final resting place of an ancient Great Emperor? How did it become a Land of Nine Destructions?" Duan De was suspicious and puzzled.

Ye Fan stood up and once again observed with his Heaven Origin Divine Art. The more he looked, the more startled he became. This immortal cliff indeed resembled an immortal lying on their side across the land.

However, after a careful gaze, a chill ran through his heart. This immortal was not merely sleeping but appeared to have been locked here, their life buried in this place.

"This truly lives up to its name, an Immortal Burial Ground..." he muttered to himself. He drew this image on the ground, and the others were all shocked.

The old blind man collected the dozens of tortoise shells, shook them repeatedly for a second divination, and with a clatter, they scattered across the ground. This time, they landed right on the depiction of the Immortal Burial Ground that Ye Fan had drawn.

"There are immortal treasures here, most likely a sacred artifact or even the remains of an ancient Great Emperor, but it is also a Land of Nine Destructions," the old blind man deduced once again.

"Are your calculations accurate?" Dongfang Ye seriously doubted the old geezer, feeling he wasn't a good person.

The old blind man said, "No mistake, it's definitely an immortal-burying land of destruction. However, there is also a sliver of hope for survival. As long as we find the Great Emperor's sacred artifact or ancient scriptures, a path to survival will likely appear."

"Ah..." Screams occasionally came from afar.

Vast cliffs, one after another, exuded purple energy and glowed with splendid clouds. Countless cultivators had entered, fighting to the death for ten-thousand-year-old spiritual medicines and for a cave dwelling inscribed with texts.

This was just the beginning, yet sixty or seventy people had already lost their lives, their blood staining the cliff walls.

"Let's go! The divination shows that the only sliver of hope is in this direction. Let's head towards the immortal treasures!" the old blind man said, pointing in a direction.

Although they were nervous, none of them retreated; they chose to press forward. As soon as they passed a few stone cliffs, they saw numerous bloodstains and corpses.

In this direction, many people were moving about, including not a few supreme figures. However, they were not engaging in a massacre.

"This is bad!" At that very moment, Duan De's hair stood on end. He stared at the corner of the cliff ahead and said, "Did any of you see something just now?"

"It looked like someone flashed past and disappeared," Dongfang Ye also stared at the spot.

"That wasn't a person. I can't believe such a thing actually exists in this world," Duan De said, his face pale. "I've been venturing into all sorts of ancient underground tombs for over twenty years, and I've never encountered anything like it. I didn't expect to run into it here today."