Chapter 581: Degree of Salvation Scripture

A vast, emerald lake stretched for thousands of miles. A small, flat boat cut through the water, carrying a man of medium build. His old coir raincoat and worn bamboo hat concealed his true face.

"Who is this person?" many wondered, bewildered and suspicious. "He emerged from the depths of the emerald lake. Could he have entered ahead of us?"

The lake sparkled as the small boat slowed, drifting gently towards them. The man dropped his bamboo pole and stood with his hands behind his back, his face still concealed.

At this moment, over a dozen powerful figures were the first to sense that something was amiss. The Emperor of the Central State Divine Dynasty, the Demon Lord and War Lord of the Southern Barrens, and the Divine Monk of the Western Desert all felt a tremor in their hearts and their expressions changed.

"Who are you?" a peerless Emperor asked. He had lived for nearly three thousand years, looking down on all beneath heaven, but now he felt a chilling dread.

On the boat, the man remained unperturbed. He continued to stand with his hands behind his back, silently propelling the boat forward, as if nothing from the outside world could sway his inner resolve.

"Who exactly are you?" an old man with white hair and beard stepped forward and demanded. He was a Grand Elder-level powerhouse. "Our Emperor is speaking to you. Do you hear him?"

"Pop!" The man on the boat cast a cold gaze, then raised a hand and pointed forward. A splash of blood erupted from the old man's forehead, and he instantly fell into the lake, staining the clear water red.

"Gasp!" Everyone gasped in an uproar. Who was this person? To be so audacious as to kill someone right in front of an old Emperor was utterly outrageous.

"Insolent wretch!" A Half-Step Grandmaster strode forward, walking on the waves. He opened his mouth and spat out a tripod, which descended like a black mountain.

"Crack!" The large tripod was shattered by a single finger from the coir-clad man on the boat. Its fragments crumbled like sand and rustled into the lake.

"A weapon interwoven with Dao and principles, shattered so easily!" many exclaimed. "This person is too powerful! What is his origin?!" Everyone was terrified, their hair standing on end.

A cry of alarm rang out as the Half-Step Grandmaster was involuntarily pulled forward, his feet skimming the lake surface and sending spray everywhere. He struggled violently, but could not resist, and was drawn onto the small boat.

The man in the coir raincoat reached out a hand and seized him by the neck. His other hand remained casually behind his back, as if the act was effortless.

"Ah..." the Grandmaster cried out, as if encountering the most terrifying thing imaginable. His limbs left the ground, flailing wildly in mid-air.

"Thud." With a soft sound, the Half-Step Grandmaster's head exploded. Blood and brain matter flowed down, soaking into the powerful arm, yet the coir-clad man showed no trace of disgust.

"Plop." He gently released his grip, and the corpse fell into the lake, staining a large area of the clear water red. The headless corpse floated, horrifying and impossible to look at directly.

Now, no one could remain calm. They all recoiled. Who was this person, capable of strangling a Half-Step Grandmaster with a single hand? His methods were terrifying!

"He's that being from the ancient tomb! He's here again..." someone cried out in terror, finally recognizing him. He was indeed the mysterious figure who appeared after Ye Fan shot down eighteen stone mountains.

However, even now, no one realized this was a God's Vestige, as not everyone possessed the diverse knowledge of Duan De and the Old Blind Man.

The small boat continued to cut through the water, not moving quickly, but it filled hearts with dread. The mysterious man stood with his hands behind his back, his sleeves stained with blood and brain matter, yet he showed no concern.

"Whoosh!" In the sky, the Emperor of the Central State and the War Lord of the Southern Barrens simultaneously attacked. They each formed a hand seal and pressed downward.

"Boom!" The heavens and earth churned, and the clear waters surged. They each manifested a large seal and a great bell, formed from divine power and interwoven with primordial patterns.

"Central Emperor Seal!" "Southern Demon Bell!" the crowd exclaimed. Although hastily unleashed, these were constructed from the laws of unparalleled masters, terrifyingly powerful, capable of easily obliterating ordinary Grandmasters.

"Hiss!" "Hiss!" The God's Vestige raised its head, standing with hands behind its back, performing no other action. From its eyes shot two demonic lights, tracing long, dazzling, and beautiful paths.

"Clang!" In the sky, the Southern Demon Bell boomed, then rapidly cracked, creating a massive black hole before vanishing without a trace.

"Crack!" The Central Emperor Seal met the same fate. Cracks instantly appeared, and it broke and disintegrated like a bone chewed by a wild dog, vanishing into nothingness in the blink of an eye.

"Who is he? What kind of person is he?!" people screamed in alarm.

"Could it be the Mad Old Man of the Eastern Wasteland?" some suspected, believing that in this era, only such a Saint could possess such abilities.

Just two beams of light shot from its eyes destroyed the laws and order constructed by two of the world's most supreme figures, a truly shocking feat.

"A God's Vestige... He's a God's Vestige!" Finally, an old monk from the Western Desert recognized what kind of being he was, his white eyebrows twitching as he chanted a Buddhist prayer.

"A God's Vestige?!" Many people were perplexed, but those who understood instantly turned pale, a chill running through their bodies.

"How can such a thing exist in the world?" The four peerless Emperors of the Central State were all deeply moved, involuntarily recoiling. They never expected to encounter such a being.

"Did gods truly exist in this world?" wondered the War Lord of the Southern Barrens, unable to determine if he should be happy or sorrowful, "Otherwise, how could a God's Vestige be born?"

At this moment, other cultivators, through their sudden understanding, finally knew what a God's Vestige was: a creature born after the death of ancient deities, which could be called a devil.

"Let's see what they can do to resolve this..." Duan De retreated, looking as if it had nothing to do with him.

The Old Blind Man tossed out a handful of tortoise shells and performed a divination on the lake surface. He said, "East, then south. Exceedingly auspicious."

The Barbarian didn't believe this charlatan in his heart, but seeing that Ye Fan and Jue Youqing had followed, he also trailed after them.

"Boom!" No sooner had they retreated than the coir-clad man on the boat emitted a terrifying dark light, like a black sun, which then transformed into a black hole.

"Ah..." At that moment, countless people cried out in alarm. They were involuntarily pulled forward, their bodies tearing apart mid-flight as the black hole on the boat devoured everything.

Heads, severed limbs, and torsos, all dripping with blood, filled the air. This was simply a scene of human purgatory. In an instant, over a hundred people disintegrated, all vanishing into that single point—the black hole!

The dark light faded, and the black abyss vanished. The God's Vestige reappeared on the boat, bloodstains on his lips and teeth, and even tiny bone fragments on his collar.

"He swallowed over a hundred people in one gulp!" Many people almost collapsed to the ground. These were all powerhouses above the Dragon Transformation Realm, none of them weak, yet he swallowed them in a single gulp.

"In ancient times, there truly were gods! He is a devil born after a god's death!" This was a devil, standing there with an invincible aura, utterly unmatched. To approach him was to court death.

Wiping out over a hundred powerhouses in an instant stunned everyone. Even the supreme Grandmasters fell silent, a chill running through them.

"Unless the Mad Old Man comes here, or a few Ancient Kings are invited, no one can contend with him!" Unfortunately, the Mad Old Man's whereabouts were unknown. As for the Ancient Kings, that was out of the question; those ancient beings were also a great menace.

"Amitabha." An old monk from the Western Desert, chanting the name of an ancient Buddhist Emperor, stepped forward. He said, "Our Buddha is merciful. In ancient times, a venerable Buddha also encountered a God's Vestige and left behind a method for subduing devils."

Everyone was greatly astonished. The God's Vestige, spoken of by the ancients, was incredibly mysterious and terrifying, always existing only in legends. Yet, Buddhism had actually encountered one long ago.

People couldn't help but marvel at the ancient, vast, profound, and deeply rooted heritage of Western Desert Buddhism; a venerable Buddha had actually subdued a supreme devil like the God's Vestige.

"Divine Monk, quickly cast your spell to subdue this devil!" an Emperor urged.

"We need to work together and chant my Buddha's Divine Rebirth Incantation," the old monk said.

"Hmph!" A cold snort. This was the first time the God's Vestige, this devil, had uttered a sound. It made people feel as if they had fallen into an ice cellar, their pores exhaling cold air, their bodies trembling.

This sound seemed to come from the bottomless abyss of hell, stirring both agitation and terror in their souls!

"Namo Amitābha-ye, Tathāgata-ye, Tadyathā, Amṛtodbhave..." At this moment, the Divine Monk from the Western Regions began to chant scriptures. He sat cross-legged in the void, his countenance solemn and majestic, surrounded by a halo of Buddhist light behind him, like an ancient Buddha reborn.

"Everyone, chant the scriptures together to subdue the devil!" an Emperor shouted.

"Rooting out all karmic obstructions and attaining rebirth in the Pure Land Dhāraṇī..." Everyone chanted together, and the Divine Rebirth Incantation resounded throughout the great lake.

A light could be clearly seen rising from each person, connecting together and pressing towards the devil.

The devil did not make a move, apparently wanting to contend with the Rebirth Incantation and fathom its meaning. He revealed a sinister smile; although in human form, he was incomparably ferocious.

"Buddhist divine incantations are truly extraordinary; they can really resist that devil!" Dongfang Ye was surprised.

Nearby, Jue Youqing held a Bodhi branch, her face filled with compassion, and Buddhist light emanated from her. She chanted another ancient scripture, the Great Compassion Mantra, her voice not loud, yet it resounded throughout heaven and earth.

She seemed like a Bodhisattva incarnate, her white robes like snow, and rays of auspicious light shot from the golden lotus mark on her brow. These merged with the Rebirth Incantation, making the Buddhist chants even grander.

Not far away, the devil's body trembled slightly, and two cold lights shot from its eyes, devoid of any human emotion. The Buddhist light pushed the small boat away.

"Buddhist ancient scriptures are indeed profound..." Duan De was surprised, not expecting them to genuinely overpower the devil.

Every person has endless potential. Some Buddhist scriptures can enable even ordinary people to unleash specific divine abilities. The Rebirth Incantation is one such example; with the combined efforts of the world, it can transcend gods and devils.

However, if used for a solo confrontation, it would be somewhat weak, requiring the cultivation of other ancient scriptures for enhancement.

"Does the Daoist sect not have similar ancient scriptures?" Ye Fan muttered to himself. "If they also had divine texts that could be chanted together, wouldn't that be even better?"

"Hmph!" The Old Blind Man disliked this, casting a sidelong glance at him. He said, "The Daoist sect dislikes establishing religions; they are all free-spirited wanderers. Today, I too shall chant a scripture to jointly subdue the devil."

"You're not going to recite some fortune-telling spell, are you?" the Barbarian didn't trust this charlatan, always feeling he was a fraud.

"Accumulating Yang creates God, within God there is form. Form is born from the Sun, the Sun is born from the Moon. Accumulating Yin creates form, within form there is God..." The Old Blind Man sat cross-legged on the lake surface, chanting a true scripture, immediately causing a group of people to involuntarily follow along.

The old fellow was remarkably sharp; hearing the scripture, he understood its intent: this was meant to dissolve the devil born from Yin. Daoist light flowed around him, like a golden-bodied Daoist Patriarch.

"When the mind's source is clear, one glance shatters all. When qi is strong, myriad sensations cease. With a single mind, observe all things..." The Old Blind Man sat cross-legged in the void, becoming increasingly ethereal, as if transmitting his voice from beyond heaven and earth.

"This is the legendary Scripture of Salvation!" Many supreme Grandmasters changed color, all extremely shocked.

The Scripture of Salvation was not an ancient scripture of a human emperor, but it had extraordinary mystical uses; although its combat power was not strong, it could save all living beings.

Once the Scripture of Salvation was revealed, more and more people joined in, chanting it together, and an inexplicable power seemed to be invoked throughout heaven and earth.

"Roar..." The devil let out a great roar, transforming into a dark light and vanishing from its spot. The Buddhist light and this inexplicable power naturally restrained it.

"Everyone, don't stop," a Grandmaster transmitted, "or else we will all die here; this devil can return at any time."

In fact, even without him saying so, the crowd could no longer stop. Once the Scripture of Salvation was revealed, even the Rebirth Incantation was somewhat suppressed. With both scriptures chanted simultaneously, the latent divine power within people surged out continuously, making it difficult to stop.

The great lake glowed brilliantly, with light extending for thousands of feet. Many people were immersed in a strange state, continuously chanting scriptures.

"So, everyone possesses such powerful and terrifying divine energy..." Ye Fan stared in a daze; he had not fallen into that state.

"Whoosh!" Just then, the supreme Grandmasters moved. They rushed up the Heavenly Ladder, heading towards the Heaven-Reaching Land, also not immersed in the Scripture of Salvation.

"Damn it, these old geezers made people chant scriptures while they ran off to seize the Emperor's divine treasures!" Dongfang Ye grumbled indignantly.

"We can't fly up," Ye Fan frowned. At this moment, only Grandmasters were unrestrained and could fly; no one else had a way to ascend the Heavenly Ladder.

At this moment, the Old Blind Man opened his eyes, calmly withdrawing from that strange state of chanting. He casually performed a divination, his tortoise shells rattling.

"We can also go up; it all falls on him," he said after his divination, pointing at Duan De.

The fat man Duan cursed, saying, "You old scoundrel, all you know is trickery and nonsense."

"Dead fatty, stop wasting time!" the Old Blind Man glared, a stark contrast to his ethereal and otherworldly demeanor while chanting earlier. "If we're a step late, everything will be snatched away!"

"You charlatan!" A flash of light from the fat man Duan's brow produced a river of stars that hung directly onto the Heavenly Ladder, gracefully carrying them upward.

"This... Could this be the legendary Star River Daoist's treasure?" The Old Blind Man's eyes widened. "But he has been dead for twenty thousand years, and this invincible King's divine artifact was buried with him underground. You actually robbed the ancient tomb of King Star River?"

"Don't stare at me; I accidentally fell into a broken pit and picked it up," Duan De said, a little guilty. Then he grumbled indignantly, "Daoist Master, all my treasures were stolen by some bastard. Now I'm seriously short on treasures."

Ye Fan: "..."The Barbarian: "..."The fat man Duan kept cursing, but the two dared not speak, letting the aggrieved party curse non-stop, fearing he might notice their reactions.

They finally ascended the Heavenly Ladder, walking upward until they disappeared into the sky, arriving at a place where all things were newly born.

Here, spiritual energy was like water, almost liquefying. Spiritual herbs were everywhere, and vegetation was lush. Pure source energy was actually forming, its process clearly visible.

"This is a primeval world!" All of them were greatly astonished.

"Be careful," the Old Blind Man reminded them. "Since there's a God's Vestige, this place is likely an ancient land where a god is buried."

"Caw..." A cry rang out, and a golden light streaked across the sky.

"That's... a three-legged Golden Crow flying past!"

At the same time, Ye Fan's expression shifted as he saw Grand Tutor Xiao and Xiao Zhi flying through the distant mountains.

"This is a world within a world, small, not very large," Duan De said through gritted teeth. "We must find the ancient coffin where the god is buried!"

Chanting ancient scriptures, summoning.