Tales of Herding Gods

This was what had happened to the reincarnation of Earth Count. It was the memory of the Slaughter Cauldron, yet Qin Mu was now viewing from Earth Count’s perspective so he could feel what he was feeling as well.

The feathered snake coiled around his wife and grabbed hold of his two kids. Earth Count’s weakness was right in their hands.

Numerous half-gods were very excited. In Youdu, Earth Count was invincible. It wasn’t only his power that was invincible, even his frame of mind was invincible. No one could defeat him in Youdu.

However, after Earth Count had reincarnated, he was no longer invincible. Earth Count’s power after reincarnation was very weak and similarly, his frame of mind was full of flaws.

The biggest flaw he had was his family!

The Earth Count after reincarnation was no longer the true Earth Count. Instead, he was Ah Chou as named by his mother and Ah Niu as called by his wife. He was just an ugly man that was honest and down-to-earth in the village. He was also the father of two kids.

He was no longer Earth Count, he was just Ah Chou.

“I didn’t tell any ancient gods about my reincarnation, and I also didn’t inform the celestial heavens, so how did you guys know that I reincarnated and how did you know I reincarnated here?”

Ah Chou didn’t look at these half-gods, and his gaze passed through them. He looked at the empty sky and said solemnly, “Only the celestial heavens would be able to know that I’ve reincarnated and where I’ve reincarnated in. In that case, who is coveting my power?

There was no movement in the sky.

Ah Chou was slightly disappointed.

“Ah Chou, are you not going to sacrifice your life for your wife and daughter?”

That feathered snake half-god cried out, “Surrender with the kind of sacrifice that will cause your soul to be dispersed!”

Ah Chou didn’t reply, and he grabbed the iron rake to carry it on his shoulder. That feathered snake half-god was furious and was about to kill his wife when a paper boat suddenly appeared behind Ah Chou. Light shone on the feathered snake’s face, and before that feathered snake could even give a grunt, his soul had fallen into Youdu.

On the boat was a youth with a devil mask on the back of his head. He shone around with his lantern, and the half-gods transformed into giant mountain-like corpses to collapse.

That youth hung the lantern back in the bow of the boat and took a look at Ah Chou. “This time they are small fries, next time it won’t be just small fries. I can’t protect you forever, come back as soon as possible.”

Ah Chou turned back to look at his mother, wife, and children before shaking his head. “I have feelings now, I can’t go back.”

That youth tilted his head and gave it some thought. “I’m still not strong enough now, there are many terrifying existences among the half-gods, and I’m no match for them. There are also ancient gods that are hiding, and if they appear, I won’t be a match for them. How much power can you use after your reincarnation?”

“This is the world of the living, I can’t use the power of Youdu.”

Ah Chou shook his head. “I feel there’s power hidden in the heart of my brows, but my third eye can never open.”

That youth looked at the heart of his brows, and there was a vertical line on the heart of Ah Chou’s brows. However, the third eye couldn’t be seen. He could only control his boat to sink into the depths of the darkness. “You are no longer Earth Count, you are Ah Chou, quickly return.”

Ah Chou saw him off, and after a moment, he revealed a simple smile. “I can’t go back anymore…”

His wife carried his children over, and he still told his wife he was Ah Chou, telling them not to worry.

He couldn’t stay here any longer. Even though he was thick and solid, his hands were nimble and skilled. He quickly made a back basket, and he put soft cotton inside to let his old mother sit in the basket on his back.

He placed his son and daughter on his shoulders while his pregnant wife sat on his elbow. His whole family started to immigrate.

Ah Chou hurried day and night to leave this place. However, it wasn’t peaceful on their journey. They still encountered quite a number of attacks from half-gods as more and more half-gods appeared in this world. People referred to half-gods as giant beasts that went around to eat humans and slaughter them. There weren’t so many half-gods here in the past, but suddenly, they had all appeared.

Ah Chou brought his family to hide here and there until the day came when his old mother’s lifespan was up.

“Ah Chou, I’m about to die.”

His old mother said to him, “Take care of your wife and your children. You are so ugly, but your wife still didn’t abandon you, so never abandon them. Ah Chou is not Earth Count, you are just an ugly child who looks a lot like Earth Count…” After she said that, she breathed her last.

Ah Chou cried and tried his best to open up the eye in the heart of his brows. He forced himself to use the power of Youdu. When he was Earth Count, he could grant blessings and lifespans to strong existences like Celestial Venerable You, allowing them to survive along with the world. Yet, at this moment, he couldn’t save his mother.

He even used a knife to slice apart the heart of his brows, causing blood to flow everywhere. However, he couldn’t find that eye. He couldn’t find the power of Youdu.

He wasn’t Earth Count.

He still had a wife, a son, and a daughter—he still had people he was concerned about.

He laid his old mother to rest and brought his wife and children to continue on their way. They avoided the pursues.

Finally, his wife was about to give birth, so he had no choice but to stop and find a midwife to deliver the child. However, with so many half-gods appearing in this world and swallowing humans, it was already very hard to find a living person.

The human race in this entire world was basically wiped out, and he couldn’t find a living person in the radius of several thousand miles. He could only find a cave and hide inside, delivering the baby for his wife personally.

After some torment, his child was born, and it was a girl. She was like him, having a pair of small horns on her head and having a pair of tiger teeth the moment she was born. She was very healthy.

Ah Chou was very happy. He went out to hunt to supplement his wife.

When he came back, he saw half-gods all over the mountain like a forest, blocking the cave his wife was in.

There were also incomparably powerful half-gods sitting on the mountain peak and looking down at him. Beside them was his wife.

He rushed forward frantically and used his iron rake to shatter the head of the god blocking in front of him. He used his fists to smash the opponent’s chest. He used his bull horns to spear those half-gods blocking his way, using his teeth to tear them apart.

He was berserk, and he used all his power to attack towards the cliff on the opposite side.

Those half-gods had remarkable abilities, and they beat him up until his face was swollen. His face got messed up, and they broke his bones and horns of nine bends. Ah Chou still continued to attack furiously forward, and he was even more of a giant beast than these half-gods.

It wasn’t known how long he had killed, but he was completely exhausted. However, he had also killed until the other side was all afraid. He laid beside a tree and breathed heavily, staring ruthlessly at the mountain on the other side.

Those half-gods still sat there and looked at him with a cold gaze. They didn’t speak, but they also didn’t move.

Ah Chou rested for a moment and continued to attack forward. There were broken limbs everywhere, and the broken bodies of half-gods were everywhere as well. His strength was boundless, but the power of Youdu was still not related to him.

“Kneel down.”

A voice came from the mountain peak, and Ah Chou raised his head to take a look. A half-god was grabbing his wife by the neck and placed his wife over the cliff. As long as he let his hand go, she would fall down and get smashed into meat paste.

Ah Chou stopped and looked at the mountain peak with a pleading look.

That half-god let go of his hands, and his wife fell from the cliff. Ah Chou screamed and pounced forward with all his strength, but he got blocked by the other half-gods on the way there who split his flesh.

Bang.

The sound of a heavy object hitting the ground rang out.

“Kneel down,” that half-god said indifferently as he raised his eldest son.

Ah Chou’s body trembled, and his legs wobbled. He finally knelt down and lowered his head.

A half-god wielded a shiny ax to walk forward, and he placed it near his neck. He was about to chop down when a voice called out in disapproval. “You can’t kill him like that.”

That half-god hurriedly stopped.

Sunlight filled the sky as the ancient gods hidden in the shadows descended. That was a face that had appeared in the sky. His face couldn’t be seen properly as he hid his face, not wanting to expose his identity. He said indifferently, “If he’s killed like this, his three souls will still fly back to Youdu and return into Earth Count’s body. We need his souls to be destroyed. Only when his souls are destroyed can we replace Earth Count.”

At this moment, another face appeared in the sky, and it was similarly hidden. A similarly cold tone came from the tone as well. “We have borrowed God Execution Mysterious Knife from the celestial heavens, and that can execute the soul. This is the number one weapon in the celestial heavens, and there’s nothing it can’t cut!”

A beam of light descended down from the sky to stab onto the ground. The knife couldn’t be seen, and only flowing light could be seen.

“Execute him.” Another few faces appeared in the sky, and even though their faces couldn’t be seen clearly, excitement could be seen from their eyes.

A half-god grabbed the God Execution Mysterious Knife from the celestial heavens, and he slashed at Ah Chou, who was kneeling on the ground.

Weng.

The knife light gave off violent tremors, and the half-god wielding the sword turned into blood mist. On the other hand, Ah Chou had no wound on his neck.

Earth Count’s three souls were too strong, and even if it was his reincarnation, he wasn’t something that a half-god could kill.

Another half-god walked forward and grabbed God Execution Mysterious Knife to slash down. He was turned into blood mist by the tremors, and Ah Chou remained unharmed.

The third half-god walked up, and he was also shattered into pieces by God Execution Knife. In an instant, the entire mountain of half-gods was frightened, and no one dared to pick up that knife.

“Useless things!”

An angry roar came from the sky, and an ancient god couldn’t resist descending down. He raised the God Execution Mysterious Knife and sneered. “If we can’t kill Earth Count, how do we succeed? How can we rise to the throne?”

“Dao brother, offer your head!”

His knife light landed down, and a trace of blood appeared on Ah Chou’s neck. His arms were numb from the tremors from God Execution Mysterious Knife.

That ancient god was astonished and furious. He laughed loudly and said, “Earth Count, your desire for survival is too strong. Even with this knife in my hand, I can’t slay you. Looks like you have to give up your desire to live. Throw his child down!”

“Don’t…”

Ah Chou’s body trembled as he saw his eldest son falling from the sky. He hurriedly crawled forward, and that ancient god stamped on his tail before slashing down once more!

A wound that was an inch deep appeared in his neck, and his fresh blood poured out.

That ancient god became excited, and he said loudly, “Are you still waiting for Celestial Venerable You that brat? To get rid of Earth Count, we need to get rid of Celestial Venerable You. And now, Celestial Venerable You, that brat, can’t even protect himself. You already have no more hope, so why are you still struggling? Throw one more!”

Ah Chou crawled forward desperately, but he couldn’t move no matter what. His eldest daughter got raised high up and was thrown down the cliff.

Ah Chou roared furiously. Behind him, that ancient god raised the knife and slashed down once again. The knife light flashed, and his neck got severed by half.

“Throw another one down!”

That ancient god cried out excitedly and raised the God Execution Mysterious Knife.

Ah Chou’s body trembled as he saw his youngest daughter being raised high up in the sky. He felt like he was dying, like he was falling into a bottomless pit of darkness. He couldn’t see any light. He could only see his youngest daughter from the sky.

A soft crack sounded out in his heart, and it sounded like his heart had split apart. A soft crack also came from the heart of his brows. When he had used a knife to open up that wound, it had never healed, and now, the wound had opened up again.

“Ah Chou is not Earth Count, Ah Chou is merely an ugly child that looks like Earth Count.”

His old mother’s words rang out beside his ears again, and these words gave him immense support during the years he was suffering. This supported him to bring along his wife and children to live on. Now, even these words had crumbled.

He had completely sunk into darkness.

The heart of his brows split apart, and a third eye was revealed. That was a bloody eye, and it flashed with boundless hellfire. It ignited the ground and incinerated this world.

Ah Chou had vanished, and Earth Count was back.

However, the one that had return this time was a furious Earth Count, an Earth Count that was seeking revenge.

Countless chains suddenly appeared and penetrated through his body, linking him to the ground.

Those were chains formed by the rules of Youdu which chained this furious Earth Count.

As Earth Count, he couldn’t go against the rules of Youdu, and he couldn’t go against the Great Dao of Youdu.

Even Earth Count couldn’t break free of these chains.

He grabbed God Execution Mysterious Knife, and the knife sliced into his hands. Blood flowed from his hands, and as he stood up, God Execution Mysterious Knife melted in his hands. This divine knife with the infamous reputation of being the number one dangerous weapon in the celestial heavens gave off a cry in his hands, and it quickly became molten iron.

The molten iron dripped onto the ground to transform into a huge cauldron. Earth Count, who had returned, stood in the cauldron.

That ancient god behind him trembled and got his head grabbed by him. He got pressed into the cauldron and got stomped on heavily. His head exploded from being stomped. That ancient god’s face appeared in that cauldron.

In the cauldron, his face floated alone in the darkness, and he revealed a look of terror.

However, more and more half-gods came to accompany him. The entire mountain of half-gods died very quickly, and they were all shattered into pieces by the power of that huge cauldron. They got refined to death and turned into the faces in the cauldron.

Earth Count’s body grew bigger and bigger, and he grabbed the baby that was falling from the cliff. Darkness poured out from the cauldron and spread out in all directions, catching up to those half-gods that were escaping. The bodies of the half-gods warped and suddenly transformed into empty shells. Their skins collapsed onto the ground.

The darkness flooded furiously to all corners of this dead and desolate world.

The ancient gods in the sky were astonished, and they retreated to escape to the celestial heavens.

This world had already become another Youdu.

They escaped, and they dared not remain. When they turned back to look, they saw the devil god, who was becoming bigger and bigger, stepping out of that world. On his shoulder was a little girl that grew the horns of a bull.

His body was completely covered with chains transformed from the Great Dao of Youdu, and they restrained him. The other end of the chains was the world that had already transformed into Youdu.

Yet Earth Count pulled along the chains and pulled that world over together, chasing after them towards the celestial heavens.

“Earth Count has gone crazy!”

They screamed as they rushed into the Southern Heavenly Gate of the celestial heavens. Numerous ancient gods poured out and stood in midair, blocking Earth Count’s path. They persuaded him, “Earth Count, they are just joking around with you, why do you really have to get angry?”

“Aren’t you guys coming to apologize?”

Someone tried to mediate. “Luckily, no huge trouble was caused. Earth Count, please appease your anger…”

Earth Count dragged the Slaughter Cauldron into Southern Heavenly Gate. More and more chains appeared on his body and outside Southern Heavenly Gate was the Youdu in darkness.

Suddenly, an ancient god that came to persuade him fell and transformed into a terrified face in the cauldron.

That day, Earth Count fought his way into Southern Heavenly Gate, and numerous gods fell.