Tales of Herding Gods

“Celestial Venerable Mu is actually so aloof.”

Celestial Emperor’s cryptic consciousness waves came over and said indistinctly, “How many years has it been since I’ve conferred you the title of Celestial Venerable Mu? Yet you had resisted until now to open up my imperial edict, your endurance is truly remarkable. You should have met Yan Qiling, right? She has reported to me about you, I’m truly astonished but I’m also very gratified. As expected of the person I’ve taken a liking to. Your appearance has made me understand many things.”

“Snort!”

That black boar was flustered and hurriedly took off into the dense forest in the mountains.

“Snort?”

Celestial Emperor’s consciousness was a little taken aback and he said with a smile, “Does Celestial Venerable Mu only want to say this word to me? I rather admire you for daring to take revenge for Celestial Venerable Yu. The reason why I had conferred you as Celestial Venerable Mu is because your divine arts had surpassed Dragon Han Era, opening up the era of divine arts. Even the current Celestial Venerable Mu is still considered a celestial venerable as your divine arts have no lack of strange and marvelous ideas. I’ve been waiting for a chance, a chance to clean up the rebels and traitors. You are the one who had revived Goddess of Heavenly Yin, right? Mother Earth went to find you is also because she wanted you to revive her, am I right?”

The black wild boar crashed here and there with his snout and tusks but he couldn’t break free of that voice in his mind.

Not long later, this demon boar found his nest and there were numerous piglets and sows living in the nest. Suddenly, that voice rang out again. “… You can escape from me. I need to you host a resurrection for me. I’ve died in Yuandu and my three souls are scattered in all parts of Yuandu, it isn’t too troublesome for you to host this resurrection for me.”

“Snort snort snort snort…”

“Celestial Venerable Mu, you are asking for it! You most probably don’t know what fear is, I can show you true terror!”

…

“Have you felt the fear? Are you still going to be aloof to me?”

“Snort snort…”

“You really want me to force you! By cooperating with me, I will allow you to reach the highest official position and enjoy endless riches, I will turn you into the one and only celestial venerable! Yet you are so arrogant and haughty, I will make you regret this!”

“Snort…”

…

Qin Mu sat on the head of the dragon qilin and continued to explain to the human emperors on how to sense the power of the celestial river. Human Emperor Qi Kang and Human Emperor Yi Shan were dispirited and listless as they drank medicine and listened.

The other human emperors had made their decision to sabotage these two without any qualms at all. They got First Ancestor Human Emperor to get rid of their Divine Bridge Divine Treasure.

First Ancestor was much gentler than Martial Arts Heavenly Teacher and even so, they were still heavily injured. After all, their corporeal bodies were as strong as Qin Mu and when their divine bridges were destroyed, their vitality was also damaged.

Lucky for them, Qin Mu was right beside so he could treat them anytime.

Even though the dragon qilin’s speed was extremely fast, he still needed to spend a few months to reach Surging River. Looking at a majestic mountain in front, Qin Mu looked out three thousand miles and saw the surroundings of the mountain pillar were very vast. The mountain pillar pierced straight into the sea of clouds and so the sea of clouds was at the waist of the mountain. The lightning layer was also at the waist of the mountain.

One mountain actually had four seasons, white snow, blazing sun, flying river hanging on the mountain, and lakes and seas that were like sapphires adorned on the mountain.

Looking upwards more, he could faintly see that this mountain had already pierced through the fake sky of Eternal Peace Empire, holding up the sky high up.

The sky of Eternal Peace was a fake sky. It was only a formation and the sky was a hundred thousand miles high and a thousand yards thick. The sun, moon, and stars were all formations in the formation diagram.

This mountain was too high and as a result, it had caused the sun, moon, and stars to become distorted and strange when they orbited over here.

Especially when the sun moved to this place, with the warped sky, the sun was also stretched as though it was wrinkled.

Qin Mu looked at the wrinkled sun in the sky and frowned. He pulled back his gaze and sighed to himself. ‘Not trying to even make it look realistic. Those gods maintaining the fake sky has truly lost their standards. They would still try their best to maintain the orbit of the sun and the moon but now they just don’t care anymore.’

He looked at the huge mountains and huge rivers that had suddenly appeared in Eternal Peace Empire and he sighed ruefully.

He was originally very familiar with Eternal Peace’s geography but now everything seemed so unfamiliar.

Now, Eternal Peace was already broken up into pieces and the places that were separated were now scattered among the towering mountains.

Other than that, he even saw numerous ancient ruins that were filled with the air of danger. It was as though some terrifying monster was hiding there.

There were also caves among these mountains and there were even row upon row of luxurious palaces. Some places even had large-scale community of constructions.

When they passed by some huge swamps and huge rivers, they would even encounter extremely strong half-gods popping out from somewhere with overflowing aura that distorted the sky, causing exceptionally beautiful apparitions to appear. Some controlled water, some controlled fire, but they didn’t make a move. They just watched from afar.

First Ancestor Human Emperor had followed them and every time this situation happened, celestial palaces would appear behind him and his primordial spirit would standing on the city tower of Jade Capital City.

Every time this happens, those half-gods would silently retreat.

Half a month later, Qin Mu and the rest came to Bazhou City.

As Eternal Peace Empire’s economy developed, Bazhou City had undergone numerous expansion so it was extremely vast. However, after looking at the scene of Primordial Realm, Qin Mu felt that Bazhou City was too small. It was merely a stone in an ocean in the current Eternal Peace Empire, it was insignificant.

In the city, two gods stood high above in the clock towers. One was left and one was right as they shone with divine light to look in all directions, guarding against any invasion from half-gods.

Qin Mu raised his head to look and saw that one of the gods was Duke Wei so he greeted.

Duke Wei remained standing on the clock tower but his primordial spirit came down to welcome everyone. He lowered his voice and asked, “Cult Master is from the capital city? How is capital city doing?”

“Capital city is doing fine.”

Qin Mu asked puzzled, “Heavenly King Wei doesn’t know about the news of the capital city? Didn’t Imperial Preceptor forge dozens of teleportation gates?”

Duke Wei sighed and said, “This teleportation formation consumes huge amount of medicinal stones every time it is activated, who would use it unless it’s in time of crisis? Now that the trade routes are basically cut off, if we had to send someone to the capital city, divine arts practitioners would have to take one to two years to travel to and fro for news. Gods also can’t leave, thus the news from the capital city is very hard to reach here. In these two years, divine arts practitioners have been searching for people lost outside, protecting them to Bazhou. There are numerous people injured and we don’t have extra hands to go to the capital city for news.”

Qin Mu frowned and he looked at the people in the city. Their clothes were all tattered and they all looked emaciated.

“We have opened up several fields outside the city and as long as we tide through this period, not many people will die once the ration is handed down.”

Duke Wei said, “However, there are half-gods coming out these few days and they had told us to send up offerings.”

Qin Mu frowned, “Offerings? Offerings to who?”

“Offerings to half-gods.”

Duke Wei said, “Otherwise, they will descend disaster on us. There are a few strong existences among the half-gods and they had built a god country on the mountain. They requested us to give offerings and surrender to become their people.”

Qin Mu said, “The emperor currently doesn’t have the energy or the manpower so we can only drag things out. Heavenly King Wei can temporarily give them offerings and wait until the power of the emperor reaches here before making another decision…”

“The offerings are virgin boys and girls,” Duke Wei suddenly said.

Qin Mu didn’t say another word.

After a moment, he took out a small case and taught Duke Wei how to use it. “This is God Execution Knife of Crimson Light Era, heavenly king can borrow this divine knife to tide over this period of time first. This divine knife will have to drink blood the moment it’s out of its sheath so be utterly careful when using it.”

They left Bazhou City.

Qin Mu turned around to look at Bazhou in the night scenery and he sighed.

There was only God Execution Mysterious Knife but there were numerous cities, he could protect Bazhou with God Execution Mysterious Knife but he couldn’t protect the other cities.

‘How should Eternal Peace resolve the current crisis?’ He had also sunk into deep thoughts.

The people of Eternal Peace Empire were worrying about how to solve the current crisis. Now, Mother Earth still has not made a move and it was only those half-gods that were scattered throughout the world. Just them was enough to sink Eternal Peace Empire into a crisis.

Several days later, they came to Heavenly Saint Academy and there were numerous towns around Heavenly Saint Academy. The disciples of the academy had got many people to immigrate over.

The academy was still fine. Apothecary had poisoned a half-god to death and he was currently researching the body structure of the half-god.

That half-god was very strong and after he died, there was still a remaining aura and his corporeal body piled up like a mountain.

“Maha maha maha!” A bunch of flood dragons cried out and swayed their heads and tails as they waited to eat meat.

“It’s poisoned!” The scholars chased them away.

“Mu’er, you don’t have to be concerned about Heavenly Saint Academy’s safety, the half-gods in the surroundings are basically wiped out, those they aren’t have moved away.”

Apothecary wiped the blood off his hands and said to everyone, “We have planted many medicinal fields so we have no need to worry about our herbs. Our teleportation formation can also be open to establish access to the capital city. Our teleportation gate can also contact the other academies to support one another so there’s no need to worry. You can head to Surging River, do you need to use the teleportation formation?”

“There’s no need, save the medicinal stones.”

Qin Mu bade farewell to him and hurried on the journey with the human emperors.

Another six to seven days later, they came to Surging River Academy of Lizhou Prefecture. He paid respects to Yuyuan Chuyu and Su Yunqing. Only then did Qin Mu came to the side of Surging River and looking out to the other side, the surface of the river was a thousand miles. Divine mountains stood tall like a forest on both sides of the divine mountains and it was truly majestic!

“This wasn’t the widest place in Surging River. The widest place in Surging River is about five thousand miles.”

Yuyuan Chuyu has already cultivated to her celestial palace and she said to Qin Mu, “There are numerous half-gods in Surging River and all kinds of Dragon King Manor with countless treasures. Dragon Rearing Sovereign even got injured a while ago and it seemed that he was being beaten by the half-gods. He came to seek help here and it was Su Yunqing that had treated him.”

Qin Mu was stunned and said, “Dragon Rearing Sovereign isn’t having it easy too… Is that mountain on the opposite shore Hundred Years Mountain?”

He pointed at the opposite shore and there was a majestic mountain that could be seen clearly even at a thousand miles away. It was extraordinary and majestic.

“No.”

Yuyuan Chuyu said, “Hundred Years Mountain is beside Deer County, just a small mound which can’t be seen from here. That mountain had suddenly popped out and there are numerous half-gods on the mountain. Bai Xi fought them to protect Deer County.”

Qin Mu scratched his head and said, “Bai Xi has suffered. I shall take down that mountain in the next few days and change the name to Hundred Years Mountain. I’ll make him the mountain god there.”

Right at this moment, waves surged on the surface of Surging River and Dragon Rearing Sovereign’s huge head break through the surface. When he saw Qin Mu, he choked on his tears and said, “Cult Master Qin, you are finally here! I don’t want to be this dragon king anymore, can we change the Pact of Earth Count?”

Qin Mu said with a smile, “Alright. How about changing you to be Celestial River Dragon King?”