Tales of Herding Gods

“Ling’er!”

Qin Mu was delighted and plucked the little fox off his head. Just as he was about to take a good look at it, the white fox popped out of his hand and climbed back onto his head with her tail in his face again.

“Stop fooling around, Ling’er, I have already guessed that it was you.”

Qin Mu took her down again, and the white fox was now more behaved. She wrapped her tail around his arm, forming a nest on his chest before she laid down comfortably. Her body was curled up, and she blinked at him from time to time, looking at Qin Mu’s face with her sparkling black eyes.

The little fox looked very charming as she blinked.

“Young master,” she called out.

Qin Mu gave a sound of acknowledgment. Hu Ling’er called out to him again, and Qin Mu responded again. Assured, the little white fox squinted her eyes and pretended to sleep, lifting up her furry tails sneakily to tickle Qin Mu’s chin.

Beside them, Yan’er was very happy to see Ling’er, removing her from Qin Mu’s arms. Quickly, Hu Ling’er escaped and crawled back into his arms.

Yan’er carried her over again, and just as Hu Ling’er was about to escape yet again, a spirit pill was stuffed into her mouth. Instantly, she stopped moving and laid docile in Yan’er’s arms.

Chancellor Ba Shan said, “Hu Ling’er is now in charge of the Demon Faculty of Li River Academy. Once you step out of this door, the place with the foulest atmosphere within the academy is the faculty. However, as Hu Ling’er has a wide circle of friends, she managed to invite the likes of Fox Immortal, White Immortal, Senior Tiger, Grandmaster, and Mingdu Heavenly King to come down and give lessons. Now the Demon Faculty is a lot more prosperous compared to the other faculties. One thing about her is that Chancellor Hu likes it when people call her Big Sister.”

“This is just how Ling’er is. The green bull and Fatty Dragon are her sworn younger brothers.”

Qin Mu didn’t know how to react to this. He looked sideways at the little fox nestled in Yan’er’s arms, counting each and every strand of Hu Ling’er’s tail. Her tails danced around vigorously, dazzling his eyes. Even after counting for a long time, he was still unable to make out exactly how many tails she had.

“Truth to be told, Mingdu Heavenly King Tian Shu is her sworn brother. Fatty Dragon, too, became sworn brothers with this Heavenly King. The Heavenly King’s relationship with Ling’er is actually much better than it is with Fatty Dragon because he likes to drink too.”

Qin Mu was astonished. “I didn’t expect for Ling’er to be able to invite Grandmaster to come here and give lessons.”

Chancellor Ba Shan slapped his thigh hard. “I was still wondering why Mingdu Heavenly King kept coming to my place. I thought it was because he admired me, but in actuality, he was just interested in my wine. Chancellor Hu even managed to invite Xing An to Li River Academy to give classes, though it was merely for a few lessons. I think these notorious fellows won’t be accepted by the other academies anyway. Only my Li River Academy is open-minded enough to allow these unorthodox cultivators to come and teach.”

Qin Mu remained silent, thinking to himself, ‘Senior Brother Ba Shan’s Li River Academy is indeed the most chaotic one among its peers.’

Before he reached Li River Academy, Qin Mu had already noticed from afar that the skies above Li River Academy were shrouded by chaotic phenomena. The acute spirits—such as the Ferocious Tiger Descending the Mountain, the White Elephant Treading the Seas, or the Ravenous Eagle Hunting for Prey—of martial practitioners could be observed. Similarly, Qin Mu could see the terrifying devilish apparitions conjured by the experts of the devil path, the demonic clouds summoned by the experts of the demon race, the sword energy of the sword experts, and even the enchanted clouds formed by the spells experts.

Ba Shan said that the Demon Faculty had a foul atmosphere, but it was actually the whole of Li River Academy that had a foul atmosphere.

Yet it was also thanks to this that the different divine arts and skills could come into contact and that differing schools of thought could be shared.

After Qin Mu arrived at Li River Academy, he already realized that this was the wildest academy around. He had witnessed no less than a dozen big and small fights along the way to the academy alone.

The directorate and the chancellor were unconcerned by this. In fact, they even encouraged and cheered them on, taking pride in the fights won by their own disciples.

Chancellor Ba Shan’s gaze flickered, and he continued, “Junior Brother, you came here to learn, so you should know that merely listening to lectures is not the best way to gain knowledge.”

Qin Mu responded with an “Oh” and humbly asked, “Senior Brother, what’s the best way?”

Chancellor Ba Shan chuckled. “Naturally, it’s by fighting it out. The various faculties of my Li River Academy are all accomplished. The reforms of Eternal Peace Empire weren’t pioneered by the Imperial College. The Imperial College is far too orthodox—they are overly cautious in the development of skills and divine arts for fear of offending the emperor. Here, the heavens are high, and the emperor is far—Emperor Yanfeng has no jurisdiction over this place. As such, martial arts and divine arts of all sorts can be developed freely here in Li River Academy.”

Chancellor Ba Shan stood up, gently shaking his overcoat and revealing his broad chest and muscular body. He continued calmly, “The functionality of any divine art or skill can only be judged after it has been used in real combat. If you come to Li River Academy to seek knowledge, you are naturally expected to fight through the various faculties at least once.”

Qin Mu revealed his apprehension. “Fight through the faculties? That’s not a very good idea, is it?”

Chancellor Ba Shan gave him a look of disdain. “Junior Brother, are you afraid?”

Qin Mu nodded his head vigorously, sighing. “Yan’er likes to feed others, and she has emptied my stash of spirit medicine. I replenished the stock once on the way here, and even that is almost depleted. If I injure the chancellor and directorate of Li River Academy, I have nothing left to heal you.”

Chancellor Ba Shan clenched his fists so hard the bones creaked loudly. He chuckled again. “Junior Brother has improved again after all these years out there. You speak with more boldness now, and even your breathing is heavier.”

Qin Mu’s breath weakened, and he responded feebly, “I am definitely nowhere as good as Senior Brother. Senior Brother has long broken through the Divine Bridge and became a god. I have just barely opened up the Celestial River Divine Treasure. I don’t even know how much longer I will have to cultivate to ascend to the celestial palace. Grandpa Butcher must have taught you new knife skills? Martial Arts Heavenly Teacher probably also imparted some good stuff to you. Senior Brother may even have learned a thing or two from Crimson Light Son of God. I don’t dare to claim to be any better than you, Senior Brother.”

Chancellor Ba Shan waved his hands hurriedly. “I’m not as hardworking as you. You are the overlord body, and you are more diligent than me. I definitely cannot win against you in a fight. At most, I can only beat you half to death.”

Qin Mu stretched his body, the roar of a dragon emerging from inside him. He laughed. “Grandpa Butcher is right here. How could he bear to watch me beat the teeth out of his favorite disciple?”

“Teacher Heaven Knife certainly wouldn’t allow me to beat you senseless. That old man would take his knife and come at me if he ever saw me beat you until you were immobile.”

The two of them continued to talk and made their way outside. Qin Mu executed the Overlord Body Three Elixir Technique and loosened up his body. Chancellor Ba Shan unsheathed his tyrant knife, holding it in front of him as he opened his mouth to release the Fiery Tempest to refine his divine blade.

Yan’er blinked as she watched them walk out of the door.

Hu Ling’er quickly leaped out of her arms, transforming into a young girl as she touched the ground. At the precise moment she opened her mouth to speak, Yan’er placed a spirit pill in it.

“Young master is going out for a fight? Can he win?”

Yan’er continued to feed her and said, “The other man is very formidable, his primordial spirit has been cultivated to a powerful level.”

Hu Ling’er chewed on the spirit pill noisily. “Young master is formidable too, it would be difficult for Chancellor Ba Shan to hurt him badly… Can this spirit pill be made hollow? If every spirit pill was infused with some good wine, the taste would be even better.”

Celestial Venerable Yu walked over to them, and just as he opened his mouth, Yan’er fed him a spirit pill.

Celestial Venerable Yu mumbled in a muffled voice, “Add wine into spirit pills? Will that taste good?”

Hu Ling’er glanced at him and broke into a smile. “So you are Lan Yutian, Young Master Lan? I heard about you when I visited the capital city. You are young master’s younger brother, so why is your surname Lan? Spirit pills infused with wine definitely would taste good. I have yet to eat it like that though. Usually, I will eat these spirit pills on a plate, pairing it with wine. Senior Brother Sanduo tried it and agreed it was good. I feel that infusing wine in the spirit pills would definitely make it taste even better.”

Celestial Venerable Yu was eager to try it for himself.

When the three of them emerged from the hall, Qin Mu and Chancellor Ba Shan had already started to exchange blows outside. The both of them fought straight up into the sky. Chancellor Ba Shan was the founder of the fusion of battle techniques and spells. The political reforms in the Eternal Peace Empire could also be partially attributed to him.

All these years, as divine arts in Eternal Peace Empire grew exponentially, Chancellor Ba Shan’s battle techniques and skills improved even more dramatically.

The southern borders were located in a secluded geographical area, but the convergence of techniques here was the most unruly. As such, skills and divine arts were able to advance and improve at a rapid pace. Furthermore, following the guidance of experts like Martial Arts Heavenly Teacher Zhuo Cha, Butcher Heaven Knife, Crimson Light Son of God, and Xing An, allowed Chancellor Ba Shan’s abilities to improve even more—he was able to make drastic advancements whether in martial arts battle techniques or divine arts.

Chancellor Ba Shan learned from Butcher Heaven Knife, picking up the Nine Skills of Heaven Knife. However, Butcher was forced to fake his own death and go into hiding in the Great Ruins after he raised his knives to the heavens and had his body chopped off as punishment.

Unable to learn the complete Nine Skills of Heaven Knife, Chancellor Ba Shan created his own technique—the Seven Techniques of Tyrant Knife—using the fusion of battle techniques to compensate for where he was lacking in the knife path.

When Butcher later reemerged, he had found it improper, stating that his knife technique was unorthodox.

Now, however, Chancellor Ba Shan had managed to walk out a steady path of his own, even earning the respect of Butcher Heaven Knife.

He hid divine arts within his knife techniques, his tyrant knife filled with immense power and a domineering aura. Chancellor Ba Shan interchanged between close-quarters and ranged attacks against Qin Mu with almost no difficulty. He was also incredibly strong, forcing Qin Mu out almost 100 yards with each strike before he could even stabilize himself.

Chancellor Ba Shan pressed hard on Qin Mu, his knife techniques constantly changing. At times it was engulfed in divine flames, and in the next, it bore heaven’s thunder. A strike of his knife would cause the flashes to burst out into an ocean of light, and cutting down with a wave of his knife could cause a magnetic explosion.

Qin Mu had an abnormally difficult fight, being forced to retreat with every blow.

Within Li River Academy, Niu Sanduo and the green bull stopped beating up the dragon qilin and water qilin. They looked up to the skies and praised, “What great knife skills! Amazing divine arts! Chancellor Ba Shan is so impressive. He managed to balance the fusion of the battle techniques masterfully. If he used this on the divine arts of the martial path, he would definitely be able to make the martial arts path become more powerful.”

The green bull put his two hooves on his hips, exclaiming with pride, “My old master defeated your master, my godfather beat you until you cried. Fatty Dragon, let’s see how you are going to go against me in the future!”

The old farmer and Butcher walked over, raising their heads to take a look at the fight. The old farmer said, “Your disciple is quite capable, but he is about to lose this fight.”

Yu Zhaoqing walked over, dressed head to toe in brilliant light and vibrant colors. He looked to the skies and said, “Martial Arts Heavenly Teacher, why would you make such a comment? Chancellor Ba Shan’s fusion of battle techniques can be said to be unparalleled in the Eternal Peace Empire. If we only compared sheer power among the gods, he is almost matchless. I have seen him in combat with Senior Tiger, and even Senior Tiger could not defeat him.”

Butcher began to explain, “It is definitely no easy feat for him to come this far with his fusion of battle techniques. However, it is even more difficult to enter the path with knife skills, martial arts, and divine arts altogether. Even as the founder of the fusion of battle techniques, his aptitude is still inferior compared to the Sixth Princess of the Ling Family. As long as Mu’er executes his divine arts, Chancellor Ba Shan will be defeated.”

The old farmer commented, “He is too greedy. It is already incredibly rare to be able to enter the path with one attribute, much less all three. Ignoring everything else, it is already rare to be able to enter the path with martial arts. Son of Qin is one example of those who succeeded.”

As he spoke, a clattering sound rang out. There were several people going up the mountain now. A handsome youth stood atop a chest that had six legs growing from it and ascended the mountain as easily as he was walking on flat ground.

Right behind this strange chest was a deer legged youth who was walking alongside a purple-clad teenager.

“Xing An.” Butcher snorted coldly, his divine blade unsheathing with a crisp sound.

The chest sprinted over and stopped abruptly in front of everyone.

The youth on the chest continued to watch the battle in the clouds, only retracting his gaze when he heard the sound of the blade. He spoke calmly, “Heaven Knife, you are no match for me.”

Butcher laughed out loud. “Back in the day, I wonder who it was that managed to make you run about flustered? Rumor has it that you went to the southern sea to beg Crimson Light Son of God to use creation divine arts to reforge your body. You no longer have to go around stealing the bodies of others? Did your body just grow out? I won’t take advantage of you, if you want revenge, feel free to look for me anytime!”

Xing An shook his head. “I am not interested in you. I am here to see Cult Master Qin… What an attractive body…”

His gaze revealed a look of fanaticism as he continued to stare upwards at Qin Mu, who was still in battle with Chancellor Ba Shan.

Crimson Light Son of God walked over and smiled. “Do not misunderstand, Heaven Knife. Xing An is only here because he has a difficult problem he would like Cult Master Qin to solve for him. His insights on creation techniques are on par with me, and he previously came to the southern seas to consult me about it. Although I helped him to resolve part of his problem, he still felt that this reforged body had some deficiencies. He decided to come forth and seek out Cult Master Qin after I told him that Cult Master Qin was the true expert in all things regarding creation techniques.”

Xing An added indifferently, “On the path of creation, Cult Master Qin is second to none. After him, I am tied with Crimson Light Son of God.”