Tales of Herding Gods

Chapter 256: Invite Dao Sword, Slay True Dragon

Translator: Ninetales Editor: DarkGem

Qin Mu stared with wide eyes, beyond startled. He had a grotesque and variegated feeling and didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. Just then, that sword light had avoided him and went straight for the heart of Fo Xin’s brows, penetrating his skull. Even if he wanted to stop it, he couldn’t make it in time.

The aim of this sudden sword light was to slay him, the Heavenly Devil Cult Master. However, when he clashed with Fo Xin, he had used Rulai’s Mahayana Sutra, so his buddha rays shot to the heavens, while Fo Xin had used Great Educational Heavenly Devil Scriptures, which gave him a severe devil nature.

The owner of the flying sword was over a mile away from them, so with the hazy moonlight, he had simply sent the sword flying based on the rays he saw from afar, taking Fo Xin’s life.

The retainers of the crown prince naturally had extremely high abilities and cultivated orthodox sword techniques. On top of that, Fo Xin had been already heavily injured by Qin Mu, and so he lost his life carelessly just like that.

Beside the boundary stone, the dragon qilin was staring at the elaphure. Before the two strange beasts could even start to fight, the battle had already ended.

The elaphure let out a sigh of relief when he saw Qin Mu not killing Fo Xin, yet to its surprise, a sword light came from nowhere. It was so sudden that the elaphure had no time to react.

The figures began flying over, and Qin Mu didn’t think twice before moving back onto the dragon qilin. When the elaphure saw Fo Xin’s death, its mind was left in a huge mess, and the creature was overwhelmed by the dragon qilin’s aura.

Qin Mu jumped onto the back of his mount, and the dragon qilin immediately fled from the scene as fire clouds grew under his feet.

”That head is mine!” one of the crown prince’s retainers shouted out. ”No one shall take my credit!”

He came to the boundary stone and pulled out his flying sword from the heart of Fo Xin’s brows. When he got ready to cut Fo Xin’s head off, he was slightly stunned. ”How come he doesn’t have hair?”

As the other retainers rushed after, they were bewildered when they saw ’Fozi’ riding on the dragon qilin to escape while the elaphure that guarded Great Thunderclap Monastery stood motionless.

Qin Mu turned his head back, and the Heavenly Devil Cult Master smiled towards these retainers of the crown prince under the moonlight, making their hearts fall into the abyss.

”Heavenly Devil Cult Master…”

The retainers of the crown prince felt their whole bodies turn cold as they thought what to do next. Since the one riding the dragon qilin was Heavenly Devil Cult Master, there was only one person that could be lying there under the boundary stone.

They turned their suddenly stiff necks and saw the retainer with the sword standing helplessly. He stretched his hand out to try and block the sword hole in the heart of Fo Xin’s brows, but there was no use. He stood up, thinking to drag the body away, but then saw the rest of his companions when he turned his head around.

This retainer was out of his wits and turned around to look at the corpse of Fozi under the boundary stone before looking back at the other retainers. He then looked at the corpse again, repeating the movement of his head for the third time.

”What do I do?” He sounded like he was sobbing. ”We all came here together, so you guys can forget about leaving me alone. If you sabotage me, you guys won’t escape death as well! Killing Fozi is a grave crime, and the crown prince will execute all of you as well!”

The other retainers also had no idea how to proceed, but then, one of them said with a parched throat, ”We might as well go all the way: burn the corpse and eliminate all evidence, pushing the blame onto Heavenly Devil Cult Master! There’s already more than enough shit on Heavenly Devil Cult Master, so one more thing won’t make a difference!”

Someone in the crowd reminded, ”But that elaphure saw what happened…”

They all turned to look at the elaphure.

”Kill this deer and no one will know!”

They sprung into action, and countless flying swords flew out from their sheaths, coming down from the sky like sword rain which came for the elaphure. The body of the elaphure trembled as the animal revealed its true body, which was dozens of times larger. The elaphure braved the sword rain and charged at the group, ignoring the flying swords. They could prick its skin, but not injure its organs.

A huge bang could be heard when the huge deer horns stabbed two people and smashed them into the boundary stone. Two new blood stains appeared on the boundary stone.

The other two people immediately flew away, but this elaphure was not an unusual strange beast. It had the face of a horse, the hooves of a cow, the tail of a donkey, and the horns of a deer. Listening to the dharma of Great Thunderclap Monastery for close to two hundred years, it had cultivated remarkable abilities and was incomparably strong.

The elaphure shook its head, and the deer horns flew out. One of them pierced through the chest of one man, nailing him to the ground. In the meantime, the elaphure caught up to the other person and stomped him to death.

That strange beast then shook its head, and the deer horns flew back to its head. After looking back at the corpse of Fozi under the boundary stone, the elaphure turned and sprinted back to Great Thunderclap Monastery.

Even though flying swords covered the creature’s body, they created only external injuries; there was no decrease in the running speed.

Not long later, the sky had brightened, and a few elderly monks came to the place of the boundary stone under the lead of the elaphure. Those old monks examined the situation with grim expressions.

”Fozi actually died just like this...”

A yellow-robed old monk frowned and said, ”The sword wound was indeed left behind by the retainers of the crown prince, not the sword skill of Heavenly Devil Cult. It also a match with the weapons of those retainers. It’s just that Rulai is now discussing with crown prince the great plans regarding the future of the world, to change the dynasty and correct the reform of Emperor Yanfeng, returning everything to its origin. This is a plan of extreme importance. If it was spoiled by this…

”It’s saddening to see Fozi pass away, but it’s only mortal flesh that’s gone. He can finally be free from the struggles in this sea of suffering.”

Another old monk said, ”We can’t let the death of Fozi spoil the plans of extreme importance. Rulai doesn’t need to know about this incident, it’s enough that we the arhats of the Hall of Arhats knows about this.”

”However, Fozi is dead, and the retainers of the crown prince are also dead, we can’t hide this from them.”

”We will tell Rulai and the crown prince that it was Heavenly Devil Cult Master who did this. Out of goodwill, Fozi sent Heavenly Devil Cult Master out of the monastery, but Heavenly Devil Cult Master launched a sneak attack on him at the boundary stone, killing Fozi. The retainers of the crown prince had gone to stop him, but they were all ruthlessly killed by him as well.”

The expressions of yellow-robed old monks changed, and an arhat shouted out, ”A monk cannot lie!”

The old monk’s long eyebrows fluttered as he said with an emotional sigh, ”There’s no need for you guys to say anything, I’ll do it. After saying it, I’ll return to a normal life and leave the monastery! In comparison to the future of Great Thunderclap Monastery, what’s the harm in giving up my clean reputation?”

”Excellent, excellent! Senior brother is righteous.” All the monks put their palms together and paid their respects to him.

…

When the monks from Hall of Arhats returned to Great Thunderclap Monastery, Old Rulai had already finished the discussion with Eternal Peace Crown Prince. He got up to send him off and said, ”Your Highness should immediately return to the capital city, if the emperor dies and the world is without a ruler, I’m afraid the other princes will assume the throne if Your Highness is not in the capital city.”

Eternal Peace Crown Prince said sternly, ”Buddha is absolutely right.”

That long-eyebrowed monk came forward at that moment and said, ”Revered One of the World, Heavenly Devil Cult Master has done much evil. Fozi had gone to send him out, but his life was taken. The retainers of the crown prince had gone forward to save Fozi, but their lives were also lost, so their souls went to paradise.”

Eternal Peace Crown Prince was furious. ”That devil actually dared to do something like this? I didn’t find trouble with him, so he came to kill my people instead! Buddha, this devil even dares to kill Fozi, he’s truly impudent, we can’t just let him off like this!”

Old Rulai took a look at the arhats from the Hall of Arhats. They looked down, not speaking a word.

”Your Highness does not need to trouble himself with this matter, return to the capital city as soon as possible. Great Thunderclap Monastery will settle the incident regarding Heavenly Devil Cult Master.” Old Rulai had a warm expression as he looked towards the long-eyebrowed monk. ”Chang Mei, how long have you been in the Hall of Arhats?”

”Revered One of the World, it’s already been two hundred and nine years.”

Old Rulai said in an amiable manner, ”You shall settle the incident regarding Heavenly Devil Cult Master, for that, I shall allow you to return to your normal life.”

Monk Chang Mei was greatly shaken. He raised his head to look at Old Rulai, but Old Rulai had already turned around to speak to Eternal Peace Crown Prince. ”Your Highness, return to the capital city; there must be no delay.”

Eternal Peace Crown Prince agreed and hurried down the mountain while thinking to himself, ’This buddha sure is a profound mystery.’

Monk Chang Mei tidied up and also left the mountain thinking to himself, ’Old Rulai had that I lied so he chased me out of Great Thunderclap Monastery without me bringing it up, as expected of the wise and awakened one. This is a realm I can never reach in my life, so I should just make use of this body to do more things for Great Thunderclap Monastery!”

After going down the mountain and walking a short distance, he suddenly heard a voice coming from the sky. ”Monk Chang Mei, why don’t you come with me?”

Monk Chang Mei raised his head and saw a luxurious flying ship which had stopped in the sky. The crown prince stood on the bow of that ship, inviting him over.

His heart moved slightly, and he immediately rose into the sky and landed on the ship with a greeting. ”Your Highness, I’m no longer a monk, the surname of my normal family is Su, my name is just a…” He thought for a while before breaking into laughter. ”I haven’t used my secular name for over two hundred years. It’s been so long that I’ve already forgotten it, please excuse me, Your Highness.”

”Even if you returned to your ordinary life, you’re still half a monk and half an ordinary person, I’ll just call you Su Changmei,” said Eternal Peace Crown Prince.

Su Changmei expressed his thanks and said, ”I will go with this name. What did Your Highness call me for?”

”Heavenly Devil Cult Master.”

Eternal Peace Crown Prince said, ”This devil from the devil cult has too many tricks up his sleeves and even Sun Nantuo died from his schemes without any traces to be found! When Imperial College was having holidays and he planned to return to Great Ruins alone, I ordered people to spread the news and lured experts from all over to give chase, but he was still able to escape alive. I’ve also received news that the strong practitioners that chased after him, Lu Wenshu from Poor Logic Sect, Wanderer Qing Yu, Arhat Pu Shan, Daoist Ku Ye, and even Daoist Qing Shan had been killed! Heavenly Devil Cult’s power is no weaker than that of Great Thunderclap Monastery! I’m afraid that if you chase after him, you will only be harmed by him.”

Su Changmei’s heart trembled. Lu Wenshu, Wanderer Qing Yu—these people were all famous existences, especially Daoist Qing Shan. He was a righteous practitioner of Life and Death Realm. His abilities were no weaker than those of Su Changmei himself!

Even Daoist Qing Shan had been killed?

Eternal Peace Crown Prince then added, ”I was waiting for you here to remind you to take your time in making a decision. You are not out to kill just anybody, it’s the cult master of Heavenly Devil Cult, the number one sacred ground of the devil path. Why don’t you follow me back to the capital city and plan slowly?”

Su Changmei nodded in agreement. ”Your Highness, revenge must be taken for Fozi.”

Eternal Peace Crown Prince smiled. ”I don’t only want to take the head of Heavenly Devil Cult Master, but for whole Heavenly Devil Cult to be uprooted and completely eradicated. This is what your Great Thunderclap Monastery would agree with without prior consultation, I’m sure. Don’t worry, even though you’re no longer an arhat of Great Thunderclap Monastery, after I ascend to the throne, I’ll allow you to found your own sect and be your own abbot, to become buddha!”

...

In Kunlun Jade Void Mountain’s Dao Sect, a Dao child ran over in a hurry to Dao Master and said, ”Dao Master, Rulai has come to visit!”

The other asked quickly, ”How many people?”

”One person.”

Old Dao Master let out a sigh of relief. ”Then he has not come to fight. Quickly, invite… Nevermind, I shall invite him personally!”

After a while, Old Rulai and Old Dao Master sat down, and he dismissed his followers. Old Rulai also didn’t beat around the bush and said directly, ”I have met Eternal Peace Crown Prince.”

Old Dao Master’s heart trembled slightly, and he said, ”The crown prince is not as good as His Majesty; he’s not a wise ruler.”

”His Majesty knows how to rule the country too well, which is why there’s this natural disaster. Dao brother, look at this snow disaster that caused the people to struggle for their lives. Do you want an even greater disaster to descend? Dao Sect should know about the records from Mourning Emperor Emptiness Era, right?”

Old Dao Master mumbled and said, ”Your buddhism refers to it as Mourning Emperor, Emptiness Era, Emptiness Calamity, whereas my Dao Sect refers to it as Founding Emperor, Founding Emperor Era, Founding Emperor Calamity. I’ve also seen the records of Founding Emperor Era and the prospering divine kingdom that had been wiped out. Countless living beings had suffered from that calamity and were turned to ashes. I’m quite worried about this matter.”

After a moment, he continued, ”A small country with a small population that discards conventional wisdom, which is held holy and sacred—this is the lesson my Dao Sect learned from that Founding Emperor Calamity. With a small country and few people that don’t believe in any experienced and wise saints, everyone could live well and happy, without any worries. Wouldn’t that be excellent? It was fine in the past, with small countries with small populations listening to the orders of their sect.”

”We need a new emperor. A dead emperor is better than all living things being dead,” said Old Rulai

Dao Master gave him a glance and asked, ”What benefits did the crown prince promise you?”

Old Rulai shook his head and said, ”I didn’t ask for any benefits from him.”

Dao Master smiled. ”I believe you.” Since they were done, he rose and said, ”That Dao sword of mine hasn’t been used for awhile. I wonder if it has turned blunt, if it’ll be able to slay a true dragon.”

Old Rulai rose to express his thanks. ”Much thanks to senior brother for assisting!”