Tales of Herding Gods

“There’s no need to chase him anymore!”

Clear Sky Sect Master called back those old Daoists that were prepared to give chase and shook his head. “That person’s speed is too fast and he is good at transformation. He’s able to change his face as and when he likes so even if we can chase after him, we also won’t be able to recognize him. Just leave this matter at that, there’s no need to look into this or make it publicly known. Who is going to find Junior Brother Fei He, that old thief had disguised himself as Junior Brother Fei He so Fei He must have been tied up somewhere by him. I’m not sure where he’s being stuff in.”

There were Daoists that immediately left to search for Fei He’s location while the other elders came quickly to Clear Sky Sect Master. They asked, “The astronomical phenomenon had transformed into Heaven Duke and activated the formations earlier, what is going on?”

“It’s naturally the work of Dao Ancestor.”

Clear Sky Sect Master said, “Eternal Peace Overlord Body, the emissary of the celestial heavens, they all want to get rid of each other and leave no choice for Dao Ancestor, but who do you think Dao Ancestor is? How would he let these two juniors decide his fate? This is not what a wise person would do.”

Everyone’s heart trembled. “What Sect Master mean is?”

“Dao Ancestor seized them to the celestial heavens was naturally to make his own decision. We don’t have to worry about Clear Sky Sect’s future and fate, Dao Ancestor will arrange it for us.”

Clear Sky Sect Master said, “We just need to think of how to deal with the aftermath.”

One of the Daoists hurriedly said, “Yu Chen’zi has already brought some men to prepare, he said that he would be preparing for both cases.”

Clear Sky Sect Master listened to the details and couldn’t help exclaiming in admiration. “Yu Chen’zi has done very well. The celestial heavens have outstanding people, such a small country like Eternal Peace could also have so many outstanding talents. It’s lucky that our Clear Sky Heaven also have a younger generation that is comparable to them, we aren’t falling behind by too much.”

Outside Clear Sky Heaven, Daoist ‘Fei He’ brought the little Daoist to fly quickly and soon enough, they were tens of thousands of miles away from Clear Sky Heaven. He kept changing continuously and he was sometimes a man and sometimes a woman, he was sometimes old and sometimes young. He could even transform into the form of half-gods and would take out numerous sets of clothing which made the little Daoist flabbergasted.

Not only was this elder full of changes, but he was also even skilled in the art of creation, changing his appearance over a dozen times.

“It should be safe now, the Daoists of Clear Sky Heaven won’t be able to catch up.”

That elder changed back to his original appearance and he walked around Celestial Venerable Yu with his hands behind his back. He examined him with an honest-looking face and as what Qin Mu had expected, this elder was none other than Cripple.

Celestial Venerable Yu was feeling uneasy.

“Truly a good sapling.”

Cripple praised and said, “You learn everything fast and you are even faster than Mu’er that little rascal. Come, let us be petty thieves and steal throughout the world!”

Celestial Venerable Yu hurriedly shook his head. “I want to find my brother…”

“Why do you want to find him?”

Cripple shook his head and was slightly unhappy. “This brat was very interesting when he was young, he’s not as fun when he grew up. I teach him Heaven Pilfering Sun Switching Hands and thought that he could one day steal throughout the world with me, becoming a grandpa and grandson duo. Now, look at him, running out to play every day and not bringing me along. Furthermore, he doesn’t steal as well, after learning from Butcher, his head is full of muscles now. Let’s go, I shall show you my treasure vault! Let me tell you, I become so rich these few years, that even Emperor Yanfeng will have to call me Lord Thief. Can you fly? Let me teach you how to step on the wind…”

Light flickered and Qin Mu was situated in the flowing light. He was slightly stunned. ‘This is… teleportation divine art? It seems a little more intricate than Teacher Woodcutter’s teleportation divine art, it also seems like a shift in space… Could Dao Sect and Founding Emperor have an unclear relationship?”

Teleportation divine art was imparted by Saint Woodcutter to Heavenly Saint Cult and the light which Qin Mu and the rest were in was a shift in space. It was even more intricate than teleportation divine art and the algebra was even more exquisite.

Both of them had similar points so that was why Qin Mu suspected Woodcutter had seen before the space shift from Dao Sect.

He was originally a little flustered but now he had calmed down. He quickly sorted out his thinking and thought to himself. “Heavenly Teacher Fisherman said that the older generations were all scheming and crafty… En, wise and sensible, that is indeed the case. This space shift divine art was definitely executed by Dao Ancestor by borrowing the power of the astronomical phenomenon. He doesn’t want me and Xiao Chunfeng to decide the stand of Dao Sect for him, thus he had captured us to make his decision personally.”

When the light faded away, Qin Mu saw the light gradually retreating. Xiao Chunfeng, the young woman in red, and Dao Master Lin Xuan also appeared from the retreating light.

The woman in red revealed a look of fear and put up her guard.

Xiao Chunfeng coughed and said, “Yu Hongxiu, there’s no need to worry, Dao Ancestor is the one that had summoned us.”

Dao Master Lin Xuan praised and said, “When Dao Ancestor was mobilizing the Heaven Duke formed from the aspect of the celestial bodies, the algebra used is truly incomparable.”

Qin Mu examined his surroundings and realized that they were located in a vast construction made of jade. This construction was built with bricks of jade and roof beams that were extremely high. Looking upwards, one could see six corners so it should be a hexagonal building.

Looking out, one could faintly see that there were thousands of palaces and halls outside that was a dazzling sight.

“It’s extraterritorial celestial heavens outside?”

Qin Mu’s heart stirred. He wanted to walk out of this jade building to see if it was still the Dragon Han Celestial Heavens from back then but he held himself back.

He continued to examine this building. The building was hollow and there was a pillar that required a dozen people to hug stabbed in the center of the building. Steps swirled around this pillar and looking down from upwards, one couldn’t see how many floors there was in this building.

There were rows of bookshelves at all six walls on every level and they were also carved from fine jade. On every floor, there were several jade bridges that were between the jade pillar so one could walk to the six walls through the jade bridges to read the books.

However, the weird thing was that this library was empty. When they suddenly appeared here, no one came to ask anything.

They looked out and saw that there was no one in the surroundings as well. It was very empty.

“This is… Guardian Pavilion of the celestial heavens!”

Xiao Chunfeng’s gaze wavered and he said with softly, “Guardian Pavilion, this is the supreme sacred ground where the celestial heavens collect their books, the books that are guarded here are all top secrets of the celestial heavens! Strange, why did Dao Ancestor summon us here? Isn’t he afraid that the celestial heavens would discover that he had actually summoned the rebels of the lower bound here as well?”

Yu Hongxiu calmed down her emotions and endured her pain. “Dao Ancestor has summoned us so why hasn’t he shown himself?”

Qin Mu asked in concern, “Sister Hong Xiu, are your injuries fine? I’m skilled in the art of healing, after getting treated by me, you will be able to bounce around soon enough.”

Yu Hongxiu snorted and left further away from him. She moved closer to Xiao Chunfeng.

Dao Master Lin Xuan walked forward and said kindly, “Senior Sister Yu, Cult Master Qin is known as the divine physician in Eternal Peace, he was even known as the sacred hands of gynecology when he first started out. His reputation has spread throughout the heaven.”

Yu Hongxiu gritted her teeth and sneered. “Both of you have ill intentions!”

Qin Mu shrugged. He climbed up on the jade steps and came to the bookshelves on the second level of Guardian Pavilion. He took out a book randomly.

The book was forged from jade and split into long strips that were strung together with a golden string. It was like books strung together with bamboo writing slips but what was carved on it weren’t writings, it was runes.

Lin Xuan, Xiao Chunfeng, Yu Hongxiu also walked forward. Xiao Chunfeng and Yu Hongxiu were slightly further away from them and they also took out a jade scroll to take a detailed look.

“These strange runes…”

Yu Hongxiu shook her head. She didn’t recognize those runes so she put it back.

“These are basic runes of Great Dao that are constructed by algebra, they belong to the heavenly spirits runes of the heavenly cycle stars. The runes in my scroll belong to Leader Star.”

Xiao Chunfeng said, “Could the other scrolls be the Great Dao runes of other Heavenly Spirits Gods?”

“No.”

Qin Mu shook his head and said, “This scroll of mine is also the runes of Leader Star.”

“Mine too.” Lin Xuan put down the scroll in his hand.

Xiao Chunfeng moved quickly and opened up the other scrolls. He saw that the runes on the scrolls were all runes of Leader Star. Leader Star Sovereign was a god of the stars and was also an ancient, he was born from heaven and earth, born from the Leader Star.

There should only be a hundred types of basic runes but the number of runes recorded on these jade scrolls was simply way too much. This made Xiao Chunfeng slightly at a loss. “Are these Leader Star Sovereign’s divine arts that are recorded on the jade scrolls? Aren’t there way too many divine arts…”

Qin Mu’s heart stirred and he suddenly waved his hand. His vital qi flew out and all of the jade scrolls on the bookshelves flew up. The scrolls open up as they swirled around the jade pillar and the runes on the jade scrolls faced the translucent jade pillar.

The jade pillar refracted the light and reflected the runes on the jade scrolls. The runes gradually lighted up and a scarlet dragon heavenly god actually appeared inside the jade pillar. It looked fierce and fiendish, vivid and lifelike.

“So I see!”

Qin Mu swept his sleeve and all of the jade scrolls returned back to the bookshelves.

He came to the third level and repeated what he had done. The runes of every jade scroll shone towards the jade pillar and the figure of Strength Star Sovereign appeared.

The runes on the fourth level belonged to Knowledge Star while the fifth floor belonged to Leisure Star. Qin Mu climbed quickly and reached three hundredth and sixtieth levels. He aimed the jade scrolls here towards the jade pillar.

Xiao Chunfeng’s body trembled violently as he looked at the apparition of the ancient god that had appeared in the pillar. That was his mother, Great Moon Sovereign.

This caused his heart to become flustered. ‘The runes on these jade scrolls are just enough to form a star god, what is Dao Ancestor trying to do by using runes to reconstruct the star gods?”

Qin Mu continued to walk upwards and on the three hundredth and sixty-first floor, it was Great Sun Sovereign. It was also the rune structure of Great Sun Sovereign.

Qin Mu looked at the Great Sun Sovereign in the jade pillar and he burst into laughter. “No wonder Great Sun Sovereign had died so easily, looks like he had been studied thoroughly, that’s why another Great Sun Sovereign could be created after he died!”

Dao Master Lin Xuan, Xiao Chunfeng, and Yu Hongxiu quickly followed after him and their heart skipped a beat when they heard what Qin Mu had said. Xiao Chunfeng laughed and said, “Overlord Body Qin, what nonsense are you spouting? When had Celestial Heavens’ Great Sun Sovereign died? He is clearly living well!”

Qin Mu took a glance at him and didn’t say a word.

The higher they went up Guardian Pavilion, the more astonished they were. After reaching the three hundredth and sixty-first floor, the position of the ancient god carved on the jade scrolls would be higher. For example, there were Purple Star God, Heavenly Emperor God.

Finally, Yu Hongxiu gave a sharp cry. She saw the runes from the jade scrolls forming the shape of her master in the jade pillar, it was the figure of South Deity Zhu Que!

Qin Mu said calmly, “South Deity is not the only one, the other three deities are probably lined up as well!”

Everyone continued to climb up and as expected, they saw the jade scrolls of North Deity, East Deity, and West Deity.

“Now that all four deities are present, what could be above?” Xiao Chunfeng suddenly felt fear and his legs started to shiver. He stopped and didn’t dare to walk up anymore.

Qin Mu took a glance at him and shook his head. “Celestial Heaven’s trash.”

Xiao Chunfeng was furious. “Don’t underestimate the celestial heavens!” After saying that, he gritted his teeth to follow him.

“This is Goddess of Heavenly Yin.”

“This is Celestial Empress, I saw her corpse before… Hmm? That’s not right, it’s Celestial Empress’ sister.”

“This is then Celestial Empress.”

Finally, they came to Mother Earth’s level. Qin Mu looked at Mother Earth that was in the jade pillar and he sighed ruefully. He said with a smile, “No wonder Mother Earth would die in Yuandu, so it turns out your secrets have already been unveiled, there’s nothing for you to hide anymore.”

Xiao Chunfeng and Yu Hongxiu were terrified. They looked at the Mother Earth inside the jade pillar and didn’t dare to think of the story within.

Qin Mu shook his head and continued to climb.

On this level, he saw Heaven Duke.

The jade scrolls on this level seemed to be lacking and Heaven Duke’s figure wasn’t completely constructed. However, this kind of structure was also close to completion.

“Heaven Duke is not far from dying,” said Qin Mu suddenly.

Xiao Chunfeng and Yu Hongxiu’s eyes were filled with fear. They wanted to turn and run but there were still several levels to the top of Guardian Pavilion. These few levels held a lethal attraction to them and made them subconsciously wanted to climb up these few floors.

Qin Mu climbed up another level and the runes in the jade scrolls belonged to Earth Count. However, much of the runes were lacking. The structure of Earth Count was also incomplete. There were many more missing areas when compared to Heaven Duke.

“If we continue to go up, it should already be Celestial Emperor of the ancient gods, right?” Qin Mu said with a smile.

Xiao Chunfeng and Yu Hongxiu almost fainted. Dao Master Lin Xuan’s voice was hoarse and he said with a chuckle, “Cult Master, you are joking now. Why would Celestial Emperor let Dao Ancestor reconstruct himself? Could he want to kill himself to replace himself?”

Qin Mu said with a smirk, “Hard to say.”

After a moment, the three of them looked at that celestial emperor of the ancient gods and were speechless for a long time.

Yu Hongxiu finally gave out a soft groan and fainted. Xiao Chunfeng’s face was deathly white and his body was shivering. He didn’t dare to say a word.

Qin Mu raised his head and saw that there was still one more level in Guardian Pavilion. He muttered to himself, “Basically, all of the ancient gods have been reconstructed so what could the level above be used for?”

His curiosity was incomparably exuberant. The others already didn’t dare to climb anymore yet he continued to climb with great excitement.

After a moment, the corners of Qin Mu’s eyes twitched randomly as he looked at the youth inside the pillar in a daze.

“Dao Ancestor, what exactly are you trying to do?” he muttered.