Tales of Herding Gods

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

He turned around and his face had already transformed into Mu Qing’s face.

“It’s you!”

Celestial Venerable Huo’s expression changed drastically and Qin Mu took the chance to push forward with the tip of his feet, leaping towards Gate of Heaven Influence that was behind him. His body moved backward and was about to fall into the darkness.

Celestial Venerable Huo’s magic power burst forth and he opened up his five fingers. The moment Qin Mu was about to fall into Youdu, he felt boundless magic power freezing him in place!

He looked out and Celestial Venerable Huo was like an indomitable god standing outside. He was high above and the flames around him warped the space.

“Celestial Venerable Mu, it has truly been a long time.”

His voice seemed to be coming from another world and that boundless magic power was unimaginable. Even across a world, his magic power could still easily control the life and death of Qin Mu.

“Do you still remember Jade Pool Meeting?”

Celestial Venerable Huo said leisurely, “It has already been a million years, right? After a million years, what makes me curious is that you don’t seem to have any improvement at all. You are still as weak as you were in the past.”

Qin Mu and his distance quickly closed in. He was about to return back to the celestial heavens again.

However, right at this moment, a paper boat appeared in Celestial Venerable Huo’s line of sight. On the bow of the paper boat, an elder stood there with a lantern in his hand.

Celestial Venerable Huo suddenly felt his magic power being cut off and he immediately stopped to look at the Elder Messenger of Death on the paper boat.

One of them stood at the top of Guardian Pavilion shining with bright light everywhere. The other one stood in Youdu and everywhere was dark.

“Celestial Venerable You.” The corners of Celestial Venerable Huo’s eyes twitched and he said softly.

The elder in the darkness said faintly, “Celestial Venerable Huo.”

Celestial Venerable Huo had a complicated gaze and he said with softly, “Back then, we as the seven celestial venerables, we were extremely close, why are we now standing opposite each other? Celestial Venerable You, ever since Celestial Venerable Yu die, you had fallen. You shouldn’t have gone to Youdu. After going to Youdu, your nature has become more and more peevish and antisocial, you have finally walked up the path of evil. I still remember when Celestial Venerable Yu died, you were griefing and twitching as you wore your devil mask. You back then was extremely emotional and extremely sacred, even though I was irritated by your conduct, I didn’t dislike you.”

“When Celestial Venerable Yu died, you also cried.”

The messenger of death on the paper didn’t seem to have any change in emotion as he continued to say indifferently, “But you had fallen and walked the path of evil. Back then, the righteous Celestial Venerable Huo had died along with Celestial Venerable Yu. Looking at you from the darkness now, I don’t recognize you anymore.”

Celestial Venerable Huo’s pupils contracted.

At this moment, the elderly voice came from behind as he hurried to the top of Guardian Pavilion. “There are enemies that had infiltrated Guardian Pavilion? Impossible, this is a sealed space and it’s even situated in the center of the celestial heavens, it’s a forbidden ground inside a forbidden ground…”

In the darkness, Elder Messenger of Death’s paper boat ferried Qin Mu away.

Celestial Venerable Huo’s expression returned back to normal and he gently waved his hand to send them off. He raised his hand and Qin Mu’s Gate of Heaven Influence was completely erased by him. Not a trace was left.

Behind him, a white-haired old Daoist climbed up to the top and he looked around. However, he couldn’t see anyone and revealed a look of doubt. “There’s no infiltrators?”

Celestial Venerable Huo said, “My senses were mistaken, there was no one here. Why is Dao Ancestor not here?”

That old Daoist said with a smile, “It has already been a hundred years since Dao Ancestor has returned. He always appears and disappears randomly so I don’t know when he will be back as well.”

Celestial Venerable Huo nodded his head gently and said, “Dao Master, activate Guardian Pavilion, print the runes down and send them to the place where they create divine weapons. I shall take my leave first.”

The old Daoist hurriedly executed his magic power and all of the jade scrolls in Guardian Pavilion flew up to face the jade pillar in the center. Instantly, a beam of light rose from the bottom and shone on Celestial Venerable Yu’s apparition that was at the top.

“Freeze!”

The old Daoist shouted and froze the light in place. He then took out his sword to slice out Celestial Venerable Yu’s apparition from the jade pillar.

It was weird to see but when a huge chunk of the jade pillar was sliced off, it actually slowly grew back and returned back to normal.

In this jade, Celestial Venerable Yu and those runes were still there and they could be seen clearly. It was this old Daoist that was using his magic power to execute runes, imprinting in the fine jade.

If Qin Mu, Lin Xuan, and the rest were still there, they would be flabbergasted and stomp their feet in frustration.

They had only thought of how to memorize the runes of the Great Dao and Qin Mu had also forged a mirror, spending a great deal of effort to forge the space inside the mirror. He had spent a very long time to forge a treasure that could imprint the runes of the Great Dao.

Yet even so, intelligent people such as them would never have thought that the method to imprint these runes of Great Dao would be located at the very top. Furthermore, it was so simple!

The runes of the Great Dao just had to be imprinted and sliced off to be brought away. In that way, one would be able to bring away all of the runes in Guardian Pavilion and also not leave a trace.

It was just that the more intelligent one was, the easier they would waste time on solving a simple problem.

Celestial Venerable Huo walked down the building and he soon walked out of Guardian Pavilion.

However, he hesitated and didn’t head for Numinous Sky Hall. He said to himself. ‘Celestial Venerable Mu, you have appeared again, is it really you this time? In the past years of darkness, you have appeared numerous times but I know that wasn’t you.’

He looked at Numinous Sky Hall faraway and his expression flickered. ‘Even though you have beaten me up before, I don’t have any hatred for you when you investigate the murderer of Celestial Venerable Yu and took revenge for him. Instead, I’m filled with respect for you. However, why have you appeared this time? You don’t know that now isn’t a million years ago. You now are too weak…’

He pulled back his gaze and walked in the opposite direction of Numinous Sky Hall.

In Youdu, Qin Mu stood on the boat and looked around, searching for Lin Xuan, Xiao Chunfeng, and Yu Hongxiu’s whereabouts. “I had pushed them into Youdu, they must have fallen nearby.”

Elder Messenger of Death at the bow of the ship hung the lantern at the bow and said, “Youdu is so big and they aren’t lifeforms of Youdu, they are also no Son of Youdu or Mingdu Heavenly King, they can’t use any divine art here so they won’t be able to fly. They will fall continuously as you did back then. If they aren’t gods, they would probably die of old age after falling for several hundred years. They might also suffocate to death. There is no air in the darkness, they can’t breathe.”

Qin Mu stared at him and said, “If you can catch me, you naturally can catch them as well.”

Elder Messenger of Death said indifferently, “I had passed Celestial Venerable Yu to you, where is he now?”

Qin Mu said with a guilty conscience, “He is very well, he’s rather carefree now, even more carefree than me. He is following an elder of mine who had taught and groomed me. His character is good, cultivation is high, and wouldn’t hide any money he picked up from the ground. He is the model of Eternal Peace’s scholars, the backbone of the empire!”

Elder Messenger of Death’s expression changed slightly and he snorted, “They have taught you to become like this so how could they be any good? I’m not reassured when you hand Celestial Venerable Yu to such people!”

Qin Mu retorted angrily, “How am I not good? I’m a celestial venerable as well that had shaken this world, the people that had groomed me are naturally virtuous!”

Elder Messenger of Death said indifferently, “Let me follow you to Eternal Peace and let me see how virtuous they are.”

Qin Mu hurriedly said, “You look so eerie, are you going to scare people to death by running to the world of the living? Don’t worry, I definitely won’t treat Celestial Venerable Yu badly, I treat him very well! Quickly bring my three friends back, any later and they are going to suffocate to death.”

In front of him, three paper boats flew over and each of them had an Elder Messenger of Death standing at the bow. In the boats were Dao Master Lin Xuan and the rest.

Qin Mu was at ease and he smiled. “You are always sharp with your words and soft in your heart. I knew you would save them. You can just bring us to the side of Surging River…”

Elder Messenger of Death sneered. “Only you would think I’m good. Look at the other three boats, which one of them doesn’t have an ashen face when they see me?”

Qin Mu looked at those three boats and indeed, he saw Lin Xuan, Xiao Chunfeng, and Yu Hongxiu all having ghastly white faces. They were curled up in a corner and looked extremely terrified.

“So why have you run to the celestial heavens?”

Elder Messenger of Death softened his tone and said, “How is the celestial heavens a place you could come? If I didn’t detect you opening Gate of Heaven Influence again, you would have died here! How daring of you to be so reckless, I’m starting to regret handing Celestial Venerable Yu to you!”

Qin Mu smiled and said, “But you had still come at the first notice and rescued us. I know you care for me very much.”

Elder Messenger of Death shook his head and said, “I’m just worried that you had brought Celestial Venerable Yu to the celestial heavens. If I know only you were there, I wouldn’t have come.”

Qin Mu’s face turned black and he sneered. “Go on, take Celestial Venerable Yu back. I want to see how you can teach him well.”

Elder Messenger of Death’s face also turned black. After a moment, he mumbled, “I don’t know anyone else, you teach him. However, you need to teach him personally, I’m not reassured if it’s those people that had groomed you… Celestial Venerable Huo is very dangerous, don’t go near him.”

Qin Mu’s heart stirred slightly and he said, “When Celestial Venerable Yu died back then, you and Celestial Venerable Huo were the saddest, I could see that he is like you, both of you respects Celestial Venerable Yu from the bottom of your hearts. Maybe Celestial Venerable Huo is being blinded, maybe I can still pull him over to our side…”

Elder Messenger of Death cut him off and said firmly, “People change!”

Qin Mu was stunned and asked, “Why would Celestial Venerable Huo change? What had he experienced these years? I had exposed that it was Celestial Venerable Hao, Son of Heaven Yin, and even partly Celestial Emperor that had killed Celestial Venerable Yu. Even if he isn’t smart, he should be able to see this! Why has he continued to remain in the celestial heavens?”

“People change.”

Elder Messenger of Death repeated this and suddenly said, “We are at the world of the living, you guys should get off now. Don’t go to the celestial heavens anymore, don’t trust Celestial Venerable Huo as well, you will die.”

Qin Mu suppressed the doubt in his heart and jumped off the boat. Dao Master Lin Xuan and the rest got picked up and thrown off.

It was darkness below the ship and in the next instant, light shone brightly. The four of them stepped on solid ground and when they looked around, they saw a river surging and towering mountains not far from them. It was as if they had just experienced a dream.

Qin Mu turned his head to look and Elder Messenger of Death was long gone.

‘Celestial Venerable Huo, have you really changed?’ Qin Mu was in a daze.

“Cult Master Qin, Cult Master Qin!”

Dao Master Lin Xuan woke him up and said, “We should return to Clear Sky Heaven and handle what comes next.”

Qin Mu came back to his senses and nodded his head. He looked at Xiao Chunfeng and Yu Hongxiu. “After what we had experienced, what are both of your plans?”

Xiao Chunfeng hesitated for a moment before saying, “I’m from Celestial Heavens Dao Sect and have similar inheritances with Dao Master Lin, therefore I plan to go Eternal Peace Dao Sect and slowly develop, making a name for myself in the future.”

Yu Hongxiu pondered and said, “I also want to go Dao Sect but I don’t want to be a Daoist nun.”

Qin Mu’s eyes lighted up. “Sister Hongxiu, have you heard of Heavenly Saint Cult before? My Heavenly Saint Cult is a righteous sect…”