Tales of Herding Gods

“If the ancient gods are annihilated, there’s no possibility for the race of masters of creation to make a comeback.”

Qin Mu looked into the distance and said, “Now, there’s still a chance to turn things around. When the ancient gods are extinct, there will be no chance of resisting the celestial heavens anymore.”

Divine King Lang Wo stood on the carriage as her consciousness rippled. Instantly, the millions of gods and devils from the White Tiger Celestial Palace that were charging towards the celestial fort fell from the sky like rain.

The Heavenly Dragon Treasure Carriage barged straight through. Wherever it passed, the gods and devils of the West Pole dropped one after another. However, they weren’t hurt, it was just that their formations were disrupted.

In front of the Southern Heavenly Gate of the White Tiger Celestial Palace, a giant god struck the drum three times. Another two gods that were in armor came to the gate, shaking the golden ceremonial bell hanging there. The soldier in front of the gate then lowered his banner.

The great army of gods and devils of the White Tiger Celestial Palace immediately stopped advancing.

The giant god in front of the Southern Heavenly Gate struck the drum again five times. All of the gods and devils of the White Tiger Celestial Palace immediately reorganized their formations.

The giant god struck the drum again. All of the gods and devils readjusted their armaments on the spot, standardizing neatly with each other.

The drumbeats stopped. Facing the Heavenly Dragon Treasure Carriage was the boundless great army of gods and devils of the West Pole. They stood erect in the sky, their bodies still and their gazes steadily forward. Heaven and earth were covered by their killing aura.

Upon seeing this, the six heavenly dragons couldn’t help but stop. They didn’t dare continue barging through.

After getting berated by the dragon qilin, they picked up their courage and moved forward, but their speed was greatly reduced.

Qin Mu looked ahead and sighed. The gods and devils of the White Tiger Celestial Palace were able to be commanded with ease. This was something quite rare in the military. Of course, if it was the army of Eternal Peace, through the usage of consciousness and the Secrets of Three Primordial Spirit Assembly to command the troops, they would do better than the West Pole.

The Heavenly Dragon Treasure Carriage finally arrived outside the Southern Heavenly Gate. Qin Mu quietly stood on top of the carriage and waited. After some time, a female general came over and bowed. “Celestial Venerable, Her Majesty invites you.”

Qin Mu smiled ambiguously. “I have been to the North Pole and the East Pole. Both North Deity Xuan Wu and East Deity Qing Long came forth to personally receive me. West Deity, however, is sitting in her Numinous Sky Hall. Does she want me to go forward to seek an audience with her?”

That female general had a solemn expression. “Her Majesty is in her body armor, personally leading the troops for this expedition. Hence, it’s not convenient for her to come forward to receive you in person.”

Qin Mu chuckled and said, “In that case, I’ll take my leave. After West Deity is dead, I will return to give my condolences and collect her body. Fatty Dragon, turn the carriage around. We’re leaving.” He then returned to his treasure carriage and sat down.

The dragon qilin hesitated a while before ordering the six heavenly dragons to turn the carriage around. Right at this moment, a female voice traveled over. “Celestial Venerable Mu, please stay.”

The dragon qilin reined in the ropes as he looked at Qin Mu in the carriage. Because of the curtain, he was unable to see his expression.

Qin Mu’s voice traveled from the carriage. He said plainly, “Is that West Deity?”

A lady in armor emerged out of the White Tiger Celestial Palace. Behind her was the head of a white tiger. It crouched its head while pressing its claws, looking like it was ready to pounce. It looked extremely ferocious. Its head alone already covered half of the celestial palace.

That lady was fully clad in armor, valiant and heroic in bearing. She smiled. “Yes, I am. Is Celestial Venerable able to step out to meet me?”

“No, I can’t.”

Qin Mu’s voice traveled from behind the curtains. He said insipidly, “I’m a Celestial Venerable, here for a visit. It was a lack of etiquette on your part when you asked me to meet you in your Numinous Sky Hall. Today, I’m not getting off the carriage so as not to ruin your West Pole. You have to come up the carriage.”

West Deity frowned slightly as she glanced from left to right. She suppressed her anger and said, “Celestial Venerable, don’t push your luck too far!”

Qin Mu laughed heartily and said leisurely, “I heard that the land of the West Pole has ferocious tigers that are wild and untameable. The tiger is cunning and full of suspicion. However, when it sees its prey, it rejoices, fully concentrating on its prey without paying attention to its surroundings. Hence, for the hunter to catch the tiger, he only needs to put a sheep in front of it. When the tiger pounces onto the sheep, the hunter will kill the tiger, resulting in the tiger losing its life.”

West Deity flew into a rage as she walked up the carriage, pulling apart the curtains as she entered. “Celestial Venerable, if you have any advice, why not say it simply and clearly?”

At this moment, she noticed that there was someone else in the carriage. Her gaze landed on Divine King Lang Wo as she thought puzzledly, ‘Celestial Empress?’

She was astonished. The golden armor on her body clashed and clinked as she coldly said, “Celestial Venerable Mu and Celestial Empress came here together to kill me?”

Qin Mu raised his hand and said, “West Deity, please take a seat.”

West Deity snorted and sat down, her gaze remaining dead set on Divine King Lang Wo. Suddenly, she said, “You aren’t Celestial Empress. There’s no such scent on your body.”

Divine King Lang Wo’s face was expressionless as she said faintly, “In that case, who does West Deity think I am?”

West Deity continued staring at her, as though she was scrutinizing her origins.

“West Deity, do you know the day of your death has arrived?”

Qin Mu smiled as he said, “You have mobilized your troops, planning to attack the celestial fort in front of you. When the two armies meet, it will be the day of your death. Celestial Venerable Hong has plotted this for a long time, waiting for you to enter his trap. Once your West Pole’s great army of gods and devils arrives at the fort, his primordial spirit will enter the divine weapon Celestial Venerable Yu. Within a few rounds, you will fall on the spot.”

West Deity moved her gaze away from Divine King Lang Wo. She opened the carriage window and looked at the divine weapon Celestial Venerable Yu, which was behind the celestial fort over the horizon. “You mean that Celestial Venerable Hong is already here? You’re wrong. I have received news that, at this moment, the ten Celestial Venerables are in the celestial heavens impeding each other. Given the threats from one another, they are unable to escape! As for you, you came here with this Dao friend, hatching a sinister plot. I believe you would enlist her help in getting rid of me!”

She laughed coldly and said, “I’m able to feel the killing intentions from her!”

Qin Mu cried out, “Why would I want to get rid of you? I have no grudges against you. You need to borrow my power to give yourself a path of retreat. I also need to borrow your power to resist the celestial heavens. If we work together, both will benefit. If we don’t, we will both suffer. My trip here was to advise you not to court your own death. Actually, it wasn’t me who saw through this plot against ancient gods, it was North Deity Xuan Wu who actually saw through this trap, hence sending me here to warn you.”

When West Deity heard that it was North Deity Xuan Wu who had asked him to warn her, her suspicion vanished. She probed, “Did North Deity Xuan Wu really ask you to come?”

Qin Mu nodded with a smile on his face. “If West Deity doesn’t believe me, you can send your men to the North Pole to verify.”

West Deity was skeptical. She opened the carriage window and summoned a female god general, giving her some instructions.

That female god general hurriedly bowed and went on her way.

Qin Mu said leisurely, “It will take a few days before she returns. Why not call back your troops first? When Celestial Venerable Hong realizes that there’s no hope of killing you, he will know that you have seen through his plot. Hence, there will be no need to continue hiding. I will then ask him out, and he will definitely show himself.”

The corners of West Deity’s eyes twitched. She opened the window again to pass her instructions.

The gongs of retreat rang from outside, and the great army of gods and devils of the West Pole fell back. Even their withdrawal was in an orderly fashion.

Qin Mu rose and came to the side of Divine King Lang Wo. He opened the other window and looked outside, exclaiming his admiration endlessly.

“Celestial Venerable Mu, what do you think of my troops?” West Deity smiled as she said.

Qin Mu said sincerely, “Indeed, they are strong soldiers, a rarity under the heavens. They are a little inferior to Eternal Peace, but they’re still not weak.”

West Deity was unhappy. “A tiny place like Eternal Peace also has strong troops?”

“Your Majesty, Eternal Peace carried on the work of Founding Emperor, and the pupil has outdone the master. Based on battle power, naturally, it’s unable to match up to the West Pole. However, based on battle formations, West Pole is far behind.”

Qin Mu walked out of the treasure carriage and said loudly, “Celestial Venerable Hong, since you’re here, why not reveal yourself and meet us?”

He mobilized his consciousness. When his voice reached the celestial fort, it transformed into rolling thunder.

West Deity stood beside the window, looking at the divine weapon Celestial Venerable Yu. It remained still. West Deity then looked at Qin Mu, who was outside the carriage, and her pupils contracted slightly.

Divine King Lang Wo gave a cough. West Deity’s pupils then relaxed as she smiled. “Dao Friend, you give me a familiar feeling. Have we met before?”

Divine King Lang Wo said, “Maybe we have met before. Maybe not.”

West Deity’s gaze flickered. “You are strange. The more I look at you, I think you look like…”

Suddenly, her pupils contracted again. She quickly turned her head and saw the divine weapon Celestial Venerable Yu opening his eyes. A wave of white light burst forth, looking like a bridge of light. Its brilliance was brighter than a thousand suns.

This bridge fell onto the White Tiger Celestial Palace’s Southern Heavenly Gate, pressing upon the top of the gate!

West Deity balled up her fists tightly as she sneered ceaselessly.

An elder with a white beard and brows, who was wearing a white robe, was walking on that bridge of light towards where they were.

His sleeves fluttered with the wind, looking free and easy. However, it seemed that his body was extremely heavy. When he was halfway through the bridge, the Southern Heavenly Gate of the White Tiger Celestial Palace was crushed by the bridge until it creakily sank into the ground. The entire White Tiger Celestial Palace was tilted by the sheer pressure, and it descended continuously!

By the time that white-robed elder had reached the front of the Heavenly Dragon Treasure Carriage, the White Tiger Celestial Palace had been pressured until it landed on the ground, while the Southern Heavenly Gate had already sunk into the earth!

In a daze, West Deity watched the elder who was approaching, her body trembling slightly.

Qin Mu bowed to receive him. “Celestial Venerable Hong, you were meditating peacefully before I interrupted you. I’m sorry about that.”

Celestial Venerable Hong hurriedly returned the courtesy, laughing heartily as he said, “Dao Brother, you are the only surviving founding elder of the Heaven Alliance. When you call for me, it’s a must for me to wake up.”

Qin Mu raised his hand and laughed. “Dao Friend Hong, let’s speak inside the carriage. West Deity is also waiting inside for you.”

Celestial Venerable Hong bowed and said, “Dao Brother, after you.”

Qin Mu entered the carriage as Celestial Venerable Hong followed behind.

Qin Mu invited him to take a seat. Celestial Venerable Hong hurriedly bowed, sitting only after Qin Mu had returned to the main seat. He cupped his hands, first towards West Deity, then towards Divine King Lang Wo, and laughed heartily. “Dao Brother, in this little treasure carriage of yours, you have gathered the major figures of the ancient primordial era, the distant ancient era, and the present era. This is truly unusual. West Deity came from the ancient primordial era, as did Divine King. Dao Brother is from the present era, while I’m from the distant ancient era.”

Piak!

The armrest of the treasure seat of West Deity had been crushed into pieces as she stood up. She stared at Divine King Lang Wo in front of her, speaking in a hoarse voice. “Ancient Primordial Divine King?”

“Sit down!” Qin Mu shouted in rage as he slapped his armrest.

West Deity looked at Divine King Lang Wo, then at Celestial Venerable Hong, and understood it was difficult for her to escape this predicament. She couldn’t help but snort in anger as she sat back down.

The Heavenly Dragon Treasure Carriage jolted and shook violently as the six heavenly dragons outside wailed. Qin Mu felt a wave of pain. ‘The treasure seat of my carriage was crushed by her, and one of my carriage shafts broke. I’m afraid my wheels were flattened too. The bum of this woman is as hard as steel!’

He roused his spirits, smiling as his gaze landed on the body of Celestial Venerable Hong. “Grand Emperor has a gaze that burns like torches. You could actually recognize Divine King?”

Upon hearing this, the tiger fur all over West Deity’s body stood up, piercing a thousand holes in her armor.

Even the ends of her hair were standing upright, pointing straight in all eight directions!