Tales of Herding Gods

It was way easier to travel to any place with the Spirit Energy Mutual Shift Bridges. The Primordial Realm was large and vital, so the number of bridges that were connected to it were plenty.

Qin Mu looked out and saw that the place was a Spirit Energy Mutual Shift Bridge in the center of the Primordial Realm, built on a divine city in the air. They weren’t far from the Primordial Tree. He frowned and asked, “Dutian, why didn’t we head straight to Eternal Peace?”

Before Dutian Devil King could reply, Yun Chuxiu smiled and said, “Eternal Peace is small, so there are only two Spirit Energy Mutual Shift Bridges that connect to it. One is under my control, and the other is in the Patriarch Creation Palace. You can only reach this divine city via the other bridges. This divine city is called Yuandu and is the center of the Primordial Realm.”

Qin Mu’s heart fluttered as he retrieved his passport to get Dutian Devil King to search for the land’s god general to file a record. He indifferently asked, “The Primordial Realm of today is in which Celestial Venerable’s hands?”

He sized up his surroundings and saw how Yuandu was grand and heavily guarded. It was at an altitude of 20,000 miles, and it monitored the transportation of the heavens of the Primordial Realm. Many Daoist were flying in the air on clouds to pluck down the sun, moon, and stars from the sky to roll up the heavens.

That was Heavenly Painting.

The new one should have been created. The original one was tattered and too small to cover the entire sky of the Primordial Realm, so these Daoists of the celestial heavens’ Dao Sect were taking it down.

Yun Chuxiu looked up and shockingly said, “You don’t know? Originally, the Primordial Realm was supposed to be in Celestial Venerable Hao’s hands, but he was too rash and was taken advantage of by Celestial Venerable Xiao.”

She pitifully sighed. “Celestial Venerable Xiao is sly and cunning. He forced Celestial Venerable Hao away when he was injured in the fight with Mother Earth, who had just resurrected, to occupy the Primordial Realm for himself. This Primordial Realm is powerful. It was previously called Yuandu and had a lot of resources. However, Celestial Emperor ordered Yuandu’s resources to be mined to build the celestial heavens…”

Qin Mu’s heart shuddered. He listened to almost nothing in the latter half of her speech.

If Celestial Venerable Xiao acquired the Primordial Realm, then he was the being that the ancient Celestial Emperor’s soul morphed into in the celestial heavens!

Qin Mu originally thought that Celestial Venerable Qiang was the ancient Celestial Emperor, but he was wrong.

‘Or perhaps the ancient Celestial Emperor has two identities in the celestial heavens. One is Celestial Venerable Xiao, while the other is Heavenly Lady Qiang.’

Qin Mu smiled. “Good sister, how well do you know Celestial Venerable Xiao?”

Yun Chuxiu blinked and alarmingly said, “When you want me to tell you things, you honey up your mouth and call me good sister. After that, I become a vixen that you guard against. Why do you want to know about Celestial Venerable Xiao?”

Qin Mu sincerely said, “I’ve been in the celestial heavens for quite some time. I spent almost five years there, and yet I know nothing about him. He’s a mysterious person to me, which is why I would like your guidance. Good sister, you shouldn’t be too estranged from Celestial Venerable Xiao, right?”

Yun Chuxiu rolled her eyes and said, “He’s a hero of mankind. You should have a favorable impression of him. He once became the first celestial emperor of the South High Emperor Celestial Heavens with the help of Celestial Venerable Ling.”

Qin Mu didn’t know what to say.

Yun Chuxiu saw his expression of shock and couldn’t help but laugh. “What’s with the look on your face? Celestial Venerable Xiao has another identity, the disciple of Celestial Venerable Yun and Celestial Venerable Yue. He followed them ever since the Dragon Han Era and could be regarded as the most radical figure in the Heaven Alliance. He has wanted to eliminate the ancient gods for a long time now. He even wants to eliminate Celestial Venerable Hao, God Emperor Lang Xuan, and Ancestral God King.”

Qin Mu was stunned to silence as if he was struck by lightning.

Celestial Emperor was Celestial Venerable Yun and Celestial Venerable Yue’s disciple? He even became Celestial Venerable Ling’s disciple too?

“Celestial Venerable Xiao was very active during the Dragon Han and Crimson Light Eras. He’s pretty xenophobic, however, as he views half gods and ancient gods with hostility, causing him to not be too welcomed by people.”

Yun Chuxiu said, “Celestial Venerable Yun and Celestial Venerable Yue were also helpless in dealing with his radical ideas, so they kicked him out over some trivial matter. However, unexpectedly, he became quite close to Celestial Venerable Ling. When Celestial Venerable Yun died and Celestial Venerable Yue went into seclusion, Celestial Venerable Ling valued him greatly and helped him become the South High Emperor.”

Qin Mu felt muddle-headed and couldn’t say much.

“The other Celestial Venerables also don’t welcome him much because of how he was Celestial Venerable Yun and Celestial Venerable Yue’s disciple on top of how he got close to Celestial Venerable Ling. He is also a secluded person that rarely shows himself in public.”

Yun Chuxiu plainly said, “I suspect that one of the Celestial Venerables who saved you at the Jade Pool was him.”

Qin Mu calmed himself and called on Dutian Devil King and the others, saying, “Let’s go to Eternal Peace.”

The dragon qilin probed him, asking, “Cult Master, do you really want to go to Eternal Peace? What about the Grand Emperor’s corpse?”

Qin Mu smiled. “The Primordial Realm is Celestial Venerable Xiao’s territory, what is there to be afraid of? Celestial Venerable Xiao is a human and protects his people. When the Eternal Peace Calamity occurred, he was the one who protected the humans of Eternal Peace. If the Grand Emperor really dares to come, he won’t be able to return!”

The dragon qilin said to Dutian in a panic, “Brother Dutian, head back to the celestial heavens now!”

Qin Mu kicked him and coldly laughed. “Idiot, do you not trust a human like Celestial Venerable Xiao? With Celestial Venerable Xiao here, I won’t be in danger!”

The dragon qilin mumbled, “But Celestial Venerable Xiao isn’t here…”

Qin Mu pointed and smiled. “Who says so? His divine weapon Celestial Venerable Yu is suppressing the Primordial Realm. If I encounter danger, he will trigger it to save us!”

Dutian Devil King brought the passport back and said, “Cult Master, we have made the record.”

Qin Mu laughed with great enthusiasm before waving and saying, “Celestial Venerable Xiao knows I’m here. Since that’s the case, let’s return to Eternal Peace!”

The nine dragons chanted as they grew to become divine dragons that were hundreds of miles long. They rose into the air, pulling the carriage with them as they followed a long river extending towards the east in the air.

The nine heavenly dragons followed the river at a speed that could outmatch lightning.

At the same time, in the south of the Primordial Realm, there was a mountain called Celestial Venerable Ridge in a mountain range. It was a deep place and was surrounded by fog and mist. When gods and devils entered by accident, they couldn’t escape.

It was said that the place had a Celestial Venerable buried in it. A dozen heavens surrounded it to guard it, but no one dared to enter.

Today, the ridge was filled with boiling flames and many peculiarities. All sorts of lights came from the ridge, causing the gods of the heavens stationed around it to look down from their clouds. Dazzling lights were emanating from it as if something was coming out of it.

Many gods and devils became tempted as they said, “Rumor has it that this place has a Celestial Venerable buried in it. Could its treasure have been unearthed today? Stationing us here was to take advantage of us!”

Many gods and devils flew into the ridge to find the treasure.

This Celestial Venerable Ridge was treacherous, however, and many of the gods and devils that entered never returned. A burp was all that was heard from the ridge.

‘Now that these idiots sacrificed themselves to me, I can go and recharge some of my parched essence and blood.’

In the ridge, many skeletal gods and devils, who were wearing large robes with large sleeves, flew out. They were carrying a large copper coffin out of the ridge. Their robes fluttered as they carried it with the wind.

Yuandu city.

The generals guarding Yuandu city went to the celestial palace on the canopy of the Primordial Tree. They entered the Numinous Sky Hall of the Jade Capital quickly and kowtowed to a god statue on the throne before telling it about how Celestial Venerable Mu had arrived.

That god statue was seemingly made out of clay, yet it opened its eyes when it heard the news and replied, “I already know about this. You may withdraw.”

The generals withdrew.

That clay statue coldly smiled. ‘This b*stard, giving me more trouble. You should have gone to the East Pole, yet you must come to the Primordial Realm. The Grand Emperor won’t let you go! If I save you, the other Celestial Venerables will know that I was one of the three Celestial Venerables who acted to save you at the Jade Pool. If I don’t save you, you will die! This is hard, hard!’

The divine weapon Celestial Venerable Yu in the air was slowly recovering, and its aura was being raised. At the same time, a door appeared out of nowhere in the Primordial Tree’s celestial palace.

The clay god statue was stunned. ‘This door opened again! When it opened the last time, people claimed they saw Celestial Venerable Mu and a devil coming out of it to kill many of my experts. My great army surrounded him, yet they couldn’t capture him! Now, this door has opened again. What could it be this time?’

The door opened, and a middle-aged man appeared. He had thick eyebrows and large eyes that complimented his impressive appearance. His fringe was white, and his gaze revealed his age.

His clothes were ordinary, and at his waist was a sword. He just appeared in the Primordial Tree celestial palace like this as he looked up into the sky. He seemed grateful, and his lips moved as if he was going to speak.

“I dreamt of being in this place again. I have so much nostalgia for this place. I have aged so soon…”

He gave a long sigh and swept his gaze. Hundreds of miles away, Celestial Venerable Xiao’s god statue in the Numinous Sky Hall was blown to pieces.

The middle-aged man felt a shred of chill run down his spine as he tightened his collar. He crossed his arms in front of his chest and left.

“This land is finally back to its original shape. Unfortunately, the people from then are no longer here…” He released a series of long sighs before disappearing.

In the Numinous Sky Hall, that clay god statue reassembled itself into a person made out of clay. He jumped from his throne and rushed out of the hall. He stared at the door, but that middle-aged man was nowhere to be seen.

‘Qin Ye, Celestial Venerable Qin!’

A human voice came from the clay person as it mumbled, “He came out of Carefree Village? This is a big deal! This traitor can no longer sit and wait in Carefree Village…”

He looked up at the divine weapon Celestial Venerable Yu but was hesitant to use it. It wasn’t in his best interest to use it to kill Founding Emperor Qin Ye. There was no need for him to fight to the death with Founding Emperor.

‘Should I inform the other Celestial Venerables about the appearance of Celestial Venerable Qin?’

The clay man stopped and went back to the throne in the Numinous Sky Hall, closing his eyes. ‘Ignore him and pretend not to know about him. Since Qin Ye appeared, he won’t allow Celestial Venerable Mu to be killed by the Grand Emperor. Thus, I shall sit this one out and reap the benefits later!’

“Stop the carriage.”

Qin Mu suddenly spoke when the carriage was at the upstream of the Surging River. He said, “Dutian, we are near my hometown, and I feel unnerved since I haven’t been there in a long time. Let’s walk from here.”

Dutian Devil King was perplexed as he asked, “Cult Master, you are that kind of person too? If we walk, it will take us days to reach Eternal Peace.”

“That’s fine.” Qin Mu smiled.

The carriage descended and ran on the Surging River.

Qin Mu stepped out of the carriage, took out his jade bottle and a drop of the primordial liquid, and said, “I shall toast my hometown with a drop of this.”

That drop of primordial liquid fell into the river. After a while, the mountains around the Surging River shook as if something large was rumbling beneath them, causing them to shake too.