Tales of Herding Gods

Everyone at the banquet was confused by the events. The impact from something was so fierce that buildings collapsed and even the roof of the palace behind them was lifted off and sent flying.

What flew away with the roof was also the entire banquet: plates, bowls, wine, and jade tables. Everything swept into midair by the terrifying air current!

Fwoosh!

A huge tree broke off at the waist and flew into the sky while spinning. A few people outside the manor were swept off their feet by the gale and flailed their limbs. They hugged the tree, and in the next moment, they vanished after being flung away by another even more terrifying pulse of energy.

The cultivation of Qin Mu and the rest was not simple, so they could stabilize themselves.

Bai Qingfu raised his hand, and dragon beads rose into the air. He shouted fiercely, “Fix!”

In the sky above Bai Manor, the items and people that were swept up got fixed in place. However, the houses and trees outside the manor were also uprooted and flying all over the place, so Bai Qingfu was unable to endure the pressure.

His face flushed and he stomped his feet, and True Dragon Primordial Spirit appeared behind him, which made the dragon beads shine brighter. However, he still couldn’t handle the pressure.

“Qingfu!” A woman carrying child led numerous experts of Bai Manor over. Each of them executed a dragon bead, and Bai Qingfu instantly felt the pressure on him lessen.

“Mother, uncles, aunts, and even great uncle, why are you all here?” he asked in a hurry.

“I’ve received news that Fomalhaut has been broken through!” the woman said. “The vanguard of the extraterritorial devils attacked, and Hundred Prosperities City cannot be guarded any longer, so quickly retreat out of the city and go to the celestial heavens! We, the older generation, will hold them off here! Follow the people in the city, and we will hurry over right after!”

The other young men and young women were stunned. “Fomalhaut has been broken through? What should we do? Let us quickly return to our manors and inform our lords!”

“No need for that!” the woman shouted at the flustered people to keep them under control. She stuffed the little boy into Bai Qu’er’s arms and took out another dragon bead for her while shouting sternly, “Your elders have already been informed so there’s no need for you guys to waste time on that! Leave the city immediately and go to the celestial heavens! There’s no need to pack anything, go immediately! The Dragon God Bead in Qu’er’s hands can assist you guys in repelling the darkness!”

Bai Qingfu understood the severity of the matter and immediately looked at Qin Mu. “Old Brother Qin, follow us too!”

Qin Mu’s heart stirred slightly, and the chest stood up. Pangong Tso immediately jumped onto it. The dragon qilin was full of energy, and he jumped onto the chest as well.

They sprinted straight to the back door. When they reach there, they heard a quaking boom as a god that was guarding the southern gates got blown high into the air in their direction.

After he was blasted away, a bullheaded giant that had chains coiled around his body appeared outside the city. His huge body was even taller than the city towers. He pulled along the chains with a black iron ball the size of a mountain at their end. He sent it toward the fallen god!

Qin Mu’s blood ran cold. If the black iron ball came for that god, it would definitely land near them, so how would they survive?

At that moment, melodious roars of dragons came from Bai Manor as the woman from before and the experts of Bai Manor showed their true forms. They transformed into huge dragons that soared into the air, welcoming the iron ball.

At the same time, the other experts in Hundred Prosperities City also rushed out to attack one after another. All of them hurried to the southern city gate.

Tall and sturdy half beast and half human giants were bombarding the city walls which fell with loud rumbles. Countless ‘extraterritorial devils’ came flooding into the city and drowned building after building until charging into the resistance force!

“Quickly go!”

Qin Mu, Bai Qingfu, and the rest rushed to the northern city gate which was already crowded with people fleeing for their lives. They created an impenetrable crowd. People were stepping on each other, with few making any headway.

On the city tower, the god that was guarding the city transformed his magic power into a huge hand, grabbing people trying to squeeze through to send them out. While doing that, he shouted out loudly, “Stand in the light outside the city; do not walk out of the light!”

Qin Mu and the rest flew out of the city and saw quite a number of people rush into the darkness while shouting among themselves. All of them turned into skeletons, their flesh gone.

The god had shifted tens of thousands of people yet there were still countless people flooding over to the northern city gates, wailing incessantly. In the meantime, the army of the ‘extraterritorial devils’ had already slaughtered their way over.

That god gritted his teeth and flew out of the city. “All gather around me. I’ll bring you to the celestial heavens! Follow me! The strong shall stay at the back to fight off the extraterritorial devils!”

As for the people who were still rushing through the city, he couldn’t take them into consideration anymore. He could only protect those already out.

Qin Mu and the rest landed on the ground. Bai Qingfu immediately led everyone after the god into the darkness, but Pangong Tso stopped them. He shouted angrily. “Everyone, come back! If you want to live, don’t follow that god!”

Bai Qingfu was stunned and looked at this person that had no legs. While carrying a child in one hand, Bai Qu’er raised the dragon bead as light with the other. She asked in puzzlement, “Why shouldn’t we follow him?”

The child began to cry, and her sister-in-law took it to console.

It was Bai Qingfu’s son, and he had still yet to wean.

Qin Mu’s expression was solemn. “That god is protecting tens of thousands of people, so he has a big target written on his back and will definitely be attacked! Everyone, this guy is right. Grandmaster is the most outstanding person I know in terms of escaping for his life; his escaping abilities are unmatched in this world! Grandmaster, you have the most experience so tell us where to go!”

“Which way is the celestial heavens?” Pangong Tso asked in a hurry. Bai Qingfu raised his hand and pointed to the west of Fomalhaut. Pangong Tso then immediately said, “We’ll go east! Quickly!”

The god had already brought the people far into the darkness. Because there was light around Qin Mu and the rest, a hundred people had also gathered around them, and there were still more being attracted by the light.

“Go quickly, kill all those that will lag behind!” Pangong Tso said ruthlessly.

“How can we kill our own people?” Everyone was furious. Bai Qu’er also stopped and prepared to bring more people.

Cold sweat rolled down Pangong Tso’s forehead as he shouted, “Does everyone wish to die here? Do you still want to live? If you’re soft-hearted, all of you can forget about escaping alive!”

The ‘extraterritorial devils’ rushed out of the northern city gates and toward the escapees, slaughtering every single one of them.

Bai Qingfu gritted his teeth and said, “No need to wait for others, let’s go!”

They rushed into the darkness with the chest giving off a faint glow. This should have astonished the others, but no one had the time to inquire about it.

Behind them, the extraterritorial devils were like sharks that had smelt the scent of blood. They pursued after them, so Bai Qingfu and the rest had to cover their retreat, fighting and falling back at the same time.

“Our speed is too slow while bringing along these burdens!” Pangong Tso gritted his teeth and looked fiercely at the people of Hundred Prosperities City around them. An evil grin came onto his face. “It’s also a waste for these scums to live, so why don’t we just kill them all? Only then can we have the possibility of escaping! Cult Master Qin, you also agree with me, right?”

Qin Mu looked at Bai Qu’er and said solemnly, “Qu’er, give your Dragon God Bead to them. I can bring you guys out with the help of my chest if you want a chance to survive; otherwise, we are really going to be dragged down by these people!”

Bai Qu’er shook her head. “How can I abandon everyone just for my own life? We don’t have such people in Bai Family! Brother Mu, High Emperor Celestial Heavens was founded for the people, for the gods to be useful to the people. High Emperor has declared that human lives are greater than heaven!”

Even though her voice was soft, it could rouse even the apathetic. “If we can’t protect the people, what are gods for? High Emperor said that in front of human lives, all gods have to step aside.”

Qin Mu’s heart trembled violently. “Human lives are greater than heaven?”

Pangong Tso laughed angrily. “Every man for himself, or heaven and earth will combine to destroy you! Human lives are greater than heaven? In my eyes, if High Emperor was faced with such a situation, he would also escape for his life first!”

Bai Qu’er shook her head. “High Emperor definitely wouldn’t do that.”

More extraterritorial devils came from behind, and Qin Mu also moved to the back of the group to deal with those devils while covering the group’s retreat east.

At that moment, he finally saw those ‘extraterritorial devils’ clearly, but they were humans just like them. They weren’t different in any way, and he couldn’t help feeling bewildered. “They are humans as well?”

Both parties didn’t hesitate at all, using their strongest fatal moves the moment they met. They fought each other in a desperate struggle. Qin Mu’s vital qi burst forth, and he executed his sword pellet to attack the ‘extraterritorial devils’. Flying swords flew out and changed unpredictably into all kinds of sword forms, killing the enemies one by one.

“KIll these rebels!” one of the ‘extraterritorial devils’ shouted out loudly. “Accomplish our goals and return back to the celestial heavens as soon as possible!”

The battle was bloody. Bai Qingfu and the rest killed non-stop, but there were more and more extraterritorial devils flooding over. Everyone gained injuries.

Suddenly, someone was pushed into the darkness and got swallowed by the monsters there, turning into a white skeleton. Qin Mu felt a pang of sorrow at that moment, that person was the girl with which he had exchanged blows in Bai Manor.

They fought and retreated at the same time. When the final extraterritorial devil was slain, the surroundings became quiet. Only the whispers of the monsters in the darkness remained.

Qin Mu treated everyone, and Bai Qingfu grinned. “Old Brother Qin also knows about the art of healing? You’re truly talented.”

His left arm had been cut off yet he still could smile. This was really admirable.

“There’s no need to treat me,” a youth who had challenged Qin Mu said. There was a huge hole in his chest. His breath was weak as he raised his head to smile. “I’m unsavable, I can feel my soul shattering. I was greedy and wanted to kill my opponent, but only received a strike from him. Don’t bring my corpse along, just leave it here. I don’t want to become a burden to you guys…”

Qin Mu looked him over, but before he could finish his examination, that youth had already taken his last breath.

Qin Mu was stunned. He rose to treat other people.

The group continued forward through the extremely long night. The sounds of fighting came from the darkness around them which meant that other groups who had escaped were being attacked.

They also faced the pursuers, chasing after them in the darkness like wolves and sometimes catching up.

There were fewer and fewer people around them, giving Pangong Tso no choice but to fight alongside everyone. Even the dragon qilin had joined the battle.

Qin Mu bandaged Bai Qingfu’s severed arm while the youth cradled his son with his right hand, coaxing him to sleep. He handed his son to his wife and said softly, “There’s a relay station right with a worshiping god who will protect you guys. Old Brother Qin, can you lend me this chest?”

Fierce shouting came from behind them which belonged to yet another group of pursuers that were almost upon them.

“Let me go with you.”

“No need.” Bai Qingfu grinned, then his expression softened. “You are only on Six Directions Realm and I’m on Celestial Being Realm. I can return, but you can’t. Just stay here and wait for me. Take good care of my son…”

He turned and left with the chest.

Qin Mu turned around to advance with the group. Bai Qu’er and her sister-in-law watched as Bai Qingfu vanished into the darkness with the chest.

Not long later, the chest caught back up to them, its exterior covered in bloodstains.

The wife of Bai Qingfu coaxed the child that had woken up back to sleep.

“Old Brother Qin, not many of those who can fight are left.” Bai Qingfu’s wife handed the child to Bai Qu’er and smoothed out her hair that was hanging down. She smiled. “People are still required to block the pursuers, so lend me your chest. I might not be able to return it to you though.”

“Brother Bai’s wife, let us follow you.” A few of the young men and young women with missing arms and legs stood up.

Qin Mu nodded and lent the chest to them. Bai Qu’er opened her mouth, but she didn’t say anything.

The group continued to head forward.

Not long later, the chest caught up to them once more, and fierce shouting came from the back again.

Qin Mu smiled and got onto the chest. “Fatty Dragon, come, it’s our turn. Grandmaster, go with them.”

“You motherf*cker!” Pangong Tso propped himself up before walking to the chest while cursing. “I came here with you, so if you die, how am I supposed to get back? I have never done any good deed before so treat it as an exception this time… You motherf*cker!”

“No…” Bai Qu’er looked at them and burst into tears.