Tales of Herding Gods

Ling Yuxiu sent Qin Mu to Heavenly Saint Academy before returning to the capital in two days where she needed to wait for the emperor’s arrangement.

When the emperor wanted to open four new big academies to be the highest educational establishments second only to Imperial College, the hall masters, elders, and heavenly kings of Heavenly Saint Cult fought hard in the imperial court. Their labor gave fruit, and Heavenly Saint Academy was given permission to be set up. It used Granny Si’s manor, and after the battle with Xing An, Granny Si, Mute, Blind, and Apothecary had stayed there.

There were numerous members of Heavenly Saint Cult in the imperial court. The highest ones were Imperial Preceptor and Duke Wei while the lowest were soldiers and bailiffs everywhere, so Qin Mu didn’t need to fight for the academy as others did it in his name.

Granny Si, Mute, and Blind had become directorates of Heavenly Saint Academy, teaching lessons once in a while. The other directorates were mostly the hall masters of Heavenly Saint Cult.

When Qin Mu came there, he was just in time for class, but he couldn’t see anyone in the academy. There was only a bunch of flood dragons frolicking in the lake. When they saw Qin Mu, they were first stunned, then jumped up onto the shore in a frenzy.

Qin Mu instantly knew that the situation was bad and turned to run. ‘Weren’t these flood dragons brought by Saintess Xiang to be reared in Saint Arrival Mountain? Why have they come to Heavenly Saint Academy?’

“Ma ha! Ma ha! Ma ha!”

A bunch of flood dragons passed by the dragon qilin and the chest. After a moment, Qin Mu was captured by the flood dragons. Afterward, he could only drag his exhausted body forward with over a dozen flood dragons rubbing their heads against him, their horns opening bloody wounds on his neck.

“Ma ha…” The little flood dragons clung onto him with narrowed eyes as though they were sleepy.

Qin Mu’s body was all drenched as though he had been just fished out from the water.

The dragon qilin let out a long sigh of relief, and the flood dragons turned to look at him in unison. The dragon qilin realized he was in trouble and turned to run in a hurry.

“Ma ha! Ma ha! Ma ha!”

A bunch of flood dragons ran past the chest, and after a moment, Qin Mu saw the dragon qilin barely able to crawl forward. His neck, body, and four limbs were covered with flood dragons.

“Ma ha.” The flood dragons rubbed against the dragon qilin until this big fatty was bloody.

“Ma ha?” The bunch of flood dragons raised their heads to look at the chest in curiosity.

The chest had taken a step to follow behind Qin Mu, but at that moment, it realized that it was also in trouble and started running.

The flood dragons slipped down from the dragon qilin and rushed toward the chest while crying out in delight, “Ma ha! Ma ha! Ma ha!”

The dragon qilin let out a sigh of relief and collapsed on the ground. After a moment, the chest ran back, making Qin Mu and the dragon qilin stare at it with their eyes wide open. There were no flood dragons on the chest at all.

“Ma ha—” The chest opened up and over a dozen dragon heads popped out. They cried out in unison, very happy.

This sight was akin to a chest with daffodils of all colors showing their heads.

The chest was rather pleased with and followed after them as if the flood dragons weren’t heavy at all.

“Mu’er is back?”

When the bell rang for the end of class, Granny Si walked out of a big hall. She saw Qin Mu and hurriedly came over to welcome him with a smile. “Haven’t seen you in a long while. You’re truly a grand chancellor who asks others to work but does nothing himself. You threw all these scholars here and slipped away while making us help you look after them…”

Qin Mu hugged her tightly, and his tears flowed out uncontrollably. “Granny!”

Stunned, Granny Si smiled at him gently. “You’ve suffered? How can a great cult master cry so miserably? You’re still the grand chancellor of Heavenly Saint Academy, so stop crying. It’s not good for the scholars to see you like this. Tell granny what happened, and granny will take justice for you.”

Qin Mu felt himself calming down and let go of her. He shook his head and said, “What happened with these flood dragons? Weren’t they sent to Saint Arrival Mountain?”

“Lassie Xiang wanted to send them to Saint Arrival Mountain, but she disliked the fact that they ate spirit pills, and not even of one type. They were too costly so she sent them back,” Granny Si explained.

“Lassie Xiang is really stingy, and she keeps a close watch on the purse of Heavenly Saint Cult. However, it’s good to put them in the academy. When scholars learn how to refine pills from your Grandpa Apothecary, the pills they refine are just fine to feed these flood dragons.

“Actually, these little ones are quite famous in the academy. When scholars want to paint dragons, refine dragon-shaped spirit weapons, or to cultivate dragon-based divine arts, they all need them.

“But what happened to you? Who provoked you? Cripple! Apothecary! Blind! Come over, Mu’er has been bullied by others!”

Bang.

There was a loud boom, and Cripple suddenly appeared beside Qin Mu. He asked bewilderment, “Who bullied our Mu’er? Is he tired of living?”

“It’s First Ancestor Human Emperor, a true god. Grandpa Cripple…” Qin Mu said.

Cripple shuddered and turned to leave. Blind grabbed hold of him and asked with a smile, “Cripple, you’re scared?”

“Like hell I’m not scared!” Cripple muttered. ” It’s just that Xing An that scoundrel isn’t even a true god yet he beat us all up quite miserably. First Ancestor Human Emperor is a real true god, so won’t we just be seeking death by provoking him?”

Apothecary walked over and pondered over it. “First Ancestor Human Emperor? True god? Can it be settled with poison?”

Qin Mu shook his head. “I want to defeat him fair and square, by fighting him on the same realm. I want to get rid of him by myself.”

Apothecary shuddered before shrugging his shoulders. “My abilities are useless in this.”

Cripple sighed. “I also don’t have anything to offer. Where’s Mute?”

“He ran out a few days ago.” Butcher held onto the shirt on his shoulder as he walked over while speaking in a booming voice. “That fellow always slip away from time to time, going god knows where. Mu’er, how are the abilities of a true god?”

“He’s stronger than me in all fields. He runs faster than me, his strength is greater than mine, his spirit and body are one, his divine eyes surpass my divine eyes, the power of his fists is astonishing, and his paths, skills, and divine arts have merged into one with his corporeal body.”

Qin Mu’s face dimmed. “He has already entered the path in every field, so the only thing in which I’m stronger is magic power.”

Blind frowned and asked, “He’s stronger than my divine eyes?”

Qin Mu nodded gently.

Butcher who wasn’t afraid of the heaven and earth also locked his eyebrows in a frown. After a moment, he asked, “My knife skills…”

“Were easily broken by him.”

Deaf walked over. “What about the painting path?”

“No chance to execute.”

“What about Heavenly Saint Cult’s divine arts?” Granny Si asked.

Qin Mu shook his head. Everyone frowned together.

“Have you tried running?” Cripple asked with some nervousness.

“He caught up with me.”

“Poison… Forget it, forget it.” Apothecary waved his hands and said, “I’ve confidence in poisoning a god, but to poison a true god with no weakness at all, I don’t think I could do that.”

Qin Mu smiled at them. “You guys don’t need to worry about my matter. I’ve thought over it quietly for the last couple days, and I’ve realized something. Even though he looks invincible, he escaped from the battlefield back then, which means that there are people who are stronger than him. He isn’t invincible, so I can definitely find a way to surpass him.”

Granny Si smiled and said, “It’s rare for you to come back so stay at Heavenly Saint Academy for some time. Let us help you think of a solution.”

Qin Mu nodded and went to put down his luggage.

Granny Si, Butcher, Blind, and the rest gathered together and looked at his back. Butcher frowned and said, “This is the first time Qin Mu has lost his confidence. He was not like this in the past, always so full of trust in himself, but now…” He shook his head.

Blind narrowed his eyes. “True gods, are they really so terrifying? Surpassing my divine eyes? I don’t really believe!”

“We should train him while he’s here!” Deaf suddenly said. “To learn without thinking is blindness, to think without learning is idleness. He is currently at the stage of learning and thinking. Mu’er’s fight with First Ancestor Human Emperor is not just a battle of cultivation, but also a battle of Dao heart.

“If he walks out of it, it’ll probably be a huge improvement in the cultivation of his Dao heart. If he can’t do it, I’m afraid the overlord body will become a useless body. Let’s train him well, so he doesn’t become useless!”

Everyone nodded.

After Qin Mu settled down, it was as if he had returned to Disabled Elderly Village. Butcher, Blind, Deaf, Cripple, and Granny Si would call him over from time to time and feed him moves, flipping the heaven and earth in the academy with the fights.

Most of the scholars in the academy were from Heavenly Saint Cult while others had come from the other academies in the world to seek knowledge here. The next few days were an eye-opener for them as they witnessed the legendary abilities of all the directorates.

After a few days, Granny Si and the rest all frowned. Qin Mu was still fearful and nervous, not daring to attack, which resulted in him being frequently beaten up by them. The worst part was that even though those few times when he attacked his moves were incomparably exquisite, he would execute them halfway and stop.

Butcher was furious and beat him up while scolding sternly, “Why did you not finish your move?”

Qin Mu didn’t retaliate and just shook his head. “It’s all wrong…”

“You have to finish it even if it’s wrong!”

Granny Si hurriedly pulled Butcher away and said angrily, “He isn’t in the right state, so stop beating him! What if you make him dumb like that?”

Deaf nodded and said, “There is too much stuff accumulated in his brain and he thinks too much. He has burrowed himself into a dead end and can’t get out, so you won’t gain anything by beating him up like this. Once he finds his way out, he will become a great master.”

Butcher stared at them. “What if he doesn’t find his way out?”

Everyone was silent.

“Mu’er, you won’t learn anything in the academy so it’s better for you to take a stroll and drive away your cares,” Granny Si said.

Qin Mu nodded and packed his luggage, leaving the academy with a muddled head.

Cripple followed him for a period of time, but only saw Qin Mu walking randomly. When he saw that he wasn’t in any danger, he calmed down and returned to the academy.

One day, Qin Mu came to Surging River and sat down on its shore. Almost instantly, he heard a voice from behind him. “Qin brat!”

Qin Mu turned around and saw a luxuriously dressed youth standing behind him with a look of terror, ready to escape anytime.

“Oh, it’s Grandmaster.” Qin Mu turned back and continued to look at the river.

Pangong Tso propped himself up since his one leg was a deer leg. He had planned to escape the moment the youth attacked him, but when he saw him continuing to sit beside the shore without any intention to attack him, his guts grew. He got closer and asked, “Cult Master Qin seems to have some troubles? You and I are old friends, so why don’t you tell me about what’s eating at you? Maybe I can help you solve your problem.”

Qin Mu was bored to death and threw a stone into the river. “I’m thinking about how I can defeat a true god on the same realm, but I can’t find the answer. Grandmaster, can you teach me?”

Pangong Tso’s eyes lit up, and he got closer and closer. He said with a smile, “I see. You must be very troubled now, right? You feel you’re very useless, right? That life is uninteresting? In that case, what’s the point of living? Let me help you finish things, hehe…”

Whoosh.

The river churned, and Dragon Rearing Sovereign’s huge head rose up high like a mountain. His whiskers hung in the air beside Pangong Tso.

The youth’s body turned stiff, and his face turned yellow. He immediately turned to leave. “Sorry for disturbing, farewell!” Once he said that, he vanished without a trace.

Dragon Rearing Sovereign watching him leave and shook his head. “This brat is even more slippery than a loach. Your Majesty, I can’t solve your problems. Even though I’m a god, I don’t have the power to get rid of a true god.”

Qin Mu sighed while on the mountain behind him God Bai Xi swished his tail in annoyance. “I also don’t have the ability! Your Majesty, can I change the mountain? This one is too small, and my temple is only this high! It can’t even fit my hoof!”

Qin Mu got up and rode the dragon qilin away.

“Human Emperor Qin, you’ve come to my Little Jade Capital to proceed with Five Qi Breakthrough and Six Directions Breakthrough?” Hermit Qing You hurriedly came to welcome him with a smile.

“It’s been a while since my Little Jade Capital had any visitors. Hall of Five Qi and Hall of Six Directions have been waiting for the arrival of Human Emperor. That’s right, there’s still a thing I haven’t told you about. A few months ago, the stone statue of your First Ancestor Human Emperor seemed to have come back to life. He left Little Jade Capital, but I’ve no idea where he went.”

The corners of Qin Mu’s eyes twitched, and he said, “I met him.”

Astonishment showed up on Hermit Qing You’s face. “You met him? In that case, do you also know that the stone statue of Saint Woodcutter has also come back to life and left Little Jade Capital?”