Tales of Herding Gods

God Bai Xi was surprised and delighted but he shook his head afterward. “My Lord doesn’t know about the background of this Sunset Glow Mountain. There is a kingdom of gods that stretches over ten thousand miles and in it are numerous gods, how would they listen to My Lord? Taking down this mountain range is impossibly difficult!”

Qin Mu came to Deer County on the side. He wrote a letter and handed it over to God Bai Xi. “Take my invitation and pay a visit to the mountain god of this mountain, tell them I will be visiting tomorrow. The mountain god of this mountain would definitely have seen my battle on the mountain yesterday night. He won’t cause you trouble once he sees my invitation.”

Bai Xi was about to go when they heard a bright and clear voice coming from outside the city. “Sunset Glow Mountain Seventy-Two Caves Mountain Gods has come forward to pay our respects to Eternal Peace High God Overlord Body Qin!”

Qin Mu was astonished and he said with a smile, “These mountain gods are fast, they are no inferior to those dragon kings of the Celestial River. Let them in.”

God Bai Xi immediately came out of the city to welcome them. After a moment, he saw mountain gods from various mountains coming over to pay their respects with their followers. They had also brought a dazzling lineup of treasures that glowed brightly.

Some of these mountain gods grew deer’s horns, some of them grew tiger’s heads, and some also had branches on their heads. Their appearances and races were different.

Qin Mu knew that they were only trying to stall and welcomed them with a smile. He got God Bai Xi accept the present and said, “Mountain gods have guarded the mountains of Eternal Peace and credit for guarding the empire. As long as you aren’t disloyal, I won’t treat you badly. I plan to change this mountain’s name to Hundred Years Mountain and establish Honored God Bai Xi as the main god of Sunset Glow Seventy Two Peaks, what do you guys think about this?”

Sunset Glow Mountain Seventy-Two Caves Mountain Gods looked at one another in dismay and gave off looks of disdain at him. They looked down on him.

One of the mountain gods walked out of the ranks and said, “Sir Qin has come from afar so you might not know, we, the Sunset Glow Mountain Seventy-Two Caves Mountain Gods actually have a lord. Sunset Glow Mountain is under the jurisdiction of Clear Sky Heaven. Back then when Primordial Realm was sealed, Sunset Glow Mountain was sealed along with Clear Sky Heaven. In the seal, Clear Sky Heaven was still the landlord of Sunset Glow Mountain. We, these mountain gods, are merely looking after the land for our landlord. We usually collect rent from the kingdom of gods in the mountain and take care of the people’s livelihood.”

Another deer-horned mountain god said politely, “We, the mountain gods of the seventy-two caves, had long signed the Pact of Earth Count with Clear Sky Heaven back during High Emperor Era so we can’t go against it. May Overlord Body Qin please forgive us. If we go against the pact, we will die immediately.”

Qin Mu frowned slightly. Since these mountain gods had signed a Pact of Earth Count with Clear Sky Heaven, that would be a very thorny problem.

“Where is Clear Sky Heaven at?” he asked.

Numerous mountain gods raised their hands at the sky and Qin Mu raised his head up to take a look. In the sky above Sunset Glow Mountain, there was a green light like a long rainbow stretching ten thousand miles. The light floated above the mountain without moving.

The length of that green light was terrifying and one couldn’t tell that it was a heaven if they looked from afar.

“Since Sunset Glow Mountain has an owner and you guys have signed the Pact of Earth Count, it wouldn’t be good to force you guys.”

Qin Mu muttered to himself for a moment before saying, “In that case, I can only kill you guys…”

The mountain gods of the seventy-two caves changed their expressions drastically and at this moment, a burst of drawn-out laughter came from the sky as a young Daoist in green descended down from the sky while stepping on the green light. “The empire is small but it isn’t inferior, the power is small but it doesn’t fear the strong. Rude and ridiculing the big neighbors, greedy and stubborn yet don’t know diplomacy, may die out! I heard there are three heroes in Eternal Peace Empire’s reform, first is Emperor Yanfeng who has outstanding abilities and grand vision, an emperor for eternity. Second one is Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor who has his mind over the world, opening up new lands, having the talent that’s not from this world. Third one is Overlord Body Qin Mu, Heavenly Saint Cult Master, pushing forward the path of the saint by yourself. I have heard the reputation of the three of you and now that I’ve met Overlord Body Qin today, only then do I know it hard to live up to your great reputation.”

Qin Mu laughed loudly and he stood up to say loudly, “Brother’s rebuke is right. May I know where is brother from?”

That youth in green landed in the city and greeted Qin Mu. “From Clear Sky Heaven. I am Yu Chen from Clear Sky Heaven, nice to meet you, Heavenly Saint Cult Master. My Clear Sky Heaven is a branch of Dao Sect, Clear Sky Sect from back then had twenty-four kingdoms of gods under our jurisdiction and this Sunset Glow Mountain is one of them.”

Qin Mu instantly had a bad expression as he thought to himself. ‘This is Dao Master Lin Xuan’s property, it wouldn’t be good for me to seize it now.’

He was slightly at ease.

The reason why he had decided to seize Sunset Glow Mountain was because he was afraid of Mother Earth giving the command to slaughter the people of Eternal Peace, thus he had planned to seize Sunset Glow Mountain.

Since Sunset Glow Mountain was a property of Dao Sect, things would be simpler.

Honored God Bai Xi would just have to suffer a little and continue being a mountain god on the Hundred Years Small Mountain.

That youth in green had a horsetail whisk on the corner of his elbow and said, “May I ask Overlord Body Qin, are you representing Heavenly Saint Cult coming here or are you representing Eternal Peace Empire?”

Qin Mu was puzzled.

Yu Chen said, “If you are representing Heavenly Saint Cult, that would be a fight of Confucian orthodoxy, my Clear Sky Heaven is Clear Sky Sect so we will fight with cult teachings, fight with spells and divine arts. If you are representing Eternal Peace Empire, my Clear Sky Heaven will gather the soldiers from our twenty-four kingdoms of gods, laying out our soldiers in formations to have the two armies fight in front of the formations.”

Qin Mu yawned and smiled. “Senior Brother Yu Chen, Dao Sect is also in Eternal Peace, Dao Sect’s Dao Master Lin Xuan is my bosom buddy, since we are one big family, there will be no need for war.”

Yu Chen shook his head and said, “Dao Sect of the lower bound is not orthodox. Dao Sect in the celestial heavens in then the orthodox Dao Sect. Eternal Peace Empire’s Dao Sect can’t even be considered a branch, it is merely built by those wandering disciples stranded from the orthodox Dao Sect.”

Qin Mu’s heart stirred and he asked, “Since you guys don’t recognize Dao Master Lin Xuan, do you recognize Dao Ancestor of Dao Sect?”

Yu Chen said solemnly, “Dao Ancestor is the beginning of Dao Sect, he is the Ancestor of All Dao, of course, we have to recognize him!”

“Is Dao Ancestor in Clear Sky Heaven?” Qin Mu asked.

Yu Chen shook his head and he was slightly impatient. “So does Overlord Body Qin wants to fight or make peace?”

Qin Mu muttered to himself and shook his head with a smile. “You as a Daoist is too hot-tempered, Dao Sect cultivates one’s moral character and spiritual cultivation, I don’t know where have all your cultivation gone to? Is Dao Ancestor in Clear Sky Heaven?”

Yu Chen frowned and was about to speak when auspicious clouds soared in the sky. In the cloud was a white dragon that moving its body as it flew past. The cloud suddenly stopped and Daoist Lin Xuan’s voice came from the back of the dragon. He cried out in astonishment, “Cult Master Qin, why are you here?”

The cloud floated down and landed in the city before dispersing. Dao Master Lin Xuan and Daoist Cha jumped down from the back of the dragon. Lin Xuan grabbed the tail of that dragon and gave it shake. The white dragon transformed into a horsetail whisk that he laid gently on the corner of his elbow.

Daoist Cha looked at the seventy-two mountain gods before looking at Yu Chen. He whispered and asked, “Another fight?”

Qin Mu shook his head gently and said, “Not a fight, it’s a discussion. This Daoist here is from your Dao Sect’s Clear Sky Sect, these mountain gods are also helping your Dao Sect’s Clear Sky Sect to look after their property. Dao Master Lin, I think the tax that Eternal Peace Empire had implemented on your Dao Sect is too low, one branch of Dao Sect has twenty-four kingdoms of gods, how terrifying!”

Dao Master Lin Xuan had a grim expression and he said softly, “The purpose of my visit is also because I have heard that a certain Clear Sky Sect is a branch of Dao Sect, therefore I want to take a look.”

Daoist Cha examined Yu Chen and asked bewilderedly, “Is Clear Sky Heaven really a branch of Dao Sect?”

Yu Chen shook his head and said, “My Clear Sky Heaven is a branch of Dao Sect but it’s not the branch of that Dao Sect of yours. Your Dao Sect in Eternal Peace is not the true Dao Sect, the true Dao Sect is in the celestial heavens, Eternal Peace’s Dao Sect is fake.”

Dao Master Lin Xuan looked down at his heart and said, “True or fake, they are all Dao Sect. I wonder if I can head to Clear Sky Heaven and pay a visit to the seniors of Dao Sect? I have yet to pay my respects to Dao Ancestor so I would like to meet him as well.”

Yu Chen hesitated for a moment. “It’s fine for you to go but don’t get carried away by your wishful thinking. Your Dao Sect in Eternal Peace is nothing at all, you don’t have the true teachings or even any foundation at all. Furthermore, Dao Ancestor is also not in Clear Sky Heaven, I heard he is in the celestial heavens.”

Daoist Cha sneered and said, “We are nothing at all? Little Daoist, when I started cultivating with the old Daoist in my early years, you weren’t even born! You should at least know that our Dao Sect also had our glory during Founding Emperor Era!”

Yu Chen shook his head and said, “Dao Sect of Founding Emperor Era was fake to begin with, it was established by the abandoned disciples of Dao Sect, it isn’t orthodox.”

Daoist Cha laughed from anger and he was about to retort when Dao Master Lin Xuan shook his head. “There’s no need to quarrel what’s real and fake with him. Dao is real so Dao Sect can’t be fake.”

Daoist Cha was stunned for a moment before he praised. “Dao Master is broad-minded, no wonder you can be Dao Master.”

Dao Master took leave from Qin Mu and Qin Mu hurriedly said, “I am also old friends with Dao Ancestor, wait a moment for me, I’ll get someone to call my Brother Yu over, I’ll go to Clear Sky Heaven with you. My reputation is widely-known and I have a big face, with me around, they won’t cause any trouble for you.”

Dao Master Lin Xuan grumbled internally while Daoist Cha also kept throwing him glances, signaling him to leave immediately.

However, Lin Xuan was still Dao Master and he didn’t have a thick face after all. Moreover, his relationship with Qin Mu was also rather good so he didn’t know what to do.

‘Heavenly Saint Cult Master, nickname Demolisher Qin, demolishing everything wherever he goes. He is also called Disaster Qin, wherever he goes, disaster follows. He is also called Beater Qin, beating people up wherever he goes…’

Dao Master Lin Xuan pondered hard. ‘How should I reject him? He has such a thick face, I probably can’t reject him…’

With a face full of smiles, Qin Mu got God Bai Xi to instruct Dragon Rearing Sovereign to ferry Celestial Venerable Yu who was on the other shore over.

God Bai Xi hurried over and after an hour, Dragon Rearing Sovereign carried Celestial Venerable Yu and the water qilin over to Deer County. Qin Mu spirit was greatly aroused and he said softly to Celestial Venerable Yu, “I shall bring you to meet an old friend, that old Daoist received benefits from you and me in his early years, it’s time for us to reap the interest…”

Celestial Venerable Yu was at a loss. “Old friend?”

Qin Mu hurried them and said, “Dao Master, and also Senior Brother Yu Chen, let us go. Let us quickly go to Clear Sky Heaven, the sky is almost dark!”

Daoist Yu Chen also frowned. ‘Why is this Overlord Body Qin acting so familiar?’

As they were about to leave, God Bai Xi smiled apologetically and asked, “My Lord, about Hundred Years Mountain…”

Qin Mu gave it some thought and said, “Sunset Glow Mountain is Dao Sect’s property, you will just have to suffer a little and stay here temporarily. If you are starving, get Dragon Rearing Sovereign to give you some food to get by. Dragon Rearing Sovereign is prospering, he is Celestial River Dragon King now…”

God Bai Xi wanted to cry but he had no tears. He looked at Dragon Rearing Sovereign and saw Dragon Rearing Sovereign looking rather pleased.

Qin Mu sat on the dragon qilin’s back and sacred flames burst out under the dragon qilin’s feet. Stepping on fire clouds, he followed after Daoist Yu Chen, Dao Master Lin Xuan, and the rest.

Beside him, Celestial Venerable Yu sat on the water qilin and was hesitating for a moment. He finally made a decision and asked, “Brother, does this old friend knows about my birth? I know I’m picked up but I want to know where my biological parents are…”