Tales of Herding Gods

Crimson Light Son of God gave a slight smile and remained silent. His smile revealed his conceit—evidently, he didn’t agree with Xing An. ‘He didn’t realize that I was only being humble when I said we were on par… However, it’s true that I wasn’t able to solve his problem. Only Son of Youdu can help him.’

Up in the skies, Qin Mu was still fighting a losing battle.

Chancellor Ba Shan felt the battle was going smoothly, he couldn’t help but let out a series of howls. He wanted to exhibit all that he had mastered in his lifetime.

As Li River Academy’s Grand Chancellor, any gains from reforms within the academy would naturally go through him. Chancellor Ba Shan was restricted by his own skills and divine arts, hitting a bottleneck in advancements—he was thus hell-bent on mastering the other divine arts, hoping to make use of them to help him achieve his personal breakthroughs.

However, a worthy opponent was hard to come by.

He was situated in an awkward position—the fusion of battle techniques and spells made his attacks so powerful that few within the same realm could withstand a single blow from him. However, not entering the path meant that he would be defeated in one or two blows from opponents like Butcher and Xing An. Either way, he had no opportunity for contest or to show off his skills.

Chancellor Ba Shan was in the early stages of his transformation, which also happened to be the most depressing and helpless phase. He was very talented, but talent alone wouldn’t help him evolve—he needed to be pressured, yet it was difficult to find anyone who could push him.

The one time that he was truly given the opportunity to exhibit all his skills was when he faced the black tiger god. However, the black tiger god followed the woodcutter around in his travels and thus had only dropped by the academy once.

This time, having the thick-skinned and resistant-to-beating Qin Mu around finally allowed Chancellor Ba Shan to completely and satisfactorily demonstrate all of the skills and techniques that he had mastered so far.

Qin Mu was here to study the reform results in Li River Academy, yet he was now merely a tool for Chancellor Ba Shan to hone his skills, allowing him to freely execute any skills and divine arts. Furthermore, Qin Mu’s ability to adapt was astonishing—although he was retreating, his moves were intricate, and he was able to digest the techniques of Li River that Chancellor Ba Shan executed and retaliate with the same moves.

Furthermore, Qin Mu was doing this in less than two moves. He also managed to find loopholes in Chancellor Ba Shan’s techniques, forcing the latter to ceaselessly make changes and improve.

Qin Mu was a whetstone that could push Chancellor Ba Shan to become a brighter and sharper blade.

Such an opponent was truly few and far between.

“The Senior Brother is not feeding moves to his Junior Brother. Instead, it is the Junior Brother guiding the Senior Brother.”

The old farmer shook his head at Butcher. “Son of Qin is better than you at teaching your disciple.”

Butcher nodded, replying, “Ba Shan lacks in heroism, he fails to learn my knife skills, yet still he tries to imitate me. He isn’t smart enough to comprehend the ultimate arts of entering the path either. Fortunately, I died once. This made him walk out of my shadow and pioneer his own skill of the fusion of battle techniques. However, I am no longer able to guide him.”

The old farmer gave some thought to his words, “Knowing to let go makes you a good teacher.”

Butcher chuckled. “Has Martial Arts Heavenly Teacher opened the Celestial River Divine Treasure?”

The old farmer sighed and shook his head.

“Great Emperor of the Martial Path was given his title because he ascended the celestial palace directly without opening the seventh divine treasure. However, it’s also because he doesn’t have the seventh divine treasure that he is slightly weaker compared to the other strong practitioners of the Emperor’s Throne.”

Butcher spoke unhurriedly, “Only when the seven divine treasures are complete and the Celestial River is opened can the Great Emperor of the Martial Path truly live up to his title. When the Celestial River Divine Treasure is open, the celestial river will connect all the divine treasures. You will become one of the most formidable practitioners of the Emperor’s Throne in the world. Your accomplishment will be lauded beyond time!”

The old farmer’s face crumpled, and he replied dryly, “I am slightly dumber. I sat by the Surging River for days and still have yet to sense the power of the Celestial River. Perhaps the woodcutter was right when he said that I’m only brawns without brains.”

Butcher didn’t know whether to laugh or to cry at this.

At this moment, thunder and lightning crossed in the skies, and countless blade flashes pierced through. The lightning was directed by the knife flashes and entered the tyrant knife with popping and crackling noises. The flash of the blade split up mid-air, multiplying rapidly and converging into a huge tide, surging towards Qin Mu.

Butcher and the old farmer, along with the rest of the onlookers, looked towards Chancellor Ba Shan with quiet admiration. Butcher commented, “Ba Shan’s fusion of battle techniques and skills has improved tremendously. However, he is still unable to enter the path—whether through the use of knives, lightning spells, or even martial arts—he is still lacking.”

The old farmer was surprised. “Strangely… his power is terrifyingly strong.”

As he spoke, Qin Mu was suddenly enshrouded in innumerable apparitions, as though there were countless Qin Mus demonstrating the ultimate arts of the martial path. The sky burst open amidst this phenomena, metamorphosing into a powerful and magnificent palm!

Return of Thousand Palms Beyond the Strange Peaks of Heavens!

The power of his palm clashed against Ba Shan’s tyrant knife—the blade flashes shone brilliantly in all directions, flattening out and splitting the surrounding miles of clouds into two distinct levels.

Upon executing this move, Qin Mu’s figure flickered—a sword pellet materialized in his hand, transforming into a tyrant knife.

Qin Mu circled Ba Shan in the air, executing moves of the fusion battle techniques that were exactly what Chancellor Ba Shan had only just executed. Every single move and technique was vividly demonstrated beyond compare. The only difference in the moves was that all the deficiencies had been mended, and the loopholes repaired.

Ba Shan stood still in the air and watched as Qin Mu demonstrated his own ultimate arts around him. Even though the moves weren’t powerful enough, they were still incredibly intricate and encompassed the essence of the techniques.

After a short period, Qin Mu executed the Seven Techniques of Tyrant Knife. Midway through the eighth technique, Qin Mu abruptly stopped.

Qin Mu halted the blade flash. Chancellor Ba Shan felt a stuffiness in his chest—he was so upset he almost threw up blood. In a fit of rage, Chancellor Ba Shan’s tyrant knife continued along the path that was drawn out by Qin Mu’s blade flash, slicing downwards as he yelled, “This is how you are supposed to do it!”

The flashes of their blades collided. Ba Shan used his tyrant knife to guide Qin Mu’s blade, completing the execution of the eighth technique.

Chancellor Ba Shan’s Seven Techniques of Tyrant Knife was initially formed on the foundations of Butcher’s Nine Skills of Heaven Knife. After becoming the Grand Chancellor of Li River Academy, he created the eighth technique based upon the foundations of the seventh technique.

Qin Mu executing only half of his eighth technique. While it may not matter in the eyes of outsiders, Ba Shan felt a pent-up urge to execute it completely.

Qin Mu smiled slightly, allowing his knife and divine arts to follow the direction of Ba Shan’s tyrant knife.

Chancellor Ba Shan executed his eighth technique, and just as he was about to retreat, Qin Mu’s knife suddenly pulled along his tyrant knife, guiding him into a whole new realm.

Chancellor Ba Shan was stunned. He felt as though in a single instant, his magic powers, divine arts, knife, and martial arts had found a gate to surge through.

His knife continued to follow the movements of Qin Mu’s blade. It felt like he had knocked down the gates that were trapping him, and he was now able to let out all of his aspirations unrestrictedly!

The sky lit up in an instant—thunder and lightning spiraled into a huge vortex as bolts of lightning merged together to form huge and thick rays of light that poured through its center to connect to the tyrant knife.

Shining brighter and more dazzling than the sun, the knife in Chancellor Ba Shan’s hands had now become the bridge that linked the magnificent powers of heaven and earth.

The ninth technique of tyrant knife.

The blade in Qin Mu’s hands was gone—it was no longer guiding the tyrant knife. Nevertheless, Chancellor Ba Shan had already broken through the fog that shrouded his vision and found his path. He struck out to his heart’s content, the brilliant flashes of his knife accompanied by the display of thunder and lightning.

The vortex of thunder and lightning swirled around like a whirlpool as a vast sea of flames emerged behind Ba Shan. The flames surged and poured into the knife, flooding it with the full power of the fusion of battle techniques and skills.

Ba Shan’s fusion of battle techniques had reached a whole new level.

He was originally already at the edge of the path, yet due to a lack of wisdom, he was unable to advance any further. Qin Mu helped to patch his shortcomings and walked him through this crucial step.

This single step brought Ba Shan into a whole new world. He was now able to continue walking the path himself without the further guidance of Qin Mu.

Chancellor Ba Shan rolled around, executing moves. The flashes of his blade split apart heaven and earth, forming a vast sea that slashed through the sky. The sky was now incomparably blue, as though it was washed clean.

Qin Mu laughed heartily and approached Ba Shan, calling out, “Senior Brother Ba Shan, from today onwards, you are the grandmaster of the fusion of battle techniques and skills!”

Ba Shan stopped his moves abruptly, standing still in the air. He wore an expression of mingled feelings as tears rolled out of his eyes.

This brute stood there, clutching his knife, remaining speechless for a long time. Suddenly, he held his knife in both hands and bowed down in the air. He kneeled down and bowed his head even lower. “Thank you, Junior Brother!”

Qin Mu kneeled down hurriedly to return his respects and chuckled. “Senior Brother, I merely noticed that you were lacking one final step that caused you to remain pacing outside the gates. I am unversed in this area and thus could only walk you through this step to help you enter. Entering the path through battle techniques and skills and becoming grandmaster was all entirely of your own efforts.”

The two of them stood up, looking at each other and laughing loudly as they descended from the sky.

Pangong Tso revealed an expression of doubt and asked, “Chancellor Ba Shan didn’t seem to have entered the path through martial arts or knives, and neither did he enter the path through divine arts. Strange, how did his cultivation suddenly rise by so much?”

Beside him, Xing An replied, “He entered the path using the fusion of battle techniques and skills, taking the shortcut and creating his own system. Cult Master Qin followed in his direction and gifted him a single step. This step resulted in his meteoric rise.”

Crimson Light Son of God nodded in agreement. “Chancellor Ba Shan initially tried to improve himself by working diligently on the martial arts path, knife path, and path of divine arts altogether. However, it’s extremely difficult to enter the path using all three skills! He was already on the wrong path. Cult Master Qin used the eighth technique of his tyrant knife to guide him into abandoning the three paths and continuing on his own path. This single step Cult Master Qin gifted him allowed him to become grandmaster of a generation.”

Pangong Tso was shocked. He lowered his voice and asked, “That brat of surname Qin… is he that formidable?”

“He’s not formidable—he’s smart.”

Xing An walked towards Qin Mu, and the chest followed behind, making clattering noises. At Qin Mu’s feet, the chest circled him and nudged his legs.

“Xing An.”

Qin Mu touched the chest before greeting Xing An and said with a smile, “Every time you appear, you look different. So whose body is this?”

“This is the real me.”

Xing An returned his greeting with a serious expression. “This is what I looked like in my youth.”

Qin Mu’s heart stirred slightly, and he probed, “Creation divine arts? Reforged body? Previously, you went around seeking out the bodies of others, chopping off the strongest body parts of highly accomplished cultivation practitioners to piece together a body and a primordial spirit. I can understand how you may have reforged your own body, but how did you manage to reforge your primordial spirit?”

“This is exactly why I have come to see you.”

Young Xing An continued with some difficulty, “I no longer know if the present me is still me. Previously, to extend my own life, and to explore the divine arts and skills, I studied my own body and primordial spirit to the extreme, dissecting it and then stealing the bodies and primordial spirits of others for my own use. However, the Eternal Peace Empire’s reforms today made me realize the growing drawbacks of this method. I now feel that only by returning to my original self can I advance any further. Only, I can no longer find my own soul or the real me. Even though I have returned to the body of my younger self, it is still not the true me. I am now utterly terrified.”

“You should have thought of the consequences of your actions.”

Qin Mu sneered. “You want me to gather and reforge your soul? Pardon me for not being able to comply with your wishes!”

Suddenly, the chest opened on its own.

Qin Mu’s gaze fell onto the contents of the chest, and his heart leaped.

Young Xing An also looked to the contents with some reluctance, yet he still replied firmly, “Is this price enough to buy your assistance?”

Qin Mu composed himself and closed the chest, responding in a solemn tone, “It’s sufficient.”