Tales of Herding Gods

In the year 1401 of the Dragon Han Era, there was great death in the Primordial Realm as the disaster stars appeared in the skies.

There were ten thousand races in the Primordial Realm that lived in the worlds around the Primordial Tree or between the mountains and rivers of the Primordial Realm. On that day, they saw light of five colors scrape the sky as five ancient gods of disaster flew over the Primordial Realm, leading thousands of soldiers and horses.

Wherever the light went, bodies of water dried up, plants withered, crops failed, meteors rained, wars occurred, and thieves ruled. There were corpses everywhere.

By midnight, someone saw the light coming from the darkness. Behind the light, there was a youth riding a paper boat gathering the souls drifting in the world.

At the same time, many people saw this strange youth in the Primordial Realm, as if he had thousands of clones. Some said he was someone from Youdu that was there to collect souls.

The five-colored light flew towards the celestial river and left the Primordial Realm landmass behind. However, the disasters from the disaster stars took a long time to subside. For some places, it wasn’t until 100 years later that the disasters left.

On the celestial river, a treasure carriage was traveling quickly as six heavenly dragons pulled it.

The celestial heavens was still above the Primordial Realm. On days where the weather was good, a normal person could observe the celestial heavens with their naked eye. Though, it was blurry and seemed like it was hanging from high above.

If one cultivated god eyes, they could see the streets on it and the gods guarding the Southern Heavenly Gate.

Of course, it became hard to see in later generations.

However, despite its seemingly close proximity, it was far away. Originally, the celestial heavens was above the Primordial Tree, and if one had enough stamina, they could climb the Primordial Tree and sneak into the celestial heavens. Later on, it was rumored that Mother Earth hated the pressure the celestial heavens put on the Primordial Tree, which caused her decision to split.

Later on, the only route leading to the celestial heavens became the celestial river.

The celestial river flowed in the heavens. There were many boats on it, but the only beings able to go on it were often half-gods.

Qin Mu’s carriage sped on the river while avoiding the boats, else they would smash the ships. Most of the time, the boats dodged when they saw the carriage in the distance. After all, people who could own it were often powerful beings. In this era, no one would care if one were crashed into by such beings.

In the carriage, Luo Xiao looked at the celestial river outside with a faint gaze. Yan’er was more cheerful as she took out some fruits to eat. Luo Xiao originally turned it down, but he got used to it, so he ate it without realizing it. However, there were times when masters of creation felt full too, so Yan’er gave the fruits to the dragon qilin outside.

Qin Mu saw her spirits and felt happy too.

Yan’er was a naive girl. It was hard to live in this cruel world. When she was sad, Qin Mu was sad too.

“Luo Xiao, why are you heading to the celestial heavens?” Qin Mu asked this young master of creation while looking at him.

Luo Xiao recovered and said, “I was ordered here by my chief, to see if our people are still here. Our chief also told me to find the ancestral court and inquire about some things of our ancestors.”

He didn’t reveal that he was a master of creation, being careful with his words. If one didn’t know who he was, they wouldn’t know what the ancestral court he was referring to was.

“Ancestral court?”

Qin Mu’s heart shuddered. He suddenly realized that Xiu Zhong once said that Luo Xiao left the Great Void a million years ago to head to the ancestral court and that he traveled for quite a long time. He also said that Luo Xiao got three predictions regarding the fate of the masters of creation from the ancestors of the ancestral court!

If that was so, the reason that the master of creation spirit ancestor Luo Xiao traveled was the same as Divine King Lang Wo’s reason. They were out to find the ancestral court!

He likely came to the Primordial Realm from the Great Void and found out that it wasn’t the ancestral court, so he went to the celestial heavens to see if it was.

However, according to Qin Mu, the Primordial Realm, celestial heavens, Youdu, Xuandu, and the Four Poles weren’t the ancestral court. The real ancestral court was sealed by the reverse sides of the various worlds!

It was impossible for Luo Xiao to find the ancestral court during this journey!

Luo Xiao’s gaze was faint as he looked out. This was a brave young master of creation. He knew that he was likely going to die, but he still left the Great Void.

“Have you found your people?” Qin Mu asked.

Luo Xiao shook his head. “I thought you were one of us for a moment. For another moment, I felt that God Emperor Lang Xuan was one of us. I discovered that neither of you is one of my people.”

He forced a smile and explained, “We have unique eyes in our brows. You too, but I carefully observed you, and you’re not one of us. I observed that God Emperor Lang Xuan has our bloodline, but he’s not one of us. Maybe the celestial heavens will have our people. If so, I might be able to use them to find our ancestral court.”

Qin Mu thought about it and said, “If there are your people in the celestial heavens, they are your enemies too.”

Luo Xiao shuddered. He was about to ask him what he meant when the trail of light with five colors entered into their view. The celestial river vibrated violently, and almost all ships were swatted out by the hurricane that was stirred!

There were only a few ships that weren’t swatted, but the half-gods released bitter cries. They were aging at a visible pace, and they soon became old people with white hair and wrinkled skin!

“Saturn Sovereign, you dissipated your Dao power in such an unrestrained fashion that the taste is affected!”

A voice came from above, and it fell to the front of the carriage following the light. They were around a dozen miles away from the carriage. Powerful ancient gods descended one after another with a large army behind them.

The ancient god with crimson hair and a body of a snake extended his palm to catch the remaining boats, saying, “Jupiter Sovereign, you’re powerful, so make them tastier.”

Light shot out of the eyes of the ancient god with the bird head. The old aged gods on the boats became young at a swift pace. It was as if time had been reversed. Soon, the old ladies became young girls, while the old men became handsome boys.

“This will make them tasty!”

The ancient god with the crimson hair and snake’s body laughed as he sucked the half-gods on the boat up with one breath. He swallowed them and looked at the carriage that had stopped, laughing again. “Celestial Venerable Mu, you are doomed! Are you not going to come down to accept your doom?”

Luo Xiao’s expression greatly changed. He was very nervous.

Qin Mu glanced at him and said, “It’s just a few weak gods, so you don’t have to be so nervous, Brother Luo.”

Luo Xiao hoarsely said, “They are my race’s nemeses. I can’t see them, or else I’ll be recognized.”

At the front, the heavenly dragons trembled as they looked at the ancient gods of the five elements in a terrified manner. They whispered, “It’s done, the ancient gods are here! We are all going to die!”

“It looks like the Five Elements Star Sovereigns!”

“I said we should’ve stayed in Eternal Peace to follow that devil king with the black face, Dutian, to attack the Heavenly Feather World. You all refused. We are going to die, while Big Brother and the others are with Dutian Devil King!”

A heavenly dragon that looked dim-witted said, “They don’t look to be that strong. They are different from the ancient gods I imagined. The ancient gods I imagined should be strong men like Earth Count…”

“Maha! Maha!”

The other heavenly dragons scolded him, saying, “Shut up, an ancient god from the past will certainly be more powerful!”

The dragon qilin was furious as he stood up and hollered, “Maha!”

They didn’t dare to talk anymore, only apologizing. “You’re right, Brother Pi. We shouldn’t be too talkative. We have the Celestial Venerable to protect us if the sky collapses.”

The dragon qilin nodded with satisfaction before turning around and talking to the carriage, saying, “Cult Master, there’s an ancient god that doesn’t know his place ahead. Please make a decision.”

Yan’er opened the curtains, and Qin Mu slowly walked out. He looked forward and said, “So, it’s the Five Elements Star Sovereigns. Why are you all blocking my way?”

He looked at them with his gaze setting on Saturn Sovereign. He was stunned. Youdu’s Saturn Sovereign was an alluring lady with the body of a snake and the voice of a man. She had dense hair that covered her breasts and was alluring and weird.

Yet the Saturn Sovereign in front of him was a man with messy long hair and an exposed chest. He held a white banner and a mirror in his hands and hissed with a long, forked tongue.

‘Could the Postcelestial Saturn Sovereign be a god or devil that a Postcelestial lifeform cultivated into?’

Qin Mu groaned. ‘In other words, the real Saturn Sovereign is like the Great Sun Sovereign, dead. Postcelestial gods and devils replaced them. It seems that they will die in some future battle. Who killed them?’

Saturn Sovereign was the head of the star sovereigns and the most powerful one. His tail went forward while he extended his tongue. With one swoop, the boats downstream were caught by his tongue, and he swallowed both the boats and the people on board. He said, “Celestial Venerable Mu, you offended God Emperor Lang Xuan and assaulted Lang Xuan Divine Palace. You killed innocent people. Lang Xuan reported you. Do you stand by to await your fate, or do you want us to kill you?”

Qin Mu laughed and said, “Five Elements, you are famous ancient gods and the embodiment of Great Daos. How could you all listen to Lang Xuan only and kill me without any investigation? I’m a Celestial Venerable conferred by Celestial Emperor, after all! Where’s Lang Xuan? Bring him out, and I will contest him.”

Jupiter Sovereign flapped his wings and laughed. “Celestial Venerable Mu, do you think you’re a big shot now? You attacked Celestial Venerable Hao, the son of Celestial Emperor. He has wanted you gone for a long time, and this has merely facilitated that!”

In the carriage, Luo Xiao gave a cold humph. He was frightened and wanted to escape. ‘When Celestial Venerable Mu said that he had a lot of enemies, I thought they were merely small enemies that I could help him deal with if he couldn’t. I didn’t know that even Celestial Emperor was his enemy! If I follow him any further, I’ll be dead. He might not even beat the five elements ancient gods. Even if he does, he’ll die at the celestial heavens, and I’ll be buried with him!’

However, he didn’t dare show himself to the five elements ancient gods, as he would die if he did. So, he hid in the carriage.

His regret was incessant as he regretted how he got in Qin Mu’s carriage to save some energy. Who knew that his carriage, which was supposed to bring convenience, was a ship of thieves!

Qin Mu smiled. “Five Elements, ever since the way to become a god was spread, the era of the ancient gods has been considered over. Ducks are the first to know when the water becomes warm. Are you lot worse than ducks? Do you remember Golden Commander Niu Ben? He beat you all up quite badly.”

They were furious, and Saturn Sovereign immediately took his mirror to shine at Qin Mu. Qin Mu didn’t move as he said, “You control death, but I have creation techniques that allow me to avoid death. Your Great Daos are useless against me.”

Mars Sovereign retrieved the large bottle he was carrying, and the plague aura within howled towards Qin Mu.

Qin Mu still didn’t move as he said, “My medicine is exceptional. I can even heal people back to life. How can such a small Dao defeat me?”

Mars Sovereign’s expression changed greatly.

Venus Sovereign hammered his drum, and the sounds were as loud as thunder. Disaster descended to remove Qin Mu’s blessings.

Qin Mu still didn’t move as he smiled and said, “You guys are ancient gods, after all. If you leave now, I can still help you save some face. If you don’t, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”

Mercury Sovereign shook his trident, and the celestial river shook. He shouted, “Don’t waste time talking to him! Children, attack him and arrest this traitor!”

Whoosh—

Behind them, countless of their descendants rose and rushed towards them like crazy!

Qin Mu frowned, and with a swirl of his palm, a sword pellet appeared.

He flicked it up, and it split into two. This continued until there were rotating sword pellets everywhere in the sky!

They rotated while shooting out sword lights everywhere, and it was as if it was raining swords. They were as impressive as dragons as they rained down on the army of the Five Elements Star Sovereigns!

They rose up with a lot of hollering as they marched on towards the sword light. In the next moment, their hollering stopped.

Countless corpses stained the celestial river.

At the front of the carriage, the dim-witted heavenly dragon’s voice broke the silence. “I told you guys that they are weak! Believe me! These five elements ancient gods are fake. They aren’t strong, in my opinion! If we work together, we can beat one or two of them!”

“Maha!” The five dragons shouted to get him to shut up.