Tales of Herding Gods

Saint Woodcutter accepted his bow and he said, “I don’t take in many disciples, I only taught princes in the past and they don’t need to pay respects to me as their master, therefore my official disciples are only you and your big senior brother. Compared to your big senior brother, you are much younger and inexperienced so you really need to learn well. I’m not teaching you to learn bad, I’m just teaching you to not to be at a disadvantage.”

Qin Mu blinked his eyes. He didn’t seem like a sacred teacher and instead, he was like the elders of Disabled Elderly Village.

“Sacred Teacher, what is a saint?” Qin Mu asked.

“Saint is a kind of frame of mind.”

They came to the bottom of God Execution Stage and Saint Woodcutter examined this divine mountain while saying calmly, “I had once told your big senior brother, you need to establish three things to become a saint, establish your ideas in writing, establish a cult and establish your merit. Once this three is established, your frame of mind will reach a realm so high that no one could be a match for you, purely in regards to the frame of mind. A saint needs to have ideas in writings only then can he establish a cult indoctrination, to teach all lives and solve their questions by imparting his teachings, to get rid of the thistles and thorns, to open up a path for them.”

Qin Mu was stunned and he cried out, “Establish cult indoctrination? Isn’t it establishing Heavenly Saint Cult and imparting the teachings?”

Saint Woodcutter shook his head and said, “It’s not establishing a cult, it’s establishing a cult doctrine. Establishing a cult is too shallow, when you create a sect, there will be struggles between sects and they will be struggles between ideas in writings, in that case, ideas in writing will cease to exist.

Qin Mu’s brain was blown and he suddenly remembered those previous cult masters that were staying in Fengdu and he couldn’t help imagining tears streaking down their faces.

They were proud of their identity as Heavenly Saint Cult Master but they didn’t know that everything was wrong when it came to Saint Woodcutter.

Saint Woodcutter walked down this divine mountain and he would grab chunks of rocks from time to time. The huge rocks were melted straight with his magic power and they transformed into stone pillars that were covered with fancy markings. They were planted at the bottom of the divine mountain with a strange formation.

“Establishing cult is establishing cult indoctrination. How do you establish cult indoctrination? To open education, to build schools, to spread talent, to do actual work, to research paths, skills and divine arts, all for the everyday use of common people.”

He said softly as he refined teleportation stone pillars, “When a country is weak, they try to reform to become strong, strengthening the country.”

His refining method wasn’t as superior as Mute but it was extremely fast as well. He quickly imprinted the runes for the teleportation divine art in the stone pillars.

“When the people are weak, impart teachings to benefit people, strengthening the people.”

“When soldiers are weak, reform and improve the weapons, strengthening the people.”

“Muddle-headed ruler, make a remonstration, make a serious assertion, advising the ruler to change. If the ruler doesn’t change, make a second remonstration, if there’s still no change, elect a new ruler.”

“No path to heaven, make a reform, change the heavenly laws to suit the world. If heaven doesn’t change, reform to seek a change, if it still doesn’t change, cut down the heaven to establish the path.”

…

As he said in detail, they subconsciously walked half a round around the mountain.

Qin Mu listened attentively and when Saint Woodcutter had finished saying his ideology, Qin Mu suddenly said, “Sacred Teacher, the requirement for a saint is too high, I carefully recall all the people I have met before and heard before but no one could reach the requirements of a saint. Are you able to do all these?”

Saint Woodcutter stopped in his footsteps and the mountain rocks in midair melted to form stone pillars.

Saint Woodcutter didn’t move at all and the markings on the stone pillars also stopped transforming.

Qin Mu felt uneasy and he cursed himself for being too talkative. He sneaked a glance and saw tears streaking down this middle-aged man that donned a woodcutter’s garb.

“I had once thought I could do it.”

Saint Woodcutter’s voice was a little hoarse as he said sorrowfully, “I once thought I could become a saint and others also refer to me as Saint. I thought I could establish cult indoctrination and strengthen ourselves through reform, to strengthen Founding Emperor Empire, to strengthen the weak people, to let people have remarkable abilities, to change the weak military and let them have power which could awe our enemies. I still thought I could ensure the ruler wouldn’t be muddle-headed, ensure a path into heaven, and even ensure I could establish merit and defeat degeneration… The last three points, I’ve failed to do so.”

Thump.

That stone pillar that still wasn’t refine fell to the ground and stabbed into the mud. Saint Woodcutter held onto the pillar with his right arm and his head was buried in his elbow. Tears flowed down his face and he didn’t let Qin Mu see him losing his composure.

“I’ve lost, I didn’t manage to stop Founding Emperor from going to Carefree Village, I have let the ruler become muddle-headed. I’ve lost, I thought I could change the laws and the paths, to change the path of heaven, yet the heaven wiped out Founding Emperor Empire and send off Founding Emperor Era. I’ve lost, I didn’t manage to establish merit in that final battle…”

“I’ve lost… Qin Mu, I ain’t the saint you are looking for, I also can’t teach you anything, I’m only a failure…”

…

Qin Mu stared at him blankly and the same emotion was brewing inside of his chest.

When Saint Woodcutter’s reform was at its most flourishing state, Founding Emperor suddenly retreated and built Carefree Village without fighting a win or die battle. Thus, Woodcutter’s fighting spirit became silent.

He saw Founding Emperor retreating and looked at the Founding Emperor Empire which they painstakingly built turn into ashes. He had to look at his comrades fighting and dying for the same ideals and looked at them getting beheaded, spraying their warm blood onto the once familar ground. He looked at those comrades who anticipated Founding Emperor to descend again and lead them back into battle dying from old age, looking at the people of that era dying generations after generations, having new faces replacing the old ones.

The setback and pain in his heart was something other people couldn’t imagine.

Qin Mu suddenly shouted, “Sacred Teacher, can you impart the path of the saint to me?”

Saint Woodcutter used the sleeves to wipe his tears and he turned around to look at him. Qin Mu said excitedly, “I want to inherit your teachings and continue walking down this path, to continue the reform, cutting down the ruler if they are muddle-headed, cutting down the heaven if there’s no path!”

Saint Woodcutter’s face was bleak and shook his head, “You can’t.”

Qin Mu’s hot-bloodedness was quenched and he gripped his fists in anger. “Why can’t I? Big senior brother’s comprehension and ability to understand is slightly bad and comprehended establish cult as establishing Heavenly Saint Cult but I’m not that stupid!”

Saint Woodcutter shook his head, “Your big senior brother is a little stupid and a little dumb but you are no better. Your blood easily rushes to your head and you bury yourself in work, even though you are crafty sometimes, you lack focus. Your temper is jumpy and you feel everything is fresh to you, wanting to study more about them. Even though you have your thinking, your thinking isn’t deep enough. Even though you have belief, your belief isn’t stable enough, your Dao heart still isn’t strong as mountains and rivers, until the step where it doesn’t change. You aren’t cut out for becoming a saint, at the least, you right now still isn’t enough.”

Qin Mu said loudly, “I can change, I can learn!”

“I can’t wait anymore.”

Saint Woodcutter revealed a warm smile and his voice became gentle, “Good disciple, I really can’t wait that long anymore.”

Qin Mu went into a daze.

Saint Woodcutter continued to refine this stone pillar properly before walking forward.

Qin Mu followed him silently and looked at him finish refining the teleportation pillar one by one.

After some time, Saint Woodcutter finally finish the layout and he took a glance at the dejected Qin Mu. He said with a smile, “Don’t pull a long face, if I didn’t know much about you, I would really think that your Dao heart is really that weak like that black tiger does. Let’s go up the mountain.”

The dejection on Qin Mu’s face vanished and he followed him back up to the peak of this God Execution Stage.

Saint Woodcutter executed the teleportation divine art and stone pillars shone brightly as the runes imprinted on the stone pillars gave off light. The runes were shone into midair and they transformed into strange beautiful writings and runes.

These runes connected in midair and they swirled faster and faster!

To move this entire God Execution Stage, even an existence like Saint Woodcutter needed to first transform his teleportation divine art into a formation first, only then was he able to teleport it away!

Light burst forth among the rumblings and God Execution Stage rose up with a rumble, swirling and flying away along with the light.

Qin Mu stood on this divine mountain and he turned back to look at that abnormal star moving further and further away. It quickly vanished from his line of sight.

In the surroundings were boundless and dark space which was empty and desolate. He could see incomparably fine stars from time to time.

Qin Mu suddenly said, “Sacred Teacher, I feel there’s a person whose aptitude and comprehension is better than me and he suitable your criteria. I want to recommend him to meet you.”

Saint Woodcutter was slightly stunned and he broke into a smile, “Alright. However, you don’t have to call me sacred teacher anymore, just call me teacher.”

“Teacher.”

The torrent of light shone down from the sky of Luofu Heaven and shone down on a piece of land in front of a sacrificial altar.

Countless incomparably complicated runes appeared on the ground under the shine of the light and they changed continuously. When the light vanished, a huge and majestic God Execution Stage suddenly appeared!

Saint Woodcutter walked down God Execution Stage and the huge ax behind him flew up to slash open a door that reaches Supreme Emperor Heaven. “Bring him to meet me.”

Qin Mu bowed, “Yes, Teacher.”

Supreme Emperor Heaven, Li City.

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor and a bunch of scholars from all the academies were designing spirit weapons for invading cities and large-scale battles. Qin Mu walked over and said to Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor, “Imperial Preceptor, Saint Woodcutter wants to see you.”

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor’s body trembled greatly as he looked at him in surprise and delight.

The two of them came to Luofu Heaven and Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor raised his head to look at the majestic and tall sacrificial altar. On the altar, a middle-aged man wearing a woodcutter’s garb was currently standing there.

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor’s mind shook and he tidied up his appearance. He wanted to seek an audience when Saint Woodcutter’s booming voice rang out from the top of the altar like a bell. “Imperial Preceptor of Eternal Peace, I have three questions, once you answer all three, you can come up the altar to meet me! Step up now!”

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor walked up the stone steps and came to one-third of the altar. Suddenly, Saint Woodcutter’s voice came down, “First question, your original aspiration! Answer!”

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor stopped in his footsteps and he said loudly, “To ordain conscience for Heaven and Earth, to secure life and fortune for the people, to continue lost teachings for past sages, to establish peace for all future generations, that’s my original aspiration!”

On the sacrificial altar, Saint Woodcutter was silent for a moment and he said, “Step up.”

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor continued walking to the two-thirds level of the altar and Saint Woodcutter’s voice came down again. “Second question, your Dao heart! Answer!”

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor stopped in his footsteps and he said meaningfully with high spirits, “Never changing my original aspiration, Dao heart will remain forever strong!”

“Step up!”

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor continued to ascend the altar and he was almost at the top. “Third question, do you know you will die because of this, losing your reputation and the later generation will forget you or even hate you? This undertaking, this path, not only could it destroy your life, it will also destroy your reputation, making you a nobody from today onwards.”

“I know.”

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor bowed. “I willing to do so, I have a clear conscience and I won’t have any grievances or regrets.”

Saint Woodcutter revealed a smile. “I have taught countless people but I’ve only taken in two disciples, yet these two disciples have never receive my inheritance and true teaching. Instead, it’s the flower outside the door that had bloomed. Come up.”

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor ascended up the last step and came to the peak of this sacrificial altar to face Saint Woodcutter.

Dong—

The huge ax behind Saint Woodcutter fell to the ground and stabbed into the ground. This woodcutter sat with his legs wide open on the back of the ax and placed his hands on his knees. “You can now formally pay your respects as an apprentice.”

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor grabbed his green clothes up and he knelt down while saying solemnly, “River Tomb Scholar pays my respects to Teacher!”

Qin Mu looked up at the sacrificial altar and tears unknowingly wetted his cheeks. He had witnessed this inheritance of the saint crossing from Founding Emperor to Eternal Peace, these two eras.

The responsibility of the saint was now passed on from one era to the shoulders of a person from the next era.

It didn’t have a shocking sight or words that stirred people’s hearts yet he still teared up from being moved.

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