Tales of Herding Gods

Qin Mu said, “He will immediately return to the Great Void to fight Celestial Venerable Huo and Celestial Venerable Xu. Celestial Heavens will be badly battered.”

Heavenly King Tian Shu smiled as he shed tears, “He is such a person! Not to mention the four Celestial Venerables, even the ten Celestial Venerables can’t hold him back! No one can hold him back!”

Qin Mu got up and patted his shoulder with a smile, “But he needs you. He’s waiting for his old soldiers on the battlefield, waiting for his old subordinates.”

Heavenly King Tian Shu laid down on the table and cried, “I’m timid and a coward. I can only drink to strengthen my courage. My drinking always cause trouble. I even scolded him for being a coward who only dares to hide in Carefree Village... Actually, I’m the coward...”

Qin Mu walked out of the wine shop and said to God Chi Xiu, “Let’s go.”

God Chi Xiu glanced at him and continued to lead him forward.

They came to King Qin Hall but the doors of King Qin Hall was tightly shut. Two green-faced, fierce-looking ghost kings stood guard outside.

God Chi Xiu knocked on the door and said, “King Yama, Celestial Venerable Mu is here to visit.”

The sound of something being knocked over came from the hall, followed by King Yama’s voice, “I’m not here... Forget it, let him in... Wait a moment, I’ll go and welcome him personally.”

The door of the hall opened, and King Yama was under the cover of darkness. His face couldn’t be seen.

“Celestial Venerable Mu...” Although his expression couldn’t be seen, the emotions in his voice were very complicated.

Qin Mu walked into King Qin Hall and examined his surroundings. He said with a smile, “King Yama is still as impoverished as before. There are no treasures here that can catch your eye.”

King Yama was silent for a moment before saying, “During the Eternal Peace Calamity...”

Qin Mu interrupted him and said, “Eternal Peace Calamity is already over, I won’t live in the past. The people of Eternal Peace have survived the calamity, and they are living very well now.”

King Yama said bitterly, “You paid a huge price to protect Eternal Peace.”

Qin Mu turned around and said with a smile, “I’m also living well now, and I’ve walked even further compared to myself before the Eternal Peace Calamity. I’ve profited from a disaster.”

“You’ve suffered a lot.”

“I’m even stronger than before. My Dao heart is even firmer than before.”

King Yama said, “Carrying the fate of Eternal Peace by yourself...”

“No!”

Qin Mu said with a smile, “It is the people of Eternal Peace who carries the fate of Eternal Peace. I can’t carry it alone, so everyone carried it together, and we finally got through the crisis. It was the same for Founding Emperor Era. The remaining survivors of Founding Emperor shouldn’t be split into pieces anymore.”

King Yama fell silent.

Qin Mu walked around King Qin Hall and said with a smile, “This place is too calm here and gloomy. You are like a little resentful woman that has been banished to the cold palace[1]. Even you have become gloomy and unsuitable for me. I’ll go meet the others.”

He walked out and said leisurely, “White hair sprouting from a youth’s head, yet his heart is still full of vigour. An old steed aspires to gallop thousand miles, letting out a long howl of sorrow?”

King Yama watched as he walked out of King Qin Hall. He lowered his head and took off his cloak, revealing his silver hair. However, his face was still that of a youth.

His gaze was cold, but flames danced in his pupils.

“Heavenly Teacher Fisherman should be fishing in the River of Forgetfulness.”

God Chi Xiu continued to bring Qin Mu forward and said, “The mountain stream there is steep, but it’s a pity there are no fish. There are only some lonely souls and wild ghosts wandering in the water below the River of Forgetfulness.”

Not long later, Qin Mu saw Heavenly Teacher Fisherman. This elder was sitting on a small stool with a fish basket beside him. His two small red fish were lying in the basket as he looked around.

When they saw Qin Mu coming, the two little red fish immediately returned back into the basket. The little male fish even grabbed the cover of the basket and carefully covered it so as not to alarm Qin Mu. He whispered, “Old master will be beaten half to death...”

“No way! I think he’ll fully die, the completely through kind of death!”

“Shh, quiet.”

Qin Mu came to the back of Heavenly Teacher Fisherman. Heavenly Teacher Fisherman’s body was stiff, and his fishing rod was unstable.

Qin Mu said with a smile, “Heavenly Teacher’s Dao heart is unstable, be careful the fish will escape.”

Heavenly Teacher Fisherman snorted and stood up to put away his fishing rod. He took off his bamboo hat and turned around, “Whether I retreat or advance, I will still be cut. Are you here to beat me or scold me?”

Qin Mu was astonished, “Why do you say that?”

Heavenly Teacher Fisherman sighed and said, “During the Eternal Peace Calamity, when you needed us the most, we ran away. I let you down. No matter if you beat me or scold me, I won’t retaliate or talk back.”

In the fish basket, two little red fish looked out through the gaps in the basket. The little female fish whispered, “When they fight later, should we try to persuade them?”

“No.”

“Will we become cooked fish?”

......

Qin Mu raised his fist and punched Heavenly Teacher Fisherman’s chest, “Let this matter pass. Eternal Peace Calamity is a scar inflicted on my Dao heart. Now that I’m in Fengdu, all of you are re-opening this wound. My heart is also made of flesh, and it hurts a lot. Don’t mention it again.”

Heavenly Teacher Fisherman looked at him in a daze, “You... Alright, let’s not talk about it.”

Qin Mu revealed a smile and said, “The first reason I’m here is to see you guys, and the second is to find Heavenly King Di Yiyue and borrow her Mingdu Heavenly Gate to deal with Son of Heavenly Yin’s divine art. Does Heavenly Teacher know where she is?”

Fisherman Heavenly Teacher probed, “Aren’t you going to meet other people? For example, Old Man Qing Huang, Sakra Buddha, and Woodcutter.”

Qin Mu hesitated for a moment and nodded, “I will meet them.”

He took his leave, and God Chi Xiu brought him to the village where Martial Arts Heavenly Teacher was staying. Beside him was Bullfighting World, and Martial Arts Heavenly Teacher had even moved the rice fields and big willow trees into Fengdu.

Under the willow tree, Niu Sanduo was puffing on his water pipe. When he saw Qin Mu coming, he hurriedly stood up, not knowing what to do.

Qin Mu walked forward and smiled. “Senior Brother Sanduo, how have you been?”

“I’m fine, I’m fine!”

Niu Sanduo hurriedly said, “During the Eternal Peace Calamity...”

Qin Mu raised his hand and smiled, “There’s no need to mention it again.”

Niu Sanduo could only swallow his words back down and said, “Old master still doesn’t know you are coming. If he knew, he would definitely be so ashamed that he won’t have anywhere to hide.”

Qin Mu gave a slight smile, “Martial Arts Heavenly Teacher, using the Martial Path to attain godhood; naturally, his abilities are remarkable. How could he not sense thta I had come to arrived in Fengdu? He might hide for a while, but after he hides, he will still come out to see me.”

Right at this moment, Martial Arts Heavenly Teacher Guan Cha’s voice came from behind him, “After hearing the news of you coming here, I indeed hid. However, after thinking about it, I still have to come out to see you. I have let you down, and if I still hide, I will be even more impotent.”

Qin Mu turned around and smiled. “Heavenly Teacher...”

Suddenly, Martial Arts Heavenly Teacher fell to his knees and kowtowed a few times to him. A huge pit also appeared on the ground!

“I’ve always thought that I can stand upright and look up to Heaven and Earth with a clear conscience! However, I can never get over the Eternal Peace Calamity!”

Qin Mu was about to help him up when Martial Arts Heavenly Teacher used his vigorous cultivation to suppress him and force Qin Mu to accept his kowtow. He said solemnly, “The people of Bullfighting World are the descendants of the soldiers that died in Founding Emperor Era. Their divine bridges were destroyed, and generation after generation of people couldn’t avoid death. You saved them, but I left when you were in trouble! This isn’t the actions of a gentleman, it’s the actions of a villain!”

Qin Mu could only let him be.

If he stopped him from making amends, it would become an obstruction to his heart of martial arts.

[1] The cold palace is where unfavoured concubines of an emperor stays. It is usually the most desolate palace.