Tales of Herding Gods

‘Just this sword skill alone still isn’t enough for me to defeat First Ancestor Human Emperor.’

Qin Mu put away his sword and looked at Supreme Emperor Heaven that was shrouded in darkness. When he did that, the astonishing sword light in the sky vanished.

On the battlefield, crackling flames were still blazing, yet to be extinguished. The smell of burning flesh was everywhere.

Qin Mu had vented all of his emotions and feelings in that sword earlier and reached a height that he had never achieved before. However, there was still quite a large difference between First Ancestor Human Emperor and him.

Yet without First Ancestor Human Emperor’s pressure and without the encounter in the dark realm, it would have been very hard for him to take that step, to walk out of Village Chief’s Sword Picture, of Butcher’s knife skills.

When he had stabbed with that sword, it hadn’t been just him founding a sword skill that belonged to him. He had also attacked the dark clouds that had been clouding his heart lately.

Sang Hua looked at his back. The youth’s sword training on the sacrificial altar left a deep impression on her.

It was especially so for his last move, when he had tapped the heart of his brows and stabbed with a sword. The mood hidden inside it had unleashed on a great scale. Suddenly, she could almost see a world changing due to a reform, countless ambitious people fighting in foul wind and bloody rain, rushing forward after someone.

In the sword skills that Qin Mu had executed earlier, their intricacy had dispersed the spirit. Even though Sword Treading Mountains and Rivers was imposing and had the spirit of a heavenly god advancing courageously, it was only describing the mountains and rivers.

Sword of Founding Emperor Sea of Blood was overflowing with murderous intent and was overbearing, having the aptitude of the sword god, but the sword will was commemorating the martyrs, still obsessed with the past.

Calamity of High Emperor was full of sorrowful, describing the death of High Emperor Era.

These three sword skills had their pros, but they also had their cons.

In terms of spirit, Sang Hua felt that they were all inferior to Qin Mu’s last move. As to which were better in battle, she couldn’t say clearly.

“Superb sword skill.” She stood up and came to Qin Mu’s side. “What sword skill was that?”

“Calamity Sword.”

Qin Mu turned his head and saw her walking over. She then raised her head to look into the distance.

Suddenly, a gale swept in their faces and transformed into an incomparably handsome tiger. It had yellow and black stripes, which were swirling with the movement of the fur and looking extraordinary impressive. Small tufts of soft fur grew on his ears as well, able to rotate in all directions.

“Superb sword skill! That sword skill was indeed impressive!”

The tiger god walked up the stone steps of the sacrificial altar. When he was halfway up, his feet left the ground and he transformed into a tiger-headed god which walked up to Qin Mu. His voice boomed when he spoke. “Why is it called Calamity Sword?”

The tiger god was Saint Woodcutter’s mount who had been summoned to this world along its lord. He had carried Saint Woodcutter into battle and was very brave.

Qin Mu’s heart moved slightly. The black tiger god returning from the frontlines meant that its lord had quelled the devil gods in the frontlines. “The change of heaven and earth means a great calamity! Heaven and earth may change not only because of natural disasters, invasion of heavenly devils, nor people dying to fire and floods. The change of heaven and earth is also a change in thinking of the people and a reform of divine arts, turning skills into Great Dao.”

The tiger god turned to him and sneered as he walked up. “Changing the people’s hearts, divine arts, laws, paths, what a haughty tone! Just your sword skill alone, can it change this world, change this universe, change the thinking of every living being? Your sword skill isn’t bad, but your heart is too ambitious!”

Qin Mu’s gaze became fervent, and his tone filled with excitement. “If people’s hearts change, they won’t fear gods anymore, and when people won’t fear gods, the gods will have no power. When this happens, divine arts will be free to be changed. With that, laws will change, and so will the paths. Just like that, the heaven and earth will change too!”

Sang Hua looked at the youth beside her who was full of spirit. Even when facing the black tiger god with extraordinary aura, he wasn’t fearful in the least.

Qin Mu raised his hand and pointed at the miserable battlefield in the darkness. His voice was slightly hoarse, but it was also heart gripping in the night.

“Look! This is the calamity gods and devils have thrown on us, for the people to keep the gods and devils in awe, to fear and respect, worship them! My Calamity Sword then shall open the calamity of changing people’s heart, one of changing divine arts and paths. From there, I’ll change the world!”

He became more and more passionate. Even though Sang Hua couldn’t understand what he was saying, she could sense the passion burning in his heart!

The youth seemed to have an infectious charm that could make people listen to him, unable to resist getting influenced by his emotions.

That black tiger god came to the bottom of the sacrificial altar in a few steps. His body far surpassed that of Qin Mu and the rest and so put extremely strong pressure on them.

This tiger god looked down at Qin Mu before smiling as his whiskers spread apart. “I knew you were remarkable. I don’t understand all you’ve said, but I felt that they were powerful words. What’s the name of this move of yours?”

Qin Mu raised his head to look up at him and said solemnly, “This sword skill is called Opening Calamity!”

The black tiger god was slightly stunned. “Opening the calamity for the change in people’s heart? For the change in divine arts? For the change in paths? Great name!”

Sang Hua also understood some of it. The youth beside her that had come from a different world was going to send a calamity to the gods and devils that were making their lives miserable, and so the skill was called Opening Calamity.

It walked the route of reform, improving the ways of the past and changing the lives of gods and devils.

“How many moves does your Calamity Sword have?” the black tiger god asked.

Qin Mu blushed and muttered, “So far only one move. I feel that I’ve already used up all my knowledge just to create this move…”

“That should be about right. You couldn’t have accumulated much at your age.” The whiskers of the black tiger god stuck to his face. “At your age, to be able to found a sword skill is already pretty remarkable. I’m under the orders of my lord to fetch you. He is coming to blows with someone and needs you; follow me.”

Qin Mu was slightly stunned, but he couldn’t help growing excited. “Saint Woodcutter wants to see me?”

The black tiger god returned to his true form and said, “Didn’t you hear clearly? He was fighting with someone when he suddenly thought of you, so he wants you to go over. Come onto my back. There are still dangers on the path with the devils running around, so you couldn’t reach the place by yourself.”

“Saint Woodcutter is fighting with someone… Bah, if he is fighting, why does he need me there?”

Qin Mu was puzzled, but he still jumped onto his back. Sang Hua hurriedly jumped up as well while saying, “My father is also on the front lines; I want to look for him!”

The gorgeous tiger god in black and yellow sprinted to the frontlines. His speed was extremely fast.

Even though his body was huge, he was covered with lean muscles and was completely silent when he ran. There was no sound at all.

‘Much faster than Fatty Dragon!’

Qin Mu gripped his fists tightly and suddenly felt his heart aching. Even though the dragon qilin was much faster than before, his steps were still heavy and would even shatter mountain rocks when he ran at full speed.

Sang Hua looked at the pitch black night, slightly worried. They had left the battlefield and leaped across the frontlines. They were heading for Li City in which the devils had their camp. Many devil gods gathered there, and among them was also True Devil Fu Riluo!

Back when Li City had been invaded, it was Fu Riluo who had attacked personally. He executed his devil technique and massacred countless people in the city. Even two true gods of Supreme Emperor Heaven were killed by him. He was truly fearsome!

The black tiger god leaped across the army and went straight for the city. With such actions, wasn’t he just seeking death?

“How do the divine arts practitioners of Supreme Emperor Heaven determine if a person has the aptitude of a true god?” Qin Mu remembered asked a girl beside him after remembering it. “How do you guys cultivate?”

Sang Hua suppressed the unease in her heart and said, “First, we look at the aptitude. Spirit bodies that have the aptitudes of kings won’t have bad aptitudes. If they get a famed teacher, their corporeal bodies can reach the extent of a young true god. Other than that, our Supreme Emperor Heaven also has a test that is called God Suppression Pagoda. Those who are able to walk out of the pagoda will be recognized as those who have the aptitude of a true god.”

Qin Mu blinked at her. “God Suppression Pagoda? What is it?”

Before Sang Hua could answer, the black tiger god’s voice reached them. “God Suppression Pagoda is a treasure from Founding Emperor Era and is used to test the attainments of a corporeal body. If a person one can pass, it doesn’t really mean that they have the aptitude of a true god, just that their corporeal body barely reaches the extent of a young true god.

“Among those who have passed God Suppression Pagoda in Supreme Emperor Heaven, at most half have the aptitude of a true god. Being a true god is beyond difficult, so where’s the logic in anyone becoming a true god just by cultivating the techniques of true god diligently?”

Sang Hua also couldn’t help becoming curious. “Senior, in that case, what is considered to have the aptitude of a true god?”

“The true aptitude does not only lie in the corporeal body, but also in the primordial spirit which is split in spirit and soul. Has your spirit embryo reached the aptitude of a true god? Has your soul reached the aptitude of a true god?

“Other than primordial spirit, there’s still the frame of mind. But even if reaches the god realm, it still isn’t enough to become a true god, because other those things, there’s also divine arts and paths,” the black tiger god explained.

“The divine arts practitioners who you guys see as having the aptitude of a true god are still a long way from becoming such! For example… youth, what is your name?”

“My name is Qin Mu!” He then hurriedly added, “The current Heavenly Saint Cult Master.”

“Heavenly Saint Cult Master? Never heard before.”

Qin Mu’s expression became black. Ever since Heavenly Devil Cult was founded, everyone had viewed Saint Woodcutter and the patriarch and the sacred teachers. Never would they have expected for his mount to not have even heard of them!

The black tiger then continued with his speech. “For example Qin Mu, his abilities aren’t weak, but in your eyes, his corporeal body has not reached the aptitude of a true god. Yet with his strong abilities, he’s able to fight against those so-called divine arts practitioners with the aptitude of a true god.”

“That’s because I’m the overlord body!” Qin Mu said with excitement.

“Overlord body? Never heard before.” The black tiger god sprinted through the night while speaking. “Your sword skill is almost close to the realm of path, so your comprehension of paths, skills, and divine arts is almost at the aptitude of a true god. Your frame of mind is slightly weaker, though, and not strong enough.

“As for the primordial spirit, it’s very powerful and can be considered first class among the divine arts practitioners of the current generation. That’s why he has the strength to fight against young experts with the aptitude of a true god… We’re at Li City!”

In front of them, flames rushed into the sky. A magnificent city was shrouded in the light. On top of it, devil gods and countless devils stood.

Sang Hua looked at this sight in fear. Yet the devil gods and devils didn’t stop the black tiger god, letting them into the city without a word.