Tales of Herding Gods

Chapter 265: The Fourth Heavenly King

Translator: Ninetales Editor: DarkGem

The emperor and Imperial Preceptor didn’t know whether to laugh or cry. This devil cult master was really daring and had no reserve being the devil cult master of Heavenly Devil Cult. He actually wanted to pull the emperor and Imperial Preceptor into his Heavenly Devil Cult!

“If your injuries aren’t healed, you won’t be able to seize back the throne, and learning handicraft from our Heavenly Saint Cult, you could at least feed your family,” Qin Mu persuaded. “Furthermore, if you enter the cult now, I can give you guys very high positions like the heavenly king or elder, while if you want to join after you are completely crippled and unsavable, I can at most make you incense masters and only a vice at that. Madam, help me persuade them.”

Imperial Preceptor’s wife smiled but didn’t say anything.

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor said indifferently, “If I join, I want to be the cult master.”

Emperor Yanfeng nodded. “Me too.”

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor said, “If you’re the cult master, I’ll assist you.”

Qin Mu’s eyes lit up. “Emperor wants to be the cult master?”

Emperor Yanfeng was flabbergasted. He totally didn’t expect Qin Mu to actually have the plan to give up the seat of Heavenly Devil Cult Master. If the emperor became the Heavenly Devil Cult Master, wouldn’t Eternal Peace Empire be part of his Heavenly Devil Cult?

This was truly a hot potato that he couldn’t pick up!

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor also got a headache and looked secretly toward Emperor Yanfeng, signaling him to not take.

Imperial Preceptor’s wife laughed and said, “Cult Master Qin, they aren’t willing, but I am. I wonder what kind of position cult master could give me?”

Qin Mu’s eyes lit up, and he exclaimed secretly at the cleverness of this woman. She had broken the silence to prevent Imperial Preceptor and the emperor from becoming awkward.

“If madam joins the cult, I can give you a sinecure.” Qin Mu smiled. “Does madam know embroidery? How about the incense master of Embroidery Hall?”

“Alright.” The young married woman then smiled and pulled Imperial Preceptor to one side and said in a low voice, “Husband, why do you have to reject Cult Master Qin? What are the odds of winning by going back to the capital city this time with His Majesty?”

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor was silent for a moment, then said, “Everyone in the world supports the reform and seventy to eighty percent of the civil and military officials in the imperial court are the men of His Majesty and I. When we return to the capital city, we can definitely execute the rebels and seize back the throne.”

Imperial Preceptor’s wife smiled. “Do you really think so? Won’t Great Thunderclap Monastery and Dao Sect stop you? If it’s you, you might be able to defend yourself against Rulai and Dao Master, but will his His Majesty be able to defend himself against them?”

Qin Mu nodded lightly and smiled. “There are Daoists and monks staying in the houses of all the kings, dukes, and ministers; they are all chanting dharma or reciting Daoist scriptures.”

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor was silent, and his wife pushed Qin Mu away to continue in a low voice, “The other two big sacred grounds are watching your people and those that are closed to you are either under house arrest or locked in prison. Now, you can only borrow power from Cult Master Qin. And to borrow someone’s power, you need to make them feel at ease.”

Qin Mu moved over again and was about to say something when Imperial Preceptor’s wife pushed him away.

Imperial Preceptor pondered it for a bit, then walked over to Qin Mu. “Heavenly Saint Cult lacks a heavenly king?”

Qin Mu nodded. “The fourth heavenly king.”

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor then said, “Let me be this fourth heavenly king; however, His Majesty can never have any connections with Heavenly Saint Cult. Your Majesty, I shall join his Heavenly Saint Cult.”

Emperor Yanfeng was stunned, but after quite a while, he said slowly, “Sorry to put Imperial Preceptor at such an inconvenience.”

Qin Mu revealed a smile and said to Emperor Yanfeng, “Your Majesty seems to have a misunderstanding regarding our Heavenly Saint Cult. We aren’t a cult, and our philosophy is the everyday use of common people and what we carry out is the path of the saint. This reform of Your Majesty and Imperial Preceptor has similar ideals …”

Imperial Preceptor’s wife smiled. “Cult master, we should be on our way. There’s no need to impart cult’s teachings to His Majesty since it’s impossible for him to join our Heavenly Saint Cult.”

Imperial Preceptor’s wife went to sit on the back of the dragon qilin while Qin Mu, Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor, and the emperor walked below. The two people executed Overlord Body Three Elixir Technique that Qin Mu had taught them to recover some vital qi.

These two people were like ascetic monks. Their footsteps weren’t fast and they walked with great effort, so they reached Venerate Prefecture only after close to three days.

Heavenly Devil Cult in Venerate Prefecture had already prepared the herbs, and Qin Mu could finally treat the injuries in Emperor Yanfeng’s soul. Imperial Preceptor’s external injuries were all healed while the remnants of the divine arts left behind by the god in his body were not something Qin Mu could guide out.

The remnants of the god’s divine arts were extremely powerful. But if Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor could refine them, it would no longer be too troublesome for Qin Mu to cure him. The crucial point was that Imperial Preceptor couldn’t mobilize his magic power. The remnants were hidden in his body and divine treasures, so he had to use his own magic power to suppress them. If he wasn’t careful, he might just trigger the power of those divine arts.

‘Neither the emperor not Imperial Preceptor can fight.’ Qin Mu sighed ruefully to himself.

The two strongest practitioners of Eternal Peace Empire had both become sickly people that required his care and protection.

As for himself, he was continuously cultivating without a break. As long as he was walking, Overlord Body Three Elixir Technique was subconsciously executed and the five beams of star power from the stars would come pouring down.

While they were on their way, Qin Mu also trained his sword skills diligently, practicing the two forms of sword skills Village Chief had taught him again and again, trying to perfect them.

When Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor saw these two moves from Sword Picture, he gave a soft cry of astonishment and couldn’t resist taking a few more looks. “Cult Master, which elder taught you this?”

“My village’s Village Chief, the eldest one.”

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor pondered over it for a moment, then said, “You are trying to incorporate the three basic sword forms that I founded into these two sword skills? They are already perfect, so adding my basic sword forms would disrupt the balance. The power is increased, but many flaws have appeared. Why did you do this?”

Qin Mu executed Sword of Founding Emperor Sea of Blood and suddenly had a feeling of sorrow. ‘Sword of Founding Emperor, sea of blood, mountains and rivers exist in a vast and obscure heart, but when looking around left and right, there are no more people donning the clothes of homeland.’ This was a lonely reminiscence of one’s homeland, the long-gone martyrs. It had the mood of sorrow and heroism.

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor picked up a branch and said, “There are still numerous flaws in your moves, so why don’t I feed you some moves.”

Qin Mu’s eyes lit up and he smiled. “Please guide me.”

“I dare not.”

Qin Mu also fetched a branch, and the two of them used tree branches as swords. Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor attacked while Qin Mu used Sword Picture to defend. However, after just a moment, Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor had broken through a flaw and destroyed Sword Treading Mountains and Rivers.

Qin Mu pondered for a long time. The flaw Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor had pointed out was different from what Village Chief had pointed out. Both of them were grandmasters in sword skills, but the path each of them took was different. Village Chief’s sword skills had a passionate and intense feeling while Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor’s moves were calm. It was like he was opening a door, pushing forward the reform to open up new horizons.

Their philosophies were different so their sword skills were naturally different as well.

Getting pointers from them allowed Qin Mu to receive different benefits.

Village Chief’s pointers had pushed Qin Mu into exhausting his knowledge, to the point his foundation wasn’t enough to continue improving this two moves. However, Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor’s pointers opened up a new path for him, making him able to continue improving his sword skills.

They cultivated as they walked, and Qin Mu’s comprehension of his sword increased more and more. He felt like his sword skills were about to cross to another level, but no matter what he did, there was always a veil preventing him from crossing over.

“No need to practice anymore. No matter how much you practice, there won’t be any improvements anymore,” said Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor. “If you want to break through, you will need your own enlightenment.”

Qin Mu was puzzled, but Emperor Yanfeng who was beside him understood what Imperial Preceptor was saying and sighed ruefully. “Another step further and you’ll be a little grandmaster. Minister Qin, to reach such a level at such a young age. When I reached that step back then, I was already fifty-seven years old. I cultivated Nine Dragons Monarch Technique to draw the qi of the nine dragons, which resulted in boundless vital qi. Only when I felt the movement of the dragon qi under the earth and the general situation of the world that was bustling with unpredictable activity did I break through in one go. You’re some forty years faster than me.”

Qin Mu smiled. “Your Majesty, what’s the expertise of your Nine Dragons Monarch Technique?”

“My expertise is transformation,” Emperor Yanfeng said solemnly. “If you want to learn, I can teach you. Before me, Nine Dragons Monarch Technique was a technique that was only proficient in spells, but after it landed in my hands, any spells, sword techniques, corporeal body divine arts could be executed. Why? Because dragons signify transformation! They can be big and small, visible and invisible. They can soar into the sky and also dive into the deep sea, hide in the abyss and lay in the fields. They can move clouds and bring rain, they can burn the sky with a raging inferno and they can control a tempest. Do you want to learn it?”

He thought that Qin Mu would reject because he was the devil cult master of Heavenly Devil Cult, a reputable figure. That’s why he was caught off guard when Qin Mu said without a thought, “Yes!”

Emperor Yanfeng was stunned and suddenly laughed out loud. “Oh well. Who says Nine Dragons Monarch Technique is the technique of our Ling Family and can’t be imparted outside? I’ll teach you.”

Imperial Preceptor’s wife looked at Emperor Yanfeng in astonishment while Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor had a calm expression. “His Majesty is such a person, heroic and candid. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have dared to use me. I’ve already seen the original copy of Nine Dragons Monarch Technique more than ten times.”

Emperor Yanfeng taught Qin Mu Nine Dragons Monarch Technique, how to circulate his qi, as well as how to operate the qi of the nine dragons.

This technique was different from Overlord Body Three Elixir Technique, and it turned one majestic and imposing if they executed it. At the same time, it was full of changes and one’s every movement contained the mighty force of heaven and earth.

“Nine Heavens Divine Dragon Shroud is a spell that can transform into nine true dragons which can hide in clouds to attack the enemy. Look!”

Emperor Yanfeng aroused his vital qi and a palm-sized cloud came out three inches from the top of his head. A few dragon qi that were fine like earthworms bore fangs and brandished claws fiercely.

When Emperor Yanfeng’s vital qi was depleted, the cloud and dragon qi poofed out, vanishing. Emperor Yanfeng mumbled while panting, “I have no more magic power, but you should have seen what I mean.”

Qin Mu nodded and executed his Overlord Body Three Elixir Technique, fusing Nine Dragons Monarch Technique with Overlord Body Vital Qi. Dragons suddenly appeared faintly in mid-air and nine dragons stretched their claws out to shatter the mountain rocks in a radius of dozens of yards around them.

Emperor Yanfeng was stunned, and Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor was also beyond astonished. They saw nine dragons circling in the sky. They then suddenly transformed into fire dragons, and as the blazing fire revolved in the sky, the fire dragon tornado appeared around them and lifted their bodies up.

The fire dragons then transformed and controlled water, lifting them up while using it. Lightning then burst forth and crackled as it struck everywhere.

Emperor Yanfeng and Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor looked at each other and saw astonishment in the other’s eyes.

This Nine Dragons Monarch Technique was just mastered by Qin Mu, and he already seemed like he had cultivated it for ten or twenty years. He just picked the technique and was already much better than most of the princes in Imperial College’s Royalty’s Park.

Qin Mu dispersed Nine Heavens Divine Dragon Shroud, and Emperor Yanfeng taught him everything he had learned and comprehended. He sighed at the end. “If your surname was Ling, how wonderful would that be…”

There were only two-three days left to the capital, and it was also three days till the crown prince’s ascension on the sixth of the third month. At that moment, a huge bird flapped its wings and landed on the ground with a tumble, transforming into a woman in green who bowed in front of the group. “Sacred teacher, everything is prepared.”

Qin Mu nodded and said, “You can go ahead first.”

“As you command.” The woman turned back and ran two steps before shaking her body to grow two wings on her back and soaring into the sky.

“Since Great Thunderclap Monastery and Dao Sect can kill an emperor, my Heavenly Devil Cult can do so as well; otherwise, how can we be the number one sacred ground of the devil path?” Qin Mu said in a soft voice.

Eternal Peace Imperial Preceptor frowned. “What’s your plan?”

“Enter the capital, kill the emperor.”