THIP Chapter 30 V2

One of the men grabbed her chin with his fingers and let out a creepy chuckle. “A Foundation Establishment cultivator this young? And quite the looker too.”

As he spoke, he reached out to touch her face.

Disgust churned in Mingli’s heart, and she quietly began gathering a cluster of lightning-charged spiritual energy in her palm.

But before she could strike, the man suddenly let out a bloodcurdling scream. His hand had been severed cleanly at the wrist, though not a single drop of blood splattered onto Mingli.

She froze in surprise, only to see a young man bearing a striking resemblance to her master pull her into his arms. She blinked, then buried her head against his chest, calling out with a small, aggrieved voice, “Master…”

Heaven knows — the moment Mu Liuyin saw that disgusting cultivator reaching for his precious little disciple’s face, he had nearly exploded with rage. He couldn’t hold back any longer and emerged from the protective charm he’d secretly given Mingli.

He had originally sent her into the secret realm to train and grow stronger, and when she encountered a late-stage Foundation Establishment giant python right at the start, he had gritted his teeth and restrained himself from intervening.

But to think — to think there would be some scum trying to take advantage of his Mingli while she was injured and drained of spiritual power!

His Mingli was only eleven years old!!!

Mu Liuyin gently patted her head, eyes glacial as he glared at the three cultivators. In an instant, countless blades of wind formed from spiritual energy and whirled around him. Before the three men could flee, they were already dismembered — their heads separated from their bodies.

He carried Mingli to a safe mountain cave, stroking her little chin with heartache. Damn it, he was furious!

Curled obediently in her master’s embrace, Mingli looked up and asked softly, “Master, why are you here?”

“This body is just a late-stage Foundation Establishment puppet,” Mu Liuyin explained, gently feeding her a healing pill while channeling spiritual energy to treat her wounds. His voice was soft, but full of remorse: “You’re still so young. I shouldn’t have let you come out to train so soon.”

If he hadn’t, she wouldn’t have encountered something like this.

Seeing how remorseful he looked, a small smile blossomed in Mingli’s pale-colored eyes. She said, “Isn’t Master protecting me from the shadows?”

“Besides,” she continued, her voice sweet yet firm, “Mingli can’t rely on Master’s protection forever. I’ll work hard in my cultivation. One day, I’ll be strong enough to protect Master.”

She snuggled against him affectionately.

Mu Liuyin smiled gently. “Then you’d better reach the Tribulation stage quickly, Mingli. Become an immortal.”

Mingli blinked up at him, slightly confused. She suddenly remembered that her master had already reached the Tribulation stage long ago. Her dewy eyes looked up at him, soft and worried: “Master… will you ascend to the Immortal Realm before I do?”

Mu Liuyin smiled and said quietly, “Of course not. I’ll wait until Mingli becomes an immortal. Only then will I ascend.”

After all, only Mingli had the potential to break the thousand-year curse of no one ascending to the Immortal Realm from the cultivation world.

But once she did… once her mission was complete, he would likely leave this world forever. Mu Liuyin lowered his eyes, gently brushing her hair.

Since he had already revealed himself, Mu Liuyin stayed with Mingli as they continued to explore the secret realm together. But most of the time, whenever they encountered dangerous spirit beasts, it was Mingli who fought them. Mu Liuyin only watched from the shadows.

He would only step in if she truly couldn’t handle it — that had been Mingli’s request.

Still, Mu Liuyin couldn’t help but feel distressed. In his original world, eleven-year-old children would still be living under the love and protection of their parents and family.

But this was the cultivation world — a place where the strong prey on the weak. Those who didn’t cultivate could only live as ordinary people. And Mingli… she was the reincarnation of the Lord of the Demon Realm. With her identity and talent, she was destined to never live an ordinary life.

The Spiritual Herb Secret Realm would automatically close six months after opening. Before it closed, all surviving cultivators would be automatically transported out.

As the time arrived, all cultivators — whether in the middle of fighting beasts or harvesting herbs — were transported out of the realm.

Mingli gently touched the charm pouch tied at her waist. Right after she had been teleported out, her master had hidden himself back inside it.

Thinking about how her master said he would wait for her to ascend before ascending himself, Mingli’s heart was filled with happiness and a sweet, inexplicable warmth.

She thought to herself, I need to cultivate faster… I don’t want to make Master wait too long.