THIP Chapter 29 V1

In the end, no one ever found out who stole the breast milk from those dozen or so spirit beasts in the Taiyan Sect’s spiritual beast garden.

After all, who would’ve thought it was their cool, aloof, and incomparably elegant Sect Master behind it?

Qin Yu did have a fleeting moment of suspicion when he saw his senior brother feeding Mingli with milk. He wondered where it had come from, but the moment his eyes met Mu Liuyin’s typically expressionless face, he immediately squashed the thought before it could fully form.

“Tsk, tsk,” Qin Yu clicked his tongue. “Just imagining that is too much.”

Mu Liuyin glanced at him and said calmly, “You keep hanging around here every day—don’t you have anything better to do? A few days ago, one of our core disciples had an incident at the East Sea. If you’re free, go investigate.”

Qin Yu immediately understood—his senior brother was getting sick of him always dropping by. He snorted, “Yan Hui already sent someone to look into it. Besides, I’m a cultivator in the Grand Ascension stage—sending me to deal with this kind of thing is overkill!”

Mu Liuyin stared at him without much expression. Somehow, Qin Yu felt like he could see disdain in that cold gaze.

Qin Yu: That’s gotta be my imagination… right?

Mu Liuyin said, “Only one of the disciples Yan Hui sent returned alive. And his wounds were laced with demonic energy.”

“Demonic energy?!” Qin Yu’s smile dropped. He frowned. “But none of the thirteen sealed locations connecting to the Demon Realm are anywhere near the East Sea.”

Mu Liuyin’s voice remained cold and steady. “There may be a new spatial rift connecting to the Demon Realm in the East Sea.”

“I got it. I’ll head out now,” Qin Yu replied, his tone serious. “If it’s really as you suspect, then the cultivation world may be facing another period of chaos.”

Mu Liuyin didn’t comment.

Since the thirteen points of connection between the cultivation world and the Demon Realm were sealed off a thousand years ago, demonic energy had disappeared from the realm. Demonic cultivators faded into decline and eventually vanished altogether.

For a thousand years, without external threats, the cultivation world seemed peaceful—but in truth, it had long been roiled with undercurrents. No one had ascended in years, and the fight over limited resources had only intensified. Many promising young cultivators died in internal conflicts every year.

And among the Nine Great Sects, the other eight had always eyed Taiyan Sect’s number-one position. That’s why, in the original storyline, when Mingli’s true identity was revealed, the original host was driven to suicide.

Even now, demonic energy had started to seep through a newly formed spatial rift—but it was still small enough that Nascent Soul-level cultivators and above could seal it. That’s why Mu Liuyin felt comfortable sending Qin Yu to investigate.

After all, the true demonic invasion wouldn’t come for another hundred years, when the divine artifact, the Heavenly Book, would issue its prophecy from within the Astrological Pavilion.

If only Mingli could ascend before that prophecy appears.

But then again, if she did ascend, maybe the prophecy would never appear at all.

Mu Liuyin gently tapped Mingli’s chubby little cheek, then took her tiny hand in hers. Carefully, she channeled spiritual energy into the child’s meridians, cleansing and refining them.

Once Mingli grew a bit older, her cultivation speed would far exceed that of the original timeline.

Although Mu Liuyin’s current body was that of a sword cultivator, her spiritual energy was different from the usual sharp and cutting aura of her kind. It was gentle and pure, almost soothing. As it flowed into the little one’s body, Mingli let out a contented sigh in her sleep, her eyes squeezing into sleepy crescents.

Watching her sleep so peacefully, so soft and obedient—Mu Liuyin’s lips curved slightly. Maybe raising this little one wouldn’t be such a bad experience after all.

Just then, Yan Hui entered the room and saw his ever-serious senior brother smiling gently. Fortunately, he was level-headed enough not to be shocked. He simply thought, Wow, Shixiong loves this kid deeply.

“Senior Brother,” Yan Hui greeted.

Mu Liuyin turned to him, her expression back to its usual cold, calm. She gave a slight nod. “Qin Yu’s already gone to the East Sea.”

Yan Hui nodded. “According to the disciple’s account, it’s likely a rift to the Demon Realm has indeed formed. But we’re still not sure whether it’s the work of demons… or someone from our world.”

Mu Liuyin’s gaze chilled. “Warn the disciples out on training missions to be cautious. Also, investigate whether similar demonic energy has shown up elsewhere. Once Qin Yu confirms the situation, we’ll notify the other eight sects.”

“Understood.” Yan Hui nodded. “Then I’ll take my leave for now.”

“Wait.”

Yan Hui turned, puzzled.

Mu Liuyin hesitated for a moment, then said, “I’ll be relying on you to handle sect affairs for the time being.”

Yan Hui: ???

Mu Liuyin added, “Mingli is still too young. She needs me to care for her.”

Yan Hui: “……”

So… his senior brother was saying this new little disciple was more important than the entire sect?

Seeing that Mu Liuyin’s face remained as cool and indifferent as always, Yan Hui could only sigh in defeat. “Alright then.”

What he didn’t realize at the time was that this “temporary” task would end up lasting several years—his senior brother had become a hands-off Sect Master.

Not long after Yan Hui left, the little one woke up. Just like every time before, she reached out for a cuddle the moment she opened her eyes. Mu Liuyin picked her up. Mingli blinked up at her with her big, sparkling eyes, then started tugging at Mu Liuyin’s collar again.

Mu Liuyin: “……”

Unfazed, she gently removed the little troublemaker’s hands and pulled out a small bowl of spiritual beast milk from her storage ring to feed her.

Once she finished, the little one giggled softly and suddenly mumbled, “Mama~”

Her tiny, soft voice was full of dependence and sweetness.

Mu Liuyin froze in surprise. Then, on instinct, she mentally asked Xiao Jiu:
“Do one-year-old babies already know how to say ‘Mama’?”

“Host, shouldn’t your concern be why the mission target called you ‘Mama’ instead of ‘Papa’?”

Of course, Xiao Jiu didn’t dare say that out loud. Instead, it dutifully explained,
“Babies over a year old usually already know how to say ‘Mama’ and ‘Papa.’”