THIP Chapter 35 V1

In the blink of an eye, more than two months had passed.

During this time, Mu Liuyin drifted between wakefulness and sleep. She often stayed awake for less than half a day before falling unconscious again. Her pale complexion never improved, but Mingli couldn’t leave to seek out medicine or doctors. The weight of helplessness, guilt, and heartache pressed heavily on her heart, but she buried it all deep inside, never letting Mu Liuyin see.

The valley was concealed by illusions and formations Mingli had set up. It was so remote and lacked spiritual energy that no cultivators had stumbled upon it. For over two months, Mingli remained by Mu Liuyin’s side, cultivating while caring for her.

Sunlight filtered into the cave, casting a soft glow on Mu Liuyin’s pale face. After three days of sleep, her lashes fluttered slightly before her eyes slowly opened.

The moment Mu Liuyin awoke, she saw Mingli nearby in quiet meditation. A subtle ache stirred in her heart. She tried once more to circulate her spiritual energy. After the battle against nine tribulation-stage cultivators and being in such a spiritually barren place, her spiritual power had been completely depleted, and slow to recover. She had survived these two months relying on spiritual herbs and Mingli’s energy to sustain her.

Now, watching a small wisp of spiritual energy gather at her fingertips, a flicker of joy appeared in Mu Liuyin’s eyes.

Sensing her master’s spiritual fluctuation, Mingli stopped cultivating and immediately moved to her side. In a soft voice, she asked, “Master, are you feeling any better?”

Mu Liuyin looked at Mingli with warmth in her eyes and replied gently, “My spiritual energy is starting to return. Don’t worry.”

Even though she said that, with wounds as severe as hers, how could Mingli not worry? But faced with Mu Liuyin’s gentle gaze, Mingli could only respond with a quiet “mm.”

From that day forward, Mu Liuyin no longer fell into the deep sleeps that had plagued her before. She refused Mingli’s continued attempts to transfer spiritual energy to her and instead began recovering by cultivating on her own. Her condition gradually improved—except for one thing: the injury to her right leg, inflicted by the Heavenly Tome, remained stubborn and cold, as if frozen by eternal ice. No healing could touch it.

Months later, Mu Liuyin was finally able to stand again. But each step brought searing pain through the wound on her right leg.

In that time, Mingli had stabilized her late Nascent Soul stage cultivation. But the lack of spiritual energy in the valley was no longer conducive to further progress.

“This place is too barren,” Mu Liuyin said after some thought. “If you want to reach the Tribulation Stage sooner, you’ll need to find a location rich in spiritual energy.” She paused. “Besides, the Astrolabe Pavilion is known for its divination skills. If we stay here too long, it’s only a matter of time before they track us down.”

Her voice remained light, but her complexion was still ghostly pale, and there was no hiding the weakness in her tone. Yet the reasoning in her final sentence was undeniable.

Mingli’s lips pressed into a thin line. The memory of her master standing alone, bloodied, against nine enemies was forever etched in her mind. “Master, I’m worried about your injuries,” she said softly.

Mu Liuyin blinked, surprised. Then she smiled gently, reached out, and patted Mingli’s head. “Silly girl. I’m already much better. Besides, I need a place with stronger energy too, so I can heal faster.”

Knowing her master had a point, Mingli could only nod in agreement.

Thanks to Xiao Jiu’s shielding, even Ye Fengjue’s powerful divinations couldn’t locate them quickly. But their portraits had already spread across the cultivation world. Using a spell, Mu Liuyin altered her appearance to look like an ordinary cultivator at the Foundation Stage, and had Mingli do the same. Then she asked Xiao Jiu to find a hidden spot with abundant energy.

Eventually, Xiao Jiu led them to a secluded land of clear waters and lush mountains, hidden deep within a dense and dangerous forest. Though Xiao Jiu’s shield couldn’t last forever, they’d have at least six months of safety here.

On their first day, Mingli built a wooden cabin to make Mu Liuyin comfortable. She brought out bedding and simple furnishings from her storage ring, setting everything up to resemble an ordinary home. Though the cabin wasn’t large, it had a cozy, home-like warmth.

Watching Mingli fuss over the setup, Mu Liuyin’s expression softened. In this moment, Mingli was vivid and full of life, pure and radiant—not like the cold, emotionally detached version of her that usually appeared the moment she finished cultivation.

For a fleeting second, Mu Liuyin thought: If cultivating immortality means Mingli must be stripped of all human emotion, then perhaps… it would be better if she didn’t cultivate at all.

But Mingli’s talent, her identity, her destiny, and the rejection of the cultivation world all carved out a path she could not turn away from.

“Master, come rest on the bed for a bit?”

Mu Liuyin let go of the unrealistic thoughts swirling in her mind as Mingli’s gentle voice called from inside the cabin.

She walked slowly into the inner room and lay down at Mingli’s suggestion. Mingli had already noticed something was wrong with her right leg. Once she was settled, Mingli placed her hand on the injury and began massaging it, spiritual energy flowing from her fingers. Each stroke seemed to ease the icy pain just a little more.

It was so soothing that Mu Liuyin’s eyes fluttered shut, and she gradually drifted off to sleep.

Mingli paused, her gaze lingering on Mu Liuyin’s sleeping face with a soft sense of attachment. Her long, fair fingers gently traced Mu Liuyin’s beautiful yet pale features as she whispered hoarsely, “Master…”

Her voice was low, husky, laden with a tenderness that defied words.

Six months later.

[Host QAQ! The target’s Tribulation aura is way too strong—Xiao Jiu can’t cover it anymore! Ye Fengjue will track us down soon! QAQ]

The teary voice of Xiao Jiu echoed in Mu Liuyin’s mind. She focused her gaze on Mingli, who was now undergoing her tribulation. Emotions tangled inside her—too complex to name.

Just a year ago, Mingli had only just reached the late Nascent Soul stage. And now, only a year later, she was facing the lightning tribulation to ascend to the Great Ascension stage. Mu Liuyin asked Xiao Jiu in concern, “Isn’t she advancing too quickly? Are you sure it won’t cause any problems?”

Xiao Jiu replied, “No issues, Host! Don’t forget how freakishly talented the target is!”

Then, more anxiously, it repeated that it could no longer hide their location.

“I understand.” Mu Liuyin responded calmly.

Another bolt of lightning surged down from the sky, filled with the wrath of heaven. It struck toward Mingli with unrelenting force. Mu Liuyin’s pale face became even more ashen.

This place had long since been fortified by Mu Liuyin’s array formations, enough to keep Ye Fengjue and the others at bay for a while.

All she could hope for now was that Mingli would successfully survive her tribulation as soon as possible.

Perhaps Mu Liuyin’s prayers had worked, because within less than half an hour, Mingli passed the lightning tribulation and officially entered the Mahayana stage.