I Idle in the World of Immortal Cultivation
Chapter 40: Collecting a Debt
On the sixth day, Yue Long was woken by a surge of spiritual energy.
Not her phone vibrating – the flow of spiritual energy in the mine suddenly sped up. The sect gathering array's light shield glowed several times brighter than usual. The caps of the Glow Mushrooms in the spirit field all opened wide. The leaves of the Purple Mushrooms trembled violently. The Flamebloom buds bloomed all at once, dew forming on their crimson petals.
Yue Long's rabbit ears sprang up.
"Master – !"
Lin Luo stood by the spirit field, holding his phone. Pale gold light patterns appeared on his skin, spreading from his arms to his neck, from his neck to his face. The patterns weren't the fine lines of Lightning Prison Indestructible Body – they were different. Rougher. Deeper. Like ancient characters carved into bone.
[Nine Cycles Mystic Art · Second Cycle bottleneck broken through.]
[Third Cycle training started. Current progress: 0.1%.]
[Effect: Spiritual energy density increased to five times the standard for the same cultivation level. Physical recovery speed increased to ten times. Defense +150.]
Lin Luo made a fist. The light patterns on his skin slowly sank into his body and disappeared. He looked down at his status panel – defense had gone from 850 to 1000. At Foundation Establishment Layer 3, his defense already surpassed that of an ordinary early Golden Core cultivator.
Yue Long crawled out of her bedding, her rabbit ears straight up, and ran to him, looking him over.
"Master, did you break through?"
"The bottleneck loosened. Not a breakthrough."
"Then what were those patterns on your face?"
"The mark of the Third Cycle starting."
"Pretty."
Lin Luo looked at her. "Did you break through?"
Yue Long looked down at her own hands, then at her phone. The merit points on her Buddhist interface had already jumped past seven hundred. Fudo Myoo's Resolution progress had gone from 0.06% to 0.1%. Her human cultivation at Foundation Establishment Layer 2 was still Layer 2. Not loose yet.
"No. Still a while."
"Keep idling."
"Yes." Yue Long put her phone away. "Master, are we still going to the market today?"
"Yes. But first, somewhere else."
"Where?"
"The Artifact Refining Peak."
Yue Long blinked. "We're going to see Peak Master Chen?"
"Yes."
"What for?"
"Collect a debt."
Yue Long's rabbit ears turned. She remembered when Peak Master Chen borrowed the Nascent Soul demon beast's tail bone, he said, "Let me study it for a few days." Counting the days – from the ancient battlefield until now, five or six days had passed. "A few days" was already over.
"Master, are you going to make him return the tail bone?"
"No. Collect rent."
Yue Long's eyes lit up. "How much?"
"We'll find out when we get there."
The two left the mine and walked toward the main peak of the Cangxuan Sect. The Artifact Refining Peak was on the west side of the main peak. Not tall, but the whole mountain was black – not the black of soil, but the black of smoke stains. The Artifact Refining Peak's disciples worked their forges all year round. Smoke and dust had turned the mountain's surface dark gray. From a distance, you could see a wisp of black smoke rising from the peak. The air smelled of burnt metal.
Yue Long's rabbit ears turned. "Master, it's so smoky here."
"Artifact refining places are always like this."
"How do you know?"
"Guess."
Yue Long didn't believe him, but she didn't ask again.
The entrance to the Artifact Refining Peak was a stone stairway leading up. Broken items were piled on both sides of the stairs – broken swords, cracked furnaces, burnt ore fragments. Yue Long followed behind Lin Luo, carefully stepping around the debris. Halfway up the mountain, a disciple in a short gray robe stopped them.
"Who are you looking for?"
"Peak Master Chen."
"Do you have an appointment?"
Lin Luo looked at him. "No."
"Master is refining artifacts. No appointment, no visit."
Lin Luo took something from the Shared Storage. Not the tail bone – a small piece of bone that had fallen off the tail bone. He held the bone fragment in front of the disciple.
"Tell him the person who borrowed the bone is here."
The disciple stared at the bone fragment for two seconds. His expression changed. "Please wait a moment. I'll go report right away." He turned and ran, faster than a rabbit.
Yue Long's rabbit ears went up. "Master, why did he run?"
"Because he knows how much that bone is worth."
In less than half the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Peak Master Chen ran down the mountain himself. His hair was messier than last time. Stubble had grown from his chin to his neck. The dark circles under his eyes were deeper. But he held the wooden box in his hands, as carefully as if it were a fragile treasure.
"Lin Luo! You've come at a good time! I've been studying this tail bone for days – the quality is incredible! A Nascent Soul Layer 2 demon beast, from ancient times, with bone density higher than today's Nascent Soul Layer 5 – " He opened the box. The tail bone lay inside. It had been cleaned – the blood stains and bits of flesh were gone, revealing ivory-white bone. Fine lines were carved into the bone's surface – not carved by Peak Master Chen, but natural to the bone.
"These are the spiritual energy circuits from when the beast was alive. I studied them for days and finally found a way to activate them. A dagger made from this tail bone will be at least mid-grade magical tool. With luck, it could reach top-grade – " Peak Master Chen talked on and on, with no sign of stopping.
Lin Luo interrupted him. "I'm here to collect rent."
Peak Master Chen's words caught in his throat. "…Rent?"
"The bone has been borrowed for six days. One hundred spirit stones per day. Total six hundred."
Peak Master Chen's eyes went wide. "Six hundred?! Are you robbing me?!"
"You can choose not to rent. Give the bone back."
Peak Master Chen hugged the box to his chest. "No. I'm not done studying it."
"Then pay the rent."
Peak Master Chen gritted his teeth, his jaw muscles bulging. He took a cloth bag from his sleeve, counted out six hundred spirit stones, and threw them at Lin Luo.
"Take it. Crook."
Lin Luo caught the bag, didn't count, and put it into the Shared Storage. Yue Long watched from the side, her rabbit ears straight up, the corners of her mouth unable to stop curving.
"One more thing," Lin Luo said.
"What?"
"There's an inn in Suihuang City called Fortune Inn. Two stories. About to go out of business. The owner wants one thousand spirit stones. Someone is bidding against me. Help me find out who made the offer."
Peak Master Chen frowned. "I'm not with the market administration. I can't check that."
"Aren't you the Artifact Refining Peak Master?"
"The Artifact Refining Peak doesn't manage the market."
"Then do you know anyone in the market administration?"
"…Yes."
"Help me find out."
Peak Master Chen stared at Lin Luo for a few seconds. "Why should I help you?"
Lin Luo looked at him, then at the box in his arms. "The bone."
Peak Master Chen took a deep breath. "Fine. I'll check. I'll tell you when I find out."
"Also."
"Also?!"
"Help me find an inexpensive inn. Doesn't need to be big. Don't mind if it's in a remote area. But it should be clean. After I buy it, it will need renovation. You know a lot of people – help me find some cheap craftsmen."
Peak Master Chen's expression shifted from anger to resignation. "Are you treating me like your personal assistant?"
"The bone."
Peak Master Chen gritted his teeth. "Fine. I'll help you find it. The inn, the craftsmen, the renovation – I'll ask around. But this tail bone – "
"Borrowed to you. No rent. After you make it into a dagger, give me one."
Peak Master Chen froze. "Are you sure? A dagger made from this tail bone will be at least mid-grade magical tool. If I give you one, I'll only have one left."
"You can make more after you finish studying it."
Peak Master Chen thought for a moment. "Deal."
Yue Long interrupted from the side. "Peak Master Chen, after you make the dagger, can I see it?"
Peak Master Chen looked down at her. "You are?"
"Yue Long. Idle Sect. Master's disciple."
Peak Master Chen looked her over, his gaze pausing for a moment on her rabbit ears. "Fine. I'll show you when it's done."
Yue Long smiled. "Thank you, Peak Master Chen!"
Peak Master Chen turned and walked away with the box in his arms. After two steps, he turned back. "About the inn – I'll send word when I find out. About the craftsmen – I'll tell you when I've asked. About the market administration – I'll go ask today." Then he ran off without looking back.
Yue Long stood on the stone steps, watching Peak Master Chen's back disappear into the smoke of the Artifact Refining Peak.
"Master."
"Yes."
"You said a lot of words today."
"Yes."
"You used to just say 'yes.'"
Lin Luo looked at her. "Didn't you say I can't just say 'yes'?"
Yue Long opened her mouth. "I said you can't just say 'yes' – that means you can say 'yes,' but not just 'yes.' You have to say other things too."
"Like what?"
"Like – 'okay' 'got it' 'sure' 'no problem.' Any of those."
Lin Luo thought for a moment. "Okay."
Yue Long stared at him for two seconds. "You sound like you're reading from a book."
"You asked for it."
Yue Long took a deep breath, turned, and walked down the mountain. Her rabbit ears bobbed in the wind.
---
The two walked back. Passing the Chores Hall, Ma Biao was crouched at the entrance, eating sunflower seeds. When he saw Lin Luo, he stood up.
"Brother Luo! The Sect Leader wants you to come."
"What about?"
"Don't know. He said come see him when you get back."
Lin Luo nodded and turned to Yue Long. "Go back to the mine first. I'll be right back."
Yue Long's rabbit ears drooped. "Can't I come?"
"The Sect Leader didn't call you."
"Then I'll go make soup. I'll wait for you to drink it."
"Yes."
Yue Long left. Lin Luo walked toward the main peak.
The Sect Leader's study door was open. Lu Yuan sat behind his desk, a brush in his hand. A piece of paper was spread in front of him. On it, he had written one character – "Wait." The ink was still wet.
Lin Luo stood at the entrance. "Sect Leader."
Lu Yuan looked up. "Come in. Close the door."
Lin Luo walked into the study and closed the door. Lu Yuan put down his brush, leaned back in his chair, and looked at him for a few seconds.
"I heard you're buying an inn?"
News traveled fast. Lin Luo didn't ask who said it.
"Yes."
"Do you have enough spirit stones?"
"Saving up."
Lu Yuan reached into his sleeve, took out a cloth bag, and put it on the desk. "One thousand. Lending to you. No need to pay back."
Lin Luo looked at the bag. He didn't take it. "Conditions?"
Lu Yuan smiled. "No conditions."
"Last time the Sect Leader said five hundred for an apology – also no need to pay back. That's five hundred. This time one thousand. Together, fifteen hundred. You're being so good to me, I'm not used to it."
Lu Yuan's smile faded slightly. "You're good to Su Xiaoxiao. You're good to Yue Long. You're good to Wang Hao and Zhao Tian. You're good to people of the Cangxuan Sect. I'm good to you. Is that unreasonable?"
Lin Luo was silent for a moment. "Reasonable."
"Then take it."
Lin Luo took the bag and put it into the Shared Storage. "Thank you, Sect Leader."
"Go."
Lin Luo turned and walked to the door. His hand on the handle, he stopped.
"Sect Leader."
"Yes."
"After I buy the inn, the Idle Sect will have its own land. I'll return the mine to you then."
Lu Yuan didn't speak.
Lin Luo pushed the door open and left.
---
Back at the mine, Yue Long was crouched by the stove, making soup. Flour was on her rabbit ears again, but she didn't know it. Rat One squatted by the stove, waiting for mushroom scraps to fall.
"Master, what did the Sect Leader want?"
"To lend me stones."
Yue Long's rabbit ears went up. "How much?"
"One thousand."
"No need to pay back?"
"Yes."
Yue Long opened her mouth. "Why is the Sect Leader so good to us?"
"Because I'm good to his people."
Yue Long thought for a moment. Her rabbit ears slowly drooped. "Is it because of Sister Xiao?"
"Not entirely."
Yue Long didn't ask again. She ladled out the soup and brought two bowls. One bowl in front of Lin Luo, one in her own hands.
"Master, drink."
Lin Luo took a sip. "Salty."
"I put a tiny bit more in today."
"I thought you weren't adding salt."
"Good mood today."
Lin Luo looked at her. "Why good mood?"
"Because Master said a lot of words today."
Lin Luo didn't answer.
Yue Long finished her soup, took the bowls away, crouched by the stove, and washed them. As she washed, her rabbit ears slowly went up.
"Master."
"Yes."
"Do we have enough stones for the inn now?"
"Still a little short."
"How much?"
Lin Luo calculated. His own 4750, plus Peak Master Chen's rent 600, plus the Sect Leader's loan 1000 – total 6350. The inn cost 1000, leaving 5350. The phone update cost 5000, leaving 350.
"Enough."
Yue Long's rabbit ears sprang up. "Enough?!"
"Yes."
"Then when are we buying the inn?"
"Waiting for Peak Master Chen's news."
"When will he have news?"
"I don't know."
Yue Long thought for a moment. "Are we still going to the market today?"
"Yes."
"Do good deeds?"
"Yes."
"After good deeds, look at the inn?"
"Yes."
Yue Long smiled. She dried the bowls, put them away, brushed her skirt. "Let's go."
The two walked toward the market. The sun had just risen, shining on the blue stone path, shortening their shadows. Yue Long walked ahead, her rabbit ears bobbing in the morning wind, humming again. The tune was still a mess, but it was a tiny bit better than yesterday.
---
(End of Chapter 40)
Current Status
Main Account · Lin Luo
Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Layer 3 (Displayed: Qi Refining Layer 1)
Nine Cycles Mystic Art: Second Cycle bottleneck broken, Third Cycle started (progress 0.1%)
Effect: Spiritual energy density 5x standard for same level, physical recovery speed 10x
Lightning Prison Indestructible Body: Second Layer
Defense: 850 → 1000
Attack: ~400
HP: ~600
Spiritual Energy: ~20%
Spirit Stones: 4750 + 600 (Peak Master Chen rent) + 1000 (Sect Leader loan) = 6350
Plan: Buy inn (1000) → Phone update (5000) → remaining 350
Alt Account · Bone One
Cultivation: Body Refining Layer 3
Status: Idle battle · Ancient battlefield, target Nascent Soul Layer 1 demon beast (severely wounded)
Total damage dealt: ~23%, win rate 32%
Alt Account · Blood One
Cultivation: Qi Gathering Layer 8
Status: Hidden – Demon Abyss second layer
Alt Account · Rat One
Cultivation: Spirit Gathering Layer 6
Status: Spirit field at mine land
Sect · Idle Sect
Sect Leader: Lin Luo
Members: Yue Long, Su Xiaoxiao (bloodline awakening)
Level: 2
Idle Bonus: +15%
Sect Contribution: Yue Long 40, Lin Luo 0
Idle Sect Disciple · Yue Long
Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Layer 2 (Human) + Essence Gathering Layer 1 (Buddhist)
Merit points: ~730
Fudo Myoo's Resolution: 0.1%
Sect Contribution: 40
Today's good deed: Not yet done (will go to market)
Spirit Stone balance: ~1100
Idle Sect Disciple · Su Xiaoxiao (bloodline awakening)
Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Layer 1
Status: Inside Divine Phoenix Ruins, Five-Colored Divine Phoenix bloodline awakening in progress
Awakening time: ~48 hours remaining
Communication status: Cannot communicate
---
(End of Chapter 40)