I Idle in the World of Immortal Cultivation
Chapter 37: The Third Day
On the third day, Yue Long didn't wait for her phone alarm to go off.
She woke up early. Her rabbit ears popped up before she was fully awake, turning half a circle in the darkness. They caught the sound of Lin Luo chopping wood in the tunnel – the axe rising and falling, steady rhythm, just like the past two days.
Yue Long rubbed her eyes and pulled her phone out from under her pillow. The screen was lit. The chibi figure was still hitting the wooden fish. Merit +1, merit +1, merit +1. She glanced at the total – about three hundred sixty. Fudo Myoo's Resolution progress was 0.04%. Sect contribution was still twenty.
"Master!" she called out.
The chopping stopped. "Yes."
"Let's go earlier today!"
"Why?"
"Yesterday we went late and almost couldn't find a good deed. Today go early, maybe find more."
"Only one a day."
"I know. But finish early, come back early. Don't you have wood to chop?"
The chopping started again. "The wood is done."
"When did you do it?"
"Before you woke up."
Yue Long opened her mouth. She crawled out of her bedding, stuffed her phone into her sleeve, tucked her rabbit ears under her hat, brushed her skirt, and ran out of the chamber.
Lin Luo stood by the woodpile, the axe stuck in the chopping block. The stacked wood was neat, one more pile than yesterday.
"Master, you chopped more today than yesterday."
"Yes."
"Why?"
"Good mood."
Yue Long stared at him for two seconds. "Are you planning something again and not telling me?"
"No."
"Really?"
"Really."
Yue Long didn't believe him, but she didn't ask again. The two walked toward the mine entrance. Passing the spirit field, Rat One was squatting by his grass nest, a Glow Mushroom in his little paws. When he saw them, he squeaked twice and held up the mushroom, like he was showing off.
"Rat One, watch the house well today." Yue Long crouched and patted his head. Rat One squeaked, picked up the mushroom in his mouth, and ran back to his nest.
Outside the mine, the sky had just brightened. The clouds in the east were dyed pale red. The air smelled of dew. Yue Long took a deep breath. Her rabbit ears poked out from under her hat and twitched in the morning wind.
"Master, what do you think we'll find today?"
"I don't know."
"People."
"Yes."
"People who need help."
"Yes."
"Hopefully another granny. Grannies are nice. A vegetable seller is fine too. The wonton stall owner is also good."
Lin Luo looked at her. "The wonton stall owner doesn't need help."
"I could wash his bowls."
"He washes after closing. You wake up earlier than him."
Yue Long thought for a moment. "Then I could help him light the fire."
"He lights it before you arrive."
Yue Long pouted. "Master, can you not shoot down everything I say?"
"Yes."
Yue Long waited.
Lin Luo didn't speak.
"You said 'yes' – then what?"
"No then."
Yue Long took a deep breath and stopped asking.
---
The market had just opened. The wonton stall owner was putting noodles in the pot. When he saw them, he waved and smiled. "Little girl, you're early again today!"
"Good morning, boss! Does anyone need help today?" Yue Long ran over, put her hands on the edge of the stall, her rabbit ears straight up.
The owner thought for a moment. "Not today. Old Wang the vegetable seller – his wife said the vegetables are all moved, no more help needed."
Yue Long's rabbit ears drooped. "None?"
"None."
"Not one?"
"Not one."
Yue Long stood by the wonton stall, her rabbit ears drooping, the corners of her mouth pulled down. She turned to Lin Luo.
"Master, no one needs help."
"Then help tomorrow."
"But I haven't done today's mission yet."
"Do it tomorrow."
"Can you make up for it?"
"I don't know."
Yue Long took out her phone, opened the mission interface, scrolled through it, and found no "make-up" option. She put her phone away, crouched by the wonton stall, propped her chin on her hands, and stared at the wontons boiling in the pot.
The owner felt sorry for her. He scooped a bowl of wontons and put it in front of her. "Eat first. Look after you eat."
Yue Long shook her head. "No. Can't eat until I do a good deed."
The owner looked at Lin Luo. Lin Luo nodded. The owner didn't say anything else and took the wonton bowl back.
Yue Long crouched by the wonton stall, her rabbit ears drooping, her eyes scanning the street. After the time it takes to burn an incense stick, she saw a man walk out of an alley – not a granny, not a vegetable seller. A young man in a green robe, a sword at his waist. He limped. His left foot dragged on the ground. His boot was covered in blood.
Yue Long stood up.
"Master, that man – "
Lin Luo had already seen him. He swept his Spirit Eye Technique over him – Foundation Establishment Layer 2. Left lower leg wound, deep enough to see bone. No sign of treatment. Blood still seeping out.
Yue Long ran over. "You're hurt!"
The young man looked up at her, his eyes wary. "I'm fine. Just a scratch."
"Your leg is bleeding!"
"I said it's fine." He stepped around Yue Long and kept walking. Very slow. Gritting his teeth with each step.
Yue Long followed behind him. "Where are you going? Let me help you!"
"No need."
"You'll pass out before you reach the market entrance!"
The young man ignored her. After a few more steps, his left leg gave out. He dropped to one knee. Yue Long ran over to help him. He tried to shake her off, but couldn't.
"I said no – "
"You're badly hurt! If you don't stop the bleeding, you'll die!" Yue Long's voice was loud. Her rabbit ears stood straight. Her eyes were red – not from crying, from urgency.
The young man looked at her. For a few seconds. Then he gave a bitter smile. "Are you from the Cangxuan Sect?"
"No. Idle Sect."
"Idle Sect? Never heard of it."
"Now you have." Yue Long lifted him, draping his arm over her shoulder. She looked back and called out. "Master! Help!"
Lin Luo walked over. He didn't speak. He lifted the young man's other arm. The two of them, one on each side, helped him to a stool by the wonton stall.
The young man sat down and winced. Lin Luo crouched, lifted his pant leg – a deep wound on his left lower leg, like something had bitten him. The flesh was torn open. Bone was showing.
"Demon beast bite?" Lin Luo asked.
The young man nodded. "Late Foundation Establishment demon beast. It bit me. I ran."
"Lucky you got away."
Yue Long crouched beside them, took out medicine powder and cloth strips from her storage pouch, and handed them to Lin Luo. Lin Luo took the powder and sprinkled it on the wound. The young man gritted his teeth, veins bulging on his forehead, but he didn't cry out. Lin Luo wrapped the wound with cloth strips, two loops, and tied it tight.
"The bleeding is stopped. But the bone is cracked. Need a Bone Mending Pill."
The young man smiled bitterly. "Can't afford it. All I have is two hundred spirit stones."
Yue Long looked at Lin Luo. Lin Luo didn't speak.
Yue Long bit her lip, took out a small dark gold porcelain bottle from her own storage pouch – Bone Mending Pill, below top-grade, the backup one she had bought from the shop. She poured one out and pressed it into the young man's hand.
"Take it. No need to pay me back."
The young man looked at the pill in his palm, frozen for a long time. Then he looked up at Yue Long.
"Who are you?"
"I told you. Idle Sect." Yue Long stood up and brushed her skirt. "One good deed a day. This is my second one today."
Lin Luo looked at her. "Third one today. Helping him over here is the first. Stopping the bleeding is the second. Giving the medicine is the third."
Yue Long froze. "…Three?"
"Yes."
Yue Long thought for a moment, took out her phone, and looked.
[One good deed a day · Completed (overfulfilled).]
[Merit +10.]
[Sect contribution +10.]
[Current sect contribution: 30.]
She stared at the screen for three seconds, then smiled. Her rabbit ears went up, twitching in the wind.
"Master! Overfulfilling still gives points!"
"Yes."
"So I can do several good deeds in one day?"
"The mission says one. Overfulfilling is a bonus, not guaranteed."
"I'll still do them!"
Yue Long put her phone away, crouched by the wonton stall, propped her chin on her hands, and started scanning the street. Her eyes were bright. Her rabbit ears turned back and forth, like two radar dishes.
Lin Luo walked to the wonton stall and sat down. "One bowl of wontons."
"Two bowls." Yue Long leaned over from the side. "I'll eat after I find another one."
Lin Luo looked at her. "You've done it."
"I'll find one more."
"If you don't?"
"I'll come back and eat."
Lin Luo didn't say anything. When the wontons came, Yue Long was still scanning the street. The wontons were almost cold when she came back.
"Didn't find any." Her rabbit ears drooped. The corners of her mouth pulled down.
"Eat."
Yue Long picked up the bowl and took a bite. Hot, but she didn't spit it out. She swallowed it with tears in her eyes. After a few bites, her rabbit ears slowly went up.
"Master."
"Yes."
"Do you think that man will make it home alive?"
"Yes. You gave him a Bone Mending Pill."
"But he's alone, with a hurt leg. What if he runs into another demon beast on the way – "
"That's his problem. You've done your part."
Yue Long thought for a moment. "True."
She finished the soup too, put down the bowl, and took out a spirit stone to put on the table. The owner didn't take it.
"Little girl, this bowl is on me."
"Why?"
"Because you did a good deed today."
Yue Long blinked. Then she put the stone away and smiled wide. "Thank you, boss!"
Lin Luo put down his own stone and stood up. Yue Long followed behind him, her rabbit ears bobbing.
"Master, are we going to look at the inn today?"
"Yes."
"You said you weren't buying it."
"Not buying doesn't mean not looking."
Yue Long ran two steps and walked backward, facing Lin Luo. "Master, are you saving contribution for the compass?"
"Yes."
"When I save two hundred, will you buy the inn?"
"Yes."
"When I save two hundred, I'll help you clean it."
"Yes."
"Can you say something else?"
"Yes."
Yue Long waited.
Lin Luo didn't speak.
"You're teasing me again."
The corner of Lin Luo's mouth moved.
Yue Long turned forward and walked straight. Her rabbit ears bobbed in the wind.
The inn looked the same. The sign was older. More moss on the stone steps. Yue Long crouched at the entrance and poked the moss with her finger.
"Master, how many years has this inn been open?"
"I don't know."
"At least a few decades. The moss is this thick."
"Yes."
Yue Long stood up and brushed her skirt. "Master, when you buy this inn, I'll scrape off the moss for you."
"Why?"
"To make it look nice."
"Keep it."
"Why?"
"It's got history."
Yue Long thought for a moment. "True. An inn with history makes guests feel safe."
Lin Luo looked at her. "You know about that?"
"No. Just guessing."
Lin Luo didn't answer. Yue Long crouched at the entrance, took out her phone, and added a line under the memo – "Keep the moss. It's got history."
She put her phone away and stood up. "Let's go."
---
Back at the mine, Rat One was dozing by the spirit field. When he saw them return, he squeaked once, turned over, and kept sleeping.
Lin Luo leaned against the stone wall and took out his phone. Bone One's interface was still updating.
[Bone One · Deaths today: +12. Total damage dealt to Nascent Soul demon beast: approx 14%. Demon beast status: Right front leg bone showing cracks, movement speed decreased by 30%.]
[Win rate updated: 18% → 21%.]
Yue Long leaned over to look. "Master, the damage went up."
"Yes."
"The win rate went up too."
"Yes."
"Can Bone One win?"
"Yes."
"When?"
"I don't know."
Yue Long thought for a moment. "Then I'll cheer him on."
She shouted at the screen. "Bone One, let's go!"
The skeleton on the screen didn't react. He was crawling out from behind a pile of rubble. His skeleton had more cracks than yesterday. New bone had started growing from the broken end of his left arm – not healed, but broken and repaired over and over until the new bone was thicker and harder than before.
Yue Long finished shouting. Her rabbit ears slowly drooped. "Master, he can't hear me."
"Yes."
"Then I shouted for nothing."
"He doesn't need to hear."
Yue Long thought for a moment. "True. He just needs to idle."
She handed the phone back to Lin Luo, crouched by the spirit field, and played with the Glow Mushrooms.
"Master."
"Yes."
"Will Sister Xiao arrive today?"
"Tomorrow."
"Yesterday you said tomorrow."
"Today is still tomorrow."
Yue Long took out her phone, opened Su Xiaoxiao's profile, and sent a message: "Sister Xiao, have you arrived yet? Message me when you get there."
The message went out. It said "Delivered." Not "Read."
Yue Long stared at the screen for a while. "Master, Sister Xiao isn't reading her messages again."
"Maybe she's busy."
"Could something have happened to her?"
Lin Luo was silent for a moment. "No. Her phone has tracking. If something happened, the system would alert us."
Yue Long put her phone away and leaned against Lin Luo. Her rabbit ears slowly drooped, resting on his arm.
"Master."
"Yes."
"What is the Divine Phoenix Ruins?"
"I don't know."
"Could it be dangerous?"
"Maybe."
"Then we need to be ready."
"Yes."
Yue Long stood up and brushed her skirt. "I'm going to chop wood."
"You already chopped today."
"Then I'll chop again."
"We have enough wood."
"Then I – "
"You make soup."
Yue Long opened her mouth, then smiled. "Okay."
She ran to make soup.
Lin Luo leaned against the stone wall, his phone on his knee. Bone One kept fighting. Merit kept adding. Yue Long hummed by the stove – the tune was better than yesterday. Rat One squatted by the stove, waiting for mushroom scraps to fall.
The soup was done. Yue Long brought two bowls, one in front of Lin Luo, one in her own hands.
"Master, drink."
Lin Luo picked up the bowl and took a sip. "Not salty."
"I didn't put any salt in today."
"Yes."
"Is it good?"
"Not bad."
Yue Long pouted. "Can't you just say 'good'?"
"Good."
"You sound like you're reading from a book."
"Yes."
Yue Long took a deep breath and drank the soup.
Done. Bowls put away. Wood was enough. Soup was drunk.
Another day had passed.
Yue Long leaned against the stone wall, her rabbit ears drooping, her phone on her knee. The chibi figure hit the wooden fish again and again. Merit +1, merit +1, merit +1.
She closed her eyes. The corner of her mouth curved.
"Master."
"Yes."
"Are we going to the market again tomorrow?"
"Yes."
"To do good deeds?"
"Yes."
"To look at the inn?"
"Yes."
Yue Long smiled.
Just keep idling.
---
(End of Chapter 37)
Current Status
Main Account · Lin Luo
Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Layer 3 (Displayed: Qi Refining Layer 1)
Nine Cycles Mystic Art: Second Cycle (bottleneck update in progress)
Lightning Prison Indestructible Body: Second Layer
Defense: 850
Attack: ~400
HP: ~600
Spiritual Energy: ~20%
Spirit Stones: ~4750
Plan: Wait for Yue Long to save 200 contribution for compass, then buy inn and place Spirit Vein Heart
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: ~14%, win rate 21%
New deaths today: 12 (cumulative ~82)
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 (temporarily away)
Level: 2
Idle Bonus: +15%
Sect Contribution: Yue Long 30, Lin Luo 0
Idle Sect Disciple · Yue Long
Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Layer 2 (Human) + Essence Gathering Layer 1 (Buddhist)
Merit points: ~360
Fudo Myoo's Resolution: 0.04%
Sect Contribution: 30
Today's good deeds: Helped injured man, stopped bleeding, gave medicine (overfulfilled)
Personality: lively, talkative, acts cute, tries to talk to a wooden fish, gets anxious for strangers
Spirit Stone balance: ~1100 (one Bone Mending Pill used)
Idle Sect Disciple · Su Xiaoxiao (temporarily away)
Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Layer 1
Status: Spatial passage exit, ~12 hours to Divine Phoenix Ruins, abnormal spiritual energy fluctuations
Messages received: Yue Long's check-in (unread)
---
(End of Chapter 37)