I Idle in the World of Immortal Cultivation
Chapter 31: Wait for Me
"The Fire Phoenix Sacred Ground people."
Lin Luo stood up. "Finish your soup before you go."
"They won't wait."
"Let them wait."
Su Xiaoxiao looked at him, picked up the bowl, and finished the soup. Yue Long took the empty bowl, put it on the table, and pulled out her phone. Her rabbit ears slowly drooped.
"Master, there are three people outside the mountain gate. Golden Core Layer 1, Golden Core Layer 2, and one more—" She paused. "Golden Core Layer 7."
Su Xiaoxiao pushed herself up from the bed. Her movements were slow but steady. The Greenwind Sword leaned against the bed frame. She reached for it and held it in her hand.
"She's the senior elder attendant to the Fire Phoenix Saintess. Golden Core Layer 7. If she's here, the Saintess herself has come."
Yue Long ran to Lin Luo and tugged his sleeve. "Master, Golden Core Layer 7. Last time you fought Golden Core Layer 2, you coughed up blood. What if I—"
"You what?"
"I'll tell them Sister Xiao is still healing."
Lin Luo looked at her. "You go. They'll ask who you are. You'll say you're a disciple of the Idle Sect. Then they'll say what is the Idle Sect. Then you'll get angry. Then you'll fight. Then they'll beat you. Then I'll come to save you. Then they'll beat us both."
Yue Long opened her mouth. "…Then what do we do?"
Lin Luo took the Greenwind Sword from the Shared Storage and handed it to Su Xiaoxiao. The chips were still on the blade, but the edge had been resharpened. Yue Long had sharpened it.
"Let's go. You finished your soup, now it's time to go."
---
Outside the Cangxuan Sect's mountain gate stood three female cultivators in fiery red robes. The one in the lead was a middle-aged woman at Golden Core Layer 7. A dark red token hung at her waist, carved with a phoenix spreading its wings. Behind her stood two younger women, both at Golden Core Layer 1, their faces expressionless.
Sect Leader Lu Yuan stood inside the gate. An elder stood on each side of him. He hadn't stepped out, but he hadn't stepped back either.
"Attending Elder Hong Yao, under the Fire Phoenix Saintess." The middle-aged woman's voice was not loud, but every word was as clear as a knife cut into stone. "By the Saintess's order, I have come to take Su Xiaoxiao to the Sacred Ground."
Lu Yuan glanced at her. "Su Xiaoxiao is still healing."
"Healing is the Sacred Ground's business. What the Cangxuan Sect cannot heal, the Fire Phoenix Sacred Ground can."
Lu Yuan was silent for a moment. "She is healing within the sect. When she has healed, she will go with you. You can wait outside the mountain gate."
Hong Yao smiled. Not a happy smile – the kind of smile that said "who do you think you are." "Sect Leader Lu, Su Xiaoxiao was chosen by the Fire Phoenix Sacred Ground. The chosen ones never heal outside the Sacred Ground. She must come with us today."
Lu Yuan's hands were clasped behind his back. He rubbed his fingers together. The fat elder next to him took half a step forward. The thin elder grabbed his arm.
"She was still drinking her soup." A lazy voice came from the stone steps behind the mountain gate. Lin Luo walked up, his hands tucked into his sleeves, looking like he had just woken up. Behind him came Su Xiaoxiao and Yue Long.
Hong Yao's gaze swept over them – paused for a moment on Lin Luo's chore uniform, paused for a moment on Yue Long's rabbit ears, and finally settled on Su Xiaoxiao.
"Are you healed?" Hong Yao asked.
Su Xiaoxiao coughed once. "Yes."
Hong Yao looked at her, from head to toe, and finally at her hand holding the sword. Her fingers were steady.
"Let's go. The carriage has been waiting long enough."
Su Xiaoxiao stood at the mountain gate. She didn't move. She looked back at Lin Luo.
Zhao Tian had run over from the training ground. Wang Hao had run over from the dining hall. Chen Yutong had run over from the library. The Chores Hall disciples stood on the stone steps behind the gate, Ma Biao at the front, his eyes red.
Su Xiaoxiao's gaze swept over each of their faces. Then she turned to Lin Luo.
"Lin Luo."
"Yes."
"Is the Idle Sect still taking disciples?"
Lin Luo looked at her. The corner of his mouth slowly curled up. "Yes."
Su Xiaoxiao walked forward three steps, stepped back inside the Cangxuan Sect's gate, and stood in front of Lin Luo. She held out her hand, palm up, fingers slightly open.
"I want to join the Idle Sect."
Hong Yao's expression changed. "Su Xiaoxiao, do you know what you're saying?"
Su Xiaoxiao didn't look at her. She looked at Lin Luo.
"I know. I'm joining the Idle Sect."
Inside and outside the gate fell silent. The fat elder's mouth fell open. The thin elder let go of his sword hilt, then gripped it again. Zhao Tian didn't speak. Wang Hao stood beside him, his cheeks puffed out, his eyes red.
Lu Yuan's hands stopped moving behind his back.
Lin Luo pulled out his phone and opened the scan interface. "Hold your hand steady. Don't shake."
Su Xiaoxiao put her hand on the screen. A drop of blood seeped from her fingertip and was absorbed by the screen.
[Blood sample collected. Life binding complete.]
[Disciple recruitment successful.]
[New disciple: Su Xiaoxiao (Human · Heavenly Phoenix Bloodline · Awakening) has joined the Idle Sect. Cannot withdraw.]
[Reward issued: Disciple-dedicated phone ×1.]
The phone materialized from the Shared Storage and fell into Su Xiaoxiao's hand. The screen lit up. In the center of the screen stood a chibi figure – long black hair, light green robe, dark green sash at her waist. Above the figure's head floated four characters: Su Xiaoxiao (Idle Sect Disciple).
[Idle Cultivation automatically started. Current cultivation synchronized: Foundation Establishment Layer 1 (traditional system · Foundation Establishment). Time to Foundation Establishment Layer 2: 96 hours.]
Su Xiaoxiao tucked her phone into her sleeve, turned to Hong Yao, and said, "You can go back and report. One month from now, I will go to the Sacred Ground myself. No need to come for me."
Hong Yao's face darkened. She stared at Su Xiaoxiao for a long time, then turned to Lu Yuan. "Sect Leader Lu, is this how the Cangxuan Sect disciplines its disciples? Joining a subsidiary sect? Defying the Sacred Ground's summons?"
Lu Yuan looked at Lin Luo. Then he looked at Su Xiaoxiao. Then he pulled a cloth bag from his sleeve, weighed it in his hand, and tossed it to Hong Yao.
"Five hundred spirit stones. An apology."
Hong Yao caught the bag, opened it, looked inside, and closed it. "Five hundred spirit stones to dismiss the Fire Phoenix Sacred Ground?"
"It's not a dismissal." Lu Yuan's tone was flat. "It's an apology. The Cangxuan Sect's discipline has been lax, making the Sacred Ground's people travel for nothing. This is a token of apology. As for Su Xiaoxiao – let her heal first. She has promised to go, and she will go. Surely the Sacred Ground can wait that long?"
Hong Yao didn't speak. She put the bag away and looked at Su Xiaoxiao.
"One month. One month from now, I will come to take you. If you're still not healed by then, I will take you back directly. It's not a negotiation."
She turned and walked away. The two younger cultivators followed behind her. The cry of the Crimson Feather Luan birds came from the distance.
Su Xiaoxiao stood at the mountain gate, her phone in her hand, watching Hong Yao's figure disappear down the official road. She coughed twice.
"You owe the Sect Leader five hundred spirit stones," she said, turning to Lin Luo.
"Yes."
"I just joined the Idle Sect, and I already have to help you pay off debts?"
"Not you. I'll sell things and pay it back."
Su Xiaoxiao smiled. She tucked her phone into her sleeve, turned, and walked back inside the mountain gate. After a few steps, she stopped and looked back.
"Drunken Immortal Residence tonight. My treat. Spirit stones can wait."
---
That night, in a private room at the Drunken Immortal Residence, the table was covered with food. Braised pork, steamed fish, sweet and sour pork ribs, spiced beef, garlic oysters, osmanthus cake, lotus seed soup – and three pots of wine.
Yue Long rushed to pour the wine. She filled Su Xiaoxiao's cup, then Lin Luo's cup, then her own cup.
Su Xiaoxiao raised hers and downed it in one go. No coughing. She poured another cup and drank it. After the third cup, her face was redder than the Flameblooms in the spirit field.
"Lin Luo."
"Yes."
"You went alone to the black market that night."
"Yes."
"You fought five people alone."
"Yes."
"You coughed up blood."
"Yes."
"Your left arm was pierced by a bone spike."
"Yes."
Su Xiaoxiao set down her cup, coughed once, and looked at Lin Luo. "Can't you say more than one word at a time?"
Lin Luo thought for a moment. "Yes. Everything you said is correct."
Yue Long snorted with laughter beside him, then quickly covered her mouth.
Su Xiaoxiao stared at Lin Luo for two seconds. The corner of her mouth curved. "From now on, don't go alone. People of the Idle Sect don't have to carry everything by themselves."
Yue Long nodded vigorously, her wine cup in hand. "Yes, yes, yes! Sister Xiao is right! Master, if you go fight alone again, I'll – I'll –"
She thought for a long time but couldn't come up with a threat.
"You'll what?" Lin Luo asked.
"I'll hide your phone!"
"You won't be able to hide it from me."
"Then I'll – I'll –" Yue Long's face turned red. "I'll cry in front of you!"
Su Xiaoxiao looked at her. "This morning, did you do that on purpose?"
Yue Long buried her face in her wine cup and mumbled, "I didn't do it on purpose… I just wanted to ask if the soup needed salt."
"The soup was already finished."
"Then I was just – just passing by."
"The chamber isn't that big. Passing by what?"
Yue Long lifted her face from the cup, her red eyes moving back and forth, her rabbit ears twitching. "Passing by Master. Is that not allowed?"
Su Xiaoxiao didn't ask again. She drank another cup. She leaned her head on Lin Luo's shoulder. Yue Long leaned her head on Lin Luo's other shoulder. Lin Luo sat in the middle. The braised pork in front of him was untouched. He had already drunk two pots of wine.
Outside the window, the moon was full.
Yue Long's voice came from his shoulder, soft and fuzzy with wine.
"Master."
"Yes."
"After Sister Xiao leaves, will I be the strongest disciple in the Idle Sect?"
"No. You're the loudest."
Yue Long pouted, but the corner of her mouth stayed curved. She closed her eyes. Her rabbit ears slowly drooped and rested on Lin Luo's arm.
Su Xiaoxiao also closed her eyes. Her lips curved.
Lin Luo didn't move.
"Lin Luo."
"Yes."
"Look down."
Lin Luo looked down. Su Xiaoxiao reached up to his face, her fingers moving from his cheekbone to his chin. The movement was slow. Her fingertips were cool. She raised her other hand too.
Yue Long didn't open her eyes. But she turned her face toward the wall – facing the wall, her rabbit ears drooping, pretending she was already asleep.
Su Xiaoxiao kissed him. Very light. Very quick. Lips touching lips, less than two seconds.
"Wait for me," she said.
Lin Luo didn't answer.
Yue Long turned over in the corner. "I didn't see anything." Her voice was muffled, coming from under the blanket.
Su Xiaoxiao smiled. Her head went back to Lin Luo's shoulder.
---
The day of farewell came.
Su Xiaoxiao stood at the Cangxuan Sect's mountain gate. Her bundle was much heavier than when she had arrived. Wang Hao's savings ring, Zhao Tian's ice silkworm silk, Chen Yutong's wooden box, Mr. Li's books, and dried Glow Mushrooms that Yue Long had sneaked in.
She coughed twice, turned to Yue Long, and looked at her. "Dried Glow Mushrooms. When did you put them in?"
Yue Long's rabbit ears twitched. "Last night. You were asleep."
Su Xiaoxiao didn't say anything. She tied the bundle tight.
The Crimson Feather Luan carriage was waiting outside the gate. Hong Yao lifted the curtain, looked at Su Xiaoxiao, and said nothing.
Su Xiaoxiao stood at the mountain gate. She didn't look back. Her phone buzzed in her sleeve.
[Idle Cultivation in progress. Time to Foundation Establishment Layer 2: 72 hours.]
She pressed her hand to her sleeve, holding the phone through the fabric. Then she turned around.
She looked at only one person.
"Wait for me."
Not a single extra word.
She turned, lifted the curtain, and got into the carriage. The Crimson Feather Luan birds spread their wings. The carriage began to roll forward. The wheels crushed the small stones on the road, making a soft grinding sound. The curtain flapped in the wind. Her profile appeared through the gap in the curtain. She didn't look out.
The carriage went farther and farther. The red body on the official road grew smaller and smaller, until it became a dark red dot and disappeared into the morning mist.
Yue Long stood beside Lin Luo. Her rabbit ears drooped over the brim of her hat. Her silver-white hair blew in the morning wind, drifting beside her face.
"Master, will Sister Xiao come back?"
"Yes."
"She said 'wait for me' – how long do we have to wait?"
Lin Luo didn't answer.
Yue Long reached out and took Lin Luo's sleeve. Her fingers gripped it tight. Her rabbit ears slowly went up, swaying slightly above her head. Her face was red.
"Before she comes back, let me take care of you."
Lin Luo looked down at her.
"If you don't say anything, I'll take that as a yes."
Lin Luo didn't speak.
Yue Long's face turned even redder. She didn't let go of his sleeve.
Wind blew in from outside the mountain gate, carrying the grassy smell of the distant wilderness. The Cangxuan Sect's gate cast a long shadow in the morning light, covering the two of them.
Lin Luo walked forward. Yue Long followed behind him, her hand still holding his sleeve.
He didn't pull away.
---
(End of Chapter 31)
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, Third Cycle available in 24h)
Lightning Prison Indestructible Body: First Layer 85% (Second Layer available via level skip in 24h)
Defense: 650
Attack: ~380
HP: ~600
Spiritual Energy: ~20%
Spirit Stones: ~4750 (500 owed to Sect Leader)
Possessions: Spirit Recovery Pill ×4, Life Extension Pill ×0, Bone Mending Pill (below top-grade) ×3, Antidote Pill ×3, Light Talisman ×4, Mountain Pass Token ×1, Drunken Immortal Residence VIP card, Myriad Treasures Pavilion VIP card, Realm-Breaking Talisman (authentic), half a broken sword, pale green jade slip, beast-hide map, Spirit Vein Heart, Secret Realm Core Spirit Stone
Skill: Spirit Eye Technique
Disciple: Yue Long
Sect Members: Yue Long, Su Xiaoxiao (joined, life bound, phone issued, temporarily away)
Special Status: Nine Cycles Mystic Art Third Cycle soon available, Lightning Prison Indestructible Body soon to level skip
Alt Account · Bone One
Cultivation: Qi Gathering Layer 9 (bottleneck) → Static state, will increase by three minor layers in 24h
Status: Static (invincible + unable to move)
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%
Special facilities: Sect Gathering Array, High-grade shield formation
New features: Communication (video call, text message, voice transmission), Technique Hall (requires contribution to redeem), Sect Missions
Idle Sect Disciple · Yue Long
Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Layer 2
Status: Guarding the mine
Buddhist cultivation update: Will unlock in 24h
Current technique: Qi Drawing Technique (human Foundation Establishment) → Will obtain Fudo Myoo's Resolution
Personality: lively, talkative, can't keep secrets, acts cute, goofy, pretends not to see things she shouldn't
Spirit Stone balance: ~1100
Possessions: disciple-dedicated phone, low-grade storage pouch, Zixiao Sect inheritance token, Greenwind Sword (repaired)
Diamond Body: shattered, about to transform into Fudo Myoo's Resolution
Idle Sect Disciple · Su Xiaoxiao (temporarily away)
Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Layer 1
Status: Traveling with Fire Phoenix Sacred Ground, heading to Nirvana
Idle Cultivation: 72h to Foundation Establishment Layer 2
Personality: brave, proactive, intelligent; becomes more open and playful around those she trusts
Injury: Piercing wound healed, still coughs occasionally
Possessions: disciple-dedicated phone, savings ring, ice silkworm silk, wooden box, Mr. Li's books, dried Glow Mushrooms
---
Appendix: Special Cultivation Systems for Lin Luo and His Alt Accounts
Immortal Cultivation (Main Account · Lin Luo):
Qi Refining → Foundation Establishment → Core Opening → Fusion → Heart Movement → Golden Core → Nascent Soul → Soul Departure → Spirit Separation → Body Integration → Cave Void → Great Ascension → Tribulation Transcendence
Demon Cultivation (Alt Accounts · Bone One, Blood One):
Qi Gathering → Body Refining → Core Condensation → Desire Embodiment → Devouring → Demon Infant → Soul Departure → Sense Separation → Body Fusion → Void Break → Great Ascension → Tribulation Transcendence
Beast Cultivation (Alt Account · Rat One):
Spirit Gathering → Intelligence Awakening → Body Tempering → Bone Refining → Beast Core → Transformation → Soul Condensation → Spirit Roaming → Body Purification → Void Training → Great Ascension → Tribulation Transcendence
Note: The above are the exclusive cultivation systems for Lin Luo and his alt accounts. Everyone else (side characters, enemies, etc.) uses the traditional system: Qi Refining, Foundation Establishment, Golden Core, Nascent Soul, Soul Transformation, Void Training, Body Integration, Great Ascension, Tribulation Transcendence.
---
(End of Chapter 31)