I Idle in the World of Immortal Cultivation
Chapter 23: Copying the Talisman
In the second half of the night, the mine shaft was very quiet.
Yue Long lay on her bedding in the stone chamber, her silver-white hair spread across the pillow, her rabbit ears drooping limply at her sides. Her breathing was light, her chest rising and falling. She looked like she was sleeping deeply.
But her phone screen glowed in the darkness, lighting up half her face.
[Idle Cultivation complete. Breakthrough successful.]
[Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Layer 1 → Foundation Establishment Layer 2 (traditional system · Foundation Establishment)]
She opened her eyes, still groggy from just waking up. Her rabbit ears twitched first, then slowly stood up and turned a circle in the air – as if checking for danger. There was none. Only the glowing spirit stones on the mine walls, only the rustling Glow Mushrooms in the spirit field, only the steady rhythm of Lin Luo's breathing in the next chamber.
Yue Long sat up and looked down at her hands. Clenched her fists. Released them. Clenched again. Foundation Establishment Layer 2 spiritual energy flowed through her meridians, much denser than Layer 1. She felt lighter, stronger. She picked up her phone, scrolled to her status panel, and stared at the line that said "Foundation Establishment Layer 2" for a few seconds. Her lips curved into a smile.
She set the phone down. Instead of lying back, she hugged her knees to her chest, her rabbit ears pointing straight toward Lin Luo's chamber.
She listened for a moment. His breathing was still there, very steady.
Yue Long pulled the blanket over herself, rested her chin on her knees, and closed her eyes. This time, she really slept.
---
The next morning, when Lin Luo came out of his chamber, he saw Yue Long already watering the spirit field. Her movements were the same as usual, but her rabbit ears stood straighter, and she couldn't hide the smile on her face.
"Break through?" Lin Luo asked.
Yue Long turned around, her eyes sparkling. "Yes! Foundation Establishment Layer 2! How did you know, Master?"
"I could see it."
Yue Long smiled so hard her ears trembled. She bent down and kept watering. The crooked stream from her watering can splashed onto the Purple Mushroom leaves, the droplets glittering in the morning light.
---
The first ray of morning sun shone through a crack in the mine shaft and fell onto the stone table. Lin Luo sat at the table, the Copy Talisman on his left, the Realm-Breaking Talisman on his right. The two talismans lay side by side, one gold and one yellow, shimmering with different hues in the sunlight.
Yue Long crouched beside the table, her chin propped on her hands, her rabbit ears straight up, her eyes fixed on the two talismans without blinking. She wasn't wearing her hat today. Her silver-white hair hung loose over her shoulders, the tips brushing the edge of the table, swaying gently with her breathing.
Su Xiaoxiao stood behind Lin Luo, arms crossed, leaning against the stone wall. She wore the inner court's light green robe with a dark green sash at her waist. Her long hair was pinned up with a jade hairpin, revealing a cool, delicate face. Her gaze fell on the talismans – much calmer than Yue Long's – but her fingers tapped unconsciously against her arm, betraying her nerves.
Lin Luo picked up the Copy Talisman and turned it over in his hands. The paper was pale gold, covered in dense dark red runes. Fine silver thread bordered the edges, giving a faint warmth when touched. He picked up the Realm-Breaking Talisman – yellowed paper, dark gold runes, bolder strokes than the Copy Talisman. The edges were worn, as if someone had handled it many times.
"Are you sure you want to copy this?" Su Xiaoxiao's voice came from behind. Not loud, but clear. "The talisman is only one. The Copy Talisman can only be used once. If it fails…"
"It won't fail." Lin Luo's tone was flat, like he was commenting on the weather. He looked at Yue Long. "Step back."
Yue Long obediently scooted back half a foot.
"More."
She scooted back another half foot.
Lin Luo pressed the Copy Talisman onto the Realm-Breaking Talisman.
The moment the two talismans touched, the dark red runes on the Copy Talisman seemed to come alive. They rose from the paper, writhing, stretching, spinning in the air. Their dark red light reflected in Yue Long's red eyes like two small flames. Her rabbit ears stood up to their full height, the silver-white fur almost glowing, but she didn't move. She even held her breath.
The light shifted from dark red to gold, from gold to white. The stone chamber blazed like daylight, outshining even the spirit stones embedded in the walls. Su Xiaoxiao's eyes narrowed slightly, but she didn't step back or raise a hand to shield her face. Her gaze cut through the blinding light and landed on Lin Luo's back. His spine was straight. He hadn't taken a single step back.
The light lasted about ten seconds.
Then it went out all at once.
The air smelled of burnt paper, but both talismans were intact. Lin Luo peeled the Copy Talisman away. Two identical Realm-Breaking Talismans lay side by side on the stone table. Same yellowed color. Same runic patterns. Same worn edges.
Yue Long lunged forward, her rabbit ears nearly poking the talismans. "Master, which one is real?"
Lin Luo picked up the left one and swept it with his Spirit Eye Technique. Realm-Breaking Talisman · Authentic. Opens a special passage. Requirement for use: None. He picked up the right one. Realm-Breaking Talisman · Copy. Function identical to authentic. Requirement for use: None. His eyebrow twitched slightly. The information for both talismans was identical, down to the frequency of their spiritual energy fluctuations.
Su Xiaoxiao took the copy from Lin Luo's hand and examined it several times. Then she scanned it with her spiritual sense. Once. Twice. Her expression shifted from skepticism to confusion, from confusion to shock. "The auras… are nearly identical."
"Yes." Lin Luo tucked the authentic talisman into his robe and casually handed the copy to Yue Long. "Hold this."
Yue Long took it with both hands, like she was holding a fragile treasure. "Master, what can this do?"
"Open a door."
"What kind of door?"
"We'll find out when it's open."
---
Lin Luo changed into his rogue cultivator disguise – a plain gray robe, his Greenwind Sword replaced with an ordinary iron sword. Yue Long put on her straw hat, tucked her rabbit ears inside, and let her silver-white hair fall from under the brim to cover most of her face. Su Xiaoxiao stuck her disguise talisman to her forehead – her face blurred for a moment, then settled into an ordinary look, the kind you'd lose in a crowd.
The three left the mine, passed through the Cangxuan Sect's mountain gate, and headed toward Suihuang City. There weren't many people on the official road. A few rogue cultivators walked toward them, their gazes sweeping over Lin Luo and then moving on. No one recognized him.
Su Xiaoxiao walked on Lin Luo's right. Yue Long walked on his left. The two of them moved like his shadows.
---
The Myriad Treasures Pavilion stood on Suihuang City's busiest street. Two stone qilin crouched at the entrance. Two Foundation Establishment guards stood at the gate, their backs ramrod straight. Lin Luo pushed the door open. The clerk behind the counter looked up and asked what he needed.
"I'm looking for Liu Ruyan."
The clerk looked him up and down. "Your surname?"
"Lin."
The clerk froze for a moment, then turned and went inside. In less than half the time it takes to burn an incense stick, Liu Ruyan walked down the stairs. Still the same light golden robe. Still the dark green sash. Still her long hair pinned up with a jade hairpin – elegant, composed. When she saw Lin Luo, the corner of her mouth moved – not quite a smile, but not quite not a smile.
"Lin Luo? You're back." Her gaze swept over the bulging storage pouch at his waist, then over Su Xiaoxiao and Yue Long behind him. "Are you buying or selling this time?"
Lin Luo pulled the Realm-Breaking Talisman from his sleeve.
Liu Ruyan's gaze froze. Her eyes rested on the talisman for about two seconds, then lifted to Lin Luo's face. Something new appeared in her expression – not greed. Surprise. "Upstairs."
---
The private room wasn't large, but it was beautifully appointed. Polished redwood furniture. A landscape painting on the wall – some scene from the Five Regions, but Lin Luo didn't recognize it. A potted spirit plant sat on the windowsill, its leaves purple, giving off a faint, pleasant scent. When the door closed, the noise from outside was instantly cut off.
Liu Ruyan sat in the host's seat and personally poured tea for the three. It was spirit tea – pale green water with a light fragrance. Yue Long took a sip. Her rabbit ears twitched under her hat. Good. She took another sip. Su Xiaoxiao didn't drink. Her eyes stayed fixed on Liu Ruyan.
Liu Ruyan picked up the talisman and examined it several times. Her fingers traced the runic patterns gently, slowly – like caressing a precious artifact. Then she took a bronze mirror from her sleeve and placed the talisman beneath it.
The mirror's surface had been dull yellow. The moment the talisman was placed under it, glowing characters appeared on the mirror. Liu Ruyan's eyes narrowed slightly, then returned to normal. She took the talisman out from under the mirror and set it on the table.
"It's real," she said.
Lin Luo didn't speak.
"How much do you want?"
Lin Luo glanced at Su Xiaoxiao. Su Xiaoxiao spoke. "Fifteen thousand spirit stones."
Liu Ruyan's gaze shifted to Su Xiaoxiao. "You are?"
"Cangxuan Sect inner court disciple. Su Xiaoxiao. Lin Luo's friend."
Liu Ruyan smiled. She picked up her teacup and took a sip. "Fifteen thousand is too high. The talisman is rare, but not many can use it. Eight thousand."
Su Xiaoxiao's expression didn't change at all. "Eleven thousand."
"Nine thousand."
"Ten thousand."
Liu Ruyan set down her cup and thought for a moment. "Ten thousand. But I have a condition."
"Go on."
"The Myriad Treasures Pavilion doesn't have that much cash on hand." Liu Ruyan slid a gold card and a small wooden box across the table to Lin Luo. "Five thousand in cash. Plus a VIP card – ten percent off at any Myriad Treasures Pavilion branch. Plus – we'll take care of the thousand spirit stones you owe the Cangxuan Sect."
Yue Long's rabbit ears moved under her hat. She remembered that fine – a thousand stones. Her master had signed a contract. The Sect Leader had said to pay within a month.
Su Xiaoxiao frowned. "Not enough. The talisman is worth more than that."
Liu Ruyan looked at her, then at Lin Luo. "One more condition. Buy the spirit plant seeds you purchased from us – the plants they grow – the Myriad Treasures Pavilion will buy them all at twenty percent above market price, long-term. Is that enough?"
Su Xiaoxiao looked at Lin Luo. Lin Luo nodded.
"Deal," Lin Luo said. He reached out his hand. "Pleasure doing business."
Liu Ruyan took his hand. Her hand was very cool, her fingertips calloused – rubbed smooth by years of working an abacus. "Pleasure doing business."
Su Xiaoxiao put the box and the VIP card into her storage pouch. Yue Long pulled the copy of the talisman from her sleeve, glanced at it – still there.
---
When they left the Pavilion, Lin Luo didn't stop. He headed straight back to the Cangxuan Sect. Su Xiaoxiao and Yue Long followed behind. The three passed through the mountain gate, crossed the training ground, walked down the inner court's long corridor, and arrived at the Sect Leader's study.
Lu Yuan was reading through documents in his study. When he saw Lin Luo come in, he put down his brush and leaned back in his chair. The desk was piled with thick registers. The ink in the inkstone was still wet.
"You're here?"
Lin Luo placed the thousand-spirit-stone voucher from the Myriad Treasures Pavilion on the desk.
Lu Yuan looked down at the card, then up at Lin Luo. "Where did you get this?"
"Sold something."
"Sold what?"
"Something not worth much."
Lu Yuan stared at him for a few seconds. Lin Luo's expression hadn't changed at all. Lu Yuan tucked the card into his sleeve, picked up the contract from the desk – the one Lin Luo had signed, the paper already creased – and tore it. The shredded pieces fell onto the desk like snowflakes.
"Debt cleared. The spirit field, the mine shaft, the spirit vein fragment – legal use."
Lin Luo nodded and turned to leave.
"Stop." Lu Yuan's voice came from behind him. "Rules are rules. Your disciple still cannot stay on sect land long-term."
Lin Luo didn't look back. "She stays in the mine. The mine isn't sect land. It's an abandoned mine shaft."
Lu Yuan opened his mouth to speak, then closed it. He took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling, then exhaled. "Get out."
Lin Luo got out.
Yue Long followed behind him out of the study and looked back. Lu Yuan sat behind his desk, staring at the pile of shredded paper. His expression was unreadable – somewhere between angry and helpless.
---
That evening, the three went to eat at the Drunken Immortal Residence. The shopkeeper recognized Lin Luo and personally seated them in a private room on the second floor. The room wasn't large, but it was quiet. The window was open, giving a view of Suihuang City at night. The distant market blazed with lights. A few scattered pedestrians walked on the nearby streets.
Yue Long took the menu and ordered everything she hadn't eaten before. Braised pork. Steamed fish. Stir-fried vegetables. Sweet and sour pork ribs. Spiced beef. Garlic oysters. Osmanthus cake. Lotus seed soup. The waiter's pen almost flew off the paper. He couldn't help glancing at Lin Luo. Lin Luo nodded, and only then did the waiter leave with the order.
Su Xiaoxiao ordered a pot of wine. Spirit wine. Pale gold liquid shimmered in the cups. The scent of wine mixed with spiritual energy drifted from the rim.
Yue Long picked up a cup and took a sip. On the first sip, she choked and tears streamed down her face. Her rabbit ears popped out from under her hat and twitched several times in the air. Lin Luo handed her a glass of water. Yue Long took it and drank half. The second sip went down better. No choking. The third sip didn't bother her at all. After the fourth sip, her face turned red – from the tips of her ears to the roots of her neck. After the fifth sip, her ears drooped, limp against the brim of her hat. After the sixth sip, her head rested on Lin Luo's shoulder.
"Master… you're so good…"
Her eyes were closed. Her voice was soft as cotton candy. Her breath warmed his sleeve. Lin Luo didn't move.
Su Xiaoxiao drank too. She could hold her liquor well – her face didn't flush, her eyes stayed clear. She held her cup and looked at Lin Luo for a long time. Lifting the cup. Putting it down. Lifting it again. Putting it down again. Then she leaned over too, her head resting on Lin Luo's other shoulder.
"Lin Luo."
"Yes."
"Don't walk the road ahead alone."
Lin Luo was silent for a moment. Wind blew in through the window, rustling the menu on the table. Yue Long had fallen asleep, her breathing light, her silver-white hair spread across Lin Luo's sleeve. Su Xiaoxiao didn't speak again, her eyes closed, her eyelashes trembling faintly.
The three sat like that – Lin Luo with one on his left and one on his right, not moving.
The waiter stood at the door with the food, afraid to enter. The shopkeeper came upstairs, looked in, and went back down.
---
The next day, word spread through the market – someone on the black market was offering a bounty for Lin Luo's head, plus the talisman. Total price: fifteen thousand spirit stones. The bounty notice listed Lin Luo's name, cultivation, appearance, the places he frequented – even that he liked to eat at the Drunken Immortal Residence. The handwriting was neat. The paper was thick. Not an ordinary bounty.
But no one dared to claim it.
Because the story of Shen Yuan and his two junior disciples challenging Lin Luo at the Drunken Immortal Residence a few days earlier had also spread. A Sacred Ground disciple at Golden Core Layer 4 had brought two disciples at Foundation Establishment Layer 8 – and they had lost. A Qi Refining Layer 1 chores disciple had beaten three Sacred Ground disciples. News traveled fast, like wings flying through every street and alley of Suihuang City.
The rogue cultivators of Suihuang City gathered in tea houses and wine shops, all talking about it. "What stage is Lin Luo really?" "I don't know, but definitely not Qi Refining Layer 1." "If not Qi Refining Layer 1, then what?" "How should I know? All I know is – you can't beat him."
Fifteen thousand spirit stones were tempting. But life was more valuable. Some people gathered outside the Drunken Immortal Residence, squatting under the wall across the street, watching Lin Luo come and go. But no one dared to raise a hand.
When Lin Luo came out of the Drunken Immortal Residence, the few rogue cultivators across the street stood up, then sat back down. Stood up, sat back down – like puppets on strings, pulled by invisible hands. He walked across the street. No one blocked him. He walked past the alley. No one jumped out. He walked out of Suihuang City's gate. No footsteps followed behind him.
Yue Long looked back. "Master, they're all watching you."
Lin Luo didn't look back. "Let them watch."
---
Back in the mine, Lin Luo opened his phone and checked Rat One's spirit field interface. Forty Glow Mushrooms. Twenty Purple Mushrooms. Twenty Cold Grass. Ten Flameblooms. Twenty Soul-Nurturing Grass. Five types of spirit plants. Over one hundred total plants.
A message popped up on the screen.
[Number of planted spirit plant types has reached 5. Total count exceeds 100.]
[Reward: Sect Gathering Array.]
[Sect Gathering Array · Array core. When deployed, increases spiritual energy concentration on sect land by 30%. Spirit plant growth speed +50%.]
[Special effect: Greatly increases training speed for plant-type alt accounts.]
[Note: Common plants in the surrounding area have a small chance of evolving into spirit plants.]
Lin Luo took the array core from the Shared Storage. It was a spirit stone the size of a fist, not white like ordinary stones but emerald green, like a drop of凝固的树汁 (solidified tree sap). Its surface was covered with dense runes, faintly glowing – pulsing like a heartbeat.
He walked to the center of the spirit field, crouched down, and placed the array core in the soil. The moment it touched the earth, a low hum came from the stone. Emerald green light poured out from within, spreading outward, forming a translucent halo that covered the entire field. Wherever the light reached, the spiritual energy concentration noticeably increased.
The Glow Mushrooms' caps trembled slightly under the light, as if stretching after a long sleep. The Purple Mushrooms' leaves turned greener. Frost beaded on the tips of the Cold Grass. The Flameblooms' petals burned brighter red. The Soul-Nurturing Grass thickened.
Yue Long crouched nearby, her rabbit ears straight up, her eyes sparkling. "So pretty…"
"Yes." Lin Luo stood up and brushed the dirt from his hands.
Su Xiaoxiao stood at the edge of the field, looking at the plants bathed in emerald light. She said nothing. Her gaze moved from the plants to Lin Luo, rested there for a moment, then moved away.
---
Su Xiaoxiao sat at the stone table, a book in her hands, not turning pages. Her gaze went over the top of the pages and landed on Lin Luo. Lin Luo leaned against the stone wall, his phone screen lit. Bone One was still idling on the ancient battlefield. Blood One was still idling in the Demon Abyss. Rat One was asleep by the spirit field, his round gray body rising and falling.
Yue Long watered the field. The watering can – a crooked spout Lin Luo had hammered out of an iron sheet – shot an uneven stream of water, but she watered carefully. The Jade Rabbit race had good eyesight. Even a crooked spout didn't bother her. After watering the last Purple Mushroom, she straightened up, brushed the dirt from her skirt, and came over to sit beside Lin Luo.
She pulled her phone from her sleeve and opened Bone One's interface. Bone One was being smashed by the Blackscale Wolf. Revive. Charge again. The corner of her mouth curved. Her rabbit ears twitched too.
A spirit stone lamp sat on the stone table, its warm yellow light illuminating the three of them. Su Xiaoxiao read her book. Lin Luo looked at his phone. Yue Long looked at Lin Luo. Rat One turned over in the grass nest by the spirit field, four paws in the air, belly exposed, still asleep.
Su Xiaoxiao turned a page. Yue Long shifted, resting her head against the back of Lin Luo's chair. Lin Luo's phone screen flickered – Bone One had died again. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
Just keep idling.
On the distant horizon, storm clouds were gathering.
The thunder wasn't loud yet. But it would be soon.
---
Late at night, Lin Luo lay on his bedding, eyes closed, but not asleep. Beside his hand lay the real talisman. The yellowed paper glowed faintly in the darkness, the runes like dark gold veins pulsing on and off – like a heartbeat.
He opened his eyes, picked up the talisman, and turned it over in his hands. Spirit Eye Technique swept over it. Realm-Breaking Talisman · Opens a special passage. Requirement for use: None. No cultivation restriction. He could use it now. But he didn't move. He set it back beside his pillow and closed his eyes.
Footsteps came from outside the door. Very light. Not one person's – two people's. The footsteps paused at the entrance to his chamber for a moment, then quietly moved away.
Lin Luo didn't open his eyes. The corner of his mouth twitched slightly.
He pulled out his phone and checked the idle progress. Bone One's cultivation: Qi Gathering, Layer 8. Blood One's cultivation: Qi Gathering, Layer 7. Rat One's cultivation: Spirit Gathering, Layer 4.
He checked Yue Long's data. Yue Long: Foundation Establishment Layer 2.
He set his phone beside his pillow and closed his eyes.
The talisman lay beside his hand, pulsing on and off – like breathing.
Wind picked up outside. Suihuang City's night wind blew through the cracks in the mine, rustling the Glow Mushrooms in the spirit field. Rat One turned over and went back to sleep.
Just keep idling.
---
(End of Chapter 23)
Current Status
Main Account · Lin Luo
Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Layer 2
Nine Cycles Mystic Art: Second Cycle
Defense: 650
Attack: 350
HP: 1650/1650
Spirit Stones: ~8250 (disposable)
Possessions: Spirit Recovery Pill ×8, Life Extension Pill ×1, Antidote Pill ×3, Light Talisman ×4, Mountain Pass Token ×1, Drunken Immortal Residence VIP card, Myriad Treasures Pavilion VIP card, Realm-Breaking Talisman (authentic)
Skill: Spirit Eye Technique
Disciple: Yue Long
Alt Account · Bone One
Cultivation: Qi Gathering, Layer 8
Status: Idling at Ancient Battlefield (Blackscale Wolf)
Cumulative deaths: ~210
Alt Account · Blood One
Cultivation: Qi Gathering, Layer 7
Status: Hidden – Demon Abyss second layer
Holding: Essence Blood ×1 jar
Alt Account · Rat One
Cultivation: Spirit Gathering, Layer 4
Status: Idling at mine shaft (farming)
Spirit Field: Glow Mushrooms 40, Purple Mushrooms 20, Cold Grass 20, Flamebloom 10, Soul-Nurturing Grass 20
Special finds: mid-grade spirit stone ×1, Spirit Vein Fragment ×1 (unexcavated)
Sect · Idle Sect
Sect Leader: Lin Luo
Formal Disciple: Yue Long
Members: Bone One, Rat One, Blood One
Level: 2
Idle Bonus: +15%
Sect Warehouse: spirit stones, spirit plants
New facility: Sect Gathering Array (spiritual energy +30%, plant growth +50%)
Idle Sect Disciple · Yue Long
Cultivation: Foundation Establishment Layer 2 (traditional system · Foundation Establishment)
Status: Idling
Four-Cultivation Body: demonic, Buddhist, human, beast
Possessions: disciple-dedicated phone, low-grade storage pouch, Zixiao Sect inheritance token
---
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 23)