Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

The Dragoness hated anyone who would try to cheat others, especially below the counter.

At first, she was curious what this commotion was about, but the more she heard, the more her cute face distorted...

’I can’t believe that Manager Fu would try to scam such a cute little Fox...’ The Dragoness trained her eyes on the small Fox.

Her eyes had a special trait of disturbing illusions and Recognition Inhibition Treasures.

That meant that Aiko and her team were exposed, but fortunately for them, the Dragoness didn’t have any intention of alerting others.

While she didn’t have a high opinion about Foxes, this little Fox and the others didn’t dress wantonly, which improved their image.

”Manager Fu?” The Dragoness asked the Manager again, of course she would report this whole incident to her Elders, since most of the Herbs in their Sect were coming from here, but that didn’t mean this Clan was the only option.

”Princess Yueying.” He bowed deeply.

”I know my name...” Yueying said, sighing. ”She was correct, so shouldn’t you continue this challenge?” She was willing to give him one last chance to redeem his Fame.

”That’s...” Manager Fu wanted to decline, but seeing her expression... he couldn’t. ”Yes...”

Yueying was completely cold-blooded in her behaviour and she would definitely report everything, even his harassment towards her!

”Then this-” Manager Fu showed another Herb, but without much energy.

”The Ash Choking Herb.” As always, Aiko would spit the answer without letting them finish.

It was kind of expected from her at this point and the peanut gallery nodded gently.

They were all looking forward to her winning this challenge so that someone could finally rob them of this extinct Herb!

...

Aiko naturally aced the second and third stages, so much so that the Manager was in utter disbelief.

He didn’t expect this little Young Miss to completely and quickly destroy his confidence in his victory.

”Now give me the Six-Coloured Blazing Lotus.” Aiko smiled from ear to ear.

The Manager whined like a defeated dog and stretched towards the ’Six Coloured Blazing Lotus’.

He placed it in front of the little Young Miss with some difficulty.

But that little Young Miss was staring at him.

”What’s wrong?” Manager Fu asked. If this little Young Miss asked him to wrap this up, he would really strangle her!

”I’m still waiting for Six-Coloured Blazing Lotus.” Aiko said blankly.

The Manager frowned. ”It’s here.” He tapped the board.

”No, it’s not.” Aiko sighed and expressed herself like she was talking and teaching some kind of overgrown child.

”Listen here, this is not the Six-Coloured Blazing Lotus, but only the not mutated version, the Six-Coloured Lotus.” Aiko explained slowly like she was teaching a child.

”The clear difference between those two that you would realise if you encountered the Six-Coloured Blazing Lotus, would be your immediate loss of smell, since your nostrils would burn off from the scent.” Aiko sighed. ”But look here, you just placed it on a special board so it wouldn’t deteriorate, but there are no Inscriptions or Arrays that would capture the smell. This means this thing is not a Six-Coloured Blazing Lotus, but it’s a normal variant, the Six-Coloured Lotus.” Aiko finished her slow explanation.

”That’s not true, this is truly the Six-Coloured Blazing Lotus.” Manager Fu denied her words.

Aiko sighed. She already spotted someone with a burned nostril and by the information she absorbed from Mei’s Jade Slip, she knew by smell that he was the victim of the Six-Coloured Blazing Lotus.

”You never learn.” Aiko shook her head and walked towards the young boy.

The Peanut Gallery made way, since they were interested in where this would head in.

”It’s Six Coloured Lotus, right?” Aiko asked him and he stared at her strangely.

His companions were about to step in, when he raised his hand.

”That is indeed only Six Coloured Lotus.” The Young Boy was sure he hid his ailment well, so he was shocked inside that he was found out so easily.

”See.” Aiko returned. ”Now give me the Six-Coloured Blazing Lotus.” Aiko demanded, since she wouldn’t be scammed.

”But...” Manager Fu swallowed his next words since he truly had only this Herb.

The Dragoness stepped in. ”Since you do not wish to give her that Herb, you should write her IOU.”

Manager Fu looked at her with shock, but Yueying just shrugged. ”It’s only natural you pay what you owe.” She didn’t like him at all and would absolutely report every bit of detail that she gathered during her stay over here...

How he touched her inappropriately, how he tried to decrease the amount of Herbs or switch them up for different Herbs. How he tried to scam others and didn’t want to acknowledge anything and so on.

Manager Fu was cornered, he needed this deal to go through, so he could only write down the IOU to please Yueying.

”It doesn’t have a date, what if you die soon?” Aiko stared at him unblinking.

*Pfft*

The Dragoness almost laughed out loud and the Manager turned towards her sharply, but she simply looked away from him to conceal her wide smile that was suppressing a lovely laughter.

The peanut gallery was prompted by this to laugh, too.

”She is right, what if you crook tomorrow from today’s shame?! She would be losing too much!” One spectator shouted.

”Right, right! If I did something so shameless, I would absolutely hang myself!” Another laughed heartily.

The peanut gallery was very lively, which made the Manager even more infuriated, but he couldn’t stop them. The moment he tried to threaten them his already tarnished fame would go rock bottom from it!

Aiko returned the Jade Slip with the IOU.

Manager Fu was forced to write that he would give her the Six-Coloured Blazing Lotus within a year.

Aiko checked it and gave it to her companions to check too.

They didn’t talk to maintain their mysterious atmosphere, but seeing their clothes and beauty, it was obvious to anyone that they were trained fighters who served double purposes.

Of course, most of them wouldn’t display that on their faces and would not inquire, all that mattered to them was that this Young Miss wouldn’t get scammed.

She had a very bright future ahead, considering her deep and vast knowledge. If she could also become a Pill Refiner, it might be possible that the Pills would reduce their prices, which would mean only happy days for the common Cultivators...

Once she got everything, they soon dispersed since the situation settled down, but they also loved the fact that the Manager aged a couple of years.

”Thank you~” Aiko hummed gently and was ready to leave.

”You will also get this Six Coloured Lotus, right Manager Fu?” She liked this little Fox and seeing her knowledge, it wouldn’t be bad if she pushed them a little to get a better rapport with her.

”What?!” The Manager’s face distorted. ”You are joking, Princess!?” He choked up on his words, he didn’t believe that she would be so ruthless just because he cop a feel...!

Yueying just glared at him and didn’t say anything else.

The Manager couldn’t allow this business to not go through, so he could only weakly nod, but tears already streamed down his cheeks. If he could call the Owner everything would be solved, but common Managers like him were not allowed that kind of luxury and that was also one of the reasons why he was pushing for this deal.

He would be able to become a 2nd-rate Manager from a 5th-rate...

Unfortunately, that would never come, since this deal had already failed...

...

Aiko packed up the Six Coloured Lotus by throwing it into her Storage Ring alongside the board, since she knew the board was what was keeping it from deteriorating.

Aiko hummed and mimicked, ’Thank you’ with her lips towards the likeable Dragoness.

The Dragoness smiled gently, she now didn’t understand why others hated the Foxes, they were absolutely cute and lovable Beasts.

Aiko wanted to shop a bit more, but because the Blood Fox nudged her they left together.

This was good since they were immediately tailed, but their assailant lost them in the next alley and for some reason, their possessions also disappeared...

...

[Opportunistic Kleptomaniac (Apprentice)] -> [Opportunistic Kleptomaniac (Apprentice 2nd Stage)]

[You have earned the Title: [Daylight Robber]!]

Aiko furrowed her brows. She didn’t do much, except to take their things, yet the system was making fun of her?

Sure, they were in the Golden Core Stage, but those guys were still weak, so why did she get such a bad title?!

Her other Skills and Abilities also didn’t improve all that much... what? She didn’t work properly on them? So what?! She just wanted bigger numbers! Was that that bad?!

Aiko pouted, which confused her team, but she still stored those Pouches with a few Spirit Stones into her Storage Ring and moved again.

”What will be our next destination?” Aiko asked. ”Talismans looked like Fun, but I don’t think the common ones will be all that funny.” Aiko frowned cutely.

”There is a clothing shop nearby.” The Blood Fox said.

Aiko thought about it a bit, she should buy Mei more clothing so that she could dress up whenever she wanted, but the issue was that Aiko did not know Mei’s style of clothing. So while the Lamp was useful for the size of clothing, she did not consider the option that Mei might not like the design...

Aiko furrowed her brows.

”Would you like some clothing?” Aiko asked them.

”It’s impossible for us, since we can’t hide our Tails and most clothing is not made with that in mind.” The Umbra Fox was the first one to reject the offer.

”It is as Umbra says.” The Blood Fox nodded gently, they couldn’t really shop for normal clothes since they would have to make holes in them for their tails.

That was not bad per se, but the problem was that once there was a rip, the rip would easily expand and ruin the clothing. It was simply not a good idea to shop for clothing for Humans when they were Beasts...

”Wait, why did you suggest that when we can’t use them?!” Aiko felt like she was teased by her team...

Her team looked away like they didn’t want to answer her.

”Y-you were teasing me!” Aiko huffed and chased after them once they started to run away from her...