Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

{A bit earlier somewhere}

Aiko woke up with a splitting headache. The room was empty without a Soul, yet there was this gnawing feeling, a feeling of home.

Aiko looked around, but everywhere was just black.

Suddenly someone appeared in front of her.

Luna said energetically. ”Hello, little Fox as well as your companions, please do not panic, I’m not here to hurt you, but help you. I get some of you may not trust the words of some Outer God, and I just have one thing to say.”

*A mischievous smirk*

Aiko blankly stared at this projection, not sure what to do. ”Skip? Can I skip?” Aiko looked around to see if there was some kind of skip button

”None of you can avoid this.” Luna said with a voice full of mischief.

”Well... shit.” Aiko frowned. She was trapped in some foreign room with an even more foreign person.

”Ah, my apologies for not introducing myself first. My name is Luna, I am from a far off universe ruled by a different Chaos, in my world I am the Goddess of Stars and Space, and the entity known as the Abyss of Fluff.”

”Right... as if I know what that even means.” Aiko plopped on her butt, observing this strange person. ”But since you are a Goddess, we can just skip this thing, right?” Aiko looked cutely at Luna.

*Luna’s ten tails smoothly wave to show off their perfection.*

’Maybe after I test the fluff levels.’ Aiko was still a bit tired, so she would just nab those tails for a not-so-quick nap.

Luna’s projection kept talking. ”With the permission of my God of Chaos as well as the entity managing these worlds here, I am going to bless all of you with my Abyssal Fluff Authority. ”

Aiko readied herself and jumped at Luna’s tails, but as this was just a projection and not the real deal, she passed right through Luna and face-planted on the floor.

Aiko begrudgingly rubbed her nose, staring at Luna.

”I’ll let you all figure out what exactly the blessing does on your own, but I’ll say this much, as the highest Authority of Fluff in all existences, don’t slack in the care of your Fluff. I’ve made sure the blessing will keep you all motivated to do so.”

”More things I have to take care of...” Aiko whined and plopped weakly on the floor, waiting for this projection to continue...

“Don’t worry, my little Acolyte, it’s not all bad. And it’s not just you, your closest companions, now and in the future, get this. Think about it, though it may not be at my level, you will get tails of the highest fluff available in this universe as beds.” Luna spoke with pride.

Aiko contemplated the words the projection spoke. Her cute face made Luna giggle and cross her arms, unintentionally pushing her chest up, showing their size.

”... bigger than Blood Fox.” Aiko wondered if those were even legal...

It was only now that Aiko actually took in Luna’s appearance. In a human form, she stood at 195.59 cm and her hair was black, extending to the small of her back, ending in silver tips, which her ears and tails also shared. Though, her tails were also special. They looked like they held a tapestry of the universe in them and every time she moved, the scene seemed to show a different part of it, with space constellations appearing every now and then. Her eyes glowed with a silver light that made Aiko want to take the shinies. She wore a modified black kimono that ended in a skirt flared at her thighs.

”Hmm?” Aiko tilted her head cutely.

Even as a projection, Aiko could tell something was off with Luna’s clothes. She stood up again and circled around the tall Fox.

”Illusion?” Aiko’s mind felt conflicted, as on the one hand this felt like some sort of exhibitionism, but on the other-.

“Yep. Much better than normal clothes. Infinite possibilities and nothing is lighter and soundless than illusions.” *Mischievous Smirk* “And there is no hassle in putting them on.” Luna told the benefits of this special outfit.

This made Aiko’s ears twitch. She would definitely save this idea for later.

”Exhibitionist.” Aiko stuck out her tongue.

“Fufufu. Not really, if no one but my Fated One can see through them.” Luna said with a hint of amusement.

Luna’s projection started to fade as its purpose in delivering the blessing had been fulfilled.

”Have I been screwed by an exhibitionist...?” Aiko could not believe it. ”At least she is pretty.” Aiko nodded gently, expecting Luna to finally fade away, but…

“Ah, before I go for good,” Luna popped back in full colour yet again startling Aiko.

”Gah!” Aiko plopped back, not expecting her to come back.

“Here’s an idea for future fun. Get some lemon juice and capsaicin and put them in glass jars. The lemon jars are called Potions of Greater Hurting and the capsaicin are Enhanced Potions of Greater Hurting. Have fun!” Luna waved like a mischievous, happy fox before her projection disappeared for good.

Aiko blinked her eyes a few more times, still on guard, expecting another sudden appearance, but at the same time, she processed the information she was given.

’Maybe I will test it on the Mirage Fox.’ Aiko narrowed her eyes. ’But the recipe seems a bit too simple?’ She tilted her head.

Aiko looked around once more, the place was now empty. A void filled with nothingness.

It felt like she could just lie down and sleep comfortably here, without care in the world.

”I supposed that’s my only option...” Aiko slowly closed her eyes.

At that moment millions upon millions of eyes popped around her, observing her with curiosity...

...

{Back in the Fox Village at the same time}

Mei walked outside. The Heavenly Disaster got so big and it made her skin crawl. She wondered what kind of Holy or Sacred Beast was advancing... but at the same time, she worried quite a lot.

It was in the direction of where Aiko had that mission. She extor- convinced a few Shadow Guards to spill the secrets about the mission and she worried that Aiko would hit some kind of misfortune.

The only thing that put her to use was Pill Refining. Their fates were tied together, so if Aiko had fallen, she would fall too. That did not happen, she even felt that she had luck on her side.

The Grandmaster was away, negotiating with the South. The Grandmaster already told Mei about the kind of disaster what was ensuing, but she didn’t know much of the details, just that the Foxes were involved.

The internal strive heightened thanks to Aiko. Mei did not realise how many Elders took interest in her. Not just the Massage Chair, but even her knowledge about Alchemy. They were interested in how much Aiko was able to learn in this limited time.

They were keen on exploiting this to push their own Disciples forward, so that they would stop chasing other Foxes.

Mei... did not mind this as they would get benefits, but the wrong side was on the move too. They sent that team after Aiko... yet there was no message back for some time now.

That meant that either Aiko dealt with them or they got lost.

Mei watched as the Disaster Cloud got even bigger and went inside. It seems like she will have to put her Talisman-making skills to use. She did not create them once she learned Arrays and Formations, so she will be rusty, but she still believed that a few Movement Talismans should still be within her reach...

...

{Somewhere else at unknown time}

A spear slammed into a large Buddha, yet the damage was negligible.

She frowned as she could up blood. There were too many Sages around and she would not be able to fend off all of them.

Moreover, that mischievous Fox is already too injured to help her.

”Give up! We already destroyed 99 of your Mortal Worlds!” One Sage with the Golden Crown sneered. He was part of the old Golden Palace.

The Serpent snorted. Those Worlds might be gone, but she would lay her life to protect her last child.

All worlds were equal in her eyes. Sure, some were more resourceful than others, but that did not mean they were any better.

The Serpent was weak, her spear almost broken.

The numerous lights surrounding her laughed with glee. Those were the Sages that invaded her domain.

”We have already weakened her, it will take us a few moments to destroy the last Mortal World.” The Sage from the old Golden Palace said and everyone agreed.

They went towards the Mortal World.

All Sages gathered around the tiny spec of light that represented the dying world.

All of them gathered energy to crush it.

The multicoloured energies mixed, creating a storm that shook the Serpent’s domain.

”Since the Phoenix is also on house arrest by her clan, we can finish her linea- ITCHY!” The Sage from the old Golden Palace suddenly screamed.

”SO ITCHY!”

”MY ASS!”

”MY BALLS!”

Other Sages joined, some felt pain, and others felt itchy. Then there were those who foamed from their mouths and passed out.

The Sages were confused. What was happening? They looked towards the insignificant speck of light and it was shrouded by some kind of energy.

”The Moon bit- ITCHY!” The sage from the old Golden Palace scratched his body once again, it felt so unbearably itchy, something that he hadn’t experienced for millennia!

*Giggle* A nice and soothing voice spread around. ”How cute those bastards roll~” The Serpent with the Fox disappeared in front of their faces.

”You-!” Another female Sage glared towards the Moon.

*Giggle* The ’Moon’ smiled back. ”You look truly wonderful with that rash. Now, now, don’t scratch it so much or it will leave scars.” *Giggle*

The ’Moon’ was like a mischievous little girl, causing chaos that she could laugh at.

Before the Sages could say anything, the Serpent dissapeared collapsing her domain on the way out, causing everyone to cough up blood. The Void gripped them harshly and they were not prepared for it, so they lost a lot of Providence because of this dirty move.

All the Sages disappeared from their position and all sat around a large table.

”ITCHY!”

They were in a sorry state. Even when they gathered 7 Sages, they lost so much, so many Treasures and Providence that they wanted to cry.

The Serpent disappeared like she never existed, but the small Mortal World still lived, so she was also still alive.

”If the ’Moon’ transported them to her side, it means they are sealed.” One of the Sages said with difficulty.

They all frowned, but they could not pursue them. They would have to wait it out until the Serpent lost most of her remaining Providence before they would invade the ’Moon’.

They were like wounded sitting ducks. They hated this feeling since they were supposed to have overwhelming differences, but they didn’t expect that small Vixen to target their rears, while the Serpent was delivering fatal blows.

Another Sage, a Fox, smiled. ”It’s good that I had been friends with her for so long, otherwise we would’ve lost.” She smiled weakly, but meaningfully. She stabbed her childhood friend, since she was in the way and that almost secured them the victory.

Her contributions could not be taken lightly.

The other Sages frowned. They also knew this, but didn’t want to admit it. They would have to pay out a lot for those losses, especially for those who tried that hard.

The Buddha coughed even more blood before leaving the table. It will take them too much time to recover, but their main goal is finished. The Serpent was no more and with that ’THAT’ being would target the Serpent instead of them.

He was not willing to sit with them, since he only wanted to kill that intruder in the Mortal World, but now that the Mortal World was crumbling... there was no need to complicate things further.

They all disbanded and went their own ways.