Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

’Couldn’t contact the Clothier. Couldn’t get more Treasures from that strange Bronze Fox. Couldn’t get a proper bed ready.’ Aiko listed a few things that she couldn’t get, since she was not ready to leave yet. The more she listed, the more upset she was.

Aiko glared towards Mei who was with her team.

”Aiko is really glaring at me...” Mei still didn’t believe that the Blood Fox spoke the truth.

”I told you.” The Blood Fox snorted. ”Moreover, since we are boarding this ship she will be unable to do all that much.”

Aiko had already caused disaster on both of those flying ships, so there was no way that they would allow Aiko to run around freely.

Aiko was waiting on the plaza with the others who would enter the Secret Realm.

A lot of them stared at the small Aiko, some even glared.

That is because Aiko’s team got a large portion of the ’seats’ that would allow them to enter the Secret Realm.

Moreover, Mei’s fame and her team’s beauty spread far and wide, so much so that others thought that Aiko was sticking like a sore thumb!

Aiko couldn’t care about the gazes, but she spotted a familiar duo. She sneaked towards them, since she was curious about them and if anything changed.

The first one was the familiar ice Fox. She was as beautiful as Aiko could remember, not quite the beauty of her team, but beautiful enough to make most speechless.

The ice Fox was around 170 cm tall with a D cup. She had waist-long light-blue white hair. Her eyebrows were decorated with ice crystals, giving her a mystic feeling. Likewise, her eyes were quite striking since it felt like there were ice crystal particles inside. Her lips were slightly light-bluish in colour, but it didn’t look unnatural. Her nose was small, like any Foxes’ would have. However, her three tails were half frozen, which upset Aiko. 3/10 would not even touch it!

Meanwhile, the other was the likewise familiar burning Fox.

The burning Fox was around 180 cm tall. He was quite gorgeous, but could not quite reach the ice Fox’s beauty. His hair was a mixture of orange, red, and yellow. His hair was likewise long, but not quite waist length. His eyebrows were quite striking since it felt like they were quietly burning. His lips were of the natural colour, but a bit redder due to the constant heat. His eyes gave off the feeling of an endless flame, slowly burning inside his soul. His tail was of normal length like the ice Fox’s, but his tail looked incredibly warm, maybe a bit too much, which concerned Aiko. 5/10 might try it later...

”You are still trying to burn her.” Aiko popped out of nowhere, scaring the both of them.

”Ah, if it isn’t the little Vicious Cub.” The Glacial Fox smiled.

”You shouldn’t try to burn her, you know.” Aiko nodded before gesturing towards the burning Fox.

The Blazing Fox smiled wryly. Whenever this little Fox came, he would be wronged... ”It’s nice to see you too.” He smiled innocently.

Aiko blinked a few times. For some reason, she didn’t really like this guy.

”How are you doing?” Aiko asked the cold Fox. She was really nice, like a portable freezing bed.

Aiko didn’t like the cold, but for some reason, she didn’t mind her coldness.

”I’m doing well for Glacial Fox.” The Glacial Fox nodded gently and slipped her name into the sentence, since she knew that the little Vicious Cub would not remember her name.

”And it’s thanks to this Blazing Fox.” She also slipped the name of her partner, so that the little Fox wouldn’t give them strange nicknames.

”Really?” Aiko turned towards the Blazing Fox.

”I’m doing my best to keep her warm.” The Blazing Fox smiled gently.

”... how suspicious.” Aiko narrowed her eyes.

”What is?” The Blazing Fox tilted his head.

”You are almost burning me, but you are just keeping her warm? Suspicious...” Aiko glanced at the Glacial Fox.

The Glacial Fox laughed and hugged the small Aiko. ”That is because of my Bloodline. While others would already burn, I would just feel warmth.” She nudged Aiko, unfortunately, there was no longer any baby fat that she could pinch.

”So he is like a portable warming pouch?” Aiko nodded gently.

The Blazing Fox sipped his tea alongside the Glacial Fox.

”Yes, but he likes to stab me during the night.” The Glacial Fox sighed and commented.

The Blazing Fox stiffened.

”You shouldn’t stab her too much!” Aiko played the innocent card.

The Blazing Fox tried to ignore the small Fox and enjoy his tea, but then something shocking happened.

”So when are you expecting kids?” Aiko suddenly asked.

Both of them choked, especially the Blazing Fox who was drinking tea.

The coughing fit attracted a lot of attention, and most of the Foxes on the plaza stared towards him.

The Glacial Fox was no better. Her face was completely red and she felt embarrassed, but at the same time she didn’t want to scold the little Fox, since she really wished for it...

”Remember to pull out in time if you are not ready! You can’t make her happy if you are so incompetent that you choke on tea!” Aiko suddenly proclaimed. Those stories from her team did a number on her mind.

The Blazing Fox choked even more, he didn’t know if he should be happy or livid at the little Fox!

”But at least you are both in good health.” Aiko nodded happily.

”It was all thanks to the wonderful business that you created.” The Glacial Fox soothed the little Vicious Cub’s hair.

”I did?” Aiko tilted her head.

”The Massage House?” Glacial Fox tried her best to divert the little Fox’s attention, so that she wouldn’t return with more things to say about them.

”Oh... I wondered why some chairs were burned, while others were completely frozen.” Aiko sighed. Those two problems were the hardest to repair, since too many things were destroyed in the process and she had to straight up replace them.

Both of them choked again. If they got a bit too excited they would do that, but it was not that often!

”You also obtained 3 tails, must be nice...” The Glacial Fox sighed. She only had two tails, since she didn’t want to complete the ’coming of age’ ceremony.

She just completely froze a few Souls and felt like she could gain a tail from it, so she did.

”Yeeeeah.” Aiko innocently looked away. It was a good idea to activate the [Heavenly Suppression Technique] in advance. Mei also included that Rune or whatever on her hand so that Aiko could use it constantly if needed.

”The messages felt amazing, although it’s a bit sad that there was no happy e- Ugh.” The Blazing Fox conversed with them until the Glacial Fox hit his side with her elbow.

”What was that?” The Glacial Fox was smiling, but not really smiling.

”Nothing.” The Blazing Fox shivered. He was so used to visiting the Heavenly Massage Parlour that he completely forgot that he was in the presence of his partner!

”Good.” She nodded with a strange laughter.

”So, when are the kids coming?” Aiko asked again and they both choked again.

”What?” Aiko tilted her head. ”You have such a harmonious relationship, so it’s only obvious something would be coming, no?”

The Blazing Fox coughed awkwardly, he was happy with this kind of praise.

The Glacial Fox shifted shyly, while the Blazing Fox had his issues; she was quite happy with him.

Then all of a sudden, another pair of Foxes approached.

Aiko only remembered the Shadow Fox from the tests, but she knew nothing about the other one.

”It’s nice to see you again!” The unknown Fox laughed haughtily.

She was quite small, but not as small as Aiko around 150~cm, but she was as flat as it gets. Her hair was somewhat short, which was rare, only reaching shoulder-length. She had similar colours to the Blazing Fox, but with a mixture of brown. Her eyebrows were quite stiff and unappealing. Her lips were a bit too big for her small face. However(!), Her tail looked like it was smashed by a hammer. It was so flat that Aiko almost mistook it for a beaver tail! Aiko was worried about its state! 0/10 would never get even close to it!

”It’s nice to see you.” Aiko nodded towards the Shadow Fox.

”Hello.” The Dark Fox shyly hid behind her partner. ”I’m Shy Shadow.” She murmured, but Aiko had superior hearing, so she heard everything.

The Shy Shadow looked quite nice. She was around 165~cm, with a modest C- bust. Her hair was dark, like Aiko’s in her shadow form. Her hair was around mid-back length. She looked slightly similar to Yuxi, but she didn’t have any cute markings or makeup-like enhancements. She looked a bit dull since she was a bit too shy. Her lips were nice and kissable. Her eyes were kind, but shy. Fortunately, her long tail looked amazing, 7/10 would definitely give it a go.

”Nice to meet you.” Aiko was polite for the first time in a long time, since she felt comfortable talking to them.

”And I’m the Exploding Fox!” The unknown Fox proudly said.

Aiko tilted her head, then tilted again and lastly gently slammed her fist into her palm.

”Ah! You are the Boom-Boom Squirrel!” Aiko proclaimed.

The Exploding Fox went red in the face and there was an outburst of laughter on the plaza from the surrounding Foxes.

The Exploding Fox was haughty, since her firepower through her explosions was unrivalled. As such, she believed that even the infamous Vicious Cub would show her infatuated expression.

”What?” Aiko tilted her head when she saw that glare. ”The last time I saw you was when you were desperately running away from my Blood Fox.” Aiko didn’t understand why she was being glared at and why others were laughing.

She was quite ignorant when it came to the events inside the Fox Village, but she couldn’t be blamed, since she worked a bit too hard inside the Grandmaster’s Abode.

The Exploding Fox went even redder remembering that humiliation.

”Oh? If it isn’t another small Fox.” The Blood Fox came, as she thought there was something fun happening with Aiko in the middle.

”Yeah. It’s the one you almost ate for breakfast.” Aiko nodded gently.

The Exploding Fox exploded and turned around, wanting to shout at the Blood Fox.

Unfortunately for her, the Blood Fox’s stunning beauty made her speechless.

”As an apology, be my servant!” The Exploding Fox blurted out.

Everyone turned silent, none expected this turn of events.

”Oho?” The Blood Fox narrowed her eyes and a chill went down the Exploding Fox’s spine.

It seems like she suffered quite the psychological scars from the Fox Village testing grounds.

Then, suddenly, she felt another pair of eyes staring at her, but they were even more bone-chilling than what the Blood Fox demonstrated.

The Exploding Fox hurriedly turned around to see the origin.

It was the Vicious Cub?! How is that possible?!

Aiko smiled and everyone in the plaza shivered. They still remembered that smile, the smile that and action that earned her that nickname!

”How about I take over and take good care of you~” Aiko wasn’t really smiling since someone was trying to steal her comfortable bed and caretaker.

Aiko pulled out a flag out of her Storage Ring. It was ’given’ to her by Mei.

The whole plaza took a step back, especially the Exploding Fox.

”W-w-what nonsense!” The Exploding Fox yelled out.

Aiko tilted her head innocently.

”Oh, I know!” Aiko clapped her hands innocently. ”You would prefer something like this, right?”

She stored the 1 cm in diameter flag and pulled out the 10 cm one.

The whole plaza was now huddled in a corner. Aiko’s first impression was too strong! Not to mention the current cute and innocently looking Vicious Fox!