Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

Wei Bixiang poured tea for the little Fox as she quietly observed her teacher.

”It’s a good idea to teach her Go. Most old fogeys love to play it and you can get to know them through it.” Lady Liu nodded her head slowly. She was glad that Aiko didn’t give up on Go just yet.

”I feel like you will bully me through this...” Aiko narrowed her eyes.

”No.” Lady Liu shook her head. ”If it were my sister, that would be true, but we are here only to teach you, so that you can get the inheritance.”

”Inheritance...” Aiko frowned. ”They told me that this place is about purification.” She squinted her eyes, questioning Wei Bixiang.

”[Healing Rays of Sunshine]. One of the most powerful purification techniques there is, but it has some restrictions.” Wei Bixiang slowly nodded her head. She would not just offer that one thing, but that was probably what she was referring to.

”What kind of restrictions?” Aiko blinked her eyes. Since her target was a ’Human’, that could mean she would need Dantian and other things for it.

”It’s set up for Humans, so you would need Dantian, Meridians and other things.” Wei Bixiang nodded her head slowly. ”Moreover, you also require a good enough affinity for Sun, not Flames, but Sun. If you don’t have an affinity for the Sun, then that technique would degrade greatly.” She shook her head. It would still be a powerful technique, but not as powerful as if one had Sun affinity.

”Why do I feel like it will take a while before I can use it...?” Aiko squinted her eyes.

”That is definitely the case.” Wei Bixiang pursed her lips. While this Fox seemed powerful, she was not stable enough to use her techniques just yet.

”You will also need a Cultivation Manual for your abnormal body.” Lady Liu chimed in to warn Aiko that it would not be easy.

”Ah, that part I have covered.” She could just use the [Cultivation Gift] once she reached the Human body.

She also still had the [Divine Ability Gift], but she was still saving it, since it was not that dangerous or problematic just yet.

”Good.” Lady Liu nodded her head. ”Let’s finish, Go and move on to the next topic.”

”Ugh...” Aiko grumbled about this since she was really worried about being bullied.

However, no matter how much she would grumble or groan, they would still teach her Go...

...

It was already a week later, but Aiko didn’t feel all that bad.

True to their word, both Lady Liu and Wei Bixiang slowly taught Aiko Go. Their strategies and what she could do.

They even told her what certain things meant.

”You are brash and very quick to make decisions on one side. On the other side, you are very slow and calculative.” Wei Bixiang told Aiko about her observations. ”Aiko, you will need to join those sides or add another one to make it more difficult for your opponent to corner you.”

As they came closer, Aiko shared her name since she quite liked how Wei Bixiang taught her.

They kept discussing for a while until Lady Liu chimed in again.

”Why are you spending time in a Sacred Realm?” Lady Liu narrowed her eyes.

”I’m stuck in my Cultivation Stage. I need some kind of nudge or experience that would allow me to progress.” Wei Bixiang explained her situation. ”Sacred Realms are mostly visited by skilled individuals and prodigies, so it’s a very good idea for me to spend time here.”

”Are you sure about that?” Lady Liu raised her eyebrow.

”No. This whole time, it was mediocrity after mediocrity. If it was not for Aiko’s ’solving’ capabilities, I would have already blown this place up and gone to a different Sacred Realm.” Wei Bixiang shook her head.

”How about coming down to the Mortal World?” Lady Liu squinted her eyes.

”Hey! While I don’t like going outside, it doesn’t mean I don’t have at least some information!” Wei Bixiang immediately retorted, and Lady Liu stared at her strangely.

”...” Wei Bixiang pursed her lips. ”Are you perhaps unaware that the Mortal World that you came from is currently under a powerful Seal?”

”Oh?” Lady Liu felt something weird about the chains that bound her, but she never imagined that they would be suppressed.

”The Mortal World was shrouded by the ’Moon Goddess’. It’s currently under a powerful Seal until someone ascends in an abnormal way. And since the ’Moon Goddess’ is currently sealed...” Wei Bixiang paused her words, not for dramatic effect, but because she was nudging them in a certain direction.

”The Seal is abnormally powerful until they would be willing to unseal the ’Moon Goddess’ herself.” Lady Liu was slowly turning back to the Empress that she was.

”En. Thanks to that, it was increasingly more difficult to maintain this connection, even going into this Sacred Realm took a lot of resources.” Wei Bixiang shook her head somewhat angrily. She didn’t think that cultivation in later stages would be so difficult.

”You were still unable to form your Dao?” Empress Liu raised her eyebrow.

”I do have Dao, but I’m unable to progress it. My attainment is so low that my peers even wondered how I was able to get one to begin with.” Wei Bixiang shrugged like she didn’t care, but it was obvious it was bothering her.

”What are you going to do now, then?” Empress Liu narrowed her eyes.

”Stay here for a bit longer before going back to the Immortal World?” Wei Bixiang sipped her tea while answering her friend.

”Oh? Have you given up?” Empress Liu licked her lips.

”No.” Wei Bixiang giggled. ”I feel like the Immortal World will be lively soon~” She glanced at a certain cute Fox that was groaning about the Go moves.

”That is certainly the case.” Empress Liu slowly nodded her head.

”So, should I still call you Empress?” Wei Bixiang changed the topic since she was curious about her teacher and friend.

”There is no need when we are alone. I don’t think I will be able to get my position back, so I will just follow Aiko and make her more mature.” Empress Liu shook her head.

Wei Bixiang narrowed her eyes. ”How are you going to deal with the ####?”

”That’s up to Aiko to decide how she wants to ascend.” Empress Liu shrugged her body before floating around.

”You think she will be able to bypass it?” Wei Bixiang raised her eyebrow. She didn’t believe that Aiko would get skilled enough to do it.

”No. Aiko is cute enough to get helpers to do it for her.” Empress Liu chuckled.

”...” Wei Bixiang stared at her friend speechlessly.

It took only a moment for Aiko to slam the table.

”Fucking finallyyyyyyyyy! I did it!” Aiko was overjoyed, since she had just defeated the absent-minded Wei Bixiang.

”Huh...” Wei Bixiang blinked a few times. She was not paying as much attention as she should, but this still shouldn’t happen!

[Divine Skills: [Arts Mastery: Lv.2 (Inscription, Alchemy, Assassin, Smithing, Forging)]]

V

[Divine Skills: [Arts Mastery: Lv.2 (Inscription, Alchemy, Assassin, Smithing, Forging, Go)]]

Wei Bixiang narrowed her eyes, for some reason, Aiko suddenly got a lot better, which was quite bothering her...

”How did you do that?” Wei Bixiang tried to observe Aiko, but she played with the most innocent face.

”I have no idea what you are talking about.” Aiko smiled from ear to ear.

”That’s what I was talking about. Aren’t you intrigued?” Empress Liu giggled.

”Ugh.” Wei Bixiang groaned unhappily, but it would be a lie if she said she was not intrigued by the current situation.

”What’s next~” Aiko hummed happily as she waited for the teacher to give her more pointers.

”Hmmmmm.” Empress Liu paused her thoughts and observed Aiko. She was still the bratty self, and Liu Zhi believed that she should keep some of that. ’It needs to be adjusted so that it doesn’t enrage others too much, but piques their interest enough that Aiko would be safe.’

”I don’t want to play any more...” Wei Bixiang grumbled unhappily. They played Go too much, and now she was tired of it.

Now, don’t get her wrong. Aiko was still improving, but it was not at a pace that Wei Bixiang would like, so she wanted to change the game to settle her thoughts again.

”Did you even give anyone your Inheritance?” Empress Liu was curious about this part.

”You think I will just hand it out like candies? I despise Haven’s Chosen or anyone who doesn’t know how to play Go!” Wei Bixiang begrudgingly shook her head.

”How about our cute Aiko?” Empress Liu was curious about her assessment of Aiko.

”Hmmmmm...” Wei Bixiang paused for a brief moment. ”I’m not sure...” She was on the edge when it came to Aiko. ”She is definitely unique enough, but that is not necessarily a good thing.”

”You think they will hate her?” Empress Liu was asking about those old fogeys.

”Ehhhhh...” Wei Bixiang shook her hand. ”I’m not sure if they will like her, but they won’t hate her.” She was on the fence when it came to Aiko’s expressions.

”So they won’t like her. As expected.” Empress Liu nodded her head.

Aiko was too chaotic for the Immortal World. Those old fogeys liked harmony, tranquillity, and stillness.

Aiko was none of those.

”It shouldn’t be that bad. They might be old, but as long as Aiko doesn’t directly insult them, at worst, she would be chased around by Cultivators.” Wei Bixiang chuckled.

”Yes, that’s the problem. If they chase Aiko around, she will acquire too much wealth too quickly.” Empress Liu shook her head.

”So I should prepare them for her arrival? Impossible.” Wei Bixiang immediately rejected Empress Liu’s motion. ”You should know that I’m the bottom of the barrel when it comes to the Cultivation Stage. They are unlikely to listen to me.” She didn’t want to endanger her life if possible.

That was also one of the reasons she didn’t walk outside. Her Cultivation Stage progressed too slowly compared to her peers’.

”I see...” Empress Liu sighed. ”Then, can you at least give her your Inheritance?”

”So my life is endangered even more?” Wei Bixiang was flabbergasted at her friend’s insistence.

”You will have to do it eventually.” Empress Liu narrowed her eyes.

”...” Wei Bixiang sighed. It was true that Aiko was learning quite well and she would pass the minimal mark in Go for her Inheritance, but that didn’t mean that Wei Bixiang was willing to give it to her.

”Do you know how my Inheritance works?” Wei Bixiang narrowed her eyes as her expression turned serious.

Aiko shook her head.

Empress Liu also shook her head.

Wei Bixiang licked her lips.

”Then a demonstration is in order...”