Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

Sun Aiko woke up the next day next to Li Xiu. She didn’t mind being hugged like this, since Older Sister was quite rough with the toxins.

Her body ached, but she was not allowed to vaporise the poisons, since Older Sister was making use of them.

”You seem quite listless.” Li Xiu tilted her head. She didn’t expect Aiko to be lying around so listlessly.

”How about walking around?” Li Xiu proposed. She wondered if Aiko would like that.

”Carry me.” Sun Aiko didn’t want to move until Captivating Aiko took care of that problem.

”...’ Li Xiu didn’t mind that, but she felt it was strange that Aiko was so low on energy.

Li Xiu picked up Aiko in her Fox Form and walked outside her room.

”Master?” Li Xiu tilted her head.

Ah Cy smiled, but still paused when she saw Aiko. ’Good thing she is not in her human form.’ She nodded lightly and gave her Disciple a Jade Slip.

”This is?” Li Xiu probed the Jade Slip, but it was too difficult to understand for her.

”Mind Cultivation Manual, very useful for you.” Ah Cy said briefly. ”Ah, and the Leader of the Shadows is looking for you.” She immediately disappeared since she was going to visit the main Peak and cultivate her energies.

”...” Li Xiu was still troubled by her Master, since she did this quite often. ’But since I can’t understand it, it must be precious.’

[Indomitable Mind Fortress (Mind Cultivation Manual - Divine Rank)]

Li Xiu almost choked on her own saliva when she read. The highest-ranked Cultivation Manual that she had was Low Heaven! Yet this skipped so many ranks and went into Divine Rank!

Li Xiu was confused why her Master gave her something this precious, but she didn’t dwell on it too much.

’If it strengthens my mind, I will be able to have fewer headaches if Aiko does something.’ Li Xiu convinced herself that it was about this and nothing else.

Nodding her head, she stored that Jade Slip into her Spatial Ring. It was big enough to house multiple houses, so a small Jade Slip would easily fit in.

Well, most of her space was occupied with either Pills or clothes, so she would have to store them there even if she didn’t want them! Otherwise, her Master would question her spending habits.

It was never a good idea to involve her Master when it came to shopping, as she was quite uncontrollable when it came to that.

Crossing half a Peak, Li Xiu arrived with Aiko at the headquarters of the Shadow Squad.

”Master told me that Uncle Tao Xin was looking for me.” Li Xiu announced to the guards.

Sun Aiko perked her ears. It felt like she remembered that name from somewhere.

”Please go in.” The guards made way. They were shrouded in shadows, and this place was likewise quite dark.

It was not like the Sun didn’t shine here, but a special Array made it so the light didn’t quite reach, and there was also constant, light fog.

This made it difficult to invade or gather information about this place.

Well, for others, Aiko was not affected at all by these meaningless things as her eyes burned through deception.

Of course, this ability didn’t bloom fully, so it had many restrictions, but Sun Aiko quite liked it, since with enough power behind it, she could see if her opponents had any hidden weapons under their clothing!

It was similar to Moon Aiko’s half-awakened sight, just less extreme.

Well, Moon Aiko never used her eyes to undress others, but she would have to soon gather research material on fighting stances and that kind of stuff, so she would have to use them in order to see their muscles.

Well, that was still for the future.

”Saintess.” Tao Xin bowed to the Saintess and smiled.

”Uncle Tao Xin.” Li Xiu smiled and nodded back.

”Ah! It’s the old guy from the ruined flying ships!” Sun Aiko finally remembered who this was.

Tao Xin was confused at first since he didn’t remember any flying ships being shot-

”Ah...” Tao Xin had a headache. ”If it’s not the Fox that destroyed so many flying ships...” He got orders to protect the Treasure, but at that time, nobody knew that it would bring such immeasurable disaster upon them.

”Hm.” Sun Aiko snorted unhappily. ”Thank you for helping me back then.” For some reason, she felt like she was being badmouthed by him.

”Haha...” The Uncle-looking Cultivator shrugged awkwardly.

”There are more and more missing coming from the Nightmare Forest. It seems like the damned old fogeys are making moves.” Tao Xin scoffed at them.

”Should I take another mission?” Li Xiu tilted her head.

”Not yet, I heard that Saintess obtained an opportunity of increased ambient Qi, so you should use it fully.” Tao Xin meant it well, but Li Xiu’s face was already distorted like she had eaten something exceptionally sour.

”There is no need, Uncle. I can help you with more missions.” Li Xiu put on a strong front, but she really didn’t want to return to her courtyard as she dreaded both the tree and Aiko’s expression.

”It’s fine. It’s rare that anyone can get the ambient Qi as high as it is in your courtyard, so use it well.” Tao Xin wiped a single tear under his eye. If he were so lucky as to obtain that kind of sacred place, he would not be willing to leave it at all! Even if the Sect got wiped out!

Yet the Saintess was kind enough to throw that opportunity away just for them!

”No...” Li Xiu didn’t know how to explain this situation, as it felt like a new misunderstanding had formed between them.

For some reason, thanks to this system, everyone was having the most outrageous misunderstanding that always helped her cause, even if she didn’t want it!

”It’s fine, it’s fine. Saintess is magnanimous, so we will deal with this issue.” Tao Xin patted the speechless Li Xiu before sending her away.

”...” Sun Aiko gave Li Xiu ’that’ kind of gaze.

”Don’t say anything.” Li Xiu almost cried at how hurt she was, especially since that gaze was coming from Aiko.

”You will need many whips, huh?” Sun Aiko sighed, shaking her head.

Li Xiu grabbed Aiko’s mouth and didn’t let her speak more. She was so embarrassed that she didn’t want to be seen at all!

’That’s right! I can just cut it!’ Li Xiu’s eyes shone. Sure, her Master might scold her, but that would solve her two pressing issues at once!

Nodding to herself like she had found the perfect solution, she immediately dashed towards her courtyard!

...

[You are forbidden from cutting the Heavenly Tree.]

”%@$#%@$!” Li Xiu spewed demonic words while gripping her hair. She couldn’t believe that something so obscene was supposed to help her during ascension!

”Fuck you, system! I hate you!” Li Xiu’s system was generous for the most part, but certain things were highly questionable.

Like the awfully smelly Pill that was supposed to make her more beautiful, or this moaning tree!

”So you have a system, huh?” Sun Aiko didn’t care much about it, but Moon Aiko would be highly interested.

”Huh, n-no?” Li Xiu completely forgot that Aiko even existed! That’s how shocked she was!

”It’s fine. I understand.” Aiko’s system also screwed her before, but now it was obedient, which was good.

”...” Li Xiu gazed at Aiko, but it didn’t seem she would ask any questions for her.

”Questions later, I’m too tired.” As if Sun Aiko read her mind, she answered her inner question.

”...” Li Xiu lost hope, since it didn’t seem like Aiko would let it go this time.

She chose to give up and scooped Aiko up.

Walking into her room, she lifelessly plopped onto the bed, not minding if Aiko would stay or not.

’How am I supposed to explain something like that?!’ She was concerned about being cursed by her system.

[As an individual ’####’ is not part of the ecosystem, you are allowed to share information.]

[The system is currently not being extorted, and everything works perfectly!]

Li Xiu stared at the notifications. Her system was suspicious as ever, but as long as it gave her goodies, she wouldn’t complain too much.

Her system also had a lot of bugs, which allowed her to be lazier than her peers!

...

Day turned into night, and Sun Aiko exchanged places with Moon Aiko.

Captivating Aiko didn’t want to come out, since she would have to deal with the poisons, and she was currently too lazy, as she was missing Mei Energy.

Li Xiu’s heart palpitated when she saw this silver-haired Aiko.

”But on some clothes!” Li Xiu covered her eyes, but even Moon Aiko was too lazy to bother.

She would not be leaving this room, so there was no point in dressing up when she would undress herself soon after.

”Let’s talk about the system.” Moon Aiko lay her body next to Li Xiu’s and nudged her.

”I’m not here!” Li Xiu was unwilling to talk with Aiko completely naked!

”Does your system tell you everything?” Moon Aiko lay on her back, as that was more comfortable than on her stomach.

Her unnaturally perky peaks didn’t melt like Younger Sister’s, which puzzled her, but she didn’t question it.

”Not everything. The system gave me [Spiritual Insight], so I have to figure most things myself...” Li Xiu was very grateful for that skill, since it also allowed her to see the materials and state of Treasures or Herbs.

[You can purchase [Spiritual Insight] for 10 Million Cultivation Points.]

Moon Aiko almost choked on her own saliva like Li Xiu did previously. She couldn’t understand why something so simply named would be so precious!

[Your Cultivation Points are currently being converted. You can’t use them.]

Aiko had previously told the system to convert her previous points, but it was taking a while.

”So I have to train my [Spiritual Insight] if I want to know more about things.” Li Xiu sighed. Her eyes hurt just remembering how hard she had to work to achieve her current attainment.

’It kind of sounds like my [Appraisal] just better.’ Moon Aiko felt like it was a lesser version of it.

[You are correct. While [Spiritual Insight] uses a multitude of senses, [Appraisal] only uses your Stamina.]

’Can I use it now?’ Aiko sighed. She had unlimited Stamina, so she could just spam it.

[Your mind is not unlimited, so please proceed with caution!]