Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

”Have you located the Demonic Foxes?” A figure wrapped in shadows asked another.

”No, we can’t even locate the Fox that has our Divine Technique.” Another figure shook his head.

”What about the Delegation?” The third figure asked.

”They are still on the fence about everything.” The first figure frowned.

”...” They looked at each other, wondering who was messing with them...

-----

”This room smells like you.” Moon Aiko nodded her head.

”Why do I feel you are insulting me?” Mei pinched her cheeks.

”You smell like Herbs, so isn’t it only natural that this room would smell the same?” Moon Aiko tilted her head. She was slowly getting used to having her cheeks pinched like this.

”I mean, look around, there are just Herbs all around us.” Moon Aiko shrugged gently.

Mei sighed softly. ”Do you dislike it that much?”

”No?” Moon Aiko was confused. ”When did I say that I dislike it?” She couldn’t understand why everyone was so strange today.

”Then why do you keep looking around and at the same time sniffing?” Mei ’glared’ at Aiko.

”Homework.” Moon Aiko nodded her head.

It was a turn for Mei to be confused, and confused she was.

”What do you mean by that?” Mei leaned against a nearby non-occupied wall.

There were Herbs pretty much all around them and especially against the walls, since they were treated to enhance the Herbs’ effects.

”You gave me the Jade Slips, so I’m just doing my homework.” Moon Aiko shrugged. ”Although I still don’t know a few of them for some reason.” She sighed softly.

”Which ones?” Mei was quite... no, very happy like this.

Pill Refining is what she had left after the sudden departure of the now-alive sister.

One could say it was her bread and butter, her bird’s nest, her soul and so on.

Aiko ’playing’ with her like that made her happy.

”This one?” Moon Aiko pointed at the first Herb.

”Butthorn Herb?” Mei tilted her head.

”Nononono, that’s impossible, that one is brown, while this one is red.” Moon Aiko vehemently denied that name, since it didn’t fit the description.

”It’s what happens when the Herb consumes too much Yin.” Mei laughed heartily.

”Seriously?” Moon Aiko felt a bad premonition.

”Every Herb changes depending on the Qi and affinity they have, so it’s only natural that you will have to get used to that.” Mei laughed, seeing Aiko’s vacant expression.

”Why didn’t you mention them in the Jade Slip?” Moon Aiko immediately turned towards her.

”I have no idea what you are talking about.” Mei immediately looked away, as if she were guilty of something.

”Meeeei!” Moon Aiko cried out softly. ”But why?!”

”Do you know how much work it takes to gather all that information?!” Mei unhappily glared at Aiko. ”You should be happy you get at least the basics right!”

Moon Aiko pouted unhappily. ”It’s easy to just copy information!”

”Oh? Shall we make a bet then?” Mei licked her lips.

”Sure!” Moon Aiko was confident that she wouldn’t lose.

”Very well, you will spend a lot of time with me, and we need to have a talk!” Mei smiled happily.

”I will be sleeping in your tails whenever I’m around!” Moon Aiko proclaimed her wish.

”This is kind of unfair, don’t you think?” Mei stared blankly at Aiko, who was suddenly bold.

”Then you should’ve made a proper reward for yourself.” Moon Aiko pouted at her.

”Here.” Mei was reconsidering her kind nature and changing it to more cunning since she was surrounded by too many cunning Foxes.

Moon Aiko took it and tried to insert information into the Jade Slip. It was not like writing, but changing the Qi pathways inside to represent words.

She soon frowned due to the difficulty and because she cracked the Jade Slip.

”Hehe~” Mei giggled mischievously. ”If you are too forceful, then it will crack~” She handed another Jade Slip to Aiko.

She would splurge money until Aiko admitted her defeat!

...

A few Jade Slips later, Moon Aiko was frustrated. It still didn’t work. The Qi inside the Jade Slip was either too lazy or too scattered to form any meaningful words.

”Just so you know, you are currently holding the more expensive and easier Jade Slips.” Mei was greatly enjoying this situation, since she was able to spend time with Aiko.

Moon Aiko frowned even more and even glared at Mei.

’System, help me out!’ Moon Aiko would use everything at her disposal!

[Cheating your wife is not a good idea.]

’I will deal with it later!’ Moon Aiko was too frustrated at both the loss and the inability to do this properly.

She understood there was some kind of gimmick that she couldn’t figure out, like the last piece of the puzzle that you lost when you tried to complete it.

[...]

The system gave up, since it was obvious that Aiko would bug it until it caved in.

The Jade Slip shone slightly, startling Mei.

’N-no way!’ Mei was flustered since this could mean that she lost the bet!

”Here.” Moon Aiko handed over the Jade Slip happily. She was never so frustrated in her life, and the amount of Spirit Stones they burned during this bet was not a small number.

The best thing she could do is finish this quickly!

That was the reasoning that Moon Aiko used to justify her actions...

”You did it...” Mei seemed depressed, but skimming through it, she noticed something.

’Made by System...?’ Mei blinked a few times before her lips twitched.

”Aiko~” Mei’s scary smile scared Aiko.

”Y-yes?” Moon Aiko didn’t think she would have to pay for her actions immediately.

”Would you mind explaining why there is: Made by System?” Mei still smiled, but she was not really upset... She was upset, but also amused.

Upset because Aiko didn’t let her win, but also amused at the resourcefulness of the system.

’System! You have betrayed me!’ Moon Aiko felt like she was stabbed in the back.

[It’s only natural to claim the work we have done.]

Moon Aiko almost coughed up blood at that answer, because she couldn’t refute it at all!

’Damn you.’ Moon Aiko stood in front of an upset Mei.

”You didn’t say that I can’t use everything at my disposal.” Moon Aiko was obviously trying to bullshit her way out of this.

”So it’s fine if I get help from someone.” Her eyes were spinning all around, trying to find more reason that would allow Mei to accept this situation.

”You think I will let it just pass?” Mei was more amused by the flustered Aiko than upset at her shamelessness.

Of course, she wouldn’t let this go, but it was indeed an amusing situation.

Moon Aiko’s gaze suddenly sharpened. ”How about a draw?”

Mei laughed. ”That means you will be spending time with me~”

”I don’t mind.” Moon Aiko nodded her head like that was the most obvious thing.

”Huh?” Mei was slightly speechless. ”Didn’t you use the system because you wanted to win and not spend time with me?” She blinked at her blankly.

”Huh? No?” Moon Aiko was confused as to why Mei was looking like this. ”I was frustrated that it didn’t work and that we were ruining materials, so it’s only obvious I should make it work and then do it properly later.” She nodded her head like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

”...” Mei stared at her, speechless.

”Not to mention, this thing definitely requires a specific gimmick, no?” Moon Aiko ’glared’ at Mei. ”So if we are talking about cheating, didn’t you rig this from the start?!” She immediately accused Mei.

”Hm?” Mei was even more amused by this point. ”But it doesn’t.” She said with the happiest expression ever.

It felt like a rock fell on Moon Aiko’s head. ”I’m not stupid...”

”You just have to use neutral Qi, you can’t use Beast Core or anything like that, that’s why it’s so difficult.” Mei explained the process, making Aiko almost cry.

”I’m not stupid...” Moon Aiko sniffled, like she was hurt. She couldn’t figure that out.

Mei patted Aiko’s head. ”You are overthinking it too much.” She smiled softly while caressing her hair.

”That’s the pot calling the kettle black.” Moon Aiko immediately shot back with teary eyes.

”Right.” Mei nodded her head seriously with closed eyes.

Soon they both burst laughing.

”So, what were you up to this whole time? A freaking stampede?” Mei speechlessly shook her head.

”Hey! Danji was captured, so I thought I would let them taste a bit of their medicine.” Moon Aiko shrugged.

Mei laughed, shaking her head. ”How did you even manage to cause all of that?”

”I lured them with a maddening scent and got help from the Nightmare Forest.” Moon Aiko smirked like a tiny devil.

”You were able to talk with them without being beaten down?” Mei was startled, since she knew from rumours how hostile that place was, especially for Foxes.

”...” Moon Aiko suddenly remembered that bird-brain that almost clawed her in half.

”Right, without a fight...” Moon Aiko whistled.

”You didn’t try to fight them, right?” Mei was worried that Aiko might be going a bit too crazy.

”I don’t have a dead wish!” Moon Aiko stared at Mei speechlessly. ”They thought I was stealing their young.” She shrugged.

”That’s even worse.” Mei shook her head. ”No, wait, to begin with, where did you get them?”

”Hm? Didn’t you tell me to explore the Nightmare Forest so that I could find them?” Moon Aiko stared at Mei innocently.

”Nononono, I told you to scout for the Elders.” Mei frowned gently.

”Oh, those guys, too, they got what they deserved.” Moon Aiko nodded happily.

”What...?” Mei was stunned. ”They captured those young?” She felt a bad premonition.

”But yeah, I have more business with them, which would allow us to get escorts.” Moon Aiko smiled happily.

”Huh?” Mei frowned even more. ”Why would they want to work with someone as weak as you?”

”Hm? The Ancestor Beasts are apparently enslaved, and they want to break it.” Moon Aiko tilted her head.

”???” Mei widened her eyes. ”How did they get contracted? They are all already past the Mahayana Stage when it comes to strength!”

”How would I know? I didn’t ask them.” Moon Aiko shrugged like it was not her issue.

Mei facepalmed hard. It seemed like this would take a lot of time to explain everything to Aiko...