Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

Chapter 77 – (18+) Aiko’s ‘Awakening’

Aiko walked throughout the night, she was not in a hurry as she was enjoying the caress of the shadows.

'They are running around so much...' Aiko stared at the old guys running around.

'I bet they are furious about the ambient Qi.' Aiko smirked, the ambient Qi dropped by a lot right now.

Aiko arrived at their courtyard.

"You scum! We will truly kill your Mate if you don't deactivate that Array!" One guy screamed at Mei.

Mei sipped tea. "I don't know what you mean. This Array was already here." She smiled mischievously.

"You! Don't you care about your Mate?!" That old guy screamed again.

Aiko stared at them. 'So they tried to kidnap us to solve the issue they themselves caused?' She was confused.

She moved in the shadows and settled on Mei's tails. 'Well no matter, let's sleep for now.'

Mei's lips twitched the moment something touched her tails, but she also felt that something had settled on them.

'So she has returned, how cute.' Mei smiled. "Will you leave now?"

"You caused this! Remember this!" He huffed and left the place with his lackeys.

'They can't just create this Array and not expect someone to turn it around.' Mei sighed, it seemed like she was overestimating Human Cultivators.

This Array was so simple that even a beginner could tweak it, much less someone who has achieved [Array Sovereign] Title.

'And she is already asleep.' Mei's lips twitched again, this was the only time when her little sweetie slept so well.

...

The next day Aiko woke up. Mei was creating Pills and as such moved inside the building with Aiko.

She stretched and left her tails, feeling a sense of loss, but she shook off that feeling and returned to her table to practice Runes.

The Blood Fox was staring at her playing in the fog. Whenever she was in her vicinity she felt at peace, but at the same time, she also felt something amiss.

She couldn't put her finger on it so she continued absorbing the Qi fog inside her body.

"It's impressive you can already use the ambient Qi." Mei commented.

"It is only because the manual is simple." The Blood Fox remained humble as that technique was truly simple, but at the same time, it was difficult to gather a lot of Qi.

Aiko practised Runes for a while, they didn't bicker, but she still heard moans from the nearby courtyard.

'Let's explore some more.' Aiko stood up, bothered.

She left the courtyard again. It was bothersome to listen to the moans, it was much more peaceful outside.

The Inscription Hall was huge and had 4 wings. The North Wing was for Patriarch and Elders. The South Wing was for Association Members. The East Wing was for Inscription Cultivators Test takers. The West wing was for Foxes, who wished to take the test. It was the smallest and most humble Wing out of them.

'Or so they say.' Aiko stared at some disciples from the shadows. She learned her lesson about Human being bothersome.

She already explored the East Wing and she had no intention to explore the North Wing.

'I will explore the South Wing for a bit and then return.' Aiko stared at her hand where an elaborate Inscription was created by Mei. 'She said it would offset the [Heavenly Suppression Technique]'

She had constantly run the [Heavenly Suppression Technique] and it didn't consume much of her Stamina so she was happy.

The South Wing was quite lavish, compared to the East and West Wing. She stared around and sniffed the air. It was smelly, like a trash can.

'Can't believe they can live in here...' She stared at the elaborate, but filthy halls. 'Didn't Cultivators love cleanliness??' Aiko was confused.

She walked through the corridors. The Female Inscription Cultivators were somewhat fine, but the male versions were smelly as hell.

Aiko arrived in front of huge doors and sneaked around.

"The Inscription Palace will open soon." One voice said with concern.
"Why now? Now that there are Foxes in here they might demand permission to enter." Another voice was angry.

"Gentlemen, it is not up to us to restrict access, Runes decide everything." The Patriarch's voice reprimanded them.

They didn't say anything more but were concerned about the Palace. There was a long-lost legacy that could be obtained if one had good enough Insight about Inscriptions and even if they didn't have all that good Insight they still would be able to gain something from going inside there.

"Gentlemen please sit down." The Patriarch gestured. "I'm looking forward to what those little Foxes can do."

"Patriarch it is unwise to allow them to enter." The third voice voiced his opinion. "If they obtain that legacy we would be at their mercy."

"It's not like that legacy will vanish." The Patriarch said gently. He was able to obtain part of that legacy with some difficulty, but that didn't mean that part of the legacy vanished it was still there waiting for someone fortunate enough to find it.

"If they obtain it, then they obtain it. Humans should rely on Humans and Beasts should rely on other Beasts." The Patriarch commented gently. He noticed that little fluffball long ago, but didn't say anything.

He was looking forward to what this little one can achieve. It would be against his interest to expose her now.

"But Patriarch, we will be left behind if they obtain it." The first voice was upset.

"Just because you have poor aptitude doesn't mean you will be able to block them forever. If we ban them from entering those grounds who knows what might happen." The Patriarch pointed at that issue.

"Do you mean that Rune Fox?" The fourth voice asked Patriarch.

"Yes, if we ban the Foxes from entering that place and block the Rune Fox, who knows what might happen in the future." The Patriarch spoke gently, but there was deep concern in his voice.

"Can't we just kill her?" The Second voice frowned.

"Can you go against her Mate?" The Patriarch narrowed his eyes.

"You mean Fairy Jade Fox?" The fifth voice spoke up and he shivered. "I will definitely be against it."

"Cowards." Spat the Second voice.

"You were not there when we witnessed it." The Fourth voice warned the Second voice.

There was silence. It was a long silence that bored Aiko.

...

She left that place thinking about that Inscription Palace. It was an interesting conversation considering it was a legacy. Legacy should be pretty amazing, it's something that is preserved over a long time.

'Runes are fun, but I don't think I will play with them once I create that massaging chair...' Aiko thought. 'Maybe I will create a few Storage Rings, but... I don't have materials nor the skill to create them.' Aiko sighed walking with spring in her legs.

She really liked the little ponds and bridges. It was so small, yet so large. A small paradise that was peaceful.

'Maybe I should create a garden like that for myself.' Aiko pondered. 'I can let Mei set up a Sound Locking Array, creating a peaceful environment.'

She stared forward. 'It's difficult to sleep without those tails, maybe I should use Runes for bedding and stuff.' Aiko paused. 'That doesn't sound like a bad idea.' She nodded to herself and arrived in the East Wing.

'Let's sneak around for gossip or more Rune knowledge.' Aiko entered the East Wing unnoticed. No Elders were guarding it. They were too occupied by the Patriarch and ambient Qi deficiency.

Aiko walked undisturbed.

"Ah~ Senior Brother."

Aiko paused. 'It's noon...' She felt a headache as she exited the Brothel after a long night only to enter another Brothel right after. 'Seriously...'

She stared at the room where they were having sex, but something felt strange.

'Why is the Qi being pulled so vigorously?' Aiko tilted her head. She entered the shadows and sneaked inside.

Inside there was a huge male railing small petite Cultivator, but Aiko ignored that. She spotted a few books on the table and one had strange energy around it.

She walked towards the table with her Assassination Skill, unnoticed by both of them. She took that strange book and left the room. She wouldn't be able to read that book if she was in the same room as those two.

It would only cause her a headache.

She scouted other rooms but didn't find anything interesting, only some male Cultivators hitting on that Bao Ai Cultivator.

'I have no interest in that.' Aiko turned around from them, it's their problem not hers, she was not Human and there was no need to bother with Humans.

She walked from the East Wing back to the West Wing and arrived in front of Mei.

"I found this. Is it useful?" Aiko presented Mei with the book.

Mei glanced at Aiko, she was preparing a new batch of Herbs for Refinement.

Mei glanced at the book and stiffened. A faint blush crept on her face. "Where did you find this?"

Aiko narrated the place and placed the book in front of Mei.

"It had this strange Energy so I bought it back." Aiko commented.

Mei's lips twitched. "Will you take anything you like?" She asked Aiko.

"Of course. Didn't you always say to grasp all opportunities?" Aiko defended herself like she had done something bad.

Mei massaged her temples. 'Why do you learn those things, but not the other important parts...' She sighed gently.

"It's Dual Cultivation Manual." Mei answered Aiko's question.

"What does it do?" Aiko asked as it piqued her interest.

"When you 'Dual Cultivate' with someone it will help you gather Qi and clean your body." Mei felt burdened by those eyes.

"Can it clean my Beast Core?" Aiko asked narrowing her eyes.

"Yes, it is beneficial for us Mighty Foxes." Mei smiled.

"Let's do it!" Aiko smiled. "I can purify my Beast Core this way~" She hummed.

Mei froze. "I don't think that is a good idea." Her lips were twitching.

"Why not? Didn't you spend a lot of money on those Baths? Wouldn't this be cheaper?" Aiko barraged the mean Fox with questions.

"You are too young!" Mei kicked Aiko out of her place with a red face.

Aiko was confused. 'Is the Dual Cultivation so important?'

Aiko spotted the Blood Fox and ran towards her. The Blood Fox was currently drinking tea in peace.

Aiko stared at the Blood Fox. 'What a picturesque body...'

"Hey hey, let's Dual Cultivate!" Aiko smiled patting the Blood Foxes legs.

*PFFFT*

The Blood Fox coughed spilling the tea everywhere even on Aiko.

"Ew!" Aiko frowned.

The Blood Fox snapped out of her peaceful atmosphere, her mind in complete turmoil. She stared at the little Fox in disbelief.

"You are too young." The Blood Fox looked away. She was also burdened by Aiko's gaze.

"Why?" Aiko pressed on. She had to understand what was happening.

"Well..." The Blood Fox didn't know how to explain it to the Cub.

"Spill it!" Aiko pouted.

"Dual Cultivation is mostly about sex." The Blood Fox felt compelled to answer that question, but then she covered her mouth with her hands. She felt like she did something bad.

"Oh. That makes more sense now." Aiko nodded in understanding. "That would mean I would have to find some male Cultivators." She spoke to herself but was grabbed by Blood Fox.

"Do not even think about it!" The Blood Fox spoke seriously. "Your Mate would kill me if she knew that I guided you like this!" She almost cried in her heart.

"Oh..." Aiko tilts her head. "But you can't have sex with the same... you know."

"I understand your concern, but you are too young." The Blood Fox said firmly. "Once you grow up a little more ask your Mate again, okay? Don't do anything rash! I want to live a long life!" The Blood Fox pleaded with Aiko.

For some reason seeing that pitiful Blood Fox pleading... Aiko felt strangely good...