Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

”Your swimming speed is too slow and you make too much noise.”

”The rock jumping obstacle was alright but too slow.”

”The rope climbing was alright, but mountain climbing was abysmally slow.”

”The tree branch jumping obstacles were somewhat good. You were able to spot all the weak branches and Illusions, but! It was still slow, with your weight you could jump on certain branches without them cracking.”

”The tightrope...” Grandpa Lin paused. ”Let’s not talk about that one.”

”The mud crawling was somewhat okay, you didn’t hit any spikes and were silent enough that it was barely passable.”

At the halfway point of Grandpa Lin’s barrage, Aiko’s ears were already flat.

”Boooo!”

The Foxes booed the Elder until he glanced at them, then they quietened almost immediately.

”Well, for your first time, it’s a commendable effort, at least you did not have to be fished out of the pond like a certain Fox...” Grandpa Lin glanced at the Umbra Fox.

The Umbra Fox blushed furiously, avoiding his eye.

Aiko nodded, but she was still unhappy.

”Well, I will be training you now, after I sort through this.” Grandpa Lin pointed at his notes on the Jade Slip. ”For now you can play with Umbra Fox and once I finish I will take you back here to guide you in the basics.”

Grandpa Lin left and Aiko was left alone with Umbra Fox and the peanut gallery.

Fortunately, they stayed here for too long. They couldn’t engage with Aiko and had to sadly leave this place, but deep down they hoped that Aiko would visit their training grounds.

”What do you wish to do now, Mistress.” The Umbra Fox elegantly bowed.

Aiko was taken aback and stared at the Umbra Fox.

”Mistress?” Aiko tilted her head.

”Is it wrong to call you that? Would you prefer Vic-” Before the Umbra Fox could finish, Aiko screamed, placing her hands on her mouth and shushing her.

”Anything is better than that!” Aiko was blushing, she really hated that nickname.

Umbra Fox was mesmerized, if she didn’t know that Mistress didn’t like sex she would think that Mistress was trying to seduce her...

Aiko took back her hands and coughed. ”Anyway, are there any other fun places?” Aiko asked.

”Um... may I ask a question, Mistress?” The Umbra Fox was quite shy.

”Sure.” Aiko tilted her head, the Umbra Fox was more than a few heads taller, so Aiko was small compared to her.

”How did you avoid all those marbles?” The Umbra Fox was shy as she was bad at dodging.

”Maybe once you become good enough, I will tell you.” Aiko narrowed her eyes. She meant that once the Umbra Fox became closer to her and more useful, she would answer that.

”Okay!” The Umbra Fox nodded vigorously. ”Let’s go to the Ice room!”

”Ice room?” Aiko asked.

”Yeah, It’s a special floor where there is only Ice, the Elders would move the floor and your task is to stay standing.” The Umbra Fox explained while dragging away the Vicious Cub. ’Vicious Cub... ”Pfffft, the name probably got twisted somewhere, and it’s supposed to be Sugar Cub.” The Umbra Fox was humming in her mind, she was not there during the ’exposition of flags’ so she was unaware of what Mistress had done to earn it.

’But I’m really fortunate to get a Master like her, since I don’t need to worry about my body in that way.’ While the Umbra Fox was interested in sex, she was not interested enough to engage in it, so she was always hiding and training where the veterans would never visit to avoid them.

This helped her to keep her place as a lone assassin, but now she finally found someone good to be a servant to.

”So, what exactly would be your work or task or whatever?” Aiko asked.

”During missions, I will be your right hand, I will execute your commands.” The Umbra Fox said.

”During your stay at base, I can be your training partner or anything you desire.” The Umbra Fox smiled cheerfully. She naturally excluded any sexual-connotation from her voice, since neither of them were interested in it.

Aiko nodded slowly, she liked this smiling Fox, she wondered if when she officially become her Master, would the system count her as a Servant... could she then use those System things?

Aiko was looking forward to that but paused for a moment since they arrived at the Ice training room.

Aiko stared inside, it had quite a cold atmosphere.

”I don’t like this one, are there any others?” Aiko said gently.

The Umbra Fox didn’t mind this and guided Aiko elsewhere.

...

”There you are.” Grandpa Lin smiled when he stared at the Vicious Cub who was still trying to walk on the Pillars.

Aiko didn’t have any expression, as the other rooms had their own problems and Aiko was not interested enough that she was willing to be uncomfortable to explore them.

”Grandpa Lin.” Aiko nodded towards him.

”I have your training plan.” Grandpa Lin smiled and beckoned Aiko.

The peanut gallery sighed as the little cutie would not attend this place for a long time.

While most Foxes didn’t know much about the Elder Punisher, those who knew, knew that Vicious Cub would be away for a long time.

...

”Now let’s begin with swimming-” Grandpa Lin paused for a moment like he realized something. ”Right, first let’s get the contract for the Umbra Fox, you will be her leader and you will have to take care of her needs, but for now I will cover that, at least until you clear this stage flawlessly.”

Aiko nodded slowly, she didn’t know about this one, she would have to spend her resources to nurture her...

Grandpa Lin vanished for a moment and reappeared with a confused Umbra Fox and the Contract.

”Right, who else would you like in your team?” Grandpa Lin asked.

Aiko thought for a while. ’Mei can’t be used in combat, and most Foxes were abysmally weak...’ Aiko narrowed her eyes.

”I don’t have her answer yet, is that alright?” Aiko asked Grandpa Lin.

”That is fine, tell me and I will bring her here.” Grandpa Lin didn’t have anything against that, as some Foxes liked to hide and would be hard to find for normal Foxes.

”Blood Fox.” Aiko said. ”The one that went with us to the Inscription Tests.”

Grandpa Lin staggered. ”I don’t recommend Demonic Beings.”

Aiko tilted her head.

Grandpa Lin sighed. ”Listen well little one, Demonic Beings are very unpredictable and aggressive, unless they can control those emotions they are not allowed to leave their forbidden zone.”

”Moreover, nurturing such Foxes is dangerous as they grow much faster than normal Foxes, so once she is more powerful than you are, she might kill you out of pride.” Grandpa Lin tried to dissuade Vicious Cub.

”So I can’t have her?” Aiko tilted her head.

Grandpa furrowed his brows. ”It’s not like you can’t have her, but-”

”Then please bring her here, she might surprise you.” Aiko smiled.

She heard Mei murmur about the Blood Fox and what kind of effect Aiko had on her, she also talked something about rivalry and affection, but Aiko ignored those.

’Since I can calm her and she is powerful, she could cover close combat, while I would be ranged and Umbra Fox would be an opportunist.’ Aiko nodded, in her mind it was a perfect plan.

”You...” *Sigh* ”Fine, I will bring her here, but the moment she attacks you I will be sending her back.”

...

Grandpa Lin left, he remembered all the Demonic Foxes, just in case they escaped and had to be hunted.

Grandpa Lin dashed towards the forbidden grounds and in front of him appeared a large gate.

”Elder Punisher.” The burly guard bowed towards him and cupped his fists.

”How is it?” Grandpa Lin asked.

”A few skirmishes, but most of them are fine.” The burly guard answered.

”Good, write down that I will be borrowing the Passion Fox.” Grandpa Lin commanded.

”May I ask the reason, Elder Punisher?” The burly guard felt awkward asking that, but he had to do it, rules and all that.

*Sigh* ”Don’t mention it, my trainee wishes to have her as her left hand during missions...” Grandpa Lin shook his head.

The burly guard nodded, writing it down, but then he suddenly paused. ”Pardon me?” He felt like he was hearing things.

”You heard me right.” Grandpa Lin sighed. ”Anyway, I don’t think it will work, so I will only take her for a few hours.

”Elder Punisher...?” A Youth cupped his fists. One could remember this Youth as the brother of the Blood Fox.

”Little Zhi.” Grandpa Lin smiled.

”Elder Punisher.” Zhi cupped his fists with respect.

”Here to visit your sister?” Grandpa Lin asked gently.

”Yes...” Zhi admitted, that normally Foxes would be banned from entering the forbidden zone, but Zhi had great charisma and was able to sway the guard to let him inside to visit his sister.

But one day he was caught by Elder Punisher. He begged to leave his sister out of this, as he was the one who sneaked in. Fortunately Elder Punisher didn’t mind Zhi’s care for his sister, and left him alone.

”I’m also here for her, so let’s go together.” Grandpa Lin smiled.

”Oh...” Zhi’s face flashed with rage. ’Which bastard wants to take her?!’ He was upset, but that rage was concealed almost immediately.

”Don’t worry, I don’t think it will work.” He patted Zhi.

”Work?” Zhi asked.

”One Fox wanted Passion Fox as her left hand, but as you know your sister is not very stable, so when she snaps I will restrain your sister before my pupil gets hurt and thus I will return your sister back.” Grandpa Lin said gently.

’Someone wants my sister as his left-hand attendant, what kind of bas-’ Zhi paused. ”Did you say she, Elder Punisher?” He knew that some Foxes had an inclination for that kind of thing, but it was mostly a rare occurrence.

”Yes, she is a newbie, but she has great potential, so I promised her 2 attendants, but I didn’t think she would pick a Demonic Fox.” Grandpa Lin shook his head.

’What is wrong with Demonic Foxes, they are Foxes too!’ Zhi retorted in his mind, but then shook his head. ’What am I saying, it’s good if they keep that reputation since I will be able to stay with my Sis forever.’ He nodded gently.

”After you Elder.” Zhi beckoned Elder Punisher.

Grandpa Lin laughed. ”A gentleman as always.” He stepped inside and Zhi was behind him. ”But I wonder why haven’t you picked any Fox as your partner, yet?” Grandpa Lin narrowed his eyes.

Zhi sighed. ”There are just not many good Foxes... and most of the good ones were already taken.” He shook his head.

Grandpa Lin sighed but didn’t call him out. Grandpa Lin knew that Zhi despised most female Foxes as they were too eager to throw themselves at him, exposing themselves just to obtain his favour. Zhi didn’t believe there were any good female Foxes.

’At one point I wondered if he was into males...’ Grandpa Lin laughed in his mind.