Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

Umbra briefed the Blood Fox on those traps. There were many of them and it was difficult to remember all of them.

”You outdid yourself.” The Blood Fox sighed. She had a hard time remembering, this was pretty much a trap on a trap that leads into a trap kind of situation.

”Thank you.” Umbra nodded. ”What do you think?”

”I think we should start defending from the entrance of the cave...” The Blood Fox shook her head. ”Honestly there are just too many traps for me to be able to navigate and I don’t want to get caught in one of them, while I would be able to defend against those traps, it would drain my energy.”

”Okay.” Umbra nodded. She had to agree that she went a little overboard and it was difficult to move without being slashed and caught in one of those traps. ”Then me and Wanshu will fight in the forest and you will call us once they breach it.”

”En.” The Blood Fox nodded, agreeing with this arrangement.

She would be hard-pressed if she were to fight inside that forest.

Umbra nodded at Wanshu and they went inside the forest, since there was still time before Aiko erupted, they would create more traps for weak Cultivators.

...

{Somewhere in the north}

A girl played with turtle shells, each scale on the shell represented something else: a word or a place. Depending on how her energy bounced around, the shell would communicate with her.

She was a beautiful girl with black hair and blue eyes. Her body was slim, maybe a bit too slim, making her into a fragile beauty. Her eyes were innocent with a hint of curiosity. Furthermore, her nose was small alongside her small mouth. Her fingers were short and she felt overall small. Her hair was overly long, so much so that her hair could create a cocoon around her body. A black and soft cocoon.

Her body and expression would drive everyone into the overprotective category. Doting on her and fulfilling all of her wishes.

”Saintess?” The Elder teaching the young Saintess and the most heavenly Divination Cultivator tilted her head.

The Elder was old, she was a female veteran who was mostly immune to the Saintess charm, but that didn’t mean she didn’t pamper the Saintess. She felt bad for her that she was trapped in here, so she would indulge the Saintess once in a while.

While the Saintess’s clothes were white as the snow, the Elder had clothes as black as the darkest night.

The Saintess repeated her motion many times, which startled the Elder.

”There is a great Treasure near a certain Capital.” The Saintess spoke softly.

”Do other Sects know about this?” The Elder asked, knowing the sacrifice they would have to make to know the answer.

The Saintess bit her finger and a few drops fell inside the turtle shells. She immediately paled as her Vitality was drained from her body to know the secrets of this Lower World.

”Only one Sect knows, there are a few around that place, but for some reason, I can only see the carnage.” The Saintess sighed weakly, it was unlike her to mess up such an important Divination.

”Should we engage with them and obtain the Treasure?” The Elder asked.

The Saintess paused. ”You can try, but depending on how well you do, it might destroy this continent.” She shook her head afterwards.

”That powerful?” The Elder was shocked.

”It’s not powerful, but the Treasure’s potential is undivinable.” The Saintess laid back tired from this Divination. It took much more from her than she expected.

”Then we should definitely obtain that Treasure before the small Sect does.” The Elder made up her mind and went to visit the Sect Leader.

”...” The Saintess didn’t say anything as she knew it was useless. She was the most sheltered Saintess out of them all since she was the only one that could Divine things with accuracy.

Others were likewise protected, but not restricted or sheltered. Sure, some had their Seniors that took care of them. Those were mostly the Pill Refiners or Array Cultivators, but even then they would be allowed to explore the world, unlike her.

She shook her head and went to bed. It was useless to think about this since even if they succeeded the whole world would be plunged into chaos.

...

{Somewhere in the south}

”I bet those old fogeys already Divined something.” An old Cultivator laughed.

He looked like a kind grandpa who loved to laugh often. He didn’t have a beard since it was burned away by his friend when he lost a bet, yet his face didn’t lose any lustre or kindness. His hair might be long and white, but that didn’t mean his face looked THAT old. He was still considered old, but his face looked somewhat youthful.

”What do you mean, friend?” The Sect Leader of the Southern biggest Cultivation Sect asked.

He was likewise old, but with a youthful face. His hair was white, but the ends were still black, signalling that he was not that old, or maybe it was coloured? Nobody dared to check or ask.

The Sect Leader’s face had sharp features, as he was a Sword Cultivator. His heart beat the drums of slashes. His body looked like it was in its prime, but by the way he carried himself, it was obvious he was old.

His outfit was close to his body. He looked somewhat like the Outer Disciple, but that was only because he liked the freedom these kinds of outfits offered.

”Can’t you see?” The old Cultivator showed him his arm full of hair, but every single strand stood straight like a soldier ready for war.

The Sect Leader furrowed his brows. His friend had a special Dao that would warn him if he was in danger. The more hair on his body stood up, the worse the situation was. He was like a hissing cat, disliking anything that would change his way of living.

But what was important was the amount of hair that stood straight, which in this case would be his whole arm.

This had not happened in hundreds, maybe even thousand of years. At that time the whole continent was plunged into chaos by the Fiendish Cultivators.

”Are those Fiendish bastards planning something?” The Sect Leader slammed the fist on the table.

”It’s the North.” The old Cultivator sipped his tea, he already got the reports from the northern spies.

”Wait, by the old fogeys, do you mean that shitty Sect that shelters the Saintess?” The Sect Leader lifted his eyebrow.

”Indeed.” The old Cultivator sipped his tea.

”What do you think we should do, friend?” The Sect Leader asked his friend.

”Protect the Treasure.” The old Cultivator said softly.

The Sect Leader frowned. ”That would mean we would have to fight against the biggest northern sect.”

”Are you perhaps scared?” The old Cultivator laughed.

”Who is scared?!” The Sect Leader slammed his fist on the table yet again. He had to use his fist, as it was the only thing that allowed him not to use his Sword Heart, which could cleave the whole mountain in half...

”Send the Shadow Units. Anyone who is not trying to capture the Treasure is a friend, those Northern bastards are enemies!” The Sect Leader shouted and it spread throughout the whole Sect.

The Shadow Unit immediately gathered near his abode.

”Remember, no matter if it’s Human or Beast, as long as they are protecting the Treasure, help them.” The Sect Leader commanded sternly.

The old Cultivator looked at his hand and most of his hair returned to its normal position. ”This should be enough. If we interfere more, other Sects might notice this.” He knew the danger of trying to bend fate to his knees and needs.

The Sect Leader nodded. ”Failure is not permitted! Go!” He waved them and the Shadow Unit disappeared like ghosts.

”Even Beasts, huh?” The old Cultivator smirked.

”Beasts are more powerful than us Humans, if we make it obvious we are there to defend, they will take a kinder stance against our intrusion.” The Sect Leader shrugged.

”What if they are weak?” The old Cultivator narrowed his eyes.

”Even if they are weak, they are much tougher than Humans, they can help to at least clear the weak garbage.” The Sect Leader snorted.

The old Cultivator nodded happily, that his friend didn’t stray from the right path. After all his daughter was a Beast, so it would be enraging if his friend went against Beasts.

”When will we return to the mainland?” The old Cultivator asked.

”After this disaster is over, I don’t want to lose this base of operation, we need to funnel new blood into the main continent so we don’t lose the foothold.” The Sect Leader spoke seriously.

The old Cultivator shook his head. ”You guys and your silly wars.” He could not understand why they had to battle so much on the mainland, since it was overflowing with good Qi and Treasure. Everyone would be able to get a piece of that pie if they were willing, but to restrict and cut the main continent so harshly...

”Anyway, with this, this continent should survive for a few more years. The next big event should be in a hundred or so years.” The Sect Leader scratched his head. ”I can never get the date right...” He sighed before sitting down and sipping tea.

”And you call me old.” The old Cultivator shook his head.

”You are old.” The Sect Leader snorted at his friend.

”You-!” The old Cultivator glared. ”Another game of Go!”

”Sure!” The Sect Leader glared back, he could not win a single game of Go against his friend, so he had to resort to gambling to recover his wealth.

”By the way, when are we going to the Heavenly Massage Parlour?” The old Cultivator asked.

”It doesn’t do anything to us, why would we go there?” The Sect Leader shook his head.

”The girls over there are cute?” The old Cultivator smiled.

”That’s exactly why you are old!” The Sect Leader glared at him.

...

{Somewhere in the West}

”How curious...” A man in black played with a strange cat.

”Is there something wrong, Master?” His servant asked.

”The South and North are moving.” The man in black narrowed his eyes.

”They believe that Treasure is about to be born and will fight over it?” His servant tilted his head.

”Not quite.” The man in black smiled. ”Get ready to depart. I’m curious what they are planning.”

”Yes, Master!” The servant immediately ran to prepare for the departure.

”What will it be this time?” The man in black stroked his shaved chin. He was youthful-looking, but it was hard to see anything else. His eyes were the strangest thing as different colours flowed inside them. ”Treasure or a Beast...”

The cat inside his arms hissed.

”Don’t worry, you are my dearest pet, even if it’s a Beast at best it will be used as a mount.” The man in black soothed his pet in his arms.

The cat happily laid back and enjoyed the care.