Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

In the large opening, the ceiling was covered with moss vines. Those vines then led into a small bell like a flower. The underground canal also ended here in a large body of strange and repulsive liquid.

It was bubbling ever so slightly, and the smell was overwhelming, especially for the Elf.

Aiko just pinched her nose, and she was mostly alright, but the Elf, even when she pinched her nose, looked quite sickly on the outside.

”I know it’s hard on you, but please bear with it.” Long Chen soothed his companion. He already knew that it would be overbearing for her, and this was a good way to get brownie points with her.

Meanwhile, Aiko was looking towards the opening. She was waiting for him to finally go there so that she didn’t have to risk her own safety.

Well, he said he would go there, but so far, he was just taking care of his harem.

This made Aiko roll her eyes, but she somewhat understood why.

’This place is difficult to find, so unless you are a Heaven’s Chosen, it’s unlikely that you will encounter this place. This, in turn, makes him less cautious about obtaining the Treasures as soon as possible...’ Aiko rolled her eyes a few times. She believed that if he wasn’t Heaven’s Chosen, he would already turn into a monster’s food.

Long Chen finished soothing his companions and confidently walked towards the opening.

It was a small opening compared to the canal. It was about as wide as 4 Aikos (Or 3 normal-sized Humans) walking side by side but only as high as 2 Aikos.

Unlike the large opening, this place was free of any kind of filth or moss. It was startlingly clear, making you wonder if someone cleaned this place regularly.

The walls were quite rough, but unlike the cave walls before, they sort of formed layers, like someone stacked bricks on top of each other.

The floor was likewise free of filth, and it seemed like it was once quite the beautiful slab walkway.

Aiko observed her surroundings slowly, her hair slowly growing white as her curiosity increased with each passing moment.

This was naturally bad news for Aiko since Moon Aiko was more susceptible to things, but she couldn’t help her curiosity.

Walking further in, the scenery slightly altered as now the stacked walls were decorated with Runes.

’It’s not a story...’ Aiko narrowed her eyes as she read through the Runes.

Long Chen glanced towards the little Fox in order to make sure she was doing alright, but her current complexion shocked him.

He was immediately mesmerised by the cool beauty with lazy eyes.

His other companions didn’t know if they should feel mesmerised or jealous.

Even Ling Ling didn’t want to admit that she was completely lost when it came to her demeanour.

Aiko observed the wall closely while completely unaware of her surroundings.

Long Chen wanted to approach her but was certain someone was a step quicker.

”What are you reading?” A slow and languid voice. Her only purpose was to block certain someone that she lost interest in.

”I don’t know.” Aiko answered simply as she was hugged by the Flower Demon.

The Flower Demon had only mild interest in her, so Moon Aiko didn’t believe this would cause any issues.

Long Chen slowly took his extended hand and acted like he intended to scratch his head from the beginning.

’It’s fine, they are getting along. It’s fine, they are getting along.’ Long Chen chanted inside his mind. It had been a while since his companions were so harmonious, but he was damn jealous that she was able to approach her like that.

[You have stolen from Heaven’s Favourite, causing him to suffer from the decrease of Providence.]

[Providence: 119,500 -> 139,500 (Suppressed due to Mortal Laws)]

Aiko ignored the system message as she read the text again.

”Why aren’t you coming inside...?” A laid-back voice spread from the deepest end of this corridor.

Aiko ignored everything as she kept reading.

She tapped one symbol, and it lit up. Her face formed a frown but slowly distorted into an unsightly expression.

”Are you alright?” The Flower Demon raised her eyebrow. She was quite perceptive when it came to Human-like emotions, and her body would release a soothing scent if she willed.

She, of course, didn’t do that. There was something dangerous about the cute Foxy that put up a guard.

She didn’t believe she would be harmed, but there was nothing wrong with a cautious approach.

”Too much stuff going on.” Aiko rolled her eyes as that symbol slowly stopped shining.

’Not only do you have to press over 1,000 Runes in the correct order, you are also under a time limit...’ Aiko groaned unhappily.

The Flower Demon was quite mesmerised by the Foxy’s smell. It was drawing her in like some kind of addiction.

”It’s alright, you can do it~” The Flower Demon didn’t know why she was so nice to her, but she felt it would be beneficial for her to do this.

Aiko glanced around but eventually chose to give up. ’I don’t want to do this while they would also reap the rewards. I don’t know much about them, but I definitely don’t want to support Heaven’s Favourite.’

The Flower Demon followed the Foxy around, always standing between her and Long Chen.

’He was some kind of strange aura that draws others in. I’m not really interested in him other than that unique smell, but that doesn’t mean I’m completely unaffected...’ The Flower Demon narrowed her eyes.

She had little interest in him, which helped her resist his charm, but what would happen if this Foxy took an interest in him? Everything would go down the drain since she would lose all of her opportunities just because she was around him.

She had already noticed that her growth had slowed down thanks to being next to him, so her current mission was to keep him away from her Foxy.

”Why are you clinging to me...?” Moon Aiko was confused as to why she was so friendly. What was even more odd was the fact that she was quite overprotective and thoughtful but without any hidden intentions or actions.

Moon Aiko couldn’t understand what was wrong with this strange girl.

”I can’t...?” The Flower Demon played slightly pitifully so that she would be able to stay next to her.

’No lust. Just interest with a tinge of kinship...?’ Moon Aiko felt slightly tired, but she still analysed the situation.

’Lust, want, desire, artificial friendliness.’ Were the intentions of Long Chen.

’Greed, need, jealousy.’ Were the intentions of Ling Ling.

’Unease, nausea, jealousy.’ Were the intentions of the Elf.

’Why is she so different?’ Aiko glanced at the Flower Demon, wondering what was wrong with her.

Unlike Demonic Foxes, she had very different internal energy. It was not like she was ’Demonic’, but she was closer to an actual Demon.

’Have I ever met someone like this...?’ Aiko’s head hurt slightly from the Runes, so she just shook her head.

’You are approaching the Ghost’s remnant, be careful.’ Lady Liu warned Aiko since she had a bad feeling about this.

’Sure...’ Moon Aiko was too tired to care about this...

”What a unique group of individuals...” The laid-back voice felt amused.

They finally managed to get to the end of this passage. It was a slightly bigger opening at around 4 Aikos stacked on top of each other.

The actual wideness was slightly distorted, which made Aiko even more dizzy.

”We have a Dragon with a broken horn. An Elf that Lost Legacy. A Flower Demon, trying to find her home. A Human that wishes to rule Heaven and...” The silhouette of the Ghost squinted her eyes again and again. ”Crazy Fox?”

”Want me to burn you?” Nightmare Aiko immediately snapped at her.

”Hah.” The Ghost chuckled, feeling amused by such a shallow threat.

”It’s been a while- Don’t take it out! I’m still talking!” The Ghost suddenly panicked when Aiko pulled out wood from her Storage Ring and started to set up a fire under her silhouette.

”Say that again!” Nightmare Aiko dared the Ghost as she kept striking stone against stone, intending to burn this place.

She had no means of effecting such a powerful remnant of a Ghost. Her own Ghosts might even be endangered, but Aiko found a loophole.

This place was clean... too clean, in fact. There was not a speck of dust in this place. Everything was spotless.

Then what would happen if she set up a fire around the Ghost remnant and filled this place with smoke, soot, and ash? The Ghost remnant would definitely be against it.

”Fine! I take my words back! Why are you here?!” The Ghost suddenly turned prickly when things didn’t go her way.

’For someone so pretty, she feels like a cactus...’ Aiko rolled her eyes. The exhaustion was long gone. It seemed to only influence Moon Aiko.

”Treasures.” Aiko made a grabbing motion.

Everyone was dead speechless at how shameless she was. Long Chen chose to step forward to salvage the situation.

”Esteemed Immortal, we have come here to take part in your tests.” Long Chen was polite, so much so that the Ghost remnant felt repulsed at how different the approach was.

The Ghost remnant paused. ”So you want to take my tests without obtaining anything?” She narrowed her eyes.

Long Chen was suddenly speechless. He never encountered such a situation. ”W-well...” He didn’t know how to react since everything so far was given to him on a silver platter.

”I want Treasures.” Nightmare Aiko immediately raised her hand as her ears happily snipped.

The Ghost remnant rolled her eyes, but when she compared the Fox to the rest of the group. ’It’s better to be sincere in your wants and needs.’ She concluded that she liked honesty over secret plotting.

After all, the reason why she was in here was from being betrayed to begin with. A secret plot was carried out that usurped her place, making her into a remnant of a Ghost in the process.

She had to hide in this place with her Inheritance so that those bastards wouldn’t get everything from her.

Aiko blinked at her. ”Don’t tell me the test is...”

The Ghost remnant smiled, and Nightmare Aiko wanted to cry.

”You are right. You will go back into the corridor and solve the puzzle. Depending on your speed of activation, you will be rewarded accordingly.” The Ghost remnant smiled, liking the little Fox the most since she was the first one to notice the Runes and their purpose.

”Ughhhh...!” Aiko didn’t like it, and it was apparent with her ears. They dropped low like she really didn’t want to do it.

”There will be special rewards for the first one. A wish, you might say.” The Ghost chuckled.

Nightmare Aiko still didn’t like it, but she would try her best.

’Let’s let Moon Aiko rest some more before coming out...’ Aiko nodded to herself and went to the ’corner’ of the room.

”What are you doing...?” The Ghost remnant was startled.

”Setting up my bed. I need rest before tackling that sadistic puzzle.” Nightmare Aiko rolled her eyes and set up her bed with Spirit Crystals.

At that moment, Ling Ling immediately trained her eyes on it. ’I can’t believe it! Spirit Crystals in the Mortal Realm?!’ Dragons had multiple ways to progress in strength, one of which was by consuming Spiritual things. Treasures, Spirit Crystals, you name it.

However, there was a certain threshold that one had to pass in order to be able to consume Spiritual things.

’I can’t consume Spirit Stones...’ Ling Ling was quite anxious. Long Chen had a lot of wealth, but even he only had a few Spirit Crystals that he guarded for his dear life.

Meanwhile, an unknown Fox just whipped 50 of them and created a bed out of it?! That was simply outrageous!