Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

Aiko packed everyone into her tails and left the premises.

It was time to explore and ignore all Inheritance Sites.

’I wonder if I will meet the Blood Fox...’ Aiko wouldn’t go out of her way to meet her since she was too far, but that also didn’t mean she would avoid her.

’If she is close enough, I will visit her.’ Aiko smirked happily as she walked towards a random direction, but away from the Inheritance Sites she had already visited.

...

Nice plains stretched in front of her as the constant Sun warmed her skin.

’How nice?’ Aiko felt a bit sleepy, but she would not sleep in the middle of the plains. It would be too easy for others to stop her.

Walking further, she encountered a delightful spot.

[Possible Evolution Spot discovered!]

Moon Aiko blinked her eyes a few times, but the system notification didn’t disappear.

It was still there, so she clicked it.

[Solar Spot]

[A special Spot found only in a few places in the Mortal World. Provides the purest Sun Essence, allowing Evolutions without any hiccups and lowering the necessary requirements.]

[There is a small chance to boost your Bloodline and Species through this Spot.]

Aiko recorded this spot in her head so that she wouldn’t forget it.

This was a perfect spot that would allow her to advance further.

’I should still be careful since I believe the next jump would be the Human Body?’ Moon Aiko narrowed her eyes.

Mei was currently at the Holy Beast Rank, while Aiko was a Rank lower.

This meant that Aiko’s next Evolution might give her a Human Body.

’I should’ve asked Mei about this...’ Aiko didn’t intend to Evolve in here. Well... mostly, but now that she had found the perfect spot for her Evolution, she wouldn’t want to pass out on it.

Aiko nodded her head slowly and walked further along.

[Possible Evolution Spot discovered!]

Aiko’s lips twitched.

[Enhanced Solar Spot]

[A special Spot found only in a few places in the Sacred Realm. Provides the purest Sun Essence, allowing Evolutions without any hiccups and lowering the necessary requirements.]

[There is a good chance to boost your Bloodline and Species through this Spot.]

There were only a few changes in the text, but those changes would make a significant impact for Aiko.

Smiling to herself, she threw her tiredness out of the window and explored this place.

[Possible Evolution Spot discovered!]

...

[Possible Evolution Spot discovered!]

...

[Possible Evolution Spot discovered!]

...

She kept exploring and exploring until she found the perfect spot.

[Possible Evolution Spot discovered!]

[Primaeval Solar Spot]

[A special Spot found only in a few places in the Immortal World. Provides the purest True Sun Essence, allowing Evolutions without any hiccups and lowering the necessary requirements.]

[Your Bloodline and Species will be strengthened and enhanced through this Spot.]

’Bingo~!’ Aiko’s eyes shone as she looked around. She noted down this spot inside her mind, and she would later come here to Evolve.

Now was not the time, since she spotted a silhouette a bit further away.

Aiko turned into a small Fox and sneaked towards them.

”My Dice told me that there is a Treasure here.” A certain dice girl smiled.

This time, she was alone without that annoying guy.

Aiko watched from the side, hidden in the grass.

”How about coming out?” Bai Jing smiled as her eyes trained on where she was.

”How did you find me?” Aiko narrowed her eyes.

”Once your Cultivation Stage improves, you will be able to feel the gazes of others on you, especially if you are intelligent.” Bai Jing explained to the little Fox.

”That’s a thing...?” Aiko was slightly speechless. If this were the case, she would not be able to spy on others!

”Yes, it also depends on how cautious they are. I was very cautious, so that sense was heightened, but you will be fine in common circumstances.” Bai Jing smiled as she patted the little Fox.

”Hmmmmm.” Aiko pondered on it, but there were still a few things that she didn’t understand.

”Would that work even if I’m staring through glass?” Aiko narrowed her eyes and tried to get useful information about it.

”You would need a higher Cultivation Stage for that; the higher you go, the more ridiculous it gets.” Bai Jing explained slowly as her dice rolled inside a turtle shell.

”Once you are powerful enough, then you will even notice someone looking at you through special space techniques.” Bai Jing paused her step and turned sharply left.

”What are you looking for?” Aiko was curious.

”There should be a blazing flower somewhere around here. I will need it for better dice.” Bai Jing didn’t mind sharing this information with the little Fox, since she only needed one flower.

With her around, it was also a lot safer, albeit chaotic.

Bai Jing would be able to save resources and be quick about this, attracting less attention that way.

It was one thing to find a Herb or Treasure, but you still got the ’mission’ to keep it with you. If others knew about it, they would definitely betray you or try to con you out of it.

That was why Bai Jing was alone. It was easier to move around, nobody bickered with her, and nobody knew if she found any Treasures.

While Human Cultivators were not deranged slaughterers, that only counted when they were unaware whether you had Treasure or not.

”Sounds fun. I will join.” Aiko smiled happily and turned into a ’human’ to walk alongside her.

Bai Jing was slightly startled for a moment, it’s been a while since she saw a beauty like her.

”Do you know where it is?” Aiko glanced around.

Bai Jing pursed her lips. ”I only know the general direction.”

”Oh, gotcha.” Aiko summoned her Grandpa Flame. ”Do you know any Herb energy around here?”

Bai Jing’s face twitched. There it was, the absurdness of this ’little’ Fox. She always pulls out the most outrageous things out of nowhere.

”What am I? Some kind of Treasure Rat?” Grandpa Flame grumbled, but his flames paused for a moment.

”Found something?” Aiko narrowed her eyes.

”I think so?” Grandpa Flame raised his flames. ”It feels similar to my energy but different. Are you looking for some kind of Flame-based Herb?” He licked his lips like he was looking forward to some kind of delicious snack.

Aiko glanced towards Bai Jing.

”En. It should be Blazing Camellia.” Bai Jing didn’t try to conceal it, since it would take her too long to find it herself.

”I think I know the general direction.” Grandpa Flame floated towards the direction he ’smelled’ that delicious scent.

Aiko smiled to herself and walked behind him.

...

”This is shocking...” Bai Jing did expect there to be a Blazing Camellia with a few others, but now in front of her was a whole patch!

”There are about 50 of them.” Aiko nodded. ”Alright, I will take 25 and you take 25~.” She licked her lips as she sat down in front of the first blazing flower.

”That won’t do.” Bai Jing was now aware of why she couldn’t find this place.

Or rather, it was exceptionally difficult.

The Blazing Camellia was definitely powerful enough to distort her surroundings, but there was something even more exceptional.

[Sunburst Spider Lily]

It sat quietly in the middle of the Blazing Camellias.

It not only distorted its visuals, but everything around them.

”I will only take 10.” Bai Jing said.

”20.” Aiko immediately protested. She would not be able to find this place if she hadn’t told her about it.

Aiko would be able to find other Herbs, but it was not like she was constantly on guard, asking everyone if there was something strange about this place.

’No, wait, that is wrong.’ Moon Aiko paused. ’This place is already exceptional, so it’s not a stretch to say that there should be more Treasures.’ It finally clicked in her mind, like pieces of Go on a board.

”But...” Bai Jing hesitated.

”No buts, or I will give you 25 and you won’t be able to reject them!” Aiko ’glared’ at her, so she couldn’t refuse.

Bai Jing sighed gently. ”Very well, but you will be taking the flower in the middle.” She pointed at the strange flower.

”Sure?” Aiko tilted her head. That flower didn’t seem any different to others, but she was fine taking it as long as she was willing to take 25 Herbs.

...

They collected the Herbs, and Aiko fed a few of them to her Grandpa Flame.

[Mellow Azure Spiritual Flame (Ranking: 99th & 100+)]

V

[Mellow Azure Spiritual Flame (Ranking: 96th & 100+)]

’Not bad.’ Aiko nodded happily. She would give those Herbs to Mei later.

”Well...” Bai Jing was a bit flabbergasted at how Aiko collected those Herbs.

”What?” Aiko tilted her head.

”No, I just never expected you to take a whole cube of soil with the Herbs...” Bai Jing couldn’t wrap her head around it, but she was still happy that she was able to collect those Herbs.

”Want more?” Aiko blinked innocently.

”I’m fine!” Bai Jing felt as if she showed any kind of interest, Aiko might shower her with Herbs.

”Okay...” Aiko narrowed her eyes. ”Well, are you going somewhere next?”

”I think I will just rest in the shade. It’s too hot in here.” Bai Jing vented her bosom, since it was the stickiest.

Moon Aiko observed the tight, very clingy outfit and gave it a nod of approval.

”What?” Bai Jing felt strange seeing Aiko like that.

”Nothing. You are pretty.” Moon Aiko nodded her head.

”Thank you?” Bai Jing felt strange from those words, like there was some kind of meaning that she didn’t understand.

”Let’s go.” Aiko grabbed her hand and dragged her towards a nearby forest for shade.

”You will rest too?” Bai Jing held some suspicion towards Aiko.

”It’s been tiresome till now, a bit of rest wouldn’t hurt anyone...” Aiko narrowed her eyes.

”...” Bai Jing still felt suspicious, but she didn’t believe that Aiko would do anything bad to her, so she went along with it.

...

Finding a small shade under a tree, they both leaned against it and soon drifted to sleep.

Before doing that, they arranged a few Talismans and Arrays to keep them hidden, which proved quite useful.

-----

”We lost them?” A strange, cracking voice asked.

”Yes, sir. It seems like they hid inside the forest.” A subordinate bowed low.

”Burn it.” That strange voice commanded.

”We can’t do that, sir. Others would be alerted.” The subordinate feared for his life, but telling this now was better than being implicated later.

”Tsk.” That strange voice clicked its tongue before disappearing from the premises.

That subordinate breathed a sigh of relief, but suddenly, his head rolled on the ground.

He died without knowing how...

That’s how that person worked. If someone displeased him, he would kill them.

He already had troubles since battle-maidens sneaked into the Sacred Realm, but now they couldn’t even find a simple Divinator?! Ridiculous!

He was livid at the incompetence of his subordinates!