Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

Aiko went to the next room to meet the ’cool’ Beast.

Unfortunately, to her dismay, in the next room, there was nothing.

Walking through room after room, she finally found something.

’Is this considered a Beast?’ Sun Aiko found something very tiny and fluffy.

Well, compared to her body, it was about the same size as she was, but she was so used to Beasts being so big that this one was tiny.

It didn’t smell bad, but its ice attribute was leaking quite strongly, making everything around it frozen.

Its fur was white in most places, while streaks of light blue ran through the rest.

It had small blue eyes and an excited demeanour. Its ears were very short, but very fluffy, like it was geared for winter.

*whine*

The little cutie noticed Aiko and rolled next to her. It tried to bite her, but Aiko dodged it.

The small puppy was for some reason overly excited when it saw her, and it would not leave her alone.

Aiko soon got into the mood, and they rolled and playfully bit each other.

*growl?*

Soon, more puppies appeared in droves and submerged Aiko in their cool aura.

’This is nice...’ Aiko rolled with them for a long time until they were all tired.

*Growl*

A powerful growl spread throughout the room, but nobody paid any attention to it.

The parents were dismayed that their children were so excited about a foreign Beast, but when they saw the Fox and didn’t feel hostility from her, they calmed down quickly.

The ball of fluff rolled around until it crashed into the mother.

”...” She was wondering how this tiny Fox was alright, but soon the intense heat reached her.

She immediately understood that this tiny Fox was of the Sun element and would not be threatened by her young.

Moreover, thanks to that heat, her younglings were even more energetic than before.

They were what you would call ’The Winter Beasts’, a powerful race of Beasts that lived on the Winter Island, an island covered by powerful icy storms and constant snowing.

During their youth, the younglings would have to spend as much time in the sun as possible, or they might freeze to death.

On the other hand, if they spend enough time in the sun, their bloodline would grow thicker and more powerful over time.

It could be said that this little Fox was a small Sun that was currently nurturing her youth, so the mother ignored her presence for the time being.

”Scuse me.” Aiko suddenly noticed the large Beast staring at her, and for some reason, she was intimidated.

The father glanced between his younglings and the small Fox, clearly in distress. They were previously playing with him, but now they found something more fun, and he felt hurt.

Meanwhile, the mother just kept her eyes on the Fox, not doing anything.

”You wouldn’t mind if I stayed, right?” Sun Aiko blinked slowly as she was suddenly tackled by a small puppy.

”...” The mother sighed. She didn’t know what to do about this situation.

”Wife...” The father finally spoke with a distressed voice, yet a cool voice.

”You will play with them later, you should be happy that they don’t freeze to death.” The mother rolled her eyes. He was always like this, but when he courted her, he was quite the valiant wolf.

Now that big, valiant wolf was nowhere to be seen, and he was now just an oversized puppy seeking attention from his own children.

”Then why don’t you join them?” The mother sighed again, shaking her head.

”... Not a bad idea.” The father ditches his dignity, startling his wife.

”Huh?” His wife clearly didn’t expect that, and the only thing she could see was his husband crashing into the pile that surrounded the Fox.

The puppies were overjoyed by this new addition and played with everything around them.

”W-wife.” The husband suddenly couldn’t conceal his happiness.

”What?” At this point, she was quite annoyed at her husband.

”You should join us.” The husband laughed as he played with his younglings.

”What...?” The mother almost whacked him with her tail.

”My bloodline is progressing!” He laughed even more.

”...” This time, she would not be fooled by her husband. He already did this once, and she was fooled, but the second time it would not-

Suddenly, a very chilling breeze spread from her husband.

”Y-you have advanced?!” She was completely speechless. Once one reached maturity, they would be unable to use the Sun to advance their Bloodline, so it was important to bask as much as possible during their youth.

Yet, right now, her husband progressed his Bloodline even though he was a grown ass adult!

”Dammit! If you are fooling me this time too, you will get it!” She said angrily as she joined the pile.

Soon after, two powerful howls spread and with them, an even more chilling breeze.

-----

In the grand hall, decorated with many chairs and floating scrolls. There, wisps floated freely, illuminating it gently.

”So you promised her that she would meet a ’cool’ Beast, and that’s why she came?” The Sect Leader was a bit speechless. He expected many things, but not this one!

The Peak Elders and Elders murmured something between them, but they didn’t say anything out loud.

”En.” Li Xiu nodded her head. Her Master finally arrived, so she would be safe even if she did something rude.

”...” The Sect Leader sighed. He couldn’t believe they protected such a wilful Fox.

”Where will she reside while she is here?” The Sect Leader pondered upon this question many times.

”She can stay with me.” Li Xiu pursed her lips. She believed that Aiko wouldn’t be able to do as much while she was around.

”I’m against that.” One Peak Elder said. ”Our honourable Saintess needs to cultivate in peace, I suggest our Peak for her residence.” He was the Peak Elder of the Beast Peak, and they loved to add anything new to their collection.

”I’m also against it.” Another Elder said. ”She should reside in the plains, since she is still a Beast.” He was the manager of the large plains where all kinds of Beasts resided.

The Sect Leader had a headache.

”I don’t mind keeping her for myself.” Ah Cy chuckled. Since nobody wanted to give her up, she would naturally back her Disciple.

The Peak Elders and Elders couldn’t refute her directly. They were the ones who brought her in, so in theory, they would be the ones making suggestions about the housing.

”My residence increased its ambient Qi greatly thanks to her, so it would be only fair that she would keep staying with me.” Li Xiu didn’t say the main reason, since she didn’t need to. The implication was enough to shut up most Elders.

”I don’t believe it.” One Peak Elder shook his head.

”Then why don’t you have a look?” Ah Cy knew the temperament of these old fogeys, so she knew that without testing it themselves, they would not believe anything.

”Hmpf.” The Martial Peak Elder stood up and, with one step, disappeared.

With that step, he was already on the Hidden Peak, where Li Xiu and Peak Elder resided.

He was immediately hit by that thick Qi, which shocked him.

He paused for but a moment before making another step.

The Martial Peak Elder appeared back in the main hall, and he sat down with a serious expression.

”Saintess... You wouldn’t be looking for residents, right? Even servants would be enough.” The Martial Peak Elder said with a serious expression.

”What are you talking about, old fool?” Another Peak Elder glared at him.

”Tsk. If you are willing to pass on Low Heavenly Grotto, then you are stupid.” The Martial Peak Elder clicked his tongue.

”Bullshit!” It was the Alchemy Peak Elder who called his bluff.

Ah Cy didn’t say anything. She already knew that they would cave in to their demands, so she was waiting for them to make it as juicy as possible.

”Then go and see for yourself.” The Martial Peak Elder dismissed him with another click of his tongue.

The Alchemy Peak Elder glanced at Hidden Peak Elder, and she gave a light nod.

He immediately stood up and, with one step, he disappeared.

The Alchemy Peak Elder reappeared on the Hidden Peak where the Saintess resided.

*moan*

His face was suddenly hit by a wave of Qi, increasing the density of ambient Qi another notch.

It shocked him so much that he completely forgot that there was any kind of strange noise coming from this place.

With another step, he disappeared and reappeared in the main hall.

”We can pay you with Spirit Stones and Pills. Not just the low-grade ones. And of course, the Alchemy Peak is in favour that the Saintess should keep her.” The Alchemy Peak Elder immediately made a suggestion to the Hidden Peak Elder.

The Rune Peak Elder was startled that two overly sensitive Peak Elders were suddenly so submissive.

He stood up and, like the other, disappeared.

Reappearing in the Hidden Peak where the Saintess resided, he didn’t even need a single glance.

”Qi Fog! This place has natural Qi Fog!” His boots were bathed by Qi Fog, which was the perfect place for any kind of Rune-making.

”And they call this Low Heavenly Grotto?! This might even be considered a Heavenly Grotto!” He angrily stomped his feet before disappearing.

Sitting down in his chair in the grand hall.

”We will allocate 10% of our Peak’s resources to the Hidden Peak. We will also offer a special discount on any purchases from both Disciples and Elders alike. Moreover, we will also add Talismans and Formations, be it mastered or in the testing stage.” The Rune Peak Elder didn’t hold back when he suggested these things.

Ah Cy was somewhat satisfied with the last one, but before she could agree-

*Howl!*

A powerful howl submerged the hall in a chilling atmosphere.

The Sect Elder, who was pondering about what had just happened, trained his eyes on his favourite Beasts.

The Winter Beasts, his most prized possession, which had not been contracted yet and never will be.

The chill suggested that their Bloodlines progressed, but he knew that was impossible.

The Winter Beast could not progress their Bloodlines properly once they reached maturity, and their Sect didn’t have the special Sun Peak like the East Sect, so it was impossible to nurture them alone.

Yet that howl and drop in temperature suggested that it just happened.

Or... their younglings were hurt, but he hoped it was not the latter one.