Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

Moon Aiko pondered upon this. Each Treasure was made in different times, and the techniques also changed greatly.

’I will have to ask him about the age of these Treasures.’ Moon Aiko frowned.

It seemed like most of these Treasures had the powder used to join the metals together, making them degrade quickly.

Moon Aiko shook her head slowly. The degraded parts were completely unusable, and they would even burn to ashes if you increased the temperature enough.

Having different characteristics and even colours, it was obvious which Treasure had these from a simple glance.

’The same is for the Soul Nurturing Treasure.’ Moon Aiko observed the seams, and while they didn’t use as much powder, they still had degraded parts.

If you looked at older Treasures, the seams were less obvious, but also rougher.

’Did they try to join it with the powder so it could absorb shocks better?’ Moon Aiko tilted her head. This was very likely, since most Cultivators would take even non-combat Treasures into a battle.

’Just leaving these Treasures alone degrades them...’ Moon Aiko thought that was a bit weird, since those who created this should share how to operate the Treasure to make them degrade more slowly.

’For example, Storage Ring.’ Things in Storage Rings wouldn’t degrade since the inside was just expanded space, making the ambient Qi exceptionally low, but...

’None of the Storage Rings that I have come across had seams.’ Moon Aiko narrowed her eyes.

It seems like Storage Rings were still made with the old technique, allowing them to last pretty much indefinitely.

’But then why did common Treasures change so much?’ Moon Aiko assumed that the resources had to decrease greatly for them to cause something like that, but she didn’t really have any proof for that.

’[Spiritual Insight] will help me with this, since I will be able to scout the density of Qi among other things, but I will have to increase its stage.’ Moon Aiko paused. She looked over the Treasures and sorted them by powder, amount of degradation and overall quality.

’I will scrap everything, but the order in which I scrap it should be like this.’ Moon Aiko believed that she should scrap the shitty things first, since it might give her better insight into the better things.

The Soul Nurturing Treasures would go last, since those had to be used for her next project.

Moon Aiko nodded her head slowly as she worked through the bad Treasures.

’I should ask him first about these.’ Moon Aiko nodded, standing up.

”Should I come with you?” Danji smiled lightly as she groomed her tails.

”You don’t have to, I’m just going to ask a few questions before returning.” Moon Aiko shook her head. There was no need to be followed at all times, especially when it was safe.

”Very well.” Danji would prepare some tea in the meantime, so that Aiko could rest.

Moon Aiko nodded before storing the Treasures inside the Storage Ring.

...

Moving throughout the Inscription Association, it was mostly an over-glorified palace.

She didn’t mind it before, but things were so damn far apart that it started to bother her.

Fortunately, she knew where Chen Shi might be located, so she wouldn’t have to roam around until she found them.

The group was not in the kitchen or side-hall, so they were either in the private study or bedroom.

She would naturally not visit the bedroom, for obvious reasons.

Moon Aiko approached the private study when she heard strange noises from within.

’Well, since it’s open, I don’t have to be shy about it.’ Moon Aiko thought they were just discussing something, so she peeked her head inside.

And discussing they were!

Chen Shi was talking to Yue’s pussy, while Yue was caressing his throbbing dick with her feet.

”You naughty boy.” Yue giggled as she sat on his face, enjoying his gentle caress. ”You kept staring at my feet like you were obsessed.”

Chen Shi groaned as he licked that Ghostussy with his tongue.

Yue was exceptionally skilled, knowing where to press or move her toes, so much so that they were no different from her hands.

The duo was so into it that they didn’t know someone approached them, but they soon stilled when they felt a judgmental gaze on her.

”A-Aiko?!” Yue stiffened before floating onto the ground. Her glistening sacred cave was dripping onto the floor.

”Perverts.” Moon Aiko judged them not for their debauchery, but because they didn’t lock the doors again!

”Can’t even lock doors.” Moon Aiko moved her face slowly behind the doors, as if she were leaving the place.

However, when she turned around, there was Chen Yanqi with ropes and whips.

”I’m not going to ask you why you have that, but next time, when you leave, lock the doors.” It felt like Aiko was scolding Chen Yanqi, which greatly startled her.

Chen Yanqi felt awkward about this situation, since she didn’t expect Aiko to roam around.

She coughed gently. ”En.” Nodding obediently before moving inside.

”Ah, and don’t drain him too much. I have questions that need to be answered.” Moon Aiko suddenly said before turning around and leaving.

Chen Yanqi nodded and entered the room.

The room was very silent. Because of Aiko’s scolding, the mood was completely gone... well, almost. Chen Shi’s throbbing cock still stood shamelessly, as if waiting for something.

Chen Yanqi didn’t even comment on how delicious Yue looked, since she was embarrassed about this situation.

”We should move on...” Yue said awkwardly. This would not be the first time Aiko caught them, but she didn’t think it would be so soon after reuniting with Chen Shi.

”We should’ve locked the doors.” Chen Yanqi scratched her cheek awkwardly.

The duo nodded while Chen Shi sighed. It seemed like he would have to take a cold shower again.

”I should dress up.” Yue floated into the lamp since she was too embarrassed about her current disposition.

”And you should too.” Those words drifted from within the lamp for Chen Shi.

...

Moon Aiko returned to her temporary workshop.

”How did it go?” Danji said gently, unaware of Aiko’s emotions.

”They were fucking, so I didn’t get anything.” Moon Aiko rolled her eyes.

”Huh?” Danji was startled by that response, since she didn’t expect they would do something like that during daylight!

”I see...” Danji sighed gently. ”Should I work on your tails?” She proposed to soothe Aiko and maybe get something in return if she was aroused enough.

”Sure. It will take some time before they finish.” Moon Aiko sighed with a painful headache. Now she had to wait until these questions were answered, and she hated that.

Moon Aiko sat next to Danji, letting her hug her softly.

”What are you doing?” Moon Aiko was puzzled as to why Danji was so affectionate.

”Nothing, just resting...” Danji said softly. She would do Aiko’s tails a bit later, but for now, she needed some of that Aikonium.

...

Chen Yanqi entered the workshop only to find the duo resting wrapped around each other.

She didn’t comment about it at all, since there was no strange scent, unlike in the private study.

”Chen Shi will be here soon.” Chen Yanqi smiled awkwardly before sitting down.

The duo only half-glanced at her before leaning into each other.

’There is no way I can ask Aiko to join us.’ Chen Yanqi’s hunger expanded quite a bit since she didn’t get to enjoy herself.

Thanks to that, many foolish thoughts spread inside her mind, like gnawing demons eating at her sanity.

The next one to enter was Yue, who was slightly startled by the sight.

’Human Cultivators would riot if they saw that sight.’ She clicked her tongue, promising herself to give Aiko a better concealing technique.

Chen Shi was the last one, and he was shocked by that sight, but he quickly suppressed his emotions.

”Did you need me?” He spoke awkwardly, since that interruption was really embarrassing, and it was not even the first time that had happened!

”Yeah.” Moon Aiko yawned as she opened her eyes. For some reason, Chen Shi couldn’t avoid his gaze from her lips and wet tongue.

”I need your opinion and dates when these Treasures were made.” Moon Aiko floated those Treasures above their heads and sorted them into categories.

”You have already figured out the general age categories?” Chen Shi was startled.

”So these are really the newest ones?” Moon Aiko pointed at the Treasures with the worst seams.

”Indeed.” Chen Shi nodded his head. ”They were only made a few years ago, but they are already in bad shape. The new Treasures don’t last as long as the old ones. That’s why most old Treasures can only be found in the Auction of the Heavenly Treasure Pavilion.” He explained gently.

”As expected.” Moon Aiko nodded her head. It was because the new ones used that powder.

”You see-” Moon Aiko explained her findings and why these Treasures didn’t last that long, but she also asked about the Storage Rings.

”There are only a couple of Dragons that make those Rings. They are very old-fashioned guys, but their quality is top-notch.” Chen Shi explained where everyone got their Storage Rings from.

”From Dragons, huh?” Moon Aiko nodded her head. This was surprising since she didn’t think Dragons would interact with humans, much less give them the Treasures.

”Yeah. They are very expensive and only Sect Leaders can afford to reserve them.” Chen Shi shook his head.

”How about you?” Moon Aiko narrowed her eyes.

”They get their ink from us, since they are quite lazy.” Chen Shi chuckled. ”So naturally, I have even priority when it comes to this.” He puffed up his chest.

”You are pitching a tent.” Moon Aiko mercilessly said, and his back immediately shrank back.

”So it’s not worth it to scrap the newer Treasures.” Moon Aiko nodded her head.

”Quite the opposite, most Treasures in circulation are like this, so you will hardly find better quality Treasures.” Chen Shi shook his head.

”Why is that?” Moon Aiko tilted her head. Even if those old Treasures could last indefinitely, that was only under the assumption that they were not damaged by battles.

”Because even if the Treasure is damaged. They would rather keep it than risk empowering someone else.” Chen Shi explained to everyone, since it didn’t seem like even Yue knew this.

”No wonder those old fogeys never threw out the old Treasures.” Yue nodded her head.

”That’s problematic.” Moon Aiko hated scrapping the new Treasures because of that powder.

’I will have to figure out how to-’ Moon Aiko’s eyes widened. ’How about making a concoction that can dissolve the powdered metal?!’ She smirked sinisterly, making everyone concerned about what she came up with...