Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

”Alright. Do you wish to tell us anything else? Other than about the Inheritor?” Moon Aiko believed that the Inheritor might be another Heaven’s Chosen, and depending on his attitude, she would naturally deal with him.

’Nothing comes to mind. My memory is too muddy for me to think like a normal human being.’

The being shook the Runes.

”What about the Inheritor?” Moon Aiko repeated her question.

’Nothing much about him. But you will definitely meet, since you will know each other’s energies.’

The being fell ’silent’.

”Did he pass on?” Moon Aiko tilted her head. The last Runes were about the last sentence.

’Ah, and please don’t hurt the Ghosts inside this place. They are still my family and retainers, even if they don’t remember it.’

”You scared me.” Moon Aiko touched her chest with her hand. She didn’t expect him to come back again.

’I won’t die that easily. While my Soul remnant is weak, just shaping Runes doesn’t consume enough for me to die.’

”Are you looking for a compatible body?” Moon Aiko felt slightly puzzled about his situation.

The Runes shook gently.

’Even if I were, would anyone find this place?’

”Fair point.” Moon Aiko nodded her head. She didn’t believe that just anyone would be able to find this place.

’You should be careful out there, Fox. You are quite the commodity in the Immortal World.’

”I don’t like the sound of that.” Moon Aiko’s face turned to disgust.

’It can’t be helped. You Foxes are too skilled, almost the most skilled race, especially when it comes to broad arts.’

”I don’t want to know what that is.” Moon Aiko shook her head. She felt that if she asked, she would have to storm the Immortal World right now!

”But I will be careful.” Moon Aiko nodded.

’Good. I wish you good fortune, little Fox.’

”Why does everyone default to little? Do I seem that little?” Moon Aiko was flabbergasted. Sure, she was the middle ground when it came to other Aikos, so she was definitely not that small!

’Compared to me, you are young and small.’

The Runes shrugged. It was obvious the being was greatly amused.

Moon Aiko rolled her eyes. ”Thank you for the book.”

’Take good care of it, and it will reward you greatly.’

”Naturally.” Moon Aiko rolled her eyes again, but she still smiled happily.

”Was it good?” Danji tilted her head. She naturally had no idea what they talked about, so she didn’t even try to make sense of it.

”Yeah, very good.” Moon Aiko nodded her head. ”Wanna learn Runes?”

”I will pass.” Danji dreaded about what would happen if she learned Runes.

’Working Aiko is too scary.’ She didn’t want to admit it, but the scariest Aiko was the working Aiko...

”Suit yourself.” Moon Aiko shrugged like she didn’t mind. It wouldn’t change anything, even if Danji learned about Runes. It would be just more convenient for secret messages.

”Are we leaving now?” Danji followed right behind Aiko.

”I think so, I can’t take the Ghosts, and there is nothing else on the Table Map, so we should just leave.” Moon Aiko nodded her head. There was no need to stay here longer than necessary.

”Should we jump out or...” Danji coughed awkwardly.

”I have not thought of that...” Moon Aiko scratched her cheek. This was slightly awkward since this place was smaller than before.

”If you can time it properly, we can jump out, and you can place the boat below us?” Danji nudged Aiko.

”That’s quite the faith you have in me.” Moon Aiko blinked at her.

”Isn’t that natural?” Danji tilted her head.

”I believe others would call it ’crazy’.” Moon Aiko giggled.

”They can call it whatever they want, but I will still have you for myself.” Danji shrugged.

”I wonder if you can say that in front of Mei.” Moon Aiko raised her eyebrow. Mei was the best after all.

”...” Danji scratched her cheek. That would be difficult since the only one who would side with her was Dark Aiko.

”Thought so.” Moon Aiko nodded her head.

”That’s only because you are infatuated with Mei.” Danji snorted unhappily.

”Am I?” Moon Aiko pondered.

”If you can think for so long about it. You are definitely enamoured.” Danji shrugged again.

”Alright, alright. Let’s stop this. We are at the end.” Moon Aiko rolled her eyes.

They both held hands and jumped forward.

The crumbling Secret Realm spat them out, and Moon Aiko immediately pulled out the [Unnamed Spirit Boat].

The skilful pull-out made them crash into the deck, making them groan from pain.

”I didn’t expect you to be that skilled.” Danji thought that Aiko would place it further down and not immediately below them.

”It’s my first time, alright?” Moon Aiko dusted her clothes before walking inside.

Danji followed while pinching Aiko’s waist. ”You definitely did that on purpose!”

Moon Aiko didn’t say anything as she turned into Nightmare Aiko and wrapped the boat in her energy once again.

The concealment was in effect, so they would be able to continue on their journey now.

”We should get normal windows.” Danji observed the empty holes in the room.

”Glass is difficult to get, since nobody is making it.” Nightmare Aiko shook her head.

”That is true, but you are now a Forging Cultivator.” Danji teased Aiko.

”That doesn’t mean I can do everything.” Nightmare Aiko rolled her eyes. If it were Moon Aiko, it might be possible with enough resources, but Nightmare Aiko would definitely not want to deal with that!

”...” Danji sighed softly. The change in personality was too great and difficult to get used to.

”Do you plan to combine all the forms?” Danji narrowed her eyes. She might lose Nightmare Aiko, but at least she would be less confused each time she changed.

”I’m not sure. I’m still missing the Human Body, so I will have to do something about that first.” Nightmare Aiko scrunched her face. ”I’m not looking forward to that, since the next Evolution might cause a catastrophe.”

”Your next Evolution WILL cause catastrophe.” Danji giggled.

”You are supposed to say that I will be fine and everything will be alright.” Nightmare Aiko pinched Danji’s cheek.

Danji giggled. ”Addictive, right?”

”Don’t ask, or I will pinch something else!” Nightmare Aiko threatened before settling down.

Danji didn’t say much more, since she noticed that Aiko was tired.

...

Over the next few days, they just rested and didn’t do much.

Nightmare Aiko was calculating the distance, so they would then disembark and do the rest on foot.

Well, Nightmare Aiko would do it on foot, and Danji would already be in her tails.

”Will we be landing soon?” Danji saw forests below her, so it was probably time to get down.

”I bit further.” Nightmare Aiko shook her head. She didn’t want to walk too far, so she would fly a bit more...

...

A few days later, Nightmare Aiko lowered the altitude, and they jumped down.

”Should I?” Danji narrowed her eyes as she stared at Aiko’s tails.

”You don’t have to immediately, but a bit later it will be necessary.” Nightmare Aiko turned into Moon Aiko.

”The Fox Village should be low on manpower right now, so we don’t have to be too worried.” Moon Aiko acknowledged the fact that those Elders fucked up badly when it came to staffing.

”Do you think they won’t increase their vigilance?” Danji raised her eyebrow.

”Do you think they will have to?” Moon Aiko paused her steps.

”I heard that the Protection Array won’t last long.” Danji paused her steps next to Aiko.

”Humu...” Moon Aiko nodded her head slowly. That would greatly change her plans. ”Depending on how long it will take the Delegation to gather everything, we might have to adjust some things.”

”Very well.” Danji followed Moon Aiko as she walked forward.

”Let’s just walk for a bit before I stuff you in.” Moon Aiko was already spreading her Divine Sense to scout ahead.

While she would be found out if she scouted someone powerful, that would still give her enough time to hide Danji and run away.

”What do you think will happen to the old Elders?” Danji was curious about the next course of action.

”I’m not sure. We will probably kill them, but I want to use their Souls as nourishment.” Moon Aiko hummed as she touched her wonderful Treasure.

”Ruthless, but I agree.” Danji flashed a smile. It would be revitalising if the old Elders burned their Souls for eternity.

”It’s more about the production of Soul Points, so we can get more tails.” Moon Aiko shrugged slowly. She was once again tired... since she had to think about a lot of things.

”Oh, Chen Shi gave me some Talismans that you can use to contact him.” Danji suddenly mentioned this.

”Good!” Now, Moon Aiko can mask the fact that she forgot to ask him about joining the war.

Well, he might not be able to join directly, but as a deterrent... that would be good.

”You seem happy. Did you forget something?” Danji smiled cunningly at Aiko.

”No?” Moon Aiko feigned ignorance, but her ears were red.

”I see~” Danji teased Moon Aiko a bit more before stopping.

...

”Alright, it seems like someone is coming, so let’s get you in.” Moon Aiko stuffed Danji into her tails as she spoke.

She then turned into Sun Aiko, since nobody was familiar with her.

Sun Aiko behaved for a bit, just in case. She was scolded enough about the ’digging’ performance, so she was now overly cautious about her movements.

A Fox passed by Sun Aiko. It seemed like she was either running away or delivering something.

’Pursue?’ Sun Aiko pondered for a bit before running after her.

”Yo.” Sun Aiko appeared next to the brown Fox.

”Kya!” The brown Fox clearly didn’t expect someone to tail her, not to mention another Fox that stood still for such a long time.

The brown Fox stumbled and crashed into a nearby tree, knocking herself unconscious.

’I wonder what that’s about...’ Sun Aiko scratched her head.

She then noticed some kind of book that fell from below her shirt.

[Intoxicating Technique]

’?’ Sun Aiko tilted her head. Was this important? It felt familiar, but Sun Aiko didn’t know why.

It was definitely never used on her, but why did she feel like those words were suspicious...