Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

Witch Aiko was foaming from her mouth, while Mei was humming nearby.

Mei was overjoyed, since the Comprehension Leaves reduced the smell of the [Netherworld Vitality Pill], making it easier to produce.

Moreover, there was an additional benefit, a sharp increase in efficacy.

Comprehension Leaves are almost never used in Pills, so their effects were unknown.

Nobody was willing to use such a precious resource that could help you ascend on a Pill, as the absorption rate greatly decreased compared to having it as tea leaves.

”I’m dying...” Witch Aiko whined. Mei was completely unaware that the Pill tasted even worse than before.

”You are not.” Mei rolled her eyes. She couldn’t understand why Aiko was like this.

Witch Aiko glared at Mei and stood up, while pocketing one of the Pills.

”What is it?” Mei tilted her head. She was still calculating the ratios in her head, so Aiko was quite distracting to her right now.

”Heya!” Witch Aiko stuffed Mei with that smelly Pill.

Mei didn’t expect Aiko to do that, so her teeth bit into it by accident.

The extremely disgusting taste spread in her mouth, which made her roll around, before vomiting the Pill with some of her stomach.

Mei’s body quivered, fearfully looking at the Pills she just created.

”So~” Witch Aiko danced around Mei gleefully.

She then squatted near Mei. ”Am I dying or not~?”

Mei picked up a very flavourful tea to cleanse her taste buds, not saying anything.

”I’m glad we understand each other.” Witch Aiko happily patted Mei’s back. ”Oh, and make it as poisonous as possible, or I will find a way to slip it into your food.” She threatened Mei, since there was no reward for doing this other than the ridiculous number of Vitality.

[You have consumed the [Netherworld Vitality Pill+].]

[Your Vitality has increased by 100,000!]

It was much better than the little Vitality she got from Li Xiu, but the taste could not be compared.

One tasted like the greatest abomination that was ever created, while the other was very mellow, but tasteless.

Witch Aiko nodded her head. Now that she secured her poisonous Pills, she would refine her [Primordial Intoxicating Sacred Lotus Physique].

And she might even complete the [Poison Empress] mission. Although that one was unlikely, as she needed 11,111 poisons.

She definitely had less than 1%, but that couldn’t be helped.

...

Waiting around a bit, Mei came with more Pills, but Mei’s body was shining slightly.

”What’s wrong with your body?” Witch Aiko blinked her eyes at her.

”These Pills are so poisonous that even the air is affected. So I have prepared some anti-poison Pills.” Mei explained before handing over the Pills.

”Whoa...” Witch Aiko could certainly feel it.

”Please don’t be as disgusting as the previous one. Please don’t be as disgusting as the previous one.” Witch Aiko chanted quietly, fearing the outcome of these Pills.

*nom*

Witch Aiko threw it into her mouth, waiting for the abhorrent taste to kill her.

”It tastes like sludge?” Witch Aiko was puzzled by how different the taste was.

”Interesting...” Mei was a lot less enthusiastic than before, maybe because she tasted that Pill too?

”Ugh...” Witch Aiko flinched, the poison was quite impressive.

”Are you alright?” Mei prepared a few Pills, one also made out of honey, so Aiko didn’t need to suffer that taste as much.

[You have consumed the [Netherworld Vitality Pill+].]

[Your Vitality has increased by 85,000!]

[Poison Empress Completion: 1+%]

[Some rewards have been released.]

”Yeah, it’s strong. I didn’t expect this.” Witch Aiko had to loosen some of her garments, because she was feeling incredibly hot.

”Phew, that’s the good stuff.” Witch Aiko leaned back, her impressive chest heaving up and down with her breathing.

Mei was mesmerised as Aiko’s scent was not considered as poison, it was closer to a natural charm that her body exuded when she was not giving off poisonous air.

Witch Aiko noticed that and pushed Mei back to the Cauldron.

’That was close.’ Witch Aiko wiped the non-existent sweat before going back to the table.

’Hm? More Pills?’ Witch Aiko spotted more Pills on the table. ’Did Mei prepare these too?’

Witch Aiko sniffed them. One of them had a very addictive sweet scent, while the other one felt like a normal Pill.

[Honey Whispers Pill (Perfect Grade)]

[Description: Produces soothing aroma inside the mouth, removing most unsavoury scents and soothing the agitated insides.]

[Anti-Poison Pill (Perfect Grade)]

[Description: Universal anti-poison Pill. While it works against all poisons, the effects are greatly reduced compared to poison-specific anti-poison Pills.]

’Whoa!’ Witch Aiko didn’t think that Mei would be so generous.

’Did it really taste so bad for her that she made these?’ Witch Aiko felt quite happy, but since the Pills no longer tasted as bad, and were bearable, she would save them for last.

*Nom*

Witch Aiko threw a few of those Pills into her mouth. The poison was as vicious as it could get, as most of the Herbs turned from beneficial to toxic.

This caused Witch Aiko some discomfort and pain, but overall, it was a good thing.

[You have consumed the [Netherworld Vitality Pills+].]

[Your Vitality has increased by 255,000!]

[Poison Empress Completion: 2+%]

[Some rewards have been released.]

[You won’t be able to earn more from the same poisons.]

’Phew...’ Witch Aiko felt the burning sensation inside her body again.

[Warning. The [Divine Solar Physique] is using the [Primordial Intoxicating Sacred Lotus Physique (2% Completion)] as fuel.]

[Reinforcing the Seals.]

[Restricting from using the Seals.]

[Please reach Evolution where Sun and Moon dance together to suppress each other.]

[Cold Moon (Step 1)]

[Special Multistep Mission]

[Reinforce the Moon and complete the [Hollow Moon Physique (Incomplete)].]

[Requirements: Moon Evolution + [Hollow Moon Physique] ]

’This is serious...’ Witch Aiko frowned, but it was good that she knew about this.

’So I will have to increase the Moon. Okay.” Witch Aiko nodded her head.

”What happened?!” Mei was startled when she came back to see Aiko, since so many parts of her body never burned.

”Hm?” Witch Aiko turned towards Mei, not understanding why she was acting like that. ”More Pills, I will eat them, so just place them here.” She was completely oblivious to Mei’s worry.

”No.” Mei was upset with herself. Did she really test Pills on her partner instead of herself or a guinea pig?! How stupid was she!?

Mei caressed the places where Aiko was burned, but those scabs just fell down like they were never attached to begin with.

”???” Mei was confused, and so was Aiko.

”What is this?” Witch Aiko picked it up, but it quickly crumbled and disappeared.

”Ah, maybe this was because of the burning sensation?” Witch Aiko nodded her head. It could be possible, but she didn’t feel any pain? Did that mean that the temperature was so extreme that her body didn’t even notice it?

”What?!” Mei was more and more concerned about Aiko’s body.

”So here’s the thing. ”Witch Aiko explained what happened to Mei.

...

”That’s... abnormal.” Mei stared at Aiko in disbelief, but still seriously pondered over it. Aiko wouldn’t just make up things from nothing.

”So you need to strengthen your ’Moon’ side, so that your ’Sun’ side doesn’t just incinerate you?” Mei frowned greatly. ”I will prepare the ingredients, so don’t eat any more Pills for now.”

”They shouldn’t affect it any more.” Witch Aiko thought that Mei was being a bit too overprotective.

Mei snatched all the bowls with Pills before Aiko finished her protest.

”I won’t hear any of it. First is your Evolution. We can’t make it full-blown, but just reinforcing things should be easy enough.” Mei nodded her head.

”As for the [Hollow Moon Physique]...” Mei pursed her lips. ”I have never heard of it, so I can’t help you.” She shook her head with worry.

”I will tell you how it works and what we can do later, but we will be spending a lot of resources. Is that fine?” It was not like Witch Aiko would burn up immediately as long as she didn’t feed her [Primordial Intoxicating Sacred Lotus Physique].

”It’s fine, it’s fine.” Mei would spend all the resources if it meant Aiko would be safe.

Mei then stood up and left the room to prepare those things as soon as possible.

”...” Witch Aiko watched Mei leave before Moon Aiko popped up. It was harder and harder to maintain the Witch Aiko, so she would have to cultivate her energies again before being able to swap.

The Solar Essence was permanently 0 thanks to the Seals, and since they were reinforced, there was probably no way that Sun Aiko would be able to pop up any time soon. Moon Essence was being consumed, but not at a ridiculous rate like Witch’s Essence.

’Well, that’s what I get for choosing the best possible spot for Evolution.’ Moon Aiko nodded her head before standing up.

Since there won’t be any wars right now, she could now question the Ghosts, repair the Massage Chairs and get some more clothes.

She would start with Massage Chairs, since the Muscle Foxes deserve it.

...

”Hey.” Moon Aiko burst into a place where Forging Foxes were located.

”The one that made the parts for the Massage Chair, please help me out repairing them so that Muscle Foxes can use them.” Moon Aiko was quite loud, but not to the point that she was shouting.

The Foxes exchanged glances.

”That guy died when he defended us.” One Forging Fox politely replied. Well, as politely as possible since they didn’t socialise at all...

”Oh...” Moon Aiko was stunned. ”My apologies for disturbing you.”

She would have to do it by hand, but then the Massage Chairs wouldn’t be as high quality.

What she needed right now was to disassemble the old Massage Chairs, combine and mix their parts and do at least a little work so that Muscle Foxes had some kind of reward.

Moon Aiko nodded her head. This would take some time, but since she didn’t want to do any overly serious work, this was just right!