Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

[First, let’s establish the concept of the Moon.]

-------

{Familiar place in the Immortal World}

”What will we eat?” Nüwa nudged Chang’e.

”You are lazy and hungry. How about you grow stronger?” Chang’e rolled her eyes.

”But I feel like an inflated eel...” Nüwa didn’t want to move, because she was stuffed to the brim.

Chang’e could only sigh at her supposed friend.

*Pop*

”Um, Chang’e?” Nüwa suddenly got nervous.

”What is it this time?” Chang’e’s lips twitched.

”Don’t you think there is something missing outside...?” Nüwa was larger, so she was able to see outside without moving. That’s also why she was so concerned about what she saw.

”What do you-” Chang’e turned towards the window to look outside, but there was nothing there.

Soon, a sensation of weightlessness overtook them, and Chang’e yelled loudly.

”WHERE IS MY FUCKING MOOOOOOOOOOOOOOON?!”

-----

A Moon appeared in front of Aiko, but it was very barren and broken.

”Yep, nothing out of the ordinary.” Moon Aiko nodded her head, but she didn’t quite like this Moon, since it was very empty.

[The Moon is a ruined World, either a Mortal with a high Cultivation Path, or an Immortal that failed during the Immeasurable Disaster.]

”Uh-huh.” Moon Aiko nodded her head, but she couldn’t understand where the system was going with this.

[With that being said, let’s look at others.]

-----

{Somewhere in the Immortal World}

”You should rest, Empress.” A maid nudged the Empress of the Golden Palace.

”Shhhh...” The Empress was tired of her stupid husband going around playing a god, so she always rested while watching those beautiful Moons.

*Pop*

The Empress blinked her eyes a few times. ”I seem to be too tired...”

The maid was stunned when she saw those Moons just disappear out of nowhere, but was overjoyed that the Empress would actually rest. She immediately went to make her bed and stuff it with plushies before the Empress changed her mind.

-----

[Another Moon is of the Ocean variant. This one was ravaged by the Flood Dragon Tribe, who couldn’t make up their minds about who would rule it.]

”Wait, did they bicker so much that they just destroyed it...?” Moon Aiko felt that it was ridiculous, but meeting her Grandpa Flame, who was very easygoing...

[Indeed.]

[Next Moon would be of the Fire variant. This one was ravaged by the Vermillion Bird Tribe as they tried to create a Sun out of it.]

”What...?” Moon Aiko felt that these Moons got more and more ridiculous as time went on.

[This Moon is of the Metal variant-]

”Let me guess, the White Kittens scratched it until it became like that.” Moon Aiko rolled her eyes.

[Very smart, Princess.]

”What the f-” Before Moon Aiko could finish her sentence, she was interrupted by another Moon.

[This Moon would be of the Ice variant.]

”Do I even want to know what happened?” Moon Aiko felt like even more ridiculous things would happen to her if she knew.

[The Black Tortoise felt like the World was too warm, so it cooled it down.]

”...” Moon Aiko almost facepalmed, but then she had an idea. ”How is it inside?”

[Are you planning to integrate your-]

Moon Aiko smugly smiled at her system.

[*Sigh* I will ask the Elders.]

”Yay~” Moon Aiko would finally be able to do something with all of her resources.

...

[I can’t believe they green-lit it...]

”Hehehe~” Moon Aiko cackled happily.

”So I was thinking...” Moon Aiko chuckled sinisterly while holding the [How to grow bonsai 101].

[Oh... fuck.]

The system fell silent once again. It was definitely discussing things with the other side.

[What did you do to them?]

Moon Aiko tilted her head. ”What do you mean? I haven’t done anything yet.”

[That’s the problem! They would never allow these things before, so what happened?!]

”Don’t ask me, I don’t even know who those supposed Elders are.” Moon Aiko rolled her eyes.

[Right...]

”So...” Moon Aiko looked at her system mischievously.

[You will need a Spirit that can make those come alive.]

Moon Aiko pointed at her [Seedling~].

[Are you sure she doesn’t resent you? Considering you have ruined her ‘journey’?]

Moon Aiko pointed at her [Ancient Blessed Spring Spiritual Light-Water].

[... That’s not e-]

Moon Aiko pointed at her precious resources.

[... She won’t-]

Moon Aiko pulled the Old Crimson Empress Bee out from her tails.

[Right, that might-]

Moon Aiko pulled the Young Crimson Empress Bee out of her tails.

[Uhhh...]

Moon Aiko pulled out the rest of her [Meat].

[Now you are just overdoing it! Take that one back! Those are supposed to be your snacks!]

The system couldn’t take it any more and scolded Aiko severely, since it was upset she was giving those left and right.

”Awwww...” Moon Aiko pouted. ”I would also like to have it connected to me so I can pull things in and out.” The demerit of her Hollow Moon was that it couldn’t retrieve things in an easy fashion, so she wanted to establish a connection that would allow her to do that.

[You will need some kind of ability that-]

Moon Aiko pointed at her tails.

[...]

”What? It’s part of me, and it was a gift, so why not use it?”

[*grumbling uncontrollably*]

The system went silent again before returning over some time later.

[If you want to establish a direct connection, you will have to sacrifice your [Tails Storage]-]

”I will just ask for another then.” Moon Aiko nodded her head.

[*grumbling uncontrollably while ruffling their fur*]

[Can you, like, not turn every negative into positive?]

”Why does there need to be negative when there can be positive?” Moon Aiko tilted her head.

[Right... This is always how you were...]

The system went silent once again.

[You will have to do everything manually, so be prepared.]

”That will take a while.” Moon Aiko nodded.

[You will have to clear 7 out of 10 billion cubic kilometres before completing your Hollow Moon.]

”Right-” Moon Aiko was suddenly stunned. ”Wait, how much did you say? Did you get the wrong word in?”

The system snickered.

[Everything is right, Princess. That would make it about 10,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 m3.]

Moon Aiko’s eyes widened as she looked over at her system.

‘1, 2, 3... 6 zeros.’ Then she looked over the message from the system.

‘1, 2, 3... 6... 9... 12... 15... 18... 21... 22.’ Moon Aiko almost fainted at that number!

”This is ridiculous!” Moon Aiko cried out.

[This is what you wanted, Princess...]

The system made it sound like it was fading away.

”Come back, you bastard! You should’ve told me the size first!” Moon Aiko cried out, calling the system all kinds of names before huffing from exhaustion.

...

It took her a good hour to calm down.

[Elders agreed that it is not a size you can do immediately, so we have concluded on a new system.]

[Make your own Hollow Moon!]

[Cleared: 0/7,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 m3]

[First Tree: 0/5m3]

”*grumbling curses*” Moon Aiko plopped in the air, thinking about her previous cute Moon that was already hollowed.

[Please start now, Princess.]

It was obvious that the system was snickering, like it was trying to get back at her for something she had done in the past.

”How do I start?” Moon Aiko crumbled, giving up eventually.

[Please make your own shovel to start digging.]

”I HAVE TO DO THAT TOO?!” Moon Aiko almost fainted from anger at her system.

[That’s only natural, Princess.]

”JUST YOU WAIT!” Moon Aiko would definitely get back on them for this injustice!

...

Pulling out her Cauldron. Moon Aiko immediately threw in Divine Steel and made a small shovel.

It was small, but good enough for now, since she didn’t want to use too many materials.

A portal opened in front of her with something black.

”Alright!” Moon Aiko understood that she was supposed to mine this.

*Clang*

Her whole body stiffened with just one swing of the shovel.

Moon Aiko scraped the wall through the portal.

”Oi, this is metal!” Moon Aiko yelled at her system.

[That’s what the Core is made out of?]

The system said as a matter of fact.

”*Gibberish cursing*” Moon Aiko almost threw the shovel at her system.

-----

{A somewhat familiar place in the Immortal World}

”I wonder how long we will fall?” Nüwa yawned tiredly.

”I will skin those bastards for pulling this prank!” While Chang’e was raving about her upcoming vows.

*Crash*

They both suddenly crashed onto the floor as the Moon reappeared without warning.

Dozens of veins manifested on Chang’e’s almost flattened face. ”I WILL FUCKING KILL YOU!!!”

Needless to say, she was not too happy that her Moon disappeared and appeared out of nowhere.

-----

Moon Aiko wheezed, but there were still ways to do this!

[Digging Site]!

Moon Aiko snickered that this would solve everything since the area of influence was quite large, but...

She rubbed her eyes several times when a tiny square popped in front of her.

”This is it? This must be a joke?” Moon Aiko flung her head left to right and right to left, trying to figure out if her eyes were playing games on her.

”THIS IS IT?!” Moon Aiko cried out as this was much smaller than she expected.

”She immediately stuck the place several times, and dust was stored in her inventory.

[Black Primordial Metal x>1g]

Moon Aiko stared at it blackly.

[Toughest material in the known universe. Good luck mining this.]

”MOTHERFUCKER!” Moon Aiko finally threw the shovel away while continuously cursing.

This was so unfair of the system that she wanted to strangle it with her own hands!

‘Wait...’ Moon Aiko looked at her ability.

[Digging Site: Lv.8]

[Active Ability - Costs Beast Core Energy]

[Allows you to designate an area of influence where you can dig faster. It will also reduce the chances of damaging treasures or anything that is under the soil. (Size and effect depend on Ability Level.)]

[Lv.8]

‘So if I can raise this, it should give me the ability to mine it faster...’ Moon Aiko nodded her head, but she also noticed that her shovel was already worn out.

”Okay, so pickaxes, right...” Moon Aiko narrowed her eyes. ”I think I can make this work somehow.” She snickered.

Being outdone by her system was not good for her mental health, so she would do everything in her power to screw it over!

She first made multiple pickaxes and remelted the shovel. Since she would be digging metal and not soil, she didn’t need it for the time being.

”You said it’s the Frozen Moon, right?” Moon Aiko suddenly turned around.

[Indeed, Princess.]

”Does that mean it also has precious Soil?” Moon Aiko raised her eyebrow.

[Indeed...?]

”Then give me another portal so I can stuff the soil into the middle, that shouldn’t be against the rules, right?” Moon Aiko narrowed her eyes.

[That is within reason, yes.]

The system didn’t mind, since even the soil would be hard to-

[Wait, are you multi-wielding pickaxes with your tails?!]

”It’s time to mine, motherfucker!” Moon Aiko snickered as a booming sound of metal colliding spread through the Treasury...