Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

Of course, Moon Aiko didn’t keep those Spirit Stones in the open, since she worried some of them might get lost in the cracks.

”I... didn’t think there would be so many...” Yuan pursed her lips, almost grinding her teeth from anger.

They spend around 10 million per month just to keep the Protective Array working. They were doing their best to sell assets each month just to fill up that quota as the Treasure Pavilion never had that many Spirit Stones. Or at least that’s what they reported...

”Scum...” Yuan gritted her teeth.

”I also found a hidden compartment, but I can’t get inside, so good luck.” Moon Aiko smiled at them.

”Compartment?” Yuan immediately sharpened her ears since one of the Treasurers slipped once before, talking about a hidden room in here where they housed their private ’properties’.

”Where is it?” Yuan grabbed Aiko, but Mei stopped her.

”Glaring won’t help. Calm down first.” Mei sighed. Seeing Yuan so furious she already estimated that the most priceless Treasures were stashed into those hidden rooms and that was also probably why they only found low-ranking Foxes around this place and not the Elders or those that ran this place.

”I will skin them alive!” Yuan roared, completely livid.

Moon Aiko whispered to Mei the location, since she didn’t want to deal with anyone angry.

She still had a lot of work to melt those things. It would take a lot of time and energy.

”Take care.” Moon Aiko waved her hand before returning to her work. She was more willing to work now knowing that she didn’t have to consume those Pills!

”That’s unfair...” The Seer suddenly popped out of nowhere.

Moon Aiko jumped since she couldn’t feel her at all.

”You have cracks again?” After a quick observation she noticed that the Seer was having trouble again.

”I figured a few things out.” The Seer was still missing a lot of knowledge, but she figured out a few things. Thus, she returned into this ’form’, but without the pain and loss of control.

”Cool.” Moon Aiko returned to her work.

”That’s all?” The Seer was like a needy cat, following everyone around and observing things curiously.

”Yeah, I have a lot of work in front of me, so it’s impossible for me to indulge you.” Moon Aiko shrugged.

”Boooo.” The Seer booed before following the Jade Fox and Yuan around.

”It’s good that she is free, but it feels like she will be causing trouble...” Moon Aiko narrowed her eyes.

”You are one to talk.” Grandpa Flame rolled his eyes.

”Hey! I’m not causing trouble!” Moon Aiko pouted.

”Sure, sure. So what are we melting this time?” Grandpa Flame would not bicker with Aiko over this, since he knew he wouldn’t be able to win.

”Some cursed Treasures.” Moon Aiko nodded her head seriously.

”Gah-” Grandpa Flame didn’t want to approach it.

”Is there something that I should know?” Moon Aiko tilted her head.

”These are indeed cursed. And some of them even formed a ’grudge’.” Grandpa Flame explained.

”But it shouldn’t affect us, right?” Moon Aiko didn’t believe that the ’new’ system would hurt her. Although they were very mean and troublesome.

”It won’t affect YOU, but I will be affected.” Grandpa Flame groaned.

”How does that work?” Moon Aiko titled her head.

”Do you know what ’grudge’ is?” Grandpa Flame wanted to know how much Aiko knew about this situation.

”Is it something like a gathering of negative emotions?” Moon Aiko tried to guess, considering the whole conversation... She shouldn’t be too far from the truth, right?

”You are correct. They form Vengeful Spirits/Ghosts, but before you get to that point, they are a form of ’negative’ energy.” Grandpa Flame explained.

”That didn’t explain much...” Moon Aiko frowned at him.

”I’m getting to the point, so just sit down and listen!” Grandpa Flame was angry, since he had to maintain the temperature in that place, but then he suddenly got transported without him doing anything, scaring him shitless.

”Okay~” Moon Aiko sat down with a happy expression.

”Seriously...” Grandpa Flame grumbled, but still explained. ”While they are in the form of ’grudge’ they do not act, behave or are affected by anything Ghost-related. In simple terms, you have to fight them with their own weapons.”

”To the point...” Moon Aiko pouted at him.

Grandpa Flame rolled his eyes. ”Energy against energy. In this case if the ’grudge’ went against me, I would have to defend myself with the ’energy’ that creates flames.”

”Ahah.” Moon Aiko nodded her head. ”Not only would the flame be unstable, but you might even get snuffed out.”

”Indeed. That’s why I’m not very keen about this.” Grandpa Flame nodded his head.

”That would be bad.” Moon Aiko nodded her head.

”Indeed.” Grandpa Flame also nodded his flames.

”So, what do we do?” Moon Aiko titled her head.

”No bulk melting. Rests between each melting and so on.” Grandpa Flame laid out the rules, since this situation would get dangerous if Aiko did it her old way.

”Okay.” Moon Aiko nodded her head. That was not too bad for her, since she could research other things in the meantime.

-----

Mei arrived at the location where Aiko suggested, but she couldn’t see anything.

”They spend a lot of money on this.” But Chen Shi saw something.

”What do you mean?” Mei turned towards him.

”This place has floating Runes, which is a rare sight. They either have powerful Artefact or someone like me.” Chen Shi sighed. Things got troublesome, but he was looking forward to what he would uncover.

”Can you break in?” Mei narrowed her eyes.

”En.” Chen Shi chuckled sinisterly. It seemed like he assimilated well into this group...

-----

{Somewhere within the Fox Village}

”Bahahaaha! You should have seen their faces when they discovered the Spirit Stones!” An Elder kept laughing. He had everything white, like a Human Cultivator, which would make you think he was pure, but far from it.

”But that Fox... Vicious Jade Fox. That is no laughing matter.” Another Elder shook his head. He had 6 tails like the others, but he was in full red, since it was an auspicious colour.

”Yeah. She was able to eliminate all the traps within the Treasures and stash them far away so that they won’t be able to affect anyone.” The first Elder clicked his tongue.

”But we still kept the best Treasures in this place.” The second Elder chuckled.

They had a special Artefact that allowed them to see paintings of what was happening inside the Fox Village.

”But to think she would be able to just...” The third Elder shook her head. She couldn’t believe that her Treasure Pavilion would be taken apart piece by piece like that!

She wore a seductive purple dress which hugged her body closely.

”If we could report our findings, the mainland would rescue us.” The first Elder rubbed his hands.

”Then go outside and die if you so wish.” The third Elder rolled her eyes.

”True, this place is sealed, so information can’t get in, AND out.” The second Elder nodded his head. They were like sitting ducks, but at least they were golden ducks!

”We can just pass this and then report it later.” The third Elder suggested, since she didn’t really want to move from the sofa.

”Agreed.” The second Elder nodded his head again.

”Fine.” The first Elder clicked his tongue.

-----

”The space inside is quite large.” Chen Shi already estimated the place. ”There are two ways to do this.”

”You don’t intend to dig it up, right?” Mei groaned. ’They all are starting to act like Aiko...’

”I don’t see why we couldn’t!” Yuan was so angry that she already had a shovel in her hand and was ready to dig down!

”Not you too!” Mei almost fainted when everyone was compromised by Aikoness.

”Well, since we have voted, let’s start digging.” Chen Shi was impressed by how easily Aiko solved the seals while he was away.

While this would not work on older monuments or temples, it would easily work on the newer ones since everyone was trying to rob each other.

Which meant that nobody wanted to do their job properly, or they didn’t know how to.

Usually you would anchor the seal to the whole building and not individual parts. That way if the building is destroyed the seals get strengthened significantly.

However, those idiots tend to make things easier for themselves. So when they built the whole Treasure Pavilion, they assigned parts of the seal to individual parts and not to the whole wall.

And thanks to everyone supporting Aiko, the dismantling was quicker than the regeneration of the original seal, making breaking in easier than one would expect.

”We never voted!” Mei almost fainted from anger this time, since there was no voting included!

”What are you saying? We both agreed to dig, and you are the only one not to dig.” Yuan shrugged at her.

”You-” Mei wanted to slap the both of them, but she had to stay rational.

The reason they were not using Qi or any technique was because the ’vibration’ from their technique might reach their base, making them more alert than before.

The same came from cracking the seals and jumping into that place. Since you are jumping quite far away, they might have more traps inside, making invasion through the normal means impossible.

”Fine, you-!” Mei stomped away. If everyone acts like Aiko, then she will bring the true ’Aikoness’!

Both of them looked at each other puzzled, but then they just shrugged and kept digging.

...

Mei returned.

”So you’re finally going to help us?” Chen Shi wiped the sweat, while Yuan was already resting.

”Dig!” Mei commanded, and a tsunami of Foxes poured into the hole, swallowing Chen Shi.

”W-what?” Yuan was flustered, since she didn’t believe the Muscle Foxes would be willing to do something like this. They were pretty adamant about their muscles, after all...

”Make sure not to alert the enemies, once you dig the right location, dig around it so we can surround it.” Mei commanded, ignoring the screaming Chen Shi being devoured by fluff.

”The dirt will be slapped there. There will be a lot of digging so we don’t want the old dirt to fall back into the hole.” Mei crossed her arms and Yuan gulped nervously.

”What are you doing?” Mei smiled at her, but that smile was terrifying for Yuan.

”W-what?” Yuan knew that Mei was weaker, but that didn’t mean she was not intimidating.

”You wanted to dig, so hop down.” Mei said that, but she already had a luxurious couch, with parasol and everything, as she watched over the situation.

The Demonic Foxes were impressed by this play, so they played along. One was waving a large leaf, adjusting the temperature. Another was making tea and feeding Jade Fox.

Another massaged her legs and shoulders.

”What are you waiting for? You wanted to dig, so dig.” Mei chuckled with the Demonic Foxes, making Yuan cry.

”This is so unfair! Injustice!” But Yuan still grabbed her shovel, since Mei was scary looking like this.

She looked like an Empress from the Immortal World!