Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

Mei smiled briefly before interrupting Aiko.

”It’s time to rest.” It was obvious that neither Mei nor Aiko wanted to rest and just wanted to keep going.

That’s why Mei didn’t even think of suggesting it and immediately sprung to action.

”Huh?” Moon Aiko was startled. Her expression was the same as if someone was stealing her candy.

”Aren’t you curious how the Muscle Foxes and other Foxes are doing?” Mei chuckled. She knew how to bait Aiko sometimes, since it didn’t work all the time.

Moon Aiko paused. She still faintly remembered that Shadow Fox and her attitude.

’I wonder if something happened to them.’ Moon Aiko was curious, but not curious enough that she would pry into their lives.

”Sure.” Moon Aiko didn’t reject her ’suggestion’, rather it was obvious that Mei wouldn’t allow her to continue working like this.

”We will first look over the Muscle Foxes.” Mei smiled again, but then she paused. ”We will have the heaviest topic for last, so be prepared.”

”...” Moon Aiko saw the heavy air around Mei and felt weird.

How bad things had to get for Mei to say that?

...

Their first stop was for their business. It was obvious where most of the Muscle Foxes would be located.

It was the Massage Chairs!

”As you can see the Muscle Foxes are doing well.” Mei smiled, but Aiko kept pointing at them.

”They are puddles.” Moon Aiko gestured towards the puddle of Muscle Foxes, melting from the pleasant sensation of muscle relief.

”En.” Mei giggled. She was obviously familiar with this sight, so it was not strange for her.

”Sect Mistresses.” The Muscle Foxes immediately bowed towards them. Even those puddles tried their best, but it made things even more awkward for them.

Moon Aiko was startled and slowly hid behind Mei. They were much more enthusiastic than ever before.

”Why are they like this?” Sure, her Massage Chairs were great, but their shining eyes felt different.

”Oh, they also like to dig holes now.” Mei chuckled.

”Yes, Ma’am!” The Muscle Foxes immediately saluted and rubbed their hands. They were obviously looking forward to even more digging, or rather anything that would be able to bring them as many gains as digging.

They were no longer hulking masses of muscles. Well, they were still bigger than your average Foxes, but their muscles compressed. At first the Muscle Foxes cried, but when they realised that their already stagnant strength suddenly jumped sky-high... Needless to say, they were ecstatic.

But that was not all. The Muscle Foxes had very severe issues...

Stamina.

They were able to produce a lot of quick force, but when it came to drawn out force, their muscles weren’t able to bear it, making them into one-shotting glass-cannons.

However, even that part was remedied, making them even more enthusiastic than before! They pretty much worshipped both of these beautiful Foxes for their ingenious ideas.

One Fox allowed their muscles to rest, giving them the opportunity to train more efficiently.

The other Fox allowed them to strain muscles they never knew they had, allowing them to gain more stamina.

Of course this had a very sudden side effect in their love lives, making them even more obsessed about worshipping them!

Moon Aiko nodded here and there, but it was obvious she was overwhelmed. She was always able to perceive the subtle emotions of those around her, but only on a subconscious level.

Now that those emotions were pretty much plastered on their faces, she suddenly felt troubled...

”Alright, enough. You are scaring her.” Mei clapped her hands and the Muscle Foxes obediently dispersed.

”Is this considered brainwashing?” Moon Aiko was impressed by how easily Mei made them move.

”Why are you always assuming the worst of me?” Mei felt flabbergasted that her own partner would say something like that.

”Is that not the truth?” Moon Aiko tilted her head as she waited for those Massage Chairs to not be used.

She wanted to check them just in case, so that she could do a patchwork.

It was important for her to do routine maintenance, but honestly she was quite busy and didn’t really have time to come here.

Now that opportunity presented herself, she would just check them before going away...

...

Mei dragged Aiko to second place. It was deep down underground, where the Demonic Foxes resided.

”Would you like some cookies?”

”I have brewed a lightly scented tea, have some~”

”I have made new clothing, how about-”

It was obvious that the Demonic Foxes were very enthusiastic when they spotted Aiko.

”Why do I feel like a third wheel on a cart?” Mei’s lips twitched. She never got such an enthusiastic welcome and if it was not for their chief, Yu, then she wouldn’t even receive tea!

However, when it came to Moon Aiko, she just happily kept munching on anything that the Demonic Foxes brought over and also kept giving them feedback about it.

The Demonic Foxes recorded those things before bringing even more so that they could indulge Aiko even more!

”I feel like I’m being discriminated against.” Mei sighed. Not only was she completely ignored, but they even got overly touchy with Aiko. ”I feel like you are ignoring me on purpose.”

Mei made her demonic face, but the Demonic Foxes just shrugged and kept indulging Aiko.

It got so bad that Mei had to drag Aiko away!

...

The next location was the residential district. Where most Foxes were located.

The air was somewhat light, but it was obvious they were still experiencing the side effects of generational abuse.

”This place is generally very light-hearted, but it can get heavy at times. However, the times are random and I have not figured out why that is.” Mei shook her head slowly. It was obvious this pained her greatly, but there was no real solution.

”We have figured out that those times might’ve been ’public orgies’, but we have no way to say if it’s true or not.” The Shadows Peak Elder popped out of nowhere startling both of them.

”What are you doing?” Mei sighed at her.

”I’m looking for a betrothal name.” The Shadows Peak Elder chuckled.

”You are fast- No, wait. You have not answered my question.” Mei wouldn’t be fooled by her questions again.

”We are conducting the surveys that you have approved.” The Shadows Peak Elder chuckled before looking over at Aiko.

”How are you doing?” She asked very politely, seemingly plotting something.

Moon Aiko just hid behind Mei, not saying anything.

”Right...” Mei nodded her head. ”And that’s what you have figured out?”

”Not quite. It’s still our assumption since most of them won’t talk about it.” The Shadows Peak Elder shrugged before disappearing again.

”I swear she comes and goes whenever she wants.” Mei sighed yet again. She was sighing more and more often, which troubled her greatly.

”And with dildos too.” Moon Aiko could still feel the faint presence, so she called her out immediately.

”That was one time! Why are you still stuck on it!” The Shadows Peak Elder whined.

”So you are still here.” Mei’s serious expression made the Elder pause.

”Ah... haha...” The Shadows Peak Elder scratched her head before running away from those two monsters.

”You are very sensitive.” Mei admired Aiko’s senses, since she would have to use Divine Sense to spot that eccentric Elder. Meanwhile, Aiko was able to do it with her senses alone!

’Or maybe she has a new technique?’ Mei didn’t really want to admit that even in this category she was surpassed by Aiko...

”At times, but it’s more to do with her ’eyes’.” Moon Aiko smiled happily since that information helped her greatly.

”What do you mean by that?” Mei tilted her head.

”Do you remember that time when you told me that when someone ’stares’ at you, you will have that odd feeling?” Moon Aiko smiled.

”Ah...” Mei immediately realised what Aiko was talking about, but she was impressed that Aiko was able to put it into practise so soon!

”I believe it’s time that we move on.” Mei tried to hide her embarrassment by dragging Aiko into the last and most troublesome part of the new Fox Village...

...

”They look... miserable.” Moon Aiko commented.

This place was the rehabilitation centre. It hosted all the severely abused Foxes, but...

”Yes...” Mei pursed her lips. A lot of these Foxes harmed themselves daily, some even tried to commit suicides, driving the death toll ever so higher.

”The atmosphere is depressing...” Moon Aiko frowned.

She knew that Mei tried to uplift this place with soft and cuddly things like plushies, but the Foxes here were too weary to acknowledge the plushies.

”I honestly have no idea what to do, since I never experienced such a situation.” Mei could only sigh. No matter what she did, there would be a death every so often...

”Good that you brought me here.” Moon Aiko chuckled.

”You can’t enter. The Foxes would get even more anxious.” Mei stopped Aiko.

”And that’s where you are wrong.” Moon Aiko chuckled when her body suddenly shrunk.

”H-huh?” Mei did know about this, but seeing it in person it was much more elaborate than the Bone Shifting Technique!

”Rolling ball~” Moon Aiko would play her part in order to help these Foxes and tiny Aiko was the best way to go about this!

She rolled down the slight slope and crashed into some Foxes, giggled.

The very weary and cautious Foxes dispersed until they heard the very youthful voice coming from the intruder.

The weary Foxes peeked from their ’safety’ spots, looking at the intruder.

”Are you alright?” Tiny Aiko stood up and trotted towards the Foxes that she crashed into.

It took the Foxes a while to go over their shock.

It was shocking enough that they had an intruder, but the intruder was tiny and cute to boot!

Was this supposed to torture them? Why did this small girl roll into them?

They had many questions, but it was not like they could voice them.

”You shouldn’t be here.” The Foxes stood up, trying to nudge Aiko out. They were too miserable to accept anything cute.

”Why? You don’t wanna play?” Moon Aiko innocently tilted her head. Her actions were so natural that the Foxes were speechless.

They were not sure how to answer that question and that’s also what Aiko was aiming for!

”You don’t like me?” Moon Aiko sniffled unhappily, making the Foxes flustered.

Mei watched this from a distance, so that she wouldn’t rouse their suspicion, but this was truly unimaginable.

Most if not all Foxes arrived at the Fox Village as adults, so if you wanted small Foxes, you would have to go for the petite ones.

As such, no child-like Fox truly existed in this Fox Village!

But in front of them was the very same being!? What was happening?!

”I-it’s not like that.” The Foxes were flustered, since they never had a child and never will have due to that technique.

”Are you perhaps lost?” Another, a slightly older Fox, approached the tiny Fox.

Her eyes seemed hurt, especially when she looked at the tiny Fox.

”I’m not. The other Foxes are too enthusiastic when they play, so it’s better here.” Moon Aiko nodded seriously.

Of course that was a flat out lie, but this was for better. With this the groundwork was laid and Mei’s hard work wouldn’t be wasted~!