Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

Aiko fell asleep for quite some time. Mei was worried about her, since they even departed while Aiko was still sleeping.

It took her about half a month to wake up from her slumber.

Aiko groaned unhappily as she stretched her large body.

"How are you feeling?" The Twins immediately swarmed her as the Blood Fox watched from the side.

Mei was currently outside, still ripping into the Elders for disrupting her, so she was not around.

Aiko groaned again and looked around. "Tired, cranky, lemme sleep some more." She wanted to lie back into the bed and steal their tails, so that she could sleep properly.

"Aiko, you have already slept for almost a month." The Blood Fox nudged Aiko.

Aiko's eyes opened, trying to figure out if the Blood Fox was joking or not.

"Seriously?" Aiko blinked at her.

"Seriously." The Blood Fox nodded seriously back.

"What-?" Aiko was left speechless as the Twins tackled her.

"Aiko is back~" Yuxi hummed as she nuzzled her. It was great to watch them during the process and it also bothered the Twins greatly.

They wanted to join, but they also felt like Mei would be mean to them if they did.

Aiko didn't mind their attention since she was in her Nightmare Form. She tried to recount the events and pulled out the Lantern.

Aiko knocked at it, but there was a barrier set up that protected it. She was unfamiliar with that barrier, but since it had her Energy, she didn't mind it.

She would figure out the gist of it later once she went inside to greet Lady Liu.

'I wonder what Lady Liu is doing~' Aiko hummed happily.

-----

"S-Sis?! What are you doing here?" Liu Zhi's sister gasped at the sudden appearance of her sister.

Lady Liu blankly looked around. She was missing a lot of Ghost Qi, but this place was pretty much flooded by it.

"You can't talk." Liu Ru sighed. "Gather some Ghost Qi from here, since we won't be able to consume it anyway." Liu Ru instructed her Sis.

Former Lady Liu nodded. She wore the Empress garb now and her majestic energy could not be concealed any more.

'I didn't think I would see her like this again.' Liu Ru's eyes shined at her sis.

Liu Zhi was greatly bothered by the shining eyes, but she also noticed another Ghost stored in there.

She looked towards him and Liu Ru interjected. "He is a friend. He might be injured and lazy, but he helps around greatly."

Liu Zhi raised her eyebrow and Liu Ru stammered. "I-it's not like that! He is just a friend! He helps around okay!"

Liu Zhi had a smug smile on her lips and playfully teased her little sister.

-----

Mei returned to the room, only to find a fur pile once again.

"Did Aiko wake up?" Mei tilted her head.

"Yes, she did. She says she is tired and cranky." The Blood Fox sipped her tea.

"Let her rest, we are still travelling, so there is no need for her to move around just yet." Mei chuckled and gazed at the Blood Fox. "Seriously... what's up with you and Tea consumption..." She shook her head.

"What?" The Blood Fox played the ignorant act and sipped her tea again. There was not much to do once she was almost completely freed from the Demonic Nature.

The voices wanted to teach her a lot of things, but most of them bothered her. They were seduction education, sex education and others, just to lure in Aiko.

'I have no intention of taking Aiko with me.' While the Blood Fox was happy for the voices, that didn't mean she would try to harm Aiko.

Aiko was a big driving point that also allowed her to stay sane. She rewarded them with some many Treasures that her birth family would salivate at or straight up faint!

'It's good to keep Aiko happy, but also keep those voices away from her.' The Blood Fox nodded softly as her attitude changed once again.

"Nothing." Mei sighed. "How about you help out at least a little bit, before consuming so much tea." She rolled her eyes.

"I already sorted most tools, Treasures, Spirit Stones, currency, needles, fabric-" The Blood Fox kept listing things she did and Mei had to stop her.

"Stop! Alright, alright, you did a thing, good job." Mei was always irritated by the Blood Fox and her prowess when it came to sorting things.

'It wasn't even a day since I told her to do that.' Mei groaned unhappily. She was trying to keep the Blood Fox in check, but failed miserably each time.

"Will Aiko create more Treasures? I would have to adjust my sorting system." The Blood Fox murmured the last part.

"Probably, but don't expect quality, they will be mostly utility Treasures, since we don't have materials nor proper Cauldron to Forge them." Mei shook her head.

"True, while Aiko is building her versatile Cauldron, that doesn't mean it will be finished anytime soon." The Blood Fox nodded.

"I really can't deal with the two of you." Mei ruffled her hair as her ears twitched. "And you two! Stop hogging Aiko and let her rest!"

Mei tried to grab those Twins, but she lifted the whole fur pile.

""Don't wanna!"" The Twins answered back.

A vein appeared on Mei's forehead, but she couldn't just throw them away.

"I heard that violence is not attractive." The Blood Fox had a smug smile while talking to Mei.

More veins appeared on Mei's forehead. "Out, now!" She glared at her.

"What's happening?" Aiko stirred awake since it was quite loud outside.

The duo kept glaring and taunting each other while the Twins were next to Aiko.

Aiko glanced at everyone before grabbing Yuxi's tails and going to sleep again. This was not her issue and she would definitely not engage with it!

...

Waking up the next day, things seemed calmer than usual.

'They are sulking.' For some reason, everyone except Aiko was sulking.

'Ah, never mind. The Twins are just mimicking the duo.' Aiko rolled her eyes as she pulled out a snack out of her Tails, but for some reason, it was already chewed...?

'... Ah!' Aiko completely forgot about the Foxes inside her Tails and she spilled them out.

The Blood Fox and Mei were shocked by the sudden appearance of Demonic Foxes and went on guard.

"Is this everyone?" Aiko asked around the pile of Demonic Foxes before shaking her Tail again.

One last Demonic Fox fell out of her Tail onto the pile, and Aiko was satisfied.

"Blood Fox, we need some food and Mei, we need to know more about them." Aiko commanded like a leader for once, and everyone was speechless.

"Are those from the Secret Realm?" Mei asked, since she could see a few familiar faces.

While she didn't engage with the Demonic Foxes that didn't mean she didn't visit them with the Sect Leader.

She knew most Demonic Foxes in the sealed zone.

The Blood Fox pulled out food and the Demonic Foxes immediately lined themselves for the serving.

Mei's lips twitched, since those Foxes looked exactly like a hungry Aiko.

"I nabbed them since I liked their energy." Aiko shrugged. "And more hands means less work for us." She smiled.

"More hands means MORE work for us." Mei clicked her tongue. "You have to house them-"

*Aiko patted her Tails*

"Feed them"

*Aiko stared at the Blood Fox*

"Train them"

*Aiko stared at Mei*

Mei's lips twitched. "You are trying to shirk all your responsibilities!" She yelled at Aiko.

"Nope, I will provide the Beast Cores for their growth~" Aiko smirked since she got quite a few of them.

"You-" Mei pinched her nose bridge. It's been a while since she had such an impressive headache.

"What? Something wrong~?" Aiko smirked at her.

Mei flicked Aiko's forehead, making her flinch.

"Auch! That was uncalled for!" Aiko pouted unhappily.

"Uncalled for, my ass! Do you know how much work and explanations we will have to do if we take in so many Demonic Foxes?!" Mei was upset at Aiko's impulsive nature.

"Nobody needs to know." Aiko shrugged. "Right guys?"

"Of course, Mistress." The Demonic Foxes nodded obediently, which was unlike what Mei imagined.

"Do you like her?" Mei was speechless at their docile conduct.

She was completely unaware that they had the front seats when the Darkness manifested and they also experienced the brunt of that might.

Each one of them from that point on turned docile and worshipped Aiko, since they couldn't imagine someone so young to be so powerful.

As such, they obeyed Aiko's every will and whim, no matter what it was.

They were even happily starving, just not to burden Aiko, but a few of them couldn't bear it any more and munched on some snacks inside the Tails.

The Demonic Foxes didn't know how to answer the Jade Fox. It was more of an obsession than like when it came to Aiko, but an obsession that wouldn't get in their way.

Seeing their difficult expression Mei didn't press them on. She knew that Demonic Foxes had a harder time thinking and that the Blood Fox was a rarity... and Wanshu... and Yuxi...

'Wait, aren't there too many rarities in this team?!' Mei was once again speechless.

"So what, you are creating an army?" Mei gave up on thinking about this and just asked plainly.

"I didn't think an army would be a fitting word, they are too weak." Aiko sighed.

The Demonic Foxes munched on their food, but that didn't mean they didn't feel bitter. It would usually take an Elder to pacify them, yet this young Fox said that they were weak?

'We are definitely weak.' While they did have their pride, they couldn't compare to the pressure Aiko exuded when she went after those chains, so they could only concede on this part.

Mei's forehead throbbed from pain. It was easier not to think when it came to Aiko, but she was just so abnormal that all Mei's plans went up in flames.

"Your next step?" Mei asked her.

"Feeding." Aiko raised her hand happily.

"They are being fed already." Mei sighed at Aiko.

"Not them, me. I'm hungry." Aiko pouted unhappily again.

Mei's mind blanked. "Whatever, just do whatever, I give up. Come to me once you have some kind of plan." She would have to create painkiller Pills, so that she could get rid of the throbbing headache.

Aiko observed Mei, who just gave up and left the premises, leaving the curious Twins and sharp Blood Fox alone with them.