Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

Mei adjusted the Array from Trapping Array to Restriction Array, of course, this Array wouldn't harm other Foxes, as for Humans... heh.

Aiko was lying down, she was waiting for her treasures, but that would still take time.

Blood Fox was observing Aiko, so she couldn't jump at the Blood Fox. She would have to leave this place, mask and return to be able to jump at her but...

"Don't leave this place, something is wrong..." Mei said gently.

Aiko couldn't leave. She had too much energy, but not much Energy in Beast Core.

...

"Aiko..." Mei sighed. She was still adjusting the Array to be able to restrain higher Cultivations.

Aiko was currently playing with Mei's tails. They were fluffy and nice to the touch.

Aiko smiled but didn't stop. Her energy was well spent here as she could rest while playing.

"What will you do after you grow up?" Mei teased, stunning Aiko.

"I will find a way to become small again." Aiko nodded seriously, startling Mei.

Mei laughed at her silly fluffball, playing with her cheeks.

Aiko pouted, she didn't really like it when someone played with her face.

Mei kissed the frowning Aiko's forehead.

This stiffened her, warmth spread through her forehead and she blushed.

Mei enjoyed the changing expression and since she achieved her goal she returned to tinkering with the Array.

Aiko lost much of her previous energy and laid down on Mei's tails. Slowly drifting to sleep.

...

"Cheat." Blood Fox clicked her tongue.

"What? At least she is willingly following me." Mei smugly said.

The Blood Fox frowned, but couldn't retort that, the only way to get Aiko to follow her was when she wasn't paying attention to her so Aiko could ambush her.

"You should cheat less, once she gets strong enough you won't be able to put her to sleep." Blood Fox questioned Jade Fox's ways.

"Eh..." Mei shrugged. "At that time she will be already attached enough that she won't leave me and since she will be with me for such a long time she will learn not to disturb me when I tinker with Arrays."

Blood Fox rolled her eyes, but didn't say anything. Her intelligence was increasing sharply when she was with that little one. She had to use all of her energy just to think straight, but now she had to use only a tiny bit for the same effect.

At first, this startled her and she was afraid of this change, but once she realized it was not that bad of a change she stuck close to Aiko whenever she could.

Mei observed the trained eye of the Passion Fox and teased some more. "Should I move her to your tail~?"

Mei enjoyed teasing her as it brought her some joy to her boring Refining life.

"Hmpf" Blood Fox snorted and looked away, but one of her eyes was glancing at Aiko.

"Since you don't want to." Mei shrugged.

"Wait!" Blood Fox suddenly said, startling herself.

Mei stared at the confused and startled Passion Fox and smirked. "What? Have you changed your mind?" Mei teasingly said.

Blood Fox frowned, she didn't understand herself, why would she say that?

Mei noticed that. 'A pity... it's nice when she reacts, but this is not what I'm looking for.' Mei sighed, no longer teasing her. Teasing only brought her joy when it was done correctly and this was not it...

Mei needed to work more on the Array, but Aiko was getting quite heavy so she moved her to Passion Fox's tail.

Blood Fox glanced at the walking Jade Fox, not thinking much about it, but she stiffened once Mei placed Aiko on her tail.

Countless questions appeared in her mind, but none of them left her lips.

Mei enjoyed that questioning look before leaving.

The Blood Fox didn't know what to do as her tail warmed up from the sleeping Aiko.

She was stiff for a long time.

...

Aiko woke up, but instead of the usual colour, she was drowned in the colour of Red.

This momentarily shocked her, but she calmed down once she saw that Mei was nearby. She was still in the courtyard so she laid back down, for some unknown reason this tail was fluffier than she remembered...

Blood Fox frowned seeing Aiko that just continued sleeping. She was troubled as she worried that Aiko would fall down and then rain rocks at her.

She still remembered the shocking sight of her throwing Spirit Stones and how much damage they did. She didn't want to experience all of that.

"You will need another tail." Mei teased Passion Fox, but the Passion Fox just looked away, pouting.

"No way will I fuck filthy Human just for his Soul." Blood Fox murmured.

Mei narrowed her eyes. "If you help me take care of Aiko I will provide you a few Souls."

"There is no need." Blood Fox rejected that motion immediately. "Brother will help me with this."

The Blood Fox didn't pay much more attention to Jade Fox, but she still couldn't move.

"I still have a few tasty Souls on me. If you know how to extract them I can give you one so you can grow a tail." Mei smugly stared at Passion Fox.

This time the Blood Fox was troubled. Her brother told her that it would take a few months/years to deliver the Soul since they would dissipate quickly. This reduced the opportunities of getting one as you had to eat them on-site.

The Blood Fox questioned Jade Fox with her eyes, but Jade Fox only returned a smile.

...

Mei finished working on the Array but noticed Passion Fox's gaze. She was still staring at her questioning.

This surprised Mei as she thought the Passion Fox would either give up or concede.

"What is it?" Mei smiled.

"How can you keep Souls on yourself when you stayed here this whole time? It's impossible to keep Souls 'fresh'." The Blood Fox questioned Jade Fox.

'Hmmmm...' Mei narrowed her eyes. "What can you give me for that information?" Mei's eyes laughed at the Passion Fox.

The Blood Fox felt awful from Jade Fox's gaze and couldn't bring herself to answer her.

She heard a click of a tongue and she stared at Jade Fox.

"Keep Aiko occupied and I will give you that Soul. Deal or not?" Mei snorted towards the Passion Fox, who was thinking deeply.

"Fine..." The Blood Fox agreed with some difficulty. "But it better be fresh Soul, not a wisp that won't give me anything.

Mei smiled and came closer to the Passion Fox with a teasing look.

...

Aiko was thrown off the tail as it stiffened. She wanted to bite that tail, but once she opened her eyes she saw that stinky Fox kissing the Blood Fox.

*Whistle*

Both Jade Fox and Blood Fox stiffened. They didn't expect that little Cub to wake up.

The Blood Fox's face was immediately dyed red and she swung her claws at Jade Fox.

Mei dodged, but...

*Slice**Crash*

Shivered once she realized that what was enhanced with durability and preservation was easily sliced apart by the Passion Fox.

'What a terrific ability...' Mei thought, she saw many things, but this reincarnation was the most bizarre one. 'How can they be so strong when there is not enough Spiritual Energy in the Air?' She questioned but still dodged.

The Blood Fox was hurling profanities at the Jade Fox with a flushed face.

"Oh, my~" Mei giggled. "Did I perhaps steal your first kiss~?" She talked seductively.

The Blood Fox stiffened her face twisted. "Of course not!" She roared. "But how dare you kiss me when you are not my Mate!" She growled.

"My my. Then we can just become one~" Mei teased more, this was a lot more fun.

The Blood Fox froze and her demeanour completely changed. A shiver ran down Mei's spine.

Mei pulled a protective small shield.

The Blood Fox had enough and used her Ability Blood Slash. She easily penetrated the reinforced walls and shattered that shield.

She wanted to continue, but...

"AAAAGH!" A female voice screamed.

They were startled and hurriedly looked at Aiko if she was alright.

She was... unhurt, but that didn't make sense...

"What?" Aiko stared at the quarrelling couple.

"Didn't you scream?" Mei asked and Passion Fox nodded with her.

"No. It came behind that wall." Aiko pointed with her tiny paw at the destroyed wall and blood was seeping through it. "Did you already finish your love quarrel?" This time Aiko teased both of them.

""WE ARE NOT A COUPLE!"" They yelled in sync.

They didn't expect this and glared at each other while moving towards that wall. Sparks were flying between them.

"Humans..." Mei murmured.

"Definitely." The Blood Fox agreed, she was much more sensitive to Blood and could smell the differences.

"What are they doing here?" Mei tilted her head. "If you spy you at least keep low to the ground, but your slash is way high..."

They didn't understand, but then something clicked. "Could it be that they are the ones that tinkered with our Arrays?" Mei thought.

"They tinkered with Arrays?" The Blood Fox didn't understand them, she... didn't like to learn things.

"Yeah, so maybe this is an ambush?" Mei said almost convinced.

"Ambush for what? Why would they do that?" The Blood Fox was doubtful.

"We caused a mess, several times at that. Then Aiko slapped that brat's face and robbed their treasures, moreover, she earned the Black Inscription Token." Mei recounted what happened and the Blood Fox's lips twitched.

She stared at the little fluffball in disbelief.

"What?" Aiko stared back at the Blood Fox innocently.

"I can't believe she was able to manage all that with such a short time..." The Blood was flabbergasted.

"Anyway, Refine the Soul I gave you, I will adjust the Array for sudden invasions." The Jade Fox said, they still had a night before they would come over with treasures, but she should finish that Array sooner, lest they ambush them during the night.

"Huh?" The Blood Fox remembered that kiss. "I have still not beaten you up for that... that!" She was red in the face, ready to rip apart Jade Fox.

"I just transferred the Soul into your body." Mei glanced at her innocently, like Aiko would always do.

The Blood Fox almost fainted from her anger but checked her body. Near her Beast Core, there was a restrained Soul that still looked fresh.

She stared at the Jade Fox with complicated emotions.

"Since we have solved this misunderstanding you can return and Refine it. Remember to only eat the outer layer unless you are completely mad and want to anger the Reincarnation Path." Mei warned before returning to tinker with the Array.

The Blood Fox's face was still conflicted, but she returned to her house where Aiko was staring at her.

She looked away from the little Cubs gaze and meditated to slowly chew the outer layer of the Soul. She didn't understand why she couldn't just eat it whole, but since she got this Soul from someone else she couldn't question her.

She was worried that she would be so angry that she would finish the Jade Fox.

Aiko stared curiously at the meditating Blood Fox and suppressed her existence.

She then moved on her lap, startling the Blood Fox, but before the Blood Fox could say anything and reprimand Aiko, Aiko was already asleep.

"Seriously..." The Blood Fox massaged her temples. "I'm not even your Mate." She murmured, not understanding this little Cub.

Naturally, Aiko didn't care about what Blood Fox thought of her, she only enjoyed the warmth of the new sleeping spot.