Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox

"I'm really sorry!" Aiko sobbed, she didn't really want to touch that Soul.

Mei was in a dilemma. She really wanted to get back at Aiko, but at the same time, she felt bad looking at her in such a sorry state.

"Aiko..." Mei softly said.

*Snifle* Aiko had red eyes and sniffled a few times.

Mei sighed, picking up the Soul. She swapped it with another. This one was half asleep.

Aiko stared at it curiously. She wasn't so afraid of this one.

*Poke*

The Soul's eyes flew open and it screamed. "AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA."

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Aiko screamed back.

Mei stared at those two idi- *Cough* She stared at them dumbfounded, as that was one of the gentlest Souls, yet...

"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA."
"AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!"

Mei massaged her temples, she couldn't understand why that Soul was screaming.

Mei swapped the Soul again.

This time, the Soul was an old man.

The guy stared at Mei and drooled, then he looked at Aiko.

"Agh! Filthy abomination! Let the Immortals purge you from this pure world!" The Soul started yelling at Aiko.

Aiko wanted to cry.

"This is too much, Mei." Aiko sobbed. "I understand I shouldn't have fondled your boobs or bit your leg, but this is just too much..." Aiko's sorry state worsened.

Mei picked that Soul and didn't give Aiko another one. She couldn't understand why those Souls... *Sigh*

"Come here." Mei gestured towards Aiko.

"No." Aiko was scared that Mei would continue her torture.

*Sigh*

Aiko flinched taking a step back, but Mei wouldn't let Aiko escape so she dragged her into a hug.

Aiko was frozen stiff, but due to Mei's tender care, she slowly relaxed.

'It's not that bad...' Aiko's eyes blinked a few times, she felt a bit sleepy.

...

"Have you calmed down?" Mei asked gently.

Aiko shook her head hugging Mei.

Mei's lips twitched, but she didn't push Aiko away and let her stay like that for some time.

Aiko sighed, looking at Mei's profile. "You are the only one who likes me..." Aiko murmured.

Mei's brows twitched for a moment. 'We have different meanings of like. There are so many Foxes who adore you...' Mei shook her head and continued with her Herb Refinement.

...

Aiko finally got up from Mei's lap. "I will be going." Aiko wanted to run away before Mei could bring up the Soul problem.

"Okay." Mei didn't stop her. "Just keep in mind to only eat the outer layer."

Aiko flinched but soon relaxed when she noticed that Mei didn't force her to confront those... things.

"Okay." Aiko nodded obediently and left Mei's room.

Mei shook her head. 'Let's prepare for war when the Fox Village notices her abnormality.' Mei opened her personal Storage Ring which was filled with precious Herbs and a few Spirit Herbs.

...

Aiko ran around the back of the mountain to get to the Shadows Peak sooner.

Those ugly faces were still in her mind, but she just couldn't grasp why they reacted like that.

She arrived in front of those familiar doors.

"You are back." The Guard stared at the Vicious Cub.

Aiko nodded silently and walked in. The Guard didn't stop her, but still tilted his head. 'Strange, she looks much more docile than before.'

He shook his head and guarded the gate once again.

Aiko strolled around the Shadows Peak, she could feel eyes on her, but she ignored them.

The assassins frowned but didn't leave their positions.

Aiko finally arrived in front of the Pillar Training place.

"What are you doing?! Keep your back straight! Soften your knees!" Grandpa Lin was currently shouting at the Umbra Fox.

Aiko stared at the wobbly Umbra Fox, smiling.

There were other Foxes training, but only Umbra Fox had moving Pillars under her legs.

"Grandpa Lin." Aiko smiled and greeted that grandpa.

One-third of the Foxes fell when they heard how the Vicious Cub greeted their esteemed Elder. The middle third saved it, but they still looked like they were in a sorry state. The last third frowned at Aiko, glaring at her.

Naturally, Aiko ignored everyone.

"You are back." Grandpa Lin smiled.

"Somewhat." Aiko nodded, she still felt strange from those Souls.

"Do you want to try it?" Grandpa Lin smiled at Aiko.

Aiko was a bit curious about how well she would be able to do and it would be a good thing to do something so she could forget about those Souls.

Aiko nodded lightly.

"Then go up, but keep your Human form, you will have to get used to it in this form." Grandpa Lin gently pushed Aiko forward.

Aiko sighed, she didn't really want to try it in her Human form, as it was not as good as her Fox form.

Aiko still listened to Grandpa Lin and stepped towards the stairs that led to the top of the Pillars.

Most of the Foxes around had shoes with softer underside, but Aiko was barefoot.

She put one leg on that Pillar cautiously. The Pillars were hard, but there was a strange feeling of it being slippery. She put the other leg on it. She almost immediately lost her balance. Not because those Pillars were thin, but because those Pillars felt slippery, like they were constantly tilting.

Aiko frowned, she had to focus a lot to maintain her balance.

"Not bad." Grandpa Lin murmured. 'It's rare for Foxes to not slip immediately after they place their second foot on it.'

There is an unwritten rule that if a Fox didn't immediately slip from the Pillars they had a good sense of balance especially if that form was not their true form.

'But she is still struggling.' Grandpa Lin narrowed his eyes. It was true that Aiko was able to stay on the Pillars, but that was it. She had to focus hard to stay on them and could not move forward or defend herself.

'It will still be worth teaching.' Grandpa Lin agreed with himself in his mind. He already taught many Foxes and most of them slipped the first time, so he wondered how quickly could the Vicious Cub catch up to them.

'Let's watch and see.' Grandpa Lin smiled and let Aiko do whatever she wanted for the time being. Later, he would assign the Umbra Fox to spar with Aiko in Human form, or rather make things difficult for Aiko so that she learns how to balance faster.

Grandpa Lin abruptly moved his energy making one of the Pillars under the distracted Umbra Fox move.

The Umbra Fox lost balance from the sudden situation and fell down.

"Ugh." The Umbra Fox winced from the pain but didn't protest, as it was her own fault that she didn't pay attention.

Aiko felt it was too difficult, but she still tried moving.

*Slip*

Aiko fell down, Grandpa Lin wanted to help her cushion her first fall, but...

*Poof*

Aiko changed into her Fox form and jumped mid-air back to the stairs. Making both Grandpa Lin and the other Foxes speechless.

She then turned back into her Human form, clothing herself with the Sect Token and trying again.

Grandpa Lin's lips twitched. 'You won't be able to learn if you don't suffer!' He protested in his mind, but that was only because he suffered too many falls and he felt bitter that someone could just defy those rules so easily.

The only rule about these Pillars was that you had to be in Human form, but there was no rule about being in Fox form once you left (fell off) those Pillars.

He sighed quietly, staring at the Vicious Cub who was trying again and again, but without any repercussions.

The Foxes were upset as each fall was hard and painful and that was even when they turned into their softer Fox form.

They plotted against Vicious Cub.

One took her blunt kunai and threw it at the Vicious Cub's legs.

Aiko didn't pay any attention as she was trying her best not to fall.

A blunt kunai hit her leg, making her stagger.

Aiko frowned, her tail was already wrapped around the kunai and she started to fall down.

Aiko didn't transform immediately and threw the kunai back towards the direction it came from.

She then used her [Quick Double Jump] to soften her landing.

*Ding*
"AGH!"

The Fox that threw that kunai didn't have time to react as she was gleefully giggling until that same kunai hit her stomach.

*Bang*

She slammed the back of her head on the Pillar and fell down from it.

*Ding Bang Ding Bang Bang Boom*

For good measure, she banged on the nearby Pillars too, before she arrived at her new friend, a muddy floor.

*Splash*

She was bathed in the Mud, meanwhile, Aiko landed on her legs and swiftly grabbed her overly long tail.

"Phew." Aiko wiped the sweat, but fortunately, her feet didn't feel uncomfortable, it didn't seem she was dealt any damage.

Aiko stared down, the mud hugged her feet tightly, but it was not unpleasant.

"Ugh..." The Fox who was now a Mud Fox groaned, recovering from her fall.

Aiko didn't pay attention to her as she was more interested in this mud.

"It's special mud that is softer and slightly less fluid." Grandpa Lin explained. "It reduces some injuries from the fall."

Aiko nodded silently she really liked this mud.

"It's not good for bathing." Grandpa Lin reminded her.

Aiko frowned and said slowly. "Who said I would bathe in it?" She liked the mud because it was nice on her legs, but who said that that same 'niceness' would transfer to the rest of her body?

Aiko pouted slowly moving out of the mud as her feet easily sank into it. She was not discouraged and eventually managed to get out.

"Not bad." Grandpa Lin praised her again.

Aiko tilted her head.

"Most Foxes would end up exiting like that." Grandpa Lin pointed at the fallen Mud Fox.

Aiko turned around to see a pitiful Fox 'swimming' in the mud glaring at her.

"At least they can learn how to swim." Aiko nodded gently and the Mud Fox almost coughed up blood.

Grandpa Lin looked at Aiko. "Do you know any cleaning spells?"

"No." Aiko said, as every time she was cleaned, it was due to Mei's [Clean].

Aiko stared at Grandpa Lin as he made a gesture and that mud fell down, like it never stuck to her skin to begin with.

Aiko felt a sense of loss and a bit of chilliness, but she didn't say anything.

"Do you wish to try again?" Grandpa Lin asked.

Aiko nodded, while it was difficult it was also fun and if she fell nothing really happened to her. Well, she gets a nice mud leg bath, but that was about it.

Aiko walked back to the Pillars, the Foxes felt... intimidated by Aiko's vigour.

"Hey, hey, she will try again!"
"No way! It took me a day to recover from my loss!"
"Fuck, I won't get any rewards if she stays around."

The Foxes looked intimidated and anxious, but since infighting was forbidden, they couldn't just get rid of Aiko in plain sight.

Aiko ignored those voices, but she still glanced at them remembering all of those hostile faces.

Aiko once again cautiously stepped on the Pillars, but this time she tried to move immediately.

*Slip*

She immediately fell down, even when she prepared for the slippiness.

Aiko cushioned her fall again and enjoyed the brief mud bath before trying again...