Cultivation Struggles of a Lowly Fox
Chapter 486 – Aiko’s Evolution – Part 1

Aiko went through her inventory and secured her things. It would be bad if she ate more Storage Rings, so her Tails Storage was the best option to store them in.

Through Feifei, that would be easily achieved, and it allowed Aiko to 'hide' all of her Treasures.

'Spidey is away, but it's smart enough to not get close once I start.' Aiko nodded her head slowly.

Clicking the hidden [Evolution Tree], Aiko was once again speechless.

[As this is a unique Evolution Spot, all Species are locked.]

[Species were automatically picked.]

[Sun Fox]

[You can increase the quality of Evolution through collecting materials.]

[Known materials: [Fire-Fox Glass Vessel], [Blazing Camellia], [Sunburst Spider Lily], [Tainted Blood Essence 40,000,000L]]

[If you wish to use them, take them out.]

[Special condition fulfilled. Unlocking [Essence of ####].]

[Essence of ####] -> [Essence of Primaeval Sun]

[Special condition fulfilled.]

[Solar Fragment]

...

...

Just then, Aiko's small Spider appeared with something quite large. Aiko immediately figured out that it was the [Solar Fragment] that the system was talking about.

It was scorchingly hot, yet beautifully coloured stone. It had a mixture from white all the way to red, like the insides of the stone were hosting a fire party.

Aiko stashed the Spider into her tails to protect it. It would be bad if it got hurt in the process, but...

'I will reward it later.' Aiko smiled happily. She started to take out the materials, but there was a problem.

'How am I supposed to bring out that river?' Aiko was quite pained by this.

It would be possible to lift some of it above her with her Divine Sense, but not everything.

[Allow the system to make changes to the Tails Storage?]

'Ehhhh...' Aiko didn't know if that was a good idea. Strange things were happening around her, especially missing food from her Storage Rings.

'What would happen if even my food from Tails got 'lost'.' Aiko clicked her tongue.

'You are only allowed to touch that blood!' Aiko proclaimed in her mind.

[Acknowledged.]

[Start Evolution towards the [Sun Fox]?]

'Let's cause a mess~!' Aiko smiled evilly. This opportunity didn't come often!

-----

'She is going to Evolve, right?' Dai Lu's lips twitched.

'...' Mei was completely speechless, since she felt scorching heat from her connection to Aiko.

'Serious... didn't you warn her...?' Dai Lu shook her head. This would be yet again another messy situation.

'What...?' Dai Lu's eyes widened. 'You went in with that kind of outfit?!' She smacked her lips, not believing that Mei was THAT perverted.

'Shut it! And stop reading my mind!' Mei waved Dai Lu away with an upset expression. If she knew that Aiko would ignore her words if she went in that form, she would have put more effort into it!

'What are the chances she will be captured?' Mei asked Dai Lu.

'Ehhhhh...' Dai Lu scrunched her face gently, thinking about it. 'From what her team were saying and 'showing'... I don't think her 'hunters' will have it easy.' She shrugged gently. Aiko's Evolution so far was terrifying, and if she waited this long for Evolution, it might mean she found something special.

'......' Mei paused for a long time. She did find one place in the Sacred Realm, but she didn't believe it would still be there.

'Sun Spot?' Dai Lu tilted her head.

'It's a special Evolution Spot.' Mei replied briefly, even when she knew she didn't have to.

'That's nice.' Dai Lu nodded. 'Scorching heat will keep them away.' She smirked at 'their' group.

'Let's hope that's the case.' Mei sighed as she watched the projection of Cultivators that fought over Treasures while the Elders bickered about whose Disciple was the best.

-----

[Unable to start Evolution. Please raise your Level to 1,500.]

'Oi. Do you want a beating?! Previous Evolutions never required this much!' Aiko roared at her system.

[Understandable. Previous Evolutions can be considered first grade for Mortal Realm, but that is not the case with the current Evolution.]

[Current Evolution is too powerful, and the system might need to age you again in order to protect you from its power.]

[Furthermore, there is also a possibility that the system will need to seal that power.]

'...' Aiko didn't say anything. If that power was as strong as what happened when she got the Dew thingy...

*gulp*

'I will leave it to you...' Aiko didn't want to burn alive or be struck by that damned lightning!

[All items prepared. Please raise your Level.]

'Fine, fine.' Aiko cried out a bit as she pulled out her system meat. She would have quite a hard time levelling up now without it.

The main reason is that food only gave her EXP till a certain point before stopping. Aiko would have to hunt more powerful Beasts in order to 'bypass' that restriction.

'I will use the [Bloodline gift] later, when I'm at wits' end.' Aiko gently nodded her head. She still had a few things from the system, but she didn't want to use them just yet. There were still ways to progress without touching them, so she would do it till then.

[Level: 167 -> 1,500]

[Meat x1,508->x175]

'Ugh, what a waste...' Aiko groaned unhappily.

[Start Evolution towards the [Sun Fox]?]

'Let's get to it!' Aiko clicked yes, and energies immediately drained from her surroundings, trying to drown her.

...

[The User fell asleep due to excessive energies swarming them.]

[Adjusting the protective protocol from the Goddess of Moon.]

[Activating Evolution in full force.]

[Using materials to speed up the energy.]

[Excessive Energy will be used to finish internal orders.]

[First Order: Title Sorting]

[Second Order: Converting Cultivation Manuals into Beast Cultivation Manuals]

[Third Order: Any excess energy will be given to: Spiritual Flame, Spiritual Water, ####, Tails Storage]

[In that order.]

[Approaching the first step in Evolution.]

Aiko's body shone gently for a while, but that intensity suddenly spiked.

Her body started to burn as her clothes gave in. Soon, she was enveloped in light so bright that nobody would be able to see her.

The Solar Plains were untouched by Aiko's sudden Evolution and were even welcoming it, as Aiko released a lot of Sun Qi into the surrounding area.

[Crossed the first step in Evolution.]

[Using [Tainted Blood Essence] as cooling for the body.]

[Solar Plains are purifying Blood Essence.]

[This purification is sped up thanks to the Solar Plains.]

[Warning. The purification is quicker than Evolution. The possibility of the User burning increased.]

[Acknowledged. Using the [Bloodline Gift] in tandem with [Skill Coupon], [Skill Combination Coupon], [Ability Combination Coupon] to form protection.]

[Skill Coupon] -> [Solar Resistance] + [Solar Plains] + [Skill Combination Coupon] = [Solar Immunity] + [Ability Combination Coupon] = [Solar Body]

[Testing its durability by lessening the [Tainted Blood Essence].]

[Test successful.]

[Withdrawing [Tainted Blood Essence] for the time being.]

Aiko's body cracked and broke as new skin formed under the old skin. Soon her new skin was completely formed, giving her not only ethereal beauty, but also complete resistance against fire-based attributes.

[Heavenly Dao is interfering.]

[Goddess of Moon let the Heavenly Dao pass.]

[The Disaster Clouds are forming.]

[There is a slight danger to the User.]

[Warning. Unknown individuals approaching.]

-----

"Leader! We have found her!" A startled Fox ran to their leader, since they had already used all the Communication Talismans.

"Where is she?!" The leader roared angrily. This was supposed to be a quick mission, but that damned Fox just vanished into thin air, not appearing until now!

The leader really wanted to make her into a pet, but that was not what they were supposed to do.

New orders were given. The Vicious Jade Fox is not to leave this Sacred Realm!

If she left, everything the Elders worked on would crumble. So they specifically chose suicidal Foxes in order to accomplish this mission.

"She went to the strange hot plains!" The startled Fox yelped.

"EVERYONE GATHER!" The leader shouted, and around 100 Foxes gathered.

"We will need you in positions perfectly, since we don't know what the situation is over there. Then we need to activate this sealing device and-" The leader once again explained what had to be done. She was quite the rare Solar Fox, but her future was cut short by the Elders.

Now she was just a pawn in their hands, doing their bidding.

...

The Foxes arrived at the scene, but most of them flinched.

The Vicious Jade Fox was nowhere to be seen, only a ball of scorching something was there.

"We can't approach her!" Most Foxes didn't have anything fire-related to resist that intense heat.

"All Fire-based Foxes will come with me to set up the first seal. Once the heat lessens, we will have the rest come and secure all the seals!" The Leader commanded, but even she felt that intense heat...

-----

[Unable to currently act due to transitioning into the second phase.]

[Seal is being erected around the User.]

[If the Seal is completed, the connection to Blessings will be sealed.]

[The Disaster Cloud will be blocked by the Seal, lessening the danger on the User.]

The Fire-based Foxes gathered quite far away from Aiko and set up the first ring of the Seal. It was obvious they were pushing themselves, since all of them had completely red skin, and some of them even had already burned skin.

[User has been subjected to a powerful Seal.]

[Most Divine Abilities were sealed.]

[The Internal Heat is rising.]

[Sun Fox] -> [Solar Fox]

[...]

[Readjusting the Evolution.]

Even the system was flabbergasted at how this Seal worked. This was pretty much perfect as long as they didn't finish the last Seal, which would lock everything away!

[Calculating the possibility of finishing the final Seal.]

[Negligible.]

[Goddess of Moon acknowledged the Divination.]

[Proceeding with Evolution as is.]