The Salted Fish Cultivator: My Pet System Awakens

The morning sun filtered through the thin curtains of Lu Tian's dorm room, casting a golden glow over the scene. The snow-white fox stretched luxuriously on Lu Tian's bed, yawning softly. Lu Tian, however, was still buried under the covers, dead to the world.

The fox tilted its head, its sharp eyes narrowing. It had tried subtle tactics before—soft yips, gentle nudges—but its lazy human seemed immune to all forms of polite wake-up calls.

This time, it opted for direct action.

With a precise leap, the fox landed squarely on Lu Tian's stomach, letting out a high-pitched yip-yip as it pawed at his face.

"Oof—what the—" Lu Tian groaned, flailing as he pushed the fox off him. He glared at the creature, who now sat primly at the foot of the bed, tail swishing innocently. "You've got some nerve for a freeloader."

The fox responded with a smug chi before hopping to the floor and nudging his boots with its nose.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it," Lu Tian grumbled, reluctantly throwing off the covers. "Another day, another chance for everyone to remind me how 'promising' I'm supposed to be."

---

At breakfast, Zhang Wei greeted him with his usual boisterous energy. "Brother Lu! Ready for today's excitement?"

Lu Tian raised an eyebrow as he flopped into the seat beside him. "Excitement? Since when does this place offer that?"

Wei Jingyi, seated across from them, looked up from her tea. "Haven't you heard? They're sending us to the eastern ruins today for an exploration trial."

"Ruins?" Lu Tian frowned, his chopsticks pausing mid-air.

Wei Jingyi nodded. "Elder Zhao said it's part of our team-building exercises. We're supposed to navigate the site, solve puzzles, and retrieve an artifact."

"Sounds like a waste of time," Lu Tian muttered, popping a bun into his mouth.

"You're just saying that because it involves effort," Zhang Wei said, grinning.

Lu Tian didn't argue.

The fox, perched on his shoulder, let out a soft yip, its ears flicking forward in curiosity.

"Don't get excited," Lu Tian told it. "If it's anything like the last trial, I'll be doing all the work while you nap."

The fox snorted, clearly unimpressed by his assessment.

---

The eastern ruins were nestled in the shadow of a mountain, their crumbling walls and moss-covered stones a stark contrast to the pristine academy grounds. The students stood at the entrance, murmuring nervously as Elder Zhao addressed them.

"These ruins are ancient, predating even the founding of this academy," he began. "They're filled with traps, puzzles, and remnants of forgotten magic. Your task is simple: retrieve the artifact hidden within and return safely."

Lu Tian leaned against a nearby tree, stifling a yawn. "Simple, huh? That's what they always say before throwing us into something ridiculous."

Elder Zhao's gaze swept over the students. "Each team will be monitored, and points will be awarded based on performance. Remember, success requires teamwork and adaptability."

As the teams were assigned, Lu Tian found himself grouped once again with Zhang Wei, Wei Jingyi, and their silent companion, Yu Chen.

"Looks like we're stuck together again," Zhang Wei said cheerfully.

"Wonderful," Lu Tian replied, his tone dripping with sarcasm.

Yu Chen, as stoic as ever, merely nodded. "Let's focus on the task."

The fox leapt gracefully from Lu Tian's shoulder and trotted toward the ruins, its tail swishing.

"Great," Lu Tian muttered, following reluctantly. "Even the fox is more motivated than me."

---

The interior of the ruins was dimly lit, the air thick with the scent of damp stone and ancient decay. Carvings lined the walls, depicting strange beasts and swirling patterns that seemed to shift when viewed from different angles.

"Creepy," Zhang Wei muttered, his voice echoing slightly.

Wei Jingyi studied the carvings with a thoughtful expression. "These symbols… they're a mix of old cultivation seals and beast-taming runes."

"Good for them," Lu Tian said, stepping over a broken tile. "Let's grab the artifact and leave before something explodes."

As if on cue, the floor beneath him clicked, and a low rumble filled the chamber.

"Brother Lu, what did you do?" Zhang Wei asked, his eyes wide.

Lu Tian raised his hands defensively. "Don't blame me! It was probably already broken."

The rumbling grew louder, and moments later, a section of the wall slid open to reveal a trio of stone golems. Their glowing eyes locked onto the group as they lumbered forward, heavy footsteps shaking the ground.

"Of course," Lu Tian muttered. "Why wouldn't there be golems?"

Yu Chen drew his weapon, his expression calm. "Prepare for battle."

Zhang Wei cracked his knuckles. "Finally, some action!"

Wei Jingyi hesitated, her deer-like beast stepping protectively in front of her.

The fox, meanwhile, darted forward, its movements a blur as it leapt onto the nearest golem's shoulder. It clawed at the glowing crystal embedded in the golem's head, its strikes precise and deliberate.

The crystal shattered, and the golem froze before collapsing into a heap of rubble.

Lu Tian blinked. "Did you just—"

The fox hopped down, letting out a smug chi before darting toward the next golem.

The remaining two golems advanced, their heavy arms swinging dangerously close to the group. Yu Chen parried one blow with his blade, the clash of metal and stone echoing through the chamber. Zhang Wei charged the other, his fist glowing faintly with Qi as he landed a solid punch.

Meanwhile, Lu Tian stood at the back, arms crossed. "You've got this," he called, his tone encouraging but completely unserious.

"Brother Lu!" Zhang Wei shouted, dodging a swing. "A little help here?"

Lu Tian sighed, stepping forward reluctantly. The fox glanced at him, its sharp eyes seeming to say, About time.

"Fine, fine," Lu Tian muttered. He raised his hand and channeled a small burst of Qi into the nearest golem's leg. The attack wasn't particularly strong, but it was enough to unbalance the creature, giving Yu Chen an opening to strike the crystal on its chest.

The second golem fell, leaving only one.

The fox circled it like a predator, its movements fluid and precise. With a final leap, it landed on the golem's back and struck the crystal with its claws. The golem crumbled, the chamber falling silent once more.

"Remind me to give you a raise," Lu Tian said, glancing at the fox.

The fox huffed, clearly unimpressed.

---

Deeper into the ruins, the team encountered a series of puzzles and traps, each more intricate than the last. Wei Jingyi's analytical mind proved invaluable as she deciphered the ancient symbols, while Yu Chen's steady leadership kept them moving forward.

Even Zhang Wei managed to contribute, his brute strength coming in handy for dislodging a collapsed doorway.

Lu Tian, of course, did the bare minimum.

"Why do we even bring you along?" Zhang Wei joked as they reached the final chamber.

"Because I'm great company," Lu Tian replied.

The fox trotted ahead, its ears twitching as it approached a pedestal in the center of the room. Atop the pedestal sat a glowing orb, its surface swirling with faint blue light.

"This must be the artifact," Wei Jingyi said, stepping forward cautiously.

Before she could reach it, the fox leapt onto the pedestal, grabbed the orb in its mouth, and returned to Lu Tian's side, its tail wagging proudly.

"Well, that was easy," Lu Tian said, holding the orb up to examine it.

The fox let out a satisfied yip, looking up at him with bright, intelligent eyes.

"Good work, Freeloader," Lu Tian said, scratching behind its ears.

As the team made their way out of the ruins, the faint hum of the system echoed in Lu Tian's mind, though it offered no words of guidance—only a quiet reminder of its presence.

For now, the trial was over, but Lu Tian couldn't shake the feeling that this was only the beginning.