The Salted Fish Cultivator: My Pet System Awakens

The morning after the ruins trial, Lu Tian strolled lazily across the academy grounds with the snow-white fox perched on his shoulder. Its silver-marked tail swished as it balanced effortlessly, its bright eyes scanning their surroundings.

"Are you ever going to walk like a normal beast?" Lu Tian muttered, rubbing the back of his neck.

The fox responded with a soft chi, flicking its tail against his cheek in what could only be described as a playful reprimand.

"Fine, stay there," Lu Tian grumbled. "You're lighter than Zhang Wei, so I guess it's not the worst thing."

"Did someone call for me?" Zhang Wei's familiar voice rang out as the round-faced boy jogged over, a wide grin plastered on his face. "Brother Lu, Little White still refusing to leave your side, I see!"

"For the last time, I'm not calling it Little White," Lu Tian said flatly.

"Then what are you calling it?" Zhang Wei asked, crossing his arms.

"Freeloader," Lu Tian replied, earning a sharp flick of the tail from the fox.

Wei Jingyi approached, her deer-like beast trailing behind her. "You're impossible, Lu Tian." She glanced at the fox and smiled faintly. "It clearly likes you, though. You should take better care of it."

"It takes care of itself," Lu Tian said, waving a hand dismissively.

The fox let out a small yip, hopping gracefully to the ground. It glanced at the group, its sharp eyes gleaming with intelligence, before trotting toward the academy's central courtyard.

"Looks like it has its own plans," Zhang Wei said, watching the creature disappear around a corner.

Lu Tian shrugged. "Good. Maybe it'll find someone else to bother for a change."

---

The day's schedule was filled with standard academy lessons, including Advanced Qi Manipulation and Combat Formations. Lu Tian barely paid attention, his mind wandering as the instructors droned on.

"You're not even trying," Wei Jingyi whispered during the Qi Manipulation lecture, her tone a mix of frustration and amusement.

"I'm conserving energy," Lu Tian replied.

"You're impossible," she muttered, shaking her head.

---

During lunch, the trio sat under a large tree near the dining hall, the fox having returned to its usual spot on Lu Tian's shoulder. It seemed unusually quiet, its ears twitching as if it were listening for something.

"Something on your mind?" Lu Tian asked, glancing at the creature.

The fox didn't respond, its gaze fixed on the distant horizon.

"I swear, sometimes it acts like it knows more than it's letting on," Lu Tian muttered.

"That's because it probably does," Wei Jingyi said, handing her deer beast an energy pellet. "Spirit beasts are naturally attuned to things we can't sense."

"Great," Lu Tian said. "So it's smarter than me, too. Wonderful."

Zhang Wei laughed. "That's not a high bar, Brother Lu."

Before Lu Tian could retort, the distant sound of bells echoed across the academy grounds.

"That's the assembly bell," Wei Jingyi said, standing quickly. "We're being called to the courtyard."

"Wonderful," Lu Tian muttered, reluctantly getting to his feet.

---

The courtyard was packed with students by the time they arrived. Elder Zhao stood at the center, his expression grave. Behind him, a glowing orb hovered, its surface swirling with faint blue light—the same artifact their team had retrieved from the ruins.

"This isn't good," Wei Jingyi whispered.

Elder Zhao raised a hand, silencing the murmurs that rippled through the crowd.

"Yesterday, one of our teams successfully retrieved this artifact from the eastern ruins," he began, his voice steady. "While its recovery was commendable, further analysis has revealed that it is no ordinary relic."

The students exchanged uneasy glances.

"This artifact," Elder Zhao continued, "is a fragment of a seal—one that was placed to contain a dark power."

Lu Tian frowned, his usual laziness replaced by a rare flicker of curiosity.

"Dark power?" Zhang Wei whispered. "That doesn't sound good."

"The seal's disruption has already caused minor disturbances in the region," Elder Zhao said. "Strange phenomena, reports of corrupted beasts… and this is only the beginning."

Wei Jingyi's face paled. "Does that mean we're responsible?"

Elder Zhao's gaze swept over the crowd. "This is not a matter of blame. What matters now is ensuring the disturbance does not spread further."

He gestured to the instructors behind him. "We will be organizing expeditions to investigate the surrounding areas and address any threats that arise. Students who demonstrate readiness may be called upon to assist."

Lu Tian sighed. "Wonderful. More work."

Wei Jingyi nudged him. "Take this seriously, Lu Tian. If this disturbance spreads, it could affect the entire region."

"Then they'd better stop it quickly," he replied.

The fox, still perched on his shoulder, let out a soft chi, its gaze fixed on the glowing orb.

---

That evening, Lu Tian sat in his room, staring at the ceiling. The fox lay curled up at the foot of his bed, its tail twitching occasionally as if it were dreaming.

"Hey, Freeloader," he said, glancing at the creature. "You're smart. What do you make of all this?"

The fox opened one eye, watching him silently for a moment before closing it again.

"Figures," Lu Tian muttered, closing his own eyes.

The faint hum of the system echoed in his mind, a subtle reminder of its ever-present watchfulness.

[Host has encountered a key event. The path ahead will require growth, strength, and… trust.]

Lu Tian groaned. "That sounds like a lot of work."

The fox let out a soft huff, as if agreeing with the sentiment.