The Salted Fish Cultivator: My Pet System Awakens

Lu Tian stood at the edge of the group, his blade hanging loosely in his hand. The fox perched on his shoulder, its sharp eyes fixed on the skeletal guardian before them, its low growl vibrating through his chest.

"What even is that thing?" Zhang Wei whispered, his voice barely audible over the crackling energy that filled the room.

"Trouble," Yu Chen replied, stepping forward with his blade drawn. "Stay focused. Aim for the core."

The guardian stood motionless for a moment longer, its crimson eyes burning like coals as it assessed the intruders. Then, with a deafening roar, it lunged, its skeletal claws slashing through the air.

Yu Chen met the guardian head-on, his blade clashing with its claws in a burst of sparks. The force of the blow pushed him back a step, but he held firm, retaliating with a flurry of precise strikes aimed at the crystal embedded in the creature's chest.

"Spread out!" Yu Chen barked.

Zhang Wei charged in from the side, his fists glowing with Qi as he delivered a powerful punch to the creature's ribs. The impact sent a shockwave through the room, but the guardian barely flinched, its focus shifting to him.

"Brother Lu!" Zhang Wei called. "Now would be a great time to help!"

Lu Tian sighed, raising his blade lazily. "I'm more of a moral support guy, you know."

The fox growled sharply, leaping from his shoulder and landing on the guardian's back. It clawed at the crystal, each strike sending cracks spidering across its surface. The guardian howled, swiping at the fox, but it darted away with fluid precision.

Wei Jingyi moved next, her deer beast charging forward with glowing antlers that clashed against the guardian's claws. The impact forced the creature to stumble, its footing momentarily unsteady.

"Hit the crystal while it's distracted!" Wei Jingyi shouted.

Lu Tian rolled his eyes but stepped forward, channeling a burst of Qi into his blade. "Fine, but only because you asked nicely."

He lunged, his blade striking the crystal dead center. A loud crack echoed through the chamber as the crystal fractured, dark energy spilling from the breaks like liquid shadow.

The guardian staggered, its movements slowing as the group pressed their assault. Yu Chen delivered the final blow, his blade slicing clean through the crystal and shattering it.

With a deafening roar, the guardian collapsed, its skeletal body disintegrating into ash.

The group stood in silence for a moment, catching their breaths as the altar at the center of the room dimmed slightly, the pulsing energy around it weakening.

"That was harder than it needed to be," Zhang Wei said, wiping sweat from his brow.

"It's not over yet," Yu Chen said, his eyes narrowing as he turned toward the exit. "Be ready. This place won't let us leave easily."

As if on cue, the walls began to shake, ancient mechanisms grinding to life. Sections of the floor collapsed, revealing deep pits that glowed with faint blue light.

"Of course," Lu Tian muttered, stepping back as a large chunk of stone fell where he had been standing. "Why wouldn't the place start falling apart now?"

The fox let out a sharp yip, darting ahead and motioning with its tail for them to follow.

"Follow the furball!" Zhang Wei shouted, jumping over a crumbling section of the floor.

The group raced toward the exit, dodging falling debris and leaping over gaps in the floor. Shadows twisted along the walls, forming into humanoid shapes that lunged at them with clawed hands.

"More of these things?" Wei Jingyi exclaimed, slashing at one of the shadowy figures as it lunged at her. Her deer beast charged forward, its antlers dispersing the shadows with a bright flash of light.

Yu Chen took the lead, cutting down the creatures with swift, precise strikes. "Don't stop moving! The entire structure is collapsing!"

"Easy for you to say!" Zhang Wei huffed, punching through a shadowy figure that blocked his path.

Lu Tian trailed at the back, his movements casual despite the chaos around him. The fox circled back, growling as it pounced on a shadow that reached for him.

"I didn't need your help," Lu Tian muttered, slicing through another shadow with minimal effort.

The fox shot him a sharp look before bounding ahead again.

The group reached a narrow corridor leading to the exit, but the passage was blocked by a series of spinning blades that emerged from the walls, their edges gleaming menacingly.

"Who designs these places?" Lu Tian muttered.

Yu Chen studied the mechanism briefly before nodding. "Timing is key. I'll go first."

He moved swiftly, dodging between the blades with practiced precision. Wei Jingyi followed, her movements careful but steady as she passed through unharmed.

Zhang Wei hesitated. "I'm not built for this kind of thing."

"Then go faster," Lu Tian said, pushing him forward.

Zhang Wei yelped but managed to squeeze through, his robes catching on the last blade as he tumbled to the other side.

"Your turn," Wei Jingyi called.

Lu Tian sighed, glancing at the fox. "You go first."

The fox leapt gracefully through the blades, landing on the other side with ease.

"Show-off," Lu Tian muttered before darting forward. He dodged the first two blades easily but misjudged the third, the edge grazing his sleeve.

"Careful, Brother Lu!" Zhang Wei shouted.

Lu Tian rolled through the last set of blades, landing unceremoniously on the ground. "Made it," he said, brushing himself off.

The group emerged from the shrine just as the rumbling intensified. Behind them, the structure began to collapse, sending plumes of dust and debris into the air.

"Everyone accounted for?" Yu Chen asked, his voice steady despite the chaos.

Wei Jingyi nodded, her deer beast standing protectively beside her. Zhang Wei gave a thumbs-up, though he was clearly winded.

Lu Tian glanced at the fox, who sat calmly at his feet, its fur slightly singed but otherwise unharmed. "Yeah, we're all here."

The team moved a safe distance away, watching as the shrine crumbled into ruins. The oppressive energy that had filled the area began to dissipate, replaced by an eerie silence.

"What now?" Zhang Wei asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

Yu Chen sheathed his blade. "We report this to Elder Zhao. The shrine is destroyed, but the disturbance isn't over. There's more to this than we've seen."

Lu Tian sighed, stretching his arms lazily. "Sounds like a problem for future us."

The fox let out a low growl, nipping at his ankle.

"Fine, fine," Lu Tian muttered, scratching its head. "Let's go before they send someone to drag us back."