The Salted Fish Cultivator: My Pet System Awakens

The golden rays of the morning sun filtered through the massive glass windows of the academy classroom, casting a warm glow over rows of yawning students.

At the very back, Lu Tian sat slouched in his chair like a puddle of melted butter. His face was lazily buried in his arms, and his breathing was so slow and steady that one might assume he had transcended this mortal plane and fallen asleep standing.

At the front of the room, Instructor Zhao paced back and forth, his aura sharp enough to slice through steel. The man was nearing his fifties, but his impressive cultivation made him look as solid as a stone statue. His narrowed eyes scanned the room like a hawk on the hunt.

"I hope you all took your cultivation seriously last night," Instructor Zhao said, his voice booming with authority. "Because today, you will face practical evaluation—real combat!"

The classroom erupted into murmurs of excitement and dread. For most students, it was a chance to show off the fruits of their hard work. For the rest, it was a day of public humiliation.

"Combat evaluation?!"

"Isn't this too soon? I barely broke through my second meridian!"

"Finally, I'll get to show everyone what I've been working on!"

At the center of the room, one particularly arrogant voice rose above the din.

"Everyone calm down. This is a perfect opportunity to determine who is worthy and who… isn't," sneered Chen Fan, the star student. With his neatly tied black hair and spotless academy robes, Chen Fan practically glowed with confidence. He was already a third-level Qi Refinement cultivator, leagues above his peers.

"I wonder if certain bottom dwellers will even bother to show up," he continued, shooting a sharp glance toward the back of the room.

The entire class turned their heads toward Lu Tian, their gazes landing on him like a swarm of locusts.

Lu Tian shifted slightly in his seat, his hand flopping lazily in the air. "Mm? What? Did someone call me?"

The class erupted into laughter.

"Haha! This guy!"

"Look at him. He's not even embarrassed anymore!"

"Why is he even here? Just quit already!"

Chen Fan smirked as if he had already won. "You'd be better off staying home, Lu Tian. You'll only embarrass yourself out there."

At this, a small voice piped up from the front row. "Stop it, Chen Fan! You don't need to humiliate him."

Heads turned toward the speaker: Wei Jingyi, the quiet, bespectacled girl who sat near the front. She was a fellow "bottom feeder," often ridiculed for being one of the weakest students in the academy.

Her voice wavered slightly as she continued, "You don't know what Lu Tian's capable of…"

Chen Fan let out a snort. "Oh, we all know exactly what Lu Tian's capable of—sleeping through every single lesson."

More laughter filled the room. Even Instructor Zhao's lips twitched as if he were holding back a smile.

Lu Tian lifted his head just a little, eyes half-open. "Jingyi, don't waste your breath." He yawned, his voice lazy as ever. "People like Chen Fan love hearing themselves talk. No point arguing."

Wei Jingyi frowned, clearly frustrated by his lack of effort, but she said nothing more.

Instructor Zhao clapped his hands, silencing the class. "Enough! Save your energy for the sparring ground. Everyone, follow me!"

---

The academy's combat arena was a massive open courtyard surrounded by stone walls. Bleachers lined the perimeter, already filling with curious students and instructors eager to witness the combat evaluations.

One by one, students were paired off and called to the center stage to spar. The sound of fists meeting flesh, weapons clashing, and Qi techniques being unleashed filled the air.

"First match: Chen Fan versus Wei Jingyi!"

The crowd cheered as Chen Fan sauntered into the arena, wearing a smug grin. Wei Jingyi followed hesitantly, her fists clenched tightly at her sides.

"Good luck, bottom feeder," Chen Fan said, his voice dripping with condescension.

Wei Jingyi didn't respond. She raised her hands into a basic combat stance, her Qi flickering faintly around her.

Instructor Zhao called for the match to begin. Chen Fan moved first, his figure blurring as he dashed forward with speed far beyond a normal student's.

"Swift Shadow Palm!"

A burst of Qi surged from his outstretched hand, aiming straight for Wei Jingyi's chest. She barely managed to sidestep the attack, her breathing uneven as she countered with a shaky punch. Chen Fan easily parried, spinning around her and landing a solid strike to her shoulder.

Wei Jingyi stumbled backward, gasping in pain.

"Too weak," Chen Fan sneered. "You don't belong here."

From the back of the crowd, Lu Tian watched with half-lidded eyes, his face unreadable. "Why's she trying so hard…" he muttered under his breath.

A student nearby overheard him. "What's wrong with you, Lu Tian? Don't you have any pride? She's at least fighting! What are you gonna do when it's your turn?"

Lu Tian shrugged. "Probably lose. Winning sounds like a lot of work."

The student gawked at him in disbelief.

Meanwhile, Chen Fan delivered the final blow, knocking Wei Jingyi off her feet. She hit the ground with a soft thud, groaning.

The crowd erupted in cheers for Chen Fan.

"Winner: Chen Fan!" Instructor Zhao announced.

Chen Fan brushed off his robes, flashing the audience a victorious smile. "Easy win." Then, turning his head, he loudly proclaimed, "I hope Lu Tian's ready for his turn! I'm looking forward to watching him crawl out of the arena."

The crowd laughed, some even shouting in agreement.

Instructor Zhao glanced at his list. "Next match: Lu Tian versus Li Shu!"

The crowd stilled for a moment before erupting into murmurs.

"Lu Tian's actually going to fight?"

"Li Shu's a second-level Qi Refinement cultivator! This is going to be over in two seconds!"

At the edge of the arena, a muscular student with a shaved head stepped forward. Li Shu cracked his knuckles, grinning menacingly. "Don't worry, Lu Tian. I'll make this quick."

All eyes turned toward the back of the crowd, where Lu Tian remained seated. He looked up blankly. "My turn already?"

"Get up here!" Instructor Zhao barked.

Lu Tian sighed heavily, as if asked to carry the weight of the world. "What a hassle…"

Slowly, he rose to his feet and strolled lazily toward the arena. His hands were tucked into his sleeves, and his posture was so relaxed he looked like he might fall over.

The crowd's whispers grew louder.

"Is he sleepwalking?"

"He's not even taking this seriously!"

"This is gonna be embarrassing."

Lu Tian stepped onto the arena stage and blinked drowsily at Li Shu. "Can we make this quick? I've got a nap scheduled in ten minutes."

Li Shu's grin faltered. "Are you mocking me?"

"Not really." Lu Tian yawned. "I'm just very tired."

Instructor Zhao gave a sharp nod. "Begin!"

Li Shu wasted no time. His Qi flared to life, and he charged forward like a bull, fists glowing with energy. "Take this, you lazy bum!"

Lu Tian tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing just a fraction. As Li Shu's fist flew toward his face, Lu Tian stepped to the side with the barest movement.

The attack missed by a hair's breadth.

Li Shu stumbled past him, his face contorting in confusion. "Huh?"

The crowd erupted.

"Did Lu Tian just dodge that?"

"Impossible! It must've been a fluke!"

Li Shu turned around, his face red with embarrassment. "You got lucky!"

He attacked again, this time with a flurry of punches and kicks. Each strike seemed unstoppable—until Lu Tian casually sidestepped, leaned back, or shifted ever so slightly out of the way. His movements were so lazy and effortless that it looked like he was dancing in slow motion.

The crowd fell into stunned silence.

"Is… is he dodging on purpose?"

"It looks so easy… but how?!"

Even Instructor Zhao's eyes widened, his stern facade cracking slightly.

Li Shu's attacks grew sloppier as frustration overtook him. "Stop moving, you coward!"

Lu Tian finally sighed. "Alright. My turn."

Without warning, he raised his hand—his fingers barely brushing Li Shu's shoulder.

BOOM!

A faint ripple of Qi exploded outward, and Li Shu flew backward like he'd been hit by a charging beast. He landed outside the arena with a thud, groaning in pain.

The crowd erupted into chaos.

"What just happened?!"

"Did Lu Tian just win?!"

"Was that a Qi technique? I didn't even see him move!"

Chen Fan's face darkened, his jaw tightening as he stared at Lu Tian.

On the stage, Lu Tian yawned again, rubbing his eyes. "Well, that's over.

Lu Tian stood at the center of the stage, stretching his arms lazily as if he'd just finished tying his shoelaces instead of knocking someone out of the arena. His robes fluttered slightly in the wind, the faintest ripple of Qi still lingering around him.

"Did he really just win… by barely moving?"

"Li Shu is second-level Qi Refinement! How did he lose to him?!"

The shocked murmurs rose in volume, rippling through the crowd like waves. Even the instructors in the back exchanged bewildered glances, their disbelief barely concealed.

Instructor Zhao cleared his throat, though even his usual authority couldn't mask the confusion on his face. "Winner… Lu Tian."

"Ha? I won already?" Lu Tian blinked slowly, scratching the back of his head. "That was too fast. I was hoping for at least ten minutes."

The crowd erupted into an uproar.

"Is he mocking us?!"

"Too fast? He didn't even fight!"

"This guy is absolutely ridiculous!"

From the sidelines, Wei Jingyi watched with wide eyes, her mouth slightly agape. She pushed her glasses up her nose, her hands trembling. "H-He… actually won? But how…"

Chen Fan, who'd been watching with arms crossed, looked like he'd swallowed a lemon. His smug grin had long since vanished, replaced by a stormy glare aimed directly at Lu Tian. "What's this nonsense?" he muttered under his breath. "There's no way that guy—that lazy bum—has any real strength."

At that moment, Li Shu, still groaning in pain, struggled to sit up outside the arena. "What… what just happened?" he mumbled, holding his shoulder. His wide, panicked eyes found Lu Tian. "What did you do to me?!"

Lu Tian tilted his head slightly, his tone as nonchalant as ever. "Huh? I didn't really do anything. You just fell."

"You—!" Li Shu pointed a trembling finger at him, his face red with frustration.

Chen Fan, unable to take it any longer, stepped forward, his voice carrying across the courtyard. "Enough! There's no way this was a fair fight. Instructor Zhao, I demand that Lu Tian's abilities be evaluated properly!"

The crowd went silent at his bold challenge.

Instructor Zhao turned to Chen Fan, his brow furrowed. "Are you accusing me of being unfair, Chen Fan?"

Chen Fan immediately softened his tone, realizing he'd spoken out of line. "No, Instructor Zhao, I didn't mean that! But look at him!" He pointed at Lu Tian, who had now sat cross-legged on the ground, yawning once again. "Does he look like someone who could defeat Li Shu? I'm saying… there's something strange about this!"

All eyes returned to Lu Tian.

Lu Tian blinked innocently, tilting his head. "Something strange? I just got lucky."

"Lucky?! That wasn't luck!" Chen Fan snapped, his patience wearing thin. "You're hiding something!"

"Relax," Lu Tian said, waving a hand lazily. "If you're so curious, why don't you fight me yourself? Maybe I'll show you a thing or two."

The crowd gasped.

"Did he just provoke Chen Fan?"

"Is Lu Tian out of his mind? Chen Fan is third-level Qi Refinement! There's no way he could win!"

Chen Fan's lips curled into a smirk. "Fine. If that's what you want, I'll gladly put you in your place."

Instructor Zhao raised a hand. "Enough. Challenges will be dealt with later. For now, Lu Tian has proven himself in this evaluation, whether you like it or not."

Chen Fan's face twisted in irritation, but he said nothing further. Lu Tian, on the other hand, had already stretched out on the stage, lying flat on his back as if the entire exchange had never happened.

Instructor Zhao massaged his temples, a vein visibly throbbing on his forehead. "Lu Tian, get off the arena."

Lu Tian sighed dramatically. "Fine, fine…" He climbed to his feet, dusted off his robes, and began walking off the stage at a leisurely pace, yawning the entire way.

The crowd's murmurs followed him.

"Is he for real?"

"How can someone so lazy be so… strong?"

"I still don't understand what just happened."

From the corner of the bleachers, several instructors whispered among themselves, their expressions grave.

"That ripple of Qi when he pushed Li Shu… Did you feel it?"

"It was faint, but… terrifyingly precise. It's almost like his control over Qi is far beyond what a student should have."

"No way. It must have been a fluke."

"And yet, Li Shu's injuries say otherwise…"

As Lu Tian reached the edge of the arena, Wei Jingyi rushed over to him, her face a mix of awe and frustration. "Lu Tian! What was that?! How did you dodge all of Li Shu's attacks? And that final push—how did you do that?"

Lu Tian rubbed his neck, avoiding eye contact. "Mm? What're you talking about? I didn't really do anything."

"Stop lying!" Wei Jingyi stomped her foot. "You clearly have some kind of ability, don't you?"

Before Lu Tian could answer, a loud voice boomed from behind them.

"Lu Tian!"

Turning his head slightly, Lu Tian found himself staring at Chen Fan, who stood several feet away, his arms crossed and his expression dark. "Don't think you've won just because of a fluke. Next time, you won't be so lucky."

Lu Tian raised a brow, looking more bored than intimidated. "Next time? I'd rather take a nap."

Chen Fan's eye twitched violently. "You—!"

Wei Jingyi immediately stepped between them. "Stop it! You already had your turn, Chen Fan."

Chen Fan scoffed, his sharp gaze lingering on Lu Tian. "You'd better watch yourself. I'm not done with you yet." With that, he turned and stalked away, his aura flaring dramatically behind him.

Lu Tian watched him leave, letting out yet another yawn. "What's with these people? So dramatic…"

Wei Jingyi turned back to him, her eyes still full of curiosity. "You're not fooling me, Lu Tian. You're stronger than you're letting on, aren't you?"

Lu Tian shrugged. "Think whatever you want."

With that, he turned and began walking away, his slow, unhurried steps drawing the gaze of everyone nearby. As he disappeared around the corner, whispers followed in his wake.

"Is Lu Tian secretly a cultivation genius?"

"No way. He's just lazy… right?"

"I don't know anymore. This doesn't make sense."

Far from the noise of the crowd, Lu Tian finally let out a long, satisfied sigh. He found a small shaded corner behind one of the academy buildings, plopped down onto the grass, and leaned against the wall.

"What a hassle…" he muttered to himself, closing his eyes. "I need to make sure this doesn't happen again. At this rate, people might start expecting things from me."

As he dozed off, a faint voice echoed in the back of his mind.

[Host, you have gained 10 experience points for defeating an opponent.]

Lu Tian's brow twitched slightly. "...Shut up. I'm sleeping."

The voice didn't respond, and Lu Tian finally drifted into a peaceful nap.