Dao Of The Salted Fish (Salted Fish Cultivator)

On the day before the Spring Festival, the Golden Sun Sect became busier. It turned out that even cultivators celebrated this event. All the outer-sect disciple classes had been cancelled for the week, but Sun Fuyu was still training.

Wen Zhihao found him in a corner of the outer sect training grounds. Sun Fuyu wasn’t the only one training, but Wen Zhihao didn’t know the others so he ignored them.

With a convenient talisman, Wen Zhihao conjured a self-heating chair and sat near Sun Fuyu. It was almost a game to see when Sun Fuyu would notice. Sometimes it was extremely quick, but other times Sun Fuyu was so immersed that he wouldn’t even realise that night had come.

Today’s Sun Fuyu was highly focused. On the last day before the break, Sun Fuyu had beaten Wu Qingqing in a duel using the techniques from Wen Zhihao’s sword manuals, and with Wen Zhihao’s lucky stone tucked in his pocket. To his surprise, he hadn’t cared much at all about Wu Qingqing’s shocked face; instead, he felt proud that he hadn’t let down Wen-shixiong. There were only a few days left in the year, and so Sun Fuyu wanted to push. He could feel that he was so close…

Wen Zhihao noticed things first. The qi in the air started to tremble and shift, breaking away from its usual smooth flow across the grounds. The qi started to swirl towards Sun Fuyu, faster and faster, to the point that it dragged the wind with it. It all culminated in a sudden whoosh! as the air rushed outwards from Sun Fuyu.

Sun Fuyu’s movements stopped, his sword glinting sharply, his cultivation robes fluttering in the leftover wind. With an exhale, he completed the closing sequence and sheathed his sword. He could feel power pulsing in his dantian. Sun Fuyu’s head tilted down, trying to contain his feelings.

Clap clap clap.

Sun Fuyu’s head snapped up, eyes alighting on Wen Zhihao. His eyes brightened like miniature suns. “Wen-shixiong!”

Sun Fuyu hurried to Wen Zhihao’s side. “When did you arrive? Why didn’t you tell me? I was...”

Wen Zhihao looked at Sun Fuyu’s face, looking like he wanted to boast, but also too hesitant too. Wen Zhihao smiled, rubbing his shidi’s head. “How can I interrupt such a diligent shidi? You worked very hard. Congratulations on advancing.”

Sun Fuyu beamed. “Thank you, Wen-shixiong!”

“What are you thanking me for? It’s all your own work.” Wen Zhihao fiddled with his sleeves. “I was going to wait till the Spring Festival, but I’ll give this to you early as a gift for advancing.” He pulled out a plain jade ring and presented it to Sun Fuyu.

Sun Fuyu looked up at Wen Zhihao. “This...Wen-shixiong…”

“This is a spatial ring, take it.”

Over the last few months, Wen Zhihao had saved all his spiritual stone allowance in order to buy this for Sun Fuyu. It was a real shame that Sun Fuyu was poorer than the other outer sect disciples—through no fault of his own. It wasn’t Sun Fuyu’s fault that he didn’t have any family members who were also cultivators, and it wasn’t Sun Fuyu’s fault that some of the other cultivators stole his spiritual stone allowance because he had no backers.

Wen Zhihao physically placed it on Sun Fuyu’s palm, and pressed his fingers closed over it. “Use it however you wish, Sun-shidi. You worked hard.”

Sun Fuyu’s heart felt sour and warm. He accepted the spatial ring. He thought about putting the glowing stone that Wen-shixiong gave him inside the ring, but decided against it. Sun Fuyu liked the calming qi that the stone emanated.

“Now, are you going to cultivate some more, or will you accompany your shixiong to town?”

Sun Fuyu’s eyes brightened. “Accompany!”

“I haven’t seen how the mortal towns decorate for the Spring Festival. Does your family have any traditions? My parents are dead...”

In the memory of the original ‘Wen Zhihao’, his parents had died, and his uncle dropped him off at the sect, basically using the place as a dumping ground. The original ‘Wen Zhihao’ was lucky in that he did have some ability for cultivation, and therefore was able to stay. Unfortunately, ability did not equal talent, and there were many, many talented cultivators.

Sun Fuyu’s face immediately became cold. “My family is still alive.”

Wen Zhihao’s eyes softened. “Forget about them. Relations by blood are overrated anyway.”

All Wen Zhihao needed to do was think about all the families that fought internally, all the families that kicked out children who didn’t follow their rigid ideas of ‘normal’... Wen Zhihao rubbed his smooth chin. “Hmm, why don’t you call me Zhihao-shixiong? Wen-ge¹ge: older brother?”

Sun Fuyu’s eyes widened. “Ge...ge?” His cheeks flushed red.

Wen Zhihao laughed, patting him on the head. “Don’t push yourself if you don’t like it. Shall we head out?”

“Yes...Wen-ge.”

“Or Zhihao-shixiong is fine,” Wen Zhihao said.

Sun Fuyu pursed his lips, acting a little spoilt. “But Wen-ge said I could use Wen-ge.”

Wen Zhihao wasn’t fussed either way, and ‘Wen-ge’ was shorter and easier. “Let’s go, Xiao²xiao: little. Used for cuteness, closeness, and various other ways… Yu.”

With that, Wen Zhihao took out his sword and went into the air.

Sun Fuyu stared at the flying Wen Zhihao, dumbfounded. He called me Xiao Yu! Ah, he’s flying away! Sun Fuyu quickly took out his own sword and flew after him.

“Don’t like it?” Wen Zhihao guessed as they flew through the air.

“Like,” Sun Fuyu admitted. He didn’t meet Wen Zhihao’s eyes.

Wen Zhihao’s lips curved up, but he didn’t tease Sun Fuyu anymore, even though it was so adorable...He changed the conversation, asking Sun Fuyu’s about his cultivation instead.

They spent the rest of the evening strolling around a mortal town that was vibrantly decorated in red. Wen Zhihao took out copper coins whenever something took their fancy.

At midnight, fireworks and firecrackers went off around the town and in the Golden Sun Sect. The two watched from a high vantage point on their flying swords. Then, Wen Zhihao pulled out a red pocket.

“Unmarried youths receive lucky money,” he said, handing it to Sun Fuyu.

“Wen-ge!” Sun Fuyu protested. “But you’re unmarried too! I...I have some spiritual stones back in my room…”

“Xiao Yu.”

Sun Fuyu stopped talking.

“Just work hard, and remember me, okay?” Wen Zhihao said. Not that he needed a future golden thigh to hug. Wen Zhihao felt that he was doing pretty good for himself, and he had no intention of climbing.

But of course, Sun Fuyu took it seriously. “Thank you, Wen-ge! Happy New Year. Wishing Wen-ge peace and prosperity!”

“And wishing Xiao Yu a smooth path in cultivation.” Wen Zhihao patted Sun Fuyu. “Now it’s both our bedtimes.”

“Yes!”

Later, upon returning to his room, Sun Fuyu checked his new spatial ring and the red envelope. The red envelope had a crisp bill of mortal money. And there were more items inside the spatial ring: glowing preserved flowers and smooth jade filled with Wen-ge’s gentle qi!

Sun Fuyu’s head bowed, his heart hot in his chest. Calling him Xiao Yu, giving him these precious things...did that mean that Wen Zhihao liked him?

Elsewhere: Wen Zhihao sneezes.

Wen Zhihao: Huh, must be the onset of some cold weather…

Author: hehehe