But I'm Really Just a Rogue Cultivator

#Beloved by Everyone, Sweet Fluff

Zhu Guanliu is an unaffiliated cultivator, the kind who’s never even touched a halfway-decent cultivation manual since she began practicing.

The good news is that she still has a little bit of luck on her side. She can find anything she wants, except cultivation manuals.

One day, she comes across a spirit beast trying to bash its head against a pillar. The next, a badly injured and unconscious cultivation powerhouse drops out of the sky right in front of her.

Zhu Guanliu is kind-hearted. She drags every single one of them home and stuffs them full of life-saving spirit pills that someone else gave her, without even asking for payment.

So when the Sword Sovereign, Demon Lord, Demon Emperor, Underworld King, and all sorts of other powerhouses she picked up start offering her a place at their side, Zhu Guanliu’s “chastity” is finally ruined.

Some people claim she’s an ancient powerhouse who’s been living in seclusion. Others say she’s a heavenly spirit treasure on the verge of godhood that has taken human form.

Zhu Guanliu, born to a farming family, utterly untalented, and only a few hundred years old, raises her hand weakly amid the arguing crowd and says with an innocent expression, “But I really am just an unaffiliated cultivator.”

Zhu Guanliu picked up a whole bunch of powerhouses and quite a few spirit beasts, too. They all came and went, but one little cat ball insisted on staying by her side.

Zhu Guanliu had already taken in a spirit beast, so in the middle of the night, she showed no mercy and tossed the fully healed cat ball outside. But before she could close the door, the cat transformed into a handsome young man with an air as clear as the wind and moon.

Beneath the moonlight, the boy gave his white cat ears a shake, unable to retract them. His long lashes drooped, and he looked as though he might cry. “Does Immortal think I’m annoying?”

“I’m really useful. Immortal, please don’t abandon me.”

Zhu Guanliu: Oh, a beauty trap.

But she was quite taken with it.

Yu Cang is the last ancient divine beast in the world. Spiritual energy is so thin in the present-day cultivation world that he’s been stuck in his juvenile form, and he’s searched everywhere for a solution without finding one.

Then he met Zhu Guanliu, a girl radiating clear, pure spiritual energy, completely out of place in this murky world.

Yu Cang: She smells so good. I want to bite her.

On the first day he pretended to be injured, he curled up against the girl’s neck. Late that night, just as he bared his fangs and prepared to bite her, Zhu Guanliu rolled over and pulled him straight into her arms.

Yu Cang, his face smothered in spiritual energy: “...” Blood bags like this don’t come around often, so I’d better savor the chance. I’ll just take a little sip first.

On the first day he almost got thrown out, Yu Cang transformed into human form and was pushed into another room. That night, just as he was about to climb through the window and onto the bed, he ran straight into Zhu Guanliu, who was having a late-night snack.

The girl smiled at him without a trace of wariness and handed him a chicken leg. “Craving one?”

Yu Cang... Yu Cang angrily took the chicken leg and bit into it.

Later, when he still couldn’t find a chance and had to watch a crowd of powerhouses fight to take Zhu Guanliu away, Yu Cang finally lost his temper. He held her tightly in his arms and whispered into her ear, grumbling, “Big Sister, everyone wants you, but I only have you.”

If he can’t bite her directly, he’ll have to find another way.

Like dual cultivation.

A lazy little unaffiliated cultivator who can fight and has powerful connections × a green-tea divine beast who looks too frail to take care of himself

Zhu Guanliu × Yu Cang

#From appetite to...?

[Reading Notes]

1. Not entirely lighthearted. Flashbacks may bring tears at any time, but there’s no angst in the present-day timeline.

2. The hero is based on Liangqu, the divine beast from The Classic of Mountains and Seas. Only its appearance is referenced; no other parts of its lore are used.

3. Everyone except the heroine is a villain, and they’re all awful. Some have improper intentions toward the heroine, but they won’t actually hurt her. If they try, the others will beat them up.

4. Reasonable content warnings are welcome. Please don’t make things up or launch personal attacks. I often pin good comments.

[Blurb written on April 12, 2024]

Theme: Love life.