Be a Salted Fish for the Grandmaster

• Author: Fu Hua
• Genres: Romance, Xianxia, Xuyên Không
• Status: Completed
• Chapters: 81
• Rating: ★ 5.0 / 5
• Published: 2026-09-23

First Impressions

Be a Salted Fish for the Grandmaster is a quintessential cultivation romance novel by Phù Hoa: a female lead with zero grand ambitions, no desire for hegemony, and no dreams of becoming a supreme cultivator—she just wants to live in peace, eat well, dress comfortably, and enjoy a long, uninterrupted nap.

Liao Tingyan transmigrates as a disciple of Qinggu Tian, but under rather peculiar circumstances. She is shoved into a group of female disciples tasked with serving a terrifying grandmaster about to emerge from a five-hundred-year seclusion. While everyone else scrambles to show off, she just wants to be a true "salted fish".

Plot and Pacing

Upon meeting Sima Xiao, Liao Tingyan quickly realizes just how dangerous this man is. He is a cold-blooded demon lord who delights in slaughter and possesses almost zero patience for scheming minds.

Yet, Liao Tingyan harbors no ambition that could trigger his suspicion. She speaks her mind, readily admits her fear of dying, and thinks about food whenever she is hungry. This very simplicity makes Sima Xiao feel she is completely unlike anyone who has ever approached him before.

Moving beyond a strict grandmaster-disciple relationship, the two gradually become companions. Situations that seem fraught with danger are frequently defused into hilarious banter, while beneath the laughter lies the steady, step-by-step transformation of Sima Xiao.

The Female Lead

Liao Tingyan is perhaps the most entertaining character in the novel. She isn't the type of transmigrated heroine who instantly vows to defy fate; instead, she retains the exact mindset of a modern individual: if you can live peacefully, there is no reason to look for trouble.

What makes her endearing is that her "salted fish" nature doesn't equate to foolishness. Liao Tingyan knows she is weak, knows when to run, and knows when not to pry into other people's affairs. Yet when pushed by circumstance, she remains capable of making remarkably firm decisions.

Nor does her core personality change as her cultivation rises. Even when her power far exceeds anything she once imagined, Liao Tingyan still loves good food, cherishes rest, and harbors zero interest in ruling the world.

The Male Lead

Sima Xiao stands in stark contrast to Liao Tingyan. He is a demon lord feared by all, having endured five hundred years of imprisonment while harboring immense hatred.

The blood of Sima Xiao belongs to the Fengshan lineage, possessing healing properties and assisting in cultivation. But what makes his character memorable isn't just his power, but the profound loneliness lurking behind his cold, ruthless exterior.

Initially, he keeps Liao Tingyan by his side like an amusing pet. She doesn't scheme against him, isn't terrified to the point of losing her senses, nor does she try too hard to flatter him. Gradually, her presence becomes something Sima Xiao can no longer easily let go.

Romance and Healing

The relationship between the main leads unfolds quite naturally. Liao Tingyan starts out fearful of Sima Xiao, which turns into sympathy, and before she knows it, love. Meanwhile, Sima Xiao, who never understood the warmth of a normal life, gradually grows to protect the very lifestyle she desires.

The best part is that the female lead doesn't "reform" the male lead through preachy moralizing. She simply lives her life her own way, unintentionally creating a sanctuary of peace amidst his violent, blood-soaked existence.

As a result, Sima Xiao's transformation feels genuinely convincing. He remains a dangerous man, but in love, he learns restraint, protection, and ultimately willingness to abandon goals once considered his life's ultimate purpose.

Strengths

The most prominent strength is its humor. Liao Tingyan frequently entertains mundane thoughts in utterly non-mundane situations. A cultivator residing in an ethereal immortal palace might obsess over what to eat, how to nap, or how to craft a "face mask" out of spiritual water.

The side characters are also quite charming, particularly the black snake raised by Sima Xiao, serving both as a mount and an involuntary clean-up crew. Its interactions with Liao Tingyan contribute significantly to the novel's distinct comedic flair.

The world-building is sufficiently developed without feeling overly dense. Cultivation, spiritual energy, artifacts, and souls are all present, yet the author avoids turning the story into a tedious chart of cultivation realms. The focus consistently remains on the characters and their relationships.

Weaknesses

If you prefer a strong, proactive female lead who actively fights and constantly levels up, the pacing might feel slow. Liao Tingyan lacks traditional cultivation ambitions, so much of her strength stems from circumstance and external support rather than a fierce drive to become a powerful cultivator.

Certain cultivation details are also simplified to favor romance and comedy. Readers seeking a meticulously strict cultivation system or grand-scale battles may not find as much as they hope for.

Additionally, the story features a heartbreaking emotional segment in the later arc. Though it ultimately ends with a HE, the journey there isn't entirely smooth sailing.

The Cultivation World

The world depicted carries a beautifully vivid Xianxia aesthetic. Coming from modern times, Liao Tingyan slowly discovers sights she once could only dream of: sword-riding, celestial beasts, palaces among the clouds, spiritual energy, and vast realms far beyond mortal eyes.

The author excels at placing an "ordinary modern person" into this fantastical world. She doesn't instantly take everything for granted, but often reacts with grounded, relatable curiosity. Consequently, the cultivation world feels wondrous yet hilariously grounded.

Reader Perspective

The review on Vidian notes that the work consists of 81 chapters and 4 side stories, belonging to the ancient romance, transmigration, cultivation, comedy, doting romance, and HE genres. The reviewer particularly highlights the female lead's humor, her dynamic with the demon lord, and the distinct personalities given to side characters.

Notably, the original review awards it a 5-star rating, emphasizing that the novel rarely feels dragged out due to its relatively concise length. However, this reflects the reviewer's personal assessment rather than a score representing the entire reader community.

Conclusion

Be a Salted Fish for the Grandmaster is a cultivation romance centered around contrast: a girl who just wants to be a salted fish meeting a demon lord who once knew only slaughter. Someone with no desire to change the world ultimately transforms the life of the scariest figure in that world.

This is a short, humorous, and healing novel, highlighted by the pairing of Liao Tingyan and Sima Xiao. If you enjoy a lazy yet adorable female lead, a powerful and cold male lead, and a bittersweet love story with a satisfying ending, this book is definitely worth a try.

Tags: salted fish, cultivation, doting romance