Before dawn had fully broken, faint movements came from the dormitory. Tang San groggily opened his eyes and saw Wang Hu quietly getting dressed, while Li Qing and Zhao Yu had also woken up one after another.
"What are you doing?" Tang San rubbed his eyes, his voice hoarse with sleep.
Wang Hu lowered his voice. "We're going to the training grounds for morning practice. Teacher Li said morning training can improve Soul Power recovery speed. We need to hurry up and get stronger."
Tang San rolled over and burrowed deeper beneath his blanket. "No need to push yourselves so hard. Getting more sleep in the morning helps keep your spirits up, so you can actually absorb the lessons in class. Besides, Soul Power recovery won't suffer from missing one morning workout."
You actively refused morning training, avoiding premature high-intensity activity. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 38 points.
As soon as the system prompt ended, Wang Hu and the other two did not try to persuade him further. They quietly left the dormitory. Tang San closed his eyes, but he could no longer fall asleep—he was calculating how to earn enough remaining Slacking Value today to exchange for a Soul Power Increase.
About half an hour later, the sky outside gradually brightened, and only then did Tang San slowly get out of bed. After washing up, he did not go to the cafeteria. Instead, he took out the leftover steamed bun from yesterday from his cloth pouch and sat outside the dormitory door, eating it slowly—"reducing the time wasted waiting in the cafeteria line" also meant he could rest a little longer.
Just as he finished the steamed bun, Xiao Wu came hopping back, sweat beading on her forehead. "Tang San, why didn't you go to morning training? I was looking for you earlier. I wanted to practice Martial Soul Entanglement with you!"
Tang San brushed the crumbs from his hands. "I needed something to fill my stomach. Morning training is too tiring, and I'm weak. I can't take that kind of strain. We can just practice Martial Soul Entanglement with the teacher during practical class. There's no need to put in extra effort."
You refused extra Martial Soul practice after declining morning training, avoiding physical exertion. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 39 points.
Xiao Wu pursed her lips but said nothing more, turning to wash up. Once they had finished getting ready, the two headed toward the teaching building together. Along the way, Xiao Wu suddenly remembered something. "Oh, right, Tang San. After theory class today, Master Yu Xiaogang said he'd pick a few students for individual tutoring. Do you want to go? I heard you can learn plenty of practical Soul Power techniques."
Tang San's heart stirred. Individual tutoring counted as extra studying, so he definitely had to refuse. He deliberately slowed his pace. "No. I've learned most of the theory already. Individual tutoring is too mentally taxing. If I can't keep up, it might affect my later studies instead. It's safer to follow the regular class and take things slowly."
You refused an invitation for extra tutoring, avoiding excessive academic exertion. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 40 points.
When they arrived at the classroom, Tang San chose a seat in the back row as usual. Before long, Master Yu Xiaogang entered with a book in hand. Today's theory lesson covered "the compatibility between soul rings and Martial Souls." From soul ring age limits to the traits of soul skills, he explained everything in great detail.
Tang San listened attentively and occasionally jotted down a few notes, but he never raised his hand voluntarily. Near the end of class, Master Yu Xiaogang suddenly looked toward the back rows. "Tang San, tell me: what is the optimal age for the first soul ring compatible with the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul?"
Tang San's heart tightened. He hurriedly lowered his head and pretended to flip through his book for the answer. Xiao Wu quietly nudged his arm beside him and whispered, "Around 423 years!"
Tang San did not answer immediately. Only after Master Yu Xiaogang's gaze shifted to someone else did he slowly raise his head. "Master, I couldn't find the relevant point just now, so I'm not sure of the answer. Please let another student answer instead."
You actively avoided answering in class, reducing mental and verbal exertion. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 41 points.
Master Yu Xiaogang paused, then said nothing more and asked a student in the front row to answer. After the dismissal bell rang, Master Yu Xiaogang walked over to Tang San. "Didn't you properly read Martial Soul Basic Theory? It clearly states the suitable soul ring age for Blue Silver Grass."
Tang San hurriedly put on a guilty expression. "Master, I did read it, but I don't remember it clearly. I'll go back and review it properly." He deliberately downplayed how much he had learned to avoid drawing too much attention from Master Yu Xiaogang.
You used "I don't remember clearly" to reduce further questioning, avoiding additional academic pressure. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 42 points.
Master Yu Xiaogang nodded. "All right. I'll ask you again next class. Make sure you remember it." With that, he turned and left the classroom.
At noon, when they went to the cafeteria for lunch, they had just reached the entrance when they saw yesterday's tall boy standing nearby with several others, glaring at Tang San and Xiao Wu with unfriendly eyes. Wang Hu and the other two immediately grew tense. "Tang San, Xiao Wu, let's take another route. Don't get into a conflict with them."
But Tang San did not move—taking another route would delay lunch, so it was better to "pass by quietly" and avoid provoking a conflict. He took Xiao Wu's hand, lowered his head, and walked into the cafeteria, deliberately avoiding looking at the tall boy and his group.
The tall boy wanted to step forward and block them, but a student beside him tugged at him. "Don't act rashly. Teacher Li is inside." The group had no choice but to give up, shooting them a vicious glare.
You actively kept a low profile to avoid conflict, reducing unnecessary social friction. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 43 points.
After entering the cafeteria, Xiao Wu whispered, "Why weren't you afraid of them just now? Yesterday, you were the one telling us not to act impulsively."
Tang San smiled. "They're just trying to scare people. With a teacher around, they wouldn't dare actually do anything. There was no need to take a detour and waste time."
In the afternoon practical class, Teacher Li taught everyone "basic defense" with their Martial Souls. The other students were working hard to use their Martial Souls to block the wooden chips Teacher Li threw at them. Tang San alone slowly summoned Blue Silver Grass and lightly held it in front of himself—the moment a wooden chip hit the Blue Silver Grass, it bent the grass down, rendering it completely useless as a defense.
Teacher Li walked over with a frown. "Tang San, put some strength into it. That kind of defense won't block any attack at all."
Tang San hurriedly pretended to exert himself, but the Blue Silver Grass remained limp. "Teacher, my Soul Power is too weak. I really can't hold it up. If I use any more force, my Soul Power will be completely exhausted."
You used weak Soul Power as a reason to lower training intensity, avoiding high-intensity expenditure. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 44 points.
Teacher Li was helpless and could only tell him to "do what he could." After practical class ended, Xiao Wu suggested, "Tang San, let's go to the library and borrow a book about soul master cultivation. I heard there are lots of useful techniques in them."
Tang San shook his head. "No, I'm a little tired today. I want to go back to the dormitory and rest. Borrowing books is too troublesome. I'll go another time when I have time."
You refused an invitation to borrow books for study, avoiding extra expenditure of time and energy. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 45 points.
Back in the dormitory, Tang San leaned against the wall and opened the system panel—45 points of Slacking Value. He was still 5 points short of exchanging them for "Minor Soul Power Increase" (requires 50 points). He calculated that if he earned another 5 points tomorrow, he could exchange them for a Soul Power Increase.
The sky outside the window gradually darkened, and the dormitory was quiet. Tang San opened Martial Soul Basic Theory and slowly flipped through its pages, thinking to himself: As long as I keep slacking off, it won't be long before I can improve my strength without effort. This path to the pinnacle of slacking is getting smoother and smoother.
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