Slowly Copying Notes to Build Slacking Value, Avoiding Training and Trouble for a Steady Daily Routine

As night deepened, only the faint flicker of candlelight remained in the dormitory. Wang Hu and the other two were already fast asleep, but Tang San still sat at the desk, slowly copying notes from Martial Soul Basic Theory. The candlelight fell across his writing. His handwriting was neater than it had been during the day, but he still wrote very slowly—deliberately slowing every stroke, pausing after two lines to rub his wrist, claiming it was to "avoid soreness."

By deliberately slowing the pace of copying punishment notes, avoiding excessive writing expenditure, Slacking Value +1. Current total: 4 points.

The system notification sounded in his mind, and the corners of Tang San's lips lifted slightly. He glanced at his notebook. He had only copied it once, still far from the three times Master Yu Xiaogang had demanded. Yet he was in no hurry. Instead, he closed the book, blew out the candle, and lay down on the bed—Staying up late to copy punishment notes is bad for my health. Better continue tomorrow. He could rest and earn Slacking Value at the same time. Killing two birds with one stone.

The next morning, Tang San was awakened by birdsong outside the window. When he opened his eyes, Wang Hu and the other two were getting ready to rise, and he began considering an excuse to "refuse morning training." Sure enough, as soon as Wang Hu finished dressing, he called out, "Tang San, are you going to morning training today? We rested yesterday, so we need to make up for it today."

Tang San turned over and burrowed deeper beneath the blanket. "No. I copied notes until midnight yesterday, and I'm still exhausted. I'm going to sleep a little longer. Missing one day of morning training won't matter. I'll go after I've rested up."

Refused morning training on the grounds of "insufficient sleep," avoiding high-intensity early-morning activity. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 5 points.

Wang Hu and the others did not press him further. They quietly left the dormitory. Tang San closed his eyes but did not truly fall asleep—he was pondering how to earn more Slacking Value today. About an hour later, he finally got up at an unhurried pace. After washing up, he took the remaining steamed bun from his cloth pouch and sat outside the dormitory, eating it slowly.

Just after he finished, Xiao Wu came bouncing back with a wild fruit in her hand. "Tang San, why are you only getting up now? I picked this fruit during morning training and saved one for you. Oh, and today's practical class is about basic martial soul attacks. Do you want to practice with me beforehand?"

Tang San accepted the fruit and took a bite. "No, I haven't rested enough yet. Practicing beforehand is too tiring. I can just follow the teacher in practical class. There's no need to put in extra effort." As he spoke, he deliberately slowed his chewing, prolonging his meal.

Refused an invitation for extra sparring practice, avoiding physical exertion. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 6 points.

Xiao Wu pouted but said nothing more, turning to wash up. After they finished getting ready, the two headed toward the teaching building. On the way, they ran into the tall boy from yesterday—he was chatting by the roadside with two classmates. When he saw Tang San and Xiao Wu, his expression immediately darkened.

Xiao Wu instinctively clenched her fists, but Tang San tugged her arm and whispered, "Ignore them. Let's go before they make trouble." He deliberately quickened his pace—only a tiny bit faster than usual—and led Xiao Wu around the tall boy and his group, avoiding a direct encounter.

Proactively avoided a potential conflict, reducing social friction expenditure. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 7 points.

When they reached the classroom, Tang San once again chose a seat in the back row. There was still fifteen minutes before class began, so he took out his notebook and continued copying his punishment notes, still writing very slowly. Zhao Yu from the front row turned around and glanced at him. "Tang San, you're still copying? Didn't you finish yesterday?"

Tang San looked up and rubbed his wrist. "Yeah, I got too sleepy halfway through yesterday, so I'm continuing today. Writing slowly is better anyway. That way I won't make mistakes and have to copy it all over again, which would take even more time."

Slowed writing on the grounds of "avoiding mistakes," avoiding the expenditure of repetitive work. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 8 points.

After the class bell rang, Master Yu Xiaogang entered with a book. Today's theory lesson covered "the classification of soul masters," from Soul Warriors to Soul Douluo, and he explained everything in great detail. Tang San listened while taking notes, occasionally pausing his pen to "consider the key points," though he was actually waiting for a system notification—he had deliberately reduced his writing frequency and increased his rest intervals.

Near the end of class, Master Yu Xiaogang suddenly called on him. "Tang San, tell me: how much Soul Power does a soul master need to advance from Soul Warrior to soul master?"

Tang San's heart tightened. He quickly lowered his head and pretended to flip through his book. "Master, I... I can't remember very clearly. Let another student answer." He deliberately acted as if his "grasp of the material was weak," avoiding the teacher's attention.

Proactively avoided answering in class, reducing mental and verbal expenditure. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 9 points.

Master Yu Xiaogang frowned and had a student from the front row answer instead. After class, he walked over to Tang San. "Where are the notes you copied yesterday? Let me see them."

Tang San hurriedly took out his notebook and handed it over, but he was not worried—he knew he had written slowly and only finished copying it twice, giving him the perfect excuse that he "had not finished." Sure enough, Master Yu Xiaogang flipped through it and asked, "Why have you only copied it twice? You still have one more time to go."

"Master, I was too sleepy yesterday and only managed to copy it twice. I copied a little more during class today, but I still haven't finished. I promise I'll hand in the complete set before class tomorrow." Tang San put on a guilty expression.

Delayed turning in the assignment on the grounds of "not being finished," avoiding the expenditure of hurriedly rushing to complete it. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 10 points.

Master Yu Xiaogang nodded. "Fine. You must hand it all in tomorrow. Don't delay again." With that, he turned and left. Tang San let out a breath of relief and followed everyone else to the cafeteria.

The cafeteria was crowded. Wang Hu suggested, "Let's grab a seat by the window. There's pork rib soup today, and if we're late, there won't be any left!"

Tang San quickly waved his hand. "No need to rush for seats. We can sit wherever there's space. If the pork rib soup is gone, we can drink something else. It's all soup anyway, so there's no need to compete." He deliberately slowed his pace and waited until everyone else had found seats before taking an empty seat in a corner.

Avoided competing for seats, reducing unnecessary physical and mental expenditure. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 11 points.

After lunch, Tang San found an excuse to return to the dormitory and continue copying his punishment notes. He had only written two lines when the dormitory door was pushed open and Li Qing walked in. "Tang San, why aren't you taking a break? You still have practical class this afternoon. Don't wear yourself out."

Tang San looked up and rubbed his shoulder. "It's fine. I'll rest after I finish this page. There's nothing to do if I go back anyway, so I might as well finish copying the notes first. That way I won't have to worry about them tomorrow." Though he said that, the pen in his hand did not speed up at all. He continued writing at the same leisurely pace.

Maintained a slow pace on the grounds of "finishing early," avoiding the expenditure of later anxiety. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 12 points.

In the afternoon practical class, Teacher Li indeed taught basic martial soul attacks. The other students all swung their martial souls with all their might, but Tang San slowly summoned Blue Silver Grass and lightly flicked it forward—Blue Silver Grass flopped weakly onto the ground, not even touching the blades of grass beside it.

Teacher Li walked over with a frown. "Tang San, why are you still so slow? Put some strength into it, or you'll never learn the basic attack."

Tang San hurriedly pretended to exert himself, but Blue Silver Grass still had little force behind it. "Teacher, my Soul Power is too weak. I really can't put much strength into it. Whenever I do, I get dizzy. I'll practice slowly. I'll learn eventually."

Lowered training intensity on the grounds of "weak Soul Power," avoiding high-intensity expenditure. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 13 points.

Teacher Li was helpless and could only tell him to "work within his limits." After practical class ended, Xiao Wu suggested, "Tang San, let's go to the library and borrow a book. I want to read about soul rings. Will you come with me?"

Tang San shook his head. "No. Copying notes today tired me out too much, and I want to go back to the dormitory and rest. We can borrow books tomorrow. It's not urgent."

Refused an invitation to borrow books, avoiding additional time expenditure. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 14 points.

Back in the dormitory, Tang San leaned against the wall and opened the system panel—14 points of Slacking Value. He calculated that at this pace, it would only take a few more days to save up the 50 points needed for his next Soul Power exchange. He picked up his notebook and continued slowly copying his punishment notes. The flickering candlelight reflected on the paper, stretching his shadow long.

The sky outside gradually darkened, and the dormitory was quiet, with only the faint sound of a pen moving across paper. Tang San knew that as long as he maintained this "slacking" rhythm, his Soul Power would steadily increase, and his days at Nuoding Academy would only become easier.