Candlelight cast a faint glow across the dormitory walls. Tang San finished writing the final signature on the last page of notes, and by the time he put down his pen, his wrist was already aching. He rubbed it, stacked the three neatly copied notebooks—though they practically screamed "slow work yields fine results"—and tucked them into his cloth bag. The past three days of copying as punishment had not been wasted. Not only had he met Master Yu Xiaogang's demands, but he had also accumulated quite a bit of Slacking Value along the way. After blowing out the candle and lying down, he soon fell asleep to the sound of Wang Hu and the others breathing.
The sky had barely begun to brighten when someone lightly knocked twice on the dormitory door. The teacher in charge of morning training called from outside, "All dormitories, get up. It's time for morning training!"
Wang Hu and the other two jolted awake and hurriedly dressed. Tang San turned over without even opening his eyes. "You go ahead. I was copying notes until midnight yesterday, so I'm resting a little longer. I'll catch the second half of morning training later."
Using "lack of sleep" as a reason to delay morning training, avoiding the high-intensity drain of getting up early. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 25.
Wang Hu wanted to say something, but Li Qing tugged at his sleeve. Over the past few days, they had figured out Tang San's habit of "liking to rest." There was no use arguing with him. The three quietly left the dormitory. Only after their footsteps had faded did Tang San lazily open his eyes. He leaned against the headboard and waited for the system prompt to finish before getting up to wash.
He had just stuffed a steamed bun into his mouth when he saw Xiao Wu running back from the training grounds, sweat dotting her forehead. "Tang San, why are you only getting up now? The teacher said they're checking attendance during morning training today. Latecomers have to run laps!"
Tang San chewed his bun and calmly wiped his mouth. "It's fine. I told the teacher I was exhausted from copying notes, so he probably won't make things difficult for me. By the way, what did you practice this morning?"
"Basic martial soul evasion." Xiao Wu handed him a handkerchief. "The teacher said Spirit Hall is sending people to inspect us next week, so we need to hurry and solidify our fundamentals."
Tang San's heart stirred. Spirit Hall really did come to inspect Nuoding Academy in the original story, but he had not expected it to happen so soon. Taking the handkerchief, he deliberately slowed his pace. "An inspection is just an inspection. We should keep to our usual rhythm. There's no need to rush our progress and wear ourselves out."
Actively downplaying the importance of the inspection, avoiding the competitive behavior of "crash training." Slacking Value +1. Current total: 26.
The two headed toward the training grounds. At the entrance, they saw Master Yu Xiaogang standing by the field with a man in Spirit Hall's white robes beside him. The badge on the man's chest was more refined than Su Yuntao's. Xiao Wu quickly pulled Tang San to the back of the line. The morning-training teacher was leading the students through evasion drills. When he saw Tang San arrive, he frowned but said nothing. Master Yu Xiaogang had previously told him to take better care of Tang San, whose "Soul Power was weak."
The Spirit Hall man swept his gaze over the field before settling on Master Yu Xiaogang. "Yu Xiaogang, this is the beginner class you teach? They don't look like much."
"Strength is not always visible on the surface," Master Yu Xiaogang said evenly. "You'll know after the inspection."
After morning training ended, Master Yu Xiaogang gathered the students. "There will be no theory class this morning. Put all your effort into preparing for this afternoon's inspection. Focus on Soul Power control and basic martial soul applications. Tang San, come with me."
Tang San's heart skipped a beat, but he still followed at an unhurried pace. Once they reached a corner of the school building, Master Yu Xiaogang took out a blue crystal ball. "Your Soul Power hasn't increased much recently, has it? Let me test you again."
Tang San knew he could not avoid it. When he placed his hand on the crystal ball, he deliberately released only thirty percent of his Soul Power. The crystal ball glowed with a faint blue light, barely brighter than during the previous test. "Still around Level 10?" Master Yu Xiaogang frowned. "Have you not been meditating properly?"
"I meditate every day. My progress is just slow." Tang San put on a helpless expression. "Maybe my Blue Silver Grass martial soul is naturally difficult to cultivate."
Using "martial soul characteristics" to explain slow Soul Power progress, avoiding additional meditation requirements. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 27.
Master Yu Xiaogang did not ask further questions. He merely told Tang San not to slack off before turning away to arrange the other students' training. Tang San sighed in relief. On his way to the cafeteria, he happened to run into Wang Hu and the other two. "Tang San, what did you go off with the master for just now? Is he giving you special tutoring?"
"What special tutoring?" Tang San waved a hand. "He just tested my Soul Power and thought my progress was too slow. By the way, are you nervous about the inspection this afternoon?"
"Of course we are!" Wang Hu scratched his head. "I heard Spirit Hall's people are really strict. If your Soul Power progresses too slowly, they might even tell you to leave the academy."
Tang San did not take it seriously. "It won't come to that. We just need to perform at our usual level. Don't be too nervous. Come on, let's eat. If we're late, there won't be any hot porridge left."
Actively easing his classmates' anxiety while downplaying his own tension, avoiding the energy drain of "excessive worry." Slacking Value +1. Current total: 28.
The afternoon inspection was stricter than expected. The Spirit Hall deacon held a crystal ball and tested each student's Soul Power one by one, then had them demonstrate basic uses of their martial souls. Wang Hu's Wooden Hammer martial soul could barely produce a weak wave of Soul Power. Li Qing's sickle martial soul could cut through straw. Zhao Yu's brush martial soul could write characters infused with Soul Power.
When it was Xiao Wu's turn, the moment her rabbit martial soul appeared, it caught the deacon's attention. "Martial soul: Soft Bone Rabbit. Soul Power: Level 12." The deacon wrote in his notebook, his tone gentler than before. "Your basic application is good. Keep practicing."
Xiao Wu skipped back to the line. Tang San took a deep breath and slowly stepped forward. When he summoned his Blue Silver Grass, he deliberately made the blades look limp and powerless as they hung from his wrist. Placing his hand on the crystal ball, he released only twenty percent of his Soul Power. The crystal ball emitted a tiny glimmer, dimmer even than Wang Hu's.
"Martial soul: Blue Silver Grass. Soul Power: Level 8." The deacon frowned. "This Soul Power progress is far too slow. What about basic application?"
Tang San lightly waved the Blue Silver Grass. Its blades barely wrapped around a nearby stalk of straw before snapping without any force being applied. "Deacon, my Soul Power is weak. This is all I can manage."
Actively weakening his martial soul's performance, avoiding excessive attention from the Spirit Hall deacon. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 29.
The deacon said nothing more and told him to return to the line. After the inspection, the deacon spoke briefly with Master Yu Xiaogang and Flender before leaving with his men. Flender gathered the students together. "Starting tomorrow, there will be an extra morning-training class every day, along with an additional basic training class in the afternoon. You must catch up in Soul Power progress!"
The students groaned in unison, but Tang San quietly breathed a sigh of relief. Extra classes were fine. He had plenty of ways to "slack off."
That evening, back in the dormitory, Wang Hu and the other two sighed as they discussed the extra classes. Leaning against the wall, Tang San opened the system panel. He had 29 points of Slacking Value, still 21 points short of his next Soul Power Increase exchange. He took out Martial Soul Basic Theory and turned to the page on "Soul Power Recovery," reading it slowly as he calculated, Tomorrow, I'll find an excuse to "run out of stamina" and rest during morning training. During afternoon practice, I'll stick to the simplest movements. I'll accumulate enough Slacking Value sooner or later.
Moonlight streamed through the window and fell across the book's pages. Tang San closed the book, a faint smile on his lips as he lay down. No matter how many extra classes the academy added, he could steadily continue down his path to peak slacking. After all, a slow pace was the true way forward.
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