Slacking Through Morning Drills to Build Up Points, Master's Guidance Reveals the Real Deal

The night had not yet fully faded when the morning drill horn sounded. After the extra classes were added, the academy changed the morning drill signal from "knocking on doors" to "blowing the horn," afraid that students might be late. Tang San turned over at the sound, groggily opening his eyes. Wang Hu and the other two in the dormitory were already getting dressed in the dark, moving as quietly as thieves.

"Tang San, get up! Teacher Li said he's checking morning drill attendance today. One late arrival means losing half a month's credits!" Wang Hu called in a low voice, with one sleeve of his clothes already on backward.

Tang San rubbed his eyes without any hurry to get up. "What's the rush? That was only the first horn. There's still a quarter of an hour before assembly. I'll rest a little longer and get up when the second horn sounds. I'll make it just in time." As he spoke, he burrowed deeper into his blanket, deliberately slowing down.

Proactively delayed getting up, avoiding overly early high-intensity preparation. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 37 points.

Sure enough, Tang San did not leisurely sit up until the second horn sounded. While dressing, he deliberately fastened two buttons wrong, then spent another half an incense stick correcting them. By the time he headed for the drill field with a steamed bun in hand, the students had already lined up, and Teacher Li was taking attendance with a roster.

"Tang San!" When Teacher Li called his name, he looked up and glared at him. "Last one again! Go stand at the back. Today's morning drill is Martial Soul Entanglement evasion. If you can't keep up, your credits will still be deducted!"

Tang San quickly acknowledged him and went to the back of the line. Once the drill began, the other students earnestly used their martial souls to bind wooden posts while dodging the wooden chips Teacher Li threw at them. Tang San alone leisurely summoned Blue Silver Grass. Its soft blades draped over his wrist, and when he bound a wooden post, they only wrapped halfway around before loosening. When dodging wooden chips, he deliberately reacted "half a beat too late," looking as though he was about to be struck every time, only to evade at the last moment.

"Tang San, put some strength into it! Tighten that Blue Silver Grass!" Teacher Li walked over and pointed his wooden staff at Tang San's martial soul. "Keep half-assing it, and don't expect any credits today!"

"Teacher, my Soul Power is weak. If I bind it too tightly, I'll use up all my Soul Power. I still need to practice evasion later, and if I don't have the strength to dodge the wooden chips, that'll be troublesome." Tang San put on a panicked expression and quickly wrapped Blue Silver Grass another half-circle around the post, though he still did not apply any force.

Used "conserving Soul Power" as an excuse to reduce training intensity, avoiding high-intensity expenditure. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 38 points.

Teacher Li helplessly shook his head and walked away. After morning drills ended, Xiao Wu ran over and handed him a handkerchief. "Tang San, you almost got hit by a wooden chip just now. Why didn't you dodge faster?"

"Dodging too fast uses Soul Power. It's not worth it." Tang San wiped the sweat from his forehead—it was fake, of course. "Come on, let's eat at the cafeteria. If we're late, there won't be any buns left."

The two headed toward the cafeteria and ran into Master Yu Xiaogang on the way. He carried a cloth bundle that seemed to contain something. "Tang San, after training ends this afternoon, come to my office again. You need to master the Soul Power activation method I taught you yesterday."

Tang San's heart stirred as he wanted to make an excuse to decline, but before he could speak, Master Yu Xiaogang continued, "Don't make excuses. I already told the cafeteria to save two meat buns for you. Finish eating and get to training. If you still can't learn it this afternoon, you'll practice for another two hours."

With no other choice, Tang San nodded. "Understood, Master."

Forced to accept instruction. No Slacking Value gained.

After breakfast, the morning extra class was "Soul Power endurance practice"—the students had to continuously release their martial souls and maintain them for half an hour without recalling them, training their Soul Power endurance. When Wang Hu and the others released their martial souls, light blazed in every direction. Tang San's Blue Silver Grass, however, remained a faint phantom. He released only twenty percent of his Soul Power, making it look as though it could dissipate at any moment.

"Tang San, release more Soul Power! Your martial soul phantom is so faint, it's practically like you haven't released it at all!" Teacher Zhang, who was supervising the training, walked over with a frown.

"Teacher, I don't have much Soul Power. If I release it fully, I won't last half an hour. If I have to recall it halfway through, then it won't count as completing the task." Tang San hurriedly said, weakening the Blue Silver Grass in his hand even further. "If I practice slowly like this, at least I can last the whole time. Don't you agree?"

Teacher Zhang considered it and felt that Tang San had a point, so he could only nod. "Fine. Then maintain this intensity. Just don't recall it halfway through."

Used "completing the task" as an excuse to reduce Soul Power release intensity. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 39 points.

Half an hour later, the training ended. The other students were all drenched in sweat, while Tang San looked rosy and not tired at all. Xiao Wu said in surprise, "Tang San, how are you not tired at all? My Soul Power was almost exhausted just now."

"I released less Soul Power, so naturally I used less." Tang San smiled. "Come on, let's go rest. There's training again this afternoon."

During the noon break, Tang San did not return to the dormitory. Instead, he found a stone bench beneath the shade of a tree and sat down, opening the system panel—39 Slacking Value points, still 11 points away from his next Soul Power Increase exchange. Leaning against the tree, he closed his eyes to "meditate," but he was really slacking off and soon fell asleep.

Used "meditation" as a cover to sleep, avoiding extra activity expenditure. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 40 points.

The afternoon extra class was "basic martial soul defense practice." Teacher Li had the students use their martial souls to block attacks from wooden staffs, training their defensive ability. When Wang Hu and the others blocked the staffs with their martial souls, bang bang sounds rang out. Tang San's Blue Silver Grass, however, bent as soon as it touched a wooden staff, yet it happened to wrap around the staff in midair. His defense was neither broken nor did he use any strength to resist.

"Tang San, your defense is way too weak. It could be broken with just a little force!" Teacher Li held the wooden staff without pressing down further. "Put more strength into it. Otherwise, how will you block an enemy's attacks?"

"Teacher, this is 'using softness to overcome hardness.' Look, although the wooden staff bent the Blue Silver Grass, it never touched me." Tang San quickly replied, adding another ten percent of Soul Power to his hand. The Blue Silver Grass straightened slightly, but he still did not use force to resist.

Teacher Li was rendered speechless by his argument and could only turn around to guide the other students.

Used "using softness to overcome hardness" as an excuse to reduce defensive strength. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 41 points.

After training ended, Tang San had no choice but to go to Master Yu Xiaogang's office. Inside, Master Yu Xiaogang had already set up two wooden posts, with a blue crystal ball beside them. "First, let's test your Soul Power and see whether you've improved today."

Tang San placed his hand on the crystal ball and still released only thirty percent of his Soul Power. The crystal ball glowed with a faint blue light, no different from yesterday. "Still no improvement?" Master Yu Xiaogang frowned. "Come on, practice the Soul Power activation method I taught you yesterday. You must master it today."

Tang San could only summon Blue Silver Grass and slowly wrap it around the wooden post according to Master Yu Xiaogang's instructions. He deliberately slowed his movements and used only twenty percent of his Soul Power. After several attempts, it only wrapped twice before falling off.

"What's going on with you? Yesterday, when I taught you, couldn't you at least wrap it around once? Why have you regressed today instead?" Master Yu Xiaogang was a little angry, and his voice rose.

"Master, I practiced Soul Power endurance this morning and defense this afternoon. I used too much Soul Power and really can't practice it properly." Tang San put on an aggrieved expression. "How about tomorrow? I'll have more energy tomorrow, and I'll definitely master it."

Master Yu Xiaogang glanced at him, took out a bottle from the cloth bundle, and handed it to Tang San. "This contains Soul Power recovery medicine. Drink it, and it will quickly restore your Soul Power. You must master it today, or don't even think about leaving."

With no other choice, Tang San accepted the bottle and drank the medicine. Before long, he felt a warm current flow through his entire body, restoring much of his Soul Power. Left with no choice, he put in a little effort, and Blue Silver Grass finally wrapped around the wooden post three times.

"That's more like it." Master Yu Xiaogang nodded. "Remember that feeling. When you practice again tomorrow, you must succeed in one try."

Forced to master the technique. No Slacking Value gained.

By the time Tang San walked out of the office, it was already dark. Xiao Wu was waiting at the door. "Tang San, why did you take so long? I've been waiting for you for half an hour."

"Master insisted that I master that Soul Power activation method before he'd let me leave." Tang San said helplessly. "Come on, let's eat at the cafeteria. I'm starving."

As they walked toward the cafeteria, Tang San calculated inwardly: I saved 4 Slacking Value points today. I'm still 9 points away from 50. If I work a little harder at saving them tomorrow, I should be able to exchange them for Soul Power Increase. Although Master forced me to practice that technique, as long as I keep slacking off, I'll always find chances to earn points.

The cafeteria lights glowed brightly. Tang San looked at the food before him and ate slowly. He knew that as long as he did not give up slacking off, his "road to the pinnacle of slacking" would continue forever. Even with Master urging him on, he would still find opportunities to slack off.