Saving Enough Slacking Value to Raise Soul Power, Slacking Off Under Guidance to Keep the Pace

When morning dew clung to the windowsill, Tang San was awakened by Wang Hu turning over. He opened his eyes and looked at the hazy dawn outside. He did not get up right away—he had calculated yesterday that he only needed 4 more points of Slacking Value to exchange for Soul Power. Today, he had to save enough steadily and could not afford any mishaps.

"Tang San, get up! This morning's training is testing 'Martial Soul Entanglement endurance.' They say we have to bind wooden posts for half an hour. If we're late, there won't be any posts left to train on—they'll all be taken!" Wang Hu shouted while rubbing his eyes and getting dressed.

Tang San rolled over and sat up slowly. "What's the rush? Morning training doesn't start for another half hour. Going now would just mean waiting. I'll wash up first. You guys go claim a post, and I'll be there soon." He deliberately dawdled while folding his blanket, rearranging his pillow again and again. Only after Wang Hu and the other two had left did he take a towel to wash up. He even deliberately fetched an extra basin of water to wipe down the table. By the time he headed to the training ground, quite a few students were already practicing.

Deliberately delayed arriving for morning training, avoiding the waste of waiting too early. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 47.

At the training ground, Teacher Zhang was pacing back and forth with a timer in hand. When he saw Tang San arrive, he pointed at a wooden post at the edge. "Tang San, hurry up and train. I'll inspect you in half an hour. Anyone whose binding isn't secure or falls off midway will run ten laps as punishment!"

Tang San hurried over to the post and summoned Blue Silver Grass. Unlike the others, he did not wrap the grass blades tightly around the post. He merely looped them loosely around it, just tight enough to hang there without slipping off, and only used twenty percent of his Soul Power—this would save Soul Power while still letting him last the full half hour with ease.

Li Qing, beside him, glanced over and quietly asked, "Tang San, you've tied it so loosely. What if the wind blows it off?"

"Then I'll tie it again. There's still time, after all. It's better than tying it too tightly and exhausting all my Soul Power." Tang San smiled and loosened the Blue Silver Grass in his hand a little more, leaving it just stable enough.

Half an hour later, Teacher Zhang came to inspect them. Seeing Tang San's loose, sagging Blue Silver Grass, he frowned. "Tang San, can't you tie it tighter? It's so loose that an enemy could break free in an instant!"

"Teacher, my Soul Power is weak. If I tie it tightly, I won't last half an hour. Keeping it loose lets me endure until the end, which is better than falling off halfway through and getting punished with laps." Tang San hurriedly explained. He put in a little more force, tightening the grass blades slightly, though they still did not reach the level of being "secure."

Used "lasting until the end" as an excuse to reduce entanglement strength, avoiding excessive consumption. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 48.

Teacher Zhang said nothing more and turned to inspect the others. After morning training ended, Xiao Wu handed Tang San a handkerchief. "Tang San, if you'd loosened it any more just now, the Blue Silver Grass definitely would've fallen off. Good thing Teacher Zhang didn't make an issue of it."

"I knew what I was doing. It wouldn't have fallen." Tang San wiped the sweat from his forehead. "Come on, let's go eat. We need to get to the cafeteria early today, or the meat buns will be gone."

The two ran into Master Yu Xiaogang on their way to the cafeteria. He was holding a yellowed book, apparently borrowed from the library. "Tang San, come to my office again after training this afternoon. We need to reinforce the 'Blue Silver Grass Perception' I taught you yesterday. I also found a book about perception techniques for plant martial souls. You can take a look."

Tang San's heart stirred. He wanted to make an excuse and decline, but Master Yu Xiaogang spoke first. "Don't look for excuses. I've already told the cafeteria to save two meat buns for you. Finish eating and get to training immediately. If your perception is still unskilled this afternoon, you'll practice for another hour."

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

The morning extra lesson was "Soul Power Recovery Practice"—the students had to release their martial souls, then meditate in place to restore their Soul Power, with the fastest recovery being the winner. Wang Hu and the others closed their eyes as soon as they sat down, their Soul Power Fluctuations obvious. Tang San alone sat there seemingly meditating, but he only used ten percent of his Soul Power. He deliberately slowed his recovery rate to less than half that of the others.

Teacher Li, who was overseeing the training, walked over and looked at Tang San. "Tang San, why are you recovering so slowly? Are you not meditating seriously?"

"Teacher, my Soul Power is weak, so it naturally recovers slowly. Going any faster would hurt my body. It's safer to recover gradually." Tang San opened his eyes and put on a tired expression. "Look, I've only recovered thirty percent. I'm much slower than them."

Teacher Li examined his Soul Power Fluctuation. It was indeed weak, so he could only nod. "Fine, then recover slowly. Don't force yourself."

Used "safe recovery" as an excuse to reduce recovery speed, avoiding excessive consumption. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 49.

After the extra lesson ended, Tang San hurried to the cafeteria—he had eaten two meat buns that morning and was already starving. As soon as he arrived, he saw Wang Hu and the other two waiting for him. "Tang San, your recovery was way too slow just now. We were all done, and you'd only recovered thirty percent."

"My Soul Power is weak. There's nothing I can do but take it slowly." Tang San picked up a meat bun and ate it at an unhurried pace. "There's training this afternoon. Hurry up and eat so you aren't late."

The afternoon extra lesson was "Basic Martial Soul Defense Sparring"—the students paired up and used their martial souls to defend against each other's basic attacks, seeing whose defenses could last longer. Wang Hu wanted to pair with Tang San, but Tang San shook his head. "My defense is weak. I'd only hold you back if we teamed up. Go with Li Qing. I'll pair with Zhao Yu."

Zhao Yu's martial soul was a writing brush, and its attacks were weak to begin with, making him perfect for "easy defense." During their sparring, Tang San deliberately made his Blue Silver Grass limp and soft. Whenever Zhao Yu's brush touched it, he intentionally let the grass blades bend, but only enough to block the attack. His defense was not breached, yet he did not have to resist with much force.

"Tang San, can't you take this seriously? You let the grass bend so much every time. If it bends any farther, your defense will be broken!" Zhao Yu sounded helpless. "At this rate, the teacher will scold both of us."

"I'm just afraid of hurting you. It's only sparring, there's no need to be too serious." Tang San smiled, while the Blue Silver Grass in his hand remained limp and soft—as long as his defense was not breached, he would not fail the exercise, and he could save Soul Power as well.

Used "being afraid of hurting others" as an excuse to reduce defensive strength, avoiding excessive consumption. Slacking Value +1. Current total: 50.

As soon as the system notification ended, Tang San was delighted—he had finally saved 50 points of Slacking Value! After training, he found an excuse to part ways with Xiao Wu, Wang Hu, and the others, then returned to the dormitory first.

After closing the door, Tang San quickly opened the system panel and selected "Exchange for Minor Soul Power Increase." A warm current instantly spread through his body, and the Soul Power in his dantian became noticeably fuller. The feeling was even stronger than during his last increase. The system notification sounded: Successfully exchanged for "Minor Soul Power Increase." Current Soul Power Level: Level 15 (Minor Increase). Remaining Slacking Value: 0.

"Level 15!" Tang San felt delighted. He leaned against the wall and rested for a while before heading to Master Yu Xiaogang's office.

Inside the office, Master Yu Xiaogang had already placed the book on the desk. Beside it was a basin of clear water, with several leaves floating on its surface. "You're here? Practice 'Blue Silver Grass Perception' first. Put the Blue Silver Grass into the water, activate it with Soul Power, and sense the locations of the leaves. This time, you must accurately state the number of leaves and their directions. No mistakes."

Following the instructions, Tang San placed Blue Silver Grass into the water and deliberately used only forty percent of his Soul Power. The Blue Silver Grass swayed gently in the water. After sensing the leaves, he intentionally slowed his response and paused several times, pretending he had only "just figured it out."

"Not bad. You're much more proficient than yesterday." Master Yu Xiaogang nodded and handed the book to Tang San. "Take this book and study it carefully when you return. It contains many techniques for plant martial soul perception, and it will help you. Come again tomorrow. I'll teach you how to use perception to evade enemy attacks."

Tang San accepted the book and quickly thanked him. "Thank you, Master. I'll study it carefully."

By the time he left the office, it was already dark. Xiao Wu was waiting outside. "Tang San, why did you come out so late? I've been waiting for you for half an hour. I thought the teacher had punished you."

"No, Master taught me some perception techniques and even lent me a book." Tang San waved the book in his hand. "Come on, let's go eat. I'm starving."

As they headed toward the cafeteria, Tang San calculated inwardly: his Soul Power was already Level 15, higher than that of many classmates, yet no one knew. It was all thanks to slacking off. As long as he kept this rhythm going, he would definitely grow stronger and stronger.

The cafeteria lights glowed brightly. Tang San looked at the food before him and ate slowly—he knew that as long as he kept slacking off, his path to the "Peak of Slacking" would continue forever. Even with Master's supervision, he could always find chances to slack off and steadily become stronger.