Multi-Soul Skill Synergy Targeted, Resource Disadvantage Handled

The pre-dawn whistle still carried moisture when Tang San was jolted awake by the hum of Soul Tools on the training field. Rubbing his eyes, he sat up and saw the sky turning a pale, fish-belly white outside. Zhao Wuji was directing several students to move the crystal arrays for the multi-Soul Skill test. The arrays held over a dozen metal targets, each with a gem of a different color embedded in its bullseye. "Today's morning drill is 'Multi-Soul Skill Synergy Limit.' Everyone has to hit three different targets simultaneously with two Soul Skills within the time it takes an incense stick to burn. Tang San, you're up first. You have to use 'Entangle + Blue Silver Thrust,' and each mistake adds fifteen extra reps!"

Tang San slowly folded his quilt, deliberately adjusting the tightness of his wrist guards three times while putting them on. Multi-Soul Skill synergy consumed the most Soul Power. By using the excuse of "adjusting wrist guards to prevent movement deformation," he could delay and conserve more energy. By the time he reached the crystal array, Dai Mubai had already completed two tests, triggering his White Tiger Claw and White Tiger Fierce Light Wave simultaneously, causing the gems to light up one after another. "What are you dawdling for? The crystal array's energy is becoming unstable!" Zhao Wuji shoved a Soul Tool into Tang San's hand, his tone clearly urging him on.

[Delaying the test under the guise of "adjusting wrist guards to ensure precise movements" to avoid early high-intensity synergistic consumption. Slacking Value +1, current total: 69 points]

Tang San summoned his Blue Silver Grass, deliberately slowing down the rhythm of the multi-Soul Skill synergy. For his first attempt at "Entangle + Blue Silver Thrust," the Blue Silver Grass had just entangled the first metal target when the thrust came half a second late, merely grazing the edge of the bullseye, and the gem didn't light up. "Tang San! You can't even practice synergy properly? Is Blue Silver Grass made of jelly?" Zhao Wuji's whip cracked against the edge of the crystal array, causing its energy to waver.

"Teacher, 'Entangle' requires maintaining the resilience of the grass blades, while 'Thrust' needs concentrated Soul Power. The two Soul Skills exert force in opposite directions. Synchronizing them easily causes the grass blades to snap, so I have to slowly find the balance point for exerting force." Tang San spoke, trying again. This time, although they were triggered simultaneously, he only injected twenty percent of his Soul Power into the thrust, and the gem only emitted a faint glow. "See, the grass blades almost snapped when I synchronized them. I had to inject less Soul Power, otherwise I'd have to resummon my Martial Soul."

[Reducing Soul Skill output under the guise of "avoiding Martial Soul collapse" and slowing down synergy speed to evade excessive consumption. Slacking Value +1, current total: 70 points]

By the time the incense stick burned out, Tang San had only completed three successful synergies, two short of the required five. "Another incense stick for extra practice. If you still don't reach four, you're not eating today!" Zhao Wuji stood by the array with his arms crossed, staring intently at him. Tang San, however, breathed a sigh of relief. The extra practice meant more Slacking Value, and the excuse of "force balance limitations" could be used continuously.

The morning training was "Team Resource Scramble." Zhao Wuji threw a pile of Soul Skill Supply Packs onto the open ground. "Fifteen minutes limit. Whoever grabs them keeps them. Tang San, you enter last, and you can only grab the supply packs in the furthest corner!"

As soon as the supply packs landed, Dai Mubai charged out, snatching three of the largest bags. Ma Hongjun's Phoenix Flame swept away those around him, and he also grabbed two. Tang San waited until everyone else had rushed in before slowly walking to the corner and using his Blue Silver Grass to gently hook a small supply pack. The bag contained only half a bottle of Soul Power Recovery Potion, half of what others had. "Tang San! You're only grabbing this little bit? Don't you want to compete?" Zhao Wuji walked over, kicking a supply pack at his feet, which flipped over.

"Teacher, the supply packs in the corner were squeezed into a crevice between rocks. If I hook them too hard with the Blue Silver Grass, the bag might tear. I had to hook it slowly, otherwise if the recovery potion spilled, it would be even more troublesome." Tang San said, deliberately making his Blue Silver Grass hook the adjacent bag again. As expected, it tore a small hole, and a little recovery potion leaked out. "See, it tore when I used a little force. If I go slower, I can preserve the supplies."

[Reducing the intensity of the scramble under the guise of "avoiding supply pack damage" to evade consumption during resource competition. Slacking Value +1, current total: 71 points]

During the lunch break, Xiao Wu gave Tang San half of her supply pack. "Teacher Zhao is too much. He deliberately let you enter last and only gave you the small bags." Tang San took the bag and took only one sip of the recovery potion before putting it away. He was saving it for the afternoon's consumption. Drinking too much now could easily cause his Soul Power to fluctuate.

The afternoon training was "Extreme Environment Combat." Zhao Wuji led everyone to an open area covered in quicksand. "Fight the dummies in the quicksand. Everyone has to defeat three dummies before stopping. Tang San, you have to defeat one more than everyone else, and the quicksand will slowly sink!"

As soon as the quicksand reached his ankles, Dai Mubai summoned his White Tiger Martial Soul and cautiously moved forward, knocking down a dummy with a single punch. Ning Rongrong used her Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda to enhance her balance, and she also slowly defeated one. Tang San walked into the quicksand, deliberately slowing his movement speed, pausing with each step. When a dummy charged at him, he gently entangled its legs with his Blue Silver Grass, causing it to sink into the quicksand. Instead of directly defeating it, he used the quicksand's force to immobilize it.

"Tang San! Why aren't you defeating them directly? Trying to slack off?" Zhao Wuji shouted from the side, cracking his whip towards the quicksand, splashing up a cloud of sand.

"Teacher, defeating dummies directly in the quicksand is too strenuous, and it's easy to sink deeper yourself. Using the quicksand to trap the dummies saves more Soul Power and allows me to last longer." Tang San said, deliberately letting another dummy sink into the quicksand. "See, this way I can trap them without exerting much effort. It's much easier than defeating them directly."

[Reducing the intensity of the combat under the guise of "using the environment to conserve strength and prevent sinking" to evade consumption in extreme environments. Slacking Value +1, current total: 72 points]

By the end of the evening training, Tang San had managed to trap four dummies, one more than required, but it took him twice as long as everyone else. "Extra physical training tonight: ten laps around the quicksand area. If you can't keep up, you'll do five more laps tomorrow!" Zhao Wuji's voice echoed across the training ground.

Everyone groaned, but Tang San quietly opened his system panel. 72 Slacking Value. He was still 28 points short of the next Soul Power Increase. He slowly walked back to his dormitory, calculating in his mind: the extra training tonight was a perfect opportunity to use the excuse of "quicksand trapping my feet" to slow down. Teacher Zhao's difficult demands were all good opportunities to accumulate points.

Night fell, and Tang San began his run around the quicksand area, deliberately slowing his pace. With every step, the sand sank to his calves. "Running too fast in quicksand makes you fall; going slower ensures stability." This not only fit his slacking rhythm but also earned him points. He secretly thought: as long as he found the right excuses, even if Teacher Zhao was ruthless, the "peak slacking path" could continue.