"First ring, a hundred years. Second ring, a thousand years. Third ring... ten thousand years!" Mu En's voice held a hint of excitement he could barely conceal.
"This will usher in a new era in the history of Soul Masters and create an unprecedented legend!"
He looked at Lin Qingmo, his tone deep and resolute. "I don't have much time left. Bei Bei is kind by nature and more than capable of preserving what we have, but he lacks the drive to break new ground.
"Shrek's future needs a new pillar—one strong enough to bear its weight."
Mu En's words were like a stone tossed into the tranquil lake of his heart, sending ripples across its surface.
Lin Qingmo returned to his room, but the Pavilion Elder's deep, hopeful words kept echoing in his mind.
"Shrek's future... carry the academy's burden..."
Lin Qingmo was overjoyed, feeling that the Lin family's revival was within reach.
And at that very moment...
Someone else was sprawled across his Golden Tree Hammock.
He was enjoying a warm sunbath on Sea God Island, his consciousness suspended in a wondrous state between waking and sleep.
As Lin Ciyan would put it, this was "feeling the Dao flowing through heaven and earth while embracing a state of slacking."
Just as he was so comfortable he was about to drool, that familiar system display, tinged with a hint of languor, appeared in his mind.
It popped up without warning, accompanied by a soft notification chime.
[ Ding! The host has maintained a high-quality slacking state for an extended period. Hidden system upgrade condition triggered. ]
[ Slacker System updated!!! ]
[ New feature: "Monthly Refresh" (one use only). Each month, spend 100 Slacking Value to randomly refresh the current shop stock. Rare, limited-edition, or special items may appear. ]
"Oh?" Lin Ciyan was instantly wide awake, focusing his mental energy on the display.
"Finally, something new. Pay to win... I mean, pay with 'Slacking Value' to get stronger, right? Let's see how my luck is today!"
Though it pained him a little, he still willed the "Monthly Refresh" option to activate.
[ 100 Slacking Value spent. Refreshing the host's shop stock... ]
[ Refresh complete! Please check the new items. ]
[ Talk-no-Jutsu: Absolute Logic ]—4,500 points
Ability: Active skill. When you defend your "slacking" behavior, your words will automatically gain powerful logic and a subtle touch of mental suggestion, making the other person think, "He makes so much sense—I have no response."
Note: As long as my twisted logic is self-consistent enough, you can't criticize me for slacking. Fight magic with magic!
[ Special: Slacker Point Multiplier Card (One-Week Trial) ]—9,000 Slacking Value
· Description: For the next seven days after use, Slacking Value gained through all means will increase by 50%!
· Note: "Grind? Not a chance. We slacker players live off version bonuses!" Limited-time offer—don't miss out!
Looking at the refreshed items, each more outrageous and tempting than the last, Lin Ciyan's eyes lit up.
"Now those are some good items!" He rubbed his hands excitedly—or, rather, did so in his mind.
"If I use these right, I'll be able to lie down sideways or upright all over Sea God Island, and no one will dare disturb me while I commune with heaven and earth!"
"Maybe I can even scam... I mean, kindly help Bei Bei better understand the true meaning of 'relaxation.'"
[ Ding! You successfully refreshed the shop and found a "Slacker Artifact" you like. Filled with anticipation for your future slacking life, Slacking Value +66! ]
Though he didn't have enough Slacking Value yet, the new monthly refresh feature gave Lin Ciyan even more motivation to save up.
"If I want to slack with peace of mind, it seems I'll have to 'work hard' once in a while and earn some Slacking Value."
He felt that the direction of his life had become clearer than ever.
As Lin Ciyan basked in his good mood, he thought of another unfortunate figure in the original story: Huo Yuhao.
That fated child known as "Huo Gua"—the path his life had taken...
Mu En had taken him as a disciple and taught him everything he knew. He had bestowed the Light Demon-Breaking Soul Bone on him and arranged for him to marry Wang Dong'er. In the future, he would even use the Dragon Core he left behind to help Huo Yuhao form a Soul Core... All this investment seemed as weighty as a mountain of kindness.
But on closer inspection, how much genuine, unconditional kindness had Shrek Academy itself shown Huo Yuhao?
Thinking about it, Lin Ciyan couldn't help feeling that the boy he had never met had gotten a raw deal.
What had Huo Yuhao faced when he first arrived at Shrek?
Zhou Yi's near-maniacal suppression and her constant threats to expel him.
Dai Huabin's repeated bullying.
And the injuries and deaths among his teammates caused by that old fool Xuan Zi's reckless leadership...
"This isn't how you cultivate a genius. It's a master class in psychological manipulation!" Lin Ciyan grumbled inwardly.
First they crushed him and manufactured crises, then the supreme leader stepped in to show kindness. After a one-two punch like that, even the best talent would end up a Shrek fanatic.
And when Lin Ciyan thought about Huo Yuhao's graduation exam for the Inner Court, he could only call it insane.
Handing over two Level 9 Fixed Soul Guidance Shells he had made himself? What was that equivalent to?
It was like a university teaching you to build a hand-cranked generator, then demanding you make a photolithography machine from scratch for your graduation project—with you supplying the raw materials!
Even more absurd, the heads of the Soul Guidance Department couldn't make the things themselves, yet they assigned one to a student as a graduation task.
That was the otherworldly version of "the boss makes promises while the employee works himself to death."
Huo Gua was unquestionably the greatest workhorse in history. Lin Ciyan felt for him—officially—for one second.
Lin Ciyan knew perfectly well that the "kindness" Mu En had cultivated early on was crucial to Huo Yuhao's unwavering devotion to Shrek.
Mu En had seen Lin Ciyan's potential and wanted to replicate that path of "investment, binding, and returns" to cultivate Shrek's next guardian.
"Nice idea. Too bad you picked the wrong person." Lin Ciyan lounged back on his bed, hands behind his head, gazing at the ceiling with a carefree smile.
He was a transmigrator, with "independence" carved into his soul—and he was the Slacker Immortal, bearer of the Ultimate Relaxation System.
His opinion of Shrek was indeed favorable for now, but that was as far as it went.
Have him, like Huo Yuhao, put a "leash of responsibility" around his own neck and devote his life to the academy?
No way. Absolutely not!
"I, Lin Ciyan, ask only to have a clear conscience and live freely," he thought.
"I'll remember Mu En's kindness. If I have the means in the future, I'll repay him in kind."
"But if you want me to be the academy's permanent 'shield'? Sorry, my goal is to save up enough Comfort Value and go home."
"As for the Tang God King..." A playful glint flashed in Lin Ciyan's eyes.
"Just keep sitting pretty in the Divine Realm. Once my Holy Radiance Qilin evolves and perfects the Five Virtues..."
"With the system at my side, I'll use the most 'slacker' approach to overturn your whole chessboard of 'manipulating fate'!"
"That's what it means to 'fight magic with magic'—to crush 'control' with 'relaxation.'"
At that thought, the indignation he had felt over Huo Yuhao's misfortune vanished in an instant.
Everyone had their own fate and their own path. He sympathized with Huo Gua's lot, but he would never become a second Huo Gua.
I, Lin Ciyan, will walk my own carefree path!
The next day, the sky had just begun to brighten.
Lin Ciyan was already packed and in high spirits.
He had cast every stray thought aside. There was only one goal on his mind now—acquiring his Second Soul Ring!
Lin Qingmo looked at the clear, resolute gaze in his grandson's eyes and nodded with satisfaction. "Let's go, Ci Yan."
"Our target in the Star Dou Great Forest this time is a thousand-year Golden Soul Beast!"
"Grandpa, I'm already officially excited," Lin Ciyan said with a grin, his tone light, as though they were going on an outing rather than hunting a powerful Soul Beast.
They didn't waste any more time. With a flicker, they became two streaks of light, leaving Sea God Island and speeding toward that vast, mysterious primeval forest.
Star Dou Great Forest, I, Lin Ciyan, am here to restock again!