His consciousness sank into the radiant, tranquil Sea of Consciousness.
As Lin Ciyan's mental avatar took shape, he saw a sight that set his heart fluttering.
Xiyao's bare feet, formed of light, gleamed like jade.
Her delicate toes lightly touched the mirror-smooth surface of the sea, sending out golden ripples in concentric circles.
She seemed endlessly curious about this world that belonged to Lin Ciyan.
The woman leaned forward slightly and extended a slender finger, as if wanting to touch the "seawater," which seemed to be made of liquid light.
Her long silver hair flowed like moonlight, cascading over her shoulders, while a few mischievous strands slid across her exquisite collarbones.
Hearing a sound, she raised her head. Her pure golden eyes immediately lit up like the rising sun, dispelling every trace of mist.
She straightened and drifted lightly over to Lin Ciyan, her breathtakingly beautiful face brimming with pure delight.
"Ci Yan, you're here!" Her voice rang directly in Lin Ciyan's consciousness, ethereal yet tinged with dependence.
Looking at the Light Spirit before him, who seemed to embody the very essence of heaven and earth, Lin Ciyan couldn't help admiring her in his heart.
Here in the Sea of Consciousness, her beauty was even more unconcealed.
Every inch of her skin seemed to radiate a gentle glow from within.
Her features were so perfect she hardly seemed real, yet she was filled with a vivid, lively spirit.
"Yeah. I came to see how you were adjusting." Lin Ciyan smiled and naturally reached out to pat her head, just as he had before.
But Xiyao leaned her cheek into his palm of her own accord and rubbed against it gently.
Like a little beast seeking affection, Lin Xiyao let out a contented sigh. "It's nice here. So warm, just like... just like I'm always in Ci Yan's arms."
Her words were frank and guileless, yet carried an unmistakable intimacy.
Lin Ciyan's fingers passed through her moonlight-woven hair. It felt cool and silky, with a strange energy pulsing through it.
He could feel Xiyao's complete trust and attachment. Her unreserved closeness made him relax as well.
The two of them strolled (or rather, drifted) along the edge of the Sea of Consciousness.
Like a curious little child, Xiyao kept asking about everything in the human world. What was Shrek Academy? Why were there so many people? Why did people argue?
Her questions were innocent and direct. Lin Ciyan answered with his "slacker" philosophy mixed with a little science from his previous life, explaining things half in jest and half in earnest.
Lin Ciyan made Xiyao giggle now and then, her hand covering her lips. Her smile seemed to brighten the entire Sea of Morning Dawn.
As they went on, Xiyao gradually drew closer, until she was almost walking shoulder to shoulder with Lin Ciyan. Her wings of light occasionally brushed against his arm.
She seemed especially drawn to the light aura that came from Lin Ciyan—of the same origin as her own, yet more exalted.
"Ci Yan," she suddenly stopped and looked at him with a hint of longing in her golden eyes.
"Could I... could I go over to 'your side' and take a look? I want to experience the world you live in more vividly."
Seeing the hope in her eyes, Lin Ciyan nodded. "We can try, but if you feel uncomfortable, come back right away."
Xiyao nodded firmly and closed her eyes, light swirling around her.
In the real world, points of light gathered beside Lin Ciyan, who was sitting cross-legged on his bed. Her breathtaking figure once again took shape, emerging from the intangible into reality.
Lin Ciyan opened his eyes and examined Xiyao up close in the light of the real world.
She was still stunning enough to take his breath away. In reality, her body of light seemed less ethereal than it had in the mental world, and more tangible. Her skin glowed with a lustrous sheen, and her features were as lovely as a painting. She looked like a living statue of the Goddess of Light.
The gentle radiance naturally emanating from her made her seem even more extraordinary.
"So this is... reality..." Xiyao curiously studied her hands, then looked around the room, her eyes full of wonder. She tried to touch the table beside her, but her fingers passed through it like an illusion, and she furrowed her brow in disappointment.
"You're an energy form right now. You can't directly affect physical objects," Lin Ciyan explained.
Xiyao nodded, but her gaze soon returned to Lin Ciyan.
It seemed that being close to him reduced the energy she needed to maintain her existence and kept her more stable.
She drifted lightly to the bedside and looked at Lin Ciyan, who was sitting on the edge.
Then, before Lin Ciyan could react, she made a bold yet natural move—
She gently sat face-to-face on Lin Ciyan's lap and wrapped her smooth arms around his neck, clinging to him like a koala.
"This... feels more comfortable." Xiyao buried her face in the crook of his neck, greedily breathing in the comforting, intoxicating scent of him and making a catlike purr.
Her soft, warm body, glowing faintly, pressed tightly against Lin Ciyan's chest and abdomen. Her silver hair brushed his skin, bringing a cool, ticklish sensation.
Her long, graceful legs naturally curled around his waist, and the two of them embraced in an extremely intimate pose.
Lin Ciyan's body stiffened instantly. He was a gifted, handsome young man, and no matter how broad-minded he was, he could hardly keep his composure with a warm, fragrant beauty in his arms—even if she was made of light.
Xiyao's perfect face was right before him. Her long silver lashes trembled, and her pure golden eyes were half-closed, full of comfort and dependence.
The soft curve of her chest pressed tightly against him. Even through their thin clothes, he could feel its remarkable spring and shape.
An aura that mingled sacred light with the height of temptation battered Lin Ciyan's reason.
Good grief... Is this Light Spirit actually a succubus? he wailed inwardly, feeling his blood surge.
He had to secretly circulate his Soul Power and rely on the clarity granted by the [Skull of Radiant Dawn] to just barely suppress the heat rising within him.
He tried to ease her back a little, but Xiyao only hugged him tighter and gave a dissatisfied little hum.
"Ci Yan... don't you like it?" She looked up, her eyes shimmering with tears and a hint of hurt.
Looking at her pure, utterly untainted gaze, Lin Ciyan suddenly felt that his little "impure thoughts" were practically a sin.
He sighed helplessly and gave up resisting. "Forget it. I'll just think of her as a human-shaped body pillow and cultivation booster... Heart as clear as ice, unshaken even if the sky falls..."
To distract himself from the perilous situation, he simply turned his attention to the system interface.
He began studying the [Slacker Shop (Intermediate)] closely.
The dazzling array of new items opened his eyes, especially the few high-priced ones:
[High-Priced Section (10,000 points and above)]:
[Plane Vacation Voucher (Seven-Day Trip)] (58,888): Take a seven-day trip to a random alternate world, with the system managing your cultivation (at half effectiveness), and experience the local customs. (Slogan: Can't keep grinding? Then go slack off in another world!)
[Presence Regulator (Passive)] (32,000): Freely adjust your presence, from the center of everyone's attention to a pebble by the roadside. (Slogan: I don't want, I don't want, I don't want to grow up (in presence)!)
[Law of Causality: "The Client Is Always Right" Experience Card (Single Use)] (25,000): For a short time, make it difficult for others to refuse your "reasonable" requests. (Slogan: It's a simple request. I don't care how you make it happen!)
[Best Value Section (Under 10,000 points)]:
[Fully Automatic Slacker Puppet (Basic)] (8,800): A loyal slacking companion that handles everyday chores. (Slogan: Lazy people drive technological progress!)
[Slacking Exclusive Barrier (Prototype Domain)] (6,666): Unfurl a miniature barrier that slows time and reduces the outside world's awareness of you. (Slogan: If I slack off fast enough, the grinders can't catch me!)
The novel and amusing items, packed with memes, dazzled him.
Suddenly, his eyes settled on an item with an unusual description:
[Conceptual Oddity: "Seed of Winning by Lying Flat"] (18,000): Plant it in your soul and nourish it with Slacking Value or fortune to randomly bear "unexpected" fruit. (Slogan: Plant the cause of slacking and reap the fruit of winning by lying flat?)
"A gambler's delight?" Lin Ciyan was tempted.
It looked risky, but the rank of "conceptual" made him feel it had boundless potential.
"System, lock in the [Conceptual Oddity: 'Seed of Winning by Lying Flat']!"
[Ding! Lock successful! Remaining locks: 2/3.]
With that taken care of, Lin Ciyan exited the system, his amorous thoughts somewhat subdued.
He looked down at Xiyao, who seemed to have already dozed off in his arms.
Feeling the faint but undeniable boost to his cultivation, he shook his head with helpless amusement.
Well, this gentle embrace might be a test.
But if it sped up his cultivation, it was still a perk on the path of slacking off.
He adjusted his position so that both he and Xiyao could lie more comfortably.
Enjoying this peculiar "cuddle cultivation," he began plotting how to accumulate more Slacking Value faster.
Sure enough, the path of slacking off was becoming more and more of a test of "self-control."
(Please bookmark and recommend! The romance plot is about to begin!)