The Most Fatal Invisible Brag (Thanks for the Rewards! Recommendations! Three Chapters Delivered!)

Shrek City, East Gate Plaza.

The sun was bright, and the crowd flowed like a weaver's shuttle.

The hawking of vendors, the chatter of spirit masters, and the playful cries of children intertwined, brimming with the vitality of the marketplace.

In a relatively secluded corner of the plaza, yet one that could still be glimpsed by passing pedestrians, sat a boy.

Lin Ciyan leaned his back against the pedestal of a statue of one of the founding Shrek City sages. His legs were crossed casually, and a wide-brimmed straw hat—procured from who knows where—was pulled low over his head, obscuring most of his face.

His aura was restrained, and [Invisible Mode] was quietly activated, rendering him as unremarkable as a stray pebble on the roadside, making it difficult for anyone to pay him any special attention at first glance.

However, if a spirit master were to perceive him carefully, they would discover that light elements were gathering around him at a slow and steady pace, forming an imperceptible vortex that quietly seeped into his body.

He was currently circulating the [Great Dream Freedom Scripture] while attempting to integrate a method of active spirit power compression, engaging in "deep meditation."

(Ps. He was just meditating normally, but to others, it looked like deep meditation.)

Steady as a rock on the surface, secretly grinding behind the scenes.

This was his plan—to conduct the most efficient cultivation in the middle of a bustling city while maintaining the most inconspicuous posture possible.

By using [Invisible Mode] to lower his initial presence, and then creating a massive contrast between the energy fluctuations drawn by his actual cultivation and his lazy external appearance, he could generate "Slacking Influence."

At first, everything was as usual.

Pedestrians hurried by, none noticing the boy "napping" beneath the statue.

But as time passed, some spirit masters with keen perception gradually slowed their pace.

"Eh? That kid... is he cultivating?"

"Impossible, right? With that posture? He's more likely just sleeping!"

"No! Feel the energy around him... it's calm, yet extremely pure, and it's converging toward him!"

"Are you joking? Deep meditation in such a noisy place? And so... casually?"

Whispers began to ripple through the crowd.

More and more people cast suspicious and uncertain gazes toward the boy in the straw hat.

What they saw was extreme "relaxation" and "sloth," yet what they perceived were steady, refined spirit power fluctuations and exquisite energy control.

This intense sense of contradiction challenged their inherent understanding of the word "cultivation."

Could it be... that someone could actually level up just by lying down?!

When this cognitive shock reached a critical point, a pleasant chime sounded in Lin Ciyan's mind:

[Ding! You have performed "Hidden Cultivation in the Bustling City" at Shrek City Plaza, successfully creating a strong cognitive contrast, triggering widespread shock and self-doubt, and effectively spreading the philosophy of "Relaxed Cultivation." Slacking Influence +1500! Current total influence: 1500 points!]

[Ding! Detected that Slacking Influence has broken through 0, [Slacking Cultivation Accelerator] is now in effect! Cultivation speed increased by: 3%!]

[Ding! This action has earned you Slacking Value +200!]

It worked!

Lin Ciyan was secretly delighted, but his expression remained calm. To maintain his persona, he even deliberately smacked his lips lightly as if dreaming of some delicacy, carrying his "slacking" to the very end.

This combination of moves had an outstanding effect!

[Invisible Mode] was responsible for the low-profile entry and creating the initial contrast.

The [Slacking Cultivation Accelerator] was responsible for converting that contrast into tangible cultivation acceleration!

Making a fortune in silence—the old saying never lies!

After continuing for about another hour, feeling that the "harvest" was sufficient, Lin Ciyan stretched as if waking from a long dream. He yawned, stood up slowly, brushed the dust off his backside, and wandered away from the plaza amidst the complex and indescribable gazes of the crowd.

By this time, the story of a boy in Shrek City practicing deep meditation while lying down had already begun to spread.

In the evening, by Sea God Lake.

Zhang Lexuan watched Lin Ciyan walk toward her, looking refreshed, and couldn't help but smile: "I heard our little genius caused quite a stir in the city today?"

Lin Ciyan chuckled, walked over to a smooth blue stone beside her, and sat down, leaning back with zero regard for his image: "Sister Lexuan, your information is truly fast."

"It's nothing, just went to experience the smoke and fire of the marketplace, and by the way... conducted a unique cultivation practice."

The afterglow of the setting sun filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting mottled spots of light upon them.

A gentle breeze blew by, carrying a faint fragrance.

"Practice? You mean running to the most crowded plaza to 'sleep'?" Zhang Lexuan mimicked his tone, her eyes filled with teasing amusement.

"Now everyone in the city is saying that there's a boy whose cultivation method is different from ordinary people, practically a 'Sleeping Arhat' reborn."

"Ah, you flatter me, you flatter me." Lin Ciyan waved his hand, feigning humility.

"I am merely exploring a path of cultivation more suited to 'civilized people' like us."

"Fighting and killing is so unrefined."

Zhang Lexuan let out a soft chuckle, her voice like a clear spring striking stones: "You always have so many twisted theories. However..."

She paused, her tone carrying a hint of imperceptible concern and curiosity.

"In that state of yours, the circulation of your soul power seems even more stable and condensed than when others meditate. How do you do it?"

"Talent, it's mainly just talent." Lin Ciyan began to spout nonsense with a straight face.

"Of course, it also stems from my profound understanding of 'the Dao follows nature'."

"When the heart is still, all things are still; when the heart is relaxed, soul power flows freely."

Watching him talk complete nonsense while maintaining the air of someone "earnestly imparting wisdom," Zhang Lexuan couldn't help but reach out with a slender finger and gently poke his forehead: "Slippery fellow!"

The warm sensation from her fingertip made them both pause for a brief moment.

Lin Ciyan touched the spot where he had been poked and grinned: "Sister Lexuan, does this count as bullying a junior?"

"I'm bullying you, so what?" Zhang Lexuan lifted her chin slightly, revealing a touch of girlish charm. Under the glow of the setting sun, her flushed cheeks added to her beauty.

The two shared a smile, the atmosphere harmonious and natural.

Frequent contact over these past few months had brought them much closer; they could now joke with ease, a faint, indescribable tacit understanding and mutual affection lingering between them.

However, when night fell and Lin Ciyan sank into his Sea of Consciousness for his daily nourishment, he sensed something was amiss.

Xiyao, who usually clung to him like a warm little sun, felt somewhat "heavy" today.

The maiden of light puffed out her cheeks; though she remained pressed tightly against him, the pressure... it was as if she were trying to push him into the depths of the spiritual ocean.

"Xiyao, what's wrong?" Lin Ciyan asked, feeling somewhat bewildered.

Xiyao raised her golden eyes and gave him a faint, gloomy look, but she didn't speak. She merely huffed and squeezed closer to him, expressing her dissatisfaction through action.

Watching her drape her entire luminous body over him, he could feel her form becoming increasingly substantial.

(Due to her time spent with Lin Ciyan, both of their light attributes had seen corresponding improvements...)

Lin Ciyan had no idea why Xiyao was asserting her presence and venting her little frustrations in this manner.

He sighed helplessly and attempted to soothe her with gentle mental fluctuations, thinking to himself:

It seems that this "slacking off" style of cultivation isn't just about soul power; I really need to give some serious thought to other matters as well...