School's Beginning!

The next seven days were set aside for new students to report for enrollment.

Classes had yet to officially begin, and Lin Ciyan was more than happy to enjoy the leisure.

Of course, his "leisure" was not about doing nothing; it was the perfect fusion of his Relaxation Cultivation Method and Influence Harvesting.

With new students flooding in, the crowd was dense and curious—the perfect opportunity to spread the fame of his Relaxation Cultivation Method!

He made full use of these seven days, staging multiple "slacking shows" in front of the incoming waves of freshmen.

On the first day, he found a bench bathed in perfect sunlight on the bustling main campus thoroughfare, brazenly activated Invisible Mode, and lay down comfortably while simultaneously running his Slacking Cultivation Accelerator.

To the passing freshmen, he looked like a student who was excessively handsome but acted in an extremely bizarre manner.

In broad daylight, under the open sky, he was actually... napping on the side of the road?!

His breathing was long and steady, his expression serene, and there was even a faint, soft halo of light circulating around his body.

He formed a stark contrast to the freshmen rushing by, dragging their luggage.

"Is this guy... okay?"

"Sleeping on the side of the road? Is this some new meditation technique?"

"I recognize him! I think he's from Sea God Island, Lin Ciyan! I heard that when he sleeps, he's actually cultivating!"

"Is that for real? You can level up just by lying down? Then what does that make me, working myself to the bone every day just to toughen my body?"

The whispers and shocked gazes gathered like a trickling stream into an invisible tide, quietly captured by the system.

[Ding! Detected collective shock and recognition, Slacking Influence +430! Current Influence: 16230. Slacking Cultivation Accelerator effect: +27%.]

The corners of Lin Ciyan's mouth curled up imperceptibly in his "sleep."

Very good, a successful start.

Basic operation, don't be surprised.

Over the following days, he followed the same pattern.

Sometimes he would be at the edge of the crowded plaza, wearing his Brain Wave Pad and leaning against a pillar to "rest his eyes," while the light elements around him gathered spontaneously to form a visible, soft vortex of light.

Sometimes he would be on a bench outside the library with a thick Soul Beast Illustrated Handbook spread over his face; he appeared to be fast asleep, yet his breathing matched a certain rhythm, his soul power fluctuations steady and profound.

Sometimes he would even do it while waiting in line at the cafeteria.

He could lean against the wall and enter that "half-asleep, half-awake" cultivation state, standing in sharp contrast to the anxiously waiting freshmen.

Sometimes he would doze off by the fountain in front of the teaching building...

The locations changed, but the core remained the same—carrying "slacking" through to the end.

And every "demonstration" drew a new wave of attention and discussion.

Looking at the system notifications, Lin Ciyan introspected with satisfaction at the skyrocketing cultivation acceleration effect.

This round of "slacking" was astonishingly efficient!

[Ding! By publicly performing "contrast-style" Relaxation Cultivation multiple times during the enrollment period, you have continuously triggered shock and self-doubt among the freshmen, effectively consolidating the influence of your Slacking Philosophy.]

[Slacking Influence +11200! Current total influence: 27430 points! Cultivation speed increased by: 33%!]

[Ding! Accumulated Slacking Value +3200 during this period!]

[Current Slacking Value: 10520 points]

Every time a "performance" ended and he wandered back, he would always "happen" to pass by the new student registration desk.

Sometimes Han Ruoruo wasn't there, and only Zhang Lexuan was taking a brief rest during a lull in her work.

"Sister Lexuan, still busy?" Lin Ciyan would naturally walk over and lean against the registration table.

"Ciyan? You certainly are at leisure." Zhang Lexuan looked up, and seeing it was him, a faint smile appeared on her gentle face, as beautiful and clear as a lily blooming in the morning.

She raised a hand to tuck a stray lock of dark hair behind her ear, her movements elegant.

"I call this balancing work and rest, sustainable development." Lin Ciyan grinned and handed over a fresh fruit he had just bought on the way, still glistening with water droplets.

"Want a taste? Replenish some Vitamin C."

Zhang Lexuan was slightly startled. Looking at the concern in the smile on the young man's bright, handsome face, her heart warmed inexplicably. She took the fruit and said softly, "Thank you."

"You're welcome, Sister Lexuan, you've been working hard." Lin Ciyan looked at her, his eyes clear but carrying a hint of imperceptible appreciation.

The woman before him stood tall and graceful, her temperament gentle and quiet, her appearance stunning.

Her busyness only added a touch of heart-stirring resilience to her.

She looked at the young man before her, his lazy yet inexplicably charming demeanor making her feel both amused and amazed.

Over the past few days, rumors about Lin Ciyan's various "bizarre" cultivation methods had long since reached her ears.

If it were anyone else, she might have thought it was laziness or absurdity.

But coming from Lin Ciyan, combined with his outrageous leveling speed, it only made her feel... mysterious and interesting.

"I heard you were 'cultivating' by the roadside again?" Zhang Lexuan said with a smile, carrying a hint of teasing.

"Can't help it," Lin Ciyan shrugged, wearing a 'don't look at me, I didn't want this either' humble-brag expression.

"The way of cultivation lies in balancing tension and relaxation. Being overly rigid is actually a lower-tier approach."

"What I'm doing is... resonating with heaven and earth, capturing inspiration amidst relaxation."

His sophistry, paired with that look of absolute certainty, made Zhang Lexuan burst into a soft laugh.

Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting a soft halo over her graceful figure and waterfall-like long hair.

She tilted her head slightly to look at Lin Ciyan, her eyes clear as water, holding a touch of curiosity and a trace of imperceptible admiration.

Sometimes, when Han Ruoruo went to help in other areas, they were the only two left at the registration desk.

The atmosphere would become even more tranquil.

They would chat about trivial matters, rumors from the outer courtyard, or interesting anecdotes about Sea God Island.

Lin Ciyan would occasionally mention some harmless 'embarrassing moments' from his own cultivation, making Zhang Lexuan cover her mouth and giggle.

Amidst these relaxed interactions, Lin Ciyan's gaze toward Zhang Lexuan would also, inadvertently, linger for a moment longer.

Zhang Lexuan was not entirely unaware.

She looked at the boy in front of her, who was a few years younger than herself.

He possessed peerless talent and a profound background, yet he lacked the arrogance and restlessness of typical geniuses.

Instead, there was a clarity about the world and... a sense of laziness?

But beneath that laziness lay unfathomable strength and a unique wisdom regarding cultivation.

She occasionally wondered what the person who would walk beside her in the future would be like.

Perhaps... it should be someone like this, seemingly nonchalant but actually possessing a vast inner world.

Someone who could maintain a sense of peace amidst the chaos and hear the thunder in the silence.

As this thought arose, she was surprised by herself; her earlobes grew slightly warm, and she quickly lowered her eyes to hide the fleeting ripples in her heart.

Suddenly, Zhang Lexuan noticed that the boy in front of her was also watching her.

The girl was instantly embarrassed by his gaze, lowering her eyes slightly as a faint blush crept up her ears.

She thought to herself: Ciyan... his talent is so astonishing, yet he is never arrogant.

His personality is clear and interesting, and he treats others with gentleness... if in the future...

She dared not think any further, feeling her cheeks burning, and quickly composed her mind.

After a few times, the two seemed to have formed a tacit understanding.

In the evenings after Zhang Lexuan finished work, Lin Ciyan would 'coincidentally' appear to invite her to dinner.

They no longer went to the noisy grand cafeteria, choosing instead small, elegant restaurants within the academy.

Afterward, they would stroll side by side through the campus bathed in the sunset glow.

Or they would sit in a quiet corner of a restaurant, sharing the experiences of their day.

Lin Ciyan would talk about interesting things from his cultivation.

Occasionally interspersing his unique insights on practice, making Zhang Lexuan cover her mouth and giggle.

Zhang Lexuan would also speak of interesting academy news or her own insights on cultivation, her tone gentle, her eyes resting softly on Lin Ciyan.

The atmosphere was warm and harmonious, a hazy and beautiful affection quietly budding between them.

Neither pointed it out, yet both tacitly enjoyed this companionship.

During these strolls after dinner, they also encountered Bei Bei and Tang Ya several times.

Sometimes they saw Bei Bei frantically trying to comfort Tang Ya, who seemed to be feeling sentimental about some detail of 'rebuilding the Tang Sect' again.

Sometimes they saw the two walking side by side, Bei Bei's face beaming with a satisfied smile.

While Tang Ya kept her head bowed, her occasional glances toward Bei Bei complex and difficult to decipher.

"Sigh, Bei Bei, oh Bei Bei, are you really enjoying this 'poverty-alleviation style' romance?"

Every time Lin Ciyan saw this, he couldn't help but shake his head inwardly. "This isn't dating; it's clearly finding a 'project partner' who needs 24-hour emotional support."

Seeing that Bei Bei had clearly neglected his cultivation these past few days, with his aura barely growing, he sighed in his heart.

Buddy, have you spent all your energy for leveling up on... leveling up your favorability?

When Bei Bei saw Lin Ciyan and Zhang Lexuan together, he was surprised at first.

Then he wore an 'I get it, I get it' ambiguous expression, even secretly giving Lin Ciyan a thumbs up.

He seemed completely unaware of the issue of his own stagnant cultivation these days.

Instead, seeing Lin Ciyan also 'neglecting his duties' to 'stroll around' every day, he felt a sense of secret joy and balance.

Bei Bei: "Looks like Brother Lin is just as smitten with Senior Sister Le Xuan as the rest of us! We're all in the same boat, so let's not point fingers!"

Little did he know, thanks to the influence harvested from his "slacking off," Lin Ciyan's cultivation speed had already soared to 33%!

Coupled with the ten percent speed boost from the secret techniques of his Ultimate Martial Soul.

His own cultivation speed was already approaching an increase of over fifty percent!

A single day of him lying flat was comparable to several days of Bei Bei's grueling training!

He watched Bei Bei's gaze, which was practically glued to Tang Ya, and sensed the slightly unstable aura resulting from his obvious neglect of cultivation, shaking his head inwardly.

Brother, you think you're in the atmosphere, but I'm already lying flat on the surface of the moon.

Seven days passed in the blink of an eye.

Early that morning, Sea God Plaza was bustling with people as the massive class assignment lists were finally posted.

Lin Ciyan pushed open his dormitory door, facing the morning sun, and strolled unhurriedly toward the academy plaza.

The morning light spilled over him.

His platinum-streaked short hair appeared exceptionally dazzling, shimmering like golden light.

He stood tall and straight; though still young, the long-term cultivation and the nourishment of his top-tier martial soul had already given him the budding air of a dashing, elegant youth.

The Shrek Academy uniform was primarily white, tailored to fit perfectly and crafted from exquisite materials.

With only subtle golden Shrek emblem patterns embroidered on the collar and cuffs, it was simple yet grand.

Worn by him, it fit exceptionally well, highlighting his jade-like skin and transcendent temperament.

His clear eyes carried their habitual laziness as he scanned the noisy crowd ahead, a faint, elusive smile playing on his lips.

Among the many freshmen, he stood out like a crane in a flock of chickens.

The brand-new outer court uniform seemed to shimmer with golden light in the sun.

It set off his already outstanding appearance and temperament, making him even more eye-catching.

Along the way, many freshmen heading to the plaza to check their class assignments couldn't help but have their gazes drawn to him.

Lin Ciyan was completely oblivious to this—or rather, he couldn't care less.

All he was thinking about was: Class assignments, whatever. As long as it doesn't interfere with my sleeping and slacking, any class is paradise.