Lin Ciyan strolled along the tree-lined path leading to Freshman Plaza, his pace unhurried, perfectly embodying what it meant to be "relaxed."
However, his hope of keeping a low profile was not to be.
Everywhere he went, heads turned—every single one.
Whether it was male students hurrying along or female students walking together,
Even upperclassmen in their school uniforms couldn't help being drawn to him.
"Look, it's that 'Sleeping Arhat,' Lin Ciyan!"
"Wow, how does he look so handsome even in his uniform..."
"Does he seem to be glowing? Is it just me?"
Whispers filled the air without end.
At first, Lin Ciyan was a little puzzled. Sure, he was "a little famous,"
But surely that wasn't enough to make him a walking spotlight?
Then it dawned on him. This was probably about more than just his reputation.
He stirred his thoughts and sensed the Holy Radiance Qilin Martial Soul lying dormant within him.
This top-tier Beast Martial Soul, with its Ultimate Light and sacred attributes, seemed to have subtly given him a unique air as his cultivation improved.
An aura that... made people instinctively feel fond of him, warm and peaceful, even a little sacred?
As if he came with a passive, weakened version of the "Auspicious Domain."
Constantly broadcasting the message: "I'm a good person, I'm super gentle, feel free to come closer."
"Good grief," Lin Ciyan grumbled inwardly.
"So my Qilin Martial Soul comes with a charm boost?"
"A walking hormone bomb... no, a walking holy-light purifier?"
If this had happened to someone with wicked intentions, couldn't they use this passive aura to attract admirers everywhere and kick off a domineering hero's story?
But who was Lin Ciyan?
He was determined to take it easy to the very end. All he cared about was cultivation (slacking off) and system missions (racking up influence)!
Naughty stuff? No way!
Women would only slow down my slacking!
A sigma male always levels up alone...
No, wait, he wins by lying down alone!
Just then, a few outgoing, bold girls actually blushed and worked up the courage to approach him, hoping to strike up a conversation.
"L-Lin, hello..."
"Could we get to know you?"
Lin Ciyan's face instantly switched to a professional smile: warm and polite, but with just the right touch of distance.
"Hello, everyone. Sorry, I'm in a hurry to check the class assignments. Next time, definitely. Next time."
His tone was sincere and his movements fluid, leaving them no chance to say anything else. He gave them a slight nod and walked past naturally, leaving no trace of his good deed.
The girls were left standing there, disappointed, yet somehow finding him even more charming—he was so gentle even when turning people down!
Lin Ciyan felt not a ripple in his heart. He even felt like heading back for another nap.
Keep women out of your heart, and slacking becomes divine!
After finally escaping the "harassment" along the way,
Lin Ciyan arrived at the bustling Sea God Plaza.
The enormous notice board was already surrounded by a sea of people. More than a thousand freshmen were anxiously searching for their names.
Lin Ciyan sighed and resigned himself to "squeezing" into the crowd.
He didn't use Soul Power. He relied only on the body repeatedly strengthened by his Soul Rings and Soul Bones, along with an uncanny sense of rhythm.
Like a fish slipping through the water, he weaved between people. He seemed to move slowly, yet soon reached the very front of the notice board.
His eyes swept over the densely packed lists.
Freshman Class One: ...
Freshman Class Two: ... He Caitou...
Freshman Class 3: Lin Ciyan...
Freshman Class Four: ...
Freshman Class 5: Bei Bei, Tang Ya...
Freshman Class Six: ... Jiang Nannan...
Freshman Class 10: ... Xu Sanshi...
There were ten classes, each with nearly a hundred students, for a total of more than a thousand freshmen.
That was the scale of a single year's intake at Shrek Academy.
Lin Ciyan quickly spotted several familiar names.
He Caitou, the future Soul Tool master, was here too.
At this point in time, it seemed he was still laying the groundwork in the Martial Soul Department.
His Soul Power Level probably wasn't very high—somewhere in the twenties?
Bei Bei and Tang Ya: As expected, they were in the same class. Please stay together forever; Tang San swallowed the key.
Bei Bei was Level 34 now, towering above the rest of this year's freshmen. Unfortunately... his heart was already elsewhere, far from cultivation.
Tang Ya?
She was probably just a Soul Grandmaster. Her talent was average, and with the burden of revenge and rebuilding her sect, it was a wonder she could keep cultivating at all.
Jiang Nannan, the Outer Court's number one beauty?
Mm, she was indeed lovely.
But she came from a poor family. Though talented, she had limited resources, so she was probably only in the twenties now.
Xu Sanshi was in Class 10. His Black Mysterious Tortoise Martial Soul had decent defensive power. Had he only recently broken through to Soul Elder?
He might have been about on par with the original Bei Bei, before Bei Bei got "swept up" by him. But now... Bei Bei could take on two of him.
Lin Ciyan quickly sized them up and lost interest.
This year's batch looked pretty normal.
Aside from the two bugs—himself and Bei Bei—the rest were ordinary geniuses.
Just think of Huo Yuhao's year in the original story. Now that was outrageous.
Twin Martial Souls seemed to be going around in bulk (Huo Gua, Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong'er).
Super Martial Souls were everywhere (Evil Eye White Tiger, Hell Spirit Cat, Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda, Golden Black Tortoise...).
And the child of the plane himself had stepped in to cheat.
Compared to them, his year was practically the beginner village of beginner villages.
At last, his eyes fell on the name of Freshman Class 5's homeroom teacher: Mo Hen.
Mo Hen?
He didn't remember that name. He didn't think anyone like that had appeared in the original story.
Still... as long as it wasn't that woman!
Lin Ciyan immediately felt a weight lift from his heart, as though he'd set down a massive stone.
"Thank goodness it's not Zhou Yi!"
He launched straight into a classic rant in his head:
"That hot-tempered old shrew who took pleasure in 'expelling students' wasn't much of a teacher."
"She was good at PUAing students and ruling through fear and pressure, though."
"Always telling people to 'get out of Shrek.' You'd think Shrek belonged to her family."
"She'd taught for so many years, and the only one worth anything was Huo Gua—and he only made it because he worked hard himself."
"Put a pig in her place, and Huo Gua could probably still become a god."
"How was she any different from Yu Xiaogang? Those two were so alike, it was striking how much they inspired the same disgust."
"This kind of 'strict teacher' persona—workplace bullying and psychological abuse—would've been exposed ages ago!"
"Every last bit of it."
"In my previous life, she'd have been a textbook workplace PUA master, canceled online by the feminist brigade in no time."
"Good thing I got lucky and dodged that bullet. Don't get sucked into helping people; just laugh at their fate!"
"May Teacher Zhou continue 'raising' 'monsters' in her own little patch of land. I'll sit this one out."
Teacher Mo Hen's name sounded rather scholarly.
Hopefully, she was a normal person who could understand and support his "Relaxation Cultivation Method."
After checking the class assignments, Lin Ciyan didn't want to stay another second. He immediately used his footwork.
He slipped out of the crowd like a loach and let out a long breath.
A crush of people—terrifying!
Lying down back in his room was much more comfortable.
But he had something more important to do today.
He'd arranged to explore Shrek City with Zhang Lexuan.
At the thought, his steps grew lighter as he headed toward their meeting place.
Beneath a massive Golden Tree by Sea God Lake, a graceful figure was already waiting.
Zhang Lexuan wasn't wearing her Shrek uniform. Instead, she had changed into a pale blue, knee-length dress with simple silver patterns embroidered along the hem, accentuating her slender waist and long figure.
Her ink-black hair fell smoothly over her shoulders, with only a few strands pinned up by a simple jade hairpin, revealing her graceful, fair neck.
Sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dappled shadows over her and making her seem all the more enchanting.
She stood gazing at the lake, her profile peaceful and gentle, like a classical beauty in a carefully painted portrait.
Lin Ciyan's steps faltered, and his heart inexplicably skipped a beat.
He hurried over, a hint of apology in his voice. "Sister Lexuan, have you been waiting long?"
At the sound of his voice, Zhang Lexuan turned. When she saw him, a gentle smile bloomed on her face, instantly dispelling her earlier reserve and making her look lively and radiant.
"No, I just got here." Her voice was soft. She let her gaze rest on him for a moment, then gave a slight nod.
The boy dressed in white and gold was reflected in her eyes, which seemed to shimmer with brilliant light.
"That uniform suits you."
"You look beautiful today too, Sister Lexuan," Lin Ciyan replied with a smile, his voice sincere.
They exchanged a smile and naturally walked side by side toward Shrek City.
Shrek City was still bustling, with rows of shops and crowds streaming through the streets.
They strolled along the busy roads, occasionally stopping to look at some curious trinket or try a local street snack.
As they talked, their arms swung gently with their steps.
Every so often, the backs of their hands brushed by accident.
The slight touch, over in an instant, seemed to carry a faint electric current.
The air between them seemed to grow thick with a hint of ambiguity.
Each time they touched, Lin Ciyan could feel Zhang Lexuan stiffen ever so slightly, then subtly edge a little farther away.
Before long, though, they would draw close again over some topic or passing sight.
That almost-touching, almost-separate closeness made his heart race more than holding hands would have.
But just as the mood was starting to blossom...
In Lin Ciyan's Sea of Consciousness, Xiyao, who had been curled up quietly, suddenly puffed out her cheeks. Her delicate little face was full of displeasure.
She didn't quite understand what was happening outside, but she could clearly feel Lin Ciyan's emotions shifting—and... the uncomfortable intimacy between him and another woman!
The girl of light gave a huff and hugged her knees, burying her face in them.
Only a little tuft of silver hair remained visible, swaying uneasily as the thought "I'm upset, hurry up and comfort me" radiated from her.
Lin Ciyan: "..."
This was bad. His backyard was about to... no, wait, the little vinegar jar had tipped over.