The silence in the hall, brought on by Lin Ciyan's "humblebrag," was finally broken by Lin Qingmo's choked, excited voice.
"Innate Full Soul Power... Ultimate Light... a sacred Qilin... My grandson Ciyan has... has the makings of a Limit Douluo!" He had almost shouted, "He has the makings of a god."
But at the last moment, he felt that would be too astonishing a claim, and forcibly changed his words. Even so, his joy and pride were plain for all to see.
Lin Qingmo gazed at his grandson, who stood before him with such striking presence, like a divine son descended to the mortal realm.
He felt that the grief he had carried for years over losing his son and daughter-in-law had all been soothed in this moment.
The boy was not only peerlessly talented, but also openhearted and cheerful.
He could even help Bei Bei stay "positive" (in Lin Qingmo's eyes, being happy counted as positive). His future was boundless!
Lin Ciyan could feel the deep love and pride in his grandfather's heart.
He put aside his joking demeanor and said earnestly to Lin Qingmo, "Grandpa, thank you."
He was grateful for the meticulous care he had received over the years, and for the unreserved joy his grandfather showed him now.
"Brother Lin, congratulations!" Bei Bei came forward as well, his little face brimming with genuine happiness.
The brief daze he had felt earlier over Lin Ciyan's astonishing talent had already vanished.
A child's heart was pure. Especially when it came to "Brother Lin," whom he admired, he could only feel proud by association. "Your Martial Soul is amazing!"
"Thanks. Your Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon is powerful too," Lin Ciyan replied with a smile, quite fond of Bei Bei's heartfelt congratulations.
Although Bei Bei could be a little proud at times, he was good at heart. Smiling, Lin Ciyan patted Bei Bei on the shoulder. "We'll have to 'cultivate' together from now on."
"From now on, we can cultivate together, and with Sister Lexuan too!" Bei Bei eagerly laid out his plans. "Sister Lexuan is in the Outer Court. With her talent, she'll definitely enter the Inner Court soon!"
At the mention of Zhang Lexuan, Lin Ciyan pictured her graceful figure in his mind.
Come to think of it, he had hardly ever properly called her "Sister Lexuan." Whenever they met, he was either cracking jokes or trying to sell her his "Slacker Artifact."
Well, I should take the chance to get closer to her in the future.
Mu En watched everything unfold, his heart full of gratification.
Looking at Lin Ciyan, he was glad he had tacitly approved of—and even secretly supported—the boy's friendship with Bei Bei.
The boy was not only peerlessly talented, but also clearheaded and open-minded, loyal and warmhearted without losing his liveliness.
This child will be a pillar bearing Shrek's future for centuries to come! Mu En gave him the highest praise in his heart.
Mu En thought of the undercurrents swirling across the continent and the Sun Moon Empire's boundless ambition. Great changes were sure to come.
Lin Ciyan's arrival was undoubtedly the strongest dose of reassurance.
With him around, Shrek's glory and peace would be secure for at least a century!
A thought in Mu En's heart grew ever clearer and stronger.
He looked at Lin Ciyan's handsome face, its sacred majesty framed by short platinum hair.
Then he looked at his eldest disciple, Yan Shaozhe, whose manner was refined and whose Martial Soul was the Radiant Phoenix. He thought of his own Radiant Sacred Dragon...
Dragon, phoenix, Qilin.
And all with Light attributes!
This must be heaven's will. It is only right that our Shrek lineage gather all the auspicious creatures beneath the heavens!
He hesitated no longer. A warm, solemn smile appeared on his face as he looked straight at Lin Ciyan.
"Ciyan, I wish to take you as my personal disciple. Are you willing?"
As his voice fell, the hall fell silent once more, and everyone's gaze focused on Lin Ciyan.
Lin Ciyan showed little surprise. Instead, he seemed... almost as if he had expected this, and had already considered it carefully. He was calm.
He did not answer immediately. He lowered his head slightly, as if gathering his thoughts, or confirming some decision within himself.
A few seconds later, he looked up. His clear amber-gold eyes met Mu En's gaze frankly.
He did not look to his grandfather for "outside assistance."
In a steady voice that seemed beyond his years, he asked earnestly,
"Grandpa Mu, I'm honored by your regard. But I have a question, and I'd also like to take this opportunity to make my position clear to you and the other grandpas."
He paused, then continued under everyone's curious gaze:
"My Martial Soul is called the Holy Radiance Qilin."
"It tells me that true strength doesn't come from endless tension and hard cultivation, but from a harmonious resonance between body, mind, and nature."
"I believe that the path of cultivation requires both tension and ease. Sometimes, 'letting go' takes more wisdom than 'taking up.'"
"So even if I become your disciple, I may... still follow my own rhythm. To others, it might still look like I'm 'slacking.'"
On the surface, his words seemed like a condition. In truth, he was speaking frankly about his own path—and making a veiled promise that he would not twist his nature just because his status had changed.
[ Ding! At the crucial moment of accepting a master, you candidly explained the Great Way of Relaxation Cultivation. Your mind is clear, and your horizons have broadened! Slacking Value +888!]
Mu En first froze slightly, then his eyes blazed with even greater admiration!
He did not take it as an insult. Instead, he saw in Lin Ciyan a maturity far beyond his years, and a steadfast heart devoted to pursuing the Way!
"Ha ha ha ha!" Mu En burst into hearty laughter, his voice filled with delight.
"Good! What a fine saying: 'Letting go takes more wisdom than taking up.' Ciyan, I'm deeply gratified that you've reached such an understanding!"
"My disciple needn't be bound by ordinary conventions! You should walk your own path!"
"What I'll teach you is to understand your true nature and guide you in discovering your own potential—not to turn you into another Yan Shaozhe or Xuan Zi!"
With those words, he not only fully endorsed Lin Ciyan's Slacking Cultivation Method, but elevated it to the philosophical heights of "understanding one's true nature"!
Hearing that Mu En not only wasn't offended but praised Lin Ciyan so warmly, Lin Qingmo finally let out the breath he had been holding. He rubbed his hands together excitedly, thinking that his grandson really knew how to talk!
"In that case..." Lin Ciyan's face broke into a heartfelt smile.
Lin Ciyan no longer hesitated. He stepped back, straightened his robes, and grew utterly solemn. Facing Mu En, he bowed respectfully and performed a formal, reverent apprenticeship ceremony.
"Your disciple, Lin Ciyan, pays his respects to Master! I vow to follow you in cultivation, understand my true nature, and protect Shrek's light!"
This time, there was not a trace of jest in his voice, only respect for his teacher and a promise for the future.
Mu En accepted the bow with a deeply gratified and satisfied smile, then made a small gesture as if to help him up. "Good! Rise, child. From today onward, you are my final disciple!"
[ Ding! You have successfully become the disciple of a Limit Douluo of this era and the Sea God Pavilion Master. Your status has risen dramatically, and the conditions for slacking in the future have received an epic upgrade! Slacking Value: 3000!] [ Ding! Achievement unlocked: "Powerful Backing"! Slacking Value: 1000!]
Lin Ciyan noticed that he had unlocked another achievement.
Achievement Slacking Value rewards really are generous, Lin Ciyan thought.
The apprenticeship ceremony was complete, and warm congratulations rang through the hall.
Lin Ciyan rose and felt the warmth of the crowd around him. Suddenly, as if he had remembered something, he turned to Mu En. That familiar, slightly lazy smile returned to his face as he added in a quiet voice:
"Master, so... it won't count as disrespect if I lie down during lessons, will it?"
"Pfft—" One of the elders beside them, who had been drinking water, nearly choked.
Mu En was both amused and exasperated by the sudden return of Lin Ciyan's true nature. Pointing at him, he scolded with a laugh, "You little rascal! As long as you can understand and take it to heart, you can stand, sit, or lie down as you please!"
[ Ding! After successfully becoming a disciple, you quickly "returned to form," reinforcing your "relaxed" persona and adding a touch of humor to the solemn occasion. Slacking Value +233!]
Lin Ciyan grinned, feeling at ease.
His powerful patron was secured, and the "legitimacy" of his slacking had received official recognition. The future looked bright!
He could already picture his Slacking Value racing toward the stars and the sea under the protection of Mu En, the most powerful backer imaginable.
He quickly ran through what he knew about Mu En: an admirable elder in the original story, upright in character, protective of his own, and far-sighted.
His teaching ability was top-notch too, though his disciples really hadn't done him justice. (Just look at Yan Shaozhe and Xuan Zi... All right, the latter was an even worse example than the former.)
Both had top-tier Martial Souls and exceptional talent, and both had Mu En as their teacher.
And in reality? Yan Shaozhe had reached Rank 95, but his character was so poor that he had made no progress for years, stuck at Rank 95...
As for Xuan Zi, he was stuck at Rank 98. He had also committed unforgivable crimes repeatedly in the original story, and was called the Holy Spirit Cult's Supreme Elder...
In any case, during the Peerless Tang Sect era, Mu En was absolutely a top-of-the-pyramid choice of mentor.
Of course, if Teacher Kaido were here, that would be a different story.
When I read the book, I always thought that becoming Old Mu's disciple would let you walk sideways through Shrek! Resources, connections, guidance—everything was top-tier! Inheriting the Sea God Pavilion one day wouldn't be a dream, either!
At Shrek Academy, Inner Court disciples were already the heavens' favored children, while Sea God Pavilion members formed the Academy's core. And the personal disciple of the Sea God Pavilion Master...
That status carried enough weight to let him walk sideways across the Douluo Continent. His standing was comparable to that of an imperial crown prince, if not greater!
Lin Ciyan made a victory sign in his heart. My powerful patron is secured!
Next, he just had to figure out how to make the most reasonable and efficient use of this status, and take his great slacking enterprise to new heights!