Morning sunlight spilled over the Inner Sect peaks, casting long shadows across the training courtyards. The once-silent Sword Courtyard now thrummed with energy, not from sword clashes, but from the rhythmic sweep of brooms.
Dozens of Inner Sect disciples stood in formation, each holding a broom.Their faces burned with embarrassment.
"Why… why are we sweeping?" one muttered under his breath.
"Shh! Elder Su said it's part of the new sword intent training!" another hissed. "That Laborer->turned-disciple uh.., I mean Senior Brother Shen, came up with it!"
At the front, Shen Liang stood proudly, broom resting on his shoulder, robe sleeves fluttering in the breeze. His expression was solemn, but far too solemn for someone leading what looked like a cleaning brigade.
"Disciples!" he declared. "The sword is born from balance. Balance begins with motion. Motion begins… with sweeping!"
Half the disciples nearly choked.
"Now! Sweep with purpose! If your broom falters, your sword will too!"
The disciples obeyed and sweeping in unison. Whoosh. Whoosh. Whoosh.Dust danced through the air like drifting petals. The courtyard floor slowly gleamed, each stroke glowing faintly with spiritual energy.
The System blinked before Shen Liang's eyes.
[Hidden Technique Development Detected: "Sword Rhythm Training Method."] [Effect: Converts physical labor into sword intent comprehension.]
[Sect Unity +5%. Inner Sect Morale +10%.][Hidden Quest Progress: "Rebuild the Falling Sword Sect" – Stage 2 Progress 3/10 → 6/10.]
[XP +460. Qi Condensation Stage 9 (700 / 2000 XP).]
Shen Liang grinned."Good! But your hearts are too stiff. Breathe! Sweep with spirit, not pride. Even dust carries the Dao if you listen."
At first, murmurs filled the air. Then something curious happened, the disciples' qi began to synchronize.A faint hum filled the courtyard, a resonance between sweeping motions and flowing energy. The lines of dust curved like rippling sword marks.
Elder Su Qinglan, watching from the pavilion, folded her arms, her eyes gleaming with quiet amusement."This method… absurd, yet strangely profound. He's turning labor into enlightenment."
Beside her, Elder Zhou frowned deeply. "He's turning cultivators into janitors! Have you lost your mind, Su Qinglan? Inner disciples should be learning the Heavenly Sword Canon, not… housework!"
"Perhaps," Su Qinglan said softly, "but when was the last time any of them felt the sword's rhythm? The sect has grown arrogant. Shen Liang is merely sweeping away the dust clouding their hearts."
Elder Zhou huffed. "Hmph. If this keeps up, the sect's reputation will be swept away too."
Back in the courtyard, Shen Liang adjusted his stance."Now—feel the broom's edge. It's not the broom that cleans, but your intent that cuts through imperfection!"
A disciple blinked in realization. "He means… sweeping is sword training?!"
"Finally caught on," Shen Liang said with a grin. "Congratulations, you've discovered the Dao of Sanitation."
Laughter rippled through the group — even the proudest Inner Sect disciples couldn't resist smiling. Their sweeping strokes grew more fluid, qi flaring with faint traces of sword aura.
Then a sudden whoosh!A streak of sword intent burst from one disciple's broom, slicing cleanly through a rock on the edge of the courtyard.
Everyone froze.
[System Notification: Sword Rhythm Training – Successful Resonance Detected!]
[Skill Created: Sweeping Sword Technique Lv.1]
[Effect: Allows qi-infused sweeping motion to manifest as sword aura.]
[XP +780. Qi Condensation Stage 9 (1480 / 2000 XP).]
The courtyard erupted in shock.
"He... he used a broom as a sword!"
"This can't be real"
Shen Liang just clapped his hands. "Good! Now polish the floor until it reflects your faces. The Dao of Reflection awaits!"
Meanwhile, in the Council Hall at the main peak…
A group of elders argued heatedly.
"Have you seen the Inner Sect recently? They're… cleaning!""Cleaning! Under Elder Su's orders! The disciples are losing their edge!""But… reports show their synchronization and qi flow have improved by twenty percent.""Twenty.. what?!"
Grand Elder Wu listened silently, his old eyes gleaming beneath the candlelight.
Finally, he spoke, voice calm as still water."Let them sweep. A sword that forgets humility will never reach heaven."
The hall fell silent.
That evening, Shen Liang sat on the courtyard steps, broom across his knees, watching the sunset dye the mountains gold.
The System shimmered faintly.
[Skill Progress: Sword Tempering Lv.3 → Lv.4.][Hidden Title Progress: "Sword Laborer of Heaven" – Awakening 50% → 70%.]
[Hidden Quest Progress: "Rebuild the Falling Sword Sect" – Stage 2: Restore Inner Sect Morale 6/10 → 8/10.]
[XP +380. Qi Condensation Stage 9 (1860 / 2000 XP).]
Shen Liang exhaled slowly."Not bad for a janitor's day's work."
Zhao Fei brought him a jug of tea, shaking his head. "You're the only person I know who can make sweeping a cultivation technique."
"Of course," Shen Liang said with a grin. "The world calls it menial work. I call it enlightenment in motion."
The breeze carried faint laughter from the courtyard as disciples continued practicing their brooms glowing softly under the moonlight.
Su Qinglan's voice echoed from above, soft and firm:"Tomorrow, we sweep the Sword Tomb itself."
Shen Liang's eyes gleamed with mischief."The ancestors, huh? Guess it's time to teach them a new cleaning technique."
The System pulsed with gold light.
[New Quest Unlocked – "Sweep the Sword Tomb."][Type: Hidden Legacy Quest.]
[Objective: Cleanse the Sword Tomb of lingering resentment.][Reward: Sword Laborer of Heaven – Awakening 70% → 100%.]