The morning sun bathed the Falling Sword Sect in molten gold, but for Shen Liang, the light merely highlighted another day of chaos disguised as order.
"Master… the reports say mid-tier sects are sending envoys to observe us," Zhao Fei said, handing him a small pile of scrolls. "Golden Flame Sect… Iron Sky Pavilion… Flowing River Hall. They're… interested."
Shen Liang squinted, tilting his head. "Interested, huh? Curious little flies buzzing toward honey—or trouble."
Zhao Fei groaned. "Master, please… can you not call everyone 'flies'?"
"I'm being poetic!" Shen Liang retorted, spinning his broom lazily. "Besides, the first impression is important. Let's see… hmm… etiquette… humor… a touch of awe. Yes, that should do it."
By mid-morning, the sect's main courtyard had been transformed into an improvised welcome stage. Disciples lined the stone paths, brooms polished to a faint golden shine, forming the shape of a giant sword when viewed from above, a spectacle that made even the oldest elders chuckle.
"Shen Liang, the outer gate is full of mid-tier envoys," Elder Su Qinglan noted quietly, her calm gaze sweeping over the preparations. "Do we… actually let them see the broom… in action?"
Shen Liang grinned. "Of course. But we'll make it… unforgettable." He twirled his broom once, and dust spiraled into a neat, sparkling spiral. "Remember, Zhao Fei, humor first. Discipline second. And if all else fails.. confuse them thoroughly."
The first envoy approached: a tall, rigid cultivator in red robes from Golden Flame Sect. He scanned the courtyard with disdain. "So this is the famous Falling Sword Sect… training with brooms?"
Shen Liang gave a low bow, exaggerated enough to make Zhao Fei blush. "Welcome! We also train with rakes and mops… though those are considered advanced techniques."
The envoy blinked, uncertain whether to laugh or scowl. "I… see."
Before he could recover, a golden arc of sword qi swept through the courtyard, synchronized perfectly with the disciples' broom strokes. Dust and fallen leaves spiraled like miniature hurricanes, forming visible ripples in the air that shimmered faintly with spiritual resonance.
"Demonstration!" Shen Liang shouted, spinning the broom in a wide arc. The air vibrated as Broom Sword Aura flared from its tip.
The envoy took an involuntary step back. "Is that… a broom?"
"Yes," Shen Liang replied with mock solemnity, "but it's also a philosopher, a poet, and occasionally, a master of subtle destruction."
The disciples laughed behind him, continuing the precise rhythm of their sweeping. The formation of arcs and spirals of sword qi drew murmurs of astonishment from the visiting sects. Even the flow of the energy had an odd elegance—like a choreographed dance between labor and battle.
Atop the Inner Pavilion, Sect Master Liang Feng's expression was calm but approving. "Level 9… and yet their coordination rivals many Level 7 inner halls. Impressive."
Grand Elder Wu chuckled, stroking his beard. "Let them come. Let the empire see. The broom may humble even the proudest of mid-tier sects."
From behind a cluster of pines, a small group of Flowing River Hall observers whispered among themselves. One muttered, "So… they really turn sweeping into sword qi?"
Another nodded, hiding a smirk. "I… can't decide if I should report this or ask for a lesson."
Shen Liang caught their gaze and waved lazily. "Lesson fee: one broom per week. Discount for spies—only slightly."
The observers froze. Then, with a small cough, they vanished like shadows in the wind.
Meanwhile, the Golden Flame envoy, still recovering from shock, cleared his throat. "Your disciples… are disciplined, yes. But your… methods… are unconventional."
Shen Liang bowed again, mock humility painted on his face. "Of course. We are a sect of brooms, and brooms must be unpredictable. That's the core philosophy: sweep where the enemy least expects."
Zhao Fei muttered under her breath, "I swear… he's going to drive them insane."
Shen Liang winked at her. "Exactly. Confusion is the first step toward enlightenment. Or at least toward… temporary respect."
The System pulsed:[Hidden Quest Update: Empire Inspection – Formal Notice Initiated][Sect Reputation +12% | Morale +8%]
[XP +480 | Shen Liang: Foundation Realm – Mid Stage (Stabilizing)]
[Hidden Class Progress: Sword Laborer of Heaven – Awakening 97% → 99%][Technique Upgrade Opportunity: Broom Sword Aura – Complete Form Preparation]
By late afternoon, all visiting envoys had departed, their reports bound for their sect masters. Behind closed doors, whispers of awe and disbelief spread throughout the mid-tier powers: "A broom… that can cut stone…?" "If the rumors are true, the Falling Sword Sect rises faster than we imagined."
Back in the courtyard, Shen Liang leaned lazily against his broom, watching the sun dip toward the mountains. "See, Zhao Fei… the empire notices. They come to mock, they leave amazed. The trick is… always sweep with flair."
Zhao Fei groaned. "Master… when do we actually fight with swords again?"
Shen Liang tilted his head, eyes glinting. "Oh… when the broom grows tired of being underestimated. Until then, we sweep."
The disciples giggled, their broom arcs painting the courtyard with streaks of glowing qi, the Falling Sword Sect's rise from obscurity now echoing across the Eastern Divine Continent.
And in the distance, the system quietly whispered:[Quest Progress: Rebuild the Falling Sword Sect – Stage 3: Empire Attention Gained (4/10)]