The sun hung high over the Falling Sword Sect, casting sharp shadows across the Sword Courtyard. Shen Liang leaned lazily against his broom, one eyebrow raised as he watched Luo Yan stride toward the center of the training ground. Her sword gleamed like polished silver, humming faintly as if eager for action.
"Master…" Zhao Fei whispered, wide-eyed, "she's… serious. That sword… it's imperial-grade."
Shen Liang grinned, twirling his broom effortlessly. "Ah… serious is fun. Fun is dangerous. Dangerous is entertaining. And entertaining… is my specialty."
The disciples formed a loose circle around the courtyard, their brooms poised like ceremonial staves. A hush fell over the gathered elders, both impressed and nervous. Even Sect Master Liang Feng had appeared, observing quietly from the Inner Pavilion.
Luo Yan stopped, bowing slightly, her sword held firmly. "Shen Liang, I will judge the Falling Sword Sect by its skill. Show me the Dao beyond form."
Shen Liang tapped the broom against his shoulder. "The Dao beyond form, you say? Very well… but beware. Polite sword intent can sting."
With that, he spun the broom in a slow circle, releasing a golden arc of qi. Dust lifted, forming glowing spirals that shimmered like liquid sunlight. Then, with a sudden flourish, he leapt forward.
Swish! Swish! Swish!
Each swing of the broom sent waves of golden sword aura toward Luo Yan, precise and rhythmic, but somehow playful—one arc nearly brushed her shoulder, another teasingly curved past her feet. The spectators held their breath as the Imperial Sword Maiden adjusted her stance, blocking and parrying with effortless precision.
"Your broom… is like a dancing snake," Luo Yan said coolly, yet her lips twitched in the faintest hint of amusement. "But can it withstand the Emperor's blade?"
Swish!
Shen Liang laughed, spinning, flipping, and pivoting as the broom traced impossible arcs. "We shall see… can a broom temper itself against imperial pride?"
The duel escalated. Luo Yan's sword strikes were fast, sharp, and deadly accurate. The golden arcs of broom sword aura deflected her blows at the last possible moment, often teasing her balance rather than harming her. The crowd gasped with every near-miss: stones cracked, dust spiraled, yet the broom never faltered.
One particularly sharp strike sliced through the courtyard, aiming for Shen Liang's shoulder. Calm as ever, he leaned into the Flow of Discipline, letting the broom absorb, redirect, and neutralize the blow. A golden ripple ran through the air, slicing the incoming sword qi like water flowing around a rock.
Clang!
The courtyard fell silent. Luo Yan's eyes widened. Her sword stopped an inch from his chest, but his broom had barely moved. His composure was… flawless.
"You… deflected that without effort?" she breathed, voice a mixture of awe and disbelief. "Impossible…"
Shen Liang tilted his head, twirling the broom lazily. "Effort is a matter of perspective. Discipline… and a little chaos… do the heavy lifting."
The duel continued, a breathtaking dance of golden arcs and silver flashes. Each attack Luo Yan made was countered with playful precision; each sweep of the broom was both a joke and a lesson. For all her imperial-grade skill, she could not land a decisive blow, and he never faltered.
Finally, the sun began to dip, casting long shadows across the courtyard. Shen Liang performed a final, audacious move: a sweeping arc that seemed to trace the entire courtyard, his broom vibrating with sword aura. Luo Yan charged, striking with full power.
Swish!
The two energies collided mid-air. Golden broom aura met silver sword light in a brilliant flash. Stone cracked. Dust swirled like a miniature hurricane. When the light cleared, both Shen Liang and Luo Yan stood, unharmed, swords and broom lowered. Neither had landed a decisive hit.
A stunned silence fell over the spectators. Even the elders could not hide their astonishment.
Luo Yan sheathed her sword slowly, bowing slightly. Her expression was unreadable… until a faint smile tugged at her lips. "You are… not what the Empire claims, Shen Liang of the Falling Sword Sect. I came to judge a rural joke… and found… skill, discipline, and… even charm."
Shen Liang grinned, leaning lazily on his broom. "Charm… optional. The broom handles the rest."
Zhao Fei groaned behind him. "Master… did you have to be… that dramatic?"
Shen Liang winked. "Drama is just another form of discipline… with style points."
The System chimed.[Hidden Quest Update: Prove the Dao Beyond Form – Stage 1 Completed: Imperial Envoy Luo Yan Impressed][Sect Reputation +8% | Outer Sect Morale +5% | XP +720][New Passive: Unshakable Composure – Perfectly maintain rhythm under extreme pressure]
Luo Yan took a step back, glancing once more at the broom in his hands. "I will report… favorably. But know this: the Empire will still watch. And the next time… I will test not just your broom… but the essence of your Dao."
Shen Liang bowed lazily, twirling the broom. "Then I look forward to it… Envoy. The broom never tires."
As she departed, the courtyard erupted in whispers. The Falling Sword Sect had not only survived an imperial inspection… it had dazzled it. And somewhere deep inside, Shen Liang felt the thrill of recognition—seasoned with a pinch of mischief and amusement at the universe's reaction to a simple broom.
"Step one: impress the Empire. Step two: sweep the world," he mused, spinning the broom.
The legend of the Broom Sword, and the carefree genius behind it, had just begun.