The Imperial Capital was drowning in cheers. The banners of a thousand sects fluttered under the morning sun, and the air buzzed with spiritual pressure so thick it could snap a broom handle in half. In the center of it all stood Shen Liang, dressed in plain gray robes that looked more suited for mopping a floor than fighting for glory.
Across from him stood his opponent "Prince Wei Yun", the Empire's golden prodigy. His hair shone like molten gold, his armor gleamed like the sun itself, and his sword aura split clouds for fun. He was a Nascent Realm cultivator, barely twenty, already a living legend.
And then there was Shen Liang Foundation Realm (Late Stage), barefoot, holding a broom that had seen better centuries.
"Behold!" the Imperial Herald roared, his voice infused with Qi so loud pigeons fainted midair. "Prince Wei Yun of the Celestial Line! And… Shen Liang of the, uh… Falling Sword Sect!"
A few polite coughs.Then laughter.
Shen Liang raised a lazy hand, waving like a man greeting his laundry. "Good morning! Don't mind me, I just came to sweep some pride today."
Prince Wei Yun smiled thinly. "You dare make light of this duel, laborer?"
"Oh no," Shen Liang said earnestly. "I take cleaning very seriously."
The crowd laughed despite themselves. Even the Emperor on the dais hid a smirk behind his sleeve. Luo Yan, sitting beside him, folded her arms — half anxious, half amused.
Then, the gong rang.
BOOM!
Wei Yun vanished. His sword split the stage — no, the air itself — in a single flash. Spectators gasped as lightning erupted from the strike. When the smoke cleared, Shen Liang was standing in the middle of the crater, one hand scratching his head, broom resting against his shoulder.
"Impressive swing," he said cheerfully. "But you missed a few spots."
Wei Yun's brows furrowed. "You—"
Whoosh!
Shen Liang tapped his broom lightly. Dust rose in a rhythmic pulse...one, two, three, flowing like music. The motion wasn't fast, but somehow, it disrupted the prince's Qi flow. His sword trembled mid-air, forced off balance.
The announcer gasped. "He's… cleaning the Qi pathways?!"
"No, no," Shen Liang corrected with a grin, "just polishing them. Can't fight properly if the energy's all messy, right?"
The audience burst into laughter again, but this time it was nervous. Because somehow, despite the jokes, the prince's next three strikes were deflected cleanly...not by raw power, but by timing so perfect it felt divine.
Luo Yan watched intently. "He's fighting with rhythm… not against the flow, but within it."
"Rhythm?" murmured a Grand Elder beside her. "That's no rhythm — that's madness!"
"Oh, that too," Luo Yan whispered, but her smile said otherwise.
Prince Wei Yun grew serious. His aura surged, filling the coliseum with golden light. "Enough tricks. Let me show you the true sword of the Empire.... Heaven's Edict Slash!"
The attack roared like a storm. Spectators shielded their eyes as pure sword Qi sliced through the stage. For an instant, Shen Liang disappeared in the blinding light, and everyone thought it was over.
Then… sweep.
The sound was so small, so humble, it was almost absurd. But the light broke apart like dust swept from a floor. Shen Liang emerged, still standing, broom glowing faintly with ethereal brilliance.
"Hmm," he said, tapping his chin. "You call that Heaven's Edict? I call that messy paperwork."
The Emperor's jaw twitched. Luo Yan pressed her lips together, torn between laughter and awe.
Prince Wei Yun's voice trembled with fury. "Impossible! You—"
"Shh," Shen Liang said, putting a finger to his lips. "The floor's listening."
He twirled his broom once, twice — then launched forward. Not fast. Not flashy. Just a gentle, flowing motion that followed the unseen current of Qi between the tiles of the arena.
Each step was in harmony with heaven and earth.Each movement polished the very air.By the time Shen Liang reached Wei Yun, the prince's own energy was folding inward, tangled by Shen Liang's perfect rhythm.
Clang!
The broom's wooden handle touched the prince's sword softly, yet the impact echoed like thunder. Wei Yun stumbled backward three steps, eyes wide. His aura cracked like glass.
The audience was silent. Even the wind dared not move.
Then Shen Liang sighed dramatically. "Oh no… I think I over-swept again."
The crowd erupted into chaos. Cheers, disbelief, laughter... all blended into a single roar. Even the strict Imperial Judges exchanged bewildered glances.
"Foundation Realm…" one muttered. "He's fighting a Nascent genius at equal footing."
Prince Wei Yun gritted his teeth, aura flaring again. "I will not lose to a janitor!"
"Then don't lose," Shen Liang said kindly, "just… clean better next time."
He tapped the broom one final time. The sound rippled like chimes. The Qi on the battlefield stilled, pure and clear as polished jade. Wei Yun froze mid-step — not trapped, but disarmed by serenity itself.
Shen Liang smiled and patted the prince's shoulder. "You fought well, Your Highness. You almost made me break a sweat — keyword almost."
The crowd exploded in laughter again.
Wei Yun lowered his sword slowly, chest heaving. His pride screamed to continue, but something in Shen Liang's eyes was calm, unshakable, human — silenced him. He sheathed his sword and bowed.
"The janitor… cleans more than floors," he said quietly. "He cleans arrogance."
A hush fell. Then thunderous applause.
On the Imperial dais, the Emperor leaned forward, eyes gleaming. "Interesting… a man who purifies pride through humility."
Beside him, Luo Yan whispered under her breath, voice trembling, "You ridiculous, impossible man…"
Shen Liang looked up at her, grin wide as ever. "Eh? Did I miss a spot, Miss Envoy?"
She turned away sharply, cheeks faintly red. "You… absolutely did."
As Shen Liang walked off the arena, disciples of the Falling Sword Sect surrounded him, cheering. His system chimed softly in his mind:
[Quest Complete: Sweep Beyond the Mortal Stage]Reward: 1 Level Up – Foundation Peak, New Title Acquired: "Broom Emperor of Balance."
Shen Liang blinked. "Broom Emperor, huh? Hah! Don't tell that to the real Emperor — he might make me clean his crown next."
The crowd continued to chant his name.From janitor to legend, Shen Liang just smiled... broom over his shoulder, laughter echoing into the heavens.
"Another day, another floor swept," he said.And Heaven… was listening.
Roof's slippery with enlightenment tonight."
Her faint laughter echoed through the night, soft, genuine, and dangerously close to affection.