The arena still trembled from the echo of Shen Liang's Heavenly Sweep. Half of the imperial colosseum lay in ruins... stone platforms cracked like dried rice cakes, golden dust swirling in the air like divine confetti.
And at the center of it all stood Shen Liang, holding his broom upright like a lazy farmer's staff, squinting at the mess.
"...Tsk," he muttered. "All this fancy sword light and nobody brought a mop? The Empire needs a janitorial reform."
Gasps rippled across the stands. Hundreds of elite cultivators, royal guards, and sword masters stared in disbelief. Not at the destruction but at the man's attitude.
The Emperor's Descent
A deep hum rolled across the sky.Clouds parted. Starlight bent. And from above descended a golden figure wrapped in imperial qi... the Sword Emperor himself.
Every being in the coliseum dropped to one knee, their voices trembling."Your Majesty!""The Sword of Heaven descends!"
Even Luo Yan bent her head, but her eyes, bright and conflicted, darted toward Shen Liang.
The Emperor's boots touched the cracked ground. His aura pressed down like a mountain range yet Shen Liang stood there, scratching his ear, as if waiting for someone to tell him where the broom closet was.
"Shen Liang," the Emperor's voice rolled like thunder, "do you comprehend what you have done?"
Shen Liang blinked. "Uh… made a mess?"
The Emperor's face twitched — somewhere between amusement and disbelief. The court held its breath.
"You have changed the Empire's understanding of the Sword Dao," he said. "Where others pursued dominion, you found balance. Where others sought to conquer Heaven, you simply… swept it clean."
He took a single step forward and the world itself bowed with him.
"Your Dao," the Emperor said slowly, "humbles even mine."
The Bow of Heaven
A gasp tore through the coliseum like a thunderclap.The Emperor...ruler of ten provinces, voice of Heaven, Sword Saint of the Nine Realms bowed before a man holding a broom.
Sect Masters fainted.Nobles forgot to breathe.One poor scribe in the audience dropped his jade tablet and began praying to the broom itself.
Luo Yan's hands trembled as tears welled in her eyes. "He… he actually bowed… to a laborer."
The Emperor raised his head and smiled faintly. "You reminded the world that Heaven itself began with labor — the crafting of stars, the shaping of dust. You brought humility back to the Dao."
The Man Who Made Heaven Kneel
Shen Liang scratched his head awkwardly. "Ah… Your Majesty, no need to bow. I'm just doing my job. Someone's gotta clean up after your geniuses."
"Doing your job…" the Emperor repeated, half in awe. Then, with a laugh that rippled like divine thunder, he turned to the council.
"By Imperial Decree!" he declared. "The Falling Sword Sect shall rise to Level Eight, and the Dao of Labor shall be recorded in the Imperial Scripture!"
The court erupted. Disciples of the Falling Sword Sect burst into tears, hugging each other and shouting:
"He did it! Master Shen did it!""The janitor of Heaven! Our Master!""Quick! Someone polish the broom... it's a sacred relic now!"
Shen Liang winced. "Hey, don't polish it. I still use that thing, you know."
Luo Yan's Heart
When the noise died down, Luo Yan approached him slow, uncertain. The imperial robes fluttered behind her like crimson fire, yet her steps were fragile.
"You…" she began softly, "you are the first man to make the Empire bow through labor."
Shen Liang smiled — that same easy, unbothered grin that made him seem both saint and fool. "Labor isn't lowly," he said. "It's just Heaven's way of reminding us that effort builds eternity."
Her breath caught. "Then why do you keep acting like it's nothing?"
He tilted his broom over his shoulder. "Because if I took it too seriously, it wouldn't be funny anymore. And Heaven loves a good laugh."
Luo Yan's lips parted, a laugh caught between admiration and disbelief. "You're insufferable."
"And efficient," Shen Liang added, grinning. "Two sweeps and even Heaven looks polished."
The Emperor's Gift
The Emperor approached once more, holding a golden decree sealed with divine script. "For your contribution, Shen Liang, I grant you the Imperial Token of Heaven's Favor. You may command the throne once — no matter how impossible the request."
Shen Liang accepted it, eyes twinkling. "Even if I ask for… let's say, a celestial-sized broom?"
The Emperor paused. "…Within reason."
"Then maybe I'll just request a day off. Sweeping Heaven's exhausting."
The Emperor actually laughed a deep, regal sound that echoed through the cracked arena. "Heaven itself will rest when you do, Shen Liang."
System Message
As the laughter faded, golden runes appeared before Shen Liang's eyes.
[Main Quest Completed — Humble the Heavens]
Cultivation Level Up: Core Formation (Early Stage)!
Title Gained: The Janitor-Saint of the EmpirePassive Skill: Aura of Diligence – Allies within 100 meters feel guilty for being lazy.
He sighed. "Great. I've become a walking motivation poster."
Heaven Rewards Diligence
The sun dipped low, turning the ruins of the coliseum to molten gold. The Emperor rose skyward, Luo Yan stood silently at Shen Liang's side, and the entire Empire whispered his name.
"Shen Liang, the Janitor-Saint.""The man who swept Heaven."
He turned toward Luo Yan and smiled gently."See? Heaven rewards diligence. Though between you and me, it still owes me a new broom."
She chuckled softly, eyes glimmering. "You're unbelievable."
"Maybe," he said, tapping his broom against the cracked ground, "but I do believe the floor's still dirty."
And as the Emperor's final decree echoed through the heavens, Shen Liang began sweeping... calm, cheerful, and utterly unshaken... as if he'd never just made Heaven bow.