The morning sun finally crested the mountain spires, bathing the outer courtyard in a pale, ethereal gold. Birds chittered nervously in the eaves, perhaps sensing that today, the sect's humblest weapon was about to rewrite the rules of combat.
Shen Liang sat cross-legged on a stone bench, the broom leaning beside him like an obedient pet. His qi hummed gently, the aftermath of the Outer Sect Tournament still lingering in every fiber of his being. The System interface flickered faintly in his vision:
[Level Up Available: Qi Condensation Stage 6 → Stage 7][Hidden Sword Techniques: Sword Sweep Lv.3 → Lv.4][Passive Buff Active: Creativity in Combat +15%][Hidden Quest: Master the Sword of the Laborer – Progress 45%]
Shen Liang grinned lazily. "Stage 7," Shen Liang mused, a slow, deep breath filling his lungs. "A respectable rank for a man whose prior career involved polishing stone and accumulating experience from dust."
From the side, Zhao Fei jogged over, robes flapping in the morning wind. "Morning, old man. Ready to experiment some more? I… I still don't know how you made a broom slice like a sword yesterday."
"Ah, young apprentice," Shen Liang said, twirling the broom lazily, "the secret is simple: treat every strike like a sweep, and every opponent like… dust." He laughed, then held the broom upright, letting qi flow along the shaft. Golden threads of energy shimmered as the broom vibrated subtly.
[Skill Activation Attempt: Wind Sweep Technique → Sword Integration Test]
Shen Liang swung the broom in a wide horizontal arc. For an instant, the qi along the shaft coalesced into a faint, translucent Sword shape—curved, sharp, and humming faintly. Zhao Fei's jaw dropped.
"That… that's a sword!" he whispered.
"Close," Shen Liang said, spinning the broom. "But it's still a broom. A broom that cuts."
The System pulsed:
[Hidden Sword Path Node: Swordof the Laborer – Partial Integration Successful / 55%][New Skill Unlocked: Sword Form – Allows broom to temporarily assume a sword-like structure, enhancing attack power and precision]
Shen Liang's eyes gleamed. "Sword Form, eh? Not bad. Time to see how far this goes."
A group of third-year outer disciples had gathered nearby, curious and cautious. Liu Qiming wasn't present, but his reputation lingered like a dark cloud. One disciple whispered nervously, "Do you… do you think he's really strong now? I mean… with a broom?"
Shen Liang overheard. He grinned mischievously and bowed slightly in mock respect. "Fear not, young disciples. Today's lesson is: never underestimate dust."
He stepped into the open courtyard, sweeping leaves into small spirals with precise flicks. Every movement seemed ordinary—until the broom's golden qi flared sharply, sending arcs of wind that sliced through the spirals like invisible Swords. Small rocks jumped into the air, spinning in controlled patterns, and one stray stone zipped past an outer disciple's shoulder, harmless but precise enough to leave them wide-eyed.
[Action: Precision Control Test / XP +20][Skill Update: Sword Sweep Lv.4 → Lv.5 / Damage + Moderate → High]
Zhao Fei, still standing beside him, couldn't hide his awe. "I don't understand it," Zhao Fei confessed, awe ringing in his voice. "Sword Qi, broom movement, wind manipulation… it's like watching a calculated storm perform an immaculate, lethally precise dance."
Shen Liang laughed. "Exactly. A storm that sweeps the floor—and occasionally cuts your pride in half."
He closed his eyes briefly, focusing on the flow of qi through his body. The broom vibrated, almost alive in his hands. He moved fluidly, testing combinations of Wind Sweep, Duststorm Sweep, and the new Sword Form. Each movement became faster, sharper, and more precise; golden threads of sword qi intertwined with the broom's aura, forming arcs that could slice through training dummies with ease.
[Hidden Quest Update: Master the Sword of the Laborer / Creativity + Combat XP / Progress 60%][Cultivation Progress: Qi Condensation Stage 7 (30/500 XP)]
By midday, Shen Liang had drawn a small crowd of outer disciples, some whispering, some wide-eyed, some hiding behind pillars to observe safely. Zhao Fei, however, had volunteered as the test subject.
"Alright," Shen Liang said, swinging the broom lazily, "let's see if broom-fu can teach sword-fu."
The first swing was slow, deliberate—dust and small pebbles twirling in arcs. Then the second, faster—Wind Sweep combined with Sword Form. Each strike hummed faintly, carrying the sharp tang of sword qi. Zhao Fei managed to dodge, but only barely, and felt the power behind each swing.
[Action: Demonstration of Sword Form / +30 XP][Skill Update: Sword Form Lv.1 → Lv.2 / Temporary Sword Structure Duration +5 seconds]
After ten minutes of sparring, Zhao Fei stumbled back, laughing and panting. "I… I've never felt anything like that! It's… a broom… but it's a sword… but somehow… both!"
Shen Liang twirled the broom, golden qi flaring. "Remember, young one: it's not the weapon, it's the wielder. A broom can sweep floors, and a laborer can sweep the battlefield. Next time… we'll add a few more tricks."
The System pulsed, a quiet notification appearing before Shen Liang:
[Hidden Quest Update: Sword of the Laborer Mastery / Creativity + Combat XP – 70%][Skill Available: Wind Slash Lv.1 – Concentrated sword-like slash using broom + qi / Damage High / XP +25]
Shen Liang's eyes gleamed with ambition. "Sword Form… Wind Slash… the floor will be spotless, and my rivals will think twice before underestimating a laborer."
Above, Su Qinglan observed from her pavilion, a faint, approving smile forming on her lips. "He is… more than a laborer. The Falling Sword Sect may yet rise from dust."
Shen Liang leaned on his broom, golden qi swirling lazily around him. "Tomorrow," he muttered to himself, "we sweep higher, strike faster… and maybe annoy a few elders along the way."
And so, the laborer-turned-disciple continued to train, golden qi dancing along his broom like sunlight catching on Swords, each sweep a step closer to mastery—and to the legend that was only beginning.