Work Optimization

Ever since mastering the "Pseudo-True Qi Projection" technique (a name Xu Qian gave it himself) and successfully using it to cut a brick, Xu Qian found everything in the Heavenly Prison much more agreeable. Even the pervasive Yin Sha Qi, in his eyes, had transformed into a "good friend" tirelessly providing him with cultivation.

When good things happen, spirits lift – that much is true. However, Xu Qian's "lift" wasn't displayed on his face, but rather... channeled into his work.

That's right, he had found a brand new way to utilize the Sword Intent Seed – applying it to daily cleaning.

This day, he was once again assigned to clean a section of the main passageway. This area was constantly bustling with people, covered in footprints, stains, and even the occasional unknown bloodstain. It was one of the most difficult areas to clean, and the Guards usually just went through the motions, as long as the surface looked acceptable.

Xu Qian, carrying his bucket and mop (plus his increasingly handy broken broom), stood at the entrance of the passageway, a mysterious smile creeping onto his lips.

He first did as usual, pouring water and giving the floor a cursory mop. Then, he picked up the broken broom.

His consciousness sank into his dantian, connecting with the Sword Intent Seed.

"Little darling, it's time for work! Today, we're doing a deep clean!"

With a slight shift of his mind, a faint yet pure and sharp intent attached itself to the tip of the broom. This time, the force he controlled was countless times smaller than when cutting the brick, aiming to be imperceptible.

He began to "sweep the floor."

His movements looked no different from ordinary sweeping, still unhurried, even a bit lazy.

But the effect was worlds apart!

The invisible blade of Qi attached to the tip of the broom, like the most precise nano-level scraper, silently peeled away and crushed the stubborn stains, dried blood, and even years of grime embedded in the stone cracks that were incredibly difficult to remove by ordinary methods!

He didn't need to scrub with any force at all. He simply held the broom, effortlessly and elegantly gliding it across the floor like a master calligrapher wielding a brush.

After the broom passed, the stone floor became as clean as new! It even faintly reflected the light of the torches! The stains of varying depths seemed to have never existed!

This efficiency was more than ten times faster than scrubbing with brute force, and the level of cleanliness was completely incomparable!

As Xu Qian "swept," he smugly mused to himself:

[Tsk, look at this result! Comparable to a high-pressure water gun plus stain remover! And it's non-damaging cleaning! If I opened a cleaning company, wouldn't I crush the competition?]

[Using ultimate sword intent to sweep the floor... In all of history, I'm probably the only one, right? Is this the ultimate interpretation of 'using a sledgehammer to crack a nut'?]

Getting into the swing of things, he even started showing off. He controlled the faint Sword Qi to sweep out various smooth arcs on the floor, precisely gathering dust and grime into piles. He didn't even spare the cobwebs in the corners, lightly "brushing" them into nothingness.

In less than a third of the usual time, the entire passageway was cleaned until it was spotless and gleamed!

Xu Qian looked at the fruits of his labor and nodded with satisfaction. He dispersed the Sword Qi, swept the gathered trash into a dustpan, and retreated, his good deeds unseen.

In the following days, the hygiene of every area Xu Qian was responsible for cleaning underwent a dramatic transformation. The floors were so clean they could reflect people's shadows, not a single cobweb or speck of dust could be found in the corners, and even the air seemed fresher (an illusion).

This change naturally attracted attention.

First were his colleagues. They looked at the gleaming floor Xu Qian was responsible for, then at their own areas that were merely clean, exchanging bewildered glances.

"Xu Qian, you kid... you're working too hard, aren't you? You're practically polishing the floor till it shines!" an old Guard couldn't help but say.

Xu Qian scratched his head and gave a simple, honest smile: "It's nothing. It just looked dirty, and I felt uncomfortable, so I cleaned it up."

Everyone was skeptical but couldn't find any fault, attributing it to the kid possibly being a bit of a neat freak, or... just stubborn?

Then came the prisoners. They peered through the bars, looking at the reflective floor outside, feeling a sense of unreality. When did this Heavenly Prison become so... meticulous?

Finally, it alarmed Zhou Kang.

One day, Zhou Kang was on his routine patrol and stopped abruptly when he reached the area Xu Qian had just finished cleaning. He suspiciously lowered his head, looking at the unbelievably clean floor beneath his feet. He even subconsciously lifted his foot to check the sole of his shoe, wondering if his eyes were deceiving him.

He crouched down and touched the stone surface. It was cool and smooth to the touch, without even a hint of greasiness.

"This..." Zhou Kang looked up at Xu Qian, who was "diligently" wiping the wall nearby (also treated with micro-Sword Qi, making it incredibly clean), his expression indescribably complex.

He stood up, walked over to Xu Qian, patted him on the shoulder, and said with unspeakable emotion:

"Xu Qian..."

"Captain Zhou?" Xu Qian stopped his actions, feigning ignorance.

"You kid..." Zhou Kang pointed at the gleaming floor and walls, struggling for a long time before finally uttering a few words: "...you're truly a model of dedication to your job!"