The next morning, the Azure Heaven Sect was in a frenzy. Everyone was talking about the "Servant who wiped the dust off the Sword Monument."
Sect Leader Lord Yun and the Grand Elders were searching everywhere. They wanted to name Han Xiao as the "Grand Ancestor" and place him on the highest throne of the sect.
But no matter how hard they searched, they couldn't find him. Han Xiao's aura had vanished. He was like a speck of dust in the wind—he was there, but no one could see him unless they were looking for him.
Where was Han Xiao?
He was at the Execution Peak, the blood-soaked mountain where criminals were put to death. The air here smelled of iron and sorrow.
Han Xiao stood with a bucket of water and his bamboo broom, scrubbing the red stains off the stone altar.
"Hey! New guy!" the foreman shouted. "Hurry up! We have a high-level execution today. Make sure that floor is spotless!"
Han Xiao nodded. "Yes, sir."
As he scrubbed, he watched the way the droplets of blood splashed. In those drops, he saw the regrets and anger of the dead. Every time he rinsed the stone, he wasn't just washing away blood; he was washing away their lingering bitterness.
Suddenly, a group of figures descended from the sky. It was Lord Yun and the Elders. They were escorting a prisoner—a former Elder who had betrayed the sect to practice forbidden demonic arts.
Lord Yun stepped onto the altar. He saw Han Xiao but dismissed him as a mere servant. Han Xiao kept his head down and continued his work.
"Traitor... your time has come," Lord Yun said, raising his sword.
But the traitor laughed, his body erupting with dark, demonic energy. "You cannot kill me! I have made a pact with the Dark Gods!"
The dark energy exploded outward, covering the mountain top in shadows. Even Lord Yun was blown back by the force. While everyone panicked...
Scrape... Scrape... Scrape...
The sound of a broom hitting stone echoed through the darkness.
Han Xiao walked calmly through the demonic mist, sweeping the dust near the traitor's feet.
"Excuse me... could you move a bit? I can't sweep with you standing there," Han Xiao said politely.
"What?! You want to die?!" The traitor swung a fist of dark energy at Han Xiao's head.
Han Xiao casually flicked his broom. With that simple motion, the terrifying demonic energy vanished into thin air. The traitor's power disappeared as if it had never existed.
"There is too much dust here," Han Xiao said, gently tapping the traitor's chest with the tip of his broom.
THUD.
The demonic soul inside the traitor evaporated instantly. He fell to his knees, turned back into a normal, powerless human.
Lord Yun and the others stood frozen. They realized the "Master" they were looking for was right in front of them—the boy washing the blood off the floor.
Han Xiao didn't look at them. He picked up his bucket and started walking down the mountain.
"Wait... Grand Master!" Lord Yun cried out.
Han Xiao stopped and looked back. "I am not a Grand Master. I am Han Xiao, a servant who has worked here for a hundred years. Please do not disturb me... I still have many stairs left to sweep."
He turned and disappeared into the mountain mist.
From that day on, a new rule was established in the Azure Heaven Sect: "Never mistreat a servant." Because you never know if the boy sweeping the floor is the god holding the world together.
Han Xiao remained as he always was. He swept in the morning and drank tea at night. He didn't want to be an Immortal. He just wanted to be "at peace."
This was Han Xiao's Ordinary Path.
--- The End of Volume 1 ---