Also known as That Time He Missed His Own Celebration
By the time Wei Long returned to the mountain, the news had already beaten him there.
Somehow, the story went like this:
"With but a glance, he summoned a divine herd.""The forest burned in judgment.""The Five Venoms Sect begged for mercy, and he denied them thrice — in silence."
Wei Long, of course, remembered something closer to:
"I tripped. A goat panicked. A building caught fire."
But truth, as always, was the first casualty of awe.
When he reached the courtyard, it was already covered in red banners. Villagers, merchants, even monks had come with gifts and questions. Someone was selling miniature wooden goats labeled "Wei Long's Spirit Beast."
"Master! There's going to be a festival in your honor!" Lin Qian announced.
"A what?"
"A festival! With music, food, and a parade of tamed chickens symbolizing your mercy!"
Wei Long blinked. "Why chickens?"
"They said goats were too expensive."
Duan Fei handed him a letter sealed with golden lacquer."It's from the provincial governor. He invites you to receive a Medal of Valor at the Great Temple of Clear Sky."
Wei Long opened the letter. He stared at the cursive calligraphy. Then stared at the horizon.
"…What happens if I don't show up?"
Lin Qian's eyes widened. "It would be a national scandal! The governor's pride would be injured! The people would think you're… aloof and mysterious!"
Wei Long leaned back against the tea house wall and whispered,"That doesn't sound so bad."
The next morning, Wei Long was gone.
Lin Qian found a note on his pillow:
"Gone to clear my head. Don't feed the angry goat. - W.L."
Below it was a slightly squashed bun.
Meanwhile, at the Great Temple of Clear Sky, hundreds gathered. Flags waved. Trumpets sounded. Officials rehearsed bowing angles.
An enormous seat had been prepared on a raised dais, decorated with silk banners that read:
"Glory to the One Who Defeated Evil With Livestock."
When the time came… it remained empty.
Gasps rippled through the crowd.
"Where is he?""Is he meditating in the clouds?""Did he… ascend?"
A traveling bard stood up and declared:
"He is beyond titles, above rewards. He walks the mortal world, silent and unseen, guarding us from the shadows."
The crowd wept.
The governor choked on his speech notes and declared three days of public celebration anyway. Children were given goat-shaped kites. Bread was free. The temple priests rebranded their new doctrine: "The Path of Accidental Enlightenment."
Back at a quiet lakeside cave far from the noise, Wei Long sat with his feet in the water, holding a fishing pole.
A fish flopped out of the lake by itself, landing in his basket.
He sighed."Of course."
That night, far away, shadowy figures in black sat around a stone table.
"The Five Venoms are gone," said one. "And their poison vaults burned."
Another added, "Our spies report the goats are now treated as divine beasts. The people fear him."
A third whispered, "What if he comes for us next?"
They shivered.
Their leader leaned forward.
"…Then we must strike first."
From the shadows, a dagger glinted.
A name was etched into it.
Wei Long.
To be continued...