By the time I reached the arena, the goat had already jumped into the center, stood proudly, and began headbutting the ground with great enthusiasm. The crowd had already started to gather, whispering among themselves, and I could see a few elders stepping forward, ready to begin the demonstration.
I had a sinking feeling that this was all going to spiral into a disaster.
But before I could grab the goat, Liu Xin stepped forward and addressed the crowd. "Welcome, everyone! Today, we have a very special guest demonstrating the art of..." She hesitated. "...chaotic cultivation. A unique style that's not been seen in our sect before."
I opened my mouth to protest, but Liu Xin gave me a quick, almost playful glance. "Go ahead," she said softly. "Impress them."
Oh, great. Now I had to impress the Celestial Butterfly Sect. With my goat.
The goat bleated loudly as if on cue, and with a deep breath, I decided to roll with it. "Right, right. Time to show them how chaos works!"
I stepped into the center of the arena, trying to focus on my qi, but honestly, it was hard to concentrate with the goat acting like it was trying to claim the arena as its new personal kingdom. I raised my hand, channeling my spiritual energy. The energy around me began to pulse, and I felt a small but satisfying surge of power.
Then, the goat started bouncing in circles, kicking up dust and causing a minor earthquake in the process. The crowd gasped as the arena cracked open in several places.
"Ah, yes," I muttered, "Just a little more dramatic flair..."
The elders watched in stunned silence as I tried to maintain my composure while dodging flying rocks. Liu Xin was smirking behind the crowd, clearly enjoying every second of this ridiculous spectacle.
Finally, I managed to calm the situation just enough to demonstrate a slightly controlled burst of energy. The goat, however, wasn't done. It launched itself into the air, spiraling like a projectile, and landed directly on top of an elder's head.
The crowd burst into applause.
"Excellent," Liu Xin said with a broad grin. "I think this demonstration has gone quite well. I'd like to propose that Long Fei Jian's method of chaotic cultivation be officially adopted into our curriculum."
I turned to the goat, who now had its hooves firmly planted on the elder's head, looking remarkably proud of itself. "You know," I said, "I think you're the real star here."
And with that, I realized: Maybe the Celestial Butterfly Sect wasn't just going to tolerate me. They might actually want more chaos. And with this goat by my side, I was starting to think this "cultural exchange" might turn out to be more successful than I originally thought.
At least, in a totally unpredictable way....
The arena was buzzing with energy, the air thick with excitement—and by "excitement," I mean utter chaos. The Celestial Butterfly Sect members, who just moments ago had been poised, graceful, and serene, were now cheering and clapping like they'd just witnessed the greatest martial arts spectacle of all time.
I stood there, panting slightly from the sudden burst of qi, trying to keep some semblance of dignity as the goat continued to bask in its newfound glory atop the elder's head, bleating proudly. The elder, for his part, looked rather resigned to his fate, blinking as if he'd expected nothing less.
Liu Xin, standing off to the side, gave me a knowing smile. "I told you, Long Fei Jian. You and your goat fit perfectly into our sect."
I forced a smile, rubbing the back of my neck. "Yeah, that's one way to put it. But, uh, is there a way to, you know, get him off the elder? I think he's starting to claim dominion over his... well, everything."
Liu Xin tilted her head. "Oh, don't worry. That's just his... introduction to the sect. We find it's best to let them settle in with a little... assertion."
I glanced at the elder, whose face was now turning a shade of purple that should not be possible in nature. "I think he's asserting a little too much."
At that, the elder—whose name, I now learned, was Elder Zhi—finally sighed and lifted the goat off his head with surprising calm. The goat gave a dramatic bleat of protest, but after a moment, seemed content to be placed gently on the ground, where it started chewing on the hem of Elder Zhi's robe.
The crowd, meanwhile, erupted into laughter and applause, as if this was all part of the show. I didn't know whether to be proud or deeply concerned.
"I have to say, Long Fei Jian," Elder Zhi began, his voice remarkably steady despite the unusual experience, "your... unorthodox style has been quite... eye-opening." He gave a small nod, still rubbing his head as the goat, now free from its perch, continued to make a mess in the arena.
Liu Xin stepped forward, her eyes gleaming with curiosity. "It's not every day we get a guest who can, with a goat, leave such an impression on our traditions."
I could feel the weight of the situation starting to settle in. "Wait, you're not... kidding?" I said, gesturing vaguely to the goat.
Liu Xin raised an eyebrow, but her smile was not unkind. "Not at all. In fact, your... methods might be just what we need. Have you ever considered sharing your unique approach with a larger audience?"
I blinked. "What?"
"Well," Liu Xin continued, "there's a gathering of the Celestial Sects coming soon. It's a grand event where sect leaders, elders, and influential figures from across the realms come together to exchange ideas and techniques." She gestured at the goat, who had now begun rolling in a pile of spiritual gemstones, looking like it was preparing to make a bed out of them. "I think your... chaotic cultivation could be an absolute hit."
I stared at her. "So you're telling me that you want me to bring my goat, my chaos, and my questionable methods to the Celestial Sects' gathering?"
She smiled with the calm assurance of someone who had clearly thought this through. "Precisely. I believe this could be the beginning of a whole new era of cultivation, Long Fei Jian."
I glanced down at the goat, who had just eaten half of Elder Zhi's robe and was now trying to get its hooves on a nearby incense burner. "You've got to be kidding....."