The Neighborhood Incident

It was a quiet evening in the little town where Son-Wu San and his family lived—or rather, it was quiet until Xian Long decided to test the limits of a basketball he had found.

"Papa," Xian Long called out, standing in the backyard, spinning the ball on one finger. "How far do you think I can throw this?"

Son-Wu San looked up from his newspaper, calm as ever. "As far as you like. Just don't throw it at the moon. We don't want a repeat of last week."

Xian Long nodded enthusiastically, pretending to listen while already calculating the trajectory. He pulled his arm back and hurled the ball with all his strength. The ball vanished in a flash, ripping through the air like a comet.

From the porch, Li-Yan Mei sighed, sipping her tea. "You know that's going to cause a problem, right?"

Son-Wu San didn't even look up. "If it doesn't, I'll be impressed."

A loud crash echoed from somewhere far off, followed by faint screams. The family collectively winced.

"Oops," Xian Long muttered, scratching the back of his head.

Before anyone could comment, Xian Xue appeared, holding her sketchbook. "Mama, I think I saw something funny in the sky just now."

"Was it your brother's ball?" Li-Yan Mei asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Nope!" Xian Xue chirped. "It looked like... a giant floating city? It's coming this way!"

The family froze for a moment. Then the assistant's voice appeared in Son-Wu San's mind. "A celestial city has detected an anomaly in their energy readings. They believe a divine artifact was launched from your location. They're... mobilizing troops."

Son-Wu San pinched the bridge of his nose. "Of course they are."

---

The celestial city wasn't just any floating fortress—it was the pride of the Sky Pavilion Sect, one of the most powerful sects in the mortal realms. Its leader, Grand Elder Yue Feng, stood at the helm, glaring down at the Earth below.

"Someone has dared to disturb the balance of spiritual energy in this region!" he declared, his voice booming. "We will find the source and reclaim what is ours!"

Behind him, a hundred disciples stood ready, their swords glowing with spiritual energy.

"It came from that little town," one of the elders reported, pointing at the map.

"Good," Yue Feng growled. "Prepare to descend. We shall show these mortals the consequences of defying the Sky Pavilion Sect!"

---

Back on Earth, Xian Long was busy trying to explain himself. "I didn't mean to throw it so hard! It's just a ball!"

"It's never just a ball with you," Xian Xue said, rolling her eyes.

Li-Yan Mei stood, brushing her hands together. "I'll handle this. Let me go talk to them before it gets out of hand."

But before she could leave, a massive shadow fell over their house. The celestial city loomed above, its grand towers gleaming in the twilight. Beams of light shot down, creating a formation circle in the family's front yard.

"Oh great," Son-Wu San muttered. "Company."

The formation glowed, and Yue Feng appeared with his disciples. His robes billowed dramatically, and his eyes gleamed with righteous fury.

"Who among you dares to disrupt the spiritual balance of this world?!" he bellowed.

The family stared at him blankly.

"It was me!" Xian Long said, raising his hand. "I threw the ball too hard. My bad."

Yue Feng's expression faltered. "A... ball?"

"Yes, a ball!" Xian Long said proudly. "It's a super cool one. Do you wanna see?"

Yue Feng's disciples looked at each other in confusion. This was not the confrontation they had been expecting.

"This is no time for jokes!" Yue Feng snapped. "You've tampered with forces beyond your comprehension!"

Li-Yan Mei stepped forward, her smile calm but dangerous. "Listen, Elder... Yue Feng, was it? My son really did throw a ball. Maybe it caused a little... disturbance. But that's no reason to show up uninvited with your floating fortress."

"You think this is a joke?" Yue Feng roared. "This is an affront to the Sky Pavilion Sect! We cannot allow such disrespect to go unpunished!"

At that moment, Xian Xue tugged on Yue Feng's sleeve. He looked down to see her holding a plate of cookies.

"Do you want a snack?" she asked sweetly.

Yue Feng's face turned red, and he spluttered. "I—what?"

"I made them!" Xian Xue said, beaming. "Mama helped a little, but I did most of the work!"

The disciples, caught off guard, began murmuring among themselves.

"Should we... take a cookie?" one whispered.

"Silence!" Yue Feng barked, but his voice wavered.

"Go on," Li-Yan Mei said, her tone deceptively kind. "Try one. They're really good."

Under the weight of the family's collective gaze, Yue Feng hesitated, then reluctantly took a cookie. He bit into it, and his eyes widened.

"This is... delicious," he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.

The disciples, emboldened by their leader's reaction, each took a cookie. Within moments, the tense atmosphere dissolved into murmurs of appreciation for Xian Xue's baking.

"So," Son-Wu San said, leaning back in his chair. "Does this mean we're good now? No more floating city drama?"

Yue Feng cleared his throat, attempting to regain his composure. "We... may have acted rashly. But be warned—any further disruptions will not be tolerated!"

"Understood," Son-Wu San said, his tone bored. "Now, if you'll excuse us, we were having a peaceful evening."

The celestial city ascended back into the sky, its lights dimming as it disappeared into the clouds.

As soon as it was gone, Xian Long turned to his father. "Does this mean I can't throw the ball anymore?"

Son-Wu San sighed. "You can throw it. Just... aim for something less fragile next time."

Xian Long grinned. "Like a mountain?"

"Sure," Son-Wu San said, already regretting his words.

Li-Yan Mei shook her head, a small smile on her lips. "Another day, another disaster averted. Normal life, huh?"

Son-Wu San chuckled softly. "Normal is overrated."