The following days were a blur of absurd training and equally ridiculous culinary mishaps. Lin Feng's days were filled with sneezing, carrying bowls, and somehow managing to invent an entire new fighting style without even trying. But today, things were about to escalate once more—this time, with the deadly, fiery, and, most importantly, explosive chili bombs.
Lin Feng, still trying to wrap his head around the whole "Lazy Wok Style," was summoned to the clan's training grounds for his final exam. The arena was set, with a giant stage covered in a layer of white flour and scattered spices, the kind you would expect at a top-tier culinary competition. But, of course, this wasn't any ordinary cooking duel. This was a battle of survival.
"Today, you'll face your greatest challenge yet," announced Elder Bai, his expression grim, as he held up a large jar of what looked like demonic red chilies. "Your opponent will be one of the Golden Wok Clan's senior disciples, Zheng Fu, who uses the Exploding Chili Bombs as his fighting technique."
Lin Feng's eyes widened. "Wait, Exploding Chili Bombs? Are you serious?"
Elder Bai nodded solemnly. "Absolutely. His bombs are capable of turning a kitchen into a warzone."
Lin Feng glanced at Zheng Fu, who was already standing across from him, holding a basket of what looked like tiny, red bombs the size of dumplings.
"Oh no," Lin Feng muttered, eyeing the bombs suspiciously. "I'm really not equipped for this."
Zheng Fu grinned devilishly. "You think you're ready to face me, kid? Prepare yourself for the Flaming Fury of Five Thousand Scoville!"
Lin Feng gulped and gripped his ladle tightly. This is it. Time to cook up something special.
Without warning, Zheng Fu hurled the first chili bomb at Lin Feng. It exploded mid-air with a massive boom, sending a fiery shockwave toward Lin Feng. He barely dodged, the heat of the blast making his hair singe.
"That's spicy!" Lin Feng yelped, diving behind a stack of giant cooking pots for cover. "How do you even make a bomb that spicy?"
Zheng Fu, unfazed by Lin Feng's distress, launched several more chili bombs in quick succession. They rained down like fiery meteorites, each one exploding with more intensity than the last. Lin Feng could feel the heat, and sweat poured down his face as he ducked and rolled, narrowly avoiding the blasts.
"Not bad, kid," Zheng Fu called out. "But you'll need more than luck to survive my chili barrage!"
Lin Feng, feeling the pressure, quickly remembered the one lesson he had learned from the elders. He knew it was time to combine his culinary abilities with his newfound power. With a determined shout, he held out his ladle and focused.
"Alright, Zheng Fu, you wanted a spicy challenge? Here comes The Spicy Meteor Shower!"
Lin Feng took a deep breath and, without thinking, ate one of the chili bombs mid-air as it flew toward him. The heat from the bomb hit his tongue, and something strange happened. His eyes glowed bright red, and a new, fiery energy surged through him. With a powerful swing of his ladle, Lin Feng unleashed an infernal wave of energy that fused the chili bomb's explosive power with his own lightning-charged cooking techniques.
The resulting blast created a dazzling array of fiery projectiles that launched themselves at Zheng Fu, each one sizzling with red-hot intensity. Zheng Fu barely managed to block a few, his body searing from the blasts.
"I can't believe it!" Zheng Fu shouted, retreating as the chili meteors rained down on him. "He's turning my own technique against me!"
Lin Feng, energized by his newfound power, grinned. "It's just good plating, my friend."
The arena was engulfed in fire and spice. Each explosion sent shockwaves through the ground as Lin Feng continued to launch wave after wave of fiery cooking energy. At one point, he even summoned a Ladled Lava Storm, which sent a surge of bubbling lava-like broth cascading toward Zheng Fu, forcing him to leap to safety.
But Lin Feng didn't stop there. His mind raced. Wait a second… he thought. I can mimic food-based powers. What if…
With a sudden flash of inspiration, Lin Feng snatched up a nearby basket of dumplings and tossed them into the air, expertly slicing them into small pieces. "Dumpling Clone Army! Go!"
Hundreds of small dumplings exploded from the basket and grew to enormous size, each one waddling forward like little soldiers with a mind of their own. Lin Feng had unintentionally summoned a battalion of dumplings to fight for him.
Zheng Fu was bombarded by the onslaught of giant, bouncing dumplings. Some of them rolled toward him, others launched themselves into the air, causing chaos all around.
"You've got to be kidding me!" Zheng Fu screamed, desperately trying to avoid the dumplings as they bopped him on the head and knocked him off balance.
Lin Feng watched, impressed with his own culinary chaos. "Not bad, right? Who knew dumplings could be this deadly?"
Master Quack, who had been observing from the sidelines, waddled over with an exasperated look on his face. "Quack! Quack! The ladle of destiny and the dumplings… the dumplings, are you insane?! This isn't a kitchen! It's a battlefield!"
Lin Feng, proud of his success, shrugged. "Hey, you have to admit—it's deliciously effective."
With one final wave of energy, Lin Feng sent the last of the chili bombs and dumplings flying, creating a massive explosion that knocked Zheng Fu out of the ring. The sound of sizzling and popping echoed throughout the training grounds as the flames began to settle.
Elder Bai, his face covered in flour and chili powder from the explosion, walked up to Lin Feng, his mouth agape.
"Did… did you just… win with dumplings and chili bombs?" he asked, incredulously.
Lin Feng grinned, his ladle raised in triumph. "Guess I did. Who knew food could pack such a punch?"
Elder Bai could only stare at him, blinking. "Well, kid, I think you've just unlocked the true power of the Golden Wok Clan."
Lin Feng looked down at his ladle, the Legendary Ladle of Destiny, now glowing with an ethereal light. "You know what? I think I might just be onto something."
Master Quack, still glaring at Lin Feng, gave a loud quack of resignation. "Quack! You are not a chef, you are a gluttonous war god! Good plating, but this... this will destroy the kitchen!"
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