The final round of the Culinary Ascension Trials was held atop the Celestial Ember Platform, a massive arena floating on boiling clouds of broth. Thousands of spectators floated in lotus-shaped seats, chanting for their favorite chefs.
Gongs rang. Spices sparkled in the air like fireworks.
A voice thundered across the heavens:
> "LET THE FINAL ROUND BEGIN!"
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Contestants and Chaos
Each contestant stepped into their sacred kitchen circle. Lin Feng stood beside Jia Yun, his flame ladle glowing faintly, the Spirit Onion Tear pulsing on their table like a tiny golden sun.
Their duck wore a tiny red headband and cracked its neck.
To their left, the noble Zhang Tian summoned a Soup Dragon made entirely of consommé and scallions. It curled protectively around his cauldron and hissed.
To their right, Lady Wu of the Glacial Gourmand School conjured a Frozen Spirit Lobster wielding twin icicle spears.
Lin Feng blinked. "What are we even doing here?!"
Jia Yun smirked. "Winning."
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The Dish: Phoenix Tear Broth of Ten Thousand Memories
Their recipe combined flame-kissed lotus root, celestial pork belly, and the Spirit Onion Tear. The flavor profile would be so intense, it could make an immortal remember their childhood crush.
Jia Yun chopped while Lin Feng stirred the broth in a cauldron suspended over divine fire. The duck operated a tiny spice mortar with military precision.
As the aroma rose, judges gasped. One elderly immortal wept at just the scent.
But then—disaster struck.
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Sabotage in the Smoke
From beneath the cauldron, a tendril of corrupted spice fog curled upward.
Lin Feng's eyes widened. "That's… black cumin oil. From the Forbidden Pantry."
He leapt back just in time to see their broth bubble unnaturally. The Spirit Onion Tear pulsed violently.
Jia Yun scowled. "Sabotage."
A cloaked figure across the arena chuckled—Chef Molo of the Black Apron Sect. His face was shadowed, his apron emblazoned with a crossed-out salt shaker.
"You season with heart," he sneered. "Fools. Let the blandness consume you."
The duck snarled.
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Duck Vengeance: Operation Spice Retribution
Before Lin Feng could react, the duck launched itself like a flaming bullet.
Midair, it spun and hurled a pouch of emergency seasoning at Molo's cauldron.
BOOM.
Molo's soup turned bright pink, then exploded in a burst of glittering cinnamon.
The duck landed back on their table, feathers singed but proud.
"Thanks," Lin Feng said. "You saved dinner."
The duck nodded and pulled out a tiny fan to cool the broth.
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Redemption Stirring and Divine Taste
They quickly corrected the broth, purifying it with lotus essence and a final drop of onion tear.
Lin Feng invoked the Ladle Sutra, stirring in the Eight-Fold Spiral Technique.
The broth shimmered—every swirl revealing a memory: his grandfather's kitchen, his first dumpling, the time the duck learned to flip pancakes.
Jia Yun plated the dish.
The broth was poured into carved bone china bowls, each with a lotus petal spoon.
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Judgment Day
The head judge took one sip… and gasped.
"…I remember… my first love."
The second judge burst into song.
The third judge fell to his knees and apologized to his dead cat.
Every judge, moved beyond mortal comprehension, scored the dish 10 out of 10 spicy stars.
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Victory and Vengeance
Lin Feng and Jia Yun were declared champions. Confetti made of dried chili flakes rained from the sky. The duck was knighted with a mini ladle.
But Molo stood, eyes burning.
"You may have won today… but seasoning will be your downfall. The Black Apron Sect does not forgive flavor."
He vanished into a portal made of unsalted steam.
Jia Yun turned to Lin Feng. "He'll be back."
Lin Feng nodded. "So will we."
The duck pulled out a tiny battle spoon and saluted the horizon.
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