Part 1: The Steamed Threat Emerges
The next morning, the heavens darkened—not from clouds, but from an enormous frozen dumpling airship descending from the sky like a bloated pastry of doom.
It creaked, puffed cold steam, and played an eerie melody that sounded like wind chimes made of soy sauce bottles.
From its hatch floated down a procession of cold-eyed cultivators clad in snow-white robes with blue flour patterns. Their hair was slicked back with icy dumpling grease. Their expressions? Colder than a mother-in-law's stare.
Wei Yun muttered, "Why do they look like frozen supermarket models?"
Tang Zhi shook. "I… I can't feel my taste buds."
At the front stood their leader—a towering woman with dumpling earrings and chilling beauty.
"I am Lady Bao Leng, Supreme Elder of the Frozen Dumpling Sect. We challenge you, Soup Sect… to the Dumpling Trials."
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Part 2: Rules of the Dumpling Trials
The audience was silent.
Lady Bao raised a scroll.
"The Dumpling Trials consist of three rounds:
1. The Steaming Battle – Control the spiritual flame without burning the dumpling skin.
2. The Stuffing Duel – Battle in illusion realms shaped by the opponent's flavor memories.
3. The Fold of Destiny – Fold dumplings while fighting spiritual clones of yourself."
Mu Yao leaned in. "These… are real things?"
Pan-Pan trembled. "I've only ever microwaved…"
Wei Yun narrowed his eyes. "Bring it. I'm the master of slow-cooked rage."
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Part 3: Round One – The Steaming Battle Begins
A massive bamboo steamer platform rose from the earth.
Each sect had to control a spiritual flame to steam dumplings without overcooking—or being cooked themselves.
System pinged:
> [Soup Sect's Spiritual Flame: Brothfire Lotus!]
[Frozen Dumpling Sect's Flame: Cold Essence Ice-Flame.]
Pan-Pan tried first.
He summoned brothfire… but the dumpling exploded.
Tang Zhi followed. His dumpling turned into soup with legs and ran off.
Mu Yao stepped in.
She balanced flame and qi, creating a perfect golden dumpling.
Crowd: "Oooh!"
Lady Bao raised a hand and summoned Frost Steamer Technique – Ice Lotus Bloom! Her dumpling shimmered like a snowflake's dream.
Wei Yun muttered, "Alright, time to steam up this rivalry."
He stepped forward and summoned his wok spirit.
"Boil, my child."
The dumpling rose in the steam, golden, glowing, and… softly humming.
Victory: Soup Sect.
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Part 4: Round Two – The Stuffing Duel
This one was weirder.
Each fighter entered a dumpling-shaped illusion realm. There, they faced spiritual enemies formed from their deepest flavor-related regrets.
Tang Zhi faced a giant meatball that whispered, "You never salted me…"
Mu Yao fought her childhood kitchen trauma—her dad's unseasoned tofu ghost.
Wei Yun? He found himself facing… a bowl of instant noodles.
It sneered.
"You abandoned me… for fresh broth. Betrayer!"
Wei Yun unsheathed his ladle.
"You weren't even air-dried! Prepare to be boiled again."
He crushed it with a single swing of Flavorful Truth Slash.
Victory: Soup Sect.
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Part 5: Final Round – The Fold of Destiny
Each participant had to fold dumplings while fighting an emotional clone of themselves—a version fueled by their culinary guilt.
Pan-Pan's clone taunted: "You once used store-bought wrapper dough!"
Tang Zhi's clone cried: "You reheated soup three times!"
Mu Yao's clone just looked disappointed.
Wei Yun's clone, however, was dressed in modern clothes.
"You were a chef in another world… and yet, you died choking on a tofu cube. How tragic."
Wei Yun growled, "Let me show you how we fold fate!"
He folded one hundred dumplings with one hand while smacking his guilt-clone with the other.
Final bell rang.
Victory: Soup Sect.
Lady Bao bowed slightly.
"You have passed. We… acknowledge your flavor."
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Part 6: Cold Hearts Melt (A Little)
Lady Bao turned away, but paused.
"You are… skilled. But beware. The Sugar Cultivators of the Southern Confectionery Sect have caught wind of your rise. And they… do not forgive bitterness or salt."
Wei Yun sighed.
"Of course it's the sugar psychos next."
System pinged:
> [New Arc Unlocked: Sweet Revenge – The Dessert Cultivators Strike!]
[Warning: Their cuteness is a lie. They wield frosting-coated destruction and emotional blackmail.]
Pan-Pan cried. "NO! I'M DIABETIC!"
Wei Yun turned to the camera (that doesn't exist) and said coolly—
"Let them come. I'll make a sweet soup out of them too."
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End of Chapter 16.