— Where divine flames simmer, spatulas swing like swords, and Pan-Pan's true power begins to fry.
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Part 1: A Recipe for Destiny
After the apocalyptic cuisine chaos of the Forbidden Tasting Menu, the team stood in silence, staring at Pan-Pan—who now wore a chef's robe woven from phoenix feathers and held a spatula that radiated Dao pressure.
Wei Yun blinked. "You good, Pan-Pan?"
Pan-Pan didn't blink. He simply exhaled... and the air smelled like roasted heavenly pork.
"I see the truth now," he said. "Flavors are Dao. Stir-frying is enlightenment. Simmering… is compassion."
Tang Zhi leaned to Mu Yao. "He might be having a culinary psychosis."
System chimed:
> [Welcome to the Realm of the Gourmet Gods – Trial 7 Initiated.]
[Objective: Defeat the Four Kitchen Sovereigns and Claim the Heavenly Apron.]
Mu Yao muttered, "Heavenly Apron? This better be a metaphor."
Nope. A literal glowing apron floated in the distance, stitched with galactic thread.
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Part 2: The First Kitchen Sovereign – Lord Ladle the Soupy
They entered the first kitchen: a massive stone wok the size of a small city.
There stood Lord Ladle, a rotund man with noodle eyebrows and a giant ladle strapped to his back like a broadsword.
"YOU DARE STEP INTO MY BROTH BOWL?! I, LORD LADLE, SHALL SCOOP THY SPIRITS!"
Pan-Pan stepped forward, raising his Dao Spatula.
The others just stepped back. "Let the food-freak handle this."
The battle began.
Ladle swung with tidal broth attacks, sending tsunamis of spicy stew across the arena.
Pan-Pan parried with stir-fry counters, summoning sizzling oil barriers and wok-fire bursts.
Then he activated his new technique:
Spatula Style: Triple Flip Tempest!
He leapt, spun three times, and slammed his spatula into the broth, creating a vortex that sucked in Lord Ladle's attacks.
BOOM.
Steam exploded.
When it cleared, Lord Ladle was kneeling.
"Teach me… the Way of Stir."
Pan-Pan gave him a dumpling. "Rise, brother."
System:
> [1st Kitchen Sovereign Defeated. You have acquired: The Soupy Seal of Slurpdom.]
Wei Yun: "I'm losing track of how ridiculous this is."
Mu Yao: "You? I saw him parry soup."
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Part 3: The Second Kitchen Sovereign – Duchess Dessertica, the Sugar Saint
The next realm sparkled.
Everything was pink, fluffy, and diabetes-inducing.
Tang Zhi groaned. "I'm already getting cavities."
A throne of macaron sat beneath Duchess Dessertica, a woman with whipped cream hair and a staff made of rock candy.
"You dare challenge sweetness incarnate? I will coat your souls in caramelized agony!"
Wei Yun blinked. "That was... unnecessarily poetic."
Pan-Pan smiled. "Ma'am, prepare to get frosted."
The Sugar War began.
Duchess Dessertica launched molten fudge meteors.
Pan-Pan dodged with Rolling Donut Steps.
She summoned Gingerbread Soldiers.
Pan-Pan answered with his technique:
Custard Collapse Cannon!
He condensed pure dessert Dao into an exploding éclair and launched it. A nuclear vanilla detonation followed.
Duchess Dessertica collapsed into a pile of flan.
"I… have been out-baked."
Pan-Pan patted her shoulder. "Forgiveness is the icing on life."
System:
> [2nd Kitchen Sovereign Defeated. You have acquired: The Sweet Seal of Saccharine Sin.]
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Part 4: The Third Sovereign – Captain Cleaver of Carnivore Canyon
Carnivore Canyon was… violent.
Meat rained from the sky. Bones formed bridges. Steak demons fought bacon angels in the distance.
And at the center: a grill the size of a battlefield.
Standing atop it, Captain Cleaver roared, swinging twin cleavers.
"I'VE NEVER BOILED A VEGETABLE AND I NEVER WILL!"
Mu Yao stepped forward.
Pan-Pan stopped her. "Allow me. He needs the gospel of grilling."
Pan-Pan summoned his BBQ Blade – The Smoky Saber of Seared Destiny.
The fight began in a frenzied flash-fry fury.
Sparks flew. Cleaver clashed with cleaver. Flames soared. At one point, a sausage screamed.
Finally, Pan-Pan unleashed:
Technique: Heavenly Hibachi Howl!
He flipped through the air and ignited a spiral of sacred flame, turning the battlefield into a perfectly medium-rare masterpiece.
Captain Cleaver dropped his weapons. "You grilled… my heart."
System:
> [3rd Kitchen Sovereign Defeated. You have acquired: The Carnivorous Crest of Cookery Combat.]
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Part 5: The Final Kitchen Sovereign – The Silent Chef
They entered the final kitchen.
Silence.
Everything was black stone and empty counters. A single figure stood in a chef's hat and apron.
He turned slowly. His face was masked.
System:
> [Final Boss: The Silent Chef – He Who Does Not Stir, But Still Prevails.]
Pan-Pan readied himself.
But the Silent Chef… pointed.
Suddenly, all the Sovereigns reappeared, standing behind Pan-Pan.
Duchess Dessertica: "He must cook now."
Lord Ladle: "A dish to bind all realms."
Captain Cleaver: "One bite to prove his Dao."
Pan-Pan bowed.
Then began… The Final Dish.
One broth from Lord Ladle
One mousse from Dessertica
One steak from Captain Cleaver
And one final touch of spice from himself
He plated it with grace. Served it to the Silent Chef.
The Chef took a bite… paused…
Then slowly removed his mask.
It was an older Pan-Pan.
"I was waiting for you to become me."
BOOM.
The kitchen imploded into white light.
System:
> [Congratulations. You have earned: The Heavenly Apron – Artifact of the Gourmet Dao.]
[Pan-Pan's Title Upgraded: Snack Immortal → Gourmet Dao Ancestor.]
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Part 6: Back to Reality… For Now
The team was back in the real world. Pan-Pan stood glowing in full chef-sage mode.
Mu Yao poked him. "Still sane?"
Pan-Pan nodded. "More than ever."
Wei Yun: "Alright, Food God, let's go. Next trial's probably just as weird."
System:
> [Next Trial Unlocked: Trial 8 – The Cultivation Olympics of Ridiculousness.]
Tang Zhi: "...We're doomed."
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To Be Continued in Chapter 27: