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Part 1: The Crack in the Culinary Veil
Night fell.
The stars above flickered… then bent.
A rip in the sky peeled open like burnt tofu.
From within… it oozed.
An unholy pot, chained by cosmic ladles, dripped thick, iridescent stew down to the Mortal Realm. Each drop melted mountains, warped clouds into ramen noodles, and turned birds into meatballs mid-flight.
Wei Yun blinked. "…Did that cloud just become wonton-shaped?"
System alert:
> [WARNING! Dimensional Recipe Breach Detected!]
[Threat: The Forbidden Stew of Outer Flavor – Crafted by a forgotten chef-turned-god whose dishes devoured realities.]
Tang Zhi sniffed the air. "Why does it smell like… regret and squid ink?"
Mu Yao drew her blade. "This… this stew is sentient."
Pan-Pan: "I DON'T WANT TO BE THE GARNISH!"
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Part 2: When Food Should Never Have Been Born
The stew pot slammed into the ground, cracking reality.
Out stepped… a waiter.
But his apron was stitched from voids. His eyes were ladles. His nametag read:
> "Welcome! I'm Flavor-Servant #4,657. Special today: Your Eternal Suffering."
Behind him, reality curdled as the stew began to speak:
> "Flavor… Unbalanced… Must… Assimilate…"
With every word, vegetables screamed.
The Forbidden Stew unleashed tendrils of gravy, grabbing trees, rocks, and one unlucky yak. Everything it touched became… side dishes.
Wei Yun: "This stew's trying to cook the WORLD!"
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Part 3: Eldritch Ingredients Unleashed
Each tendril summoned cursed ingredients:
Sentient Star Anise – Screams at pitchfork frequencies.
Cursed Carrots – Multiply every time you blink.
Quantum Meat Cubes – Exist in multiple stomachs simultaneously.
The Egg That Knows Your Secrets.
Tang Zhi got tackled by a rampaging yam.
Pan-Pan was caught in a gravity field of bouncing scallions.
Mu Yao impaled a tomato. It bled regret.
Wei Yun activated:
> Culinary Defense Formation – Celestial Soup Ring!
Broth rose like holy fire, blocking the stew's advance.
System pinged:
> [Quest Received: Neutralize the Forbidden Stew before it eats the Mortal Realm. Rewards: Legendary Spice Box, Instant Noodle Cultivation Manual, and +20 to Flavor Resistance.]
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Part 4: Duel with the Ladle-Wielding Waiter
Flavor-Servant #4,657 stepped forward, spinning dual void ladles.
Wei Yun: "You serve THAT thing?"
Servant: "I live… to plate the end."
They clashed.
Ladle met ladle.
One style: refined, elegant, seasoned.
The other: chaotic, blasphemous, fusion-gone-wrong.
Wei Yun flipped backward, dodging a flurry of fermented dimension strikes.
He retaliated with:
> Ultimate Broth Blade: Noodle Spiral Heaven Cut!
The sky twisted as ramen surged forth, tangling the void ladles briefly.
Tang Zhi threw Salt Bombs of Reason.
Mu Yao screamed, "DEEP FRY THIS ELDRITCH RICE PUDDING!!"
And Pan-Pan… bit the stew.
Pan-Pan immediately transcended mortal thought.
"…I have seen flavors… beyond comprehension…"
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Part 5: Cooking the Uncookable
Wei Yun knew the stew couldn't be beaten—it had to be balanced.
He accessed the forbidden culinary scroll: The Recipe of Redemption.
He added:
A pinch of Divine Basil (grown from Heaven's window sill).
A dash of Ancestor Garlic (aged 10,000 years).
And one Soul-Cleansing Chili.
He leapt into the air.
> Broth Sovereign Art: Holy Simmering Reboot!
The world ignited in warm umami glow.
The stew screamed. "NOOO—TOO BALANCED—TOO WHOLESOME!"
It boiled, foamed… then evaporated into mist, raining down as delicious pho over the land.
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Part 6: Aftertaste of the Eldritch
The crack in the sky sealed.
The pot vanished, leaving behind only a single note:
> "This was only an appetizer.
Main course coming soon: The Multiversal Buffet of Annihilation."
Pan-Pan shuddered. "I don't want to be pudding…"
System alert:
> [Forbidden Stew neutralized. New title earned: Chef of Cosmic Correction.]
[Artifact acquired: Ladle of the Lost Stars.]
[World affinity increased. You are now officially feared by 12 dark culinary gods.]
Tang Zhi sighed. "Next time, can we just fight, like, a normal sword sect?"
Wei Yun: "What's that smell now?"
System pinged:
> [Upcoming Event: Immortal Chef Tournament – Realm vs Realm Cook-off Begins Tomorrow.]
[Host: The Divine Gourmet Guild.]
Everyone: "…Of course it's a tournament arc."
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End of Chapter 21.