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Part 1: Welcome to the Confection Catacombs
The gang entered a dimension that looked like a fairytale bakery exploded in a Gothic cathedral.
The air was thick with powdered sugar fog, the ground squished under marshmallow cobblestones, and in the distance stood a colossal gate shaped like a demonic donut—its glaze slowly oozing down like blood.
A sign hovered ominously:
> "Ye Who Enter Here Must Face the Sugar Trials—Only One May Taste Sweet Salvation."
Pan-Pan sniffed. "I smell betrayal. And custard."
System's alert popped up:
> [Trial 5: Dessert of the Damned – Objective: Survive the Sweetness. Warning: Excess consumption may result in Sugar Qi Overdose.]
Mu Yao scoffed. "I don't fear cake. I fear what I'll do to it."
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Part 2: The Cupcake Cultists
Before they could step farther, robed sugar sprites emerged—tiny creatures in dark frosting cloaks, wielding peppermint daggers.
"We are the Servants of the Seven-Layered Sin! You shall not pass until you prove your worth in the Rite of the Fork!"
Wei Yun rolled his eyes. "This again?"
One of the cultists produced a towering cupcake—seven layers tall, each representing one of the Seven Deadly Flavors: Gluttony Ganache, Wrath Raspberry, Envy Éclair, Lust Lemon, Greed Ganache, Sloth Soufflé, and Pride Pudding.
"You must each devour one layer and survive the Internal Confection Conflict."
Pan-Pan: "Oh-ho-ho. Bring it on, pastry punks."
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Part 3: Battle of the Layers
One by one, they stepped up.
Tang Zhi took on Wrath Raspberry. The tangy fury burned her tongue, activating her Fiery Palate Technique. She screamed, then burped a flame so potent it crisped a cultist.
Mu Yao bit into Lust Lemon. Instantly, the sour seduction whispered secrets of forbidden flavor pairings. She resisted, muttering, "I will not add truffle oil to dumplings… I will NOT!"
Pan-Pan devoured Gluttony Ganache. He bloated into a meatball of power. "I… have become what I eat!"
Then Wei Yun approached Pride Pudding—the final, most narcissistic layer. As he ate it, a mirror appeared, showing him as a Golden God of Gourmet Glory, worshipped across galaxies.
System:
> [You are under the effect of Ego Enhancement. Confidence Levels: 9999%.]
[Downside: You now believe you invented rice.]
Wei Yun struck a pose. "Bow before the Rice Father."
Mu Yao kicked him in the shin. "Snap out of it, Your Majesty of Midwit."
The illusions faded. They had passed the test.
The donut gate cracked open, revealing a throne made of crystallized candy cane bones.
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Part 4: The Sugar Wraith Queen
From the throne arose a chilling figure:
The Sugar Wraith Queen—a being composed entirely of hardened syrup and sorrowful sweetness.
Her voice was like candied glass breaking.
"You dare enter my domain and consume MY creations? For this insult… you will face the Sweetening!"
She summoned her weapons:
The Spatula of Eternal Icing
The Whisk of Withering Whimsy
And the Mixer of Mayhem
The team assumed battle stances.
Tang Zhi: "It's time we bake you into the afterlife."
Pan-Pan: "Let's roll her like dough!"
Mu Yao: "No mercy. No frosting left behind."
Wei Yun summoned his secret weapon:
The Forbidden Rolling Pin of the Eighteen Star Kitchens, which once flattened a demon chef into a pancake.
The battle raged—sprinkles flying like shrapnel, frosting whips crackling with Qi.
The Sugar Wraith Queen split into multiple mini macarons—each a sugary spirit bomb. Pan-Pan tackled two and ate them mid-air. "DELIGHTFULLY DOOMED!"
Mu Yao diced through caramel clones. Tang Zhi unleashed her Whisking Wind Palm.
Wei Yun closed in with a final blow:
> "Pastry Path: Heaven-Baking Palm!"
BOOM.
The Queen shattered into powdered sugar.
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Part 5: The True Reward – Not a Cookie, but a Cookbook
A golden pedestal rose from the caramel-sticky floor. Upon it lay:
> The Eternal Cookbook Fragment – Volume 1: Pastries & Power Plays
System:
> [Congratulations. Trial 5 Complete – Dessert of the Damned Cleared.]
[Rewards Unlocked: +10 Gourmet Dao Points, Divine Apron of Resistance, Recipe Scroll – "Cake of Cultivation."]
Pan-Pan: "Wait. We get to bake cake that boosts Qi?"
Mu Yao: "Finally. Cultivation with calories."
Tang Zhi: "I'm going to open a heavenly patisserie after this."
Wei Yun held the fragment. His eyes gleamed. "With this… I'll bake my own destiny."
System snorted:
> [Don't forget Trial 6 awaits. The Forbidden Tasting Menu makes this look like a potluck.]
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To Be Continued in Chapter 25: