Chapter 22: Duck Soup Disaster and the Great Kitchen Explosion

The air in the Golden Wok Clan's kitchen was thick with tension and simmering steam, both literal and metaphorical. Lin Feng, his face half covered in broth, stood amidst the wreckage of what had once been a pristine kitchen. Master Quack, the sacred duck spirit, hovered in the air, feathers smoldering from the earlier fiery outburst.

"Oh, this is definitely not how I planned my first day," Lin Feng muttered, looking at the charred remains of what was supposed to be his masterpiece: the Heavenly Duck Harmony Stew.

Master Quack, his wings fluttering angrily, gave Lin Feng a glare that could melt steel. "You dare disturb my slumber with your crude cooking? I was about to meditate for a thousand years before you ruined my feathers!" The duck spirit puffed up, clearly not ready to forgive Lin Feng's culinary blunder anytime soon.

"But... Master Quack," Lin Feng began, his voice full of genuine apology, "I didn't mean to cook you! I was just trying to create a dish worthy of the clan's legacy. I thought you'd... you know, add flavor to it!"

Master Quack's beak twitched, a sign of barely contained rage. "Flavor? You can't cook me and expect flavor! I am an ancient spirit of the wok! A force of nature!"

Lin Feng quickly scrambled to recover. "Okay, okay, no more cooking you... how about a tribute dish instead?" His eyes darted around the kitchen for inspiration. "Yes! I'll make something... something to calm your fiery temper!"

He grabbed a handful of ingredients, hoping to concoct something quick enough to pacify Master Quack's divine wrath. As he stirred the pot, his mind raced. He had learned from his previous mistake—no sacred ingredients this time. No more fiery birds or potentially explosive creatures.

But of course, fate had other plans.

Lin Feng's ladle slipped, and before he could stop it, the pot tipped over. A stream of broth splashed across the floor, soaking the kitchen as he tried to right the pot in desperation. "No, no, no! This was supposed to be a peace offering!" he groaned.

Suddenly, the kitchen began to rumble, the walls shaking with an unsettling sound. Lin Feng looked down and saw what could only be described as... miniature ducks. They were coming out of the pot, waddling in perfect formation—except these weren't just ordinary ducks. They were... duck clones.

The first one quacked. "Quack, quack, quack, quack!"

A second duck followed, quacking in an eerie harmony. Then a third, and a fourth—soon, dozens of them were flooding the kitchen. Some waddled in circles, others flew into the air, and a few even jumped on the countertops to stare at Lin Feng.

"Uh... this... this was not what I intended!" Lin Feng's eyes widened in horror.

"Seal the pantry! Seal the entire kitchen!" Elder Bai's voice echoed from the other room. He burst in, eyes bulging in disbelief as he saw the horde of quacking clones. "You've... you've summoned a poultry pandemonium! We're under duck attack!"

"Hold on! Let me fix this!" Lin Feng shouted, attempting to stop the flood of ducks by grabbing his ladle and waving it around like a sword.

But the more he swung, the more ducks appeared. Each one seemed to quack with more intensity, their tiny wings flapping and their beaks snapping.

Master Quack, still hovering in the air, began to laugh uncontrollably. "Do you see what you've done? You've unleashed the Ducky Clones of Doom! What a fool you are, child!"

Lin Feng, his eyes narrowing, gripped his ladle tighter. "Alright, if you want chaos, then let's really get chaotic!" He snapped his fingers and shouted, "Quack Echo Wave!"

The kitchen trembled as a shockwave of energy burst from his mouth, sending all the ducks spiraling into the air, creating a wild, quacking whirlwind. For a moment, everything stood still.

Then, as if on cue, the ducks settled, and the kitchen fell silent—except for the faint sound of Master Quack's irritated muttering. Lin Feng turned around to see that the entire clan's pantry had been sealed by the elders, and the ducks had vanished.

"That... was not how I expected things to go," Lin Feng sighed, wiping the sweat from his brow. "But at least the ducks are gone."

Elder Bai, who had somehow managed to escape the chaos unscathed, gave him a piercing look. "That was one of the most absurd things I've ever seen, but..." He paused. "You've shown potential, Lin Feng. You've discovered the power to copy attacks by... consuming their essence."

Lin Feng raised an eyebrow. "Wait... what? You mean... I absorbed Master Quack's power just by eating his stew?"

Elder Bai nodded. "It's possible. The food you prepare carries traces of your spiritual energy. And in your case, consuming the essence of the dish's energy—especially when it's infused with spiritual techniques—might allow you to replicate it."

Lin Feng's eyes gleamed with excitement. "So, you're saying I can... copy attacks by eating them?"

"Indeed," Elder Bai confirmed. "Though you must be cautious. The power of each dish comes with risks. Not all energies are meant to be absorbed."

Lin Feng grinned, his confidence soaring. "Well, at least I won't go hungry trying to learn new techniques!"

Master Quack, who had settled back on a high perch in the kitchen, shook his head in disbelief. "I have made a terrible mistake."

Lin Feng winked at the duck spirit. "I think you're just jealous of my new abilities."

Master Quack narrowed his eyes. "Don't get too cocky, mortal. I'll make sure you regret this... next time." And with a final huff, he waddled away, muttering under his breath.

Lin Feng chuckled to himself, the weight of his new power settling in. "Well, Master Quack... it's been real."

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