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[Morning – Eternal Radiance Divine Sect Kitchen, a Ticking Time Bomb]
Li Qingyu stood before a bubbling cauldron, armed with an apron that read "Chef of Chaos."
Su Jian squinted into the pot. "Needs more kick."
Li Qingyu nodded. "Add the flaming turnip powder."
"…Isn't that the stuff that melts stone?"
"Flavor explosion," Li Qingyu said seriously. "We'll call it Soul-Searing Soup Surprise."
Su Jian dumped it in.
The soup turned bright purple. Then started chanting in Latin.
Before either could say "Oops," the pot detonated with a thunderous BOOM.
The entire kitchen wall vaporized, smoke billowed, and a random chicken squawked as it was flung into the sky.
---
[Moments Later – The Wrath Arrives]
Ziyan appeared, holding her sword in one hand and a cup of tea in the other. Her eye twitched.
"Did you two… just blow up another wall?"
Li Qingyu coughed out steam. "Technically Su did it."
Su pointed a sooty ladle. "He's the one who named it Soul-Searing. What did you expect?"
Ziyan took a slow sip of tea. Then cracked her knuckles.
"You maniacs do realize we are out of spirit stones, right?"
Li Qingyu blinked. "Again?"
"We've used them all to fix your creative culinary war crimes!" she snapped. "Roofs! Walls! Emotional trauma therapy for builders!"
The builders in the background nodded solemnly.
One held up a sign:
> "NO WALLS, NO COOKING SHOWS!"
Su Jian muttered, "Traitors."
Ziyan jabbed a finger. "Go. Do. A. Mission. Now! Earn some damn spirit stones before I sell you to a soup restaurant!"
Li Qingyu stood tall, dusted off his cracked apron, and said firmly:
"I am the sect master. I give orders. I don't take them. Especially not from my disciples!"
A long silence.
Ziyan's eyebrow twitched.
Then she punched him so hard his soul left for a quick walk.
---
[Minutes Later – Courtyard, Comedy in Bruises]
Li Qingyu lay face-down in the dirt, a bootprint on his back and his pride in tatters.
Foreman Wu walked past with a trowel, snorted, and muttered, "Strong leadership."
The other builders clapped mockingly.
One tossed him a leaflet:
> "Martial Arts for Beginners: When Arrogance Isn't Enough"
Li Qingyu groaned. "Why does this sect only respect violence…"
Su Jian helped him up. "Ziyan said if we don't bring back spirit stones, next time she'll feed you to the ducks."
Li Qingyu wheezed, "She's bluffing."
"She gave the duck a napkin bib."
"...Fine. Let's go do a mission."
---
[Mission Board – A Scroll of Humble Pie]
Li Qingyu grabbed a random scroll, still wincing.
> Mission: Eliminate Wild Spirit Weed Pests
Reward: 30 Spirit Stones
Danger: Mild hallucination, possible pollen-induced personality shift
He sighed. "Let's get this over with. The sect needs money."
Su Jian slung his bag over his shoulder. "And you need medical attention."
Li Qingyu limped off. "I need respect."
Su Jian chuckled. "Yeah, and I need a soup that doesn't breach dimensional space."
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