The air grew cooler as Lin Feng and his companions descended from the Dumpling Peaks, the golden light of the Dumpling Beasts fading behind them. Though the steep cliffs and swirling mists remained, the oppressive weight of the trial had lifted, replaced by a quiet confidence within Lin Feng. In his hands, he carried a keepsake left by the lead Dumpling Beast—a golden dumpling-shaped jade charm that pulsed faintly with warmth.
Bai Xue walked beside him in silence, occasionally glancing his way. Her usual smirk had softened into something unreadable. Flame Duck waddled ahead, occasionally tripping over stones, flapping his wings wildly as he narrated their descent like a wandering bard.
"After conquering the mighty beasts of legend, the hero descended with steam in his soul and spice in his stride!" Flame Duck declared, nearly toppling off a ledge before Bai Xue grabbed him by the scruff.
"Save your breath," she muttered. "You'll need it if we run into another trial."
"We're headed to the Dim Sum Sect, right?" Lin Feng asked, brushing a strand of hair out of his face. "What do we know about them?"
Bai Xue hesitated. "Not much. Most people don't even know they exist. They're said to be one of the hidden Seven Culinary Clans, older than the Nine Sacred Dishes themselves. Some say they served the first Emperor of Flavor."
Flame Duck's eyes sparkled. "I heard they can cook dumplings that let you see your past lives!"
"That's probably a myth," Bai Xue said flatly.
"No, it's real," Lin Feng murmured. His hand tightened around the jade charm. "The Dumpling Beast shared a vision with me. A place buried in mist… massive lotus-shaped kitchens… and voices speaking in tongues I couldn't understand. It felt ancient. Alive."
Bai Xue turned toward him, genuinely intrigued. "So the charm's more than a souvenir?"
"I think it's a key," Lin Feng replied. "To the heart of the Sect."
They continued their descent until they reached a vast bamboo forest. The stalks were unusually thick and glowed faintly green under the moonlight. At its center stood a single arched gate carved from dumpling stone—silvery-white rock that shimmered like steamed dough under sunlight. Inscribed across the archway in ancient culinary script were the words:
"Only the Steamed May Enter. The Impatient Shall Burn."
Flame Duck frowned. "What the heck does that mean? Only steamed food lovers allowed?"
"No…" Lin Feng stepped forward, pressing the jade charm against the stone. "It's a metaphor."
At once, the stone gate creaked open, not with brute force but with a release of fragrant steam. Aromas of ginger, garlic, scallion oil, and something ancient drifted through. As they stepped inside, they emerged onto a spiral stone pathway hovering in mid-air, suspended above an endless sea of mist. Floating islands dotted the horizon, each one a grand pavilion in the shape of food—spring rolls, lotus leaf rice, even a spinning teacup fortress.
Flame Duck gasped. "We're in heaven."
But Lin Feng wasn't smiling. Something about the air felt strange—not threatening, but… expectant.
---
The Celestial Host
As they stepped onto the nearest platform—a massive bamboo steamer shaped pavilion—several hooded figures emerged, clad in robes embroidered with intricate dumpling patterns. One stepped forward, lifting his hood.
He was an elderly man with a long beard tied into the shape of a spring roll. His eyes were sharp, gleaming with hidden power. "You bear the jade of the Dumpling Peaks," he said in a raspy voice. "And you smell… of perfect steam."
Flame Duck puffed proudly. "We just survived the Trial of the Golden Crust!"
The man gave Flame Duck a long, unreadable look, then turned back to Lin Feng. "You are early."
"Early?" Lin Feng frowned. "I thought I was late. I only started cultivating the Sacred Dishes a few weeks ago."
"You were expected in seven years," the elder said. "But the steam does not lie. You have awakened the Gourmand's Flame within."
Bai Xue tilted her head. "What's that?"
"The Gourmand's Flame is one of the Eight Gastric Spirits—forgotten essences of the Celestial Kitchen. Legends say they can transform a chef into a culinary god—or a gluttonous tyrant."
The elder studied Lin Feng's face. "Most are drawn to it through gluttony, but in you, I sense… hunger of purpose."
"I want to revive my clan," Lin Feng said. "And I want to master the Nine Sacred Dishes. That's all."
The elder nodded solemnly. "Then you must undergo the Steamed Heart Trial."
Flame Duck groaned. "Another trial?! I just finished one! My wings are still damp!"
The elder ignored him. "Follow me."
---
Trial of the Steamed Heart
The trio followed the elder to a lotus-shaped pavilion suspended over boiling mist. Inside was a single, vast room filled with floating steam spheres—each containing a vision. Lin Feng gasped as he glimpsed flashes of memories inside them: a mother humming while folding dumplings, a father smiling over a pot of broth, an empty house echoing with silence.
"These are memories of flavor," the elder said. "To cook from the heart, one must confront it."
He turned to Lin Feng. "Step into the steam."
Lin Feng stepped forward and was immediately enveloped by the mist. He felt his senses dissolve, his body vanish—only memory remained.
He stood inside a kitchen he hadn't seen since childhood. The air smelled of sesame oil and scallions. His mother stood at the stove, stirring a pot of rich broth. She looked at him and smiled.
"Feng'er, remember—food is not just taste. It is love. It is memory."
The scene shifted.
He was older, standing alone in the kitchen after his parents vanished. He had cooked the same dish over and over again—hoping its aroma would bring them back. Each time, the broth fell flat. Each time, the pain deepened.
He turned, and suddenly his older self stared back at him, eyes filled with resentment.
"You think cooking will fix everything?" the shadow sneered. "You think dumplings will make the world right again? You're chasing dreams, Lin Feng. And dreams don't feed the hungry."
Lin Feng gritted his teeth. "You're right. Food alone won't fix the world. But it's a start. It's the only thing I know how to do. And I'm going to do it better than anyone."
The shadow smirked… then nodded, fading into the steam.
---
The Awakening
When Lin Feng stepped out of the mist, the elder and his companions were waiting. His clothes were soaked, but his eyes burned with clarity.
"You saw the truth," the elder said softly.
"I saw my past," Lin Feng replied. "And I let go of it."
The elder raised both hands. The floating pavilion shuddered, and a seal descended from the sky—a golden stamp in the shape of a dumpling, pulsing with divine light.
"You have passed the Steamed Heart Trial. From now on, you are an Initiate of the Dim Sum Sect."
The seal floated into Lin Feng's chest, merging with his core. He gasped as his Qi surged, his Gourmand's Flame expanding and purifying. He could feel his senses sharpen—smells, tastes, even textures. Every aspect of the culinary world now danced on the edge of his perception.
Bai Xue stepped forward, arms crossed. "So what now? Does he become a dumpling monk or something?"
The elder smiled. "Now… he trains."
Flame Duck's eyes widened. "Do we get dumpling uniforms?! I want one with chili peppers!"
"You will train with our masters in steam, balance, and preparation," the elder continued. "And when you are ready, we will send you to the Celestial Wok… where the next Sacred Dish waits."
Lin Feng's heart pounded. Another dish. Another step toward the Nine Sacred Dishes—and toward the truth behind his family's disappearance.
"Then let's begin," he said, stepping forward.
And so, the next chapter of Lin Feng's culinary odyssey began—not with a battle, but with steam.