Luo Bing blinked, then grinned slowly as he caught on. "We have an entire jar of ghost chili powder. And plenty of oil. Are you thinking what I think you're thinking?"
"If you're thinking improvised pepper spray and smoke screen, then yes, yes I am." Li Fan felt both terrified and thrilled by the absurdity. Monty Python would be proud, he thought wryly.
Soon, in the sparring yard, a crowd had gathered. News of the impending 'duel' between an unknown outer disciple and the esteemed core disciple Duan Mu spread like wildfire. Most assumed it was a formality—a public chastisement. Duan Mu arrived first with his entourage, including Guo Hei. Elder Hao watched from the side, arms folded, an unpleasant gleam in his eye.
Li Fan came late, to the point people thought he chickened out. But he emerged jogging with two buckets, one sloshing with oil, the other with water and a large satchel over his shoulder. He plopped them at the edge of the ring.
"You finally came," Duan Mu said, cracking his knuckles. "What's all this? Going to cook me a farewell meal?" The spectators chuckled.
Li Fan smiled disarmingly. "Oh this? Just some cleaning supplies. I thought after I get beaten, I'd need to clean the mess, so I brought water to wash the blood off the floor. Sect rules, keep the place tidy, you know." Some laughed harder, amused by the outer disciple's gall.
Duan Mu sneered, but decided to end it quick. "I appreciate your thoughtfulness. Now, let's begin." He didn't even bother drawing a weapon; he began forming a series of hand seals. Flames flickered around his fists indeed he specialized in fire techniques.
"Begin!" shouted an officiating senior.
Duan Mu thrust his palm forward, sending a cone of flame towards Li Fan. It was a restrained attack, meant to scare more than maim. Li Fan yelped and dodged behind one of the buckets. As he had planned, the bucket full of water took the brunt—steam exploded as water met fire, creating a brief cloud.
Using that cover, Li Fan reached into his satchel. From it, he pulled out a large handful of fine powder, a blend of ghost chili and flour (flour for volume and stickiness). With a heave, he hurled the powder through the dissipating steam cloud towards Duan Mu.
"What trick!" Duan Mu started, just as the powder cloud hit the flames around him. Whoosh! The flour ignited in a flash flare, while the ghost chili particles volatilized into a searing mist. Duan Mu inhaled a lungful and immediately coughed, eyes burning. "Gah!" He staggered, tears streaming as the super-spice assaulted his senses.
The audience gasped. Was this allowed? It was unorthodox but he hadn't technically broken any rule, no one said you couldn't bring cooking ingredients to a fight.
Li Fan didn't wait. He grabbed the second bucket and flung its contents across the ground between them. A slick puddle spread over the stone arena.
Duan Mu, recovering from the pepper blast, growled in anger. Humiliated and furious, he decided to show this upstart no mercy. With a roar, he launched himself forward, a flaming kick aimed at Li Fan. But as soon as his leading foot hit the oil-slick ground, physics took over. His foot skidded uncontrollably.
"Whoa—!" Duan Mu windmilled his arms, trying to regain balance. Li Fan simply stepped aside. With an elegant whoop, the core disciple did an involuntary split and then thumped onto his back in the puddle of oil. The crowd winced collectively. A few chuckles escaped—someone even clapped (quickly shushed by others). Guo Hei's jaw dropped.
Li Fan pounced. He dashed over and produced a small sack from his satchel, dumping its contents onto the prone Duan Mu. It was a mountain of fine white something... salt? Sugar? No—powdered sect cafeteria instant noodles seasoning! It coated Duan Mu, making him look like a sugar-dusted pastry. "Ackpth!" the disciple sputtered as some got in his mouth.
"Yield, senior!" Li Fan said cheerily, holding the wooden bucket now over Duan Mu's head threateningly (as if to bonk him). "I fear any more and you'll smell like dinner for a week."
Duan Mu, utterly disgraced and literally seasoned, coughed out a surrender—he couldn't even speak properly through the burning spice and shame. The officiator, suppressing a grin, declared, "The duel... goes to Li Fan?"
A beat of silence, then uproar. Outer disciples cheered at the unexpected upset. Some inner disciples howled in laughter; others glared in disapproval. Guo Hei ran over to help his idol Duan Mu up, slipping on the oil himself and face-planting next to him, which earned outright guffaws from the audience.
Elder Hao was livid. "Outrageous! This wasn't a proper display of skill, it was trickery!" He moved as if to punish Li Fan on the spot. But just then, a commanding voice cut through the noise: "Enough!" It was Elder Kang, arriving on the scene, drawn by the commotion.
"Elder Kang, this disciple used underhanded means—" Elder Hao began.
"Means that were not prohibited," Elder Kang interrupted, his tone neutral. "A fight is a fight. Duan Mu underestimated his opponent and lost. That itself is a lesson in humility, as requested." Elder Kang's eyes twinkled ever so slightly looking at Li Fan, who gave a modest bow, the picture of innocence while standing amid oil and spices.
Elder Hao looked ready to argue more, but another figure stepped forward—a dignified middle-aged woman in ornate robes: Sect Master Yao herself, who had apparently arrived during the bout. She surveyed the scene with a mix of amusement and sternness. "What is going on here exactly? My sect's sparring ground turned into... a kitchen arena?"
All the elders and disciples immediately bowed to the sect master. Elder Hao seethed but composed himself. "Sect Master, just a minor disciplinary duel that got out of hand... The outer disciple responsible will be dealt with—"
Sect Master Yao raised her hand to silence him. To everyone's surprise, she chuckled softly. "I could smell the spice halfway across the compound. What an inventive use of resources. We preach creativity in combat, do we not?" She nodded toward Li Fan. "Outer disciple, you are Li Fan, correct? I've heard about you... the one who enjoys cooking."
Li Fan swallowed, nodding. "Yes, Sect Master. I apologize for any disturbance. I only did what I thought necessary to... uh... season my opponent thoroughly." There were snorts of laughter from the crowd at that.
The sect master actually smiled. "Well, Duan Mu certainly looks flavorful." Duan Mu was bright red (from both spice and embarrassment) and trying to hide behind Guo Hei while cleaning himself off.
"Elder Hao, since the duel is concluded and no serious harm done, let's leave it at that," Sect Master Yao decided. "I think the Alchemy Hall can spare a jar of Fiery Pepper for the kitchens—consider it a donation, given how much joy this little event brought." Elder Hao opened his mouth, then closed it, realizing the sect master was teasing him indirectly. He bowed reluctantly.
"As for you, Li Fan," she continued, "Your... unique approach has caught my interest. Report to my residence tomorrow at dawn. I wish to test something personally." Her eyes glinted mysteriously.
Li Fan's heart skipped. The sect master herself? This could be very good or very, very bad. But he bowed. "Yes, Sect Master. Thank you, Sect Master." She nodded and dismissed everyone.
As the crowd dispersed, Pang Wei ran over beaming. "That was insane! You're a legend now among outer disciples. I bet even inner ones won't mess with you after this. You seasoned a core disciple like a steak!" Li Fan laughed weakly, adrenaline wearing off, legs shaking from either leftover horse-stance pain or nerves.
Luo Bing slipped him a thumbs up from the kitchen doorway. Li Fan returned it. Guo Hei, supporting a limping Duan Mu, shot Li Fan a venomous glare before scurrying away—clearly plotting revenge but too embarrassed to try anything right now.
Elder Kang approached quietly. "I trust you'll not cause such chaos every day, Li Fan." But he patted Li Fan's shoulder discreetly. "Well done handling yourself. Perhaps there's more to your culinary path than just feeding your stomach." He left Li Fan with that cryptic comment.
Amidst the buzz of what had happened, Li Fan realized one thing: he was starving again. Using all those ingredients for combat felt like a waste. "I wonder if there's any of that stew left..." he muttered, heading back to the kitchen to actually cook a proper meal now that the excitement was over.
High above, perched in a tree, the veiled girl watched the aftermath with delighted eyes. She hadn't laughed this much in a long time. "That was rather brilliant... and utterly ridiculous," she whispered. Her gaze followed Li Fan as he headed to the kitchen. "Tomorrow at dawn with the sect master, huh? I wouldn't miss that for the world." And with a swirl of her sleeve, she vanished into the rustling leaves.