Somewhere across the continent...
A black-robed figure knelt before a massive circular formation drawn into stone. Carved into it were four curved spirals, each one older than kingdoms.
Suddenly—one of them glowed.
The Fourth Spiral.
The kneeling man gasped. "A disturbance…? No. A harmonic resonance?"
He reached into his robe and pulled out a cracked soup spoon.
"The Spiral Chef… has awakened."
Back on Mount Chaos…
Wei Long was planting scallions. That's it. Just scallions.
Shen Ruo sat nearby, watching him with the intensity of a scholar watching a dragon.
"You felt it too, right?" she asked.
Wei Long yawned. "Felt what?"
"The moment your chopsticks carried intent. Purpose. Qi. Rhythm. Spiral flow."
Wei Long squinted. "Oh that? Yeah, I was trying to scratch my back."
"…Unbelievable."
Ding!
A potato burst into spiritual flame.
He blinked. "Okay that one was not on purpose."
Suddenly, the ground trembled.
A cart rolled up the mountain, pulled by six goats wearing ceremonial robes.
A cult had arrived.
At the front stood a man with circular spectacles, carrying a massive wok like a holy relic.
He fell to his knees. "O' Spiral Chef! We have heard the Prophecies!"
Wei Long blinked. "I'm sorry, the what now?"
"The Four Spiral Masters! North Spiral of Slaughter. South Spiral of Silence. East Spiral of Spoons. And West Spiral of Whimsy.You, O' One Who Stirreth in Chaos, have awakened the Spiral Flow once more!"
Wei Long turned to Shen Ruo.
She nodded. "Your duel reached the Spiral Network. It's like… spiritual Wi-Fi. Only more judgmental."
The man continued. "Please, accept our offering!"
He handed over… a pickle jar.
Wei Long opened it.
Inside was a glowing lotus-shaped tofu cube.
He popped it into his mouth.Eyes widened.
[You have learned: Chopstick Flow – Second Form: Pickled Precision]
Ding!
Another Enlightened Radish exploded.
Lin Qian screamed again.
Later, in the Dumpling Hall…
The Spiral Cult had set up tents. Their goats had arranged themselves in yin-yang formation.
Wei Long sat on a throne made of bamboo steamers.
Shen Ruo sat beside him, deep in thought.
"They think you're their savior."
Wei Long shrugged. "I mean, I did fix their stir-fry technique."
"No, I mean… their spiritual messiah."
"Oh. Right. That."
She lowered her voice.
"Wei Long… the Spiral Network doesn't respond to jokes.If you've awakened it, someone will come.A Spiral Master. Or worse… the Spiral Exile."
He nodded slowly.
Then blinked. "Wait. There's an exile?"
BOOM.
A goat flew across the sky.
"Someone triggered the pastry defense array," Shen Ruo muttered.
Meanwhile… In the Jade Sun Monastery
The monk known only as Whisker Sage tasted his tea. He paused.
"…That flavor. Spiral Chopstick Intent…"
He stood.
Wrapped his whisk-shaped staff.
"The Spiral Chef walks again.Time to test his flow."