Fishing Technique (Elementary): Increases the host's chance of catching fish.
Bait (Elementary): Normal bait, but Qixing fish seems to love it.
"Seven Star Fish!"
Seeing the bait's description, Ning Fei's face lit up with joy.
There's a small river not far from the Taoist temple. The water flows from the mountain, crystal clear and untouched by pollution.
That's why the rare Seven Star Fish, which requires exceptionally pure water, can survive there.
The Seven Star Fish is a valuable freshwater fish, often called the "treasure of fish." It's rich in nutrients, tender, and delicious. High in protein and low in fat, it also has medicinal properties—cooling the body and detoxifying it. In short, it's not just tasty, but valuable.
But catching a Seven Star Fish isn't easy.
The river is full of fish, both large and small, but they're all clever and not easily fooled by bait.
"Looks like we're having fish for lunch today," Ning Fei announced to his viewers. "I'll go fishing this afternoon and show you all how it's done!"
With that, he took the last fish from his refrigerator, rinsed it, marinated it, steamed it, and topped it with soy sauce, minced garlic, and hot oil.
The audience was stunned by his culinary skills.
"Wow, the master can cook!"
"This looks incredible!"
"I'm starving just watching this!"
"This is top-tier cooking!"
Someone in the audience asked, "Wait, can Taoists eat meat? Isn't killing animals against your beliefs?"
Ning Fei, noticing the comment while cooking, took a moment to explain. "Taoists can eat meat, just like regular people. We eat chickens, ducks, fish, pigs—basically any common poultry or livestock."
"However, Taoism has precepts against eating certain animals: beef, dog meat, mullet, and swan geese."
"Beef is forbidden because Laozi's companion, the Green Ox, represents hard work and righteousness, so we don't eat cows."
"As for dogs, they symbolize loyalty, which is highly respected, so we avoid dog meat."
"The mullet fish is considered filial because after it lays eggs, the young swim into the mother's mouth to nourish her, showing deep devotion. We don't eat them for that reason."
"And swan geese? They represent loyalty in love, always staying with one mate. If one dies, the other lives the rest of its life alone, so we don't eat them either."
"Oh, and we don't eat game either."
His explanation left the viewers impressed.
"Master, that's fascinating!"
"You're teaching me so much!"
"This really touched me."
"You know what? I won't eat beef anymore."
Ning Fei continued, "Taoism values harmony with nature. We respect life but don't interfere with the natural order. Life and death are part of a greater balance."
One knowledgeable viewer added, "Taoism teaches what to do while living, unlike other philosophies that focus on what happens after death. This is the way of the world."
Another viewer chimed in, "Whoa, can comments be this long?"
"Yup, you just have to recharge your account!"
The stream filled with lively comments.
After finishing his meal of steamed fish, rice, and pickled vegetables, Ning Fei ate with calm, gentle movements. He didn't eat with the exuberance of a mukbang host or the speed of competitive eaters, but watching him still made people's mouths water. The fish looked and smelled amazing, even through the screen.
Some viewers even joked, "Is this still an outdoor stream, or has it become a cooking show?"
Whatever kind of stream it was, people were enjoying themselves.
Ning Fei glanced up at the sky. It was overcast, with a large white cloud hanging above. He calculated the weather using traditional methods, but it didn't reveal much. So, he checked the weather app on his phone. The forecast said it would stay cloudy without rain.
Perfect fishing weather.
"Let's go fishing this afternoon," Ning Fei told his viewers.
"Wait, there are fish up in the mountains?" one viewer asked.
"Of course!" Ning Fei smiled. "There's a small river here, and our domestic water supply comes from it."
He went on to explain, "Last year, thanks to a poverty alleviation project, the Water Conservancy Bureau and the Electric Power Bureau came and solved the 'water supply difficulty' that plagued the village for years."
As he talked, Ning Fei gathered his fishing equipment. His fishing rod was old but sturdy—his master's legacy. His master had saved up some money from a generous donor to buy it seven or eight years ago.
Taoists tend to be frugal, after all.
Historically, Taoism has always been like that. In times of peace, Taoists live quietly in the mountains. But when the world is in turmoil, they emerge to help.
Other religious orders, however, often thrive when times are good, with emperors and officials supporting them by building grand temples. But during times of war, it's rare to hear about them stepping in to save people.
At around two o'clock in the afternoon, Ning Fei packed his gear, donned a straw hat, grabbed an empty bucket, locked the door of the Taoist temple, and headed towards the river.
The drone followed him, live-streaming his every move. His viewership had stabilized around 30,000 people.
"Can the master really fish?"
"This kind of authentic outdoor stream is rare. Most are staged."
"Yeah, a lot of outdoor streams just set up the fish in advance."
"I want to see the master's fishing skills."
"Hey, my wife has strict rules, so I'll live vicariously through the stream!"
"Don't worry, if you catch more than ten fish, I'll send a donation!"
As the live chat buzzed, a sudden, loud bark rang out from behind Ning Fei. The viewers were startled by the powerful sound.
"What kind of dog is that? It sounds intense!"
The drone quickly turned to reveal Ning Fei and a khaki-colored pastoral dog following behind him. But this wasn't your average dog. This dog was muscular—its body like that of a bulldog, yet built even more powerfully.
It looked like the greyhound, Spike, from Tom and Jerry.
"What the... did this dog take steroids?"
"Is that even a dog?"
"Does this dog work out? Or did someone train it?"
"I've never seen a dog like this. It's ripped!"
"666, that's one mighty dog!"
The chat exploded once again.
This stream had a panda casually visiting his home for bamboo earlier, and now, a muscular pastoral dog following him around. It was turning into quite the spectacle!