Back at the Taoist Temple, Ning Fei put down his fishing gear and began preparing dinner. Tonight's meal was special—he was cooking shad, one of the most prized fish.
It wasn't that Ning Fei didn't want to sell it, especially considering its value of around 8,000 yuan, but the logistics made it difficult. The village was an hour and a half drive from the nearest city, and finding buyers was not easy. Besides, as a Taoist, Ning Fei preferred to go with the flow. He hadn't eaten shad many times, so he decided to enjoy it for himself this time.
Ning Fei glanced at his live stream. The number of viewers had stabilized at around 100,000, an impressive figure for a newcomer.
He checked the system's popularity points again. His total was now at 14,000, with 2,000 already spent, leaving 12,000 available.
Seeing this, Ning Fei didn't hesitate. He decided to use 12,000 popularity points for a silver ten-draw, which guaranteed a rare item or skill.
"System, I want to do a ten consecutive silver draw!" Ning Fei commanded.
"Ding! The host has chosen the silver draw for ten consecutive draws. Drawing now..." the system responded.
"Ding! Congratulations, the host has received the following items:"
Watermelon Seeds (Low Level) x5: Can grow watermelons, slower, but exceptionally sweet.
Carrot Seeds (Low Level) x5: Can grow carrots, slower, but exceptionally crisp.
Pet Feed (Low Level) x5: Suitable for mammals, highly praised by animals for its delicious taste.
Strengthening Body Pill (Low Level) x5: Slightly increases the host's attributes (upper limit 15).
Fertile Soil x1 Bag: Magical black soil that can increase crop yield by 10%.
Cabbage Seeds (Low Level) x5: Can grow cabbage, grows very fast without affecting taste.
Silver Fertilizer (Low Grade) x1 Bag: Speeds up plant growth and increases yield.
Peach Wood Sword x1: A beautiful wooden sword made of real peach wood, indestructible.
Concentration Incense x1: When lit, it produces a scent that makes people feel refreshed and happy.
Skill: Ultimate Swordsman: Greatly enhances the host's knife skills, taking them to a higher level in cooking.
As the system's voice faded, Ning Fei's excitement grew.
He had hit the jackpot!
Usually, silver draws yielded small gadgets or items, and the chance of acquiring a skill was slim. But luck was on his side today—he had gained a skill, and a valuable one at that.
The system also included a storage space, allowing him to retrieve items from the system at any time, though he couldn't put anything back in. It was a one-way storage system, preventing the possibility of people discovering the existence of such a mysterious space.
After finishing the draw, Ning Fei spent about 10 minutes collecting his rewards. He fed the pet food to the dog, Rhubarb, who was outside the temple. The dog wagged its tail in delight, but there were only five pieces, so Ning Fei had to spread them out.
The fertile soil was only enough to cover about one-tenth of his vegetable garden, so he decided to save it for later. As for the seeds, he planned to plant them when the time was right.
Ning Fei quickly returned to his live stream, explaining that he had briefly stepped away to use the bathroom. The audience didn't seem to mind.
Now, it was time to prepare the fish.
Ning Fei expertly prepped his ingredients. He wiped the bottom of the pot with ginger and then added a little oil to heat. As he worked, he spoke softly to the camera.
"Today, I'll be making fish soup with shad. Wild shad can cost between 4,000 and 8,000 yuan, and it's very nutritious. I hope you all enjoy it."
New viewers were immediately intrigued, with comments flooding the chat.
"Seriously? A fish worth 4,000 yuan?"
"This streamer is so handsome!"
"He has such a gentle temperament. Calling us 'friends,' instead of using terms like 'bros' or 'lads' like other streamers."
"He really has a unique aura."
Fans who had been following Ning Fei for a while quickly explained.
"That's wild shad. Look it up, the price is legit."
"The streamer is a real Taoist, and it shows in his calm demeanor."
"Stick around. You won't regret watching."
"Uh oh, more people are coming to steal my husband!"
Meanwhile, Ning Fei remained focused on preparing the fish.
He cut ginger, garlic, coriander, and tofu as side dishes. His knife skills were a spectacle to behold. He handled the kitchen knife as if it were an extension of his hand, moving with a grace and speed that left viewers in awe.
The vegetables he cut were uniform, as though they'd been sliced by a machine.
The knife seemed to dance in his hands, moving with a speed and precision that took even seasoned chefs years to master.
The chat exploded.
"Whoa, can someone actually use a knife like that?"
"Yeah, I used to be able to do that... back when I had hands."
"Stop, I did that when I was still alive!"
"666! So smooth!"
"How did this guy train his knife skills?"
"This is next-level!"
Donations and gifts poured in as the viewers marveled at his technique.
Unperturbed by the excitement in the chat, Ning Fei continued. He placed the shad into the pot and seared it on both sides. Once it was fried to perfection, he added boiling water, followed by the ginger, green onions, coriander, and other ingredients.
He held off on the tofu, knowing it would lose its texture if added too early.
After waiting a while, Ning Fei judged that it was time. He pulled out a block of tofu soaked in water, placed it in his left hand, and, with his right hand, began slicing it mid-air.
The audience gasped at the display of skill.
Before they could react, Ning Fei flipped his hand, and the neatly sliced tofu fell perfectly into the pot. Each piece was identical, as if cut by a mold.
His knife skills were truly extraordinary.