Chapter 273: Frozen Tianchi, Ice Fishing on the Lake!

When Ning Fei skirted halfway around the mountain and arrived at a massive valley, the viewers were stunned by the sight before them.

It was a lake—an enormous lake.

It rested atop the Kunlun Mountains that stretched for thousands of miles, completely enclosed by towering snowy peaks.

A thin but even layer of white vapor drifted across the water's surface.

It looked like clouds, yet also like mist.

The entire scene felt exactly like a fairyland.

"What a beautiful lake!"

"My God, it looks a bit like the Tianchi scenic spot on Changbai Mountain."

"So this is what it feels like to be hidden deep within the clouds."

"I originally thought Ning Guan master was going to do a miserable Wilderness Survival broadcast. How did he just turn around and wander into the immortal realm?"

"So gorgeous!"

The drone streamed the lake, capturing Ning Fei's silhouette perfectly within the frame.

The Kunlun Mountains had always been known as the sacred peaks of Daoism, a place that Daoists yearned for.

And right now, with the lingering mist revealing Tianchi, Ning Fei's straight posture, and the snowy peaks stretching for thousands of miles in the background...

A boundless immortal aura practically leapt off the screen.

Even the directors of Journey to the West wouldn't dare shoot a scene like this.

Ning Fei's eyes lit up as well.

He began his descent down the mountain.

The slope was steep, so he frequently leaped from one foothold to the next.

His movements were carefree and light, resembling a martial arts knight-errant.

The viewers sighed in awe:

"Isn't this just an immortal descending to the mortal realm?"

"Ning Guan master, I'm begging you, just admit you're an immortal!"

Ning Fei reached the shore. A thick layer of ice had already formed over the lake.

"It's the dead of winter, so this part of Tianchi has frozen over."

"The ice is probably ten to twenty centimeters thick. The lake is completely sealed."

"I originally wanted Little falcon to do the work, but it looks like I'll have to do it myself this time," Ning Fei sighed helplessly as he surveyed Tianchi.

Seeing his predicament, someone joked in the chat:

"Ning Guan master, Tianchi is frozen solid. How are you going to catch fish?"

Looking out across the lake, Ning Fei replied, "Ice fishing. It's a common method for catching fish in lakes during the winter."

"There's actually a lot of profound knowledge involved in it."

Setting his Snowboards aside, he grabbed one of the ski poles, rolled up the sleeve of his Daoist Robe, and unfastened the Flying Tiger Claw hidden underneath.

Since he was mountain climbing, he'd brought the gadget along.

He had planned to use the Flying Tiger Claw to scale impassable cliffs, but now he could dismantle it to rig up some fishing gear.

The hook and line problem was instantly solved. Ning Fei detached the Flying Tiger Claw and tied it to the ski pole, creating a makeshift fishing rod.

He also tore a small strip of cloth from the thermal shirt closest to his skin and tied it to the line to serve as a bobber.

Right now, his outfit consisted of long johns, a thermal undershirt, the white inner lining of his Daoist Robe, and the robe itself on the outside.

Given the negative twenty-degree weather, he had to layer up at least a little.

Some sharp-eyed viewers had already noticed something odd.

When normal people visited Changbai Mountain's Tianchi in winter—where it routinely hit negative thirty or forty degrees—they would wrap themselves in heavy winter gear until only their eyes showed, and they'd still feel like human popsicles.

Yet here was Ning Fei, wearing nothing but his Daoist Robe and sporting a single Daoist Hairpin instead of a hat, and he didn't look cold at all!

This must be an immortal's physique.

With his simple fishing rod finished, Ning Fei kicked the snow away from a spot on the shore, used his Snowboards to overturn the soil, and dug out some dead grass roots.

"These roots carry the scent of damp, fresh earth, which is somewhat attractive to fish."

"Since I don't have any proper Fish Bait right now, this will have to do."

With everything prepared, he grabbed his crude rod and walked right out onto the ice.

The drone zoomed out, capturing another breathtaking shot on the livestream.

Ning Fei strolled across the frozen expanse of Tianchi, looking as if he were walking across a mirror in the immortal realm.

Coupled with the hazy mist in the distance, the viewers' imaginations ran wild. It felt as if the Queen Mother were sitting on her throne just behind the veil of fog, and Ning Fei was walking across the glass to pay his respects.

It was a true scene of the divine.

Out on the ice, Ning Fei carefully searched for a spot to drill his hole.

"Ice fishing in the winter requires a very specific spot," he explained as he inspected the surface. "There are three rules of thumb when drilling a hole."

"First: chisel the dips and chisel the bumps."

"Look at the evenness of the ice. A dip usually means there's a hidden trench or deep pit at the bottom of the lake. The water temperature is higher there, and a lot of food accumulates, making it a mandatory stop for foraging fish."

"Bumps, on the other hand, are often caused by the ice cracking. Sunlight penetrates those cracks, raising the temperature, and the extra air increases the dissolved oxygen levels, which also draws fish in."

The moment he started talking shop, the fishing bros from the fishing forums and groups rushed into the stream.

Without a second thought, they dropped a wave of tips before spamming the chat with greetings.

Ning Fei stayed focused on his task.

"The second rule: chisel the deep and chisel the shallow."

"In the winter, the water layer at a depth of three meters is around eight to ten degrees, while the shallower layers sit at four to five degrees. This makes deep water a better holding zone for fish."

"However, at noon, when the sun shines directly overhead and the temperature and light are at their highest, the shallow areas heat up faster. Fish naturally seek warmth, so your success rate in the shallows goes up."

The fishing veterans couldn't praise his maxims enough.

"I've learned so much. You really pick up a lot of knowledge following Ning Guan master."

"Ning Guan master is already a recognized god in the fishing community. What did you expect?"

"Watching this is making my hands itch. I want to find a wild lake and go ice fishing now."

"I'm so jealous. My baby was just born, so I can't leave the house. I had to buy a little toy and fish in my aquarium just to satisfy the craving."

Ning Fei crouched down, tapped the ice, and continued.

"The third rule: chisel the yang and chisel the yin."

"Chiseling the yang means finding a sunlit area. The principle is the same as chiseling the shallows—it exploits the fish's instinct to seek warmth."

"Chiseling the yin means finding a shaded area surrounded by trees. Before the lake freezes, leaves fall into the water and build up a thick layer on the surface and the lakebed. Those leaves carry insects and eggs, so fish will return to those spots to feed."

"There aren't any trees around here, and the sunlight doesn't hit this spot directly."

"So the best location is the deepest location."

"Which is right here—the exact center of the lake!"

Ning Fei came to a halt.

He was standing right in the dead center of Tianchi.

Surrounded by snowy mountains and drifting white clouds, the Daoist in the blue Daoist Robe stood perfectly still on the frozen lake. Words couldn't describe the serene vibe it gave off; the viewers simply felt a wave of relaxation wash over them.

The imagery was just too beautiful.

Ning Fei half-squatted. He held his improvised fishing rod in one hand and two stones he'd grabbed from the shore in the other.

One stone was a long, sharp spike, while the other was round. Together, they looked somewhat like the Thunder God's mystical hammer and chisel.

Using the two stones, he began to chisel into the ice.

The ice wasn't overly thick yet, and Ning Fei possessed incredible strength, so carving out a hole wasn't too difficult.

Clack! Clack! Clack!

Using the long stone, Ning Fei chiseled deeper and deeper into the hole.

Thunk!

It didn't take long for him to smash out a hole about ten centimeters in radius.

"Finally done," Ning Fei muttered under his breath, looking down at the opening.

He walked back to the shore, retrieved a flat rock to sit on, and placed it beside the hole. Taking a seat, he tied the fresh grass roots to the Flying Tiger Claw's curved hook and lowered it into the water.

Everything was ready. Now he just had to wait for a big fish to bite.

The viewers watched nervously.

This was, after all, the first step of Ning Fei's survival challenge in the Kunlun Snowy Domain.

If he couldn't even secure food, how was he going to survive in this world of ice and snow?

Ning Fei, however, seemed entirely unfazed.

Not long after he dropped the hook, the strip of cloth floating in the hole began to bob. Ning Fei felt a sudden tug on the line.

"Got one!" he said with a joyful smile.