Chapter 278: Horseback Archery, a Competition Between Master and Disciple

Snowboarding maneuvers simply looked a bit cooler than traditional skiing.

The two sports were vastly different. Snowboarding had a steeper learning curve for beginners, while skiing was easy to pick up but far harder to master when it came to high-difficulty tricks.

Generally speaking, winter sports enthusiasts chose to specialize in only one of the two.

Someone like Ning Fei, who was a master at both, was an absolute rarity.

Ning Fei thoroughly enjoyed himself on the resort's slopes. He repeatedly pulled off high-difficulty maneuvers, drawing endless gasps of amazement from the netizens watching his stream.

A master truly was a master.

Even his skiing felt like a work of art.

Afterward, Ning Fei returned to the beginner slope.

Bai Yi was a fast learner. It didn't take long before she could ski down the entire beginner slope, maintaining a steady balance the whole way down.

"Not bad at all,"

Ning Fei praised her.

"Hehe, that's because I have a good teacher," Bai Yi replied with a smile.

She was thrilled. People skiing for the first time were usually like this—brimming with excitement and adrenaline.

At noon, the owner of the ski resort treated Ning Fei to a meal. The owner was a great guy, and it was obvious he was a long-time fan, enthusiastically recounting many of Ning Fei's past broadcasts and deeds.

Toward the end of the meal, the owner said to Ning Fei, "Temple Master Ning, you're practically a living immortal. You have to bless me and my family with a lifetime of peace, health, and abundant wealth."

"Our family has always held deep reverence for the divine."

"I even have a shrine for a Daoist patriarch set up in my backyard. Please rest assured, the incense offerings there will never cease."

The owner's words left Ning Fei feeling a bit helpless.

It seemed this boss genuinely treated him as a living immortal.

Having faith was a good thing, as long as it wasn't blind superstition.

Ning Fei truly didn't know what to say to that. Growing up, Bai Yuanche had never taught him how to perform rituals or divine the future. It was as if the lineage of Qingfeng Temple had entirely discarded those worldly elements.

The tradition of Qingfeng Temple was simply to follow the flow of nature and act in accordance with one's heart. They didn't seek to break the boundaries of the mortal world, but rather to enjoy a peaceful and tranquil life.

After lunch, Ning Fei and Bai Yi hit the slopes for a little while longer before driving back home.

Ning Fei also shut down his livestream for the day.

On the way back, Ning Fei stopped to purchase some New Year goods. He realized that things were quite different now; wherever he went, people would scream in excitement, and a crowd would quickly form around him.

He later heard that candid photos taken of him by passersby had even made it onto the trending search rankings.

These candid shots were unedited photos of celebrities taken by ordinary people using standard phone cameras. Most modern celebrities and internet influencers relied heavily on thick beauty filters and couldn't withstand the harsh light of unfiltered reality.

In Ning Fei's unedited photos, however, his striking looks weren't diminished in the slightest. If anything, his natural aura made him seem even more approachable and warm.

Ning Fei himself just found the whole trending situation a bit baffling.

"Brother, you're so famous now."

Bai Yi teased him with a grin from the passenger seat.

Ning Fei shrugged and simply said, "It's probably just because my livestream content is a bit unique."

When they returned to the courtyard, Bai Yuanche had already gone over to the equestrian grounds to check on things.

Bai Yi smiled and said, "Brother, I heard you're planning to open a Deer Sanctuary. Is that true?"

"You and my dad really are alike. He opened a horse ranch, and now you're opening a Deer Sanctuary."

"When it's done, I'm definitely going to visit your sanctuary."

Ning Fei nodded. "Of course. You're always welcome."

"Come on, let's head over to the ranch and take a look."

The two of them made their way to the equestrian grounds, where they found Bai Yuanche gently brushing the mane of a fine brown horse.

This brown horse was named Huang Liang. The name was meant to signify that the vicissitudes of the mortal world were nothing more than a fleeting dream of yellow millet.

Huang Liang was Bai Yuanche's favorite horse.

Ning Fei, on the other hand, preferred the pure white steed, Bai Long. Bai Long simply possessed a more noble and elegant bearing.

"You're back? How was the skiing?"

Bai Yuanche asked when he saw them approach.

"It was super fun! My brother is a fantastic teacher," Bai Yi immediately replied with a bright smile.

Bai Yuanche nodded in response. He had complete faith in Ning Fei's capabilities.

"Ning Fei, I heard you tamed a wild horse king back in Hulunbuir. Your equestrian skills must be quite impressive now."

Bai Yuanche then shifted his gaze to Ning Fei.

"Do you dare to race me?"

Ning Fei blinked in surprise.

He certainly hadn't expected his master to challenge him to a horseback riding competition.

But a moment later, brimming with confidence, Ning Fei smiled and said, "Alright, Master. What are the terms?"

"We'll combine horsemanship and archery. The first one to cross the finish line wins."

"You're on!"

Out on the equestrian grounds, both master and disciple were itching to test their skills.

Bai Yuanche was a true horse lover—otherwise, he wouldn't have gone through the trouble of opening a ranch to collect renowned breeds.

He was genuinely curious to see exactly what level his disciple's horsemanship had reached.

Seeing the challenge unfold, Bai Yi was absolutely thrilled.

The ranch staff hastily began making preparations for the two men.

The setup was straightforward: a long race track with three archery targets positioned on each side. Ning Fei and Bai Yuanche would start simultaneously, and before crossing the finish line, they had to draw their bows and successfully hit their respective three targets.

The first to cross the finish line would be the victor.

Ning Fei led Bai Long out of the stables and climbed into the saddle to warm up.

Bai Yuanche mounted Huang Liang and carefully adjusted the position of his quiver.

They both wielded the exact same type of bow. When Ning Fei was a child, Bai Yuanche had been an avid archer himself—otherwise, Ning Fei would never have learned the skill in the first place.

Ning Fei and Bai Yuanche positioned themselves on the track.

Bai Yi and two of the ranch staff stood on the sidelines to watch.

The impromptu audience was buzzing with excitement, cheering loudly for both competitors.

The track wasn't entirely flat, and there were two hurdles placed along the path that needed to be jumped.

Horseback riding, archery, and jumping hurdles—combining all three pushed the difficulty to the absolute ceiling of equestrian sports.

The two men gripped their reins, waiting patiently at the starting line.

"Yiyi, you give the signal."

Bai Yuanche called out to her.

In that instant, the atmosphere grew palpably tense.

Ning Fei felt the blood pumping hotly through his veins.

There were very few things left in the world that could make him feel nervous.

Even when facing a massive avalanche and being forced to ski off a sheer cliff to survive, he hadn't felt much fear—mostly just a sense of profound bad luck.

But now, facing off against his own master, Ning Fei felt an immense, overwhelming pressure.

Bai Yuanche's aura was incredibly commanding.

He usually looked like nothing more than an amiable middle-aged man, but the moment he got serious, the sheer presence he exuded was almost suffocating.

Just watching the scene unfold, the ranch staff felt as though it were getting harder to breathe.

"Ready!"

"Go!"

Bai Yi shouted at the top of her lungs.

The moment the word left her mouth, Ning Fei and Bai Yuanche simultaneously urged their steeds forward.

The two magnificent horses bolted from the starting line neck and neck, tearing across the track like the wind at a blistering pace.

Ning Fei drew his first arrow from his quiver, aimed at the first target, and pulled the bowstring taut before letting it fly.

Accompanied by the sharp, metallic twang of the bowstring, the arrow shot forth like a bolt of lightning. It flew perfectly straight toward the target, violently tearing through the air with a piercing hiss.

Whoosh!

Thwack!

The first arrow struck dead center.

On the other side, however, Bai Yuanche surprisingly hadn't fired his first shot.

According to their rules, failing to hit a target was an automatic loss.

And Bai Yuanche obviously wasn't going to forfeit.

As Ning Fei nocked his second arrow, he caught sight of Bai Yuanche out of the corner of his eye.

Just as they were about to pass the second set of targets, Bai Yuanche suddenly drew three arrows at once and nocked them all onto his bowstring.

The three targets weren't spaced too far apart. With enough precision and absolute control, firing three arrows simultaneously wasn't entirely impossible.

He was going to shoot all three targets at the exact same time!

Seeing this, Ning Fei momentarily froze in shock. But a second later, a fiery competitive spirit ignited in his eyes.

A master truly was a master—what a terrifyingly high-level technique!

Still, there was a fair distance left to go. Who would ultimately claim victory was still anyone's guess.