Chapter 337: Initiating Quest: Saving the Sperm Whale

Making tea was an art.

However, Ning Fei had no intention of doing it himself.

His master had plenty of free time on his hands anyway, and the Lotus Heart Stone was with him.

Thus, Ning Fei figured he would simply harvest the tea leaves, pack them up, and express-mail them straight back to Kunlun.

For the next few days, Ning Fei dedicated himself entirely to harvesting the tea garden.

The estate wasn't massive, but the yield was abundant.

In the end, he filled over a dozen large baskets with fresh leaves, hired several transport trucks, and had the entire haul shipped straight to Bai Yuanche.

Once Bai Yuanche finished processing the tea, Ning Fei could just drop by and take his share.

The thought brought a satisfied smile to his face.

Shortly before his departure, Lin Chuan approached him again, hoping Ning Fei could offer a bit more guidance regarding his empire.

Ning Fei had a clear read on the man's character.

Lin Chuan was immensely capable, possessing a natural-born talent for business.

Yet, having built such a colossal commercial empire in just over twenty years, he constantly worried that his foundation wasn't "stable."

Establishments like the Yunzhinan Green Tea Manor, with a century of heritage and profound cultural roots, never suffered from this kind of anxiety; their traditions had been cemented over generations.

Lin Chuan, on the other hand, was desperate to find some alternative method to "secure" his legacy.

"Boss Lin, your business has grown to an incredible scale," Ning Fei advised gently. "All I can say is that true stability comes from accumulating steady virtue and deepening your cultural roots day by day. That is the proper path."

He did possess the ability to read fortunes from a person's face, but he rarely chose to speak on it.

"Master Ning, I understand."

Lin Chuan nodded thoughtfully, absorbing the words.

"Are you heading back to the Daoist temple now, Master Ning?" Lin Chuan asked.

Ning Fei gazed into the distance. "The ocean isn't far from here. I plan to head to the coast and take a look around."

"The coast? I happen to have a private yacht there. Do you need it?" Lin Chuan offered immediately.

"I won't need a private yacht, Boss Lin," Ning Fei replied. "But I did want to ask if you know anyone who sells ships. I'm looking to buy one."

"Buy a ship? That's easy enough. A yacht? I know several major bosses in the yacht business."

"Not a yacht. I'm looking for a cruise ship, or perhaps a ferry."

Lin Chuan blinked in surprise.

Ning Fei wanted a massive vessel.

Large ships were the ultimate luxury asset; even the wealthiest magnates rarely purchased them on a whim. Yet here was Ning Fei, throwing around requests like an old-money tycoon.

"You want a cruise ship?" Lin Chuan asked, bewildered.

Ning Fei smiled. "Is that not allowed?"

"Uh, of course it is! I actually have a friend who sells them. I'll introduce you right away."

The two exchanged contact information, and Ning Fei drove off with his little companions.

Upon reaching the coast, he rented a villa, planning to relax there for a few days.

By that afternoon, he had already turned on his stream.

"What is Ning Guan master going to stream today?"

"It's the ocean! It looks so pretty."

"He actually went to the sea? I've never seen Ning Guan master stream from the ocean before."

"Is he going deep-sea fishing?"

The viewers chatted excitedly.

Ning Fei's fanbase had grown significantly, and the atmosphere in his channel was always positive and welcoming. His viewers loved chatting with one another.

The screen was constantly flooded with scrolling comments.

Glancing at the camera, Ning Fei spoke up.

"Today, we're going to go look at cruise ships. I plan to sort out some paperwork soon so I can travel the world, so I need to buy a high-quality cruise ship."

The chat went dead silent for a few seconds.

His viewers were used to seeing streamers buy cars or houses.

But buying a cruise ship? That was a first.

"Did I hear that right? Ning Guan master is buying a cruise ship?"

"Good lord!"

"Is this the world of the ultra-rich?"

"What's wrong with an immortal buying a cruise ship? Is he supposed to fly across the ocean on a sword? That would be exhausting!"

"Hurry up and buy it! I've never seen what shopping for a cruise ship looks like!"

"Watching someone else spend money is its own kind of enjoyment."

"Let me peer into the world of the wealthy!"

The mention of a cruise ship sent a wave of excitement through the chat.

A short while later, as Ning Fei waited by the shore, a yacht came speeding toward him. The man waving from the deck was Zheng Yang, the shipyard owner Lin Chuan had recommended.

"Taoist Priest! Over here!"

Zheng Yang was dressed for summer in a tank top, shorts, and a sun hat. It was only late March, but here on the southern coast, the warm weather made the light outfit perfectly comfortable.

"Boss Zheng?"

Ning Fei called out.

"That's me! Lin Chuan told me exactly what you're looking for. Don't worry, I'll only show you the absolute best vessels on the market."

Zheng Yang promised with a bright smile.

Ning Fei offered a noncommittal nod. He fully intended to shop around and compare options anyway; buying a ship was a major investment, and he needed to inspect everything thoroughly.

Ning Fei stepped aboard the yacht, letting Zheng Yang ferry him back to his shipyard to view the inventory.

It had been a long time since Ning Fei had visited the ocean.

Aside from a single college trip to the coast, he hadn't been back since.

As he gazed out over the water, the boundless expanse of the azure ocean rippled beneath the sun. Hidden beneath the waves were countless magical marine creatures and untold secrets.

Water covered seventy-one percent of the Earth's surface, holding far more mysteries than the land ever could.

Ning Fei had always dreamed of venturing into the endless depths to experience the true majesty of the sea.

The yacht sliced across the water for half an hour before finally docking at the shipyard.

There, Zheng Yang immediately began walking Ning Fei through the specifications and price tags of the various yachts.

Tuning into the stream and listening to the owner's enthusiastic pitches, the viewers felt their own horizons expanding.

"These are your standard yachts, running between five and six hundred thousand. They're perfect for a small group heading out for a day trip. The price point is reasonable, making it a great choice for family recreation."

"These are the mid-sized models, ranging from eight hundred thousand to about a million. The interior facilities are much nicer and more spacious. They're excellent for hosting parties and unwinding on the water."

"And these are the large luxury yachts. We're talking millions, even tens of millions, depending on exactly what you need."

Zheng Yang explained.

"Boss Zheng, do you have any vessels with enough power to remain out at sea for over half a month straight? I'm also looking for top-tier wind resistance, waterproofing, and overall stability."

Ning Fei asked.

Zheng Yang gave a helpless shake of his head.

"Ning Guan master, the specifications you're asking for are bordering on military-grade."

"Private shipyards generally don't have the capacity to build ships with that kind of performance."

Hearing this, Ning Fei had no choice but to drop the matter.

The yachts on the civilian market were designed as vacation toys for the wealthy, a far cry from the sturdy, ocean-faring vessels Ning Fei actually required.

After inspecting a few more models to get a baseline understanding of the market, he chatted with Zheng Yang a bit longer before heading back to his rented villa.

It was clear that a private shipyard simply wouldn't carry what he needed.

"Ding! Host's current needs detected. Initiating Quest: Saving the Sperm Whale."

"Quest Description: Seventy nautical miles from the host's current location, a sperm whale is on the verge of death. Please rush to its rescue!"

"Cause of Death: Environmental pollution has caused chaos in its sensory Positioning System. Unable to accurately judge distance, it is heading toward a fatal stranding."

"Quest Item: Healing Pill. Once the sperm whale consumes the Healing Pill, its echolocation and positioning functions will return to normal."

"Quest Reward: Ocean-faring cruise ship."

At that very moment, the System's notification chimed within Ning Fei's mind.

He paused for a moment before a smile broke across his face.

He had almost forgotten he had a System.

As Ning Fei reviewed the quest details more closely, his expression gradually turned solemn.

A whale beaching itself to death was not an uncommon tragedy. There had even been recorded instances of hundreds of whales stranding themselves simultaneously, a phenomenon researchers often dubbed "mass suicide."

There were many theories regarding why whales beached themselves, but the most widely accepted was that environmental pollution, parasites, or diseases damaged their internal biological Positioning System.

Furthermore, whales were intensely social creatures. If a single whale mistakenly charged onto a beach, the rest of the pod would often follow it without hesitation, leading to a chain reaction of strandings and ultimately resulting in a horrific mass casualty event.

"I need to get there quickly."

His mind made up, Ning Fei immediately retrieved his diving equipment from his car. He contacted Lin Chuan to borrow his private yacht, heading straight for the open ocean.

He was going to save that sperm whale.

Watching Ning Fei spring into action, the viewers in the chat grew incredibly excited.

Unaware of his quest, they simply assumed he was heading out for some deep-sea diving.

Even so, the prospect alone was thrilling enough.