This time, I picked up my speed.
Though the old monster desperately wanted to stop me, by the time he stabilized and stuck out his toad tongue at me again.
My head had just broken the surface.
I saw the river surface churning and rolling.
The sound of rushing water, "huala la," was ceaseless.
At the same time, bubbles rose, "gudong gudong," as if the water were boiling.
Many dead fish floated on the river's surface.
I seized the opportunity and gasped a deep breath.
But less than half a second after I started inhaling, my ankle was snagged again.
My body sank, and I was dragged back to the riverbed.
Even though I only took half a breath.
It shouldn't be a problem to fight for another five to six minutes in the water.
"Little Taoist, this Buddha underestimated you. You truly have some skill to be able to suppress this Buddha."
The old monster retracted his tongue and spoke to me coldly from several meters away in the water.
I looked at him and sneered:
"No, it's not suppression. It's to take your dog life! Tonight, you're as good as dead."
I said coldly.
"Such big talk. Although this Buddha has been suppressed for three hundred years and hasn't recovered his peak cultivation,
I am not someone like you, a mere Taoist of the early True Light realm, can deal with."
"Too much nonsense. Whether that's true, we'll only know by trying!"
I said, and continued my attack.
Because every second I delayed was a waste of my breath-holding time in the water.
Unlike this old toad and fish-head monster, I couldn't freely move in and out of the water.
Seeing me attack, the old monster did not retreat.
He began to fight me to the death.
The surrounding fish-head monsters swam around me, their eyes full of fierce intent.
"Bang bang bang..."
The clanging of weapons continued to echo in the water.
The river water churned violently.
Many nearby residents noticed the surging river.
They were too scared to show their heads.
Because too many people had died during this period.
Every time the river surged, it signaled that someone might die.
The human souls watched from the riverbed, guarded by the ghost fish, their eyes wide open.
They prayed for me in their hearts.
Hoping I could defeat this old monster.
Otherwise, they would all become this old monster's sustenance.
The old monster suppressed me in terms of strength and cultivation, but I suppressed him in terms of spiritual artifacts and incantations.
Thus, we reached a balance.
For a time, we fought intensely, each gaining and losing ground.
My left shoulder was also gashed.
Fortunately, the cut was not deep, but the blood excited those ghosts and fish-heads immensely.
My life was very special.
To these demons and spirits, it was like a potent tonic.
Smelling my blood essence and tasting it at this moment, they became incredibly frenzied.
"What exquisite blood essence! Your physical body is such a perfect tonic."
The old monster was extremely excited.
"If you have the ability, then come and get it!"
I replied.
"My Buddha is merciful. This Buddha must take it."
After saying that, the old monster raised his twin blades and continued his attack.
He swung his sword and simultaneously shifted his hand seals.
Besides controlling the Yin and Yang pearls, he would occasionally control his flying sword.
At times, he would even use other spiritual artifacts or talismans to deal with the monster.
In the water, we fought back and forth.
Overall, I was at a greater disadvantage.
I had sustained injuries in multiple places.
Although the old monster was also injured by my sword edge, his wounds were much lighter.
To continue this stalemate was very unfavorable for my situation.
I could even lose my life.
Yet, I persisted in fighting him, not for any other reason than to further refine my cultivation and combat skills.
If I were truly on the brink of death, I would still have means of survival.
This was also why I dared to be so bold as to regard this old monster, whose cultivation and strength far surpassed mine, as a whetstone to temper myself.
Five minutes passed even faster.
I felt the sensation of oxygen deprivation again.
The old monster seized the opportunity and began to attack me ferociously.
But I subconsciously moved towards the riverbank.
Tempering myself was not for nothing.
Besides requiring strong pressure and combat frequency, one also needed combat techniques and control of the battle situation.
In the water, this fellow had too many advantages.
But once on shore, it might not be the same.
I began to feign weakness and retreated towards the bank, rather than swimming straight up to the surface.
This way, it would be difficult for the old monster to restrict me.
The fish-head monsters and ghosts also could not stop me.
This river was not wide, and in a very short time, I had reached the edge of the riverbank. Here, there was a small slope, and I only needed to take a few more steps to get ashore.
The old monster also saw through my intentions.
At this moment, I was advancing step by cautious step, so even if he understood my plan, he couldn't stop me.
Because the difference in strength was not that significant.
He did not have absolute confidence in restricting me, so he could only press on, giving me a sense of pressure.
At this moment, I was cut again, narrowly missing my left rib.
I endured the pain and continued to retreat.
"Little Taoist, even if you can return to the shore, it will be a dead end!"
I did not answer.
I merely gave a cold smile.
Seeing that I was only two or three meters from the bank, I swept my weapon, forcing back the surrounding fish-head monsters and the old monster.
I turned my body back and pushed off.
With a "huala" sound, I leaped from the water onto the shore.
As soon as I landed, the river water "huahua hua" splashed against the bank.
A wave of black mist rose from the water.
The fish-head monsters solidified on the river's surface, one after another.
The leading toad-like old monster, with a "gua" sound, also leaped ashore.
Standing amidst the waves.
He held his twin blades and looked at me strangely:
"My Buddha is merciful. Tonight, this Buddha will surely pollute your soul..."