Seeing this, Lao Mo and I were both aghast.
I quickly reminded Master Jiang, "Master Jiang, the boat is leaking!"
The boat swayed violently.
Not far away, a large wave surged out of the river with a "whoosh" and swept towards our boat.
Master Jiang controlled the boat and shouted, "Don't panic, this little bit of water won't sink it."
As he spoke, Master Jiang powerfully swung the oars.
With a roar, he shouted, "Hold!"
With a "crack," the oars instantly snapped in the water.
The small, swaying boat miraculously stabilized at that very moment.
The large wave nearby had risen to about two meters high.
It was only about ten meters away from us.
Within the wave, it seemed there were a pair of red eyes.
Staring fixedly in our direction.
The surrounding water rippled, and though the boat was no longer spinning, it bobbed up and down.
Master Jiang ignored the broken oars and, holding the lantern, ran to the bow.
"Evil creature, do not be so arrogant!"
With that, he flung the lantern in his hand.
The lantern flew out, its red light instantly changing to purple.
The entire lantern then floated in mid-air.
Runes began to appear on the surface of the lantern.
And it emitted a faint purple glow.
Enveloped by the purple light, the black water on the river surface began to "hiss and crackle," as if being corroded by the purple light, or perhaps evaporating, emitting wisps of black smoke.
And it slowed down the approaching wave.
Seeing this, I knew the malevolent spirit had arrived.
I immediately said to Lao Mo, "Lao Mo, get the tools. Prepare to strike!"
As I spoke, I picked up the ghost-locking hook and came to stand behind Master Jiang.
Lao Mo also picked up the demon-suppressing net, ready to act.
The waves rushed in with a "whoosh."
And the malevolent spirit's voice echoed again:
"Overconfident!"
The voice was deep and low.
As this voice sounded.
The large wave struck the bow of the boat with a "crash."
Instantly, water splashed everywhere.
The small boat rocked.
Master Jiang, standing at the bow, raised the black iron ruler in his hand and swung it towards the pair of red eyes in the wave.
"Your life is mine!"
With a mighty roar.
I didn't hesitate either.
Looking at the pair of red eyes, I cast the hook.
Lao Mo also cast his net.
They both aimed into the surging wave.
Water swished and roared.
We couldn't see if we had hit the target.
We only heard a "bang."
We couldn't see what had happened.
After the blinding spray of water cleared.
The lantern that had been floating was now on the bow.
Master Jiang, who had been standing in front of us, had fallen onto the deck.
Soaked, with a bloody gash from his neck to his chest.
Blood was gushing out.
"Master Jiang!"
I cried out in alarm.
But before I could check Master Jiang's injuries, the iron chain in my hand tightened with a "bang."
A immense force transmitted from the other end of the chain.
It had hooked something…
With no time to think, I grabbed the chain with both hands, braced myself against the bow, and fell downward.
Beside me, Lao Mo retracted his demon-suppressing net.
He found that the net had a large hole in it.
It was clear that Lao Mo's cast had also ensnared the malevolent spirit.
But its power was too great, and it had torn through the demon-suppressing net.
However, the ghost-locking hook in my hand was more robust.
And with the blessing of the runes, this spirit should not be able to break free…
"Lao Mo, check on Master Jiang."
I braced my feet, pulling hard on the chain, and said.
Lao Mo nodded repeatedly, "Okay! You, you hold it steady first."
Saying that, he bent down to examine Master Jiang's condition.
"Master Jiang, Master Jiang…"
Master Jiang's wound was long, clearly a scratch from claws.
It extended from his left side all the way to his right chest.
His clothes were torn, and the bloody gash in the middle was long, with blood constantly flowing out.
After Lao Mo called out a few times, Master Jiang regained consciousness.
But he seemed to be in great pain.
"Ah! D-damn it!"
Lao Mo pressed on his wound and took out the hemostatic agent specially prepared by the Martial Uncle from his treasure pouch.
"Master Jiang, don't move, I'll apply the medicine."
He then applied the hemostatic agent all over the wound.
At the same time, he took out his damp bandages and hastily wrapped the wound.
Master Jiang was a tough man.
Despite his age, he didn't cry out in pain.
"It was my carelessness. I didn't expect this malevolent spirit to be this fierce.
It could even break through my purple light shield."
He said, glancing at the white lantern, which was now extinguished and broken.
Meanwhile, I was beginning to lose my grip.
Tendrils of icy, biting yin energy were spreading along the chain.
Combined with the powerful tugging, even with my mid-stage Soul Palace cultivation fully active.
And the Qiankun True Method in operation, which had doubled my physical strength, I was still almost letting go.
Seeing that Lao Mo and Master Jiang had finished their work, I quickly shouted, "Master Jiang, Lao Mo, I can't hold on much longer."
The iron chain in my grasp was making a "sizzling" sound.
There was even a little blood on it.
The entire chain extended straight into the river, taut and unyielding.
The boat was also being pulled forward with a "whoosh, whoosh, whoosh" sound in the river.
Seeing this, Master Jiang and Lao Mo rushed forward.
Lao Mo grabbed the chain, stabilizing the situation.
At the same time, I heard Lao Mo say, "Damn, this spirit has some serious strength.
We must defeat this evil spirit tonight!"
Master Jiang didn't come to help.
Instead, he stood in the center of the boat and quickly formed a hand seal.
Then he said,
"You two hold it steady, and now I will unleash my trump card to destroy this spirit!"