“[Earth Shield]!” Wu Zhao commanded in her mind, extending her hand forward. A wall of earth began to rise in front of her, its movement sluggish under the resistance of the water. Despite its slow ascent, the shield succeeded in altering the gigantic fish’s trajectory, forcing its head upward as it swam past, narrowly missing Wu Zhao.

“Ugh, even earth magic is slower here,” she thought, frustration bubbling within her. “I can’t effectively use it in this fish’s turf!”

The gigantic fish swiftly turned, its massive body coiling as it prepared to ram into Wu Zhao once more.

Timing her move carefully, she dodged at the last second, allowing the water's currents and the fish's tremendous momentum to propel her away. The fish smashed into the earth shield she had erected moments before, obliterating it with ease.

“That shield barely slowed it down,” Wu Zhao thought, her heart racing as she fought to regain control in the swirling underwater chaos.

Wu Zhao’s chest burned as she swam through the underwater forest, her eyes scanning desperately for clams releasing their precious bubbles. The gigantic fish darted through the trees like a predator, its long body twisting and turning with unnerving speed for its size.

She spotted a clam nestled near the base of a tree. The bubble it released glimmered faintly, floating upward. Without hesitation, Wu Zhao propelled herself toward it, her arms cutting through the water with urgency. Just as she reached the bubble and inhaled deeply, a shadow loomed over her.

The fish crashed through the trees, its massive jaws snapping shut just behind her. The water churned violently, scattering debris as the clam shattered beneath the force of the fish’s strike. Wu Zhao was flung by the current, tumbling uncontrollably until she grabbed hold of a fallen branch to steady herself.

“That was too close!” she thought, her heart pounding. Her gaze flicked around the forest—more clams, more air, but also fewer places to hide. The fish circled back, its massive body slithering through the water, its predatory eyes locked on her.

She swam toward another cluster of clams, her legs kicking furiously. The fish surged after her, smashing through the trees in its path. Wu Zhao reached the clams just as another bubble floated up. She inhaled quickly, but the fish was upon her again.

With a powerful stroke, she darted upward, narrowly avoiding the fish’s snapping jaws. It collided with the seabed, its momentum uprooting the clams and sending them scattering. Wu Zhao winced as the water filled with silt and debris, clouding her vision.

The forest was no longer a sanctuary. The fish rampaged with abandon, smashing through the trees and crushing the remaining clams. Broken branches and shattered shells littered the seabed, and the water grew darker with every moment.

Wu Zhao hid behind a fallen trunk, her breathing ragged even with the small bursts of air she had managed to take in. Her lungs ached, and the realization hit her—there were no more bubbles. No more air.

The fish roared through the wreckage, its massive tail sweeping aside the fallen trees. Wu Zhao’s mind raced. She couldn’t win a direct fight in its domain, and now she was running out of oxygen.

The fish charged again, its enormous body cutting through the water with terrifying speed. Wu Zhao kicked off the trunk, narrowly avoiding being crushed. She spun in the water, her eyes locking onto a jagged piece of wood floating nearby.

Grabbing the makeshift weapon, she turned to face the fish. It lunged, its jaws wide open. Wu Zhao twisted to the side, slashing at its gills as it passed. The creature recoiled, thrashing wildly, and the force of its movements sent her spiraling backward.

Her vision blurred as her chest screamed for air. She clutched the peaches tightly in her pocket, her determination flaring. “I didn’t come this far to die here!”

The fish circled again, its body coiling like a spring. Wu Zhao braced herself, gripping the branch-turned-spear. As the fish lunged, she aimed for its eye, but its momentum was too strong. The collision shattered her weapon and sent her tumbling through the debris-filled water.

The fish circled again, its massive body coiling like a spring ready to unleash its power. Wu Zhao, her lungs screaming for air and her options dwindling, made a split-second decision. She released the shattered remains of her makeshift spear, swimming upward to position herself directly above the fish.

“This is reckless… but it’s my only chance,” she thought, her heart pounding as she steadied herself above the predator.

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The fish lunged, its jaws wide open, its powerful momentum propelling it forward. Instead of evading, Wu Zhao let the fish collide with her. Its head struck her body with a force that felt like a boulder crashing into her ribs, the impact knocking the wind out of her. But the gamble worked—she was hurled upward through the water, the tremendous force launching her out of the pond like a projectile.

Wu Zhao broke through the surface, her body crashing onto the rocky ground near the pond’s edge. Pain radiated through her limbs as she lay sprawled on the ground, gasping desperately for air. The cool mountain breeze filled her burning lungs, a stark contrast to the suffocating weight of the water below.

She winced, clutching her side where the fish’s head had struck her, but a faint smile crossed her lips. “I didn’t drown… It actually worked,” she thought, the gratitude mingling with her exhaustion.

Behind her, the fish thrashed in frustration, unable to follow her out of the pond. Its massive form sent waves rippling across the water as it circled beneath the surface, its jaws snapping at an enemy just out of reach.

Wu Zhao slowly sat up, her body trembling from the ordeal. Her gaze fell on the neatly placed robe she had left earlier. She reached for it, slipping it back on with deliberate movements, the familiar fabric wrapping around her like a shield against the cold mountain air.

Reaching into her pocket, she confirmed that the peaches were still there, miraculously untouched by the chaos. Letting out a shaky breath, she muttered, “Mine gamble paid off… barely.”

She glanced back at the pond, the once-serene underwater forest now a graveyard of shattered trees and broken shells. The fish’s monstrous shadow swirled below, a reminder of the danger she had narrowly escaped. Gathering her strength, Wu Zhao stood, clutching the precious peaches tightly. “Those magpies owe me more than thanks for this,” she thought, limping away from the pond.

Just as Wu Zhao allowed herself a moment of relief, a deafening splash shattered the silence. She turned in time to see the fish erupt from the pond, water cascading like a torrential rain around its massive form.

“What?!” she exclaimed, her voice trembling with disbelief as she scrambled backward.

Midair, the fish’s shimmering scales began to glow, its form radiating a brilliant white light. Before her stunned eyes, the fish transformed, its elongated body reshaping into a colossal bird. Its massive wings unfurled, scattering droplets of water like glistening jewels in the sunlight, and its piercing eyes locked onto Wu Zhao with an unsettling intelligence.

“Hah?!?!” Wu Zhao’s thoughts spiraled into chaos, her mind struggling to process the impossible sight before her. “What is this creature?! First a fish, and now a bird?!”

The bird let out a thunderous screech, its voice echoing across the mountains as it circled above her. Wu Zhao clutched the peaches tighter, the weight of her exhaustion and disbelief pressing down on her.

“This thing isn’t going to stop until I’m dead, is it?” she thought bitterly, her gaze fixed on the soaring predator, its shadow casting an ominous outline on the ground beneath her.

This time, though she was above ground, Wu Zhao’s situation felt even more precarious. The landscape around the pond was barren—no trees, no bushes, no cover. She scanned her surroundings desperately, her heart pounding as the colossal bird circled overhead, its sharp eyes never leaving her.

"I can’t even dive back under the pond," Wu Zhao thought, frustration biting at her composure. "It’ll just transform into a fish again and have the advantage there!"

Her mind raced as she gripped the peaches tightly, weighing her options. The exhaustion from the underwater battle still clung to her limbs, and now she had nowhere to hide. “If I can’t outmaneuver it… I’ll have to outthink it.”

The bird let out another piercing screech, its wings slicing through the air as it began to descend, intent on finishing what it had started.

“Damn it! If there’s no cover for me, I’ll just have to make it!” Wu Zhao growled, her hands moving swiftly as she cast [Earth Shield].

This time, without the water’s resistance, the spell worked far more effectively. The ground beneath her rumbled before an earthen wall shot upward, its sturdy surface gleaming with freshly churned soil.

The colossal bird dove at her with alarming speed, its wings spread wide, its talons gleaming like swords. Wu Zhao braced herself behind the shield, beads of sweat forming on her brow as the bird collided with the wall in a deafening impact.

The shield groaned under the force of the attack, cracks splintering across its surface like spiderwebs. Wu Zhao gritted her teeth, pouring more mana into the spell to keep it intact.

The bird screeched in frustration, its momentum thwarted for the first time. Though the shield held, Wu Zhao knew it wouldn’t withstand another direct assault like that. “Barely managed it this time,” she muttered, catching her breath as the creature ascended again, preparing for another attack.

“I’ve got to end this before it breaks through.”

Wu Zhao gritted her teeth in frustration as she cast [Earth Spike]. The ground rumbled beneath her feet, and sharp earthen spikes erupted from the earth, jutting toward the bird.

However, the bird effortlessly soared higher, dodging the spikes. They remained rooted in the ground, pointing upward but failing to hit their target. Wu Zhao’s gaze hardened as she saw the bird hover, unfazed by the attack.

"Offensive earth magic doesn’t work on a flying enemy like this bird!" Wu Zhao cursed inwardly. The situation was growing more dire by the moment. She needed a new strategy, one that could actually reach the bird.

Hiding behind her [Earth Shield], Wu Zhao quickly cast [Mirage], creating a perfect clone of herself that began running away, drawing the bird’s attention. While the bird focused on the illusion, Wu Zhao cast more [Earth Spikes], but this time, their real purpose wasn’t for offense—it was to create a wall for her to hide behind. Since the enemy was flying, the spikes offered a great hiding spot, and they consumed far less mana than the [Earth Shield].

The sharp tips of the spikes were strategically placed, ensuring the bird wouldn’t recklessly dive through them. Meanwhile, the clone of Wu Zhao continued running and ducking behind the [Earth Spikes], keeping the bird distracted and away from her real body.

Wu Zhao remained perfectly still, her breathing controlled as she focused on the bird’s movements. She wasn’t planning to strike; her sole objective was to escape while the bird remained fixated on the illusion. The [Earth Spikes] shielded her and kept the bird at bay, and with every passing moment, she had a better chance to slip away unnoticed.

After what felt like an eternity, Wu Zhao noticed the bird's movements growing sluggish, its wings faltering as exhaustion began to take hold. Seizing the opportunity, she cast [Earth Shields] and [Earth Spikes], her Mirage mimicking the same spells to keep up the deception. The bird's glowing eyes remained locked on the decoy, its screeches growing weaker as it chased the illusion with single-minded determination.

Wu Zhao turned and sprinted westward, her footsteps pounding against the rugged ground. The jagged terrain blurred as she pushed herself to the limits, her breaths ragged but steady. With every step, the screeches faded further behind her, until only the sound of the wind and her own heartbeat filled the air.

She didn’t dare look back until she crossed the ridge of a hill, finally pausing to catch her breath. The bird was nowhere in sight. A shaky exhale escaped her lips as she sank to her knees, relief washing over her in waves. She had escaped. But even as the immediate danger passed, the memory of the monstrous creature lingered, a grim reminder of how perilous the journey ahead would be.