The river was only a few hundred meters wide, yet the Taoist had been navigating with the pole for nearly an hour without seeing the light of the other shore.
With a crisp snap, the long bamboo pole in the Taoist's hand broke into two pieces.
The bamboo raft began to oscillate violently on the increasingly turbulent river, gigantic waves crashing with an awe-inspiring roar.
The women finally couldn't hold back any longer and burst into tears.
"What should we do? How did the sturdy pole break? How are we supposed to get back now?!!"
Although the young Taoist looked unusually pale, he remained relatively calm.
He wiped the rainwater off his face and said in a tightening voice:
"This river path is rugged, with jagged rocks at the bottom. It's common for the pole guiding the boat to get caught and break due to the swift current.
Don't panic. As long as we hold onto the ropes on the boat and rely on each other, we won't be in trouble."
