A chorus of eagle cries came from outside, unbroken as ringing bells. The Snow Eagle in the Torch Dragon Lamp gave a joyful hop and beat its wings, nearly flying beyond the lamplight. The ravenous maws waiting outside swarmed toward it at once, hurling themselves against the light like moths into flame. Bang, bang, bang! Every one of them was thrown back. Startled, the Snow Eagle settled down, though it still stretched out its neck and gave a piercing cry.
A string of eagle cries answered from outside. With that response, the panic left the Snow Eagle's eyes. It grew quiet and watched the helpless maws beyond the light.
Luo Qian sighed. I backed the right horse this time. If they've come to rescue the Snow Eagle, they won't leave me behind, will they? His only worry was whether the reinforcements were strong enough. The Red Tide stretched for tens of thousands of li. Could any human or beast withstand it?
After another moment, a swath of white surged in from outside. Against the Red Tide's crimson, it stood out starkly. Great numbers of maws swarmed it at once, but this white mass was nothing like their previous "food." A web of blue-green lightning spread through it, and countless maws struck the web to ridiculous effect. Wisps of smoke rose from them...
Tens of thousands of maws fell in that first clash, vanishing into the sea below. A second wave of white followed the first, then a third... Countless Snow Eagles poured in. At first, Luo Qian had feared the flock could not contend with a Red Tide of such vast extent. Now he saw that the Snow Eagles were not only united but numerous. From what he could see, there were at least a hundred thousand of them. Even