Seeing this, Grandmaster immediately ducked into the carriage. Two powerful crossbows that could swivel freely then sprang out of its roof.
He aimed at the birds overhead and pulled the triggers, sending clouds of smoke bursting through the air.
This was knockout smoke, and weak soul beasts could not withstand it at all.
Before long, dozens of ten-year avian soul beasts fell from the sky. Even a few hundred-year ones succumbed.
But quite a few birds still reached the air above Tang San and the others, circling as they waited for an opening.
These soul beasts were not of one mind, either. Unlike humans, they would not take down their target first and then scheme against one another.
As they circled, a few soul beasts that usually could not stand the sight of each other even began fighting outright.
Wind blades, steel feathers, and waves of light began flying wildly in all directions.
Tang San and Ma Hongjun kept weaving and dodging, avoiding the avian soul beasts' attacks.
"Fatty, looks like your luck's pretty good. I've already spotted a few soul beasts that would suit you nicely."
Like drifting willow fluff, Tang San dodged with ease, even leaving faint afterimages in his wake.
Ma Hongjun's broad face fell as he said miserably, "We have to survive first."
Unlike Tang San, his footwork was not nimble. It could only be called adequate.
He had slimmed down considerably, but he had also grown more muscular, making his dodges look somewhat clumsy.
GIAO!
An Iron-Winged Bird dove straight at Ma Hongjun, who looked slower.
"Hey! I've been waiting for you!"
Seeing the Iron-Winged Bird charge at him, Ma Hongjun reached back, pulled the great axe off his back, and swung it down in one smooth motion.
The axe blow was heavy and powerful, instantly knocking the Iron-Winged Bird to the ground.
The Iron-Winged Bird crash-landed just like that, only to be wrapped and bound by Tang San's Blue Silver Grass.
Over the past few days, Ma Hongjun had also learned the principle of sustainable development for soul beasts, so he had not struck to kill.
The Iron-Winged Bird would merely remain restrained within the Blue Silver Grass and gradually recover.
Soon, several more soul beasts charged, but once they came within about fifty meters of the ground, the Blue Silver Grass below grew wildly and entangled them.
Of course, the two could not keep holding back forever.
There were simply too many soul beasts. Tang San and Ma Hongjun gradually lost their breathing room and began taking injuries.
Especially after a clear sparrow's cry rang out, the avian soul beasts began acting in an orderly fashion.
"Not good! There's a thousand-year soul beast nearby! Run!"
Grandmaster frowned and shouted, then drove the carriage toward Tang San and Ma Hongjun.
The carriage's horses had long since fled in fright and returned to nature, so Grandmaster himself was now its source of power.
His feet pumped furiously at the pedals, setting the enormous iron carriage in motion.
This was mechanical dynamics, though Grandmaster was still at the stage of observing it and putting it to use.
Tang San and Ma Hongjun immediately climbed aboard as well.
A thousand-year soul beast was far harder to deal with than a hundred-year soul beast.
Besides, for two one-ring soul masters to survive this long against a flock of hundred-year soul beasts was already quite extraordinary.
Ma Hongjun stood at the rear, continuously breathing fire to accelerate the carriage.
Luo Sanpao let out a well-timed fart, making Ma Hongjun's flames burn even more fiercely and driving back quite a few soul beasts.
Tang San wrapped the front of the carriage in Blue Silver Grass, rounding it off to reduce drag.
Before long, they escaped the flock's encirclement.
Some of the avian soul beasts fled after being wounded, while others followed the thousand-year soul beast and continued the pursuit.
The soul beast leading them was a Blazing Feather Sparrow the size of a baby.
It possessed tremendous speed and a fire attribute.
A shaggy crimson crest crowned its head. Its beak was short and hooked.
Its wings were largely yellow, edged with red, resembling burning flames.
It also had an orange-yellow tail feather a meter long, proclaiming its thousand-year cultivation.
Brown at ten years, yellow at a hundred, orange-yellow at a thousand, orange-red at ten thousand, and black-red at a hundred thousand.
Its one-meter length proved that it had only recently reached the thousand-year level. With each minor stage, it would grow another meter. Upon reaching ten meters, it would burn away completely, and a tail feather of a new color would grow.
This Blazing Feather Sparrow had a vicious disposition and a crafty mind. It was both cunning and cruel.
"Everyone, put on your masks!"
Grandmaster shouted, then took a mask from the carriage and put it on. The mask was connected to a large tank filled with air.
This was emergency equipment made in preparation for unforeseen circumstances.
Now was the perfect time to use it.
Tang San and Ma Hongjun also took masks from their storage soul tools and put them on.
Tang San's storage tool was a belt inlaid with twenty-four gems. He had named it [Twenty-Four Bridges Bright Moon Night], a name that had inexplicably come to mind.
Ma Hongjun's was the Bracelet he had been wearing, a reward from Spirit Hall.
Splash!
The three of them plunged straight into the lake along with the carriage.
While they were still in midair, Tang San wrapped the entire carriage in layer upon layer of Blue Silver Grass.
Seeing this, the birds all circled above the lake. Few among them could tolerate water.
Quite a few birds therefore left outright, until only the Blazing Feather Sparrow remained. It would not give up so easily.
There was something about that red human that fascinated it.
It had to get its claws on it!
Within the lake, the heavy carriage sank straight to the bottom. Fortunately, they had entered near the shore and had not sunk too deeply. They could still make it back.
Rumble!
Suddenly, just as they were waiting for time to pass and for those soul beasts to lose patience-
The entire carriage was abruptly flipped over.
Had the Blue Silver Grass camouflage been seen through?
Tang San's expression sharpened, and he gestured to the other two that he wanted to go outside and take a look.
Grandmaster shook his head, indicating that they should remain still and watch how things developed.
Afterward, everything fell quiet again.
The three remained there until dawn.
Unable to contain himself any longer, Ma Hongjun pointed upward, feeling it was time.
But Grandmaster pressed a hand to his shoulder, urging him to be more patient.
Tang San volunteered to go out and check the situation first. His Blue Silver Grass would let him return quickly.
After some thought, Grandmaster told Tang San to take Luo Sanpao along. If he encountered a soul beast, he could use the fart soul skill to escape.
Tang San then left the carriage with Blue Silver Grass tied around his waist, linking him to the carriage and Luo Sanpao. Luo Sanpao perched on Tang San's shoulder, wagging his short little tail.
Tang San first went to the spot where the carriage had originally landed, wanting to get to the bottom of what had happened.
Then he understood. They had landed on top of a soul beast.
This soul beast was an enormous clam, a little larger than their carriage. Its oval shell appeared blue-green on the lakebed, with faint golden patterns traced across it.
At that moment, it kept opening and closing its shell, sending enormous droplets of water rising upward.
Tang San could sense the tremendous energy within those droplets.
He immediately formed an idea of this enormous soul beast's identity.
A Dewdrop Spirit Clam!
At least two thousand years of cultivation!
Before you continue