Xuanji tried to grab the treasure sword as she fell, but there were too many strange birds flying around her, jostling and crowding. She was so constricted that she couldn't move an inch. Her fingers hooked over the sword hilt but failed to catch hold, and she slid further down.
All she could hear was Linglong's shriek beside her ear; she didn't have time for details as she plummeted forcefully downward.
The strange birds screeched and swooped in, quickly surrounding her in the middle of a small spherical formation, and plummeted together. Amidst them, Xuanji dodged the lethal claws, though overwhelmed by their sheer number. Her other treasure sword strapped to her waist got stuck, and she couldn't draw it out. It didn't take long before she felt intense pain across her arms, back, and shoulders, with no idea how many cuts were inflicted on her.
