Chapter 1, The Chaotic Era
Crack, crack! The Soul-Cutting Axe was like harvesting wheat in the fields, causing the Xiongnu cavalry to be thrown into disarray.
Gao Fan from a nearby province hurriedly picked up a curved knife and came over to help. The two of them carefully placed the old man's body into the dug pit, gently covering it with yellow earth and piling up a high mound for the grave
Just past noon on this day, Xiao Huo stood on the street outside a tavern in Jinyun Town, preparing to duel with someone
In the center of the street, ten zhang away, seven or eight Xiongnu cavalrymen drew their bows and nocked arrows, their techniques both skilled and swift, each arrow aimed precisely at the vital points of Xiao Huo, fierce and accurate
A Hunnic knight, dressed in a long robe, was startled when he saw the young Huo rushing towards him. After a moment of surprise, he pointed his curved sword at the boy in the short jacket and laughed heartily, babbling to his subordinates: "Look, here comes a foolish little one who doesn't know the danger..."
She was taken away on horseback by a Hunnic chieftain. I was surrounded by seven or eight barbarian soldiers, and while I wanted to save my mother, I could only watch helplessly as she was captured. The young man, tears streaming down his face, fiercely stabbed the corpse of a Hunnic knight at his feet with a seven-foot-long black iron spear, gritting his teeth as he spoke
Another one has been entrusted. The Huns, unable to grieve or feel anger in time, are suddenly faced with a greater calamity
Screams, roars, shouts, wails... One after another, the Hunnic cavalry fell before the machete
Meanwhile, Lu Peng's Soul-Splitting Demon Axe cleaved another Xiongnu cavalryman in two from shoulder to hip, and he exclaimed with great enthusiasm: "If we don't succeed today, we can fight again another day; for now, let's see who can kill more of these Xiongnu brutes!"
Everyone is a fatal blow, struck at the vital point by a machete, instantly embarking on the path to the underworld
"It is a pig, not a human!" Xiao Huo's pure and fluent Xiongnu language caused the Xiongnu cavalry to momentarily freeze in surprise
Bang! Little Huo was caught off guard and knocked to the ground by a punch from Lu Peng. Before he could get back on his feet, his opponent had already pounced on him.
I merely smiled at your sister, is that considered seduction?" Xiao Huo said nonchalantly, "I have always found it hard to refuse the goodwill of beautiful ladies who take the initiative to approach me. Moreover, she seemed extremely frightened at that moment. Although it was just a baby cockroach scurrying by, it was enough to elicit a blood-curdling scream from your sister. In that situation, did I have any other choice but to comfort your sister?
"Since you do not like my sister, why did you seduce her?" Lu Peng's eyes revealed a chilling murderous intent
Lu Peng's father serves as an official far away in Chengdu, and his mother passed away many years ago. He has only a younger sister, six years his junior, to rely on. Today, he hurriedly rushed to the town, and the reason for his duel with Xiao Huo is precisely for the sake of his sister
Xiao Huo's weapon is a machete that is inseparable from him. His profession is that of a woodcutter, but the people of Jinyun Town rarely see Xiao Huo going up the mountain to chop wood. Most of the time, this fellow can be found drunkenly appearing in taverns and casinos, and by nightfall, he treats the town's brothels as his own inn for overnight stays
Ah... A Hunnic knight saw the two individuals still in confrontation and charged towards Xiao Huo on horseback, raising his sword. Hanging from his horse's neck were two bloodied and mangled heads, showcasing his glorious military achievements
The Xiongnu knight widened his eyes in disbelief as he looked down at the weapon that would end his life, only to realize that it was actually a chopping knife
Strangely, the tall and slender youth before him did not panic and flee with his hands over his head; instead, there was a clear expression of disdain and disgust on his face. This surprised him, as he was accustomed to reveling in the cries and wails of the Han people, as if his authority as a strongman had been severely provoked.
Aunt! Little Huo lifted the kind old man with white hair, delivering a fatal blow to his chest, blood still gushing out.
Xiao Huo seemed not to have heard, standing motionless with his back to the courtyard door, gently closing the old man's eyes with his hand
The Huns' knights let out anguished howls as they fell to the blood-soaked ground along with their collapsing steeds
Suddenly, dark red flames surged around him, and his towering figure transformed with a resounding crack of bones into a giant spirit demon over 1.5 meters tall. Wielding a pair of soul-splitting axes that emitted streaks of blood-red lightning, he charged into the knight battle group to the east.
Xiao Huo dismissed Lu Peng and inadvertently got entangled with the Xiongnu cavalry, turning into a narrow alley. Unlike Lu Peng, he was homeless and unemployed in Jinyun Town. Since the passing of his adoptive mother, he had rarely stayed even in the small earthen house that could only provide minimal shelter from the wind and rain.
The curved blade fell like a beam of snowlight, erupting with a fierce momentum propelled by the impact of the galloping horse
Gao Fan persuaded: "Old Lu, calm down. You are not the only one who has lost someone to murder. My mother is also dead, and my sister was taken by the Xiongnu. Who do you think I should blame?" The tears he had just managed to hold back began to flow again.
Blood Frenzy, it is Blood Frenzy! The Xiongnu commanders shouted loudly: "Hold on, we must hold on! As long as we endure for a hundred breaths, his blood will burn dry and he will become a corpse!"
The flames on Lu Peng's body gradually extinguished, his physique returning to its normal appearance. He bent down, panting heavily, his complexion darkening.
Lu Peng was momentarily taken aback, suddenly resembling a child as he scratched his head with both hands, squatting on the ground and weeping uncontrollably
There was no restraint in Lu Peng's thunderous roar, completely losing his reason, as he struck down with one punch after another, unceasingly.
"I will ask you one last time, do you really want to marry me, little sister?" Lu Peng held a pair of dark, cold giant axes in his hands, his eyes filled with anger fixed on Xiao Huo.
"Hit! Hurry up and hit!" The crowd watching was packed tightly, excitedly cheering loudly.
What should have been the most ordinary compliment, when uttered from Xiao Huo's mouth, sounded like a statement filled with malicious mockery. Lu Peng was determined that he could not let this bastard get away with it.
This was a large-scale retaliatory military action by the Huns against the Han Dynasty, but the target was clearly not the small town of Jinyun, which had only a little over three hundred households. Aside from a hundred-man squad that aggressively stormed into the town, their main force showed no hesitation and directly surged towards Dingxiang City
"Old Lu, what are you doing?" Gao Fan exerted all his strength to grab Lu Peng's arm: "Have you gone crazy?"
The remaining Xiongnu cavalry immediately let out wild roars, surrounding Xiao Huo from all directions, intent on avenging their commander. Xiao Huo, anticipating the encirclement by his opponents, swiftly turned his mount and nimbly slipped between two warhorses, striking back with a blade to sever the enemy's horse beneath him
Lu Peng fell backward, and immediately leaped up like a fish, glaring fiercely at Xiao Huo, shouting: "You dare to hit me!"
After the war, the ranch suddenly fell into a profound silence, broken only by the weeping of people and the mournful cries of livestock. The ground was strewn with corpses, some belonging to enemies, and many to loved ones.
There was no one else in the room; Gao Fan and his sister had both vanished. The drunkenness and dejection in Xiao Huo's eyes gradually faded, replaced by a piercing cold light, a terrifying killing intent that instilled fear deep within the heart, silently radiating from him into the charred air.
"Fool, don't waste time here; think about the Fenyang Ranch." Xiao Huo snorted coldly
Hiss, hiss, hiss... A volley of arrows rained down upon the roof. The young man crouched down like a raccoon, swiftly dodging, and casually picked up a tile to throw down. The tile, as if equipped with a soul-locking pearl, accurately struck the outermost Xiongnu cavalryman's back.
Gao Fan felt the moisture rising slowly from the top of his head, and his fair face appeared even paler at that moment. He gradually came back to his senses from the excitement, somewhat dazed, and said: "Did I just kill so many people? Since I was young, my father has looked down on me, saying that I don't even dare to kill a chicken, that I am unworthy of being his son..."
Sometimes, when he truly had nowhere to go and did not wish to indulge in debauchery at a brothel, he would take refuge at the home of Gao Fan— the only family in the entire Jinyun Town that could accept him without any reservations and treated him as one of their own.
"Shut up!" Lu Peng, like an enraged lion, pointed the Soul-Cleaving Ghost Axe at Xiao Huo's nose, "I will kill you!"
Those who stand in my way shall die, and those who oppose me shall perish! The blade's energy sweeps across, cleaving through the bloody expanse of the sky, striking the iron gates of the underworld.
Gao Fan lay on the grave, crying inconsolably, while Xiao Huo silently watched his painful outburst, a hint of sorrow hidden in his eyes
Suddenly, the earth trembled with a terrifying shake, and a thick yellow cloud rose on the northern horizon, resembling the winter sandstorm that engulfed everything, advancing towards this small town located in the northwest of Dingxiang County
In the face of such an unprecedented and terrifying demon, the Huns' self-assured strength and ferocity are hardly worth mentioning
"You little brat, you killed someone!" Two furious and astonished Xiongnu cavalrymen shouted as Tima leaped over the fence, raising their gleaming curved sabers and charging towards Xiao Huo from both sides
The bright curved blade is raised high, shining with a blood-red glow, anticipating the acquisition of today's third head.
Suddenly, a Hunnic knight let out a piercing scream and collapsed on his horse. His back was shockingly pierced by a silver-white triangular prism less than three inches long
When the last Hun knight's vest burst forth with thick blood, the enemy was no longer visible in sight
There is someone here! A Xiongnu cavalryman, having dismounted from his warhorse, called out loudly to his nearby companions
For centuries, the Xiongnu cavalry has been like a pack of hungry wolves lurking on the grasslands, ready to gather vast armies at any moment to march southward, wantonly ravaging and plundering those defenseless lambs. They would then return triumphantly, licking the blood from their claws, digesting the spoils of war, while casting sharp, piercing gazes towards the fertile lands of the south, contemplating the next raid.
"Kill!" shouted in the language of the Xiongnu, as a circle of Xiongnu cavalry raised their curved sabers and charged towards the center of the formation
During the reign of Emperor Wu of the Western Han Dynasty, the border town of Dingxiang.
Strangely, the young women who hosted Xiao Huo never charged a penny, and they even occasionally complained that he hadn't visited for too long
"What are you crying for? Tears cannot kill the Xiongnu, nor can they save your aunt!" Xiao Huo said coldly, turning his horse to see the group of young women who had been captured by the Xiongnu riders, each one pale and nearly paralyzed with fear. He urged his horse forward, bent down, and swung his sword to cut the ropes.
The Huns faintly heard the howls of death, but this time it was not the women and children who were slaughtered, but themselves
"Bastard, bastard!" Lu Peng shouted hoarsely, his fists as large as bowls raining down on Xiao Huo like raindrops
I am going crazy! Lu Peng shook off Gao Fan: "It was this bastard who caused my sister's death! If it weren't for him, I wouldn't have gone to town today. If I hadn't gone to town, my sister wouldn't have died!"
"To bury my aunt," Xiao Huo replied
Oh no! Lu Peng thought of his sister and hurriedly seized the warhorse of the Xiongnu cavalry, racing towards the Fenyang Ranch outside the town
Fool! Little Huo Li ignores Lu Peng and swings his sword, striking down another Xiongnu cavalryman
At this moment, Jinyun Town has fallen into a raging sea of flames. The living are weeping, the injured are wailing, while the deceased lie quietly in eternal rest on the land where they toiled and lived their entire lives
"Go to hell!" Lu Peng roared, completely disregarding the curved dagger aimed at his lower abdomen. The twin axes came together, shattering the skull of the hundred-year-old man. The curved dagger left a white mark on his body, falling weakly alongside its master.
The sharp, piercing sound of arrows whistled through the air as they suddenly shot towards Xiao Huo.
It seems that what falls and breaks under the young man's hatchet is not a living person, but rather lifeless deadwood.
"Sour jujube, where have you been, you turtle bastard?" Lu Peng muttered to himself, suddenly overwhelmed by an urge to cry, yet a surge of warmth stirred within his heart
With a puff, the hatchet felled yet another Xiongnu knight, while at the same time, a箭 struck 小霍's left arm
Generally speaking, whenever he compliments someone, his tone is always laced with deliberate and unabashed mockery, as if he fears the other party might misunderstand his intentions. However, this time, his tone was low and flat, devoid of the characteristic nuances he usually displays when speaking
Damn it! Little Huo disdainfully scolded, wielding a bloodied machete, completely ignoring the absolute disparity in numbers and the significant difference in equipment, as he urged his horse towards the group of Xiongnu cavalry.
Over the past three years in Jinyun Town, his indulgent lifestyle seems to have had no adverse effects on his body
The remaining fifty to sixty Xiongnu cavalry, under the command of the hundred leaders, divided into two groups, surrounding Xiao Huo and the other three in the center.
A young woodcutter, the young master of a ranch, and the son of a tomb raider converge at this moment into the harbinger of doom for the Xiongnu knights; their hysterical resistance will only provoke even more ferocious slaughter
The Hunnic cavalry besieging Xiao Huo quickly diminished from nine to three. Although rare fear was evident in their eyes, they still struggled to fight fiercely—if they were to flee in such a manner, even if they could escape the harsh military punishment, they would live the rest of their lives in great humiliation. Therefore, they would rather die in battle
Oh my... The more than twenty surviving Hunnic cavalrymen looked on in terror at this scene, their fear finally overshadowing the honor of knighthood, and they fled in a panic from the pasture.
Not only did Gao Fan arrive, but Xiao Huo's axe crashed into the frenzied Xiongnu cavalry, stirring up a wave of blood.
Little Huo shook off the entanglement of two Xiongnu cavalrymen and spurred his horse towards the group of archers. Unexpectedly, the opponents clearly sensed Little Huo's prowess and, in unison, turned their horses to retreat, drawing their bows to shoot at him in return
Xiao Huo bowed his head and bit down on the arrow shaft, twisting his head to pull it out. The arrowhead was barbed, and the immense pain caused him to let out a low groan. Fortunately, the opponent was not the terrifying Wulin Demon Riders that made the Han army tremble in fear; the feathered arrows shot were not poisoned, and the blood flowing from the wound was bright red
Prior to this, Xiao Huo had never killed anyone. Yet today, he has astonishingly killed more than fifteen Xiongnu cavalrymen in one go, and this number is rapidly increasing
"Go to the Fenyang Ranch," Xiao Huo replied, as he saw thick black smoke rising high in the sky above the ranch.
Puff! The blood blossoms sprayed like rain and mist, the Xiongnu knight's curved saber still held high, yet it could never be swung down— the two-foot-three-inch long iron blade cleaved through the horse's head, deeply embedding itself in the heart that had just moments ago still been beating.
How is it possible? The Xiongnu chieftains futilely waved their curved sabers, never dreaming that in this small pasture, they would unexpectedly encounter three exceptionally skilled practitioners. Moreover, each of them possessed strength far beyond ordinary imagination, even reaching the legendary master level
Suddenly, a black iron stake shot up from the ground, piercing through the belly of the horse and brutally impaling the lower body of the Xiongnu knight above. The unfortunate knight let out a heart-wrenching scream, dying without ever understanding how Gao Fan had managed to pinpoint him from beneath the earth
Ah! Another Xiongnu knight charged in from behind, leaning down to swing his sword towards Xiao Huo's neck
"It is his honor to have a son like you." Little Huo picked up a long spear and forcefully dug a pit in the ground
"Quickly escape and go find your fathers and brothers, if they are still alive." After saying this, Xiao Huo urged his mount to gallop north. Gao Fan hurriedly exerted himself to chase after him and surprisingly began to catch up, calling out, "Where are you going?"
These marauders have evidently reaped substantial rewards; in addition to the gold and silver carried on horseback, there are also seven or eight young women captured and tied together with ropes, crying and being dragged forward by the warhorses, among whom is even a pregnant woman
The afternoon summer sun cast its rays upon his bronze skin, radiating a rosy glow. His muscular arms were robust and solid, resembling a series of undulating mountains. A pair of half-drunken, pitch-black eyes brimmed with melancholy and indulgence, coldly observing his opponent three zhang away, with the corners of his mouth curling into a hint of carefree mockery.
The Xiongnu cavalry finally realized that they were not facing an ordinary village boy, but an enraged demonic figure—his skill in wielding the machete to slay his opponents was nearly perfect, his expression as cold as a piece of ice completely insulated from emotions, unaffected in the slightest by external circumstances
A Hun archer was caught off guard by a flying tile, which struck his face and caused him to meet his demise
Old Lu is truly impressive! Gao Fan exclaimed with genuine admiration. As he saw the fierce Huns cavalry charging towards him, he jabbed the "Feng Shui Divine Sign" into the muddy ground beneath his feet, and his body seemed to melt upwards, astonishingly disappearing along with the iron sign into the earth.
I do not want her to perish in the flames, leaving no trace of her remains!" Xiao Huo's voice was calm, like a vast sea without a wave, yet beneath the surface lay a tumultuous surge of profound sorrow and hatred: "Where is your sister?"
Before he could utter his last word, his furry chest had already been cleaved open by Xiao Huo's axe
"Let it be, at worst I will die!" He had been wounded three times, and the "Tiger Howl Demon Qi" within him was rapidly flowing away along with the gushing hot blood. Lu Peng, blinded by rage, frantically searched for the enemy's trace.
He is Gao Fan, two years older than Xiao Huo, and a descendant of a tomb-robbing family. His father died many years ago in an internal conflict within the gang, and his mother took him and his siblings to hide in Jinyun Town to escape their enemies. From then on, he followed his mother's teachings, abandoning martial pursuits for scholarly ones, wishing only to live a life like an ordinary person. Yet, even this modest wish became a luxury in chaotic times
This is an era of heroes, and this is a world where lives are as insignificant as grass.
Lu Peng rode on the Qingyun horse, charging back and forth, wielding a pair of "Soul-Splitting Ghost Axes" that danced in the air, drinking deeply from the blood of his fierce enemies. However, the foes were simply too numerous; invading the pasture was an entire Hun squad of one hundred men, their combat strength sufficient to surpass that of a thousand Han infantry.
At last, everyone heard the deafening rumble of iron hooves, as if the footsteps of death were trampling upon this land— the Xiongnu cavalry has arrived
In fact, there is no need for him to exert effort in searching, as the fierce Huns will not spare this burly man who has killed nearly twenty of their comrades. Curved blades fly like snowflakes, rising and falling as they greet Lu Peng.
I am utterly bored; I have made it very clear that I do not like her, and it is even more impossible for me to marry her
The two individuals broke out of the town, and less than five miles to the northeast lies the ranch that Lu Peng's ancestors have managed for nearly a century. Although it has endured the ravages of war in the past, rising resiliently time and again from the ruins, this time seems markedly different
If I do not avenge this grievance, I swear I will not be human
Doll, you are mine! The Xiongnu cavalry spoke in halting Chinese, their large hands reaching for Xiao Huo's shoulder
Having changed to someone else, such embarrassing questions would never be posed to the other party in public. But Lu Peng is Lu Peng; he has been consumed by anger, his blood boiling, and he is utterly reckless.
Upon hearing the command from the hundred-long, his subordinates became even more despondent—one hundred breaths, how long is that
Little Huo, I am here to help you! A young man, covered in blood, appeared on the rooftop by the street
In the blink of an eye, the crowd that had been so lively just a moment ago had dispersed completely, leaving only Xiao Huo and Lu Peng standing motionless on the street, neither willing to show weakness by being the first to flee.
"Kill me, demon!" The will of Bai Chang completely collapsed as he frantically brandished his knife and charged at Lu Peng
Little Huo dashed onto the street, and under the powerful grip of his iron-like legs, his mount ceased its resistance, submissively carrying its new master as it charged towards a cavalry unit composed of ten Huns
But how could these three young men tolerate this group of invaders slipping away right under their noses? A chase immediately ensued. After all, the steeds of the Huns could not outrun the footsteps of death; the one who fled the farthest met his end at the hands of Gao Fan, who used a snow-colored arrow to end his life.
He appeared to be a pale and frail scholar, with hatred blazing in his eyes. He lifted a tile from the roof and, gathering his strength, hurled it down at the Hun archer below
Suddenly, Xiao Huo's figure seemed to be lifted by a gentle breeze, ascending from the horse's back into the air. The divine artifact, the Zhaolong Fengyu, which harnesses the power of wind, appeared on his back, unfurling eight pairs of invisible wind wings, allowing him to soar like an eagle beneath the azure sky
The fourth and fifth! Little Huo silently counted in his heart, leaping up to sweep his hatchet horizontally, causing two heads to fly off simultaneously. Little Huo reached out to grab the reins of a warhorse that galloped past him, forcefully bringing it to a halt. He then used a piece of grass rope to bind the old man's body to his back, leaping onto the horse and charging out.
The curved sword swept through the air as the galloping warhorse rushed past. The upper body of the Xiongnu knight swayed slightly before suddenly being severed at the waist, falling to the ground. The steed beneath him remained unaware of its master's misfortune, carrying his lower half, which was gushing blood like a fountain, towards the town.
Snow Rainbow Chasing the Moon—Xiao Gao has arrived
This time, the gate of Gao Fan's home was still open to him, but inside there was no longer the joyful laughter of the past. The house was on fire, Gao Fan's mother lay in a pool of blood, and nearby were several corpses of Hunnic cavalry.
What a skillful use of the knife! Lu Peng exclaimed loudly, not taking the opportunity to launch a surprise attack while Xiao Huo was dealing with the Xiongnu cavalry
Bang! Xiao Huo suddenly struck Lu Peng's cheek with a punch, and two streams of crimson blood immediately flowed from his nostrils
Xiao Huo did not look back, taking a step to turn around, as the machete in his hand sliced through a beam of dark light
"Who taught you to come here? I would rather die than let you, you bastard, save me!" Lu Peng shouted at Xiao Huo.
Beyond the horizon, thousands of Huns on horseback surged like a tumultuous tide, racing forward with the speed of wind and lightning, instantly engulfing Jinyun Town in a sea of chaos. The small town was reduced to a hell, or more accurately, a battlefield filled with death and slaughter, allowing the marauding thugs from the north to vent their fury and ravage.
Xiao Huo endured seven or eight punches in succession, his cheeks swollen and his lips bleeding. He coldly looked at the furious Lu Peng and asked, "Are you done hitting me?"
"Huo Qubing, you bastard, I will kill you!" Lu Peng suddenly charged at Xiao Huo as if he had gone mad. His sister's body lay against the wall, still bearing the bruises left by the thugs, her death was extremely tragic
Xiao Huo's blade seamlessly merged with his body and the warhorse beneath him, resembling a powerful tornado sweeping into the battlefield. With a swift motion, he struck down, cleaving a Xiongnu archer in two.
The burly man across from him, standing nine feet tall like an iron tower, is Lu Peng, the owner of Fenyang Ranch
The young man leaped down from the rooftop like a white egret, sorrowfully addressing the corpse carried by Xiao Huo: "Mother!"
Little Huo, however, remained oblivious to the surrounding clamor, exclaiming: "What a deep bond between siblings, truly touching to the core"
The Xiongnu knight was taken aback by the sudden transformation, gazing up at the towering, furious man whose waist was higher than his own head, and involuntarily felt a sense of fear.
With a swish, the machete flashed past, and a line of blood slowly oozed from the forehead to the chin of the Xiongnu cavalryman. The corpse crawled beneath the feet of Xiao Huo, as if repenting for the sins committed in life.
Stewards, bodyguards, shepherds, maids, and servant women... Regardless of whether they are male or female, young or old, they fell one after another before Lu Peng. His most beloved sister, in order to avoid the humiliation from the Xiongnu, resolutely took her own life by crashing into a wall
I will go with you! Gao Fan wiped away his tears, momentarily at a loss, before recalling the family technique "Floating and Drifting" and chasing after Xiao Huo.
The relentless wretch! Lu Peng's steel teeth pierced his tongue as he roared into the wind: "Heavenly Gang Break!"
"Looking for death!" Little Huo drew out a hatchet, his eyes glinting with a mocking light, leisurely wiping away the blood splattered on his face by the Xiongnu cavalry, his gaze momentarily turning crimson and blurred.
From the air, from the ground, and from the front, three young individuals exuberantly displayed their extraordinary talents, delivering repeated calls of death to the Hunnic knights who had just moments ago been flaunting their might.
What are you doing?" Gao Fan asked, slightly calming down, as he looked at Xiao Huo, who was digging a hole with a long spear, with a puzzled expression
Xiao Huo spat out a mouthful of blood, stood up from the ground covered in mud and sand, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his thumb, and glared at Lu Peng with the fierce and sharp gaze of an injured wolf: "Coward who blames heaven and others! If venting your anger on me can compensate for your guilt of being unable to protect your loved ones, then come at me!"
The Xiongnu knights sat upon their horses, wielding their curved sabers to fully unleash the primal savagery that has resided in humanity since ancient times. One head after another left its owner's body amidst their piercing howls, soaring high into the sky, tracing a brilliant yet mournful crimson arc under the sunlight.