The Flying Owl actually released Hu Xiaotian's sleeve.
Hu Xiaotian was astonished. Had the Flying Owl actually understood him? He ventured, "It's dead!" The Flying Owl Luo Qianfu had captured had ultimately died at his hands. According to Luo Qianfu, however, even if he had done nothing, that Flying Owl had been nearing the end of its life, with little time left. After killing it, Luo Qianfu had not disposed of its body. He presumably still intended to use the corpse to lure this Flying Owl over, so he had left it outside Flying Fish Cave for the time being.
Hu Xiaotian said, "All right, I'll help you get its body out."
He and Yan Nujiao headed toward Flying Fish Cave, with the Flying Owl following them. Hu Xiaotian said, "You don't need to follow me. You're far too conspicuous." He pointed at the sky overhead. The Flying Owl immediately understood and beat its wings, soaring into the night.
Watching the Flying Owl disappear into the distance, Yan Nujiao praised it sincerely. "That's the cleverest bird I've ever seen!"
Hu Xiaotian looked into her bright, emerald eyes and smiled faintly. "Not necessarily!"
Yan Nujiao blinked, looking somewhat puzzled. "Are there even cleverer birds?"
Hu Xiaotian chuckled. "I happen to have one right here."
Only then did Yan Nujiao realize what he meant. Overcome with embarrassment, she hurried forward and spat, "I'm not talking to you anymore, you scoundrel!" After two steps, however, she stopped and turned back to Hu Xiaotian. "Aren't you going to Flying Fish Cave?"
This was their second visit to Flying Fish Cave that night. The cave was now unguarded; no one had discovered that they had killed the pirates stationed there.
The dead Flying Owl's charred body still lay inside the iron cage outside Flying Fish