Black Owl had actually been crouching on the rooftop for a while and had overheard their conversation.

So when Ji Fengming chased after him, he turned around and left without saying a word.

The two chased each other out of the city. Ji Fengming was getting really annoyed with running, so he deliberately panted and shouted from behind, "Hey, Brother Hei, what have you been running for all night? Are you afraid I'll catch you and sell you out, or what can I do to you?"

“You don’t need to come with me. I’m not going to the Northwest,” Black Owl refused decisively.

"Fine, I won't go then, but don't run away when you see me. We've been through thick and thin together, so I'll have a drink with you before I go to the battlefield. Is that alright?" Ji Fengming simply plopped down on the ground, pretending to be exhausted.

"When have I ever had a life-or-death relationship with you?" Black Owl walked back to his side, looking disgusted.

“It’s just… um…” Ji Fengming was speechless.

If he were to tell Black Owl now that he was the young master of the Eastern Dragon Gate, given this guy's awkward personality, he would probably run away again.

“If we don’t have it now, we will in the future.” Ji Fengming jumped up from the ground and reached out to hook the black owl.

The two of them simply found a high spot on a cliff, where they enjoyed the night breeze and gazed at the brightly lit imperial city.

Ji Fengming flipped his hand across his chest and took out two flasks of wine from his storage container. He handed one flask to Hei Xiao and then took a packet of fried peanuts and placed it on the ground between the two of them.

Black Owl glanced down at the bag of fried peanuts, picked one up, and tasted it. It tasted like the one from his usual shop. He sneered, "You always have food on hand. At least I don't have to worry about you starving to death on the battlefield."

"Of course, it's better to die well than to die starving," Ji Fengming said bluntly and without restraint.

After hearing this...

Black Owl inexplicably recalled the courtyard filled with corpses during that heavy rain more than a decade ago.

He had witnessed the cruelty of the battlefield, with corpses strewn across the fields and rivers of blood flowing freely.

Ji Fengming was a bandit for a few years, and he has no fighting skills whatsoever. If someone like him went to the battlefield, wouldn't he just be a sitting duck?

Black Owl couldn't help but glance at Ji Fengming beside him.

Under the silvery-white moonlight, the boy's light blue clothes appeared even more beautiful.

His face was full of joy, he seemed to have no worries, and he exuded a lazy and leisurely air. He looked nothing like someone who could go to the battlefield.

"Can't we just get away with this?" Black Owl held the exquisite wine jar in his hand and gently turned the bottle.

"Do you think the Emperor would allow us to go back on our word?" Ji Fengming glanced at Hei Xiao nonchalantly, casually drinking from his wine jar. "No worries, it's all just fighting and killing, it's not like we haven't done it before. It's no big deal if we die, we'll be going with my father anyway, we'll have company on the road to the underworld. As for my mother, my two younger brothers will be able to protect her when they grow up. As for my sister, I'll leave her in your care with my brother-in-law!"

Ji Fengming's nonchalant and indifferent tone felt like needles pricking Hei Xiao's heart.

Black Hawk understood better than anyone:

Some people may seem indifferent, but deep down they may care more than anyone else.

Some people may appear calmer than anyone else, but deep down they may be very anxious and scared.

Because that's always been the case.

“Take care of your own sister, don’t let her harm others,” Black Owl retorted fiercely.

Ji Fengming turned to the side, puzzled: "Hey, don't you like my Yao'er? I asked you to take care of her, how did that become a disaster for you? Fine, I know you're upset seeing the person you like with someone else..."