Just when the Duke of Chen and his son were almost at their wits' end and were preparing to return to the capital without an imperial decree, they finally received an imperial edict from the capital granting them permission to return.

The Duke of Chen and his son Chen Xiaoyi embraced and wept bitterly. The next day, they led the remnants of the Chen family army, who had nothing left to pack, on their journey back to the capital.

Ji Chenhai's side was even simpler; he came without a single soldier, and naturally, he returned with just the three of them.

As soon as Duke Chen made a move, Ji Chenhai, Ji Fengming, and Hei Xiao leisurely rode their tall, strong horses, with their shiny, masked faces, keeping a safe distance behind their group.

Along the way, the soldiers of the Duke of Chen hunted and dug up wild vegetables to fill their stomachs;

Ji Chenhai, Ji Fengming, and Hei Xiao leisurely built a stove to cook rice, and used the seasonings Ji Fengyao gave them to make soup and hot pot.

We ate until we were so full, so warm, and so happy!

The rich and fragrant aroma of rice and hot pot wafted in the wind.

This caused many of the emaciated soldiers under Duke Chen to secretly wipe away tears: after returning to the capital, they would do anything to find a way to leave the Chen family's camp and never fight alongside the Chen father and son again. It was too much suffering, sob sob!

The three men, including the Duke of Chen, were also extremely tempted.

Every time Ji Chenhai and his two companions started eating, they couldn't help but silently swallow their saliva, constantly pondering:

What the hell were those three bandits eating? It smelled so good!

Halfway there.

Late that night, Black Owl suddenly felt a strange itch and stinging in his lower abdomen. A faint, eerie laugh echoed in his ear: "Back then, I thought you might still be of some use. I never expected you to actually be of some use, to have cultivated to this level. Hehehehehe... This is truly a pleasant surprise and delight for me."

"Scorpion Envoy!"

Black Owl suddenly stood up and cautiously looked around.

The mountains and fields were quiet at the end of winter, with only a few occasional animal cries.

Apart from the soldiers in the Chen family camp not far away, he did not find anyone else.

Ji Fengming, who was sleeping next to Hei Xiao, noticed that he was awake. He rubbed his sleepy eyes and got up, mumbling sleepily, "Xiao Chen, what's wrong?"

"I think I heard the voice of the Scorpion Envoy," Black Owl said, his expression still full of vigilance.

He didn't think he had misheard.

But if he couldn't detect that person's existence, it could only mean that the Scorpion Envoy's strength was much higher than his!

Upon hearing Hei Xiao's words, Ji Fengming instantly woke up from his drowsiness. He pricked up his ears and listened carefully for a while, then asked in confusion, "Besides that group of good-for-nothings, there doesn't seem to be anyone else here?"

Ji Chenhai was also awakened by the commotion caused by the two of them whispering.

I listened carefully for a while.

The three of them then each walked around the area again to make sure no one was there.

Ji Chenhai looked at Hei Xiao with concern and asked, "Achen, is there something you're hiding from us?"

"Hmm?" Ji Fengming didn't expect that Ji Chenhai would also have this feeling: "I thought that I was the only one who felt that this guy had something on his mind. It turns out that you noticed it too, Father?"

Black Owl lowered his head and remained silent for a moment.

He looked up at Ji Chenhai and Ji Fengming and confessed, "Uncle Ji, Fengming, back then, the Scorpion Envoy planted something in my dantian."

I think that's the demon seed Zuo Ming was talking about.

My cultivation has recently improved, which may have awakened a demonic seed. The Scorpion Envoy likely has some connection to this demonic seed, and he may have sensed my presence.