Yu Daochen's expression changed, and he looked down.
He saw several explosive talismans beneath his feet, which had appeared at some unknown time.
"I haven't lost yet!" Zhang Xiaoqiang's voice fell, and he formed a hand seal, preparing to detonate the talismans.
"Damn it, you crazy kid!" Yu Daochen cursed.
At such close range, even Qiangzi would be caught in the blast.
The moment the talismans were about to explode, Yu Daochen shoved Zhang Xiaoqiang away, but he was a step too slow.
Boom!
An explosion echoed through the entire old street.
Yu Daochen was blown away and landed heavily on the snow. His clothes were tattered, blood streamed down his face from his forehead, and his arms were also bleeding profusely.
Zhang Xiaoqiang, having been pushed away by Yu Daochen in time, was unharmed.
Zhang Xiaoqiang stood up, brushed the snow off himself, and said with a smile, "Master Yu, you lost!"
Yu Daochen slowly got to his feet, wiping the blood that had trickled to the corners of his eyes. He looked at Zhang Xiaoqiang in disbelief, "To win, have you no regard for the bond between us?"
Zhang Xiaoqiang sneered and shook his head, "Enough, Master Yu. You're heavily injured, and you can't win if we continue. Let me take Li Xin away."
Yu Daochen knew that the current Qiangzi was no longer the Zhang Xiaoqiang he remembered.
"Don't make a move."
Yu Daochen glanced at the dark corner beside him and murmured, then looked back at Zhang Xiaoqiang, "I haven't lost yet!"
Seeing Yu Daochen's refusal to concede, Zhang Xiaoqiang's expression turned serious, "Are you truly going to protect Li Xin?"
Yu Daochen clenched his fists, his gaze also turning serious, "With me here, no one can touch him today."
"You're forcing my hand!" Zhang Xiaoqiang tightened his grip on the copper coin sword and lunged.
Yu Daochen's eyes closed slightly, then snapped open. He raised his Kanglong mace and, with all his might, struck at the incoming copper coin sword.
Seeing this, Zhang Xiaoqiang hastily retracted the copper coin sword and used it to block.
Crack!
A crisp sound echoed as the copper coin sword snapped, scattering coins all over the ground.
"What!"
Zhang Xiaoqiang was shocked.
But before he could react, Yu Daochen swept his leg and knocked him to the ground.
As Zhang Xiaoqiang fell, Yu Daochen raised his fist and smashed it towards his face.
Bang!
Zhang Xiaoqiang had no time to raise his hands to protect his face and took the full force of Yu Daochen's punch.
"Why! Why! Why!" Yu Daochen roared.
Anger and disappointment fueled his fists as he struck his once best brother.
Yu Daochen had never imagined that his fist would one day be aimed at his closest friend.
This punch hurt a hundred times more than if it had landed on him.
"Why! Why!" Yu Daochen continued to shout.
Perhaps dazed by the blows, or perhaps too weak to resist, Zhang Xiaoqiang allowed Yu Daochen's relentless punches to rain down on his face.
Blood from his arm dripped onto Zhang Xiaoqiang's face.
Everything around them seemed to stop.
Seeing Zhang Xiaoqiang on the verge of unconsciousness, Yu Daochen finally stopped his assault.
Zhang Xiaoqiang stared at the furious Yu Daochen, whose fists had stopped, "Why did you stop!"
Yu Daochen closed his eyes, then slowly opened them again. His fists clenched with a creaking sound, but he eventually relaxed them, stood up, and turned to walk back into the shop, "Get out of Jiangdu. Don't let me see you again!"
Watching Yu Daochen's dejected back disappear into the night, Zhang Xiaoqiang's heart was filled with a complex mix of emotions.
A disciple nearby scrambled to his feet and helped him up from the ground.
Zhang Xiaoqiang wore a bitter and helpless expression. If not for their different statuses, they might have remained brothers forever.
Fate truly played cruel tricks.
The disciple, gathering his courage, asked, "Master, if you wish, I can use Xu Yaya to threaten him."
Upon hearing this, Zhang Xiaoqiang's face changed drastically. He grabbed the disciple by the neck, lifting him, a murderous intent flashing in his eyes, his voice icy, "I told you not to threaten him using his friends and family!!"
As Zhang Xiaoqiang spoke, he tightened his grip.
The disciple's face turned red, his breathing becoming difficult. He managed to squeeze out a few words, "Disciple misspoke just now, please forgive me, Master!"
Zhang Xiaoqiang stared coldly at the disciple, "I hope this is the last time I hear such words!"
The disciple nodded with difficulty, "Disciple understands!"
Hearing this, Zhang Xiaoqiang finally released his grip.
The disciple let out a long sigh and knelt on the ground, gasping for air.
Zhang Xiaoqiang slowly said again, "This is between him and me. Do not involve his family or friends, understand?"
The disciple kneeling on the ground quickly cupped his hands, "Disciple understands!"
Zhang Xiaoqiang sighed helplessly and turned to look in the direction of the Midnight Spirit Shop.
This might be his last visit to the Midnight Spirit Shop.
The friendship they once shared had sunk to the bottom of the sea with the end of this battle.
Perhaps they could never return to how they were, but not harming each other's families was the bottom line.
Not involving families was a small compensation for the damage done to their friendship.
There was never fairness in the world; some things were decided from birth.
Fate always brought despair and helplessness.
This year's first snow fell too cold!
So cold it brought helplessness! So cold it chilled the heart!