Yu Daohen rested for a moment before standing up. "It's a good thing you showed up, kid."
Qiangzi waved his hand. "What's between us? By the way, Master Yu, why are you only returning now?"
Yu Daohen hesitated before speaking. "I encountered Luo Jiangwen!"
Qiangzi's smile vanished instantly, replaced by a grim expression. "Luo Jiangwen is here?"
Yu Daohen remained silent. Qiangzi clenched his fists, his knuckles cracking, his face turning deathly cold.
"Master Yu, is Luo Jiangwen really here?"
Yu Daohen nodded. "That's right, I met Luo Jiangwen, and we even fought."
As soon as Yu Daohen finished speaking, Qiangzi turned and walked towards the door.
Seeing this, Yu Daohen grabbed Qiangzi's shoulder. "Qiangzi, calm down. Get your poison cured first."
Qiangzi turned to look at Yu Daohen. "Master Yu, I've been trying to find him. If I miss this chance, I don't know when I'll encounter him again."
"Qiangzi, listen to me. Get your poison treated first. Su Qing is still waiting for you," Yu Daohen reminded him.
Upon hearing Yu Daohen's words, Qiangzi hesitated. He then punched a pillar, sending dust falling from the ceiling beams.
Yu Daohen looked at Qiangzi's reddened eyes. He couldn't fully understand Qiangzi's desire to kill Luo Jiangwen, but now was not the time for emotional outbursts. Only by treating the poison on his face first could he hope to kill Luo Jiangwen.
"Alright, get some rest. Old Hua will cure your poison tomorrow, and perhaps that guy won't have left yet."
Yu Daohen said this, though he himself didn't believe it, it was the only option they had.
Qiangzi nodded and turned to walk towards the main hall. Seeing that Qiangzi had given up, Yu Daohen stretched and followed him in.
They chatted casually for a few more minutes. Yu Daohen took off the exorcism stone from his neck and placed it on the table, then went into his room to sleep.
Qiangzi, on the other hand, sat cross-legged on the sofa, meditating with his eyes closed.
At half-past five in the morning, Yu Daohen suddenly opened his eyes and went to the main hall. He saw that Qiangzi was already gone. He then looked at the exorcism stone on the table, which was also missing.
"Sigh, it seems he still went," Yu Daohen sighed. This was just Qiangzi's nature; he couldn't be persuaded. He had placed the exorcism stone on the table precisely because he feared Qiangzi would go looking for Luo Jiangwen and get himself killed.
Yu Daohen packed his things, slung his backpack over his shoulder, picked up the Kang Long mace, and walked out.
Outside the door, Yu Daohen locked it and then looked down to search for any marks left by Qiangzi.
Although Qiangzi appeared to be a ruffian in his actions, he was truly reliable.
Yu Daohen scanned his surroundings and indeed found a talisman placed on the ground in one direction.
Yu Daohen followed the markings. A talisman was placed on the ground at regular intervals. Finally, Yu Daohen followed the talismans to a patch of grass outside the village.
The sky was just beginning to lighten. Yu Daohen looked towards the grass and saw Qiangzi already engaged in a fierce battle with Luo Jiangwen.
Arcs of electricity crackled around Qiangzi's palms.
Yu Daohen's expression shifted to one of slight surprise. He hadn't expected Qiangzi to know the Five Thunder Palm technique from the Celestial Master's Mansion.
Qiangzi charged at Luo Jiangwen, his electrified palms aimed directly at him.
Qiangzi was fast, but each time his palm was about to strike Luo Jiangwen, he would skillfully dodge it.
Qiangzi swung his palm through the air again. Luo Jiangwen seized the opportunity and let out a sharp breath towards Qiangzi.
However, due to the presence of the exorcism stone, Luo Jiangwen's breath had no effect on Qiangzi.
The two fought with increasing intensity. With every palm strike from Qiangzi's Five Thunder Palm, a gust of wind accompanied the attack, forcing Luo Jiangwen to retreat towards Yu Daohen's position.
Yu Daohen drew the Kang Long mace, looking for an opening. Luo Jiangwen was getting closer to Yu Daohen, who was hidden in the grass.
Yu Daohen seized the moment, pushed off the ground with his toes, and burst out of the grass. Simultaneously, he swung the Kang Long mace, aiming for Luo Jiangwen's head.
Luo Jiangwen's expression changed drastically. No one would have expected Yu Daohen to suddenly appear.
Qiangzi was also somewhat surprised. He had thought Yu Daohen wouldn't wake up until after seven o'clock.
Yu Daohen tightened his grip on the Kang Long mace and swung it towards Luo Jiangwen's head.
Luo Jiangwen, completely caught off guard by Yu Daohen's sudden attack, had no time to prepare and could only raise his hand to block.
*Crack*
A bone-cracking sound echoed. Luo Jiangwen felt a searing pain shoot up his arm, and his face instantly turned ashen.
Qiangzi's electrified palm also landed squarely on Luo Jiangwen's chest.
*Bang*
Luo Jiangwen was sent flying backward, crashing heavily onto the ground, spitting blood.
"Master Yu, you..."
Before Qiangzi could finish, Yu Daohen replied irritably, "Enough. Knowing your personality, I can tell what nonsense you're about to spout just by looking at you."
Luo Jiangwen stood up, his face contorted in a ferocious glare at the two of them. His voice was chillingly cold. "Today, I will kill you both."
As soon as Luo Jiangwen finished speaking, he formed a strange hand seal. Yu Daohen's expression changed as he sensed something was wrong. "Qiangzi, finish this quickly. This guy has a backup plan."
The moment Yu Daohen spoke, he formed a hand seal with one hand, took a deep breath, and spat a torrent of flames towards Luo Jiangwen.