Chapter 610 Huaiyang Shocking Change
Xia Chichi knew that Zhao Changhe truly had no desire for the throne; he had even given away the little Dragon Energy that he possessed to Wuzhui.
Although this so-called Dragon Energy was something he could possess in abundance if he truly wished, his casual gifting of it to Wuzhui showed just how little he cared; he had never entertained the thought, not even the slightest bit.
But that didn't mean she, Xia Chichi, wanted it.
It wasn't that I'd want something just because you give it to me...
However, seeing the look in Zhao Changhe's eyes, she ultimately didn't say that.
Men always seem to mean well in their own way. Perhaps in his heart, the bond between father and daughter was ever constant. The old matters of the Xia family were harsh but not completely inhumane... Whatever the case, she wasn't able to sort out her feelings clearly, nor did she feel determined about wanting or not wanting it. She would just have to take things one step at a time.
After all, she had originally planned to return and join him in battling the Huns, not to loiter here... Yet, due to the Tang family's merchant ship docking according to the established route back to Ningbo, she ended up on land in Jiangnan, which paved the way for many opportunities as she traveled north. Having just left Jiangnan and headed north, she was now venturing into the territory of the Cao Gang, a place similarly steeped in history.
The Tang family usually had a good relationship with the Cao Gang; Tang Buqi and the Young Master of the Cao Gang, Wan Dongliu, had a close private friendship. But now, with someone from the Tang family heading north, few dared to travel through Yangzhou; they would often take detours elsewhere to disembark.
This was because, on the subject of maritime trade, the Tang family and the Cao Gang had conflicting interests and had fallen out.
The fallout went beyond just that; more crucially, the Cao Gang was associated with the Four Symbols Sect.
The Cao Gang had been a key target for infiltration by the Four Symbols Sect in the early years. Young Master Wan Dongliu had been brainwashed by the elder sister, Vermilion Bird, from an early age to join the sect. Whether or not Wan Tianxiong was aware, it was likely he had his suspicions but turned a blind eye for the sake of having more options. The Cao Gang had many hard workers at the bottom levels who were not so easily bewitched by the Maitreya Sect, and one significant reason for this was that many had already been led to believe in the Four Symbols by the young master...
When Wan Tianxiong decided to rise up, he had clearly joined the sect as well, and now he had been given the position of a protector, becoming one of the exemplary forces supported by the Four Symbols Sect. In this aspect alone, the Tang family's position was already at odds with him. Quite seriously, in fact - the two sides' representatives had clashed in their youth, and that clash had continued into the present, where they were even competing over men.
If the Tang family intended to move northward, Wan Tianxiong, spanning across Jianghuai, would be the first barrier. Likewise, if the Jianghuai armies wanted to expand, there were only two routes: either march north to Langya or head south to seize the Tang family's territory. In today's chaotic situation, the most tense and most anticipated battle to break out first by the onlookers would be between the Cao Gang and the Tang family.
For now, people from Jiangnan heading north were doing so honestly as merchants of various families, crossing the river. The time when the two sides would completely cease commercial trade had not yet arrived, but it seemed to be fast approaching.
As for Zhao Changhe's family of three, their ship naturally didn't need to deliberately avoid Yangzhou; there was a Venerable and a Holy Daughter on board... As a result, even though Xia Chichi wasn't in the mood to wander here, it seemed logical and reasonable to pay a visit.
"I wonder if it's Wan Tianxiong or Wan Dongliu currently in Yangzhou?" Zhao Changhe looked towards the distant city walls as the sunset was about to sink below the horizon, debating whether or not to stop for a rest.
Xia Chichi muttered, "They might both not be in Yangzhou. What, you have something to say to them? Or did you see some Qi here again?"
"No," Zhao Changhe said, at a loss for words; "Not every place has Dragon Energy, and even if the Cao Gang had it, it would manifest through you, you are the true successor. I don't have anything to discuss with the Cao Gang at the moment, and if I did, it would be to tell them to target the Wang family, but whether it's the right moment for such a military move, I'd have to see what Wan Tianxiong thinks, right? To what extent do we have control over the Cao Gang?"
Xia Chichi wasn't very clear either: "We should ask the Venerable about that."
Zhao Changhe turned his gaze towards San Niang.
San Niang lay on Wuzhui, playing dead.
She wasn't the Venerable being asked about. Why ask me? Since when have I dealt with the affairs of the sect, other than to punish the Holy Daughter by copying scriptures...
The three of them confidently led their horse off the ship, still uncertain whether to meet with Wan Tianxiong and his son, when they saw Wan Dongliu already waiting ahead; it was unknown when he had received news of the Venerable and Holy Daughter's arrival.
Zhao Changhe stepped forward, eager to exchange pleasantries, when he saw Wan Dongliu's expression darkening to the extreme, "Venerable, Holy Daughter... my father was assassinated, just the night before last."
The three of them were greatly alarmed, "What happened?"
Wan Tianxiong was ranked eleventh on the Earth List in the first edition of the Chaotic World Book that Zhao Changhe encountered upon his time-crossing. Ahead of him were the tenth, Yang Jingxiu, the ninth, Huangfu Yongxian, the eighth, Wuding, the seventh, He Lei, and the sixth, Master of the Li family of Longxi, Li Gongsi. Above them, it was the Vermilion Bird and the Turtle making Wanzhuang into a sandwich, with the Thief Saint Ye Wuzong at the top of the list.
Over the past two years, four of the strong fighters ahead of Wan Tianxiong had fallen—Hai Pinglan, Maitreya, He Lei, and Wuding. Now, Wan Tianxiong was ranked seventh on the Earth List, a truly top-notch fighter and a dominant overlord in the world.
Once, Zhao Changhe had injured Wan Dongliu, and Wan Dongliu had warned him that if he didn't leave, his father would come and beat him to death. At that time, Zhao was truly weak and had run faster than a rabbit.
Now, Zhao Changhe reckoned that he was about at that same level, although it was possible that Wan Tianxiong had also improved over the two years and could not be seen with the same old eyes; he likely still had a slight edge. But he already had the confidence to face him squarely on his own strength, rather than relying on others.
And this was an opponent Zhao Changhe was still contemplating whether he could confront squarely... yet this very opponent was assassinated in his own territory, under layers of protection!
Seeing Wan Dongliu's expression, it seemed more likely to be more misfortune than fortune!
Zhao Changhe cast all other thoughts from his mind and swiftly grabbed Wan Dongliu's hand, sprinting towards the city, "Let's talk on the move. I must be honest, Brother Wan, I have grown quite confident in my medical skills. As long as your father is still alive, there is a chance!"
Wan Dongliu, filled with overwhelming gloom, swallowed it all back, overjoyed, "If you can cure him, just say the word in the future, Brother Zhao. I'll go through water and leap into fire for you without a word of complaint—or I'm a son of a bitch!"
Xia Chichi followed closely and asked, "Who did it?"
Wan Dongliu's expression sank once again, "It was Wang Daoning."
Wang Daoning...
Zhao Changhe and the others exchanged looks, at first surprised, then quickly understanding, "He wanted to embark on other important tasks, so he eliminated the worries of the south first!"
If Wang Daozhong had been there, he would have understood what Wang Daoning meant by "Langya without worries" before he left. There were basically no problems internally, with Gui Chen and other Wang Family powerhouses sitting in command. The biggest variable in the south had been resolved by him, so in the short term, Langya really had no worries.
In fact, it had been a long time since there had been an incident where a leader of one faction was eliminated by such a decapitation strike... Unless the difference in strength was enormous, even with Wang Daoning's strength at tenth on the Heavenly List, that was not enough to pull off such a feat against Wan Tianxiong, who was no pushover. The advantage of home ground was unpredictable, and venturing deep into enemy territory with such heavy defenses was extremely risky—one might not return at all.
"So, what's Wang Daoning's level now?"
Wan Dongliu said, "Very strong... During the fierce battle, Father shockingly uttered a word 'Imperial' in question? Wang Daoning replied with nothing but a smile at that time."
Imperial Realm.
The three exchanged glances, their expressions turning solemn.
It was unbelievable. Wang Daoning returned from abroad wounded, and the next time news of him surfaced, he had reached the Imperial Realm? Was he also a Saiyan?
"In that case, it really was like invading a land of no resistance. All our arrangements, all our arrays, and numerous masters encircling him, none of it was of any use, and he left corpses strewn everywhere. Father was struck by his palm in the chest—like a landslide or tsunami, his chest was flattened. Thinking Father was surely dead, he went on a killing spree before leaving." Wan Dongliu still shuddered at the memory, "It was fortunate I wasn't there at the time, or I might have also perished in that battle."
"So your father didn't die?" San Niang wondered, "This Wang Daoning lost his caution then. The Chaotic World Book didn't report it, and he didn't verify it."
"At that time, Father used the Turtle Breath Technique of the Venerable to deceive Wang Daoning momentarily. But in truth, it only delayed the inevitable without changing the fact that he was gravely wounded and near death. We invited many famous doctors, all of whom said he couldn't survive. Probably Wang Daoning thought there was no need to come back and finish the job." Wan Dongliu's expression was extremely dark, "If something happens to my father, I'll immediately lead troops north to Puyang. He killed my father, I'll kill his son—I want the Wang Family utterly destroyed!"