Chapter 854: Chapter 108: Awakening
After not seeing him for a while, Tian Chang’s status within the family seemed to have significantly improved.
Jiang Wang remembered that when he had led a team in the Hidden Star World, not everyone was willing to follow him. Now, however, he trained those by his side as if they were his grandsons.
Of course, with Tian Chang’s nature and strength, consolidating his position and commanding a few people was not a problem. In the Hidden Star World, he was still in the stage of holding his strength back.
What made Jiang Wang curious was why he had also come to Huai Island?
Connecting this to the issue with the Sea Beasts and the frequent travels of Chen Zhitao, the chief disciple of the Diao Hai Building... It seemed like some changes were about to take place in the Near Sea Archipelago, with a sense of a storm brewing.
What Jiang Wang cared most about was whether this would affect his plan to rescue Zhu Bijing.
The middle-aged man walking to the left rear of Tian Chang was probably scolded harshly by Tian Chang and was angry.
He reached out to Jiang Wang: "Don’t block the way!"
The Da Ze Tian Clan’s operations at sea were quite impressive. They owned two islands, stronger than a few other Aristocratic Families. One of these islands, Chongjia Island, had been traded with the Chongxuan Family for ten years.
People from the Diao Hai Building wouldn’t be staying in an inn on Huai Island.
So in this place, they really didn’t have to fear anyone. They could truly disregard others around them.
Jiang Wang casually smiled, even making room for them willingly.
He didn’t need to argue with the minions of Tian Chang. Strictly speaking, Tian Chang was now his man.
Although he had never contacted Tian Chang voluntarily since the Seven Star Tower, it was simply unnecessary. The secret of the Tide Trust Sword, and the massacre in the Hidden Star World, were enough to control Tian Chang’s life and death.
Tian Chang’s gaze fell on Jiang Wang.
"Brother Jiang," he said politely and distantly.
This distance was normal because openly, they had only met twice in the Seven Stars Valley, and they had no other connection.
They weren’t familiar, but he knew of Jiang Wang’s reputation, so he was polite.
Jiang Wang’s face still wore a casual smile, but he merely nodded slightly as a response.
This was the pride of a heavenly pride.
When unrecognized, he could afford to be affable. Once recognized, he couldn’t appear too weak, as if bowing down to the Tian family.
Tian Chang reached out and patted the shoulder of the angry middle-aged man: "You’re being too impolite."
The middle-aged man shuddered with fright and hurriedly turned to Jiang Wang, bowing repeatedly in apology: "I was blind and bumped into someone of high status. Please punish me."
"It’s nothing," Jiang Wang raised his hand: "We are all people of Qi, out here, we should support each other. There is no reason for infighting."
"I have learned a lot."
Tian Chang nodded in acknowledgement and then continued down. Naturally, the group continued to follow him.
As for Jiang Wang, he headed upstairs alone.
Of course, this time no one dared to ask him to move aside; instead, they squeezed to one side to give Jiang Wang enough space.
Jiang Wang saw Tian Chang, and also saw behind him the very ordinary, stoic middle-aged man, Tian He.
His smile was already genuine; now it became even more relaxed.
When dragons and snakes rise together, when the wind and clouds meet.
So many interesting people had come; it was truly interesting.
...
...
The bright moon hung over the sea, making the night very peaceful.
The tide gently surged, soothing people’s hearts.
The window was open, and the masked man with a long sword at his waist naturally flew in and landed in the center of the room, facing the direction of the bed.
Jiang Wang was sitting cross-legged on the bed.
"You are late," he said.
The masked man removed his face towel, revealing a stern face, which naturally belonged to Tian Chang.
"I had to make sure no one noticed my visit to you, so I waited a bit longer," he explained.
"No problem," Jiang Wang smiled. "I don’t mind."
During their daytime meeting, Jiang Wang had reminded Tian Chang that people from Qi needed to support each other. Tian Chang was a clever man; it made no sense for him not to understand unless he pretended not to. And Jiang Wang certainly didn’t lack methods to deal with those who feigned ignorance.
"What brings you here?" Tian Chang asked.
He was a very clever man who wouldn’t make foolish mistakes.
Since the last Seven Stars Secret Realm event ended, Jiang Wang had not reached out to him. He had not requested any information, any resources, nor had he asked for anything. Tian Chang obviously did not think that Jiang Wang had forgotten about him.
Jiang Wang’s lack of requests could only mean that the time was not yet right, and what he could offer was not enough yet.
He knew his own choices, so he thought he knew what Jiang Wang would choose as well.
He came armed with a knife tonight, ready to kill Jiang Wang if he could, but he knew that the gap between their powers had widened even more than before.
So he was obedient, just as he obeyed Anping.
Jiang Wang certainly did not expect loyalty from such a person, but as long as he could always exert control over his power and hold his life in his hands, that was enough.
"No hurry," Jiang Wang said. "It’s been a while since we last met. We should have a chat and get to know each other again."
"Of course," said Tian Chang.
Though it was about "getting to know each other," he knew he only qualified to "be known." He was very aware of this.
"I remember you used to look much friendlier. Your expression usually wasn’t as..." Jiang Wang paused, searching for the right word, "stern."
"Do you know what Lost Heart Valley is?" Tian Chang countered.
It was a rhetorical question, but the answer was already given. Surviving in such a place, willing or not, some changes were permanently made.
Jiang Wang nodded, acknowledging his understanding, and took the initiative to change the subject. "I remember you had a friend from the Public Sheep Family. Why didn’t I see him today?"
"He died in Lost Heart Valley," Tian Chang said indifferently.
In his expression, there was no trace of resentment or similar emotions. It was as if he was speaking about someone completely unrelated, discussing something utterly trivial.
But Jiang Wang remembered that the formation Dao master named Gong Yang Road was the person Tian Chang trusted the most at that time.
"I won’t say ’my condolences,’ then, since you don’t need any comfort."
Jiang Wang organized his words carefully before saying, "Tell me about yourself, what’s your situation now?"
"As you can see, I’m doing quite well," Tian Chang spoke. "Anping has given me substantial authority to handle overseas matters."
"Anping?" Jiang Wang found it somewhat difficult to understand.
He had originally thought Tian Chang’s "rise" was obtained through confrontation with Anping. He did not expect that Anping was also supporting Tian Chang.
He remembered that it was Anping who had sent Tian Chang to Lost Heart Valley to die. He had felt quite sorry when he heard the news back then, considering that Tian Chang was a valuable inside man with great potential.
It seemed abnormal for someone to reuse a person they had tormented. Anping appeared utterly unconcerned about nurturing a potential threat or seeking revenge.
"I almost went mad in Lost Heart Valley," Tian Chang said with a twisted smile. "Perhaps that made him feel a kinship?"
Being effortlessly suppressed, being easily manipulated between life and death, determining destiny,
Enduring inhuman torment, with his most trusted person dying in Lost Heart Valley,
And yet he still had the mood for humor at this moment, joking about Anping being a madman...
It was extraordinary.
The remarkable aspect was not just that he found humor in suffering. More importantly, he had not been completely broken by Anping’s will. He did not show the fear toward Anping that he usually portrayed; he was indeed fearful, but he could face it.
And that was the basis of his qualification to be an enemy of Anping.
