Chapter 0772: Life and Death Friendship
Duan Gantai had an ugly look over his face. He had no idea if Ning Cheng was currently in Jiangzhou Star or not. But regardless, it wouldn’t change the fact that he had exchanged a Breaking Boundary Talisman for a few jars of fake wine. It would be strange if he felt happy about it.
But when he saw Ning Cheng standing on the public square outside Jiangzhou Star, the ugly look on his face disappeared instantly, and he laughed from far away. “Brother Ning, oh Brother Ning. I couldn’t sense Brother Ning’s location, so I thought Brother Ning wasn’t in Jiangzhou Star. But since I saw Brother Ning the moment I came here, I presume Brother Ning came out to greet me specifically. It makes me truly happy. Haha, having friends sure is a great thing.”
Ning Cheng only then remembered that he had not unsealed the restriction on his Connecting Spirit Silk. So, he looked at his wrist and spoke up with a little disappointment. “Oh, since Brother Duan couldn’t sense my Connecting Spirit Silk, then it looks like the quality of this thing doesn’t match up to its name.”
Finished saying that, Ning Cheng shook his hand a bit and unsealed the restriction over his Connecting Spirit Silk. Then, Ning Cheng suddenly spoke up, “Okay, this thing is stupid. It didn’t start working until I shook it.”
Duan Gantai didn’t seem to have realised that Ning Cheng had just unsealed the restriction over the Connecting Spirit Silk. Instead, he still showed a smile and spoke up. “Yes, my Connecting Spirit Silk has its good and bad moments too. Honestly, it’s annoying at times. Fortunately, I have a strong friendship with Brother Ning. If replaced by a small-minded person, maybe they would have already become angry.”
Ning Cheng looked at Duan Gantai with a smile. “Brother Duan, you already set up a teleportation array in the public square outside of my Jiangzhou Star, why didn’t you use it? It would have saved you a lot of time.”
Duan Gantai waved his hand, “I didn’t know if Brother Ning was in Jiangzhou Star. If I had known about it, I would have used it immediately. I was just passing by Jiangzhou Star when I suddenly started to miss Brother Ning in my heart. So, I decided to make a special trip. I didn’t expect to see Brother Ning here, which is why I feel quite excited now.”
Although he said those words, Duan Gantai utterly despised saying it. Since you know that there is a teleportation array here, would I ever dare to use it? Even if I turned into a complete idiot, I don’t want to die.
“I heard that Brother Duan has a top-notch escape technique. To be honest, I only have an average escape technique, so could Brother Duan give me some pointers?” Ning Cheng decided to play along with Duan Gantai’s hypocrisy. In any case, he also wanted to test if he could catch Duan Gantai quickly. He wanted to see if Duan Gantai could still escape if he suddenly attacked, even with the help of Ning Ruoqing.
Duan Gantai put up an embarrassed expression and waved his hand. “Brother Ning, I don’t deserve such ridiculous praise. My escape technique is only average at best. I only obtained this Thought-based Escape Technique by chance. But I can tell you that even if someone completely took control of me, as long as my mind can still function, I can escape in an instant.”
While talking, Duan Gantai unconsciously took two steps back, moving slightly further away from Ning Cheng.
Ning Cheng pretended not to see Duan Gantai’s reaction and also temporarily gave up on the idea of taking down Duan Gantai. Duan Gantai might have spoken the truth, but he also had indirectly warned Ning Cheng not to make a move. Otherwise, everything between them would fall apart.
As for the Thought-based Escape Technique, Ning Cheng had never heard of it, so he decided to take it on its face value. No wonder this fellow could come to Jiangzhou Star so many times. This fellow already knew that he couldn’t catch him. Ning Cheng had no way to confirm if what Duan Gantai said was the truth or not without attacking anyway. But he also knew that Duan Gantai managed to escape from Eternal Night Domain’s already-closed array formation. Something even he would have found impossible after it closed up.
Since he couldn’t catch Duan Gantai right away, Ning Cheng simply asked, “Since Brother Duan has a face full of red, then presumably you obtained a great harvest, right?”
Duan Gantai knew that Ning Cheng wanted to ask about him taking away the None-to-depend-on Wine last time. So, he sighed and replied, “Don’t mention it. Last time, I took three jars of None-to-depend-on Wine from Brother Ning, but my friend said that the wine was fake. He asked me to return the Breaking Boundary Talisman. But since I already gave my Breaking Boundary Talisman to Brother Ning, where else would I find one to return? As a result, well, let’s not talk about it….”
At this point, Duan Gantai sighed and frowned, making his forehead look like a mountain range.
He didn’t have to pretend at this time. He had obtained three pots of None-to-depend-on Wine and had immediately gone to the Guardian Shrine. It’s just that when he tried to comprehend the None-to-depend-on Spirit Technique, those three pots of None-to-depend-on Wine fell a little short. Finally, within the cultivation method of the None-to-depend-on Spirit Technique inscribed on the Guardian Temple’s entrance, he found the reason. The three pots of None-to-depend-on Wine given to him by Ning Cheng were not the real None-to-depend-on Wine.
If he wanted to understand the None-to-depend-on Spirit Technique, he obviously couldn’t do it without the real None-to-depend-on Wine. And without understanding the None-to-depend-on Spirit Technique, he couldn’t open the real Guardian Temple.
“Ah, I thought the Breaking Boundary Talisman belonged to the Yu Clan, so I didn’t think it was your friend’s.” Ning Cheng made a minor sarcastic comment on Duan Gantai, but nothing too much.
“It’s all the same. It’s all the same….” Duan Gantai felt quite anxious about the treasures within the Guardian Temple, so he didn’t pay any mind to Ning Cheng’s nonsense.
Seeing that Ning Cheng didn’t want to say anything, Duan Gantai knew that he couldn’t go on speaking in a roundabout manner. So, he decided to speak up directly, “Brother Ning, I know you still have the real None-to-depend-on Wine. I don’t know if Brother Ning wants to part with it or not, but I would be satisfied with just a few pots.”
Ning Cheng sneered internally. He did have some top-ranked None-to-depend-on Wine. Ning Cheng also knew for sure that it was the real None-to-depend-on Wine as this top-ranked None-to-depend-on Wine helped him in comprehending the None-to-depend-on Spirit Technique. But the question was, why should he give some of this wine to Duan Gantai? He had already used up Duan Gantai’s Breaking Boundary Talisman. So, for Ning Cheng, there existed only one reason to exchange for things with Duan Gantai. That is, to go to the Temple of Time as soon as possible.
“As I said before, I don’t have the real None-to-depend-on Wine. Oh right, Brother Duan, if you aren’t busy right now, we can go to the Temple of Time to have a look.” Ning Cheng refused without hesitation. He currently needed a lot of cultivation resources, and only by going to the Temple of Time would he possibly obtain the resources needed.
Duan Gantai frowned when he heard Ning Cheng’s words. If Ning Cheng didn’t give him the real None-to-depend-on Wine then even if he took control of the Guardian Temple, it wouldn’t help him in any way. As to sharing the Guardian Temple with others, Duan Gantai would never agree to it.
“Brother Ning, the Temple of Time isn’t open now, so we can’t get in at all.” Duan Gantai replied with sincerity.
Although he spoke with sincerity, he sneered in his heart. Even if you have two keys to the Temple of Time, so what? Nobody knew about the life or death of Striking Order Heavenly Emperor, the only one who had access to Time Wilderness, apart from only me Duan Gantai. Even if you have two keys to the Temple of Time, only I know the right time to enter the Time Wilderness.
Ning Cheng felt a little surprised. Because he still had a jade talisman to enter the Time Wilderness, so he forgot that the Time Wilderness was still closed. In the beginning, Striking Order Heavenly Emperor had given him two talismans to enter Time Wilderness as a sign of ‘friendship’. He used one to search for Yu Qing, but he still had the other one.
Should he tell Duan Gantai that he could enter the Time Wilderness? Ning Cheng hesitated and kept thinking about why Duan Gantai wanted the real None-to-depend-on Wine this badly.
“Brother Ning, if you have some real None-to-depend-on Wine, just one pot would be more than enough for me. I can also give Brother Ning anything that you want on me.” Duan Gantai’s tone became more sincere.
Duan Gantai’s words immediately forced Ning Cheng to dispel the fact that Duan Gantai could also enter the Time Wilderness. Duan Gantai desperately needed the None-to-depend-on Wine. If he missed this opportunity, then he would truly feel ‘sorry’ about his ‘friendship’ with Duan Gantai.
“Brother Duan, I don’t have the real None-to-depend-on Wine. But if Brother Duan has a Void Shimmering Light Crystal, I will do everything I can to help Brother Duan obtain the real None-to-depend-on Wine. Aren’t we good friends already? If I don’t help Brother Duan, who else can help Brother Duan?” Ning Cheng spoke up with an equally sincere voice.
If it weren’t for Ning Cheng, Duan Gantai would have already cursed out aloud when he heard the words ‘Void Shimmering Light Crystal’. What was a Void Shimmering Light Crystal? It’s a treasure to upgrade a starry sky flame by a full level. Even if he opened the Guardian Temple’s treasury, he didn’t know if he would even find such a thing inside.
But through Ning Cheng’s words, Duan Gantai also understood that Ning Cheng had a starry sky flame. Moreover, it most likely was a high-ranked starry sky flame. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have asked for a Void Shimmering Light Crystal.
Duan Gantai spoke up with a smile. “Brother Ning must be joking. If Brother Ning wants a Starry Sky Spiritual Vein, I will try my best to help Brother Ning get one. However, it would take me some time. But if it’s a Void Shimmering Light Crystal, then I really can’t do anything about it.”
Ning Cheng nodded in agreement. “I was just joking. Brother Duan doesn’t have to worry about it. Don’t worry. I will pay attention to any news of None-to-depend-on Wine for Brother Duan’s sake. If I get any news, I will immediately contact Brother Duan.”
Duan Gantai knew that Ning Cheng was speaking bullshit. Once he separated from Ning Cheng, he knew that Ning Cheng would never contact him, let alone contact him with ‘news’ regarding None-to-depend-on Wine.
Thinking of this, he gritted his teeth and spoke up once again. “Brother Ning, I will give you a Starry Sky Spiritual Vein. Although I don’t have one now, please wait for me to take the None-to-depend-on Wine to my friend first. I can get the Starry Sky Spiritual Vein from him. For this, I’m also willing to put the third key of the Temple of Time in Brother Ning’s hand for safekeeping.”
The happiness that emerged within his heart almost made Ning Cheng forget to answer Duan Gantai’s request. If it was this easy to get the third key to the Temple of Time, he should have already asked Duan Gantai for it. Ning Cheng had truly not expected it. He hadn’t thought of asking it when Duan Gantai offered it up himself.
Duan Gantai, you said it yourself, don’t blame me for not giving you any soup.
Ning Cheng quickly spoke up, “Brother Duan sure likes to joke. With all three keys on me, I wouldn’t be able to sleep peacefully at night.” He knew that as long as Duan Gantai remained determined, even if he kept bluffing, Duan Gantai would take it out.
Sure enough, before Ning Cheng could even push him, Duan Gantai took out a half-foot long black-coloured key. “With such a deep friendship between Brother Ning and I, if I didn’t believe in Brother Ning then what’s the use of me coming here? Brother Ning, you can keep it with you without any remorse. Even if you took away all the things within the Temple of Time, I would willingly form a life and death friendship with you.”
As soon as he brought out this key, Ning Cheng knew that this was the real black Perpetual Moon Key.
Since Duan Gantai had taken it out without much fanfare, Ning Cheng also didn’t try to push him. He took out a pot of real top-ranked None-to-depend-on Wine without any hesitation. “I’m not sure what happened, but I suddenly found a jar of None-to-depend-on Wine. Please see if this is what you need. As long as Brother Duan needs it, I will do my best to search for more even if I have to go through many hardships.”
Opening the lip of the None-to-depend-on Wine Pot, the top-ranked None-to-depend-on Wine’s unique lingering fragrance spread out. Duan Gantai instantly affirmed that this was the real None-to-depend-on Wine. He had a hunch that he could understand 100% of the None-to-depend-on Spirit Technique with just this one jug.
The two quickly exchanged the items, and Duan Gantai showed a smiling face as he repeatedly thanked Ning Cheng. He acted as if he had never heard Ning Cheng say that he didn’t have any real None-to-depend-on Wine. Or about his words about going through hardships to search for more None-to-depend-on Wine.
“Then, I won’t be seeing off Brother Duan.” Ning Cheng cupped his fists towards Duan Gantai and spoke up. He didn’t even speak a word about the Starry Sky Spiritual Veins that Duan Gantai had mentioned.
Duan Gantai also replied with an equally polite tone and cupped fists. “Brother Ning, this little brother will take his leave now. Don’t worry. I will return soon and bring the Starry Sky Spiritual Vein to Brother Ning. Who can say no to such a good friendship?”
Duan Gantai’s mood had completely changed from when he first arrived. He knew that Ning Cheng had finally drunk his foot wash. Even if Ning Cheng had all three Perpetual Moon Keys, Ning Cheng couldn’t enter the Temple of Time. But he has a real pot of None-to-depend-on Wine, which meant he could now enter the Guardian Temple’s treasury.