Chapter 0487: Friends
Ning Cheng remained silent, not knowing how to comfort Jing Hao.
One could not say that Jing Hao had invested himself heavily in Shi Yulan. The two of them had probably gone through many hardships to reach this place, only for Shi Yulan to dump Jing Hao and willingly leave with the Celestial River King.
Ning Cheng simply chose not to express his opinion, especially since he had never seen Shi Yulan. Nor did he know what kind of person was Shi Yulan.
However, with Ning Cheng’s experience in the True Cultivation World, even if he and Jing Hao came from the same star, Jing Hao would not be so open with him without any reason. Apparently, Jing Hao had something to ask from him; however, it looks like the conversation touched upon his sore wound, causing him to vent out of frustration.
“In that case, why didn’t Brother Jing leave the Ocean Gambling City to strive for success, instead of staying in this place?” Ning Cheng asked. He very much wanted to ask about the situation with the Fire-attributed Origin; however, he also knew that it was not the time.
Jing Hai finally sobered up from his sad recollections and picked up the second pot of wine that the server had just brought in. He took a swig from it before giving out a sigh and continuing, “It’s not that I do not want to leave, rather I can’t leave. After Yulan left, I felt as if I hit rock bottom, and unexpectedly got seduced into gambling at the casino. I just wanted to forget about this matter.”
Ning Cheng noticed that this was the first time that Jing Hao called out the word ‘Yulan’, contrary to how he previously referred to her as ‘she’.
“I ended up owing a few million Blue Coins to the casino, while the deadline to pay it back is approaching fast. I have been working like crazy for the past many years to repay the Blue Coins that I owe. However, even after so many years, there are still a few million Blue Coins that remains to be paid back, alas…”
Ning Cheng asked with a doubtful voice, “Since it amounts to just a few millions of Blue Coins, why can’t you pay it all off?”
Jing Hao shook his head and spoke, “The deadline is fast approaching, and it’s only a few months from now. If I cannot pay off these Blue Coins before the deadline, I will become a slave and mortgaged off to others. From then on, this world will no longer have a Jing Hao, only a slave with the same name.”
Ning Cheng remained silent. He had already heard from Lan Ya that turning into a slave was the worst kind of fate one could experience.
“The only reason I chose to go back to the casino was to just obtain a chance. However, every time I went there, not only did I not win any Blue Coins, I instead kept losing more and more.”
As Jing Hao spoke until here, Ning Cheng finally understood why Jing Hao decided to head to the casino. If replaced with him, with the deadline fast approaching, other than the casino there might not be any other way to earn back such a vast amount of Blue Coins. Simply put, it was a move out of complete desperation.
“Therefore, I want to ask a small favour from you…..” After Jing Hao finished this sentence, Ning Cheng finally understood what the other party needed from him; in other words, Jing Hao wanted to borrow money from Ning Cheng.
A few hundred million Blue Coins simply was not something that Ning Cheng could take out casually. Therefore, Ning Cheng replied apologetically, “Brother Jing, although I want to help you, I, however, do not have that many Blue Coins. All I have is around a few million Black Coins on me. Its miles apart from you are asking.”
Jing Hao’s eyes revealed a hot light, “Junior Brother Ning, as long as you provide me with some Black Coins, I will definitely win it back and more in the casino.”
Ning Cheng could not help but speak up in exasperation, “Brother Jing, it’s not that I do not believe in your gambling skills. As far as I know, there is absolutely no way to make a fortune by gambling. Every gambler’s history shows regret, built upon blood and tears. I do not recommend that you go gambling. Just think about it, if the casinos can’t make money, would people open casinos?”
Jing Hao stood up and grabbed Ning Cheng’s robes and spoke, “Junior Brother Ning, no Big Brother Ning, you must help me out, please. I know that gambling is not something good; however, I do not have any other way apart from this one. If I do not pay the amount I owe back, I will turn into a slave in a few months. I practically have no way of retreating at this moment. Besides, the casinos merely rake in a small portion; the casino itself does not partic.i.p.ate in gambling. Going into gambling is entirely based on luck.”
Ning Cheng sneered. He felt too lazy even to retort back at Jing Hao. Casinos do not take part in the gambling and raked in a small percentage, this is not even enough to deceive ghosts. He came from Earth and had seen too much of such things back there. This Jing Hao has lived for at least a thousand years more than he has; however, it looks like he either led a life devoted to cultivation or disdained to spend time and inquire about such things.
“Well, I will not give you any more advice. I only have a few million Black Coins on me. You can take some of it if you want; however, just stop speaking anymore.” Ning Cheng took out the Black Coin Card and handed it to Jing Hao. He anyway had a few things to ask from Jing Hao, and these few million Black Coins were not enough for him to feel a pinch while giving it away anyway.
Jing Hao took the Black Coin Card before bowing in ceremony towards Ning Cheng and speaking, “Many thanks, Brother Ning. Whether I am successful or not, I will forever remember Brother Ning’s kindness.”
“It’s nothing much. Brother Jing doesn’t have to mind it…..” Ning Cheng quickly replied in politeness. These few million Black Coins were just equivalent to a million Blue Coins, which really did not amount to much compared to his reserves. Besides, the Immortal Cave that Ning Cheng rented out required a million Blue Coins per year.
Jing Hao nodded and no longer remained polite. After he put away the Black Coin Card, he once again deployed another sound isolating restriction and spoke, “Brother Ning, since we are about to separate, there is one thing that I have to tell you. When I obtained the sliver of fire attributed Origin, there was also a Fire Origin Bead, and the trace of the fire attributed origin definitely originated from the bead. However, my cultivation at that time was too low, and I couldn’t take away the Origin Bead…..”
Ning Cheng suddenly felt his heart pounding. He was just thinking of ways to ask Jing Hao about the location from where he obtained the Fire Origin. He never expected that even before he asked, Jing Hao would actually take the initiative to talk about it. What surprised him, even more, was the confirmation about the Fire Origin Bead.
“When I gave her the trace of origin, she immediately decided to go into seclusion. I had initially thought that I would tell her about it once she came out. However, it looks like I do not have to share this information with her anymore. This jade strip contains a star map inside it, which is marked with the location where I found the Fire Origin Bead. I drew it in a very detailed manner; you can have it ……” Jing Hao spoke as he took out a jade strip and handed it to Ning Cheng.
Ning Cheng subconsciously received the jade strip; however, thinking about how Jing Hao took the initiative to give it to him, he couldn’t help but feel a bit ashamed as he spoke up, “This, Brother Jing, I am aware of what an Origin is, its value is something that cannot be measured. As for an Origin Bead, its value is simply inconceivable. Although I do have desires for such kind of things, but……”
“I’ve been working tirelessly all year round to make money, looking for various cultivation resources; however, I do not have anybody to call my friend. You are the only friend to me. You actually lent me a few million Black Coins the first time we met, despite knowing that I possibly might not be in a position to return it back. Giving this thing to you is just to satisfy my heart.” Jing Hao spoke and then gave out a long sigh. He had initially wanted to obtain this Fire Origin Bead for Yulan; however, she had already abandoned him.
He was like a mortal who found a golden mountain and only sc.r.a.pped a bit of golden sand off the golden mountain to bring it back to his lover just for his lover to kick him away after taking it from him. Wonder what she would have thought if she knew that, he still had the location of the golden mountain.
“Brother Jing, since you have this jade strip, no matter where you go, you can easily exchange this for tens of billions of Blue Coins.” Ning Cheng spoke slowly.
Jing Hai laughed at himself before speaking, “Brother Ning, you too naive to think that. Did you actually think that I could exchange this jade strip for Blue Coins? If I took it out in the open, its equivalent to forfeiting my life. Besides, no one will give me tens of billions of Blue Coins just because I took out a jade strip. It would be much simpler for people to just take me to the place where I found the Fire Origin Bead and then kill me after obtaining it.”
“Besides, this Fire Origin Bead is something that I found after facing many hardships. I will not give it up this easily to those bloodsuckers. Brother Ning, we both are from the Graceful Star Mainland, and I can see that you and I are somewhat similar in nature to each other. I anyway have a Metal attributed Spirit Root so I cannot use this thing even if I obtained it. Giving this thing to you is something out of my own willingness.”
“In that case, this Ning Cheng offers his thanks to Brother Jing for the gift.” Ning Cheng received the jade strip before standing up and giving a formal bow towards Jing Hao to show his sincere thankfulness. Origin Beads were really too important to him. Moreover, with his experience, he had a vague feeling that Jing Hao had not lied to him and spoke out his words in full sincerity.
Ning Cheng had a character that reciprocated ten times the respect that he received. Not to mention that the Origin Bead simply had no actual value attached to it in traditional denominations. To put things in perspective, even if the Ocean Gambling City emptied every sc.r.a.p of its Blue Coin reserves, it still would not possess the capability to purchase something like a Fire Origin Bead.
He had not asked about it, yet Jing Hao took the initiative to provide him with the location of the Origin Bead. This fact alone resolved Ning Cheng’s mind that even if Jing Hao could not win back the few million Black Coins, he would definitely use the Blue Coin reserves within his ring to help Jing Hao. It was a mutual payout anyway; Ning Cheng did not want the other party to think of him as someone who just took advantage of others without intending to pay them back.
Jing Hai laughed and tossed down the second pot. The sadness and melancholy from before completely disappearing from his face. It was as if the sad and melancholic person from before was someone else entirely. “Ning Cheng, you should go back and cultivate. Your cultivation is too low. At least wait until you reached the Celestial Gatherer Realm before heading out. I am going to the casino; regardless of success or failure, I have no other choice but to try once again. Regardless of whether you treat me as a friend or not, I already regard you as my friend.”
“Brother Jing, let me accompany you to the casino.” Ning Cheng also tossed the wine down his mouth and calmly spoke up while sitting at the table.
Jing Hao could not help but look at Ning Cheng in doubt before speaking up, “I thought of you as a person who hated gambling. So why do you want to come with me?”
“I definitely hate gambling; however, that doesn’t mean that I hate Brother Jing. I don’t have many friends, and since Brother Jing regards me as his friend, then this Ning Cheng only hopes that Brother Jing will continue to remain friends with me into the future.”
He honestly did not have many friends, let alone those that he could consider as close friends. Except for Taishu Shi and Cang Wei, there were only a select few in his list of friends. Xun Hanrui and Liang Kexin also were his friends; however, they were women.
Ning Cheng already knew that a few people had set their targets over Jing Hao. Since he already decided to regard Jing Hao as his friend, he chose not to care about them at all. Paying for someone did not const.i.tute as being friends, just icing over the cake, but lending a helping hand in the hour of need, is what formed a real friendship. Similarly, Ning Cheng also hoped that Jing Hao did not turn into a friend who was just icing on the cake, but a friend who could lend his hand to others in the time of need.
“Good, from now on there is no such person as Jing Hao. I will take up the name Jing Wuming (nameless) from now.” Jing Hao did not believe that Ning Cheng had no awareness of the troubles coming his way in a.s.sociating with him; yet, he still chooses to treat him like a friend despite knowing about the risks.
Previously, when the two of them entered the pub to drink together, although it might have had some lingering effect over Ning Cheng, it would not have been too big. As long as Ning Cheng could explain things out clearly, no one would willingly aim to cause trouble for some cultivator in the Plundering Life Realm. As long as the only reason between the meeting between Ning Cheng and him remained on the topic of borrowing money, it would have been fine.
However, now that Ning Cheng expressed his wish to accompany him to the casino, it created an entirely different meaning. This implied that the two of them advanced and retreated together. He never thought that he and Ning Cheng would have such similar thinking; Ning Cheng definitely was a friend worthy enough. If real friends met with adversity, they always shared the burden together, or at least put some effort in facing the challenges together.
Only at this moment did he discover the mult.i.tude of things had he missed during the time he poured all his energies into that woman. Friendship, such a warm feeling that seemed incredibly distant to him, was now something that he also currently possessed.
Ning Cheng also understood the meaning of Jing Hao’s words. The reason why Jing Hao chose to change his name was to forget about his past completely, preferring to remain a nameless person from now on.