Myths Begin From Boys' Gong

Inside Longchi Temple, Meng Zhao disguised himself as Qi Fang's deceased husband using a disguise technique. His acting was so convincing that anyone could tell he was just a nobody, and his relationship with Qi Fang wasn't good at all.

Outside Longchi Temple, there are rows of farmhouses where tenants of land under the temple’s jurisdiction live. Because the land belongs to the temple, the government cannot collect taxes on it, so the area is very large. Longchi Temple is one of the few large landowners in the entire Kaiyan County.

Qi Fang has been diligently practicing martial arts by Meng Zhao's side these days. She has good talent, is well-nourished by secret medicines, and has a master like Meng Zhao to guide her closely. She has made rapid progress and is not much worse than Fang Han.

Overall combat capabilities haven't changed much, but the ability to dodge and escape has greatly increased.

That day, Master Baohong of Longchi Temple called Qi Fang aside, said something, and his expression was not very good.

Upon returning, before Meng Zhao could even ask, Qi Fang had already blurted out the truth on her own.

"The person you've been waiting for should have arrived. Master Baohong just told me that the temple found out he gave us this farmhouse to live in for free and has already reprimanded him. After all, we were ordered to move out tonight, so it can only be the Fang family who took action."

As she spoke, Qi Fang's eyes darted around, her face was pale, and her plump body trembled slightly, as she was gripped by an indescribable fear.

Her mother had been a devout Buddhist for decades, and her first guide was this Master Baohong. He had initially shown her some kindness, given their decades-long friendship. However, compared to the power and influence of the Fang family, this friendship seemed insignificant.

In fact, Meng Zhao had already learned through secret contact with Fang Han that Fang Zijun had brought many experts to Longchi Temple to meet the abbot.

Given the power and prestige of the Fang family, compared to two ordinary people, the abbot of Longchi Temple had no reason to protect them; therefore, this was entirely within his expectations.

Meng Zhao stepped forward, gently put his arm around Qi Fang's waist, and comforted her.
"Don't be afraid. Today's events were all planned out in advance. You should be happy."

As long as you remember what I said and protect yourself, I guarantee everything will go smoothly today.

Meng Zhao's words were actually quite weak, but his gentle demeanor was as warm and comforting as the sun. In addition, he had completely won over Qi Fang's heart these past few days, making Qi Fang quite dependent on him. Naturally, his words of comfort had a calming effect on people's hearts.

Qi Fang's expression was much better. Although she was still trembling involuntarily, she appeared even more delicate and pitiful!

Meng Zhao was initially very confident, but now he's only about 70% certain. The key is that Fang Zijun is too cautious and careful. Even when he goes out to play with women, he brings so many guards with him.

Although these guards, apart from that Wenbo, were all worthless scoundrels who could be killed instantly by Meng Zhao's sword, they still posed an unpredictable risk.

No matter how strong Meng Zhao is, he is still just a person. He doesn't have the omnipotent power he possessed in his previous life, so he must be even more careful in his actions.

A plan is just a plan; the ability to adapt to changing circumstances is more important.

In addition, Fang Han is also a key piece, and this piece may play an important role.

However, Meng Zhao hesitated at this moment, wondering how to deal with this person.

Firstly, Fang Han himself has good talent and amazing luck. He may not be the chosen one of the world, but he can certainly be considered the chosen one of a small area. He is definitely a trendsetter in a certain era and environment.

Secondly, Fang Han knows a lot of things, although he made them all up. But the traces of martial arts skills can't lie, and the Fang family is definitely not to be underestimated.

If they really manage to get their hands on Fang Zijun with Fang Han's help, and obtain the Seven Revolutions Cold Toad Devouring Divine Skill's mental cultivation method and secret medicine formula, then Fang Han will definitely be an unstable factor.

After much deliberation, Meng Zhao decided to wait until after this incident to make a decision.

Qi Fang began packing up the small farmhouse, packing their belongings into bundles, her heart filled with a deep sense of reluctance.

It has to be said that women are truly emotional creatures. Although life here these days is poor and not very good, it has given Qi Fang a sense of peace she has never felt before. In fact, deep down, she has hoped more than once that it would be wonderful to live like this for the rest of her life.

However, this is ultimately just a dream, and dreams always have an end.

Meng Zhao, however, looked around.

The dimly lit space, the uneven ground, the mottled walls, and the dilapidated doors all indicated the harsh environment here.

Acting is fine, a little bit is enough, there's no need to really get fully involved.

He was not an ascetic, nor did he have to put himself in difficult circumstances to improve.

Therefore, he had no attachment to anything here.

However, there was a hidden fortune within this place, which Meng Zhao only discovered after moving in.

He walked to a corner of the room, lifted a few floor tiles, and took out a piece of cloth containing something.

Upon opening it, one finds a manual on internal martial arts called "Ku Xin Chan Gong" (苦心禅功), along with a prescription for a secret medicine.

In Meng Zhao's opinion, this martial arts technique is absolutely top-notch, and it places great emphasis on talent. If one lacks comprehension and opportunity, it would be extremely difficult to even get started. He wondered why it was left in such a poor farming family.

Meng Zhao didn't know if it was due to the influence of this body's energy that he had such a gain, but he was indeed quite happy.

Think about it, for the sake of an ordinary internal martial arts manual, some people spend decades, or even fight to the death, just to have the opportunity to practice martial arts.

But he found an internal martial arts technique so easily, and it was an extremely high-level, first-class technique, which shows how lucky he was.

More importantly, this painstaking Zen practice involves the cultivation of spiritual methods, which is extremely rare among internal martial arts techniques.

Meng Zhao could take advantage of this to integrate the essence of spiritual cultivation into the Three-Part Return to Origin.

An ordinary person might not be able to do this, but Meng Zhao is at a different level, so naturally he has the corresponding methods.

Therefore, this opportunity was not useless to Meng Zhao; on the contrary, it was very useful.

As for the origin of this martial art, whether it was related to Longchi Temple, and whether taking it away would attract the pursuit of Longchi Temple, he didn't care at all.

Longchi Temple is indeed powerful, but its strength lies mainly in its raw power.

Compared to the major and minor powers in the city, their channels and networks are still somewhat insufficient, so they may not be able to discover Meng Zhao and Qi Fang's whereabouts.

Under the cover of night, the two men, carrying large and small bags, left the tenant farmers' dwellings below Longchi Temple as if fleeing a disaster, and headed back towards the county town.

Halfway there, they encountered Fang Zijun and her group, who blocked the middle of the road.

Fang Zijun spotted Qi Fang at a glance, her heart pounding. She felt that this woman was truly the most beautiful she had ever seen.

Even the chivalrous woman he forcibly took from him only had a bit of heroic spirit; in terms of looks, skin, and temperament, none of her could compare to Qi Fang.

He then understood why Fang Han dared to use such a woman to please him, and why that Boss Zhu would still set a trap to harm this couple when his own life was hanging by a thread.

Beauty is not a sin, but the lack of power to protect beauty is the original sin. Fang Zijun had this thought in his mind: even if this beauty had no husband and was not a wife, he would still cherish her.

Fang Hao, Fang Yong, and the eight guards accompanying them also looked at Meng Zhao and Qi Fang with inexplicable thoughts.

No man could resist Qi Fang, but she was not someone they could covet.

Fang Zijun enjoys stealing other men's wives, but if anyone sets their sights on his woman, they will suffer the cruelest revenge in the world.

Therefore, most of the attention fell on Meng Zhao, who played the gambling husband.

Their gazes toward Meng Zhao were filled with pity and mockery, as if they were looking at a clown.

Meng Zhao and Qi Fang were practically acting like movie stars, looking at the group blocking the middle of the road with a bit of fear.

The two turned to leave, but when they looked back, another person blocked their way—an elderly man around fifty years old.

The man was wearing a light blue mandarin jacket, with gray hair, sharp eyes, and a calm demeanor. At first glance, he looked like an old shopkeeper walking his dog and playing with his birds in the city.

Upon closer inspection, one can see that his skin is firm and elastic, and his arms are thick and powerful, a condition that is definitely not something an ordinary person can achieve.

"Who are you people, and why are you stopping us?"

Meng Zhao appeared extremely fearful and terrified, even hiding behind Qi Fang, perfectly illustrating what it means to be cowardly and lack any sense of responsibility as a man.

Qi Fang also appropriately expressed disappointment and fear, her whole body trembling slightly.

No, perhaps it wasn't all an act; at least, eight or nine tenths of her fear at that moment was real.

Fang Zijun then looked at Meng Zhao.

After being disguised, Meng Zhao's appearance was actually not bad, but his temperament was sleazy, his face was pale, and he had a weak feeling that his vitality was damaged and he was about to die.

He smacked his lips and shook his head.

"There's an old saying that a good woman is paired with a lazy man. I used to think it was just a joke, but today I realize it's not a joke, it's reality!"

With Qi Fang's looks, she could easily have married a powerful figure in Kaiyan County, let alone wreak havoc. Yet, she married an ordinary man and was ultimately framed and harmed. It's truly incomprehensible.

This is actually a hierarchical relationship.

Doesn't Qi Fang want to find a wealthy young man and have a beautiful romance?
of course not.

The key point is that although she is beautiful, she has no opportunity to come into contact with that circle.

Even if they did exist, they would be found in brothels or the black market—special channels.

Her background was certainly not that of a respectable young woman; she was most likely considered a woman who was available to all men. No matter how beautiful she was, it would have been difficult for her to rise to a higher position.

It's like a delicious cake that many people have eaten.

Poor people who have never eaten cake don't care even if they know that many people have eaten it; in fact, they cherish it even more.

But rich people, although they also like delicious cakes, have the financial means to enjoy them. If a cake has been eaten by others, or even by many people, they won't cherish it as much, and they might not even taste it themselves.

Qi Fang is different. She is a simple, respectable young woman who has only been with one man and probably hasn't slept with him many times. For someone like Fang Zijun, she is a perfect match.

"Haha, so Heaven has opened its eyes and allowed such a woman to meet the Fifth Young Master, so that she will enjoy endless wealth and honor in the future!"

Fang Han, standing to one side, was extremely obsequious, showering him with flattery, but in reality, he was extremely nervous and ready to make a move at any moment.

He was also sweating bullets. He hadn't expected Fang Zijun to be so afraid of death, bringing so many people with her. What if, what if something went wrong? He was afraid he would have to flee for his life immediately.

Therefore, before he arrived, he had secretly sold all his family's wealth, exchanged it for silver notes, and carried several bottles of secret medicine, ready to flee at any time.

Qi Fang was also surprised to find that what Fang Han and Meng Zhao said was actually true.

This fifth young master of the Fang family is really so interested in me. I feel a mix of fear and a little excitement.

It wasn't that she was attracted to Fang Zijun; she simply thought that even if Meng Zhao's plan failed in the end, she might not necessarily be doomed.

It's not fair to call this woman materialistic; in fact, it's only human nature.

It's worth noting that even now, Qi Fang is still on Meng Zhao's side, which shows that her interactions with Meng Zhao these past few days have played a very important role.

Fang Zijun then turned her gaze to Qi Fang and said,

"Qi Fang, you've been living with a gambling addict husband, constantly on the run, never having a single good day. Haven't you ever thought about what you're going to do in the future?"

Qi Fang pondered for a moment, then stepped forward nervously and said,
"Young master, what do you mean?"

"What I mean is, you won't have a good life with a man like that. Why don't you come with me? I'll give you everything you want, and all you have to do is simple: serve me well."

Fang Zijun made almost no attempt to conceal her intentions, openly and blatantly making her move on the beauty.

Indeed, this is true; Meng Zhao's portrayal of the gambling husband is incomparable to Fang Zijun.

Yes, Fang Zijun is an absolute scumbag, with a vile temperament and despicable character.

But are gamblers necessarily good people?
Not to mention, the two sides are worlds apart in terms of power, wealth, and status.

Unless one is stubborn or truly in love, any woman who has to choose between the two would most likely choose Fang Zijun, and that would be the most correct choice.

As for whether Fang Zijun will get tired of her in the future and treat her badly, that's something to worry about in the future.

It's best to live in the present.

To put it another way, from an outsider's perspective, does it seem possible that the gambling husband will eventually turn over a new leaf, stop gambling, and shower Qi Fang with affection?

That's probably not the case.

More likely, he'll lose the gamble, become blinded by greed, and even give up his wife. (End of Chapter)