Zhao Ming had always been a sheltered young man, growing up in a small village on the outskirts of the hong meng continent. But all of that changed the day he met Liang.

Liang was a scoundrel through and through, with a crooked grin and a penchant for trouble. He was the kind of person that Zhao Ming's parents had always warned him to stay away from - but there was something about him that drew Zhao Ming in.

Maybe it was the way he moved with such ease and confidence, or the way he always seemed to know the right thing to say.

Whatever it was, Zhao Ming found himself following Liang down a path that he never would have dared to explore on his own. They took jobs together as mercenaries, guarding caravans and fighting off bandits.

They drank and gambled and laughed late into the night, heedless of the danger that surrounded them.

It was a heady rush, living on the edge like that. Zhao Ming felt like he was finally experiencing life for the first time, away from the sheltered confines of his village. He felt invincible.

But then one day, they took a job that would change everything.They were hired by a wealthy merchant to retrieve a rare and valuable treasure from a dangerous part of the hong meng continent.

It was a risky mission, but the promise of a huge payout was too good to pass up.They set out early in the morning, making their way through the twisting, treacherous paths that led to the treasure's location. Along the way, they encountered fierce beasts and rival cultivators, but Liang always managed to talk their way out of trouble.

Finally, they reached the cave where the treasure was said to be hidden. It was a dark, foreboding place, and Zhao Ming felt a sense of unease as they stepped inside.

The treasure was there, glittering in the dim light - but so were a group of rival cultivators, who had also come to claim it.

A fight broke out, and Zhao Ming found himself fighting for his life alongside Liang. But even with their combined skills, they were no match for the rival cultivators' superior numbers and experience.

In the end, they were forced to flee, empty-handed and bruised.

Zhao Ming was shaken by the experience, realizing for the first time just how dangerous the hong meng continent could be.

But Liang just grinned, clapping him on the back. "Don't worry, fellow," he said. "We'll get 'em next time. And even if we don't, at least we'll have some stories to tell."

And with that, Zhao Ming knew that he was in for a wild ride. Liang might be a scoundrel, but he was also a friend - and one who would teach him more about the world than he ever could have imagined.