Could Tie Rong Actually Be a Good Person?

The next day, Jiang Feng rose early and arrived at the Medicine Hall before the hour of the rabbit.

He passed through the front courtyard and headed straight for the Guard Hall.

The Guard Hall was vastly different from the Apprentice Hall where he had previously stayed; it occupied a larger area, possessed a more imposing atmosphere, and even featured a separate small courtyard specifically designated for the guards to practice martial arts.

It had just turned the hour of the rabbit, and the courtyard was already packed with bare-chested Medicine Hall guards, all chanting in unison as they performed their morning exercises.

"Hey! Hu! Ha!"

Waves of vigorous, powerful roars reverberated through the small courtyard one after another. Sweat streamed down their bare backs, and their punches and kicks carried a sense of raw, solid power.

Jiang Feng watched this, his heart feeling a slight tremor.

He kept his steps light, moving silently along the path in the corner toward the depths of the courtyard, trying his best not to disturb anyone.

Arriving before the main entrance of the Guard Hall, Jiang Feng took the initiative to walk toward the guards stationed at the door.

Before he could even get close, one of the tall, sturdy guards reached out to block him, shouting sternly:

"Stop! This is a restricted area of the Guard Hall, and unauthorized personnel are not allowed to enter. What are you here for?"

Jiang Feng stopped as instructed, cupped his hands in a salute, and spoke in a tone that was neither servile nor overbearing:

"I am Jiang Feng. I passed the Guard Assessment yesterday. By the order of Steward Tie, I have come to report for duty today."

The tall, sturdy guard was stunned for a moment, then a playful smile appeared on his face as his gaze swept up and down Jiang Feng's body several times:

"So you're that Jiang Feng who beat Liu Mo into a coma yesterday?"

He tilted his head to look him over, his tone filled with undisguised contempt.

"You don't look like you have much skill, either."

The guard beside him also began to laugh, his face full of ease, as if he were watching a joke:

"I think that kid Liu Mo just had weak legs. He spent all his energy on the girls at the Moon Gazing Pavilion, so how could he have had the strength to test a newcomer? Hahaha, wouldn't you agree?"

Jiang Feng's brows furrowed imperceptibly, but his tone remained calm:

"I was indeed lucky to pass the assessment. However, I would still appreciate it if the two of you could report my arrival, so as not to keep Steward Tie waiting."

The lead guard let out a disdainful scoff, as if he had heard the greatest joke in the world:

"Keep Steward Tie waiting?

Look at yourself—what are you? What qualifications do you have to make Steward Tie wait for you?

You arrived too late; Steward Tie is currently practicing in his room. You can just wait on the side. Once the Steward is finished, I will naturally call you."

Arrived too late?

A flash of astonishment crossed Jiang Feng's eyes. He had specifically timed his arrival, and it was only just past the hour of the rabbit; the sky hadn't even fully brightened yet.

Could it be that the Guard Hall's schedule was even more hellish than that of the lowly apprentices?

He realized the truth in an instant: this was aimed directly at him.

For an ordinary guard to dare block someone and intentionally leave them hanging without orders from above—he simply did not believe it.

He suspected that even if he had arrived earlier, there would have been some other excuse waiting for him.

He had been pondering Tie Rong's attitude yesterday, and now it seemed the other party's stance was clear.

To be honest, Jiang Feng felt very annoyed.

He only wanted to cultivate and improve in peace, so why were there always such blind fools clinging to him?

Did they really have to force him to kill?

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing his surging emotions. He stopped arguing with the two men, turned, and walked to the corner of the courtyard to wait quietly.

Jiang Feng had assumed that the so-called morning exercises would end in at most an hour.

Yet, he waited from the hour of the rabbit until the hour of the horse, and that door remained as still as a mountain.

During this time, someone must have leaked the news, as the fact that he was being left at the door by Tie Rong spread throughout the entire Medicine Hall. Even many apprentices and guards came over specifically to watch him make a fool of himself.

"Oh my, it really is Jiang Feng. What did he do wrong this time? Why did he get the cold shoulder the moment he entered the Guard Hall?"

"What's the use of becoming a guard? It's not even as good as being an apprentice like me.

Although the work is a bit tiring, the living quarters are a bit shabby, the allowance is a bit low, and the treatment is a bit worse, at least I live with dignity."

"Brother, stop talking. We're here to watch the show, but if you keep going, I'm going to cry."

The surrounding gossip made Jiang Feng's already frustrated mood even worse. Just as he was about to turn and leave, the two guards from earlier walked over unhurriedly, their faces wearing undisguised mockery:

"Jiang Feng, go on in. Steward Tie has finished his morning exercises."

Jiang Feng didn't even glance at the two men as he walked straight toward the tall door.

Pushing it open, a thick, pungent smell of rust and sweat rushed to meet him.

The interior of the room was extremely spacious with bare walls. The floor was paved with square bluestone tiles, and several weapon racks were scattered in the corners. The blades on the racks glinted with a cold, chilling light, adding a sense of solemn, murderous intent to the room.

In the center of the room, Tie Rong sat cross-legged, his upper body bare.

His already exaggerated muscle lines looked even more ferocious and terrifying after being engorged with blood. A layer of oily sweat glistened on his skin, and steam rose in curling wisps from around him, creating an overwhelming sense of pressure.

Sensing someone had entered, he suddenly opened his eyes, his vulture-like gaze locking onto Jiang Feng.

Upon recognizing Jiang Feng, his expression softened, and his entire demeanor relaxed slightly.

"You're that kid who passed the assessment yesterday. If I remember correctly, your name is Jiang Feng, right?"

Tie Rong stood up and casually grabbed a sweat towel from a nearby weapon rack. As he wiped the sweat from his body, he laughed heartily.

"You must have been waiting outside for quite a while.

Don't take it the wrong way; this isn't me intentionally targeting you.

Ever since I took the position of Steward of the Guard Hall, I've set a rule: when I am practicing martial arts, no one is allowed to come in and disturb me, unless the sky falls."

These words were frank and direct, and Tie Rong's expression was far gentler than Jiang Feng had imagined—a complete contrast to the gloomy, arrogant figure on the viewing platform yesterday.

Jiang Feng wavered for a moment, even beginning to suspect that his previous judgment had been too hasty. Perhaps Tie Rong was truly a good man?

Hearing this, Jiang Feng showed an expression of admiration and responded with a sincere tone:

"Steward Tie, you are truly the strongest martial artist in our Medicine Hall. This level of persistence and perseverance alone makes me admire you from the bottom of my heart."

Flattery will get you everywhere.

Tie Rong laughed loudly at this, reaching out to pat Jiang Feng on the shoulder. The force was neither too heavy nor too light, showing a hint of closeness.

"You've got a silver tongue, kid. What I appreciate most is a young man like you—you have a bright future!"

After a few simple pleasantries, Jiang Feng saw that the other party had no intention of getting to the point, so he took the initiative to ask:

"Steward Tie, am I now... officially a guard?"

Tie Rong nodded gently, his smile as warm as the sun in March.

"That goes without saying.

You passed the assessment on your own merits, so of course you are a guard of the Medicine Hall. Starting this afternoon, you will join the Guard Hall's patrol team and begin standing guard and patrolling."

He agreed very readily, but upon hearing this arrangement, Jiang Feng's brows furrowed slightly, involuntarily.

Although he had previously been a lowly apprentice, he was not entirely ignorant of the division of duties in the Guard Hall. The patrol team was precisely the worst, most thankless position in the entire Guard Hall.