"Peace!"

Everyone shouted in unison.

They glanced at each other, and in everyone’s eyes, there were the sincere words ’Take care’.

Quietly, they went their separate ways to take turns on duty.

Fang Che turned around with a grim face and entered his office, gently closing the door.

In this private space, he looked up and sighed softly.

All is well.

He said quietly to himself.

Knock, knock, knock.

The door was gently knocked on.

The person hesitantly knocked once, then tapped lightly the second and third time.

"Come in!"

The door opened.

Tang Zheng walked in, looking uneasy: "Hello, Deputy Hall Master Fang."

"Tang Zheng, huh."

Fang Che composed himself and smiled: "Have a seat, we’re old partners now, why so formal? Sit down. Just call me Mr. Fang like before, no need for the deputy hall master title."

"...Mr. Fang."

Tang Zheng tried to relax but couldn’t, slightly bowing, said: "Well, it’s nothing special, I just wanted to see you. The elixir pills you gave me are really effective, I, I..."

Fang Che smiled and said: "Just tell me why you’re here today. Don’t hold back, you know me, if I can do it, I will; if I can’t, there’s no use talking about it."

Tang Zheng chuckled, scratched his head, and then took out a piece of paper from his pocket, handing it over with both hands.

"What is this?" Fang Che’s eyes narrowed.

"This is my...application to become an official deacon, it needs your...approval, Mr. Fang."

Tang Zheng bowed repeatedly, saying: "Mr. Fang, please have a look, this..."

Looking at this person bowing humbly, the face full of humility, the eyes filled with plea and hope.

Fang Che’s heart suddenly warmed.

The moment was a real crisis.

Wei Wo Zheng Sect’s Dream Demon.

If it truly appeared, who knew how many would survive in the Guardian Hall.

Yet this person, always timid and fearful of death, handed in his application to become a formal deacon at this moment.

"Becoming a deacon at this time?"

Fang Che placed his hand on the application, speaking calmly: "If you don’t become a deacon, you can stay in the hall doing odd jobs. No danger at all!"

"If you become a deacon, you must take shifts, go out on missions, or face death."

"Have you thought this through?"

Tang Zheng’s gaze instinctively flinched but then mustered courage: "Yes, I’ve thought it through."

He earnestly said: "Mr. Fang, don’t think I’m afraid of death, but my childhood dream was to be a guardian, dreaming of it day and night. But as I grew up, I somehow became more and more cowardly, trembling at the sight of blood, hiding from fights, even more, afraid to kill, I practiced diligently every day but dared not make a move."

"I’m deeply disappointed in myself; but I just couldn’t muster the courage. I’ve cursed my cowardice thousands of times, vowed numerous times, yet when the moment comes, I still returned home unable even to kill a chicken."

"Until I grew up, I had buried my dream, accepting the fact that I’m a coward; I knew this life, I could never become a guardian; so I begged my brother-in-law, found a way to come to the Guardian Hall. Said it was for a livelihood, but my family is actually quite wealthy, you can’t earn much here either."

"At that time, I just thought, if I can’t be a guardian, then I’ll do something related to guardianship, even if it’s just serving them tea. But after arriving here, I became lazier, sometimes waking in the middle of the night remembering my past self, I would scold myself for being naive."

"Until Mr. Fang, you came...although you’re a guardian, you’ve shown me what a true guardian is."

Tang Zheng’s eyes shone brightly, saying: "Mr. Fang, you are a true guardian!"

"For a long time, I’ve been thinking if I can’t become a guardian, then I should become a guardian like Mr. Fang, but to be a guardian, you at least need the position of deacon, whereas I am no more than a staff member at the Guardian Hall, not worthy of being called a guardian."

"So I changed my goal, I want to become a deacon. Mr. Fang, I’ve been working desperately for half a year."

"Until recently, I broke through to a Second Grade Military General. Although I’m still timid now, I don’t hide from fights anymore, I, I..."

Tang Zheng suddenly puffed out his chest, saying: "This morning, I even personally killed seven chickens at home!"

"I know people will laugh at me for saying this, but...this is the first time I’ve taken a life. Before this, I didn’t even dare to kill a fish, the most I’ve killed is mosquitoes, even cockroaches scare me..."

Fang Che smiled warmly.

There wasn’t the slightest hint of mockery.

Tang Zheng looked at Fang Che’s smile, and his eyes suddenly reddened.

From Fang Che’s smile, he deeply felt understood.

This understanding filled his heart with warmth.

"How did it feel to kill chickens?" Fang Che asked with a smile.

"The first one, I was scared; seeing the chicken blood flow made me shudder; my hands were shaking."

Tang Zheng said: "By the second and third, I was still fearful, but much stronger, by the seventh, I managed to keep a straight face, though my heart still pounded."

Fang Che laughed sincerely, saying: "Congratulations, Tang Zheng, you’ve defeated yourself."

With just this one sentence, Tang Zheng suddenly choked up: "Thank you, Mr. Fang."

"In life, one faces many battles. But the toughest battle is overcoming oneself!" Fang Che said gently: "Anyone who can conquer themselves is a warrior."