The Legend

10. You Think I'm Weak Now?

The dewdrops were round and smooth, and the verdant leaves stretched their weary bodies with a touch of languor. The sunlight, too, carried a hint of laziness, casting its light upon a small house, instantly brightening the room with a soft golden glow.

Linfen, sitting cross-legged on the bed suddenly opened his eyes. His eyes, which were as vast as the stars, now carried a hint of fatigue. The intense training last night had taken a toll on his body.

Thinking of the girl from last night, a gentle smile appeared on Linfen's lips. It felt really good to be an older brother! Noticing the movement outside the door, he smiled slightly, got up and went out.

"Phew, Linfen, you're really impressive. You knew I was here as soon as I arrived!" Lan Yun said with a slight smile as she looked at Linfen, who had already opened the door and was walking towards her.

Linfen simply smiled faintly at this. He was already used to Lan Yun arriving so early. Gazing at her captivating figure under the sunlight, he couldn't help but be somewhat lost in thought. Today, she was wearing a light blue dress, the slightly tight-fitting attire perfectly outlining her graceful figure.

Seeing Linfen lost in thought, Lan Yun waved her hand in front of him and said, "What are you thinking about? So engrossed?" 

"Nothing."

She then gave Linfen a meaningful look, making him feel uncomfortable. He had no choice but to change the subject.

"What brings you here so early, Sister Yun'er?"

"Today I'm taking you to familiarize yourself with the situation of our branch family of the Samsara Clan. After all, you've never been here before. It wouldn't be good if you couldn't even tell which way was which as my guard!"

"Hey, you're right! Alright then! Let's go now!" Unable to bear Lan Yun's probing gaze any longer, Linfen had no choice but to make an excuse to leave immediately! 

Seeing Linfen's expression, Lan Yun smiled slightly and caught up with him.

Following Lan Yun's directions, Linfen navigated several turns, passing through the main hall, garden, and side rooms. He was deeply impressed; this branch family of the Samsara Clan was no less formidable! And this was just a branch family; how magnificent and terrifying would a whole Samsara Clan be.

It was worth mentioning that there were no countries on this Star Origin Continent; instead, there were various unique professions, and the leaders of those professions were equivalent to the administrators of the continent.

Among them, the most powerful were the judges and law enforcers who govern the central region. Of course, this continent was not ruled by them alone. Currently, apart from the chaotic situation in the east, the other parts of the continent enjoy a relatively stable life.

On the surface, the western region, where Linfen was currently located, was controlled by the Samsara Family, the southern region by the Destiny Realm, and the northern region by a force called Supreme Origin. As for the eastern region, it is mostly controlled by the mysterious organization Time Hunters.

Of course, who knew how many equally outstanding individuals were hidden among them? A host of mysterious professions have emerged in this somewhat chaotic era, and no one dared to claim they were currently the best in this world.

A loud voice snapped Linfen out of his reverie.

"Miss, the master of the family wants to see you!" A maid said to Lan Yun.

"Oh, I see! Well then, Linfen, you can stay here and look around for now! By the way, if you go out this way, you'll reach our family's martial arts hall. You can go and take a look over there if you have nothing to do! I'll go in first!"

Linfen nodded and slowly walked in the direction Lan Yun pointed.

 The lush trees of the Reincarnation Branch still made Linfen feel very familiar, and the surrounding artificial hills added a touch of poetic beauty to the family. Anyone who didn't know the family would definitely think that the Reincarnation Branch was a secular royal family.

Walking towards the martial arts hall Lan Yun had mentioned, Linfen found it increasingly noisy upon arrival. However, he could tell the sounds weren't from cultivation; instead, they were filled with mocking and sarcastic voices.

 Linfen frowned slightly. What was wrong with these guys? What were they doing in a cultivation space if not cultivating?

As he approached the entrance of the martial arts hall, a large crowd had formed a circle. The laughter, jeers, and sarcasm were so jarring that Linfen felt a surge of nameless anger rising within him.

Looking at the chaotic and noisy environment, and then at the large circle formed around them, it was clear what had happened. This indeed angered Linfen. He couldn't stand seeing someone being bullied on the street yesterday, and now they were doing the same thing. 

Regardless of whether he was a match for those people inside, he suddenly pushed through the crowd and shouted, "What are you all doing here instead of cultivating? Get out of here!"

Those people glanced at him angrily walking towards them, then continued laughing, completely disregarding Linfen. Enraged, Linfen stepped forward, grabbed one of them, and used the immense strength he had honed over seven years of training to throw him away.

Silence fell on the area instantly. Staring at the gaunt boy before them, their faces darkened. 

Linfen ignored them and walked towards the encirclement. What he saw next instantly brought tears to his eyes. Inside the encirclement was none other than Lichen.

Her condition was terrible. Her delicate face was covered in bruises, and her original skin color was no longer visible. Her cheeks were swollen, her hair was messy, and there were traces of blood at the corners of her mouth.

Her body trembled, and she kept saying, "I want to play with everyone. Even if it hurts a lot, I will keep enduring it!" 

She sobbed as she spoke.

"You're bullying a little girl like this?" Linfen suddenly grabbed Lichen's hand and shouted at the people around him, His body trembled uncontrollably, his anger rising, and he no longer cared whether he was a match for these people; he just wanted to vent his frustration. "Look at all of you, your ugly faces! So what if you've cultivated with your talent? The first thing a cultivator must cultivate is their own heart! Look at how corrupted your hearts have become. Lichen, don't be afraid! I'm here, no one will bully you now."

"Damn it, who are you, kid! Get out of our way and mind your own business! This ominous little girl wants to train, so what's the problem in training her? Humph!!"

"I recognize him! He looks like the young lady's new bodyguard, a good-for-nothing who will never be able to reach the Meridian Opening Realm! Haha!"

"Damn it, it's you! I've been wanting to get rid of you for ages. You're all useless, just hanging around here eating and drinking for free, and you're even getting so close to the girls. Damn it, everyone beat him up!"

Seeing the crowd gathering around him, Linfen's heart sank. He retreated to Lichen's side and tightly protected her with his hands. Soon after, fists and feet flew towards Linfen.

Even the weakest among them was at the late stage of the Bitter Mortal Realm, and some of them were even experts at the Meridian Opening Realm who had opened a meridian gate. Linfen was no match for them at all. He dodged the punches with his agility, but the place was only so big, so where could he hide?

Looking at the sinister smiles on the faces of those around him, Linfen realized for the first time that people could be so bad. To protect Lichen from harm, he held her tightly in his arms, while fists rained down on his own head and back...

Before long, Linfen's injuries were similar to Lichen's, but he still held Lichen tightly and refused to let go. His stubbornness made him remain silent despite being attacked.

"Brother Linfen, no, don't fight them!" Lichen, nestled in his arms, watched Linfen being relentlessly beaten, her heart overflowing with emotion, while simultaneously urging Linfen to leave quickly! If this continued, Linfen would be severely injured, if not killed.

"What kind of bullshit guard is he?"

"He's clearly a freeloader, a piece of trash who'll never reach the Meridian Opening Realm, you know that?"

"You're a piece of trash! No matter how hard you try, you'll never reach the Meridian Opening Realm. You're just a bottom-of-the-barrel piece of trash!""

As they attacked, the men continued to mock Linfen, showing no mercy. Their sinister laughter and cold sneers filled Linfen's mind, making him feel incredibly humiliated.

"Someone like you deserves to be called a leech. You and that ominous little slut are cut from the same cloth, both idiots. That little slut thought that hard work in cultivation would bring rewards. Heh heh, this is the reward!"

After saying that, they slammed their feet down on Linfen's face, leaving huge footprints. 

Linfen endured their curses, a surge of rage rising in his heart. A person with a pure heart cannot bear to see such ugly faces. His teeth were grinding together as he looked at the overwhelming footprints around him, enduring the pounding of huge fists, his eyes fixed on the people around him like a wild beast.

Without uttering a word, he clenched his fist and slammed it into the person closest to him. 

The man's expression changed; he hadn't expected the kid to use such force, which twisted his face. But what followed was even greater rage. "Damn it, you brat, you dare to fight back? You bastard, you don't want to live anymore? I'll beat you to death!!" 

When the man said these words, Linfen's expression changed instantly, and a chilling voice rang out: "Dare you say that again?"

"I'm talking about you, you little bastard..." 

Before he could finish speaking, Linfen threw a punch, the wind from his fist flashing past, instantly sending the guy flying. The power contained in the punch stunned everyone for a long time! Linfen swept his gaze over them one by one, his eyes icy cold. Everyone felt uneasy under his gaze!

"Weren't you all so talkative before? Why are you silent now! Say something, you bastards!" Linfen roared, “if you’re so great, why don't you go and break into the Nine Forbidden Zones! If you’ve got the guts, go into the Five Caves and Four Grottoes! What are you doing here, trying to show off?”

He walked towards Lichen, took her hand, and slowly moved forward under the gaze of the crowd. As he passed by them, he snorted coldly, then turned and walked out with Lichen without looking back.