The Legend

12. Arrogance Is Not A Virtue

"Bastard — pick on someone your own size!" Lin Fen roared. Never before had he felt so powerless. To stand there and watch someone precious be hurt, and be unable to stop it — it tore at his very soul.

 

Yun Yao grew impatient. His grip tightened, and Lao Chen let out a stifled cry of pain.

 

"Stop!" Lin Fen and Lao Yun shouted in unison.

 

Lao Yun stood frozen, torn. On one side was her sister and her friend; on the other was someone from the main clan — someone her father had warned her never to provoke. Her eyes darted away, unable to meet Lin Fen's gaze. And in that moment, Lin Fen's heart sank. He'd hoped she was different — but fear had silenced her.

 

He took a breath that felt like swallowing glass. His voice came out low and ragged:

 

"Let her go... and I'll do it."

 

As he spoke, he heard Gai You's voice as clearly as if he were standing right beside him:

 

"Little Fen, remember — a man's knees are worth gold. You kneel only to heaven, earth, and your parents. But sometimes... true strength means knowing when to bend, so that you may stand taller one day."

 

Lao Chen shook her head frantically, tears spilling over. She knew what this meant — that this humiliation could haunt him forever, poisoning his heart and blocking his path forward.

 

But Lin Fen knelt. Heavy, slow, under the eyes of everyone there. Three steps — kneel. Five steps — bow his head to the cold stone. The distance felt like miles. The whispers and sneers cut deeper than any blade. Yet through it all, he kept his eyes fixed on Lao Chen.

 

When he reached Yun Yao, he looked up at her tear-streaked face and forced a gentle smile. "It's okay, Chen Chen. I'm here. No one is going to hurt you." Then he turned to Yun Yao. "I've done as you asked. Now let her go."

 

"Haha — not quite yet." Yun Yao smirked, spreading his legs slightly.

 

Lin Fen's jaw tightened. But as Lao Chen sobbed in his grasp, he lowered his head further and crawled beneath him. The laughter burned into his soul, but he kept moving forward.

 

Finally, Yun Yao released her. Lao Chen stumbled to him, wrapping her arms around him, weeping uncontrollably.

 

"Why... why did you do this?" she whispered brokenly. "It should have been me..."

 

"Because you're my little sister," he said softly, wiping her tears. "And I promised I'd protect you."

 

He felt hollowed out. His pride lay shattered on the floor of that hall. But then Gai You's words echoed again — Your heart must never be defeated.

 

Slowly, the light returned to his eyes. The humiliation was real, the shame was bitter — but it was fuel. Today he had knelt. But today had also taught him exactly what he was fighting for, and exactly what he would rise above.

 

He stood up slowly, trembling but steady, and looked straight into Yun Yao's eyes.

 

"I, Lin Fen, will remember this day. And I will repay every bit of it."

 

Yun Yao laughed coldly. "Trash will always be trash. Come back when you're actually worth my time."

 

"I'll be back," Lin Fen said quietly. Then he took Lao Chen's hand and walked out, heads held high despite everything.

 

The sun outside was bright, almost painfully so. Lao Chen helped him back to his room, neither speaking much — words couldn't reach this depth.

 

But just as they reached the door... a deafening boom shook the ground. The walls trembled. Outside, voices rose in alarm — shouting, the clatter of weapons being drawn, heavy footsteps rushing past.

 

Lin Fen's expression sharpened. He stepped out, his heart pounding. Something was coming — and it wasn't good.