Chapter 540: Ice Age Freezes All

The setting sun dipped below the horizon, and the sky was filled with colorful clouds.

Outside Windfire City, on Jade Cloud Peak, there was a stone table with stone stools beside it. A young boy and girl were leaning against each other.

The boy was somewhat thin, his face slightly pale, with delicate features.

The girl wore a snow-white long dress, her skin like jade, her features stunningly beautiful.

The girl rested her head on the boy's shoulder; under the setting sun, they looked like a pair of celestial lovers.

"Yao'er, I wish we could stay like this forever!" the boy said softly, his face full of a happy smile.

"Brother Ming, of course we can. We promised to be together for life and for eternity."

A happy smile appeared on the girl's face.

The boy was named Lu Ming, and the girl was named Lu Yao.

Looking at the smile on Lu Yao's face, Lu Ming's eyes grew even gentler. He held her soft, boneless jade hand and said, "Yao'er, even though my meridians are blocked and I can't condense true qi, as long as I can awaken my bloodline, the Elders' Hall will buy spirit medicine to dredge my meridians, and then I can cultivate."

"I will definitely become a martial arts expert and protect you for your entire life."

"Thank you, Brother Ming."

Lu Yao's eyes showed emotion, and she added, "Brother Ming, did a meridian measurer really test you once that you inherited your father's bloodline?"

"Yes, Yao'er, so in the future, your man will definitely be a strong person." Lu Ming showed a confident smile.

Lu Yao smiled slightly and picked up the wine glass on the stone table. In the glass was the famous Blood Tongue Orchid wine, emitting a faint fragrance.

Lu Yao quickly kissed Lu Ming on the cheek, her face blushing. She picked up the glass and said, "Brother Ming, here, Yao'er rewards you."

Lu Ming took the glass and said, "Yao'er, you treat me to a glass of Blood Tongue Orchid wine every day. I'm really grateful to have you by my side."

With that, he raised the glass and drank it all in one gulp.

The fragrance of the wine lingered on his tongue, and Lu Ming's heart was as sweet as the wine's aroma, but the next moment, he felt the world spinning.

"Yao'er, why do I feel a bit dizzy? Your wine..."

Lu Ming steadied himself on the stone table and looked at Lu Yao, but now he noticed that her expression had turned cold.

"Hahaha, Lu Ming, Yao'er spent three years with you just to nurture your meridian. Now the time has come. Offer up your bloodline!"

At that moment, a middle-aged man appeared from the side. It was Lu Yao's father.

Boom!

Like a bolt from the blue, it exploded in Lu Ming's mind.

"Yao'er!"

Lu Ming looked at Lu Yao in disbelief, but her eyes were full of coldness.

"Why? I love you so much!"

Lu Yao's cold eyes were like daggers stabbing into Lu Ming's heart. He let out a roar and pounced toward her.

But Lu Yao merely stepped back slightly, and he fell flat on the ground.

"Xuan Yuan Sword Sect's Duanmu Lin started cultivating at six, opened two divine meridians in half a year and stepped into Warrior realm, entered Martial Master realm at nine, and now at sixteen he's one of the four prodigies of Xuan Yuan Sword Sect. And you? You're frail and sickly, your meridians blocked. To put it bluntly, you're just trash. Even if you awaken your bloodline, you're still trash. Can you compare to Duanmu Lin?"

"A genius like that is the right match for me, Lu Yao. To marry him, I need to awaken a powerful bloodline. Since you love me so much, why not fulfill my wish? Use your bloodline to help me awaken an even stronger bloodline."

The cold voice came from Lu Yao's mouth.

Thump!

At this point, the middle-aged man stepped on Lu Ming's back with one foot and produced a sharp knife in his hand, shouting, "Lu Ming, offer up your bloodline!"

Ah!

At his spine, a piercing pain instantly overwhelmed Lu Ming. He roared, his voice full of loneliness, helplessness, and despair.

Gradually, Lu Ming sank into boundless darkness.

"Lu Yao, Lu Yunxiong, why did you take my bloodline!"

Lu Ming let out a loud roar and suddenly sat up from the bed, causing the nanmu bed to creak.

Lu Ming was drenched in sweat, his face pale. At first, he thought it was a nightmare, but he quickly realized it was not a dream but a reality that had already happened.

The scene from a few days ago surfaced again in his mind.

Lu Ming was the main lineage heir of the Wind Fire City Lu Clan, his father being the clan leader. Lu Yao was the daughter of the Great Elder of the Lu Clan's first branch.

The two were of the same clan but different branches. They grew up together as childhood sweethearts, practically inseparable. In private, they had even made vows and pledged to marry each other.

Lu Ming never expected that Lu Yao and the Great Elder would attack him and take his bloodline.

"Strength—everything comes down to my lack of strength. If I had exceptional talent and formidable power, how would they dare treat me like this?"

Lu Ming clenched his fists, his whole body trembling, his eyes bloodshot.

Waste!

That was what Lu Yao had called him. Her words from three days ago still seemed to echo in his ears.

Creak!

At that moment, the door was pushed open and a frail middle-aged woman entered. Looking at Lu Ming on the bed, she asked with concern, "Ming'er, have you had another nightmare?"

This beautiful woman was Lu Ming's mother, Li Ping.

Three days ago, it was Li Ping who, worried about Lu Ming's safety, went out to find him and saved him; otherwise, Lu Ming would have died.

Ever since news spread six years ago that Lu Ming's father had been killed while traveling, he and Li Ping had depended on each other for survival.

Lu Ming looked at Li Ping, his eyes softening, and said, "Mother, it's nothing. Just a dream."

Seeing Lu Ming's pale face, Li Ping sat by his bedside, touched his forehead, and said with a pained heart, "It's been three days, and every time you shout that Lu Yao harmed you. Ming'er, what exactly happened? Could your injury be because of Lu Yao..."

Lu Ming said, "Mother, it's nothing. You misheard."

Lu Ming did not tell Li Ping that it was Lu Yao and the Great Elder who did it, because Li Ping did not practice martial arts. Telling her would only harm her.

Li Ping hesitated, then said, "Ming'er, from now on, you must not call Lu Yao by her name in front of others. Two days ago, Lu Yao awakened a fifth-grade bloodline and opened a divine-class meridian. She has now received the approval of the Elder Council. At the clan meeting two months from now, she will take charge of the Lu Clan and become the clan leader. Directly calling the clan leader by name might be considered disrespectful."

"What? Lu Yao is going to lead the Lu Clan? Over my dead body!"

Lu Ming let out a low roar, his eyes bloodshot, his teeth grinding so hard they seemed about to shatter, blood dripping out.

After the rumor spread six years ago that Lu Ming's father had been killed, the Lu Clan had been managed by the Elder Council for the past six years, and no new clan leader had been appointed.

Seeing Lu Ming like this, Li Ping was terrified and at a loss. She only held Lu Ming's head, tears streaming down, and said, "Ming'er, don't scare mother. I've already lost your father; I can't lose you too."

"Father... where exactly are you? Ming'er believes you are not dead. But now, Ming'er is powerless, and even the position of clan leader cannot be kept."

Lu Ming gripped tightly a pendant hanging around his neck. He clutched it so hard that his nails dug into his flesh, and blood kept seeping out.

This pendant, cast in bronze and the size of a broad bean, had been sent back from outside by Lu Ming's father through someone before the incident. For the past six years, Lu Ming had always kept it with him.

Blood from his palm seeped out and flowed onto the bronze pendant.

Hum!

Suddenly, the bronze pendant began to tremble slightly and became scorching hot.

Before Lu Ming could react, the bronze pendant, with a single tremor, turned into specks of powder, drilled into Lu Ming's palm, and disappeared into his hand.

Then, Lu Ming felt a scorching energy flow from his palm up along his arm, and after a moment, it settled in the Yintang acupoint at the center of his brow.

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Reborn!"

Suddenly, a great roar sounded in Lu Ming's mind, causing his head to buzz.

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Reborn!"

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Reborn!"

The continuous roars kept sounding in Lu Ming's mind. Then, a blazing aura originated from his brow and surged toward his spine.

The next moment, the roars disappeared, but a tingling numbness spread from his spine, and his entire body became scorching hot.

"What's happening?"

Lu Ming was completely baffled.

At this moment, the tingling numbness on his spine grew more intense, as if something was slowly growing.

"Ming'er, what's wrong with you? Don't scare your mother."

Feeling the abnormality in Lu Ming, Li Ping grew even more frightened and a little at a loss.

"Bloodline rebirth? Could I really be experiencing a bloodline rebirth?" Lu Ming wondered in his heart.

Ancient records state that only very few people, after having their bloodline stripped or damaged for other reasons, can undergo a bloodline rebirth and regrow a bloodline.

However, most reborn bloodlines are very low in rank and of little use.

But there are also extremely rare individuals who can break through and rebuild, emerge from destruction like a cocoon, transcend the past, and awaken a supreme bloodline.

Yet the probability is so small it can be ignored; ancient records say there have been only a few cases throughout history.

Transcending the past and awakening a supreme bloodline—Lu Ming didn't dwell on that, as the chance was far too slim. He would be very happy just to awaken any bloodline.

With a bloodline, he could cultivate martial arts and change his destiny.

At that moment, the strange sensations on his body slowly faded, and a smile appeared on Lu Ming's face. He said, "Mother, I'm fine!"

"Young master, it's so good that you're fine! These past few days, you scared us to death!"

Just then, a young girl walked over and said.

The girl was about the same age as Lu Ming and was very beautiful.

Lu Ming naturally recognized her. Her name was Qiumei, Li Ping's personal maid, who had grown up with him since childhood.

"Qiumei, I'm fine, don't worry!"

Lu Ming said with a smile.

Then Lu Ming glanced around and his expression suddenly changed. "Mother, where is this? This isn't the Lu family's main mansion!"

Lu Ming's father had been the head of the Lu family, and they had always lived in the main mansion, but this place wasn't it.

"Ming'er, just focus on recovering from your injuries, don't overthink things!" said Li Ping. But the fleeting sadness and tears in her eyes were still caught by Lu Ming.

"Mother, what exactly is going on?" Lu Ming asked.

"Young master, let me tell you. We were kicked out. Lu Yao said she was about to become the family head and was entitled to move into the main mansion, while we were no longer qualified to stay there, so she made us move out."

Standing nearby, Qiumei gritted her silver teeth and spoke out, her pretty face full of anger.

"What? Lu Yao, you're going too far!" Lu Ming roared.

"You waste, what are you yelling for? Having a place to live is already a blessing for you. Don't you feel grateful?"

Just then, a voice sounded from outside the door, and then the door was pushed open, revealing a young man.

"Lu Chuan, it's you!"

Lu Ming shouted angrily. This man was named Lu Chuan, Lu Yao's biological elder brother, who was also a bit older than Lu Ming.

"Lu Chuan, we've already left the main mansion. What are you doing here?"

Li Ping said, instinctively stepping in front of Lu Ming as if afraid Lu Chuan might harm him.

"I've come to take the sword!"

With that, Lu Chuan's eyes swept around the room. When he spotted a treasured sword beside the bed, his eyes lit up, and he immediately walked over and grabbed it in his hand.

"Lu Chuan, this sword is the only keepsake left by Ming'er's father, meant for Ming'er to use in the future. You can't take it!"

Li Ping quickly reached out to grab it back.

"Get lost!"

Lu Chuan exerted force and shook the scabbard, sending out a burst of power. Li Ping was not a martial artist and couldn't withstand it; she stumbled backward, nearly falling to the ground.

"Mother!" Lu Ming shouted.

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