Chapter 541: Casualties and Resolve

The sun was setting, and the sky was filled with rosy clouds.

Outside Windfire City, on Emerald Cloud Peak, there was a stone table with stone stools beside it, where a young man and a young girl sat leaning against each other.

The young man was somewhat slender, with a pale complexion and a clean, handsome face.

The young girl wore a pure white long dress, her skin like jade, her features exquisitely beautiful.

With her head resting on the young man's shoulder, bathed in the setting sun, they looked like a pair of celestial lovers.

"Yao'er, I truly wish we could stay like this forever!" the young man said softly, a blissful smile on his face.

"Ming-ge, of course we can. We promised to be together for life," the young girl replied, her face lighting up with a happy smile.

The young girl's face showed a joyful smile.

The young man was named Lu Ming, and the young girl was named Lu Yao.

Looking at the smile on Lu Yao's face, Lu Ming's gaze grew even more tender. Holding her delicate, boneless jade hand, he 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 Elder Hall will buy spiritual medicine to unblock my channels, and then I can cultivate."

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

"Thank you, Ming-ge."

Lu Yao's eyes showed emotion, and she added, "Ming-ge, did a pulse measurer actually test back then that you inherited your father's bloodline?"

"Yes, Yao'er, so your future man will definitely be a strong one." Lu Ming's face beamed with a confident smile.

Lu Yao smiled slightly, then picked up the wine cup on the stone table. In the cup was the famous Blood-Tongue Orchid wine, exuding a faint, delicate fragrance.

Lightning-fast, Lu Yao kissed Lu Ming on the cheek, her face flushing with shyness, then raised the cup and said, "Ming-ge, here, Yao'er rewards you."

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

With that, he raised the cup and drained it in one gulp.

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

"Yao'er, why am I feeling dizzy? This wine of yours..."

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

"Hahaha, Lu Ming, Yao'er has spent three years with you for nothing but nurturing your bloodline. Now the time has come—hand over your bloodline!"

Just then, a middle-aged man appeared from the side; it was Lu Yao's father.

RUMBLE!

It was like a thunderbolt exploding inside Lu Ming's head.

"Yao'er!"

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

"Why? I love you so much!"

Lu Yao's cold eyes stabbed into Lu Ming's heart like sharp knives. He let out a roar and lunged toward her.

But with a slight step back, Lu Yao evaded him, and he fell face-first to the ground.

"Duanmu Lin of the Profound Origin Sword Sect started cultivating at six, broke through two divine meridians in half a year to step into the Warrior realm, broke into the War Master realm at nine, and now at sixteen he is one of the four prodigies of the Profound Origin Sword Sect. And you? You are weak and sickly, with blocked meridians. To put it bluntly, you're nothing but trash. Even if you awaken your bloodline, you'd still be trash. Can you compare with Duanmu Lin?"

"A genius like that is the right match for me, Lu Yao. To form an alliance with him, I must 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 one."

These cold words came from Lu Yao's mouth.

THUMP!

At that moment, the middle-aged man stepped on Lu Ming's back, producing a dagger in his hand, and shouted, "Lu Ming, offer up your bloodline!"

Ah!

A piercing pain at his spine instantly engulfed Lu Ming. He screamed, his voice filled with loneliness, helplessness, and despair.

Gradually, Lu Ming sank into endless darkness.

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

Lu Ming let out a loud roar, abruptly sitting up in bed, causing the nanmu bed to creak under his weight.

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

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

Lu Ming was the main lineage descendant of the Lu Clan in Windfire City, and his father was the patriarch of the Lu Clan. As for Lu Yao, she was the daughter of the Great Elder from the first branch of the Lu Clan.

The two were of the same clan but different branches. They had grown up together, childhood sweethearts, inseparable. In private, they had even sworn vows and pledged themselves to each other.

Lu Ming could never have imagined that Lu Yao and the Great Elder would attack him and seize his bloodline.

"Strength—it's all because I lack strength. If I had extraordinary talent and great power, how would they dare treat me like this?"

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

Trash!

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 delicate middle-aged woman walked in. Looking at Lu Ming on the bed, she asked with concern, "Ming'er, did you have another nightmare?"

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

Three days ago, it was Li Ping, worried about Lu Ming's safety, who went out to look for him and saved his life. Otherwise, Lu Ming would have already died.

Ever since word spread six years ago that Lu Ming's father had been killed while traveling abroad, 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 bed, touched his forehead, and said with a pained heart, "It's been three days. Every time, you shout that Lu Yao harmed you. Ming'er, what exactly happened? Could it be that your injury was 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 had done it, because Li Ping did not practice martial arts. Telling her would only put her in danger.

Li Ping hesitated for a moment, then said, "Ming'er, from now on, you cannot directly call Lu Yao by her name in front of others. Two days ago, Lu Yao awakened a fifth-tier bloodline and even opened a divine-class meridian. She has now received the recognition of the Elder Council. At the clan meeting two months from now, she will take charge of the Lu Clan and become its master. Calling the clan master by her name outright might be considered disrespectful."

"What? Lu Yao is going to take over the Lu Clan? No way!"

Lu Ming let out a low, furious roar. His eyes were bloodshot, his teeth grinding audibly, as if they would shatter. Blood even began to flow.

After the rumors six years ago that Lu Ming's father had been killed, for the past six years, the Lu Clan had been managed by the Elder Council, and no new patriarch had been installed.

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

"Father... where are you? Ming'er believes you aren't dead. But now, I'm powerless, I can't even protect the position of patriarch."

Lu Ming tightly gripped a pendant hanging around his neck. He held it so hard that his nails pierced his flesh, and blood continuously seeped out.

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

The blood seeping from his palm flowed toward the bronze pendant.

Hum!

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

Before Lu Ming could react, the bronze pendant trembled and turned into tiny specks of powder, which drilled into Lu Ming's palm and disappeared into his hand.

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

"Nine Dragons Undying, Bloodline Reborn!"

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

"Nine Dragons Undying, Bloodline Reborn!"

"Nine Dragons Undying, Bloodline Reborn!"

The roaring continued repeatedly in Lu Ming's mind, and then a wave of scorching energy emanated from between his brows and surged into his spine.

The next moment, the roaring ceased, but a tingling numbness spread along his spine, and his whole body became scorching hot.

"What's going on?"

Lu Ming was completely baffled.

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

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

Sensing the anomaly on Lu Ming, Li Ping became even more frightened and was at a loss.

"Bloodline Rebirth? Could I really undergo Bloodline Rebirth?" Lu Ming wondered.

Ancient texts recorded that only very few people, after their bloodline was stripped or damaged for other reasons, could undergo Bloodline Rebirth and regrow a bloodline.

However, most reborn bloodlines were of very low rank and of no great use.

But there were also an extremely small number of people who could break through and stand anew, break the cocoon and rebirth, rise from destruction, transcend the past, and awaken a supreme bloodline.

But the probability was so small it could be ignored; ancient records said there were hardly any cases throughout history.

Transcending the past and awakening a supreme bloodline — Lu Ming didn't think about that; after all, the probability was too small. As long as he could awaken a bloodline, he would be very happy.

With a bloodline, he could cultivate the Martial Path and change his own destiny.

At that moment, the strangeness on his body slowly faded, and Lu Ming smiled, saying, "Mother, I'm fine!"

"Young master, it's great that you're fine. These past days, you've scared us to death!"

At that moment, a young girl walked over and said.

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

Lu Ming naturally recognized her; the girl was named Qiu Yue, Li Ping's personal maidservant, who had grown up with him since childhood.

"Qiu Yue, I'm fine, don't worry!"

Lu Ming said with a smile.

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

Lu Ming's father had been the Lu family head, and they had always lived in the main residence, but this was not it.

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

"Mother, what exactly happened?" Lu Ming asked.

"Young master, let me tell you. We were kicked out. Lu Yao said she would soon become the family head and should live in the main residence, and we were not qualified to stay there, so she made us move out."

Standing by the side, Qiu Yue clenched her silver teeth and spoke out the matter; her pretty little face was full of anger.

"What? Lu Yao, you go too far!" Lu Ming roared.

"You waste, what are you yelling about? Having a place to live is already a favor to you. Why aren't you grateful?"

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

"Lu Chuan, it's you!"

Lu Ming shouted angrily. This person was named Lu Chuan, Lu Yao's biological brother, and slightly older than Lu Ming.

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

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

"I'm here to take the sword!"

Having said that, Lu Chuan's eyes scanned around. When he saw a precious sword by the bedside, his eyes lit up. He immediately walked over and reached out to grab the sword in his hand.

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

Li Ping quickly reached out to snatch it back.

"Get lost!"

Lu Chuan exerted force, shaking the scabbard, and a burst of power erupted. Li Ping was not a cultivator, so how could she withstand it? Her body staggered backward, nearly falling to the ground.

"Mother!" Lu Ming yelled.

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