Chapter 544: The Most Dangerous Foe

The setting sun cast a glow across the sky.

Outside Windfire City, on Emerald Cloud Peak, there was a stone table with stone stools beside it, where a pair of young boys and girls leaned against each other.

The boy was somewhat thin, with a slightly pale complexion and delicate features.

The girl wore a pure white long dress, her skin like jade and her appearance exceedingly beautiful.

With her head resting on the boy's shoulder, illuminated by the setting sun, they looked like a fairy couple.

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

"Brother Ming, of course we can. We promised to be together for our whole lives."

A happy smile appeared on the girl's face.

The boy's name was Lu Ming, and the girl's name was Lu Yao.

Looking at the smile on Lu Yao's face, Lu Ming's eyes grew even gentler. Holding Lu Yao's soft, jade-like 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 Elders' Hall will buy spirit medicine to dredge my meridians, and then I'll be able to cultivate."

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

"Thank you, Brother Ming."

Lu Yao's eyes showed a touched expression, and she added, "Brother Ming, did a pulse measurer really once measure that you inherited your father's bloodline?"

"Yes, Yao'er, so your future man will definitely be a strong one." Lu Ming smiled with confidence.

Lu Yao smiled slightly and picked up the wine cup on the stone table. In the cup was the famous Blood-Tongue Orchid Wine, giving off a faint fragrance.

Lu Yao quickly kissed Lu Ming on the cheek, blushed shyly, and raised the cup, saying, "Brother Ming, 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 was as sweet as the wine's aroma—but the next moment, he felt the world spinning.

"Yao'er, why am I a bit dizzy? This wine of yours…"

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

"Hahaha, Lu Ming, Yao'er stayed with you for three years just to nurture your bloodline. Now the time has come—hand over your bloodline!"

At that moment, a middle-aged man emerged from the side; it was Lu Yao's father.

Boom!

Like a thunderclap out of a clear sky, it exploded in Lu Ming's mind.

"Yao'er!"

Lu Ming looked at Lu Yao in disbelief, but her eyes were filled with nothing but coldness.

"Why? I love you so much!"

Lu Yao's indifferent eyes were like sharp daggers stabbing into Lu Ming's heart. He let out a roar and threw himself at her.

But Lu Yao merely stepped back a little, and he fell to the ground.

"Duanmu Lin of the Profound Origin Sword Sect started cultivating at six, opened two divine meridians in half a year and stepped into the Warrior realm, broke into the Martial Master realm at nine, and now at sixteen he is one of the four great geniuses of the Profound Origin Sword Sect. And you? Weak and sickly, blocked meridians—frankly, you're just trash. Even if you awaken your bloodline, you'd still be trash. Can you compare to Duanmu Lin?"

"A genius like that is the right match for me, Lu Yao. To form an alliance by marriage, I must awaken a powerful bloodline. Since you love me so much, why not do me this favor and 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, a sharp knife appearing in his hand. "Lu Ming, offer up your bloodline!"

Ah!

An excruciating pain at the spine instantly overwhelmed Lu Ming. He screamed, his voice filled with 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 under him.

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

The scene from a few days ago resurfaced in his mind.

Lu Ming was the main-lineage heir of the Lu Clan of Windfire City, and his father was the clan leader. Lu Yao, on the other hand, was the daughter of the Great Elder of the Lu Clan's first branch lineage.

The two were of the same clan but different lineages. They had grown up together, childhood sweethearts, practically 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 to seize his bloodline.

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

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

"Worthless!"

That was what Lu Yao 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 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 who had worried about Lu Ming's safety and gone out to look for him, saving his life. Otherwise, Lu Ming would have died.

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

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

Seeing Lu Ming's pale face, Li Ping sat by his bed and stroked his forehead, saying with heartache, "It's been three days. Every time you yell that Lu Yao harmed you. Ming'er, what on earth happened? Could your injuries 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 had done this, 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 must not call Lu Yao by name in front of others. Two days ago, Lu Yao awakened a fifth-grade bloodline and also opened a divine-grade meridian. She has already been acknowledged by the Elder Council. At the clan assembly two months from now, she will take charge of the Lu Clan and become its leader. Calling the clan leader by her name might be seen as disrespectful."

"What? Lu Yao is going to take charge of the Lu Clan? She wishes!"

Lu Ming let out a low, angry roar. His eyes were bloodshot, and he ground his teeth so hard they creaked, as if he were about to shatter them. Blood even began to trickle out.

Since word spread six years ago that Lu Ming's father had been killed, the Lu Clan had been managed by the Elder Council for these six years, with no new clan leader appointed.

Seeing Lu Ming like this, Li Ping was terrified and at a loss. She simply held his head and let tears stream down, saying, "Ming'er, don't frighten your mother. I've already lost your father; I cannot lose you too."

"Father... where are you? Ming'er believes you are not dead. But now, I am powerless. I can't even hold on to the position of clan leader."

Lu Ming gripped the pendant hanging from his neck tightly. He squeezed so hard his nails pierced his flesh, and blood kept oozing out.

This pendant, made of bronze and the size of a broad bean, had been sent back from outside by Lu Ming's father before he met his fate. For the past six years, Lu Ming had worn it at all times.

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

Hum!

Suddenly, the bronze pendant began to tremble faintly and turned scorching hot.

Before Lu Ming could react, the bronze pendant shook once, then turned into fine powder, which burrowed into his palm and vanished into his hand.

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

"Nine Dragons Undying, Bloodline Rebirth!"

Suddenly, a tremendous roar sounded in Lu Ming's mind, making his ears ring with a loud buzz.

"Nine Dragons Undying, Bloodline Rebirth!"

"Nine Dragons Undying, Bloodline Rebirth!"

The roaring continued repeatedly in Lu Ming's mind. Then a scorching aura started from his brow and surged toward his spine.

The next moment, the roar ceased, but from his spine came a series of tingling and itchy sensations. His whole body became scorching hot.

"What's happening?"

Lu Ming was completely baffled.

At this point, the tingling and itching on his spine grew even more intense, as if something were slowly growing.

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

Sensing Lu Ming's abnormality, Li Ping became even more frightened and somewhat at a loss.

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

Ancient texts recorded that only very few people, after having their bloodline stripped or damaged for other reasons, could undergo bloodline rebirth and grow a new bloodline.

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

But there were also very, very few people who could break and then stand, break the cocoon and be reborn, rise from destruction, transcend the past, and awaken a supreme bloodline.

But the probability was so small it could be ignored. According to ancient texts, there had been only a few cases throughout history.

Transcending the past and awakening a supreme bloodline—Lu Ming didn't dwell on 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 destiny.

At that moment, the strange sensation on his body slowly faded. Lu Ming smiled and said, "Mother, I'm fine!"

"Young master, it's great that you're fine. These past few 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 smiled.

Then Lu Ming swept his gaze around, his expression changing abruptly. "Mother, where is this? This is not the Lu family main mansion!"

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

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

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

"Young master, let me speak. We were driven out. Lu Yao said she was about to become the family head and deserved to live in the main mansion, and that we were not qualified to continue living there, so she made us move out."

Beside them, Qiu Yue clenched her silver teeth and told the story, her pretty face filled with 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 blessing for you. Shouldn't you be grateful?"

Just then, a voice rang out from outside the door. Then the door was opened, and a young man walked in.

"Lu Chuan, it's you!"

Lu Ming shouted angrily. This man was named Lu Chuan, Lu Yao's older brother, slightly 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 that Lu Chuan would harm him.

"I've come to take the sword!"

With that, Lu Chuan's eyes swept around. When he saw a precious sword beside the bed, his eyes lit up. He immediately walked over and reached out to grab the sword.

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

Li Ping quickly reached out to snatch it back.

"Get lost!"

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

"Mother!" Lu Ming shouted.

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