Chapter 1108: This is truly her

The setting sun sank west, rosy clouds filling the sky.

Outside Feng Huo City, on Cui Yun Peak, there was a stone table; beside it were stone stools, where a boy and girl leaned against each other.

The boy was slight of build, his face somewhat pale, his features delicate.

The girl wore a snow‑white long dress, her skin like jade, her beauty exquisite.

The girl rested her head on the boy's shoulder; in the sunset's glow they looked like a celestial couple.

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

"Ming brother, of course we can—we did say we'd be together for life."

The girl's face showed a happy smile.

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

Gazing at Lu Yao's smile, Lu Ming's gaze grew gentler; he took her soft, boneless jade hand and said, "Yao'er, although my meridians are blocked and I cannot condense true qi, if I can awaken my bloodline, the Elder Hall will purchase spirit medicine to clear my channels, and then I can cultivate."

"I will surely become a mighty martial artist and protect you for life."

"Thank you, Ming brother."

Lu Yao's eyes showed emotion as she added, "Ming brother, a pulse tester once really tested you—did you inherit your father's bloodline?"

"Yes, Yao'er, so your future husband will surely be a mighty one." Lu Ming's face showed a confident smile.

Lu Yao gave a faint smile, lifted the stone table's wine cup; the cup held the famed Blood Tongue Orchid Wine, exuding a light fragrance.

Lu Yao swiftly kissed Lu Ming's cheek, her face flushing; she raised the wine cup and said, "Ming brother, come, Yao'er offers you a drink."

Lu Ming took the cup and said, "Yao'er, you give me a cup of Blood Tongue Orchid Wine every day; I truly thank you for staying by my side."

Having spoken, he raised the cup and drained it in one gulp.

The wine's aroma lingered on his tongue; Lu Ming's heart felt as sweet as the scent, but the next moment he felt a bit dizzy.

"Yao'er, why do I feel a bit dizzy? This wine…"

Lu Ming leaned on the stone table, gazing at Lu Yao, but at that moment he noticed her face had turned a little cold.

"Hahaha, Lu Ming, Yao'er has accompanied you for three years merely to nurture your meridians; the time has come—offer up your bloodline!"

At that moment, a middle‑aged man stepped out from the side—Lu Yao's father.

Boom—rumble!

Like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, it exploded in Lu Ming's mind.

"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 were like sharp daggers piercing Lu Ming's heart; he let out a loud shout and lunged at her.

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

"Xuan Yuan Sword Sect's Duanmu Lin began cultivating at six, opened two divine veins in half a year, entering the Warrior Realm; at nine he entered the Martial Master Realm; now sixteen, he is one of the sect's Four Great Talents. As for you—weak, sickly, with blocked meridians—you're nothing but trash; even if you awaken your bloodline, you're still trash. How can you compare to Duanmu Lin?"

"Only such a talent is worthy of being my match; to marry him I must awaken a mighty bloodline. Since you love me so much, why not fulfill me—use your bloodline to help me awaken an even stronger one?"

The cold voice issued from Lu Yao's mouth.

Thud!

At that moment, the middle‑aged man stepped on Lu Ming's back with one foot, a sharp dagger appearing in his hand, shouting: "Lu Ming, offer up your bloodline!"

Ah!

At the spine, a piercing pain instantly engulfed Lu Ming; he howled, his voice full of loneliness, helplessness, and despair.

Gradually, Lu Ming sank into endless darkness.

"Lu Yao, Lu Yunxiong, why do you seize my bloodline!"

Lu Ming gave a loud shout, suddenly sitting up from the bed; the nanmu‑made bed creaked 'ga‑ji'.

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 what had really happened.

The scene from several days ago surfaced again in his mind.

Lu Ming, heir to the main line of the Lu family of Feng Huo City, his father being the Lu family head; Lu Yao, daughter of the Lu family's first branch's Grand Elder.

They shared the same clan but different branches, growing up together since childhood—childhood sweethearts, inseparable, having even sworn vows in private and pledged to marry.

Lu Ming never imagined that Lu Yao would join the Grand Elder in attacking him to seize his bloodline.

"Strength—everything is because I am weak; if I had extraordinary talent and great strength, how could they dare treat me this way?"

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

Trash!

This was Lu Yao's name for him; her words from three days ago seemed still to echo in his ears.

Creak!

At that moment the door was pushed open, and a frail‑bodied middle‑aged woman entered, looking at Lu Ming on the bed and asking with concern: "Ming'er, are you having another nightmare?"

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

Three days ago, it was Li Ping who, worried for Lu Ming's safety, went out to search and rescued him; otherwise Lu Ming would already be dead.

Since six years ago, when word spread that Lu Ming's father had been killed while traveling abroad, he and Li Ping have depended on each other.

Lu Ming looked at Li Ping, his gaze softening, and said: "Mother, it's all right—just a dream."

Seeing Lu Ming's pale face, Li Ping sat beside his bed, touching his forehead, and said achingly: "It's been three days; you keep shouting that Lu Yao harmed you, Ming'er—what on earth is going on? Could your injury be because of Lu Yao..."

Lu Ming said: "Mother, nothing's wrong; you misheard."

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

Li Ping hesitated a moment, then said: "Ming'er, from now on, in front of others you must not call Lu Yao by name directly. Two days ago Lu Yao awakened a Level 5 bloodline and even opened a Divine‑level meridian; she has already gained the Elder Hall's approval, and at the clan assembly in two months she will take charge of the Lu family, becoming its head. To call the head's name directly would likely be seen as disrespectful."

"What? Lu Yao is going to take over the Lu family? In her dreams!"

Lu Ming let out a low angry roar, his eyes bloodshot, his teeth clenched and grinding, his teeth about to shatter, blood flowing out.

Six years ago, rumors said Lu Ming's father was killed by someone; in these six years, the Lu Family has been managed by the Elder Hall, with no new Family Head appointed.

Seeing Lu Ming like this, Li Ping was terrified and at a loss, merely holding Lu Ming's head as tears streamed down, saying: "Ming'er, don't scare Mother, Mother has already lost your father; I cannot lose you too."

"Father... where exactly are you? Ming'er believes you won't die; now, Ming'er is powerless, even the Family Head position may not be held."

Lu Ming tightly gripped the pendant on his neck, using so much force his nails dug into his flesh, blood continually seeping out.

This pendant, cast in bronze and the size of a pea, was sent back by someone entrusted by Lu Ming's father before his accident; for these six years, Lu Ming has always carried it with him.

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

Hum!

Suddenly, the bronze pendant trembled slightly and became scorching hot.

Before Lu Ming could react, the bronze pendant, upon a jolt, turned into fine particles that drilled into his palm and vanished inside.

Then Lu Ming felt a scorching energy rise from his palm up his arm, and after a moment it settled at the Yintang acupoint between his brows.

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

Suddenly, a tremendous roar echoed in Lu Ming's mind, shaking his mind with a buzzing hum.

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

The continuous roars kept echoing in Lu Ming's mind; then a scorching breath emanated from the brow and surged toward his spine.

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

"What's going on?"

Lu Ming was completely at a loss.

At this moment, the tingling on his spine intensified, as if something were slowly growing.

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

Sensing the abnormality in Lu Ming's body, Li Ping grew more frightened, at a loss what to do.

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

Ancient texts record that only very few people, after having their bloodline stripped away or damaged for other reasons, can undergo Bloodline Rebirth, regrowing a bloodline.

However, the regenerated bloodline is mostly low-grade and of little use.

But also an extremely few individuals can break and then be established, undergo Cocoon Rebirth, rise from destruction, transcend the past, and awaken a supreme bloodline.

But this probability is so tiny it can be neglected; ancient records show hardly any cases.

Transcending the past and awakening a supreme bloodline, Lu Ming didn't even think about it—the odds were too slim; he would be thrilled just to awaken a bloodline.

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

Then the abnormal sensations on his body gradually faded, Lu Ming's face broke into a smile, and he said: "Mother, I'm fine!"

"Young master, it's great you're alright; these past few days you've scared us to death!"

At that moment, a 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's name was Qiu Yue, Li Ping's personal maid, who had grown up with him since childhood.

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

Lu Ming smiled and said.

Then Lu Ming glanced around, his expression suddenly changed, and he said: "Mother, where is this? This is not the Lu Family Main Residence!"

Lu Ming's father had formerly been the Family Head of the Lu Family, and they had always lived in the Lu Family Main Residence, but this is not it.

"Ming'er, rest and recover, don't overthink it!" Li Ping said, but the fleeting sorrow and tears in her eyes were still caught by Lu Ming.

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

"Young master, let me explain: we were driven out; Lu Yao said she was about to become Family Head and should move into the Main Residence, but we weren't qualified to stay there, so they made us leave."

Beside her, Qiu Yue clenched her silver teeth and spoke out, her pretty face flushed with anger.

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

"You worthless wretch, why are you shouting? Having a place to live is already a favor; aren't you grateful?"

Just then, a voice sounded outside the door, the door opened, and a young man walked out.

"Lu Chuan, is that you!"

Lu Ming shouted angrily, this person named Lu Chuan, the older brother of Lu Yao, a bit 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 fearing Lu Chuan might harm Lu Ming.

"I've come to take the sword!"

After speaking, Lu Chuan's eyes scanned the surroundings; upon seeing a precious sword beside the bed, his eyes lit up, he immediately went over and grabbed the sword in his hand.

"Lu Chuan, this sword is the sole token left by Ming'er's father, meant for Ming'er to use in the future; you cannot take it."

Li Ping hurriedly reached out to snatch it.

"Get lost!"

Lu Chuan exerted force, the sword sheath shook, and a burst of power erupted; Li Ping, not a cultivator, could not withstand it, her body staggered backward, nearly falling to the ground.

"Mother!" Lu Ming bellowed.