Chapter 1115

The setting sun sank westward, rosy light filling the sky.

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

The boy was slight of build, his face somewhat pallid, his features delicate and handsome.

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

The girl rested her head on the boy's shoulder, and 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 promised to be together for a lifetime."

The girl's face showed a happy smile.

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

Looking at Lu Yao's smile, Lu Ming's gaze grew even gentler as 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 medicines to clear my channels, and then I can cultivate."

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

"Thank you, Ming brother."

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

"Yes, Yao'er, so your future husband will certainly be a strong one," Lu Ming said, confidence smiling on his face.

Lu Yao gave a faint smile, lifted the stone table's wine cup—inside was the famed Blood Tongue Orchid Wine, exhaling a light, fresh fragrance.

Lu Yao swiftly kissed Lu Ming's cheek, her face flushing, then raised the cup and said, "Ming brother, come, Yao'er offers you this."

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

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

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

"Yao'er, why do I feel a little dizzy? Your 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—!

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 filled only with coldness.

"Why? I love you so much!"

Lu Yao's cold gaze was like a series of sharp daggers piercing Lu Ming's heart; he roared and lunged at her.

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

"Duanmu Lin of the Xuan Yuan Sword Sect began cultivating at six, opened two divine veins in half a year, entering the Warrior Realm; at nine he reached the Martial Master Realm; now sixteen, he is one of the Four Great Talents of the Xuan Yuan Sword Sect. As for you—frail, sickly, with blocked meridians—plainly you are trash; even if you awaken your bloodline you remain trash. How could you compare to Duanmu Lin?"

"Only such a genius 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."

This cold voice issued from Lu Yao's mouth.

Thud!

At that moment, the middle‑aged man planted a foot on Lu Ming's back, a 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 bellowed, suddenly sitting up from the bed, the nanmu‑made bed creaking with a "ga—" sound.

Lu Ming was drenched in sweat, his face pallid; at first he thought it was a nightmare, but quickly realized it was not a dream but an actual event.

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

Lu Ming, the main‑line heir of the Lu Family of Feng Huo City, his father being the Family Head; while Lu Yao is the daughter of the Lu Family's first branch Grand Elder.

Though of the same clan but different branches, they grew up together from childhood, childhood sweethearts, inseparable, and in private had even sworn vows and pledged themselves for life.

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!

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

Squeak!

Then 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 nothing, 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; every time you scream that Lu Yao harmed you, Ming'er—what exactly is going on? Could your injury be because of Lu Yao..."

Lu Ming said, "Mother, nothing, 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 informing her would only bring her harm.

Li Ping hesitated, then said, "Ming'er, from now on in front of others you must not call Lu Yao by name directly; two days ago she awakened a Level 5 Bloodline and even opened a Divine‑level Meridian, gaining the Elder Hall's approval. At the clan assembly in two months she will take charge of the Lu Family and become its head; to address the head by name outright 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 growl, his eyes bloodshot, his teeth clenched and creaking, about to shatter, fresh blood flowing out.

Lu Ming's father was rumored to have been killed by someone six years ago; 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 panicked, merely holding his head, tears streaming down, she said: "Ming'er, don't scare Mother; Mother has already lost your father, cannot lose you too."

"Father... where exactly are you? Ming'er believes you won't die; now, Ming'er is powerless, even unable to hold onto the family head position."

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

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

Fresh blood seeped from his palm, flowing 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 powder that drilled into his palm and vanished.

Next, 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.

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

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

The next moment, the roars ceased, but waves of numbness and itchiness spread from his spine, his whole body turning scorching.

"What's going on?"

Lu Ming was completely at a loss.

At this point, the numbness and itchiness 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 or damaged for other reasons, can undergo bloodline rebirth, regrowing a bloodline.

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

But an extremely rare few can break and then be reborn, breaking the cocoon to be reborn, rising from destruction, transcending the past, awakening a supreme bloodline.

But this probability is so tiny it can be neglected; ancient texts record hardly any cases throughout history.

Transcending the past and awakening a supreme bloodline, Lu Ming didn't dare hope for that—the odds were too slim; he would be thrilled just to awaken any bloodline.

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

At this moment, the abnormal sensations on his body gradually faded; Lu Ming's face broke into a smile as 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 this 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, a personal maid of Li Ping 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 changing, and said: "Mother, where is this? This isn't the Lu Family Main Residence!"

Lu Ming's father had formerly been the head of the Lu family; they used to live in the Lu Family Main Residence, but this place is not it.

"Ming'er, rest and recover, don't overthink!" 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 would soon become family head, thus entitled to reside in the Main Residence, while we lack the qualification to stay, so they made us move out."

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

"What? Lu Yao, you're bullying people too much!" Lu Ming roared.

"You good-for-nothing, what are you shouting for? Having a place to live is already a favor; you should be 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 was Lu Chuan, the elder brother of Lu Yao, a bit older than Lu Ming.

"Lu Chuan, we've already left the Main Residence; why are you still coming 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!"

Having said that, Lu Chuan scanned the surroundings with his eyes; upon seeing a precious sword by the bedside, his eyes lit up, he immediately walked over and reached out to grab the sword.

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

Li Ping hastily reached out to snatch it.

"Get lost!"

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

"Mother!" Lu Ming bellowed.