Chapter 1116

The setting sun sank westward, rosy clouds spreading across the sky.

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

The boy was slight of build, his complexion somewhat pale, his features delicate and handsome.

The girl wore a snow‑white long dress, her skin like jade, her appearance absolutely beautiful.

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!" Ming gege said, his face full of a happy smile, speaking softly.

"Ming gege, of course we can; we promised to be together for life."

The girl's face showed a happy smile.

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

Looking 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, as long as I awaken my bloodline, the Elder Hall will then purchase spiritual medicine to clear my meridians, and then I can cultivate."

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

"Thank you, Ming gege."

Lu Yao's eyes showed emotion as she said again, "Ming gege, there really was a pulse tester who examined you; did you inherit your father's bloodline?"

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

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

Lu Yao swiftly kissed Lu Ming's cheek, her face blushing; she raised the wine cup and said, "Ming gege, come, Yao er offers this to you."

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

Having said that, 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 little dizzy? This wine..."

Lu Ming leaned on the stone table, looking at Lu Yao, but at that moment he noticed her face had turned 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 appeared from the side; it was Lu Yao's father.

Boom—

Like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, 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 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, who 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 Four Great Talents of the Xuan Yuan Sword Sect. As for you, weak and sickly, with blocked meridians—plainly put, you are trash. Even if you awaken your bloodline, you remain trash; how can you compare to Duanmu Lin?"

"Only such a talent is a worthy match for me, Lu Yao; to marry him, I must awaken a powerful 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 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 boundless darkness.

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

Lu Ming gave a loud shout, suddenly sitting up from the bed; the nanwood bed creaked.

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 had actually happened.

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

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

Though they shared the same clan but different branches, they had grown up together since childhood, childhood sweethearts; they were inseparable, and in private they had even sworn vows of eternal love, pledging to be together 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!

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

Squeak!

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, worried about Lu Ming's safety, who went out to search and rescued him; otherwise Lu Ming would have died.

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 fine; it was just a dream."

Seeing Lu Ming's pale complexion, Li Ping sat beside his bed, touching his forehead, and said achingly: "It's been three days; every time you cry out 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; 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 directly call Lu Yao's name. Two days ago, Lu Yao awakened a Level 5 Bloodline and also opened a Divine‑level Meridian; she has already received the Elder Hall's approval. At the clan assembly in two months, she will take charge of the Lu Family and become its Family Head. To directly address the Family Head's name would likely be seen as disrespectful."

"What? Lu Yao is going to take over the Lu Family? She can forget it!"

Lu Ming let out a low, angry roar, his eyes bloodshot, his teeth grinding together with a creaking sound, his teeth about to shatter, fresh blood flowing out.

Six years ago, rumors said Lu Ming's father was killed by someone, and for 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 his 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, but now Ming'er is powerless, and even the family head's position may not be held."

Lu Ming tightly gripped the pendant on his neck, using so much force that his nails dug into his flesh, fresh 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.

Fresh blood seeped from his palm and flowed toward the bronze pendant.

Buzz!

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

Before Lu Ming could react, the bronze pendant shuddered and turned into fine powder that drilled into his palm, disappearing inside.

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 thoughts with a buzzing resonance.

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

The continuous roars kept echoing in Lu Ming's mind, followed by a scorching breath that rose from his brow and surged toward his spine.

The next instant, the roars faded, but a tingling numbness spread along his spine, and his whole body grew scorching hot.

"What's going on?"

Lu Ming was completely at a loss.

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

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

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

"Bloodline Rebirth? Could I really be experiencing 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 new bloodline.

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

But there are also an extremely few who can break and then be reborn, breaking the cocoon to be reborn, rising from destruction, transcending the past, and awakening 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 any bloodline.

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

At this moment, the strange 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 that you're all right; you've scared us to death these past few days!"

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, 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 changing, and he 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, and they had always lived in the Lu Family Main Residence, but this place is not it.

"Ming'er, just 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've been driven out; Lu Yao says she's about to become family head, so she should move into the main residence, but we aren't qualified to stay there any longer, so they've made us move out."

Beside her, Qiu Yue clenched her silver teeth, spoke up, her pretty little face flushed with anger.

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

"You good-for-nothing, what are you shouting for? Having a place to live is already a favor; shouldn't you be grateful?"

Just then, a voice sounded from outside the door, the door was opened, and a young man stepped out.

"Lu Chuan, is that you!"

Lu Ming shouted angrily, this person named Lu Chuan, older brother of Lu Yao and 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 afraid Lu Chuan might harm him.

"I've come to take the sword!"

After saying that, Lu Chuan's eyes scanned the room; upon seeing the precious sword beside the bed, his eyes lit up, he immediately walked 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 can't take it!"

Li Ping hurriedly reached out to snatch it.

"Get lost!"

Lu Chuan exerted force, the sword sheath trembled, 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.