Chapter 1117

The setting sun painted the sky with rosy light.

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

The boy was slight of build, his face slightly pallid, his features delicate.

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

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 promised to be together for life."

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 gentler; he took her delicate, 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 buy spirit medicines 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 checked—did you inherit your father's bloodline?"

"Yes, Yao'er, so your future husband will certainly be a strong one." Lu Ming smiled confidently.

Lu Yao smiled faintly, 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, then raised the 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 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 faint? 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 veins; 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 nothing but cold.

"Why? I love you so much!"

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

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

"Xuan Yuan Sword Sect's Duanmu Lin began training at six, opened two divine veins in half a year, entered the Warrior Realm, reached Martial Master at nine, and now at sixteen he is one of the sect's Four Great Talents; you, however, are frail and sickly, your meridians blocked—plainly you are trash, and even if you awaken your bloodline you'll still be trash—how could you compare to Duanmu Lin?"

"Only such a talent is worthy of being Lu Yao's match; to marry him one 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."

That 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 creaked 'ga—'.

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 surfaced again in his mind.

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

They shared the same clan but different branches, growing up together from childhood—childhood sweethearts, inseparable, even privately sworn to each other and pledged 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 still echoed in his ears.

Creak—!

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

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

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

Since six years ago, when word spread that Lu Ming's father had been slain 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 pallid face, Li Ping sat beside his bed, touched 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 happening? 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 endanger her.

Li Ping hesitated, then said, "Ming'er, from now on you must not call Lu Yao's name directly in front of others. 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 and become its head. To address the Family Head by name outright 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 clenched and creaking, as if they would shatter, blood flowing out.

It was rumored that Lu Ming's father was 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 was terrified and at a loss, merely holding his head as tears streamed down, saying, "Minger, don't scare Mother; Mother has already lost your father, I cannot lose you too."

"Father... where exactly are you? Minger believes you won't die, but now I am powerless, even unable to keep the Family Head position."

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

This pendant, cast of 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.

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.

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

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

Suddenly, a tremendous roar echoed in Lu Ming's mind, shaking his thoughts into a buzzing haze.

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

The roars continued, echoing nonstop in Lu Ming's mind; then a scorching breath issued from the point between his brows and surged toward his spine.

The next moment, the roars ceased, but a tingling itch 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 itching on his spine intensified, as if something were slowly growing.

"Minger, 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 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 regenerated bloodline is mostly of low grade and of little use.

But an extremely few individuals 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 texts record hardly any cases throughout history.

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

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

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

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

At that moment, a girl walked over and spoke.

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 said with a smile.

Then Lu Ming glanced around, his face suddenly changing, and said, "Mother, where is this? This isn't 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 place is not it.

"Minger, just rest and heal, 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, so she should move into the Main Residence, but we aren't qualified to keep living there, so they made us move out."

Beside her, Qiu Yue clenched her silver teeth, spoke up, 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 kindness; shouldn't you be grateful?"

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

"Lu Chuan, is that you!"

Lu Ming shouted angrily; this person was 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 him.

"I've come to take the sword!"

Having said that, Lu Chuan scanned the room with his eyes; when he saw a 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 Minger's father, meant for him in the future; you cannot take it."

Li Ping hurriedly reached out to snatch it.

"Get out of the way!"

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

"Mother!" Lu Ming bellowed.