Chapter 1121: with translation of chapter title

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 stood stone stools, and a boy and girl leaned against each other.

The boy was slightly thin-built, 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 resembled a celestial couple.

"Yao'er, I truly hope we can stay like this for a lifetime!" the boy said, his face full of a happy smile, speaking softly.

"Ming brother, of course we can; we did promise 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, if I can awaken my bloodline, the Elder Hall will then purchase spiritual medicine to clear my meridians, after which I will be able to cultivate."

"I will surely become a martial arts powerhouse and guard you for life."

"Thank you, Ming brother."

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

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

Lu Yao smiled faintly, lifted the stone table's wine cup; the cup held the famous Blood Tongue Orchid Wine, emitting a faint fragrance.

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

Lu Ming took the wine 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 fragrance lingered on his tongue, Lu Ming's heart felt as sweet as the aroma, but the next moment he began to feel dizzy.

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

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

"Hahaha, Lu Ming, Lu Yao 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 gaze was like a series of sharp daggers piercing Lu Ming's heart; he let out a loud roar 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, cleared 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 and sickly with blocked meridians—plainly put, you are trash; even if you awaken your bloodline, you remain trash—how could you compare to Duanmu Lin?"

"Only such a talent is worthy of being my 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."

A 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 boundless darkness.

"Lu Yao, Lu Yunxiong, why are you seizing my bloodline!"

Lu Ming let out a loud shout, suddenly sitting up from the bed, the nanwood-made bed creaking with a 'ga—' sound.

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 an actual event.

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 being 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 from the same clan but different branches, they grew up together from childhood, childhood sweethearts; one could say they were inseparable, and in private they had even sworn vows of eternal love, pledging to spend their lives together.

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

"Strength—everything is because I lack strength; 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 filled with bloodshot veins.

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, are you having 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 thus saved 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 has depended on Li Ping for survival.

Lu Ming looked at Li Ping, his gaze softening, and said, "Mother, it's nothing—just a dream."

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

Lu Ming said, "Mother, there's 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 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 cleared a Divine-level Meridian, gaining the Elder Hall's recognition; at the clan assembly two months from now, she will take charge of the Lu Family and become its Family Head—directly addressing 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 about it."

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

Lu Ming's father was rumored to have been killed by someone six years ago; these six years, the Lu Family has been managed by the Elder Hall, and no new Family Head has been appointed.

Seeing Lu Ming like this, Li Ping was terrified and at a loss, merely holding Lu Ming's head, tears streaming down, she said: "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 cannot be kept."

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, 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 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 settle in the Yintang Acupoint between his eyebrows.

"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 roars continued, echoing nonstop in Lu Ming's mind; afterward, a scorching breath emanated from the point between his eyebrows and surged toward his spine.

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

"What's going on?"

Lu Ming was completely at a loss.

At this point, the numbness and itch in 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 even more frightened, feeling at a loss.

"Bloodline Rebirth? Could I really achieve 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 low-grade and of little use.

But there are also an extremely few who can break and then be reborn, undergo Cocoon Rebirth, rise from destruction, transcend the past, and awaken an ultimate bloodline.

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

Transcending the past and awakening an ultimate 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 abnormality 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; 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, a personal maid of Li Ping, and they had grown up together 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; they used to live 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 would soon become Family Head and should take up residence in the Main Residence, but we lack the qualification to remain there, so they made us move out."

At the side, 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 good-for-nothing, what are you complaining about? 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 was Lu Chuan, the older brother of Lu Yao, slightly 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, seemingly afraid that Lu Chuan might harm Lu Ming.

"I came to take the sword!"

Having said that, Lu Chuan's eyes scanned the surroundings; upon seeing a Precious Sword by the bedside, 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 to be kept for Ming'er's use; you cannot take it!"

Li Ping hurriedly reached out to grab it.

"Get out of the way!"

Lu Chuan exerted force, the sword scabbard 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.