Chapter 1137: Beat It

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

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

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

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, a happy smile on his face.

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

The girl's face lit up with a happy smile.

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

Gazing at Lu Yao's smile, Lu Ming's eyes 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 buy me spirit medicine to clear my channels, and then I will be able to cultivate."

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

"Thank you, Ming‑gege."

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

"Yes, Yao'er, so the man you will marry will surely be a powerhouse," Lu Ming said, confidence flashing on his face.

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

Lu Yao swiftly kissed Lu Ming's cheek, her face flushing, then raised the cup and said, "Ming‑gege, come, let Yao'er treat you."

Lu Ming took the cup and said, "Yao'er, you give me a cup of Blood Tongue Orchid Wine every day; I'm 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 wave of dizziness.

"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 cold.

"Hahaha, Lu Ming, Yao'er has been with 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 icy gaze was like a series of 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.

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

These cold words 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 as he shouted, "Lu Ming, offer up your bloodline!"

Ah!

A piercing pain shot through his spine, engulfing Lu Ming; he howled, his voice full of loneliness, helplessness, and despair.

Gradually, Lu Ming sank into endless darkness.

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

Lu Ming bellowed, suddenly sitting up from the bed, the nanmu‑made frame creaking "gaa‑ji".

Lu Ming was drenched in sweat, his face pallid; at first he thought it had been a nightmare, but he quickly realized it was no dream—it had really happened.

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; Lu Yao, meanwhile, 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 they had even sworn vows and pledged themselves to each other 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 power, 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 nickname for him; her words from three days ago still echoed in his ears.

Squeak—!

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, did you have another nightmare?"

This lovely 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 he 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 all right—just a dream."

Seeing Lu Ming's pale face, Li Ping sat beside his bed, touching his forehead, and said anguishedly, "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 replied, "Mother, nothing's wrong—you misheard."

Lu Ming did not tell Li Ping that Lu Yao and the Grand Elder were responsible, for 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 by name in front of others. 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 Family Head directly would be seen as disrespectful."

"What? Lu Yao is going to take over the Lu Family? No way!"

Lu Ming let out a low, angry roar, his eyes bloodshot, his teeth grinding with a creaking sound, his teeth about to shatter, 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, at a loss, merely holding Lu Ming's head, tears streaming down, she said: "Minger, don't scare Mother, Mother has already lost your father, cannot lose you too."

"Father... where exactly are you? Minger believes you won't die, but now Minger is powerless, even the Family Head position cannot be kept."

Lu Ming tightly gripped the pendant on his neck; due to too much force, his fingernails dug into his flesh, blood continuously seeping out.

This Bronze 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.

Blood seeping from his palm flowed toward the Bronze Pendant.

Buzz!

Suddenly, the Bronze Pendant trembled slightly and became scorching hot.

Before Lu Ming could react, the Bronze Pendant, with a shake, turned into fine powder that drilled into his palm and disappeared.

Then Lu Ming felt a scorching energy from his palm, up along 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 center of his brow and surged toward his spine.

The next moment, the roar disappeared, but a tingling sensation spread from his spine, and his whole body became 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 was slowly growing.

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

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

"Bloodline Rebirth? Could I really achieve Bloodline Rebirth?" Lu Ming wondered in his heart.

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 extremely few individuals who can break and then establish, undergo Cocoon Rebirth, rise from destruction, transcend the past, and awaken a supreme bloodline.

But this probability is so small it can be neglected; ancient texts record that there have hardly been any such cases throughout history.

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

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

At this time, the abnormal sensations on his body slowly faded, Lu Ming's face showed a smile, and he said: "Mother, I'm fine!"

"Young Master, it's great that 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, 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 expression suddenly changed, and he said: "Mother, where is this? This is not the Lu Family Main Residence!"

Lu Ming's father used to be the Family Head of the Lu Family; they used to live in the Lu Family Main Residence, but this is not it.

"Minger, rest and heal your wounds, 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 the Family Head and should move into the Main Residence, while we have no qualification to continue living there, so they made us move out."

Beside her, Qiu Yue clenched her silver teeth, spoke out the matter, her pretty little face filled 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 let you live is already a favor; aren't you grateful?"

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

"Lu Chuan, is that you!"

Lu Ming shouted angrily; this person's name was Lu Chuan, the 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 would harm Lu Ming.

"I came to take the sword!"

Having said that, Lu Chuan's eyes scanned around; upon seeing a Precious Sword beside the bed, 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 Minger's father, to be kept for Minger'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, almost falling to the ground.

"Mother!" Lu Ming bellowed.