Chapter 1139

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, where 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 peerless.

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

Gazing at Lu Yao's smile, Lu Ming's eyes grew even 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 purchase spirit medicines 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 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's face showed a confident smile.

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

Lu Yao swiftly kissed Lu Ming's cheek, her face flushing, then raised the wine cup and said, "Ming brother, come, Yao'er toasts 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 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 bit dizzy? This wine..."

Lu Ming leaned on the stone table, looking 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, who began cultivation at six, opened two divine veins in half a year, entered the Warrior Realm, at nine reached the Martial Master Realm, and now at sixteen 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 could you compare to Duanmu Lin?"

"Only such a talent 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?"

These cold words 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 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 "ga—".

Lu Ming was drenched in sweat, his face pallid; 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 prior 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; while Lu Yao is the daughter of the Grand Elder of the Lu Family's first branch.

They shared the same clan but different branches, having grown up together since childhood—childhood sweethearts, inseparable, and in private they 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 possessed 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!

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, have you had 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 Lu Ming would have died.

Since six years ago, when word spread that Lu Ming's father, while traveling abroad, was killed by someone, he has depended on Li Ping for survival.

Lu Ming looked at Li Ping, his gaze softening, and said, "Mother, it's all right; it was just a dream."

Seeing Lu Ming's pallid face, 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, nothing's wrong; you misheard."

Lu Ming did not tell Li Ping that it was Lu Yao and the Grand Elder who did it, for 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 even opened a Divine‑level Meridian; she has already gained the Elder Hall's approval, and at the clan assembly two months hence she will take charge of the Lu Family and become its head. To address the Family Head directly 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 grinding, about to shatter, blood flowing out.

Six years ago, rumors said Lu Ming's father was killed by someone; 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 the Family Head position may not be kept."

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

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

Blood seeped from his palm, flowing toward the bronze pendant.

Buzz!

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

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

Next, Lu Ming felt a scorching energy rise from his palm up his arm, after a moment settling 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.

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

The continuous roars kept echoing in Lu Ming's mind; then a scorching breath rose from his brow and surged toward his spine.

The next moment, the roars ceased, but a tingling numbness spread along his spine, his whole body turning scorching hot.

"What's happening?"

Lu Ming was completely at a loss.

At this moment, the tingling 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 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 by other causes, can undergo Bloodline Rebirth, regrowing a bloodline.

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

But also an extremely few individuals can break and then be established, break the cocoon to be reborn, rise from destruction, transcend the past, awaken a supreme bloodline.

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

Transcending the past, awakening a supreme bloodline, Lu Ming didn't even think about it—the odds were too 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 gradually faded; Lu Ming's face showed a smile as he said: "Mother, I'm fine!"

"Young Master, it's great you're alright; these past 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, 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 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, just heal your wounds, 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, rightly 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 too far!" Lu Ming roared.

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

Just then, a voice sounded 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, 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 came to take the sword!"

After speaking, Lu Chuan's eyes scanned the room; 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, to be kept for Ming'er's use; you cannot take it."

Li Ping hurriedly 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.