Chapter 1143: Between Us Lies Purity

The setting sun sank in the west, and rosy clouds spread across the sky.

Outside Feng Huo City, on Cui Yun Peak, there was a stone table; beside it stood stone stools, and a pair of young boy and girl were leaning against each other.

The boy was slender, his complexion slightly pale, and his features were delicate.

The girl wore a snow‑white long dress, her skin like jade, and her beauty was unparalleled.

She rested her head on the boy's shoulder, and in the sunset's glow they resembled a pair of celestial lovers.

"Yao'er, I truly wish we could stay like this forever!" the boy said softly, his face full of a happy smile.

"Brother Ming, of course we can. We promised to be together for life."

A happy smile blossomed on the girl's face.

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

Seeing the smile on Lu Yao's face, Lu Ming's gaze grew even gentler; he clasped Lu Yao's delicate, boneless jade‑like hand and said, "Yao'er, although my tendons are blocked and I cannot condense true Qi, once I awaken my Bloodline, the Elder Hall will purchase a spirit medicine to clear my meridians, and then I can cultivate."

"I will certainly become a martial strongman and protect you for a lifetime."

"Thank you, Brother Ming."

Lu Yao's eyes showed moved emotion, and she added, "Brother Ming, a pulse‑tester once examined you—did you inherit your father's Bloodline?"

"Yes, Yao'er. So in the future, your man will certainly be a strong one," Lu Ming said, his face breaking into a confident smile.

Lu Yao gave a faint smile, lifted the wine cup on the stone table; inside was the famed Blood Tongue Orchid Wine, emitting a faint fragrance.

Lu Yao flashed a kiss on Lu Ming's cheek, her face flushing shyly, and raised the cup, saying, "Brother Ming, here, Yao'er treats you."

Lu Ming took the cup and said, "Yao'er, you invite me to drink a cup of Blood Tongue Orchid Wine every day; I truly appreciate having you by my side."

Having said that, he lifted the cup and drank it down in one gulp.

The wine's aroma lingered on his tongue, and Lu Ming's heart felt as sweet as the fragrance, but the next moment he felt the world spinning.

"Yao'er, why am I a bit dizzy? Your wine…"

Lu Ming steadied himself on the stone table and looked at Lu Yao, but at that moment he noticed her expression had turned cold.

"Hahaha, Lu Ming, Yao'er has been with you for three years just to nurture the vein; now the time…"

At that instant, a middle‑aged man appeared from the side; he was Lu Yao's father.

Boom—

Like a thunderclap on a clear day, it exploded in Lu Ming's mind.

"Yao'er!"

Lu Ming stared at Lu Yao in disbelief, but her eyes were filled only with indifference.

"Why? I love you so…"

Lu Yao's cold gaze was like a set of daggers, piercing Lu Ming's heart; he let out a roar and lunged toward Lu Yao.

But Lu Yao only stepped back slightly, and he fell to the ground.

"Duanmu Lin of the Xuan Yuan Sword Sect began cultivating at six, opened two Divine Veins in half a year, entered the Warrior Realm, entered the Martial Master Realm at nine, and now at sixteen is one of the Four Great Talents of the Xuan Yuan Sword Sect. And you? Frail and sickly, your meridians blocked—plainly speaking, you're nothing but a waste. Even if you awaken your Bloodline, you're still a waste. How can you compare with Duanmu Lin?"

"A talent like that is the perfect 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 came from Lu Yao's mouth.

Clang!

At that moment, the middle‑aged man stepped his foot onto Lu Ming's back, a spear‑like dagger appearing in his hand, and shouted, "Lu Ming, surrender your Bloodline!"

Ah!

A piercing pain at his spine instantly engulfed Lu Ming; he let out a howl, his voice full of loneliness, helplessness, and despair.

Gradually, Lu Ming sank into boundless darkness.

"Lu Yao, Lu Yunxiong, why did you seize my Bloodline!"

Lu Ming roared, suddenly sitting up from the bed, the rose‑wood bed creaking with a 'creak'.

Lu Ming was drenched in sweat, his complexion pale; at first he thought he was having a nightmare, but he quickly realized this was not a dream, but a real fact.

The scene from several days earlier resurfaced in his mind.

Lu Ming, the heir of the Lu Family's main line in Feng Huo City, whose father is the Family Head of the Lu Family. Lu Yao is the daughter of the Grand Elder of the Lu Family's first branch.

They share the same clan but different lines; they grew up together since childhood, inseparable, and privately have already sworn eternal vows, privately setting their lifelong commitment.

Lu Ming could never have imagined that Lu Yao would side with the Grand Elder to strike at him and seize his Bloodline.

"Power—everything is because my strength is insufficient. If my talent were extraordinary and my power great, how could they dare treat me this way?"

Lu Ming clenched his fists, his whole body trembling, his eyes blood‑shot.

"Waste!"

That was Lu Yao's name for him; her words from three days ago still echoed in his ears.

Squeak!

At that moment, the door was pushed open and a frail‑bodied middle‑aged woman entered, looking at Lu Ming on the bed and asking concernedly, "Ming'er, did you have another nightmare?"

The beautiful woman was Lu Ming's mother, Li Ping.

Three days ago, Li Ping had worried about Lu Ming's safety, gone out to search for him, and rescued him; otherwise he would have died.

Since the news six years ago that Lu Ming's father was killed while traveling abroad, he has been surviving together with Li Ping.

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 at his bedside, stroked his forehead, and painfully said, "It's been three days now, you keep shouting that Lu Yao harmed you, Ming'er, what's really going on? Could your injury be because of Lu Yao…"

Lu Ming replied, "Mother, it's nothing, you heard wrong."

Lu Ming did not tell Li Ping that Lu Yao and the Grand Elder were behind it, because Li Ping does not practice the martial path; telling her would only endanger her.

Li Ping hesitated briefly, then said, "Ming'er, from now on you may not call Lu Yao's name directly in front of others. Two days ago, Lu Yao awakened a Level 5 Bloodline and also opened a Divine-level Meridian; she has now been approved by the Elder Hall, and at the clan meeting two months later she will assume control of the Lu Family, becoming its head. Calling her 'Family Head' directly might be considered disrespectful."

"What? Lu Yao will take charge of the Lu Family? She'll never succeed."

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

After rumors spread six years ago that Lu Ming's father had been killed by someone, 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 panicked, 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, unable to hold onto the family head position."

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

This pendant, cast in bronze and the size of a lima bean, had been 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 seeping from his palm flowed toward the bronze pendant.

Hum!

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 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 humming resonance.

"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 brow and surged toward his spine.

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

"What's going on?"

Lu Ming was completely at a loss.

At this point the tingling 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 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 low-grade and of little use.

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

But this probability is so tiny it can be neglected; ancient texts record that hardly any cases have ever occurred.

Transcending the past and awakening a supreme bloodline, Lu Ming didn't dare 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.

Then the abnormal sensations 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 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 smiled.

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 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 will soon become family head, so she ought to move into the Main Residence, while we lack the qualification to remain there, so they've made us move out."

At the side, 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, why are you shouting? Having a place to let you stay is already a kindness; aren't you grateful?"

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

"Lu Chuan, is that you!"

Lu Ming shouted angrily; this person was named Lu Chuan, the older brother of Lu Yao, a bit older than Lu Ming.

"Lu Chuan, we've all 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's eyes scanned the surroundings; upon seeing a precious sword beside the bed, his eyes lit up, he immediately went 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 hastily reached out to snatch it.

"Get out of the way!"

Lu Chuan exerted force, the sword sheath shook, and a burst of power erupted; Li Ping, not a cultivator, could not withstand it, her body staggered backward, almost falling to the ground.

"Mother!" Lu Ming bellowed.