Chapter 1146: with translation of chapter title

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

Outside Feng Huo City, on Cui Yun Peak, there was a stone table; beside it were stone stools, and 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 snowy white long dress, her skin like jade, her appearance absolutely beautiful.

The girl rested her head on the boy's shoulder, and in the glow of the setting sun 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 a lifetime."

The girl's face showed a happy smile.

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

Looking at Lu Yao's smile, Lu Ming's gaze 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 then purchase spirit medicine to clear my meridians, and then I can cultivate."

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

"Thank you, Ming brother."

Lu Yao's eyes showed emotion, and 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 slight smile, lifted the wine cup on the stone table; the cup held the famous Blood Tongue Orchid Wine, exuding a faint, pure fragrance.

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

Lu Ming took the cup and said, "Yao'er, you treat me to 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, and Lu Ming's heart felt as sweet as the scent, 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 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 appeared 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 stabbing into 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 began cultivating at six, opened 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 Four Great Talents of the Xuan Yuan Sword Sect. As for you—weak, sickly, with blocked meridians—you are nothing but trash; even if you awaken your bloodline, you'll still be trash. How can you compare to Duanmu Lin?"

"Such a genius is the only suitable match for me, Lu Yao; to marry him I must awaken a powerful 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 stepped on Lu Ming's back with one foot, a dagger appearing in his hand, and shouted, "Lu Ming, offer up your bloodline!"

Ah!

At his 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 with a 'ga—' sound.

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 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 of the Lu Family; Lu Yao, meanwhile, is the daughter of the Grand Elder of the Lu Family's first branch.

Though of the same clan but different branches, they grew up together from childhood, childhood sweethearts, inseparable; 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 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 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 for Lu Ming's safety, who went out to search and rescued him; otherwise Lu Ming would already be dead.

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; it was just a dream."

Seeing Lu Ming's pale face, Li Ping sat beside his bed, touched his forehead, and said achingly, "It's been three days; every time you scream 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, because Li Ping does not practice martial arts, and telling her would only endanger her.

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 received the Elder Hall's approval, and at the clan assembly two months from now she will take charge of the Lu Family, becoming 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, angry roar, his eyes bloodshot, his jaws clenched so tightly his teeth ground together with a creaking sound, threatening to shatter, and fresh blood began to flow.

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

Seeing Lu Ming in this state, Li Ping was terrified and at a loss, 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, and even the Family Head position may not be held."

Lu Ming gripped the pendant on his neck tightly; due to the force, his nails dug into his flesh, and fresh blood continually seeped out.

This Bronze Pendant, the size of a pea, had been sent back by someone entrusted by Lu Ming's father before his accident, and Lu Ming had carried it with him for these six years.

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.

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 thoughts with a buzzing resonance.

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

The continuous roars kept echoing in Lu Ming's mind, and then a scorching breath emanated from the Yintang, surging toward his spine.

The next instant, the roars vanished, but a tingling sensation spread along his spine, and his whole body turned 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 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, at a loss what to do.

"Bloodline Rebirth? Could I really be undergoing 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 reborn bloodline is mostly of low grade and of little use.

But an extremely rare few can break and then be established, undergoing Cocoon Rebirth, rising from destruction, transcending the past, and awakening a supreme bloodline.

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

Transcending the past and awakening a supreme bloodline, Lu Ming didn't dare hope for that, given the odds were astronomically low; he would be thrilled just to awaken any bloodline.

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

At this moment, the strange sensations gradually faded, Lu Ming's face broke into a smile, and he said, "Mother, I'm fine!"

"Young Master, it's wonderful 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, a personal maid of Li Ping 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 he 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.

"Ming'er, 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've been driven out. Lu Yao says she will soon become the Family Head and should take up residence in the Main Residence, but we have no right to stay there, so they've made us move out."

Beside her, Qiu Yue clenched her silver teeth, spoke up, and her pretty face flushed with anger.

"What? Lu Yao, you're bullying people too far!" Lu Ming roared.

"You good-for-nothing, 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 elder 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 fearing Lu Chuan might harm him.

"I've come to take the sword!"

Having said that, Lu Chuan's eyes scanned the room; upon seeing a Precious Sword beside the bed, his eyes lit up, he hurried 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 away."

Li Ping hurriedly reached out to snatch it.

"Get out of the way!"

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

"Mother!" Lu Ming bellowed.