Chapter 1152: Reholding the Wedding

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 a stone bench, and a pair of teenage 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 stunning.

She rested her head on the boy's shoulder, and in the sunset's glow they looked like 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.

"Ming brother, of course we can, we promised to be together for life," she replied.

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 and veins 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, Ming brother."

Lu Yao's eyes showed moved 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 said, a confident smile on his face.

Lu Yao gave a slight 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 onto Lu Ming's cheek like lightning, her face flushing pink, and raised the cup, saying, "Ming brother, 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 spoken, he lifted the cup and drank it down in one gulp.

The scent of the wine curled on his tongue, and Lu Ming's heart was as sweet as that aroma, but the next moment he felt the world tilt and spin.

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

Lu Ming leaned on the stone table, looking 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 a vein; the time has come—contribute your Bloodline now, will you?"

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

Boom—

Like a bolt 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 indifference.

"Why? I love you so much!"

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

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

"Duanmu Lin of the Xuan Yuan Sword Sect, cultivated from age six, broke through 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? Weak and sickly, your meridians blocked—frankly, you're just a waste. Even if you awaken your Bloodline you'll still be a waste. How could you compare with Duanmu Lin?"

"Such a talent 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 Bloodline?"

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 sharp dagger materialized in his hand, and he shouted, "Lu Ming, surrender your Bloodline!"

Ah!

A piercing pain at his spine instantly overwhelmed Lu Ming; he howled, his voice full of lonely helplessness and despair.

Gradually, Lu Ming sank into boundless darkness.

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

Lu Ming let out a roar, abruptly sat up from the bed, and the nan‑wood bed creaked loudly.

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 a reality that had already occurred.

The scene from several days earlier resurfaced in his mind.

Lu Ming, the successor of the main Lu Family line in Feng Huo City, his father being the Lu Family Family Head. And Lu Yao, 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, inseparable, and privately had already sworn lifelong vows.

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

"Strength—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 filled with blood vessels.

Useless!

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

Creak!

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 earlier, Li Ping, worried about Lu Ming's safety, went 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, he has relied on Li Ping for survival.

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

Looking at Lu Ming's pale complexion, Li Ping sat at his bedside, stroked his forehead, and said painfully, "It's been three days, you keep shouting that Lu Yao harmed you, Ming'er, what's really going on? Could it be that your injury is 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; revealing it would only endanger her.

Li Ping hesitated briefly, then said, "Ming'er, from now on you may not address Lu Yao by name in front of others. Two days ago, Lu Yao awakened a Level 5 Bloodline and also opened a Divine-level Meridian; she has now received approval from the Elder Hall. At the clan assembly two months from now, she will take charge of the Lu Family and become its Family Head. Calling her 'Family Head' directly might be considered disrespectful."

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

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

Six years after rumors that Lu Ming's father was killed, the Lu Family has been managed by the Elder Hall, and no new Family Head has been appointed.

Seeing Lu Ming like that, Li Ping was terrified and helpless, only holding his head, tears streaming down, and said, "Ming, don't scare Mother. Mother has already lost your father and cannot lose you as well."

"Father... where are you? Ming believes you won't die. Now Ming is powerless, even cannot keep the Family Head seat."

Lu Ming clutched tightly a pendant around his neck; pressing so hard his fingernails pierced the flesh, and fresh blood continuously seeped out.

The pendant, cast in bronze and the size of a broad bean, had been sent back from outside by someone before Lu Ming's father's incident; for the past six years, Lu Ming has kept it on his person.

The fresh blood from his palm seeped out, flowing onto the Bronze Pendant.

Buzz!

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

Before Lu Ming could react, the Bronze Pendant trembled and turned into specks of powder, which rushed into his palm and vanished.

Then, Lu Ming felt a scorching energy rise from his palm, travel up his arm, and after a moment settle in the Yintang Acupoint at his brow.

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

Suddenly, a huge roar echoed in Lu Ming's mind, making his thoughts buzz.

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

The continuous roars kept resonating in Lu Ming's mind; then a scorching aura emanated from his brow and surged toward his spine.

The next moment, the roar vanished, but his spine tingled with waves of itchiness, and his whole body became scorching hot.

"What's happening?"

Lu Ming was completely at a loss.

At this point, the itching on his spine intensified, as if something was slowly growing.

"Ming, what's wrong? Don't scare Mother."

Sensing Lu Ming's abnormality, Li Ping became even more frightened and was at a loss for what to do.

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

Ancient texts record that only a very few people, after their Bloodline is stripped or damaged for other reasons, can undergo Bloodline Rebirth and grow a new Bloodline.

However, most reborn Bloodlines are of low rank and of little use.

Yet there are exceedingly few who can break and then rise, undergo Cocoon Rebirth, ascend from destruction, transcend the past, and awaken a supreme Bloodline.

But the probability is so small it can be ignored; ancient records note only a handful of cases throughout history.

Transcending the past and awakening a supreme Bloodline, Lu Ming didn't dwell on it, since the chance was minuscule; as long as he had a Bloodline, he would be very pleased.

With a Bloodline, he could cultivate the martial path and change his destiny.

At that moment, the abnormality on his body gradually faded; Lu Ming smiled and said, "Mother, I'm fine!"

"Young Master, it's wonderful you're fine; these past days you almost scared us to death!"

At that moment, a young woman walked over and said.

The girl was about the same age as Lu Ming and was exceedingly beautiful.

Lu Ming naturally recognized her; the girl was named 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 scanned his surroundings, his complexion 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 Lu Family Head; they had always lived in the Lu Family Main Residence, but this place is not it.

"Ming, you should properly recover and not worry!" Li Ping said, but the fleeting sorrow and tears in her eyes were still caught by Lu Ming.

"Mother, what exactly is happening?" 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, but we have no right to stay there, so we were forced to move out."

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

"What? Lu Yao, you have gone too far!" Lu Ming roared.

"You worthless thing, what are you shouting? Having a place to live is already a gift to you, yet you are ungrateful!"

At that moment, a voice sounded from outside the door, the door opened, and a young man stepped out.

"Lu Chuan, it's you!"

Lu Ming shouted angrily; the man was named Lu Chuan, Lu Yao's elder brother, and a bit older than Lu Ming.

"Lu Chuan, we have all left the Main Residence, why are you still here?"

Li Ping said, instinctively shielding Lu Ming with her body, seeming afraid that Lu Chuan might harm Lu Ming.

"I'm here to take the sword!"

After speaking, Lu Chuan's eyes scanned the surroundings; when he saw a Precious Sword beside the bed, his eyes lit up, and he immediately walked over, reaching to seize the sword.

"Lu Chuan, this sword is the Sole Token his father left for Ming, intended for him in the future; you cannot take it."

Li Ping hurriedly reached out to snatch it.

"Get out of the way!"

Lu Chuan exerted force, causing the sword sheath to shake; a burst of power erupted, and since Li Ping was not a cultivator, she could not withstand it, stumbling backward and nearly falling to the ground.

"Mother!" Lu Ming roared.