Chapter 1153: No matter who you are

The sunset sank westward, rosy clouds 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 slightly thin, his face somewhat pale, his features delicate and handsome.

The girl wore a snow‑white robe, her skin like jade, her beauty unsurpassed.

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‑gege, 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 was Lu Yao.

Seeing Lu Yao's smile, Lu Ming's gaze 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 purchase 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's face broke into 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, 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 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, making his heart feel 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 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 crashed to the ground.

"Duanmu Lin of the Xuan Yuan Sword Sect cultivated from age 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; put plainly, you are trash. Even if you awakened your bloodline, you'd 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.

Pop!

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 exploded at his spine, engulfing Lu Ming; he screamed, 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 frame creaking with a "gee—".

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, heir to the main line of the Lu Family of Feng Huo City, his father being the Family Head; Lu Yao, daughter of the Lu Family's first branch Grand Elder.

Though of the same clan but different branches, they had grown up together since childhood, childhood sweethearts, inseparable, and in private they had even sworn vows of eternal love, pledging 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.

Creak!

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 achingly, "It's been three days; every time you scream 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 it was Lu Yao and the Grand Elder who did it, 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 Lu Yao awakened a fifth‑tier bloodline and even opened a divine‑level meridian; she has already earned the Elder Hall's approval, and at the clan assembly in two months she will take charge of the Lu Family and become its head. To address the head by name outright would likely be seen as disrespectful."

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

Lu Ming let out a low, guttural roar, his eyes bloodshot, his jaw clenched with a grinding sound, his teeth about to shatter, and blood spurted out.

Six years ago, after Lu Ming's father was rumored to have been 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, clutching Lu Ming's head, tears streaming, and said, "Ming'er, don't scare mother; I've already lost your father and can't lose you too."

"Father… where are you really? Ming'er believes you won't die; now I'm powerless, even unable to protect the Family Head's position."

Lu Ming gripped the pendant around his neck so tightly that his fingernails pierced his flesh, and blood kept seeping out.

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

Blood from his palm seeped onto the Bronze Pendant.

Buzz!

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

Before Lu Ming could react, the Bronze Pendant quivered, turned into specks of powder, and darted into his palm, vanishing inside.

Then Lu Ming felt a scorching energy rise from his palm, up his arm, and after a moment settled 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 breath surged from his brow and rushed toward his spine.

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

"What's happening?"

Lu Ming was completely at a loss.

At this time, the tingling on his spine intensified, as if something was slowly growing.

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

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

"Bloodline Rebirth? Could I really have 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, growing a new Bloodline.

But most reborn Bloodlines are of low rank and of little use.

Yet an extremely tiny number can break and then reestablish, Cocoon Rebirth, rising from destruction, transcending the past, awakening a supreme Bloodline.

But the chance 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—the odds are too slim; as long as he could awaken any Bloodline, he would be very happy.

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

At that moment, the abnormality faded, and Lu Ming smiled, saying, "Mother, I'm fine!"

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

At that moment, a young woman stepped forward 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.

"Qiu Yue, I'm fine, don't worry!"

Lu Ming said with a smile.

Then Lu Ming scanned the surroundings, his complexion suddenly changing, and said, "Mother, where is this? This isn't the Lu Family Main Residence!"

Lu Ming's father had been the Lu Family head; they had always lived in the Lu Family Main Residence, but this place is not.

"Ming'er, recover well and don't overthink!" Li Ping said, but the fleeting sorrow and tears in her eyes were still caught by Lu Ming.

"Mother, what's really going on?" Lu Ming asked.

"Young master, let me explain. We were driven out; Lu Yao said she would soon become the Family Head, so she should move into the Main Residence, and we have no right to stay there, so we were forced to move out."

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

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

"You useless waste, what are you shouting? Having a place to live is already a gift to you, yet you're ungrateful?"

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

"Lu Chuan, it's you!"

Lu Ming shouted angrily; the man was Lu Chuan, Lu Yao's older brother, a little older than Lu Ming.

"Lu Chuan, we've 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 would hurt him.

"I'm here to take the sword!"

Finishing his words, Lu Chuan's eyes scanned around; when he saw a Precious Sword beside the bed, his eyes lit up, he rushed over and seized the sword.

"Lu Chuan, this sword is the Sole Token his father left, meant for Ming'er in the future; you can't take it."

Li Ping quickly reached out to snatch it.

"Get away!"

Lu Chuan exerted force, the sword sheath trembled, a surge of power burst out; Li Ping, not a cultivator, could not withstand it, stumbling backward and nearly falling.

"Mother!" Lu Ming roared.