Chapter 1154

The setting sun sank westward, rosy light 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 slightly thin-built, his complexion somewhat pale, his features delicate.

The girl wore a snow-white long dress, her skin like jade, her appearance absolutely beautiful.

The girl rested her head on the boy's shoulder; in the sunset's glow, they resembled 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 said we would be together for a lifetime."

The girl's face showed a happy smile.

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

Looking at Lu Yao's smile, Lu Ming's gaze grew gentler; he took her soft, boneless jade hand and said, "Yao'er, although my meridians are blocked and I cannot condense true qi, as long as I awaken my bloodline, the Elder Hall will then purchase spiritual 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 gege."

Lu Yao's eyes showed a moved expression, and she said again, "Ming gege, a pulse tester once really tested you—did you inherit your father's bloodline?"

"Yes, Yao'er, so your future husband will surely be a powerful one." Lu Ming's face showed a confident smile.

Lu Yao smiled slightly, lifted the wine cup on the stone table; the cup contained the famous Blood Tongue Orchid Wine, exuding a faint fragrance.

Lu Yao lightning-fast kissed Lu Ming's cheek, her face blushing; she raised the wine cup and said, "Ming gege, come, Yao'er presents this to you."

Lu Ming took the wine 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 said that, he raised the wine cup and drank it all in one gulp.

The wine's fragrance lingered on his tongue; Lu Ming's heart felt as sweet as that fragrance, 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 this moment he noticed her face had turned a little 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 this moment, a middle-aged man appeared from the side—Lu Yao's father.

Boom—!

It was like a thunderbolt from a clear sky, exploding in Lu Ming's mind.

"Yao'er!"

Lu Ming looked at Lu Yao in disbelief, but her eyes were full of 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 let out a loud roar and lunged at her.

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

"Xuan Yuan Sword Sect's Duanmu Lin began cultivating at six, opened two Divine Veins in half a year, entered the Warrior Realm, at nine entered the Martial Master Realm; now sixteen, he is one of the Sect's Four Great Talents. As for you, weak and sickly, with blocked meridians—put bluntly, you are trash. Even if you awaken your bloodline, you remain trash; how can you compare to Duanmu Lin?"

"Only such a talent is a worthy match for me, Lu Yao; to marry him one 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 issued from Lu Yao's mouth.

Thud!

At this 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 screamed, his voice full of loneliness, helplessness, and despair.

Gradually, Lu Ming sank into boundless darkness.

"Lu Yao, Lu Yunxiong, why do you seize my bloodline?"

Lu Ming let out a loud shout, suddenly sitting up from the bed; the nanmu-made bed creaked with a 'geez' sound.

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 an actual event.

The scene from several days ago surfaced again in his mind.

Lu Ming, the main lineage heir of the Lu Family of Feng Huo City, his father being the Family Head of the Lu Family; and Lu Yao, 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; they could be said to be inseparable, and in private they had even sworn vows of eternal love, pledging themselves to each other for life.

Lu Ming never expected that Lu Yao would join the Grand Elder in attacking him to seize his bloodline.

"Strength—everything is because I am not strong enough; 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!

This was Lu Yao's term for him; her words from three days ago seemed still to echo in his ears.

Squeak!

At this 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 about Lu Ming's safety, who went out to search and thus saved him; otherwise Lu Ming would have died.

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

Lu Ming looked at Li Ping, his gaze softening, and said: "Mother, it's fine, just a dream."

Seeing Lu Ming's pale complexion, 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 exactly is going on? Could your injury be because of Lu Yao..."

Lu Ming said: "Mother, nothing, 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 harm 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 also opened a Divine-level Meridian, and has already received the Elder Hall's recognition; at the clan assembly in two months, she will take charge of the Lu Family and become its Family Head—directly addressing the Family Head's name 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 teeth grinding and creaking, his teeth 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, just holding Lu Ming's head, tears streaming down, saying: "Minger, don't scare Mother, Mother already lost your father, cannot lose you too."

"Father... where are you? Minger believes you won't die; now, Minger 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 by Lu Ming's father before his accident; these six years, Lu Ming has always carried it with him.

Blood seeping from his palm 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, turning into fine powder that drilled into his palm and vanished.

Then Lu Ming felt a scorching energy rise from his palm up his arm, after a while settling at the Yintang acupoint between his eyebrows.

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

Suddenly, a tremendous roar echoed in Lu Ming's mind, shaking his mind with a buzzing.

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

"Nine Dragons Immortal, Bloodline Rebirth!"

Continuous roars echoed in Lu Ming's mind, then a scorching breath emanated from his brow, surging toward his spine.

The next moment, the roars ceased, but waves of numbness and itch spread from his spine, his whole body becoming scorching hot.

"What's going on?"

Lu Ming was completely at a loss.

At this point, the numbness and itch in his spine intensified, as if something were slowly growing.

"Minger, 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 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 people can break and then be reborn, undergo Cocoon Rebirth, rise from destruction, transcend the past, and awaken a supreme bloodline.

But this probability is so small it can be neglected; ancient texts record hardly any cases.

Transcending the past and awakening a supreme bloodline, Lu Ming didn't even consider it, since the odds were too tiny; he would be thrilled just to awaken a bloodline.

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

Then the abnormal sensations slowly faded, Lu Ming's face showed a smile, and he said: "Mother, I'm fine!"

"Young Master, it's great you're okay; these past days you've scared us to death!"

Then 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 changed, and he said: "Mother, where is this? This is not the Lu Family Main Residence!"

Lu Ming's father had previously been the Family Head of the Lu Family; they used to live in the Lu Family Main Residence, but this is not it.

"Minger, rest and heal, 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, so she should move into the Main Residence, but we aren't qualified to stay there, so they made us move out."

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

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

"You good-for-nothing, what are you yelling for? Having a place to live is already a kindness; shouldn't you be grateful?"

Just then, a voice sounded outside the door, the door opened, and a young man walked 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 coming here?"

Li Ping said, instinctively stepping in front of Lu Ming, seemingly afraid Lu Chuan would harm Lu Ming.

"I'm here to take the sword!"

After saying that, Lu Chuan's eyes scanned around; upon seeing the precious sword by the bedside, his eyes lit up, he immediately walked over and grabbed the sword.

"Lu Chuan, this sword is the sole token left by Lu Ming's father, meant for Lu Ming in the future; you cannot take it."

Li Ping quickly reached out to grab 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, stumbling backward and nearly falling.

"Mother!" Lu Ming shouted.