Chapter 1157: with translation of chapter title

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

Outside Feng Huo City, on Cui Yun Peak, a stone table and stone stools stood, and a teenage boy and girl were cuddling together.

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 his shoulder, and in the sunset's light 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."

A happy smile blossomed on the girl's face.

The boy was named Lu Ming, and the girl was named 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 unblock 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, there really was a pulse‑tester before—did you inherit your father's bloodline?"

"Yes, Yao'er, so your future husband will certainly be a strong one." Lu Ming's face broke 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 face like lightning, her cheeks flushing, then raised the cup and said, "Ming brother, here, Yao'er treats you."

Lu Ming took the cup and said, "Yao'er, you invite me to drink a glass 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 fragrance twirled on his tongue, and Lu Ming's heart was as sweet as that scent, but the next instant he felt the heavens and earth whirling.

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

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

"Hahaha, Lu Ming, Yao'er has been with you for three years just to nurture your bloodline; the time has arrived—hand over your bloodline, 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 looked at Lu Yao in disbelief, but her eyes were filled only with indifference.

"Why? I love you so much!"

Lu Yao's cold stare was like a set of daggers piercing Lu Ming's heart; he let out a 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 within 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. As for you, frail and sickly, your meridians blocked—plainly speaking, you are nothing but a waste. Even if you awaken your bloodline, you remain a waste; how could you compare to 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 use your bloodline to help me awaken an even stronger one."

A 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 knife 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 are you stealing my bloodline!"

Lu Ming let out a roar and abruptly sat up from the bed, the nan‑wood bed creaking with a 'creak'.

Lu Ming was drenched in sweat, his face pale; at first he thought he was having a nightmare, but he quickly realized it 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 bloodline in Feng Huo City, his father is the Family Head of the Lu Family. And Lu Yao, the daughter of the Grand Elder of the Lu Family's first branch.

The two were of the same clan but different veins; they grew up together from childhood, inseparable, and privately had already sworn eternal vows and privately set their lifelong commitment.

Lu Ming could never have imagined that Lu Yao would side with the Grand Elder against 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.

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 and Li Ping have relied on each other for survival.

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 said with a painful heart, "It's been three days, and each time you shout that Lu Yao harmed you, Ming'er, what exactly is happening? 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 martial ways; telling her would only endanger her.

Li Ping hesitated briefly and 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 been recognized by the Elder Hall. At the clan meeting two months later, she will take charge of the Lu Family and become its head. Calling the Family Head by name 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 growl, his eyes bloodshot, his teeth grinding with a creaking sound, his teeth about to shatter, blood flowing out.

Rumor had it that Lu Ming's father was killed by someone six years ago; 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, tears streaming down, she said: "Ming'er, don't scare Mother, Mother already lost your father; I cannot lose you too."

Father... where are you? Ming'er believes you won't die, but now Ming'er is powerless, even the Family Head position may be lost.

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 in bronze and pea-sized, was 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, 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.

"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!"

The continuous roars kept echoing in Lu Ming's mind; then a scorching breath originated from his brow and surged toward his spine.

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

What's going on?

Lu Ming was completely at a loss.

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

Ming'er, 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 individuals can break and then be reborn, breaking the cocoon to be reborn, rising from destruction, transcending the past, awakening a supreme bloodline.

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

Transcending the past and awakening a supreme bloodline, Lu Ming didn't even think about it, since the odds were too slim; 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 gradually 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.

Lu Ming glanced around, his expression suddenly changing, and 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 used to live in the Lu Family Main Residence, but this is not it.

"Ming'er, rest and recover, 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 was about to become Family Head, so she ought to move into the Main Residence, but we weren't qualified to stay there, so they made us move out."

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

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

"You good-for-nothing, what are you shouting for? Having a place to live is already a favor; aren't you 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, the elder brother of Lu Yao, 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 Lu Ming.

"I've come to take the sword!"

After saying that, Lu Chuan scanned the surroundings with his eyes; upon seeing a precious sword by the bedside, his eyes lit up, he immediately walked over and grabbed the sword in his hand.

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

Li Ping hurriedly 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, her body staggered backward, almost falling to the ground.

"Mother!" Lu Ming shouted.