Chapter 955: Joining Hands to Face the Enemy

The setting sun sank in the west, painting the entire sky in a riot of crimson clouds.

Outside the City of Wind and Fire, atop the Peak of Emerald Clouds, a young man and a young woman snuggled close to each other beside a stone table and its accompanying stools.

The youth possessed a slender frame, a countenance slightly pale, and refined, handsome features.

The maiden wore a gown of snow-white silk, her skin akin to flawless jade, her beauty breathtakingly sublime.

Her head rested gently against his shoulder, their silhouettes bathed in the dying light of the sun, resembling a pair of divine lovers from the immortal realms.

"Yao'er, I truly wish we could remain like this for an eternity," the youth whispered softly, his face illuminated by a smile of pure bliss.

"Brother Ming, of course we can, for we have promised to stay together for the rest of our lives."

A radiant smile of happiness bloomed across the maiden's face.

The youth was named Lu Ming, and the maiden was named Lu Yao.

Gazing upon her smile, Lu Ming’s eyes softened with a deeper tenderness as he clasped her delicate, boneless hand, saying, "Yao'er, though my meridians are blocked and I cannot condense true qi, once my lineage awakens, the Council of Elders will purchase spirit medicines to clear my pathways. Then, I shall be able to cultivate."

"I will assuredly become a supreme master of the martial path and protect you for all our days."

"Thank you, Brother Ming."

Deeply moved, Lu Yao looked at him, her eyes glistening, and asked, "Brother Ming, did a lineage-tester truly confirm before that you have inherited your father's bloodline?"

"Indeed, Yao'er, so in the future, your man will certainly be a powerful warrior," Lu Ming replied, a confident smile gracing his features.

Lu Yao smiled faintly and lifted a cup from the stone table; within it was the famous Blood-Tongue Orchid Wine, diffusing a subtle, delicate fragrance.

Like a flash of lightning, she planted a swift kiss upon his cheek, her face flushing crimson as she raised the cup, saying, "Brother Ming, come, Yao'er rewards you with this."

Lu Ming accepted the vessel and murmured, "Yao'er, you offer me a cup of Blood-Tongue Orchid Wine every single day. I am truly grateful to have you by my side."

With these words, he raised the cup and drained it in a single swallow.

As the aroma lingered upon the tip of his tongue, his heart felt as sweet as the wine, yet in the very next instant, the world began to spin uncontrollably before his eyes.

"Yao'er, why am I feeling so lightheaded? This wine of yours..."

Lu Ming steadied himself against the stone table, his gaze fixing upon Lu Yao, only to find that her expression had grown utterly cold.

"Hahaha! Lu Ming, Yao'er has accompanied you for three long years for no other reason than to nurture your bloodline. Now that the time is ripe, hand over your lineage!"

At that moment, a middle-aged man emerged from the shadows—it was Lu Yao's father.

Rumble!

Like a bolt of lightning from a clear sky, the words exploded within Lu Ming's mind.

"Yao'er!"

Lu Ming stared at her in utter disbelief, but her eyes held nothing save absolute indifference.

"Why? I loved you so dearly!"

Her callous gaze pierced his heart like a barrage of sharp daggers; with a wild roar, he lunged toward her.

Yet with a mere step back from Lu Yao, he fell prostrate upon the ground.

"Duanmu Lin of the Xuanyuan Sword Sect began his cultivation at the age of six, opened two divine meridians within half a year, and stepped into the Warrior Realm; by nine, he reached the Master Realm, and now at sixteen, he stands as one of the four great geniuses of the sect. And what of you? A frail, sickly creature with blocked meridians—to put it bluntly, you are nothing but a piece of trash. Even if you awaken your lineage, you remain a worthless fool. How can you hope to compare to Duanmu Lin?"

"Only a genius of his caliber is a worthy match for me, Lu Yao. To forge an alliance through marriage, one must awaken a formidable bloodline. Since you love me so much, why not fulfill my destiny? Use your lineage to help me awaken an even more powerful force."

The freezing words fell mercilessly from her lips.

Thud!

The middle-aged man planted his foot heavily onto Lu Ming's back, a sharp dagger gleaming in his hand as he bellowed, "Lu Ming, surrender your bloodline!"

Ah!

A piercing, agonizing pain at his spine instantly consumed him; Lu Ming shrieked, his voice filled with profound loneliness, helplessness, and black despair.

Gradually, he sank into a boundless, suffocating darkness.

"Lu Yao! Lu Yunxiong! Why did you steal my bloodline?!"

Lu Ming roared fiercely, bolting upright in bed, causing the nanmu-wood frame to creak sharply under the sudden weight.

Drenched in cold sweat and pale as a ghost, he initially believed he had merely suffered a horrific nightmare, but reality swiftly crashed over him—this was no dream, but an unalterable, brutal truth.

The events of a few days past replayed vividly within his mind.

Lu Ming was the heir of the primary lineage of the Lu Family in the City of Wind and Fire, and his father was the Family Head. Lu Yao was the daughter of the Grand Elder of the first branch lineage.

Born of the same clan but different branches, they had grown up together as childhood sweethearts, virtually inseparable, having secretly exchanged vows of eternal devotion.

Never could Lu Ming have imagined that Lu Yao and the Grand Elder would turn against him to harvest his bloodline.

"Strength... it is all because I lacked strength! If my talent were transcendent and my might absolute, how would they ever dare treat me so?"

Lu Ming clenched his fists so tightly his whole body trembled, his eyes entirely bloodshot.

Trash!

That was the epithet she had reserved for him; her words from three days ago seemed to echo still beside his ears.

Creak!

Just then, the chamber door was pushed open, and a frail, middle-aged woman walked in. Looking at Lu Ming upon the bed, she asked with deep concern, "Ming'er, have you had that nightmare again?"

This elegant woman was Lu Ming's mother, Li Ping.

Three days ago, it was her anxiety over his safety that drove her to search for him, ultimately saving his life; otherwise, he would already be a corpse.

Ever since the rumors circulated six years ago that his father had been slain while traveling abroad, he and Li Ping had relied solely on each other to survive.

Looking at his mother, the harshness in Lu Ming’s eyes melted into softness as he said, "Mother, it is nothing, just a dream."

Observing his pale countenance, Li Ping sat at his bedside and pressed her hand to his forehead, her heart aching as she murmured, "It has been three days, and each time you cry out that Lu Yao has harmed you. Ming'er, what truly happened? Could your injuries be because of her...?"

Lu Ming replied, "Mother, it is really nothing. You misheard."

He chose not to reveal that Lu Yao and the Grand Elder were the culprits; his mother possessed no martial cultivation, and telling her would only invite mortal peril upon her head.

Li Ping hesitated for a moment before speaking softly, "Ming'er, in the future, you must not speak Lu Yao's name directly before others. Two days ago, she awakened a fifth-grade bloodline and even cleared a divine meridian. She has already received the recognition of the Council of Elders. At the clan assembly two months from now, she will take command of the Lu Family and become its head. Calling the Family Head by name may be deemed an act of grave disrespect."

"What? Lu Yao wishes to rule the Lu Family? In her dreams!"

Lu Ming let out a low, furious growl, his eyes filling with blood as his jaws ground together with a sickening crunch, nearly shattering his teeth as fresh blood began to seep from his lips.

Since the rumors of his father's demise six years ago, the Lu Family had been governed by the Council of Elders without a new master being instated.

Witnessing her son in such a state, Li Ping was frightened out of her wits; she could only clasp his head to her chest, her tears flowing freely as she wept, "Ming'er, do not terrify your mother so. I have already lost your father; I cannot lose you too."

"Father... where on earth are you? I refuse to believe you are dead. Yet now, I am powerless, and even your position as the Family Head is about to be stolen away."

Lu Ming gripped a pendant around his neck with desperate intensity; his nails bit deep into his palms from the sheer force, drawing crimson drops that welled up continuously.

This pendant, forged of ancient bronze and no larger than a broad bean, had been sent back by his father through an intermediary just before his disappearance; for six years, Lu Ming had never let it leave his side.

The blood from his palm seeped outward, flowing directly onto the bronze relic.

Hum!

Suddenly, the bronze pendant trembled minutely and grew scalding hot.

Before Lu Ming could comprehend what was happening, the pendant shuddered violently, disintegrating into a cloud of fine powder that drilled straight into his palm, vanishing into his flesh without a trace.

Then, Lu Ming felt a searing energy stream from his palm, climbing up his arm, and after a brief moment, settling deep within the Acupoint of the Brow.

"The Nine Dragons never die, the lineage reborn!"

Suddenly, a thunderous roar erupted within Lu Ming's mind, leaving his head buzzing and ringing.

"The Nine Dragons never die, the lineage reborn!"

"The Nine Dragons never die, the lineage reborn!"

......

The relentless roars echoed continuously in Lu Ming's mind, until a sudden wave of scorching heat erupted from his brow, rushing straight toward his spine.

The next moment, the roars vanished, but a fierce, tingling itch spread across his spine, and his entire body grew burning hot.

"What is happening?"

Lu Ming was utterly bewildered.

By now, the itch along his spine grew even more intense, as if something were slowly sprouting within.

"Ming'er, what is wrong with you? Do not scare your mother."

Sensing the anomaly in Lu Ming's body, Li Ping grew even more terrified, completely at a loss.

"Lineage reborn? Could it be that my bloodline can truly regenerate?" Lu Ming wondered in his heart.

Ancient texts recorded that only a precious few, after having their bloodlines stripped away or ruined by other means, could achieve a rebirth of the lineage and sprout a new bloodline.

However, most regenerated bloodlines were of a very low grade, rendering them largely useless.

Yet, there were a rare few who could break through the ruin to rebuild, shedding their old shells like cocoons to rise from destruction, transcending their past to awaken a supreme bloodline.

But this probability was so small it could be ignored; ancient texts recorded barely a few instances since time immemorial.

Transcending the past to awaken a supreme bloodline was something Lu Ming did not dare contemplate, for the chances were simply too abysmal; he would be overjoyed just to awaken any bloodline at all.

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

Just then, the strange sensations slowly faded from his body, and a smile appeared on Lu Ming’s face as he said, "Mother, I am fine!"

"Young Master, it is wonderful that you are well! You have scared us to death these past few days!"

At that moment, a young maiden walked over and spoke.

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

Lu Ming naturally recognized her; her name was Qiuyue, Li Ping’s personal maid, who had grown up alongside him since childhood.

"Qiuyue, I am fine, rest assured!"

Lu Ming said with a gentle smile.

Then, Lu Ming’s gaze swept across his surroundings, and his expression shifted dramatically as he said, "Mother, where is this? This is not the Lu Family's main manor!"

Lu Ming’s father had once been the Head of the Lu Family, and they had always lived in the Lu Family’s main manor, but this place was not it.

"Ming'er, just focus on healing your wounds, do not think too much about it!" Li Ping said, though the fleeting sorrow and unshed tears in her eyes did not escape Lu Ming's notice.

"Mother, what exactly happened?" Lu Ming demanded.

"Young Master, let me tell you. We were driven out. Lu Yao claimed she is about to become the Family Head and should rightfully occupy the main manor, while we have no right to remain, so they forced us to move out."

To the side, Qiuyue gritted her silver teeth and spilled the truth, her beautiful little face flushed with anger.

"What? Lu Yao, you go too far!" Lu Ming roared in fury.

"You useless piece of trash, what are you shouting for? Giving you a place to stay is already a blessing, and yet you show no gratitude?"

Right then, a voice echoed from outside the door, which was then pushed open to reveal a young man walking into the room.

"Lu Chuan, it is you!"

Lu Ming barked angrily; this person was Lu Chuan, Lu Yao's biological elder brother, slightly older than Lu Ming.

"Lu Chuan, we have already left the main manor, what are you still doing here?"

Li Ping said, her body instinctively shielding Lu Ming, as if terrified that Lu Chuan might harm her son.

"I am here to take the sword!"

Having said that, Lu Chuan's eyes swept the room, and when he spotted a precious sword resting by the bedside, his eyes lit up; he strode over immediately and snatched the weapon into his grasp.

"Lu Chuan, that sword is the only token left behind by Ming'er's father, kept for Ming'er's future use. You cannot take it away."

Li Ping hurriedly reached out to reclaim it.

"Get lost!"

Lu Chuan exerted his strength, jolting the scabbard to unleash a burst of power; Li Ping was no cultivator, so how could she withstand it? Her body stumbled backward, nearly crashing to the floor.

"Mother!" Lu Ming bellowed.