Chapter 2006: Feng Ju Yumen

Wuxia Xianxia

The sun set, casting a radiant glow across the sky.

Outside Firewind City, atop Verdant Cloud Peak, a stone table and stools stood. A young man and woman huddled together.

The young man was slender, with a slightly pale, delicate face.

The young woman wore a pure white long dress; her skin was like jade, and her beauty was exquisite.

With her head resting on the young man's shoulder, they looked like a divine couple under the setting sun.

"Yao'er, I truly wish it could be like this forever!" the young man whispered, his face alight with a happy smile.

"Brother Ming, of course it can! We promised to be together for life," the young woman replied, her face also showing a happy smile.

The young man's name was Lu Ming, and the young woman's name was Lu Yao.

Looking at Lu Yao's smile, Lu Ming's eyes grew even softer. He held Lu Yao's delicate, boneless hand and said, "Yao'er, although my meridians are blocked and I can't condense true qi, as long as I can awaken my bloodline, the Council of Elders will buy spirit medicine to unblock my meridians, and then I can cultivate."

"I will definitely become a martial arts expert and protect you for all eternity."

"Thank you, Brother Ming."

Lu Yao's eyes showed emotion, and she added, "Brother Ming, did a脉测者 (pulse-tester) truly test you and confirm you inherited your father's bloodline?"

"Yes, Yao'er, so your man will definitely be a strong one in the future," Lu Ming said with a confident smile.

Lu Yao smiled faintly, picking up a wine cup from the stone table. Inside was the famous Blood Orchid wine, emitting a subtle, fresh fragrance.

Lu Yao swiftly pecked Lu Ming's cheek, her face flushing, then raised her cup and said, "Brother Ming, here, a reward from Yao'er for you."

Lu Ming took the cup and said, "Yao'er, you invite me to drink Blood Orchid wine every day. I'm truly grateful to have you by my side."

With that, he raised the cup and drank it all.

The aroma of the wine lingered on his tongue, and Lu Ming's heart felt as sweet as the wine's fragrance. But the next moment, he felt a dizzying sensation.

"Yao'er, why do I feel a bit dizzy? This wine of yours..."

Lu Ming steadied himself against the stone table, looking at Lu Yao. It was then he noticed that Lu Yao's expression was somewhat cold.

"Hahaha, Lu Ming, Yao'er has been with you for three years just to nourish your bloodline. Now the time has come, contribute your bloodline, won't you?"

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

Boom!

Like a bolt from the blue, a sound exploded in Lu Ming's mind.

"Yao'er!"

Lu Ming looked at Lu Yao in disbelief, but her eyes held only indifference.

"Why? I loved you so much!"

Lu Yao's cold gaze pierced Lu Ming's heart like sharp knives. He roared and lunged at Lu Yao.

But Lu Yao merely took a small step back, and he stumbled to the ground.

"Duanmulian of the Xuanyuan Sword Sect, began cultivation at six, opened two divine meridians in half a year, entered the Martial Warrior realm, entered the Martial Master realm at nine, and now at sixteen, he is one of the four great geniuses of the Xuanyuan Sword Sect. And you? Frail, sickly, with blocked meridians. Frankly, you're just a good-for-nothing. Even if you awakened your bloodline, you'd still be useless. Can you compare to Duanmulian?"

"Such a genius is the perfect match for me, Lu Yao. To form an alliance with him, I must awaken an even stronger bloodline. Since you love me so much, why not fulfill my wish and help me awaken a more powerful bloodline with your bloodline?"

The cold voice came from Lu Yao's mouth.

Thump!

At this moment, the middle-aged man stomped on Lu Ming's back. A sharp knife appeared in his hand, and he shouted, "Lu Ming, offer your bloodline!"

Ah!

Excruciating pain in his spine instantly overwhelmed Lu Ming. He roared, his voice filled with loneliness, helplessness, and despair.

Gradually, Lu Ming sank into endless darkness.

"Lu Yao, Lu Yunxiong, why did you take my bloodline!"

Lu Ming roared, suddenly sitting up in bed, causing the nanmu-wood bed to creak.

Lu Ming was drenched in sweat, his face pale. At first, he thought it was a nightmare, but quickly realized it wasn't a dream but a reality that had already happened.

The events of a few days prior resurfaced in his mind.

Lu Ming was the direct descendant of the Lu family in Firewind City; his father was the Lu family patriarch. Lu Yao, on the other hand, was the daughter of the First Elder of the Lu family's first branch.

Though from the same clan, they belonged to different branches. They had grown up together as childhood sweethearts, practically inseparable, and had secretly sworn eternal vows to each other.

Lu Ming never imagined that Lu Yao and the First Elder would conspire against him to steal his bloodline.

"Strength, it's all because of my lack of strength. If I had extraordinary talent and powerful strength, how would they dare treat me this way?"

Lu Ming clenched his fists, trembling all over, his eyes bloodshot.

"Useless!"

This was how Lu Yao had referred to him. Lu Yao's words from three days ago still echoed in his ears.

Creak!

Just then, the door opened, and a frail middle-aged woman entered. Seeing Lu Ming on the bed, she asked with concern, "Ming'er, did you have a nightmare again?"

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

Three days ago, it was Li Ping who, worried about Lu Ming's safety, went out to search for him and saved him. Otherwise, Lu Ming would have died.

Ever since the rumor six years ago that Lu Ming's father was killed while traveling outside, he and Li Ping had depended on each other.

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

Seeing Lu Ming's pale face, Li Ping sat by his bed, touched his forehead, and said heartbrokenly, "It's been three days, and each time you cry out that Lu Yao harmed you, Ming'er, what exactly happened? Is your injury because of Lu Yao..."

Lu Ming replied, "Mother, it's nothing, you misheard."

Lu Ming did not tell Li Ping that Lu Yao and the First Elder were behind it, because Li Ping did not practice martial arts, and telling her would only endanger her.

Li Ping hesitated, then said, "Ming'er, from now on, you mustn't call Lu Yao by her given name in front of others. Two days ago, Lu Yao awakened a fifth-level bloodline and even unblocked a divine meridian. She has now been recognized by the Council of Elders and will take control of the Lu family at the clan meeting in two months, becoming the Lu family head. Calling the family head by name might be considered disrespectful."

"What? Lu Yao is taking over the Lu family? She wouldn't dare!"

Lu Ming let out a low roar, his eyes bloodshot, his teeth grinding audibly, as if about to shatter, drawing blood.

After the rumor of Lu Ming's father's death six years ago, the Lu family had been managed by the Council of Elders and had not appointed a new family head.

Seeing Lu Ming like this, Li Ping was terrified and distraught. She simply held Lu Ming's head, tears streaming down her face, saying, "Ming'er, don't scare your mother. Your mother has already lost your father; I cannot lose you too."

"Father... where are you? Ming'er believes you're not dead. Now, Ming'er is powerless, even the position of family head can't be kept."

Lu Ming tightly gripped a pendant around his neck. He squeezed so hard that his fingernails dug into his flesh, drawing blood.

The pendant, cast from bronze and the size of a broad bean, had been sent back by his father through someone before his disappearance. Lu Ming had kept it with him for these six years.

Blood seeped from his palm and flowed onto the bronze pendant.

Buzz!

Suddenly, the bronze pendant vibrated lightly and became scorching hot.

Before Lu Ming could react, the bronze pendant shuddered and then disintegrated into tiny specks of dust, which drilled into his palm and vanished.

Next, Lu Ming felt a searing energy from his palm, moving up his arm, until it settled in his glabella, the Yintang acupoint.

"Nine Dragons Undying, Bloodline Rebirth!"

Suddenly, a massive roar echoed in Lu Ming's mind, making his head hum.

"Nine Dragons Undying, Bloodline Rebirth!"

"Nine Dragons Undying, Bloodline Rebirth!"

The continuous roars kept reverberating in Lu Ming's mind. Then, a scorching sensation emanated from his glabella, surging towards his spine.

The next moment, the roars ceased, but a tingling itch spread through his spine, and his entire body grew hot.

"What's happening?"

Lu Ming was completely bewildered.

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

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

Sensing Lu Ming's abnormality, Li Ping became even more frightened and helpless.

"Bloodline Rebirth? Can I really undergo bloodline rebirth?" Lu Ming wondered.

Ancient texts recorded that only a very few individuals could undergo bloodline rebirth and regrow a bloodline after theirs was stripped or damaged for other reasons.

However, most reborn bloodlines were of low grade and not very useful.

But there were also a very, very small number of individuals who could break through and rebuild themselves, emerge from destruction, transcend their past, and awaken supreme bloodlines.

Yet, this probability was negligible; ancient records stated there were only a few such cases throughout history.

Transcending the past and awakening a supreme bloodline was not something Lu Ming dared to dream of, as the probability was too small. He would be immensely happy just to awaken any bloodline.

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

At that moment, the strange sensations on his body slowly disappeared. Lu Ming smiled and said, "Mother, I'm fine!"

"Young Master, it's wonderful that you're alright! You've really scared us these past few days!"

Just then, a young woman walked in and said.

The young woman was about Lu Ming's age and extremely beautiful.

Lu Ming naturally recognized her; the young woman was Qiu Yue, Li Ping's personal maid, and she had grown up with him since childhood.

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

Lu Ming smiled faintly.

Then, Lu Ming glanced around, his expression abruptly changing. "Mother, where is this? This isn't the Lu family's main residence!"

Lu Ming's father used to be the Lu family patriarch, and they had always lived in the main residence, but this place was not it.

"Ming'er, just focus on recovering; don't overthink things!" Li Ping said, but the fleeting sorrow and tears in her eyes were still caught by Lu Ming.

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

"Young Master, let me tell you. We were kicked out. Lu Yao said she was about to become the family head and should rightfully move into the main residence, and that we were not qualified to continue living there, so she made us move out."

Beside them, Qiu Yue gritted her teeth, explaining the situation, her pretty face filled with anger.

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

"You useless wretch, what are you yelling about? It's a blessing to have a place to live; shouldn't you be grateful?"

Just then, a voice came from outside the door, which then opened, revealing a young man.

"Lu Chuan, it's you!"

Lu Ming shouted angrily. This man was Lu Chuan, Lu Yao's older brother, also slightly older than Lu Ming.

"Lu Chuan, we've already left the main residence. What are you doing here?"

Li Ping asked, instinctively shielding Lu Ming with her body, seemingly afraid that Lu Chuan would harm him.

"I've come to retrieve the sword!"

With that, Lu Chuan's eyes scanned the room. When he spotted a precious sword by the bed, his eyes lit up. He immediately walked over and grabbed the sword.

"Lu Chuan, this sword is the only keepsake Lu Ming's father left behind. It's meant for Lu Ming in the future; you can't take it!"

Li Ping quickly reached out to snatch it back.

"Get lost!"

Lu Chuan exerted force, shaking the scabbard, and a burst of power erupted. Li Ping, not a cultivator, couldn't resist it. She staggered backward, nearly falling to the ground.

"Mother!" Lu Ming roared.