Chapter 1 Bloodline Plunder

The setting sun cast its fiery glow across the horizon.
Outside Windfire City, atop Green Cloud Peak, stood a stone table with stone benches beside it. A young couple leaned against each other.
The young man was slender and pale, with delicate features.
The young woman wore a snow-white dress, her skin like jade, her beauty breathtaking.
Her head rested on his shoulder, and in the light of the setting sun, they looked like an immortal couple.
"Yao'er, I truly hope it can be like this forever!" The young man said softly, his face full of happiness.
"Ming-gege, of course it will be. We promised to be together for life."
A happy smile bloomed on the young woman's face.
The young man was named Lu Ming, and the young woman was named Lu Yao.
Looking at Lu Yao's smile, Lu Ming's eyes softened. He took her delicate hand in his 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 elders will buy spiritual herbs to unblock my meridians, and then I can cultivate."
"I will definitely become a strong martial artist and protect you for life."
"Thank you, Ming-gege."
Lu Yao's eyes filled with emotion. "Ming-gege, did the meridian testers ever determine if you inherited your father's bloodline?"
"Yes, Yao'er, so your future husband will definitely be a strong man." A confident smile appeared on Lu Ming's face.
Lu Yao smiled slightly, picked up a wine cup from the stone table, filled with the famous Bloodtongue Orchid Wine, which released a faint fragrance.
Lu Yao kissed Lu Ming quickly on the cheek, her face flushing red, and then raised her glass. "Ming-gege, here, this is Yao'er's reward for you."
Lu Ming took the cup and said, "Yao'er, you treat me to a cup of Bloodtongue Orchid Wine every day. I'm truly grateful to have you by my side."
He raised the cup and drained it in one gulp.
The fragrance of the wine lingered on his tongue, and Lu Ming's heart was as sweet as the aroma, but the next moment, he felt a dizzy spell coming on.
"Yao'er, why am I feeling a little dizzy? This wine of yours..."
Lu Ming leaned on the stone table and looked at Lu Yao, but now he noticed that her face was cold.
"Hahaha, Lu Ming, Yao'er has been with you for three years, only to nurture your bloodline. Now is the time. Offer up your bloodline!"
At this moment, a middle-aged man appeared from the side; it was Lu Yao's father.
Boom!
Like a bolt of lightning, the words exploded in Lu Ming's mind.
"Yao'er!"
Lu Ming looked at Lu Yao in disbelief, but her eyes were full of indifference.
"Why? I love you so much!"
Lu Yao's cold gaze was like a sharp knife, stabbing into Lu Ming's heart. He roared and lunged at Lu Yao.
But Lu Yao only retreated slightly, and he fell to the ground.
"Duanmu Lin of the Xuanyuan Sword Sect, started cultivating at six, opened two divine meridians in half a year, entered the Warrior Realm, entered the Martial Master Realm at nine, and is now sixteen, one of the four geniuses of the Xuanyuan Sword Sect. And you? Frail and sickly, with blocked meridians. To put it bluntly, you're just trash. Even if you awaken your bloodline, you'll still be trash. Can you compare with Duanmu Lin?"
"Such a genius is the perfect match for me, Lu Yao. To have a marriage alliance with him, I must awaken a powerful bloodline. Since you love me so much, why not fulfill my wish and use your bloodline to help me awaken an even stronger bloodline?"
The cold voice came from Lu Yao's mouth.
Bang!
At this moment, the middle-aged man stepped on Lu Ming's back, a sharp knife appearing in his hand. "Lu Ming, offer up your bloodline!"
Ah!
The excruciating pain in his spine instantly overwhelmed Lu Ming. He screamed, his voice full of loneliness, helplessness, and despair.
Gradually, Lu Ming sank into boundless darkness.
"Lu Yao, Lu Yunxiong, why did you steal my bloodline!"
Lu Ming roared and suddenly sat up in bed, causing the nanmu wood bed to creak.
Lu Ming was covered in sweat, his face pale. At first, he thought he was having a nightmare, but he quickly realized that this was not a dream, but a reality that had already happened.
The events of a few days ago resurfaced in his mind.
Lu Ming, the heir of the Lu family's main branch in Windfire City; his father was the head of the Lu family. And Lu Yao, the daughter of the First Branch Elder of the Lu family.
Although they were from the same clan, they were from different branches. They had grown up together since childhood, childhood sweethearts, inseparable, and had even made vows of eternal love and secretly pledged their lives to each other.
Lu Ming never imagined that Lu Yao and the Grand Elder would attack him and 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 to treat me like this?"
Lu Ming clenched his fists, his body trembling, his eyes bloodshot.
Trash!
That was Lu Yao's name for him. Lu Yao's words from three days ago seemed to still echo in his ears.
Creak!
At this moment, the door was pushed open, and a frail middle-aged woman walked in. Looking at Lu Ming on the bed, she asked with concern, "Ming'er, did you have another nightmare?"
This beautiful woman was Lu Ming's mother, Li Ping.
Three days ago, Li Ping was worried about Lu Ming's safety and went out to look for him, and that's how she saved Lu Ming; otherwise, he would have died.
Ever since it was rumored six years ago that Lu Ming's father was killed while traveling abroad, he and Li Ping had depended on each other for survival.
Lu Ming looked at Li Ping, his eyes softening, and said, "Mother, it's nothing, just a dream."
Looking at Lu Ming's pale face, Li Ping sat on the edge of Lu Ming's bed, touched Lu Ming's forehead, and said with heartache, "It's been three days, and every time you shout that Lu Yao harmed you, Ming'er, what exactly happened? Could it be that your injury was because of Lu Yao..."
Lu Ming said, "Mother, it's nothing, you misheard."
Lu Ming didn't tell Li Ping that it was Lu Yao and the Grand Elder who did it, because Li Ping didn't cultivate. Telling Li Ping would only harm her.
Li Ping hesitated for a moment and said, "Ming'er, in the future, you can't call Lu Yao's name directly in front of others. Two days ago, Lu Yao awakened a level five bloodline and also opened a divine meridian. Now she has gained the approval of the elders, and at the clan meeting in two months, she will take charge of the Lu family and become the head of the Lu family. Calling the family head's name directly, I'm afraid people will say it's disrespectful."