Chapter 1: Betrayal
The sun was setting, and the autumn wind danced through the forest.
Outside Tianshui City, Tianshui County, Great Qian Dynasty.
A white-robed figure swept through the mountains and landed on the cliff, which was dyed red by the setting sun.
The White-Robed Youth was a handsome young man, about sixteen or seventeen years old, with a warm smile on his face.
"Jianqiu Brother, you're here!"
A yellow-robed girl stood gracefully on the cliff. Seeing the White-Robed Youth, a sweet smile appeared on her delicate and beautiful face.
Chu Jianqiu looked at the yellow-robed girl's sweet smile, his heart filled with happiness. He reached out and stroked her dark, beautiful hair, saying dotingly, "Yao'er, after today, the Three Yin Cold Poison in your body can be completely removed. By then, you'll become a Genius girl admired by thousands!"
"Really?" the yellow-robed girl asked in surprise, her eyes like water shimmering with autumn ripples.
Chu Jianqiu's heart stirred. He gently pulled the yellow-robed girl into his arms and smiled, "Of course it's true. When have I ever lied to you?"
With the beautiful woman in his arms, Chu Jianqiu felt incredibly happy at this moment. Although he had paid a huge price, he felt that all his efforts were worth it.
Chu Jianqiu was the Young Lord of the Chu Family, one of the Four Great Families of Tianshui City. He had been exceptionally talented since childhood, with incredibly strong Cultivation talent, making him an unparalleled Prodigy in Tianshui City.
At fourteen, he Broke through to the True Qi Realm. Not long after, he even Awakened an Earth-Grade Medium Grade Bloodline, which shook the entire Tianshui County at the time.
However, after that, something extremely puzzling happened, because for the past three years, Chu Jianqiu's Cultivation had not made any progress.
Chu Jianqiu began to face countless questions and ridicule, falling from the altar as a widely admired Genius.
Chu Jianqiu merely smiled at all of this and paid it no mind, because he knew very well why his Cultivation had not progressed.
It was because for three years, he had been using his own Natal Blood Essence to treat the yellow-robed girl's illness.
The yellow-robed girl was Liu Tianyao, the beloved daughter of the Liu Family's patriarch, another of Tianshui City's Four Great Families.
Even though the Liu Family was one of Tianshui City's Four Great Families, they were helpless against the cold poison in Liu Tianyao's body, because it was a cold poison produced by the Awakening of a Profound-Grade Medium Grade Three Yin Absolute Meridian. Only one thing in the world could cure it: the Natal Blood Essence of a Martial Artist who had Awakened the Nine Yang Bloodline.
And Chu Jianqiu had precisely Awakened the Nine Yang Bloodline, and it was an Earth-Grade Medium Grade Nine Yang Bloodline.
The Bloodlines Awakened by Martial Artists in the world are divided into four Ranks: Yellow-Grade, Profound-Grade, Earth-Grade, and Heaven-Grade. Each Rank is further divided into Low Grade, Medium Grade, High Grade, and Supreme Grade.
With Chu Jianqiu's Awakened Earth-Grade Medium Grade Nine Yang Bloodline, he could naturally cure Liu Tianyao's cold poison. However, a Martial Artist's Blood Essence is the essence of their entire being, and losing Blood Essence causes immense damage to a Martial Artist.
But for the sake of the woman he loved, Chu Jianqiu did not hesitate to force out his own Blood Essence.
As Liu Tianyao received Chu Jianqiu's Blood Essence, the cold poison gradually dissipated, while Chu Jianqiu's price was three years of no progress in his Cultivation.
"After your illness is cured, I will immediately propose to Uncle Liu to marry you. The Xuanjian Sect's recruitment competition is in a month. By then, we can join the Xuanjian Sect together and become a carefree immortal couple." Chu Jianqiu's eyes sparkled with anticipation, filled with longing for the future.
Two blushes appeared on Liu Tianyao's face. She shyly nodded and whispered, "Everything is as Jianqiu Brother wishes. It's just that these past three years, Jianqiu Brother has suffered!"
Chu Jianqiu reached out and gently flicked Liu Tianyao's nose, chiding, "Don't speak so politely with me. You deserve a spank!"
The two snuggled for a long time. Chu Jianqiu helped Liu Tianyao up from his embrace and softly said, "It's getting late. Come, I will now remove the last trace of cold poison for you."
Liu Tianyao obediently nodded and sat cross-legged on a stone by the cliff as instructed.
Chu Jianqiu closed his eyes to regulate his breathing, his True Qi circulating, and the Bloodline in his body flowed rapidly with the operation of his Mind-Cultivation Technique. Chu Jianqiu's body trembled slightly, large beads of sweat dripped from his forehead, and his teeth were clenched, clearly enduring immense pain.
After half an hour, a drop of incomparably pure blood appeared on Chu Jianqiu's fingertip. This drop of blood contained incomparably pure energy.
Chu Jianqiu slowly dabbed the drop of Blood Essence, which contained the purest Yang Qi, onto Liu Tianyao's glabella. Liu Tianyao's glabella absorbed the Blood Essence at a visible speed.
Chu Jianqiu sighed in relief and retreated a few steps, his face pale. His clothes were completely soaked, and he was almost collapsing to the ground.
Half an hour later, Liu Tianyao slowly opened her eyes and stood up from the stone, a powerful icy Aura erupting from her body.
Seeing this, the heavy stone in Chu Jianqiu's heart finally lifted. He said with genuine joy, "You finally succeeded!"
"Yes, I finally succeeded!" Liu Tianyao's crimson lips parted slightly as she spoke slowly, but her voice was like ten thousand years of ice, devoid of any warmth.
Although Chu Jianqiu felt a slight strangeness, he didn't find it unusual. He only thought that Liu Tianyao had suddenly gained control of the Three Yin Absolute Meridian and, influenced by her Bloodline, her personality had temporarily changed.
"So, you can die!"
However, when the next sentence came out of Liu Tianyao's mouth, the smile on Chu Jianqiu's face instantly froze.
Chu Jianqiu could hardly believe his ears. He forced a smile, saying, "Yao'er, what did you just say?" He hoped it was just Liu Tianyao joking with him.
"I said, you can die!" Liu Tianyao said coldly, her voice devoid of any emotion, her eyes cold and indifferent, looking down at him. There was no trace of her usual gentle demeanor.
Chu Jianqiu stared at Liu Tianyao for a long time, finally confirming that Liu Tianyao was not joking. The last shred of hope in his heart completely shattered.
Looking at Liu Tianyao, who seemed like a completely different person, Chu Jianqiu felt cold all over, as if he had fallen into an ice cave. His heart ached as if it were being torn apart, a pain a thousand, ten thousand times greater than the pain he had endured when forcing out his Blood Essence earlier.
"Why?" Because of the extreme pain in his heart, Chu Jianqiu appeared unusually calm at this moment. He looked into Liu Tianyao's eyes and asked seriously.
"How can a lowly commoner like you be worthy of my noble Bloodline? If it weren't for my illness, why would I condescend to approach you! How many times have you offended me these past three years? Even if you were cut into a thousand pieces and died a thousand times, it still wouldn't appease the hatred in my heart." Liu Tianyao said indifferently, her eyes filled with coldness, contempt, and disdain.
"So, all of this was just a conspiracy! My continuous sacrifice of Blood Essence for you over three years means nothing in your heart!" Chu Jianqiu's heart was filled with bitterness, pain, unwillingness, loss, and anger, a mix of emotions surging in his chest.
"That's right, all of this was just a conspiracy. If not for that, how else would you have been willing to exhaust your own Blood Essence to treat my illness!" Liu Tianyao sneered.
Chu Jianqiu looked at the completely unfamiliar girl in front of him, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and gave a bitter smile, "You want me dead? So what if you've fully controlled the Three Yin Absolute Meridian? So what if I'm severely injured now? Can you kill me!"
Even if his Cultivation had not progressed for three years, his True Qi Realm Cultivation was still not something Liu Tianyao, a Body Refining (fifth level) Martial Artist, could contend with.
"What about me!" A cold voice came from the nearby forest.
Chu Jianqiu's heart trembled. He turned his head and saw a purple-robed youth slowly walking out of the forest. The youth's brows were filled with arrogance and coldness.
The Second Young Lord of Tianshui County Governor, Ouyang Yuan!
Chu Jianqiu instantly recognized the newcomer.
When Liu Tianyao saw the purple-robed youth, the frost on her face melted like ice and snow, instantly replaced by a blossoming smile. She joyfully ran over, took the purple-robed youth's arm, and sweetly called out, "Second Young Lord!"
Seeing this, Chu Jianqiu felt hatred, pain, and bitterness in his heart. He gritted his teeth and cursed in a low voice, "Bitch!"
Chu Jianqiu forced himself to regain his composure and instantly darted towards the edge of the cliff.
Chu Jianqiu was very aware of Ouyang Yuan's strength. Even at his peak, he might not be Ouyang Yuan's match, let alone in such a terrible situation. To survive, there was only one way: to escape.
"Trying to run? Too late!" Ouyang Yuan shouted coldly, his figure already in front of Chu Jianqiu. He struck out with a palm, hitting Chu Jianqiu hard in the chest.
"Crack!"
Chu Jianqiu flew back several feet, several ribs in his chest broken, and he spat out a mouthful of blood.
Chu Jianqiu was greatly alarmed. This Ouyang Yuan, unseen for three years, had actually become a True Qi Realm Sixth Level expert. Chu Jianqiu's heart sank into boundless despair. Falling into their hands, this time he truly had no chance of survival.
Ouyang Yuan came before Chu Jianqiu, looked down at him indifferently, and said coldly, "This Bloodline is truly wasted on a country bumpkin like you. Today, I will find a true owner for it."
Saying that, he pressed a palm onto Chu Jianqiu's chest.
Chu Jianqiu instantly felt his Awakened Nine Yang Bloodline madly surging towards Ouyang Yuan's palm, and his Cultivation also began to plummet.
Blood Transfer Demonic Technique!
Chu Jianqiu was greatly alarmed. This Ouyang Yuan actually dared to practice such a forbidden secret technique.
"You dog and bitch, I won't let you off even if I become a ghost!" Chu Jianqiu's hatred reached its peak, and he cursed wildly.
Half an hour passed. Chu Jianqiu's Awakened Earth-Grade Medium Grade Bloodline and all of his Cultivation had been transferred to Ouyang Yuan. Chu Jianqiu was now on his last breath, truly reduced to a cripple.
Ouyang Yuan felt the Nine Yang Bloodline within him and immediately let out a triumphant roar of laughter. The thing he had planned for so long was finally in his hands.
Ouyang Yuan was originally a Martial Artist with an Earth-Grade Medium Grade Bloodline, but he had Awakened the Six Yang Bloodline, which was far less pure than the Nine Yang Bloodline. Now that he had absorbed Chu Jianqiu's Nine Yang Bloodline, his Bloodline would advance to a higher level.
"Fuse!"
Ouyang Yuan shouted loudly. His Six Yang Bloodline and Nine Yang Bloodline immediately began to Fuse. A quarter of an hour later, Ouyang Yuan's Aura greatly increased. After the two Bloodlines Fused, his Bloodline actually advanced to a higher level, reaching Earth-Grade High Grade Bloodline.
Ouyang Yuan looked at Liu Tianyao beside him, smiled slightly, and said, "I'll give Chu Jianqiu's Cultivation to you. Cultivate well. In a month, it will be the Xuanjian Sect's recruitment competition!"
Saying that, he pressed a palm on Liu Tianyao's back. Liu Tianyao's Cultivation began to climb rapidly, finally stopping when she reached Body Refining (ninth level) Cultivation.
Liu Tianyao was overjoyed and smiled sweetly, "Thank you, Second Young Lord!"
"How do you plan to deal with this person?" Ouyang Yuan asked, pointing at the half-dead Chu Jianqiu on the ground.
Liu Tianyao glanced at Chu Jianqiu on the ground and smiled sweetly, "If we just kill him directly, it would be too easy for him. Wouldn't it be better to let him experience the taste of living hell, falling from heaven to earth!" Saying that, she waved her palm and struck Chu Jianqiu's Dantian.
Chu Jianqiu screamed, his eyes rolled back, and he immediately fainted.
At this moment, dark clouds suddenly gathered in the sky, thunder rolled, and streaks of lightning danced wildly in the sky.
Crack!
A bolt of lightning tore through the sky, striking directly onto the unconscious Chu Jianqiu on the ground.
In the dazzling electric light, a small black pagoda entered Chu Jianqiu's body with the lightning.
