"Leng Yunxue, what... what did you put in the wine?!"

In the grand hall of the royal palace in the Kingdom of Ling, Yang Sheng suddenly felt his meridians reverse and his internal organs burn as if on fire after drinking the wine offered by Leng Yunxue.

His vital energy rapidly dissipated, and his cultivation level plummeted.

"Hmph, only realizing it now? You're as dumb as a pig!" Leng Yunxue set down her wine cup and laughed heartily. "Do you know? I've been meticulously preparing for this moment for three years!"

"Why?!" Yang Sheng stared at Leng Yunxue in disbelief. "I’ve been nothing but devoted and caring to you these past three years. Why would you do this?!"

Agitated, Yang Sheng's injuries worsened, intensifying his agony.

"The Nine Dragon Bloodline," Leng Yunxue replied coolly.

Hearing this, Yang Sheng was stunned, then burst into laughter. "So that's it! No wonder you’ve been so curious about my bloodline. You were waiting for it to mature so you could steal it!"

"Exactly!" Leng Yunxue sneered. "If it weren’t for the Nine Dragon Bloodline, you wouldn’t even be worthy of tying my shoes!"

"Get out!"

With a swift kick, she sent Yang Sheng sprawling to the ground, her foot pressing heavily against his chest. Yang Sheng lay there, blood trickling from his mouth, his once formidable cultivation now completely lost, rendering him as powerless as a commoner.

"Yang Sheng, you should be grateful. Providing your bloodline for the princess is a great honor for your Yang family!" A red-robed elder approached with a sly grin.

Yang Sheng looked up to see the Grand Tutor of Ling Kingdom, one of the only two individuals in the kingdom who had reached the half-step Mystic Realm. In the path of cultivation, after tempering the body, one reaches the Spirit Awakening Realm, which is further divided into Human Spirit, Earth Spirit, Heaven Spirit, and the half-step Mystic Realm.

"Honor?" Yang Sheng sneered. "I only regret my poor judgment that led me to this fate!"

He had met Leng Yunxue during a training expedition. At that time, Leng Yunxue was under attack by a demon beast, on the verge of death, when Yang Sheng risked his life to save her. After that, Leng Yunxue often expressed her admiration for him. Spending days and nights together, they naturally grew close quickly.

Now, looking back, it was clear that she had targeted his Nine Dragon Bloodline from the start. All her affection and flattery were merely tactics to lower his guard, ensnaring him in the trap of her feigned tenderness.

"Your bloodline was just one of the objectives. The more crucial aim was to suppress your Yang family!"

"The Yang family has grown too powerful too quickly in recent years. If this continues, your strength will inevitably threaten the royal family. How could I possibly let you live?" Cold Yunxue's voice was icy, each word like a sharp blade piercing Yang Sheng's heart.

"The time is almost up. It's time to act," the Grand Tutor sneered with a sinister grin, then abruptly grabbed Yang Sheng's right hand. His nails dug deep into Yang Sheng's wrist, causing him to scream in agony as blood gushed from the wound.

"What are you doing? Let go!" Yang Sheng, drenched in sweat from the pain, suddenly felt a surge of vital energy rushing from his chest toward his right hand, eventually transforming into a golden bloodline.

"Naturally, I'm taking your bloodline!" The Grand Tutor yanked forcefully, and the golden bloodline flew out of Yang Sheng's hand. It radiated a dazzling light, with nine golden dragons swirling within it.

"This useless fool is of no value now. Kill him!" Cold Yunxue commanded.

"Princess, if he dies in the palace now, it will be difficult to explain to the outside world. Since he's already a worthless cripple, why not fabricate a crime? This way, we can both intimidate the Yang family and protect your reputation for seizing the bloodline," the Grand Tutor suggested.

Hearing this, Cold Yunxue fell silent for a moment, then nodded. "Do as you see fit. I'm leaving."

She couldn't care less about the life or death of a worthless person; her only concern was to quickly merge the bloodline with her own, seeking a breakthrough.

Yang Sheng was thrown out of the imperial palace like a stray dog.

After an unknown period of time, a torrential downpour began.

The young man struggled to open his eyes, his gaze fixed intently on the gates of the imperial city.

"Leng Yunxue, I, Yang Sheng, swear here and now, if I do not avenge this, I am not a man!"

...

"Leng Yunxue!"

Yang Sheng roared, jolting awake from his nightmare.

Looking around, he realized he was back home.

"You're awake?!"

A young man walked in, speaking coldly to Yang Sheng.

He then tossed a package of medicinal herbs onto the table, snorting, "I really don't know what the elders of the family were thinking, wasting the century-old medicinal herbs passed down in our family on a good-for-nothing like you!"

Hearing this, Yang Sheng frowned deeply.

The young man was named Yang Feng, and among the younger generation of the Yang family, his talent was second only to Yang Sheng's.

Because of this, Yang Feng had always harbored resentment for being overshadowed by him.

Within the clan, his relationships were far from harmonious.

"Yang Feng..."

"Yang Sheng, I don't know what's going on between you and the princess, but please, don't bring disaster upon the Yang family!"

"Bring disaster upon the Yang family?"

Hearing this, Yang Sheng furrowed his brows.

"The rumors are everywhere. They say you got drunk and made advances towards the princess, which is why your cultivation was stripped away. I don't care if you want to throw your life away, but the Yang family has been shamed because of this!"

"And what's more, Yang Xun, for the sake of a good-for-nothing like you, went to the imperial city to argue your case. As a result, both his legs were broken. If we hadn't arrived in time, he might have already met the King of Hell!"

"What?!"

Yang Sheng's eyes widened in shock.

Yang Xun was the eldest among their peers, a kind and generous man who had always looked out for his younger siblings.

To think that he had been severely injured because of him!

Not only that, but Leng Yunxue had also pinned this baseless accusation on him!

Yang Sheng clenched his fists tightly, his heart burning with rage.

Seeing his reaction, Yang Feng sneered, "Also, I advise you to stay away from the princess from now on. She has awakened the Dragon Phoenix Mystic Body and has been accepted as a core disciple by the Dragon Veil Sect. Her future is boundless!

The Dragon Veil Sect is the most powerful sect in this region. The two of you are worlds apart now. I suggest you stop dreaming of the impossible!"

Every word that Yang Feng uttered pierced Yang Sheng's heart like a dagger.

The fact that his own Nine Dragon Bloodline had elevated Leng Yunxue's original Spirit Body to a Mystic Body was unbearable!

Yang Sheng seethed with resentment.

In the realm of cultivation, both opportunity and destiny were indispensable. Among these, awakening a special physique or bloodline was considered the most precious.

Both were graded into tiers: Spirit, Mystic, Saint, Royal, and Emperor.

Now, Leng Yunxue had attained the Dragon-Phoenix Mystic Body, a feat that would undoubtedly crown her as the strongest prodigy of the new generation in the Dragon Veil Sect!

No wonder she had schemed so ruthlessly against him!

"Not only are you digging your own grave, but you're dragging the entire family down with you! If you have even a shred of conscience left, you should hang yourself with a white silk rope to atone for your sins!"

Yang Feng's voice grew louder, his anger boiling over as he roared.

"Boom!"

Yang Sheng's fist slammed into the wall, leaving a deep crater in its wake.

"Even if I'm a cripple now, I'm still the young master of the Yang family! You have no right to lecture me!"

Yang Feng's eyes narrowed, his voice sharp as a blade. "Stop acting tough in front of me. If you’ve got the guts, go confront Leng Yunxue or Cao Dong!"

"Cao Dong?"

Upon hearing the name, Yang Sheng felt a pang of foreboding. Cao Dong was the fiancé of his cousin, Yang Ailian, and the young master of the Cao family, one of the four great families.

"Cao Dong is in the main hall of the Yang family right now, demanding to break off the engagement with Ailian!" Yang Feng roared, his voice filled with fury. "Ailian has always been kind to you, and now she's being humiliated and disgraced because of you!"

With that, Yang Feng shot Yang Sheng a venomous glare, then turned on his heel and stormed off without another word.

"Ugh!"

Yang Sheng felt a surge of blood rush to his head, and he spat out a mouthful of crimson. He had just been stripped of his power, and now the Cao family was here to add insult to injury by calling off the engagement.

"Fine, they really think the Yang family is an easy target!"