Concubine-Born Chen Heng, Mysterious Profound Mirror

Southern Chu cultivation world, Southern Profound Domain.

The Southern Profound Domain is one of the eighteen domains of Southern Chu, located on the southeastern frontier, bordering the Hundred Thousand Mountains and the Southeast Two Seas.

Although it is a remote area, the Southern Profound Domain covers a vast area of tens of thousands of miles. Three mountain ranges and four rivers crisscross the domain, forming the "Three Mountains and Four Waters" landscape.

The mountains in the domain are steep and the rivers are rapid. Spiritual herbs and precious materials are often hidden in deep mountains and secluded waters, making cultivation more difficult.

Therefore, the Southern Profound Domain has always lacked immortal energy, with a fierce populace and rampant banditry.

However, while the spiritual energy of the Three Mountains and Four Waters is not top-notch, it is far superior to that of the mortal world, making it a famous immortal cultivation resort in the Southern Profound Domain.

The Azure Profound Sect, one of the five major immortal cultivation sects in the Southern Profound Domain, is located atop the main peak of the Moon Gazing Mountain Range, one of the Three Mountains and Four Waters.

Around the main peak, there are nearly a thousand other scattered peaks, on which are distributed more than fifty immortal cultivation families of various sizes, surrounding the Azure Profound Sect like stars around the moon.

The Chen Family, one of the six Foundation Establishment families under the jurisdiction of the Azure Profound Sect, is established on Jade Spring Mountain at the southern foot of the Moon Gazing Mountain Range.

At this moment, the night is as dark as ink, the moon is hidden, and the stars are concealed, with all sounds silenced.

In a dark, small wooden house at the foot of Jade Spring Mountain, Chen Heng suddenly got up, opened his eyes, and cold sweat trickled down his forehead.

Following that, two completely different memories flooded into his mind.

"Unscrupulous company... forced overtime... died from staying up late..."

"Heavy rain... mourning parents... struck by lightning..."

Chen Heng held his forehead with one hand, his expression shifting uncertainly. Finally, he shook his head and gave a wry smile.

He understood, finally comprehending his current situation.

If nothing unexpected happened, that brilliant pillar of lightning that struck him had helped him break through the mystery of his prenatal existence and awaken his past life's wisdom.

In his past life, he was just an ordinary orphan and a salaryman on the Azure Planet. However, an unscrupulous company's forced unpaid overtime led to his death from staying up late.

Now, reincarnated into this world, fifteen years have passed, and the past events are still fresh in his memory.

In this life, his background is not much better than in his past life. He is merely a concubine-born disciple of a branch family of the Chen Family, and his parents died early.

If he didn't possess a spiritual root, Chen Heng would not even have the qualification to reside at the foot of Jade Spring Mountain.

Thinking of this, Chen Heng's expression was extremely complex.

Having lived two lives, he still couldn't have a pair of normal parents. Was it that he was destined for a solitary fate!?

On the other side.

Midway up Jade Spring Mountain, in the Chen Family's small meeting hall.

Although the hall was filled with the aroma of sandalwood, which was refreshing, the atmosphere was somewhat solemn.

Patriarch Chen Xingyuan sat at the head of the table, his face as dark as water, his expression as grim as an abyss.

On both sides sat several Chen Family elders in the late Qi Refining stage, both male and female.

A trace of helplessness flickered across Chen Xingyuan's aged face. He looked at everyone in the hall and said in a deep voice:

"This year is the year again when the family competes with the Luo Family for the spirit mine share of Little Bamboo Peak. Elders, do you have any suitable candidates to recommend?"

Upon hearing the patriarch's question, Chen Xingzhou, the Great Elder of the Chen Family, who sat at the head of the right side, was a bald old man with silver hair, a wrinkled face, but a sturdy build.

He said expressionlessly, "Old Ninth has just broken through to the ninth layer of Qi Refining this year, and he is under forty years old. He should be sent to fight."

"Elder Xingyuan is thirty-nine years old and has rich combat experience. Winning the duel between the Chen and Luo families, and the victory in the late Qi Refining cultivator group, should not be a problem."

Chen Xinghai, the Second Elder of the Chen Family, who sat at the head of the left side, was a plump, white-haired old man with a youthful complexion despite his age. He stroked his beard and said with a smile.

Chen Xingyuan was Chen Xingyuan's half-brother. Although he would be participating in the duel, risking his life or limb, it was for the sake of the Chen Family's Spirit Stone mining share.

Despite his reluctance, Chen Xingyuan could only nod in agreement and then said, "What about the candidates for the Mid Qi Refining and early Qi Refining stages?"

Chen Xinghai continued to stroke his beard, his eyes narrowed. "There are many strong Mid Qi Refining cultivators in the family, but to ensure victory, we can only summon Chen Mingyun, who is cultivating in the Azure Profound Sect, back."

"Isn't that inappropriate? What if his foundation is damaged during the duel?" a female elder frowned and said.

"Exactly, exactly. Mingyun possesses a high-grade gold-water spiritual root. He is only eighteen years old now, at the sixth layer of Qi Refining, and has hope for Foundation Establishment!"

"Inappropriate, inappropriate, let's find someone else..."

Upon mentioning Chen Mingyun, this Foundation Establishment Seed, everyone instantly started discussing.

They didn't think Chen Mingyun had any possibility of losing. They were all worried that if the Luo Family cultivators intended to destroy their Foundation Establishment Seed, they would challenge him to a duel.

In the past, such things had happened before on the dueling stage between the two families.

Finally, Great Elder Chen Xingzhou made the decision. "The Chen Family lost once ten years ago. If we lose again this year, it's not just about losing face."

"Just losing one-tenth of the spirit mine extraction share from Little Bamboo Peak every year means a loss of over five thousand Spirit Stones in income."

The Little Bamboo Peak spirit mine is located at the southern foot of the Moon Gazing Mountain Range. It was discovered by chance forty years ago, with estimated reserves of at least 300,000 Spirit Stones.

This spirit mine is located in a remote area. Within a radius of three hundred miles, only the Chen Family and the Luo Family, two Foundation Establishment families, are the closest.

According to the rules of the Moon Gazing Mountain Range, mining rights for medium and large mines belong entirely to the Azure Profound Sect.

Besides spirit stone mines, the mining rights for small ore veins are contested by the various major families under the Azure Profound Sect's jurisdiction.

Of the Little Bamboo Peak's spirit mine, the Azure Profound Sect took half the share, and the remaining half was divided between the Chen and Luo families.

However, the Southern Profound Domain has always had a fierce populace and a strong bandit culture, so neither family was willing to split the remaining share equally.

Thus, under the witness of the Azure Profound Sect, the two families signed a contract to decide the winner.

Every ten years, each side would dispatch three cultivators—one late Qi Refining, one Mid Qi Refining, and one early Qi Refining—to participate in the contest. Whichever family won more would gain a thirty percent share of the mining rights.

As the competition involved spirit stones, a core cultivation resource, the cultivators participating in each contest always went all out, fighting as if their lives were on the line.

Over forty years, the Chen family won once, but the Luo family won twice. If they lost this time, the mine's reserves wouldn't last until the next decade.

Therefore, for the sake of both face and spirit stones, the Chen family could not afford to lose this time.

Upon hearing this, the family head, Chen Xingzhou, finally nodded in agreement and summoned Chen Mingyun, who was cultivating in seclusion at the Azure Profound Sect, back to participate in this contest between the two families.

"Then who should we send for the early Qi Refining cultivator?"

Chen Xinghai shook his head and said helplessly, "The Luo family's younger generation has produced a little prodigy with a high-grade wind spiritual root. He's only twelve now, but his cultivation has already reached the peak of the third layer of Qi Refining."

In this world, spiritual roots are not judged by their quantity but by their grade, which is based on their affinity with spiritual energy.

However, cultivators with mutated spiritual roots such as wind, thunder, ice, or darkness often possess combat abilities far exceeding their peers without external aid.

Among the Chen family's third-layer Qi Refining cultivators, there was no one who could match him.

As soon as these words were spoken, the hall fell silent, so quiet one could hear a pin drop.

After a long while.

The Chen family head, Chen Xingzhou, finally slowly uttered a few words: "Let's draw lots!"

"The family head is wise!"

The next morning, Chen Heng, who had lived two lives and accepted his circumstances, awoke from his cultivation trance and received a message from his family.

He was actually going to represent the Chen family in this contest against the Luo family!

A mere concubine-born descendant with a mid-grade water-fire spiritual root, who began cultivating at nine and had only managed to reach the third layer of Qi Refining in six years, was to represent the Chen family in this life-or-death contest.

What difference was this from being sent to his death?

Chen Heng couldn't believe it and repeatedly confirmed with the servant who delivered the message.

Finally, he received a reply: "Young Master Heng, this was decided by the elders drawing lots, and it cannot be changed. You still have a month to prepare. If you have any needs, you can tell me, and I'll do my best to satisfy them!"

"What is the plan?"

Chen Heng paced back and forth in his small wooden house, feeling lost and helpless, his mind a whirlwind of thoughts.

Running away was likely impossible; he was probably already under surveillance by the family. If nothing else, that Mid Qi Refining servant was guarding the door.

Given the importance of family honor, he couldn't forfeit the contest; he had to give it his all.

Just as he was at a loss, a mysterious Profound Mirror, both real and illusory, quietly appeared in his sea of consciousness.

Dao rhythm flowed, emitting a faint spiritual light and exuding an aura of loftiness and vastness.

Golden ancient characters, like fleeting images, gradually appeared on the surface of the mysterious Profound Mirror. Chen Heng hurriedly extended his spiritual sense and slowly projected it into the mirror to observe.

Instantly, a massive amount of information flowed into him through his spiritual sense. Chen Heng closed his eyes, and a cultivation technique slowly materialized in his mind.

[Sacrificial Ritual of Holding Talismans]!

This technique required a sacrificial beast to be offered, along with incense, demonic souls, vital blood, and spiritual energy to the Profound Mirror.

The Profound Mirror would then bestow a ray of Lu Qi upon the sacrificer, enhancing their cultivation!

This Lu Qi could enlighten comprehension, awaken talent, reshape bone structure, alter aptitude, improve spiritual roots, create spiritual bodies, and derive divine abilities...

Chen Heng was overjoyed. He seemed to have a chance of survival, not just a guaranteed death.

Although he had lived two lives, the terror of life and death was immense.

Who would willingly walk to their death?

Especially for such a heartless and unrighteous family.

Chen Heng was drawn by the elders' lots and put forward as the representative for the early Qi Refining realm in the contest between the two families.

Not a single elder from the family came to comfort him, nor did they offer any help within their capabilities.

They merely dispatched an old servant to perfunctorily handle the matter.

Moreover, the servant's primary task was to keep an eye on him and prevent him from escaping.

A moment later.

Chen Heng let out a wry smile and muttered to himself, "After the contest, I'll just find a way to leave the Chen family and cultivate on my own. The Chen family hasn't provided me with any help anyway."

Besides, his parents in this life had passed away long ago. There was no one in this vast Chen family worth Chen Heng's concern!

Chen Heng immediately sat cross-legged, calmed his mind, and focused his consciousness into his sea of consciousness, continuing to gaze at the mysterious Profound Mirror.

He had a vague feeling that this mysterious Profound Mirror was the reason he could reincarnate.

Now, it had even proactively offered a miraculous and profound [Sacrificial Ritual of Holding Talismans].

However, staring at it for too long would cause dizziness.

Chen Heng then stopped probing the mysterious Profound Mirror and instead began to diligently study the [Sacrificial Ritual of Holding Talismans].