In the depths of winter, atop Ningyu Mountain, lay the ancestral lands of the Chen family.
The season was weary and cold, but on this rare day, a hint of warm sunlight broke through. Sparrows chirped incessantly on the branches.
Midway up the mountain, in a secluded courtyard, the widowed Madam Chen Wu gazed at her pale-faced daughter with guilt and sorrow.
Cough—cough—
The young woman on the bed stirred awake with a fit of coughing. Chen Jinshu's vision blurred as she opened her eyes, only for a flood of memories to surge into her mind.
"What? I've transmigrated?"
Once the memories settled, realization struck her. Her eyes flew open as she took in her surroundings—a rustic wooden room bathed in warm orange hues, the faint scent of pine mingling with the heavy aroma of medicinal herbs.
Beside her sat a sorrowful yet dignified woman, dressed in elegant robes, her beauty so breathtaking it felt almost untouchable.
Instinctively, Chen Jinshu called out, "Mother"
"Ah!" Chen Wu's eyes sparkled with joy upon seeing her daughter awake. "Shu'er, don't sit up yet. Let me check your condition first."
To Chen Jinshu's astonishment, Madam Chen Wu formed a hand seal, and a faint cyan glow emanated from her palms. A stream of spiritual energy flowed toward Chen Jinshu's body, enveloping her in warmth as her own body emitted a soft green light.
"So this is the power of cultivation?"
From the memories of her past self, she knew she had entered a world of immortal cultivation, reborn as Chen Jinshu—the second daughter of the Chen Clan, a low-tier foundational establishment family.
Yet, rather than a mere transmigration, this felt more like awakening the memories of a past life.
Sixteen years of life in the Chen Clan played vividly in her mind—every slight, every struggle, as if she had lived it all herself. The beautiful woman before her was the mother she had called "niáng" for sixteen years— Madam Chen Wu, originally named Wu Shuya. After marrying Chen Wen'an, Chen Jinshu's late father, she had taken the name Chen Wu.
But three years ago, Chen Wen'an perished in a demon-hunting expedition, leaving behind his widow—now renowned as one of the Chen Clan's great beauties.
"Thank the heavens, there's no lasting damage."
Lady Chen Wu exhaled in relief, though her voice carried a hint of reproach.
"You must never do something so reckless again! So what if your looks aren't exceptional? Was it worth risking your life for that cursed pill?"
Her words were stern, but her eyes brimmed with tenderness.
The matter she referred to was the Chen Clan's triennial marriage selection—a tradition where elite branches of foundational establishment families negotiated marital alliances. Each family contributed one or two candidates, and those chosen would marry into other clans, strengthening political ties.
Of course, the catch was being selected in the first place.
The Chen Clan ranked last among the five foundational establishment families of the Bai Chong Mountain Range. To secure their position, they resorted to marriage alliances—offering incentives like additional monthly stipends, spirit stones, and cultivation resources to entice their female disciples.
The better the match, the greater the rewards. Thus, for many women of the Chen Clan, this was a golden opportunity. In ancient times, women rarely escaped arranged marriages, and in a world where cultivation resources were scarce, securing both a match and resources seemed like a blessing.
Chen Jinshu had an elder sister, Chen Jinfang—a four spiritual root cultivator whose stunning beauty had won her a place as the favored concubine of the Wang Clan's young master three years prior.
Originally only at Qi Refining Third Layer), with the support of both clans and her husband's favor, she had broken through to Stage 5 in just three years.
Chen Jinshu had envied her deeply.
Though her own triple spiritual roots were superior to her sister's, her looks were far plainer—infamously so. A glaring red birthmark stretched across her forehead, marring her features.
Since childhood, she had endured mockery from her clansmen. Even her own sister treated her with disdain, flaunting her status whenever she visited. With the next marriage selection approaching, Chen Jinshu had grown desperate.
Missing this chance meant waiting three more years—or worse, being wed to a lesser branch family, doomed to mediocrity.
So when rumors of the Beauty Awakening Pill reached her ears, she spent every last spirit stone to obtain one.
She had hoped it would change her fate.
Instead, it nearly killed her.
The pill did enhance beauty—by forcibly reshaping one's bones and flesh, akin to growing an entirely new face. But at Qi Refining Second Layer, Chen Jinshu's body couldn't endure the agony. She had barely survived, her cultivation almost shattered.
"No wonder the original me was driven to such extremes…" Chen Jinshu sighed, glancing at her mother's celestial beauty. In a family where marriage was survival, what choice did she have?
"Rest well. I'll speak to the Clan Head—perhaps he can arrange something."
Madam Chen Wu's lashes trembled, fearing her daughter might attempt another foolish act.
"No, Mother! I don't want to marry!"
Chen Jinshu shook her head firmly.
"Nonsense!"
Her mother brushed a stray lock from her face.
"I mean it!"
Now that her past-life memories had awakened, she saw the truth—such marriages were nothing more than gilded cages, stifling one's path to immortality.
Lady Chen Wu paused, a flicker of surprise in her eyes.
Her daughter seemed… different.
Outside, the courtyard stood silent, its high walls and delicate pavilions blanketed in snow.
Then, a voice called from beyond the gates.
"Sister-in-law!"
"Stay here. I'll see who it is."
Stepping out, Lady Chen Wu found Chen Wentan—Chen Jinshu's uncle—waiting.
"Second Brother, what brings you here?"
"I heard about Shushu's… incident. I came to check on her."
His gaze lingered with unspoken concern.
"She's fine now. Thank you for your kindness."
"Ah, this child… She should have consulted us before taking such a dangerous pill."
"I've already pleaded with the Clan Head. Soon, she'll be included in the marriage selection. With her talent, she'll surely find a good match."
"Thank you, Second Brother!"
Lady Chen Wu bowed slightly, eager to share the news.
"No need for thanks. After my elder brother's passing, I've done too little. It's only right to help."
Inside, Chen Jinshu strained to rise, but her weakened legs refused to obey. Yet that night, as if touched by divine inspiration, she found her strength returning. She stumbled to the mirror—and froze.
The reflection showed a face like a lotus blossom, with willow-leaf brows… save for the crimson mark spanning her forehead, dragging her beauty down like an anchor.
"This isn't so bad. Looks are born, not chosen."
"In the modern world, a bit of concealer would've made me a beauty."
Strangely, she thought her features held a charm even more alluring than her mother's.
Shaking off her thoughts, she crossed her legs and began circulating the cultivation method from her memories. With Fire-Wood-Metal Triple Spiritual Roots, she primarily cultivated her Wood attribute. The technique was the Chen family's Wood-based Qi Refining method—Chángqīng Jué,
But as her spiritual energy flowed, the red birthmark on her brow…
…began to glow with an eerie green light.