I Was Forced to Marry a “Trash” Cultivator, But She Turned Out to Be a Reborn Empress!

Shen Xian was lying under the wisteria trellis, taking a short nap, when his entire body suddenly trembled.

A vast, ocean-like spiritual power erupted from his dantian without warning, instantly surging through all the meridians in his body.

[Host’s Dao Companion Ye Qingxian has broken through from the late Foundation Establishment stage to Foundation Establishment Perfection. Blessing returns twenty times the cultivation growth from the Dao Companion’s breakthrough.]

The system’s prompt echoed in his mind. Before Shen Xian could even react, the spiritual power within him was already churning like boiling water.

The previously calm sea of qi in his dantian suddenly stirred up towering waves as the liquid spiritual power began to rapidly compress and condense.

“This is…” Shen Xian abruptly sat up, his expression changing drastically.

He was about to break through again!

Shen Xian immediately clenched his teeth. The Li Fire True Seal appeared between his eyebrows, and a scorching aura quietly emerged.

A breakthrough in a major realm would inevitably produce unusual phenomena. He had to suppress it first to avoid being discovered.

The next second, Shen Xian’s figure vanished from the spot, reappearing inside his room.

The Tiangang Spirit-Locking Array here could help him control his spiritual power and prevent it from leaking out.

Once inside the room, an earth-shaking transformation had already taken place within his body.

The liquid spiritual power within his dantian began to transform automatically. He felt his entire body lighten. The spiritual power within him began to circulate uncontrollably on its own, bringing with it a vast, ocean-like surge of immense strength.

Under the system’s mighty power, the liquid spiritual power rapidly condensed. In the blink of an eye, it transformed into a perfectly round Golden Core, suspended within his dantian.

The entire process was smooth and effortless, as if it were meant to be this way.

Faint runes flowed across the surface of the Golden Core. Though not as dazzlingly brilliant as a perfect Golden Core, it still emitted a heart-palpitating aura.

Even more wondrous was that this Golden Core’s compatibility with Shen Xian was near perfect, as if it had always belonged to him by nature.

“Is this what it feels like to level up while lying down?”

Feeling the surging power within him, Shen Xian’s lips unconsciously curved upward.

He didn’t even need to endure the pain of breaking through or withstand the trials of heavenly tribulation. He had just stepped into the Golden Core Realm easily and effortlessly.

His physical body was automatically strengthened under the nourishment of the Golden Core’s power, and his meridians were widened several times over.

Most miraculously, this system-bestowed Golden Core resonated wonderfully with the Eight Trigrams Primordial Dao Scripture, instantly deepening his understanding of this cultivation technique by many levels.

If the quality of the Golden Core were higher, perhaps he could truly master this Dao Scripture even faster.

Shen Xian withdrew his thoughts. Well then, he could only look to Ye Qingxian for that. Once she reached the Northern Region, her Golden Core quality likely wouldn’t be too low either.

He just needed to sit back and reap the benefits.

Just as a cheerful Shen Xian was about to leave, the system’s prompt suddenly sounded again.

[Congratulations to the Host for successfully forming a Golden Core. The number of Dao Companions you can have has increased by one.]

The number of Dao Companions increased?

Shen Xian had been worrying about who to give gifts to after Ye Qingxian left. Moreover, with an increase in Dao Companions, there would be another source of cultivation returns when they cultivated and broke through.

With cultivation returns from two people simultaneously, his own cultivation speed would skyrocket. Presumably, it wouldn’t be long before he could step into the Nascent Soul Realm.

He suddenly felt incredibly eager with anticipation.

Only… how should he go about finding this next Dao Companion?

Shen Xian wasn’t the type of person who strove hard for self-improvement. Asking him to go through great pains to find a Dao Companion just to increase his cultivation was absolutely impossible.

As for finding one randomly? That was even more impossible.

In the end, he decided to go with the flow and let fate decide. After all, given Ye Qingxian’s talent, even if she were his only Dao Companion, it would already be sufficient. It would just be a bit slower.

But being slower didn’t matter. He didn’t need to go around adventuring everywhere anyway. His desire to become stronger wasn’t that intense, especially since he had also obtained the title of Family Successor, which significantly improved his status and treatment.

“Young Master, Madam is here.” At that moment, Xiang’er’s voice suddenly came from outside.

Shen Xian withdrew his thoughts and walked out of the room.

Outside in the courtyard, by the stone chair, Nangong Wan sat dressed in plain clothes. A trace of weariness lingered between her brows.

The pain of losing a son was too great a blow for a mother.

“Mother.” Shen Xian bowed in greeting.

Before her, he felt not a shred of guilt. Because everything was Shen Li’s own fault; he couldn’t blame anyone else.

“Xian’er, sit.” Nangong Wan gently stroked the teacup in her hand, her fingertips trembling slightly.

She raised her eyes to look at Shen Xian; a flicker of complex emotion passed through them.

“Xian’er, about your Second Brother…” Her voice was hoarse, but she quickly stopped herself. “Never mind. Let’s not talk about it.”

Shen Xian noticed the tear stains at the corners of his mother’s eyes, and his heart stirred slightly.

Since childhood, this mother’s feelings for him went without saying. Seeing her in this state inevitably caused ripples in his heart.

But Nangong Wan quickly reined in her emotions and regained her usual dignified composure.

“I came today because there is an important matter to discuss.” She set down her teacup and said seriously, “Your Eldest Brother suggested that you go cultivate at the Divine Wood Sect.”

Shen Xian raised an eyebrow slightly. “The Divine Wood Sect?”

This matter did come as a surprise to him. After all, he was now the future successor of the family; generally speaking, he wouldn’t rashly leave home lest something unexpected happen.

Especially since he only had a Qi Refining Realm cultivation on paper. Going to a sect made it easy to encounter dangers; any loss or damage would outweigh the gain. At least he should wait until his public strength reached the Foundation Establishment stage.

But considering this was his Eldest Brother’s idea, and recalling Ye Qingxian’s pointed words before she left, Shen Xian realized that this Eldest Brother probably wanted him close by so they could bond.

Quite a clever scheme!

“That’s right.” Nangong Wan sighed softly. “Although you received our ancestors’ blessing, ultimately… you are too lazy and idle. The Divine Wood Sect has strict rules perfect for tempering your character.”

She paused briefly, a flicker of heartache passing through her eyes. “Moreover, within their sect, there is a Nine Revolutions Marrow Cleansing Pool, which can help stabilize your foundation. Your father… has already agreed.”

She didn’t want her youngest son leaving her side, but there was no choice; the family had already made the decision.

Shen Xian sneered inwardly.

Of course, he understood. This wasn’t some cultivation suggestion at all, but clearly the family arranging his future.

However, upon second thought, going to the Divine Wood Sect might not necessarily be a bad thing. That place gathered many geniuses. Perhaps a suitable candidate for a Dao Companion could be found there.

And since it was arranged by his Eldest Brother, it was hard to refuse.

“This child understands,” he replied respectfully. “When do we depart?”

“In three days.” Nangong Wan stood up, hesitated a moment, then added, “Your Eldest Brother will personally take you there.”

Shen Xian watched his mother leave, a slight playful smile curling the corner of his mouth.

Wisteria petals silently drifted down in the courtyard. Shen Xian’s fingertips lightly traced the patterns on the stone table.

The Divine Wood Sect…

He suddenly remembered the system’s newly opened slot for a Dao Companion.

Rumor said the sect was renowned for cultivating spirit plants, and their female cultivators were skilled in the Plant and Wood Path. Indeed, it was a good place to find a new Dao Companion.

“Young Master, should I prepare your luggage?” Xiang’er asked timidly.

Her tone held reluctance because it meant she could no longer accompany him.

Shen Xian shook his head, his gaze sweeping over the corner of the courtyard wall…

The Thunder Pattern Spirit Cat was lazily basking in the sun, seemingly completely indifferent to the upcoming journey.

He chuckled softly. That little thing probably already knew that following him was the only way to continue enjoying premium beast stones and special treatment.

A distant bell toll startled a few spirit sparrows.

Shen Xian narrowed his eyes, looking toward the direction of the sound. He just caught a glimpse of his Eldest Brother Shen Xing’s white robe flashing past in the direction of the Ancestral Temple.