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

As the morning mist had yet to disperse, Shen Xian stepped into the Scripture Lecture Hall.

The scent of aged ink settled upon the rosewood lectern, with thirty-six meditation mats arranged in the pattern of the Eight Trigrams.

He chose to kneel on the mat at the very end. His plain white disciple robes stood out starkly amidst the hall full of splendid attire.

Seeing Shen Xian enter, the group began discussing him through secret voice transmissions.

“Is that the waste the Shen Family pushed in here?” “Shh… his Elder Brother is a Holy Son…” “Waste is waste. What right does someone in the Qi Refining Realm have to enter the inner sect?”

Shen Xian sat in an empty seat, inconspicuous yet unmistakably the center of conversation. Nearly everyone was secretly sizing him up—some with disdain on their faces, others with eyes full of envy, and still others wearing expressions of anticipation for a good show.

Dong, dong, dong—

The morning bell tolled three times. Within the Red Leaf Courtyard, blue smoke rose in wisps from the sandalwood incense burner.

All disciples rose and bowed in greeting. When Elder Sun arrived at the lectern, they all sat upright like pine trees.

Spread open on the lecterns before them was not an ordinary scripture, but a fragmentary scroll of the Divine Wood Sect’s secret transmission—the Jianmu Qi Nurturing Diagram.

Elder Sun condensed a wisp of cyan light at his fingertip and pointed it at the illusory image of the towering Jianmu tree at the center of the scroll painting. “Today, we will contemplate the essential formula ‘Roots Penetrate Three Hundred Zhang into the Earth.’ Zhou Ming, you begin.”

The disciple who had previously attempted to make things difficult for Shen Xian stood up solemnly. “This disciple understands it as: spiritual energy should be as solid as roots. For the Foundation Establishment Realm, one must…”

He quoted extensively from classics, speaking incessantly. When he reached exquisite points, several friendly disciples deliberately clapped and exclaimed in admiration.

The questioning rotated smoothly like flowing water.

These elite disciples each answered fluently. Some could even cite obscure annotations from the Azure Firmament Scripture.

When it reached the eighteenth disciple, Elder Sun suddenly unfurled the back of the scroll painting—there was actually a fragmentary array pattern there that had never been shown before.

“Explain this.”

That disciple was immediately tongue-tied.

This was an ancient array diagram of the Jianmu’s root system, not even recorded in the sect’s general records.

“Liang Qing.” “This disciple… does not know.” “…” “Please enlighten us, Elder…”

No one could answer. The entire hall fell into silence.

When Elder Sun’s gaze fell upon the last seat, several deliberately suppressed sneers sounded in the hall.

This Qi Refining Realm fellow who got in through connections probably couldn’t even comprehend the basic formulas on the front side, right?

Yet Shen Xian stared at that fragmented area, his pupils contracting almost imperceptibly.

This was clearly the “Earth Vein Spirit-Locking Array” recorded in the Eight Trigrams Primordial Dao Scripture!

And the missing part was precisely…

“Is it perhaps a shift from the Kun position to the Xun at the junction of earth veins?”

His voice was very soft, yet it was like a drop of water falling into boiling oil.

Elder Sun’s expression changed slightly.

The fragmented part of that array pattern indeed required converting the Kun position’s earth energy into Xun wind energy.

But how would a mere Qi Refining Realm youngster, and one who just entered, know this?

Immediately, he thought of the other’s identity, and a flash of understanding crossed his mind. For a major aristocratic family, having some knowledge in this area was normal. Perhaps his Elder Brother had told him.

“Correct.” Elder Sun nodded.

But those sect disciples who wanted to see a spectacle wore expressions of disdain.

The hall instantly fell into an eerie silence, with only blue smoke from the incense burner rising in wisps.

Over thirty inner sect disciples appeared focused on the surface, but they had long been secretly transmitting messages:

“Hah, just relying on the Shen Family’s background…” “A Qi Refining Realm cultivator is fit to discuss arrays? Must have memorized it by rote…”

Although these transmissions were secretive, they could not escape Shen Xian’s keen spiritual sense.

He lowered his gaze to look at the array diagram on his lectern, a faint, almost imperceptible smile playing at the corner of his mouth.

Zhou Ming saw this scene and sneered coldly. “Putting on an act.”

Others chimed in agreement via transmission. “These aristocratic family disciples are the most hypocritical…” “The Holy Son must have leaked the topic in advance.” “Letting such a petty person have his moment…”

Amidst everyone’s contempt, morning lessons ended.

Shen Xian walked out of the classroom. The sect disciples behind him were already secretly mocking and ridiculing him, completely disregarding this aristocratic family’s direct descendant.

Just then, a commotion suddenly arose from outside.

Amidst flashes of spiritual light, figures could be seen approaching. Upon seeing who had arrived, those disciples who had just finished morning lessons instantly lost their composure.

Each one stared dumbfounded, utterly astonished, their eyes filled with covetousness.

The reason was that the newcomer was famously known as a great beauty within the Divine Wood Sect.

Zhou Ming and others directly stepped forward to greet her, their postures respectful and humble. “Senior Sister Zhaoli.”

Wei Zhaoli approached gracefully upon spiritual light. A moon-white flowing cloud long skirt danced lightly with the wind. Her features were picturesque, her skin like congealed cream. A pair of almond-shaped eyes were clear and bright; their outer corners slightly upturned, carrying an innate sense of aloofness.

As she walked, she resembled a cold moon traversing the sky. Within three zhang around her, a barrier seemed to form, making others dare not approach easily.

Seeing this, Zhou Ming and others immediately switched to fawning expressions.

He rushed forward in three quick steps, his waist bent almost double. “Senior Sister Zhaoli looks exceptionally well today! Are you heading to the Scripture Depository Pavilion? This disciple recently obtained a fragmentary score of ancient music; I was just thinking of seeking your guidance…”

If Ye Qingxian was considered the Azure Province’s number one beauty, then Wei Zhaoli within the Divine Wood Sect was undoubtedly its number one beauty—the goddess in countless disciples’ hearts.

However, before Zhou Ming finished speaking, Wei Zhaoli froze him in place with a single glance.

Though she had been quite enthusiastic within the Shen Family’s premises, within the sect grounds she was famously known as an ice-cold beauty—aloof toward everyone.

Even so, many still flocked toward her eagerly.

Some hurriedly took out treasured spirit tea; others presented meticulously crafted talismans; some even directly knelt down bowing…

These inner sect elites who usually looked down their noses at others now resembled bees swarming toward honey, encircling Wei Zhaoli completely—their fawning attitudes nauseating.

Wei Zhaoli paid no heed, walking directly toward Shen Xian’s location, causing waves of surprise and suspicion.

Her usually cool, clear brows actually carried traces of rare gentleness. She took out a celadon medicine bottle from her sleeve.

“Heard you just arrived at the sect yesterday. Worried you might not acclimatize.” Her voice remained cool yet held slightly less aloofness than usual. “This Heart-Clearing Pill is beneficial for regulating spiritual energy.”

Shen Xian looked up, meeting those clear almond eyes. He revealed a smile and did not refuse.

This scene falling into the surrounding disciples’ eyes instantly caused a stir.

“How could Senior Sister Zhaoli…” Zhou Ming’s outstretched hand froze mid-air, his complexion turning extremely unpleasant.

Qian An widened his eyes. “Am I seeing things? Senior Sister Zhaoli actually…”

Everyone present stood dumbstruck, somewhat unable to believe their eyes, unable to understand why the usually aloof, lofty sect goddess would show such favor toward a Qi Refining Realm waste.

Wei Zhaoli seemed to notice the surrounding gazes now, a flicker of discomfort crossing her face.

She lightly coughed, her voice slightly raised. “Father asked me to convey his regards to you.”

This form of address made Shen Xian raise an eyebrow.

He understood tacitly and cooperatively nodded. “Thank Uncle Wei for his concern.”

Their seemingly ordinary conversation left everyone present even more perplexed.

The Wei Family and Shen Family’s friendship was widely known, but having Wei Zhaoli personally deliver medicine clearly indicated a relationship that went beyond mere “aristocratic family friendship.”

Just then, the cyan phoenix jade pendant at Wei Zhaoli’s waist suddenly glimmered with faint light, resonating with the dragon-shaped jade pendant at Shen Xian’s waist.

These betrothal tokens exchanged during the two families’ engagement now resonated publicly under everyone’s watchful eyes.

“This…” Zhou Ming’s complexion instantly turned deathly pale.

Qian An drew a sharp breath. “Betrothal tokens?!”

The entire area in front of the Scripture Lecture Hall fell silent, so quiet one could hear a pin drop. All disciples stared dumbfounded at this scene.

The ice-cold beauty they considered unattainable and lofty was actually already engaged to someone?

Wei Zhaoli, feeling the scorching gazes around her, felt the blush deepening on her face.

She hastily tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear and whispered, “Go back together?”

Such straightforward, ambiguous words made everyone hold their breath.

“Alright.” Shen Xian gave a light laugh.

The two walked away side-by-side, leaving behind a stunned, speechless crowd.