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

Chapter 230: Money-Making Idea, Auctioning Spirit Treasure

Night deepened.

Moonlight filtered through the spirit-patterned gauze windows, bathing the room in a clear, silver radiance.

Su Wuya personally escorted Shen Xian and Qiu Ruoli to a secluded courtyard nestled deep within the estate. He clasped his hands, his smile warm and professional.

“Fellow Daoist Wang, this is the Listening Bamboo Pavilion. It may be somewhat simple, but it offers absolute tranquility. I hope you find it to your liking.”

Shen Xian swept his gaze across the grounds.

Spirit bamboo swayed in the night breeze, their leaves rustling like whispering silk. Between the artificial mountains and flowing streams, he could spot the faint, glowing lines of a high-grade Spirit Gathering Array. The density of Spiritual Qi here rivaled a small-scale Grotto-Heaven.

“President Su has gone to great trouble,” Shen Xian nodded slightly.

“Rest well.”

As soon as Su Wuya departed, the polite atmosphere evaporated. Qiu Ruoli stood with her arms crossed, her expression frosty.

This Evil Cultivator certainly knows how to wear a mask, she sneered inwardly. Even a shrewd merchant like Su Wuya has been played for a fool… But what is his game?

Before she could spiral further into suspicion, Shen Xian flicked his sleeve. A streak of cold blue light shot through the air and hovered before her face.

It was a translucent short blade, carved from ice that never melted. Frost patterns swirled deep within the crystal structure, emitting a bone-chilling aura.

“Mystic Ice Spike,” Shen Xian said, his tone bored. “High-grade Dharma Treasure. Take it.”

He had looted this from some random cultivator’s Storage Bag days ago. He had so much trash in his inventory he couldn’t even remember who it belonged to. Since the System’s “Gifting Cooldown” had reset, he needed to dump it to trigger a reward.

Qiu Ruoli’s pupils contracted.

He’s giving me a Dharma Treasure?

Her mind raced. Is he trying to buy my loyalty? No… this man is a devil. He doesn’t do favors; he sets traps.

She instinctively took half a step back. “I don’t need it. My Sect has already bestowed upon me—”

“Hmm?”

Shen Xian let out a low, vibrating hum.

Qiu Ruoli froze.

Before she could finish her refusal, Shen Xian’s finger twitched. The hovering blade surged forward, the razor-sharp tip stopping a hair’s breadth from her throat. The cold air raised goosebumps on her skin.

“When I tell you to take something,” Shen Xian said, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper, “you take it.”

Qiu Ruoli’s breath hitched.

This bastard!

He was threatening her life, yet… why did his absolute arrogance make her heart skip a beat?

Her ears burned with a mix of shame and adrenaline. She bit her lip, suppressing the absurd thought, and snatched the blade from the air.

“…Thank you.”

The moment her skin touched the hilt, a stream of icy spiritual power flooded her meridians. It was pure, biting, and perfectly compatible with her Yin-aligned cultivation technique.

She paused, stunned. He… he actually chose this specifically for me?

Her thoughts churned in chaos. Acting on a bizarre impulse—perhaps pride, perhaps a refusal to be indebted to a villain—she fumbled with her Storage Ring. She pulled out a crimson jade bangle and shoved it into Shen Xian’s hand.

“Returning the favor!” she snapped, her face flushed. “This is the Crimson Rosy Clouds Bangle. Also a high-grade Dharma Treasure. I… I don’t owe you anything!”

Shen Xian didn’t even look at her. His gaze was fixed on the translucent blue text floating in his vision.

[System Prompt] [Host gifted Dao Companion a Mid-grade Dharma Treasure: Mystic Ice Spike.] [Triggered 50x Blessing Return!] [Reward: High-grade Spirit Treasure — Diamond Bangle.] [Claim?]

Dharma Treasure in, Spirit Treasure out.

Shen Xian’s internal calculator whirred to life.

The difference between a Dharma Treasure and a Spirit Treasure was massive—a chasm of power and value. If he could buy or refine cheap Dharma Treasures, gift them to Qiu Ruoli to launder them into Spirit Treasures, and then sell the high-end goods… the profit margins would be astronomical.

This was the ultimate money-laundering scheme.

Better yet, the cooldown for gifting “Dharma Treasures” was much shorter than for higher-tier items. He could essentially farm a Spirit Treasure every single day.

He needed High Grade Spirit Stones for the teleportation array. This was how he would get it.

“Claim,” he mentally commanded.

Having secured his profit, Shen Xian withdrew his attention from the system and looked at the woman standing before him. He waved his hand, and a silencing barrier descended, sealing the room from the outside world.

His gaze locked onto Qiu Ruoli.

“Come here.”

Qiu Ruoli’s fingers trembled. The air in the room suddenly felt heavy. What does he want now?

She gripped the Mystic Ice Spike tightly, using the pain to ground herself, but her feet betrayed her. She took a step forward.

Why do I obey him? If I refuse, will he…

Before she could finish the thought, Shen Xian reached out. He grabbed her wrist and yanked her forward.

“You—”

She tried to struggle, but his other hand clamped onto her chin, forcing her head up. His eyes were dark, devoid of warmth, filled only with pragmatic intent.

“Time to cultivate,” Shen Xian stated flatly.

Qiu Ruoli bit her lip, silence her only defense, though the tips of her ears were burning crimson.

Shen Xian didn’t waste time with romance. He pushed her down onto the meditation mat and leaned over her, his presence overwhelming.

Qiu Ruoli’s heart pounded like a war drum. Her mind screamed resist, but her body traitorously softened.

Shen Xian’s fingertip traced the collar of her robe. With a pulse of Qi, the fabric loosened, sliding down to reveal her shoulders.

“No… Mmm!”

She tried to protest, but Shen Xian silenced her, sealing her lips with his own. It wasn’t a kiss of affection; it was an invasion. Dominant, possessive, and suffocating.

Her mind went blank. This Evil Cultivator… he’s so forceful…

Yet, beneath the humiliation, a dark, treacherous thrill coiled in her gut.

What is wrong with me? Why… why am I sinking into this?

Sensing her compliance, the corner of Shen Xian’s mouth hooked upward. He pressed his palm against the small of her back, driving his Qi into her meridians.

“Circulate your technique,” he ordered against her ear.

The Turtle-Snake Lamp materialized above them, spinning slowly. A screen of pink light descended, wrapping them in a cocoon. The opposing forces of Ren Water and Gui Water surged from their bodies, clashing and blending in a violent, rhythmic cycle.

Qiu Ruoli abandoned her resistance and focused on guiding the energy.

It’s just cultivation, she told herself desperately. Just cultivation.

Outside, the spirit bamboo swayed in the wind, masking the undercurrents of passion surging within the room.

The next morning.

Shen Xian adjusted his robes, looking crisp and refreshed. He glanced at the bed.

Qiu Ruoli was still asleep, her breathing deep and even. Her long hair was splayed across the pillow in a chaotic halo, and faint red marks—evidence of the intense energy exchange—lingered on her porcelain neck. Her brow was slightly furrowed, as if even in sleep, she was fighting a losing battle.

“More cooperative than I expected,” Shen Xian muttered.

He looked down at the floor. The Crimson Rosy Clouds Bangle she had stubbornly thrown at him last night was lying on the rug.

He hooked a finger, and the bangle flew into his palm.

“Since she insisted on returning the gift,” he mused, pocketing it, “I might as well turn a profit on it.”

He pushed open the door and stepped out.

The morning sun filtered through the bamboo leaves, dappling the ground with shards of broken gold. The city was already awake. A roar of noise drifted over the walls—the sound of thousands of cultivators haggling, trading, and shouting.

Shen Xian didn’t linger. He headed straight for the city center.

His destination: the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion.

It was the largest auction house in Azure Nether City, backed by three major merchant alliances. If he wanted to offload high-tier loot for maximum value, that was the only place to go.

He had just reached the grand entrance when a familiar voice called out from behind.

“Senior Wang!”

Shen Xian turned. Xu Tian was jogging toward him, a bright smile on his face.

“Is Senior here to participate in today’s auction?” Xu Tian asked, bowing slightly.

Shen Xian nodded. “I have some trinkets to sell.”

Xu Tian’s eyes lit up. “What a coincidence! This Junior has been tasked by the Chamber to procure a batch of Dharma Treasures. If Senior doesn’t mind… why not sell directly to the Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce? I guarantee the price will satisfy you!”

Xu Tian’s mind was racing. This man was from a reclusive, ancient sect. The “trinkets” he mentioned were likely treasures that would cause a bloodbath in the open market. If Xu Tian could secure them privately, it would be a massive contribution to his faction’s upcoming expedition.

Shen Xian smiled, seeing right through him.

“Let’s see how they do at auction,” Shen Xian said smoothly.

He was short on cash. Selling directly to a merchant meant selling at wholesale prices. He needed a bidding war. He needed the vanity of wealthy cultivators to drive the price through the roof.

Xu Tian’s face fell slightly, realizing he couldn’t hustle this “Senior,” but he quickly recovered his respectful demeanor.

“Understood, Senior. Please, let me show you the way.”

Xu Tian wasn’t giving up yet. He calculated silently: The auction house takes a hefty commission. During the appraisal, I might still be able to persuade him to sell privately if the estimated price isn’t to his liking.

Shen Xian nodded and followed him into the golden halls of the pavilion.