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

Chapter 298: Departure from Snowstorm City, Return to the Holy City

Shen Xian’s Divine Sense pierced into the ancient artifact, instantly stripping away its secrets to reveal the information hidden within.

This treasure originated from the ancient “Water Origin Sect.” It had been forged by a Void Refining Realm water cultivator using “Ten-Thousand-Year Water Essence” and “Deep Sea Spirit Jade.” It was not merely a tool, but a personal artifact the master had worn close to his body for centuries.

Following the sect’s collapse, the artifact had drifted through the annals of history, eventually falling into the hands of a Soul Formation rogue cultivator before Shen Xian acquired it at the auction.

It was a top-tier water-element auxiliary Dharma Treasure.

Once worn, it automatically siphoned water-attribute Spiritual Qi from the heavens and earth, refining it into “Rippling Heart True Water” within the user’s dantian. This process passively boosted the cultivation speed of water-element techniques by a staggering fifty percent.

The effect was most potent for cultivators at the Nascent Soul Realm and above.

Furthermore, under duress, the artifact would automatically trigger the “Rippling Light Water Curtain”—a defensive barrier capable of withstanding a full-force strike from an early-stage Soul Formation cultivator.

If the wearer possessed a water-element spiritual root, the barrier wouldn’t just shatter upon defeat; it would detonate into a backlash of water essence, eroding the attacker’s spiritual power.

The benefits didn’t end there. In aquatic environments—rivers, lakes, oceans, or regions shrouded in rain and mist—the wearer’s Spiritual Qi recovery rate would double, and their escape techniques would gain a thirty percent speed boost.

And as an Ancient Treasure, it possessed the potential for fusion and evolution, containing within it a potent water-element cultivation method to elevate its master’s realm.

Shen Xian reviewed the artifact’s properties, a rare flicker of satisfaction crossing his mind.

*If I gift this to Qiu Ruoli, not only will I trigger a System return for a potentially god-tier artifact, but her cultivation speed will also skyrocket.*

And when her strength increased, his future returns from her would only grow more lucrative.

It was a perfect investment.

Shen Xian stored the Rippling Heart Pendant away and continued his inventory.

As the Holy Son of the Cold Moon Palace, Bai Liuqing’s storage ring was well-stocked. However, the man had only been a Nascent Soul cultivator. While the quantity of treasure was high, the quality was merely “acceptable” in Shen Xian’s eyes.

Of course, his standards were skewed. Shen Xian’s personal vault and foundation already surpassed that of most Holy Sons.

“Hm? An ancient alchemy manual?”

Shen Xian’s Divine Sense paused, drawn to a simple, archaic jade slip pulsing with a faint cyan glow. The surface was etched with dense, microscopic patterns, forming the ancient seal character for “Pill.”

“Let’s see…” Curious, he withdrew the slip and injected his consciousness.

Instantly, a torrent of obscure, archaic alchemical terminology flooded his mind.

Shen Xian’s brow furrowed.

He had never heard of most of the medicinal herbs listed. The refining techniques described were even more esoteric, speaking of concepts that bordered on metaphysics rather than chemistry.

He attempted to parse a section regarding fire control but found himself completely at sea. While he was a grandmaster of artifact refining, the Dao of Alchemy was a different beast entirely. To him, this ancient text might as well have been written in the language of the gods.

Helpless, he retracted his Divine Sense and turned to the neighboring room.

“Celestial Venerable, could you take a look at this?”

Venerable Zi Yun, who had been meditating, opened his eyes and accepted the jade slip.

The moment his Divine Sense touched the object, a spark of surprise lit up his gaze. “This is… a Seventh-Rank Alchemy Inheritance?”

But as he read on, his expression grew heavy.

After a long silence, Zi Yun lowered the slip and sighed. “A pity.”

“What is it?” Shen Xian asked.

“This is indeed a Seventh-Rank inheritance, a priceless treasure in the ancient era,” Zi Yun explained, shaking his head. “But ninety percent of the herbs recorded within are extinct. Worse, the ‘Heavenly Rules’ required for this style of alchemy have shifted over the eons.”

He pointed to a specific passage. “See this? It requires ‘drawing upon the power of the celestial cycle.’ The trajectories of the stars have changed since ancient times. The cosmic alignment this technique relies on simply no longer exists.”

Shen Xian understood immediately. It was like finding a peerless sword that no human hand could lift.

However…

*I can use it for a System return.*

The System operated on laws that superseded reality. If the System granted him a returned version, it would undoubtedly be adapted to the current era.

With that thought, Shen Xian calmly stored the manual.

“Matters in Snowstorm City are concluded. It is time to leave.”

***

Shen Xian and Venerable Zi Yun stepped onto the teleportation array bound for the Holy City.

The array patterns ignited, and a pillar of brilliant spiritual light swallowed them.

*Hum—*

Space warped and twisted. Shen Xian’s vision blurred for a fraction of a second, and when the world restabilized, he was standing within the magnificent Teleportation Hall of the Holy City.

The hall was a hive of activity, with cultivators of every sect and creed weaving through the vast chamber. The prosperity here dwarfed that of Snowstorm City several times over.

“Finally back.” Shen Xian took a deep breath, savoring the dense, high-quality Spiritual Qi of the Holy City.

He turned to Venerable Zi Yun. “Celestial Venerable, I must return to the Duobao Sect to handle some administrative affairs. I will pay you a formal visit another day.”

Zi Yun nodded slightly. “If you have need of me, simply send a transmission.”

With that, the Void Refinement expert transformed into a streak of light, vanishing into the horizon.

Shen Xian exited the hall and took to the skies, heading straight for the Duobao Sect.

As he flew, his mind calculated the distribution of his loot. The Rippling Heart Pendant was destined for Qiu Ruoli—it was the optimal choice for maximizing her growth and his own returns.

As for the Turtle-Snake Lamp…

While it was a valid gift option, a treasure of that caliber was already a strategic deterrent. A hundredfold return might not necessarily yield something better, or perhaps something he could use immediately. He needed a guaranteed trump card now.

He would keep the lamp for himself.

In the distance, the gates of the Duobao Sect came into view.

The sect had expanded significantly in the six months he had been away. A new, majestic structure—the Hundred Artifacts Pavilion—towered near the mountain gate. Dozens of disciples were gathered in the plaza, practicing a synchronized refining technique. It was the simplified version of the *Heavenly Craft Hundred Refinements Art* he had left behind.

Some were original members of the Hundred Forging Pavilion; others were new recruits brought in by his three disciples.

*It seems I’ve become a Patriarch,* Shen Xian mused with a faint smile.

“Sect Leader!”

As he descended at the entrance, the guards snapped to attention, bowing deeply.

Shen Xian nodded and swept into the inner courtyard. Almost immediately, Su Mu appeared.

“Master!”

She hurried forward, her eyes sparkling with the excitement of a merchant who had just cornered the market. “Master, while you were away, the Duobao Sect’s profits have doubled again!”

She produced a jade slip and began a rapid-fire report. “The Hundred Forging Pavilion followed your instructions perfectly. Production of low-grade Dharma Treasures is up by fifty percent. Our new ‘Five Elements Spirit Armor’ line is completely sold out across every major shop in the Holy City. Supply cannot keep up with demand.”

“But the real moneymaker is this.” Su Mu pulled an exquisite silver bracelet from her storage bag. “We modified the Spirit Gathering Bracelet based on your blueprints, integrating a trace of lightning runes. We tripled the price, yet they’re still flying off the shelves.”

A cunning, predatory glint flashed in her eyes. “I specifically limited the release to create artificial scarcity. The scalpers in the Black Profound City black market are currently trading them for ten times the retail price.”

Shen Xian looked at his shrewd second disciple and nodded in approval.

The girl was a natural tycoon. With her managing the finances, he didn’t need to worry about a thing.

Next, he visited the refining chambers. Ai Xiao, his eldest disciple, was leading a team of junior refiners in a scene of controlled chaos and heat.

Since coming to the Northern Region and receiving Shen Xian’s guidance, Ai Xiao’s understanding of the craft had deepened profoundly. He had broken through once more, now standing firmly as a Fourth-Rank High-Grade Artifact Refiner.

Seeing that his sect was running like a well-oiled machine, Shen Xian returned to his personal courtyard.

Inside, Qiu Ruoli sensed his aura immediately. Her eyes fluttered open, and she stepped out of the cultivation chamber to meet him.