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

“Ah?”

Wei Zhaoli stirred from her meditative trance, her long eyelashes fluttering like the wings of a startled butterfly.

She opened her hazy eyes, only to find herself locked in Shen Xian’s smiling gaze. Her small face instantly stiffened, and her breathing hitched, losing its rhythm entirely.

“Aren’t your injuries still bothering you?” The corner of Shen Xian’s mouth lifted in a meaningful arc. His robes brushed against the edge of the dais as he sat down beside her. “Dual cultivation will help you recover faster.”

He tilted his head, his clear eyes reflecting her shy, flustered silhouette.

Wei Zhaoli’s ears burned a brilliant crimson. She lowered her head, twisting her sleeve until the moon-white fabric was crumpled into a ball between her white-knuckled fingers.

After a long, heavy silence, she finally let out a soft, barely audible, “Mm.”

Shen Xian reached out, his arm encircling her waist—slender, soft, and yielding. With a single fluid motion, he lifted her into his arms and walked toward the bed.

Wei Zhaoli squeezed her eyes shut. Her eyelashes trembled, and her delicate body went rigid, not daring to move a muscle.

Although this wasn’t their first time, the intimacy still filled her with an overwhelming sense of shame. Especially… knowing there were people right outside.

But in this moment, there was no room for second thoughts.

With a soft rustle, the sash at her waist came undone. Her moon-white dress slid from her shoulders like flowing water, pooling around her hips to reveal the lotus-root-colored bodice beneath.

Her skin, exposed to the cool air, was fine and porcelain-white, now flushed with a faint cherry-pink hue of embarrassment that made it impossible to resist the urge to touch.

Shen Xian leaned down, capturing those red lips. A wave of scorching masculine aura washed over her.

Wei Zhaoli’s eyes flew open. She felt as if her very soul was being enveloped by his presence. In her daze, she felt the final barrier loosen, the bodice slipping away, and the cool air against her skin sent a shiver racing through her…

The dual cultivation began.

Spiritual light shimmered around them, blurring the two figures entwined on the bed into a single glowing entity.

Simultaneously, their spiritual power began to merge, circulating through the connection of their bodies.

Shen Xian’s spiritual power was vast as the sea, surging with the momentum of rolling thunder. In contrast, Wei Zhaoli’s energy was like the spring rain of March—dense, gentle, and nurturing.

The two forces intertwined in the air, forming a brilliant ribbon of light that bathed the bed in a hazy, dreamlike radiance.

“Focus your spirit,” Shen Xian’s voice was hoarse, a layer of fine sweat already beading on his forehead.

He guided his surging spiritual power into Wei Zhaoli’s meridians, driving it like a great river merging into a clear stream.

Wei Zhaoli let out a muffled groan. She felt her entire body wrapped in a comforting warmth. The stagnant energy blockages from her injuries melted away like ice and snow under a blazing sun.

The circulation of spiritual power grew faster and faster, until a pearl-like luster began to shimmer across her skin.

When Shen Xian’s [Flawless Golden Core] spun up to full power, Wei Zhaoli’s eyes suddenly snapped wide open. The bottleneck in her Dantian, which had been dormant for so long, was actually starting to loosen!

“Husband…?” Sensing the anomaly within her body, Wei Zhaoli murmured in confusion.

“Focus. Absorb this energy properly,” Shen Xian commanded, his voice vibrating in her ear.

He was exerting his full strength. His Golden Core spun wildly, siphoning threads of pure, refined spiritual power into her body to force her cultivation upward.

This had been his goal from the start.

Wei Zhaoli could only bite her lip and silently endure the overwhelming pleasure of advancement…

After an unknown amount of time, a flushed and radiant Wei Zhaoli let out a long breath. Her internal injuries were completely gone. More importantly, her spiritual power surged within her veins, crashing against the barriers of her cultivation realm. She felt as if she were about to break through at any second.

She exhaled a fragrant breath, her eyes bright and vibrant. She looked reborn.

Shen Xian, having just experienced an intense and satisfying battle, inevitably felt a wave of fatigue. He simply sat cross-legged and began to meditate to regulate his breathing.

“Husband…” Wei Zhaoli gazed at her man, her eyes rippling like spring water. Her voice was soft, dripping with tenderness. “Thank you.”

Sincere emotion erupted from her heart. Those two simple words were heavy with affection.

In that moment, she secretly resolved to follow him for the rest of her life, until the very end of the Dao.

Shen Xian did not open his eyes. He merely gave a slight, acknowledging nod.

Time passed in silence…

“Young Master! The Holy Son asks you to come see him!”

Outside the quiet room, Wang Yu’s voice suddenly rang out, shattering the atmosphere.

The Ancient Ruins were about to close, and the explorers were beginning to exit en masse.

Having recovered his energy, Shen Xian dressed and left the room.

Arriving at another lotus platform, he found his elder brother waiting.

Shen Xing, clad in a black brocade robe, remained as composed and calm as a deep pool.

His face was handsome as jade, his gaze profound, and his skin seemed to glow with an inner light. The corners of his eyes were slightly upturned, carrying an innate arrogance that looked down upon all living beings.

“Third Brother. Elder Xuanming said you came out a while ago. It seems you had other gains?” Shen Xing’s gentle voice floated over as he examined his blood brother.

A flicker of strange light appeared in those deep eyes.

For some reason, he sensed a familiar fluctuation of energy from Shen Xian.

“Thanks to Elder Brother’s fortune, I obtained some Fated Chances.” Shen Xian sat opposite him, smiling lightly.

Speaking of which, his final acquisition of treasures like the [Turtle-Snake Lamp] was indeed closely related to Shen Xing’s earlier assistance.

Shen Xing, however, did not catch the deeper meaning. He took it as polite humility. “Fated Chances are destined by the Heavens. What is yours will never escape you.”

Then, his tone shifted sharply. “I wonder… did you find the [Void Essence Soul]?”

The Void Essence Soul was the key to the Ancestral Treasure. It was the only thing Shen Xing truly cared about.

At the mention of this, Shen Xian’s gaze dimmed slightly.

To secure this Ancestral Treasure, the family had lost several Golden Core Elders. The price paid was not small.

“Yes. Elder Zhimo and the others sacrificed themselves in exchange for this Ancestral Treasure.”

He raised his left arm. The skin squirmed, and the [Void Rope] materialized, the [Void Essence Soul] embedded within it shining with a brilliant luster.

The two had already fused together perfectly.

Sensing the vast, ancient aura emanating from the artifact, Shen Xing’s eyes flashed. He nodded in approval.

“Since you received the blessing of the founding patriarch, you should know the importance of this object. Being able to retrieve it is a great fortune for the clan.”

“Don’t dwell too much on Elder Zhimo’s fate. They came here mentally prepared. The family always requires sacrifices; what matters is that you returned safely.”

His voice was flat, devoid of grief. He showed no concern for the deaths of Shen Zhimo and the others.

The family had dispatched those elders precisely because their lifespans were nearing their end and they had no hope of breaking through. They were expendable assets.

Even if they died, it wasn’t a tragedy—it was a transaction.

In a great family, human sentiment was just this cold.

Shen Xian remained silent, accepting the harsh reality of their world.

Shen Xing suddenly reached into his robe and removed his own [Void Guiding Jade Pendant].

“Since you obtained the [Void Essence Soul], this object should also belong to you!”

He raised his hand slightly, and the jade pendant floated across the table, landing in Shen Xian’s palm.

“I hope you can properly utilize the power of this Ancestral Treasure,” he said earnestly.

This object was a component of an Immortal Venerable’s Dao Artifact. If he hadn’t been delayed by other matters, Shen Xing would have gathered it himself.

But giving it to his brother wasn’t really a loss. It stayed in the family.

Shen Xian took the [Void Guiding Jade Pendant]. As an expert artifact refiner, he immediately sensed the [Void Rope] on his arm stirring restlessly.

The three items—the Rope, the Soul, and the Pendant—were originally one entity. Now gathered, they yearned to merge.

With this, he had successfully gathered one-third of the Immortal Venerable’s Dao Artifact!

“Thank you, Elder Brother.” He solemnly cupped his hands in thanks.

Shen Xing waved his hand dismissively, his gaze turning toward the distant horizon. “Regarding your matter with Wei Zhaoli… the family has already sent letters urging us. Take advantage of these few days of free time. Take her back and hold the wedding.”

Throughout the journey, the intimate behavior between Shen Xian and Wei Zhaoli had been noticed by everyone.

But Shen Xing specifically mentioned the marriage with a deeper strategic meaning in mind.

This Holy Son of the Shen Family always acted with thorough calculation.

Ever since Shen Xian and Wei Zhaoli became engaged, Shen Xing had secretly investigated the background of his future sister-in-law.

Relying on the intelligence network available to a Holy Son, he quickly uncovered a shocking truth—Zhao Wuji had been cultivating Wei Zhaoli as a “furnace” for years.

Now that the deed was done—the “wood had already been made into a boat”—Zhao Wuji’s plan was ruined. Given that old man’s vindictive nature, this matter would not end peacefully.

Shen Xing was already calculating countermeasures.

Currently, the safest method was to have his younger brother take Wei Zhaoli back to the main family estate and lay low for a while.

Shen Xing needed time to enter Secluded Cultivation. Once he successfully broke through to the Nascent Soul stage, backed by his status as the Holy Son, he would have the power to fight even a late-stage Nascent Soul cultivator like Zhao Wuji.

Only then could he truly ensure the safety of his younger brother and sister-in-law.

Hearing this, a flicker of surprise passed through Shen Xian’s eyes.

He wasn’t in a rush regarding the marriage.

Wei Zhaoli was already his Dao Companion in truth; they had dual cultivated multiple times, and their hearts were in sync. A grand wedding was merely a formality.

But since the family was pushing for it, he naturally wouldn’t refuse. He would leave the arrangements to them.

It was actually convenient. He could return home and use the family’s vast resources to obtain materials for improving his spirit beast’s bloodline, as well as information on repairing his ancient treasures.

“Understood, Elder Brother.” Shen Xian bowed and withdrew.