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

Chapter 260: The Teleportation Formation, A Celestial Venerable’s Gift

Two days later, Su Wuya arrived unannounced at the Listening Rain Pavilion.

Today, the President of the Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce was dressed in brocade robes, flanked by two attendants. His demeanor was warm, almost deferential.

“Master Wang!”

Shen Xian nodded in greeting. “President Su. You have saved me a trip. I intended to visit you before my departure.”

He produced a pouch of High-Grade Spirit Stones. “I have imposed on your hospitality for too long. Please accept this as a token of my gratitude for the accommodation.”

Since arriving in Azure Nether City, Shen Xian had stayed in this courtyard rent-free. Now that he was leaving, and with his disciple Zhang Yu staying behind to build a foundation, settling debts was a matter of principle.

Su Wuya waved his hands frantically. “Master Wang, you are too polite! Having you reside here is a blessing for our Chamber. Besides, the batch of spirit treasures you refined for me… they were instrumental.”

A genuine smile broke across Su Wuya’s face.

“Thanks to those artifacts, I successfully located my fated chance for Soul Formation. If I hadn’t heard of your imminent departure, I would already be in secluded cultivation.”

Shen Xian accepted the explanation and put the stones away.

Su Wuya then produced a token from his sleeve. It was heavy, crafted from purple gold, and pulsed with a faint, authoritative aura.

“I hear you are bound for the Sacred City. This is the Purple-Gold Token of the Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce. It is the highest level of authorization I can grant. With it, you can mobilize resources at our headquarters in the Sacred City.”

The Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce was a titan with branches everywhere, but its heart beat in the Sacred City. Su Wuya knew a dragon like Shen Xian wouldn’t stay in a pond like Azure Nether City forever. This token was an investment—a chain to bind their futures together.

Shen Xian’s eyes flashed.

Useful.

He was heading into unknown waters. Having a powerful ally ready to provide intelligence and resources would smooth his path considerably.

“Then I thank President Su,” Shen Xian said, accepting the token. He handed over a communication talisman in return. “If you ever need my aid, crush this.”

Su Wuya beamed. That promise was worth more than gold.

“Actually,” Su Wuya lowered his voice, “there is a small matter. I recently acquired a batch of rare materials from a secret realm, but I lack a refiner I can trust…”

Shen Xian understood immediately.

He wants a favor.

Normally, Shen Xian would decline such a distraction. But now…

“No problem,” Shen Xian said smoothly. “My third disciple, Zhang Yu, will be remaining in Azure Nether City. He has mastered my techniques. You can entrust the materials to him.”

Su Wuya’s eyes lit up. “That is excellent! Does he require accommodation?”

“He will be setting up shop near the Ten Thousand Treasures Pavilion. President Su can rest assured of his skill.”

Zhang Yu was talented, but he needed practice and resources to grow. This was a perfect arrangement—Su Wuya got his artifacts, and Zhang Yu got a steady stream of high-level materials to practice on.

Two days later.

The group of five stood before the Teleportation Hall of Azure Nether City.

The hall was a masterpiece of architectural arrogance. Twelve gilded jade pillars supported a dome that seemed miles high, each carved with a lifelike flood dragon that seemed ready to leap off the stone.

In the center lay the Teleportation Formation, carved from a single, massive slab of Profound Jade. The runic channels were filled with molten Starlight Sand, glowing with a soft, rhythmic silver light.

The fee was 1,000,000 High-Grade Spirit Stones per activation. It was a staggering sum, enough to bankrupt a small sect, but the formation could transport up to five people at once.

The hall was crowded. The formation only activated once a year, and this year’s cycle had been delayed specifically to accommodate Shen Xian.

When Shen Xian and his disciples entered, a hush fell over the crowd.

Conversations died. Cultivators stepped back, creating a wide path to the center.

“It’s Master Wang…”

“The one Venerable Zi Yun personally invited?”

Several Formation Masters stopped their calibration work to bow. Even the four Nascent Soul guards straightened their spines, looking at Shen Xian with eyes full of respect.

A steward in splendid robes hurried over, bowing so low his nose nearly touched his knees.

“Master Wang! Everything is prepared. Regarding the teleportation fee…”

Shen Xian reached for his storage ring.

“Celestial Venerable Zi Yun has already settled it,” the steward said quickly. “He instructed us to put it on his personal account.”

Su Wuya, who had come to see them off, looked abashed. “Master Wang… our Chamber wanted to cover the cost, but we dared not compete with the Celestial Venerable.”

Shen Xian paused.

A Void Refinement expert paying the bill?

He realized that the “refining notes” he had gifted Zi Yun’s grandson must have been far more valuable than he anticipated.

Beside him, Su Mu’s eyes widened. She nudged Tie Shan. “Did you hear that? The Celestial Venerable paid for us.”

Tie Shan’s jaw dropped. “Master’s face… is bigger than the sky.”

Zhang Yu fanned himself, his eyes gleaming with calculation. With this kind of backing, my work in the city will be smooth sailing.

“The Celestial Venerable also instructed us to place you at the Array Eye,” the steward added. “It has the most stable spatial fluctuations.”

The crowd gasped. The Array Eye was a VIP spot usually reserved for Soul Formation cultivators to prevent spatial sickness.

Shen Xian smiled faintly. “Please convey my thanks to the Venerable.”

He turned to his disciples. “Let’s go.”

At this moment, the reality of “status” hit home. The million stones he had schemed and worked for were nothing more than pocket change to a true powerhouse.

Power. Shen Xian thought as he stepped onto the platform. That is the only currency that matters.

“Activate the formation!”

The Formation Masters began their chant. The flood dragon carvings on the pillars lit up, spitting beams of silver light into the center of the hall.

Shen Xian stood at the Array Eye. He didn’t close his eyes like the others. Instead, he extended his Divine Sense, greedily analyzing the flow of spatial qi.

Flood Dragon souls as formation spirits… Starlight Sand as the medium… Elegant.

He memorized the structure. As a Formation Master himself, he knew that teleportation formations were the pinnacle of the art—requiring at least Seventh-Rank mastery to build and Eighth-Rank to control fully.

One day, I will build my own.

Hummmm—

The silver light intensified until it blinded the world. The disciples grabbed onto each other as gravity seemed to vanish.

BOOM!

A pillar of light shot into the heavens, piercing the clouds.

When the light faded, the platform was empty.

Shen Xian and his disciples were gone, hurtling through the void toward a new stage.

Five people had already arrived in a more magnificent hall!