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

Chapter 272: Shop Opening, All Sides Gather

On the third morning following the Wei family’s delivery of materials, a veritable army of artisans from the Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce marched into the open clearing outside the Profound Fire Cave.

Zhao Wuchen led the procession personally, flanked by over thirty master craftsmen specializing in architectural Formations.

“Rest assured, Master Wang,” Zhao Wuchen said, clasping his hands with a professional smile. “With our Chamber’s ‘Heavenly Craftsmen Team’ on the job, we will transform this workshop within three days.”

Shen Xian nodded slightly, his expression calm. “I will trouble Manager Zhao, then.”

The true value of high-level connections lay not just in prestige, but in efficiency—the luxury of bypassing trivialities to focus on what truly mattered.

***

Three days later, under the efficient hands of the Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce, the exterior of the Profound Fire Cave had been completely reimagined.

Tie Shan hoisted a beam of Red Flame Wood—thick enough to require three men to encircle—onto his shoulder. “Make way! Make way!” he bellowed, his voice like rolling thunder. “This beam is for my Master’s forging chamber!”

Muscles coiled like steel cables across his frame, glistening with sweat under the sun. He was the living embodiment of brute, unbridled force.

Meanwhile, Ai Xiao crouched before the newly constructed earth fire control console, tracing the Formation lines with obsessive meticulousness.

His brows were locked in a tight frown, and he absently wiped sweat from his forehead with a soot-stained sleeve. “The earth fire diversion Formation… three nodes are still out of alignment…”

He was entirely lost in his own world of geometric precision; even Tie Shan’s earth-shaking footsteps failed to break his concentration.

In the semi-finished display area, Su Mu stood toe-to-toe with a manager from the Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce.

“This batch of Cold Jade display stands requires three additional layers of protective Formation patterns,” she said, her voice silken but firm. “As for the price… how about we offset it with that batch of spirit ore I appraised for you last time?”

Her eyes curved into a charming smile, yet her negotiation was ruthless. Within a few sentences, she had the manager nodding, willingly agreeing to her terms.

By dusk on the fifth day, the renovation was complete.

Tie Shan, unable to contain his excitement, swung his massive hammer. With a deafening *CLANG*, he drove the gilded plaque onto the lintel, the impact shaking the entire doorframe three times.

“Haha! Now *that* is imposing!”

Ai Xiao jumped, nearly dropping his instruments. “Gently, you brute! The protective Formation I just calibrated was nearly scattered by the vibration!”

He frantically checked the formation disk, his frantic fussing resembling that of a worried old scholar protecting ancient scrolls.

Su Mu, ignoring the chaos, admired the display area. Three radiant Spirit Treasures rotated slowly on the custom-made stands, bathed in soft light.

She dusted off her hands with satisfaction. “We open tomorrow. It is time to show the forgers of the Holy City what true quality looks like.”

Shen Xian stood with his hands clasped behind his back, watching his three disciples. A faint smile touched his lips.

Tie Shan’s strength, Ai Xiao’s precision, Su Mu’s business acumen. Under the collision of their vastly different personalities, this workshop—now integrated with the earth vein power of the Profound Fire Cave—radiated a vibrant, aggressive vitality.

Standing nearby, Qiu Ruoli watched the scene, an inexplicable warmth rising in her chest.

It was the feeling of rootless duckweed finally finding an anchor. A sense of stability that words could not describe.

***

That night, Shen Xian sat in the quiet room, regulating his breathing. Suddenly, he sensed a familiar aura approaching.

He opened his eyes just as Zhao Wuchen walked in, his face beaming with delight.

“Master Wang, excellent news!” Zhao Wuchen retrieved two jade boxes from his Storage Bag. “We have located two of the materials you requested.”

Shen Xian’s eyes sharpened. He took the boxes.

The first contained a pool of liquid so dark it seemed to be a hole in reality, devouring all ambient light. The second held a crystal-clear red stone, within which a flame seemed to pulse with a living heartbeat.

“Netherworld Death Water. Heaven Fire Glazed Glass…” Shen Xian inspected them with a critical eye before nodding. “Manager Zhao is indeed reliable.”

It was a testament to the power of the Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce that they could procure two such rare materials in less than a month.

Zhao Wuchen smiled faintly. “Since it is a matter entrusted by Master Wang, the Chamber naturally exerts its full effort.”

Shen Xian was now a VIP client, and considering his relationship with an ancient Celestial Venerable, the Chamber was eager to cement their alliance.

“I am curious, however,” the manager asked, probing gently. “What does Master Wang intend to do with these three materials?”

Sensing the need to deflect suspicion, he quickly added, “Do not misunderstand, Master Wang. It is simply that the Divine Silence Quicksand is excessively rare. This old man wished to know the purpose to see if a substitute might be found.”

Even with the Chamber’s vast network, there had been no news of the final item.

Shen Xian understood the implication. “It is merely to repair a Magical Artifact,” he said casually.

Zhao Wuchen nodded, his curiosity satisfied. If it involved the specific repair of a Magical Artifact, he had no grounds to offer advice.

Shen Xian then retrieved a Storage Bag from his Blood Jade Ring. He placed it on the table. Inside were four million High Grade Spirit Stones—the market value of the two materials.

“I hope Manager Zhao will continue to assist me with the Divine Silence Quicksand,” Shen Xian said.

“Certainly, certainly.” Zhao Wuchen accepted the heavy Storage Bag.

Shen Xian maintained his stoic expression, though he felt a phantom ache in his chest.

Four million…

He possessed a fortune of over five million High Grade Spirit Stones, yet this single transaction had nearly liquidated his liquid assets.

But for the sake of the Dongxuan Supreme Treasure, he had to bleed.

The thought of the final missing material weighed on him. The pressure was mounting.

*I need to accelerate the accumulation of wealth,* he thought.

Fortunately, the workshop opened tomorrow. With his current reputation, the return on investment should be swift.

He stored the materials away and turned his gaze to the bright moon outside the window, his mind already calculating the next moves on the chessboard.

Repairing the Turtle-Snake Lamp was only one step away. But first, Duobao Workshop had to drive its roots deep into the Holy City.

***

The next morning, as the first light of dawn pierced the sky, the street in front of Duobao Workshop was already a cauldron of noise.

The entire avenue was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with cultivators who had come to witness the ceremony. From a distance, it looked like a dark, shifting tide of humanity.

“Venerable Zi Yun’s Residence has arrived!”

A high-pitched announcement cut through the din. The crowd parted like the Red Sea.

A delegation of cultivators in purple-gold Daoist robes advanced with solemn grace. The lead manager carried a box of purple sandalwood. Inside lay a thousand-year-old Fire Ganoderma, its rich fire spirit aura rippling through the air like heat waves.

“The Celestial Venerable commands us to deliver this gift and wishes Master Wang prosperous business,” the manager said, bowing respectfully. “The Celestial Venerable also extends an invitation: when Master has time, please visit the residence for a discussion.”

Shen Xian accepted the gift calmly. He felt the envious gazes of the crowd prickling his skin, but his mind remained cool.

The connection with the Celestial Venerable had been established at the perfect moment. It was a relationship that needed careful cultivation.

“There is no issue,” Shen Xian replied smoothly. “If Young Master Zi Chen wishes to deepen his understanding of forging, he is welcome anytime. I will do my utmost to clarify his doubts.”

The manager nodded, pleased.

Just as the gift was accepted, a commotion erupted from the far end of the street.

“Master Shen You of the Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce has arrived!”

The crowd boiled over with excitement.

The fifth-rank forging Master had come in person, trailed by eight disciples bearing a massive, emerald-green alchemy furnace.

“Young friend Wang,” Shen You said, his face wreathed in a broad smile. “This Azure Nether Cauldron was my companion in my youth. Today, I present it to your workshop as a congratulatory gift.”

Gasps sucked the air from the street.

Even a novice could see that the cauldron was a Low-grade True Spirit Treasure!

In the open market, such an item would command at least a hundred thousand High Grade Spirit Stones.

But the shocks were not over. Shen You produced a jade token. “This is the Chamber’s ‘Heaven’ rank VIP token. With this, you hold priority access to all Chamber resources.”

Shen Xian accepted the token with a solemn nod, though internally, he was pleased.

With this token, the search for the Divine Silence Quicksand would be significantly streamlined.

As they exchanged pleasantries, a dragon’s roar shattered the atmosphere, echoing from the heavens.

Nine flood dragons tore through the clouds, pulling a golden chariot that gleamed like a second sun. Standing atop the chariot was an old man in brocade robes.

“It’s the Managing Elder of the Hundred Arts Sect!” someone screamed.

The old man descended. It was Elder Mo, whom Shen Xian had met briefly in Azure Nether City.

“Fellow Daoist Wang, it has been a long time!” Elder Mo laughed heartily.

He produced a jade scroll. “This is the ‘Essentials of Artifact Patterns’ from my Hundred Arts Sect. I hope Fellow Daoist will accept this humble offering.”

The weight of this gift made the eyes of every forger present turn red with jealousy.

The forging heritage of the Hundred Arts Sect was a treasure trove of knowledge. But more importantly, a direct connection to the Hundred Arts Sect was a dream many chased but never caught.

Shen Xian was about to express his thanks when the air suddenly grew heavy.

A familiar Pressure descended—not an attack, but the sheer gravitational weight of a powerful existence.

Wei Tianshan, the Ancestor of the Wei family, stepped through the air. Behind him were over ten Wei family disciples, each bearing a gift box.

“Young friend Wang,” Wei Tianshan beamed, his aura retracting into a grandfatherly warmth. “This old man has come specifically to beg for a cup of celebratory wine.”

He waved his hand. The gift boxes snapped open in unison, sending pillars of treasure light shooting into the sky.

The most arresting sight was a fist-sized golden crystal, its surface etched with naturally occurring, profound patterns.

“Is that… Sun Essence Gold?” a knowledgeable cultivator cried out, his voice cracking.

Wei Tianshan smiled. “I heard the Master is searching for forging materials. Consider this piece of Sun Essence Gold merely adding flowers to brocade.”

Shen Xian chuckled internally.

*Old fox.*

Wei Tianshan had clearly timed his arrival to exploit Shen Xian’s urgent need for materials, maximizing the favor.

As the sun climbed higher, the procession of powers continued.

The pile of congratulatory gifts in front of the workshop grew into a small mountain, eliciting waves of shock from the onlookers.

“This scale… it rivals the grand opening of the Hundred Arts Sect’s branch!”

“Nonsense! Have you ever seen a forger who could command the personal attendance of both Venerable Zi Yun and the Wei Family Ancestor?”

***

Su Mu, flanked by two maidservants, weaved through the VIPs, arranging seating with the grace of a court diplomat. Ai Xiao was buried in paperwork, frantically registering the flood of orders. Tie Shan stood at the entrance, chest puffed out so far it threatened to burst, basking in the flattery of the crowd as if it were his own.

Shen Xian stood at the main entrance, surveying the scene. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly.

Less than a month.

From a nameless arrival to the focal point of the Holy City’s elite. The feeling of absolute control… was intoxicating.

He raised his hand and gave a casual wave.

The massive doors of Duobao Workshop groaned open.

Simultaneously, eighteen earth fire vents erupted. Golden-red flames surged into the sky, weaving together with impossible precision to form the image of *’A Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix.’*

The crowd erupted in thunderous cheers.

“Duobao Workshop is open!”