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

Chapter 273: Overflowing Coffers and the Earth Fire Advantage

As Shen Xian’s voice faded, a crystalline bell tolled through the workshop, its resonance clearing the minds of all present.

Boom!

Eighteen vents of Earth Fire erupted simultaneously, spewing pillars of golden-red flame. Under invisible manipulation, the fire twisted and coalesced in mid-air, searing the four massive characters—**Duobao Workshop**—into the vision of the crowd. The display drew a thunderous roar of approval from the gathered cultivators.

Ai Xiao hurried over, clutching the registration ledger. His hands trembled slightly, not from fear, but from the sheer adrenaline of wealth. “Master, the doors have been open for less than an hour, and we’ve already locked in forty-seven orders for spiritual treasures!”

He flipped the ledger open, tapping the first few lines with a shaking finger. “Just Venerable Zi Yun’s residence alone commissioned three top-grade spiritual treasures. They put down a deposit of 300,000 high-grade Spirit Stones on the spot!”

Tie Shan stood to the side, counting on his thick fingers. His copper-bell eyes widened until they looked ready to pop. “Gods above! At this rate, we’re going to clear over a million Spirit Stones in a single day!”

Su Mu, in contrast, remained the picture of elegance. She organized the order slips with fluid grace, though a shrewd, predatory light danced in her eyes. “This is merely the appetizer. I’ve received intelligence that Elders from other major factions are currently en route.”

She lowered her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. “Specifically, the Heavenly Sword Sect. Rumor has it they intend to commission a batch of life-bound flying swords. Their budget is estimated to be well over a million Spirit Stones.”

Listening to his disciples’ reports, the curve of Shen Xian’s lips sharpened.

At this velocity, the 4 million Spirit Stones he had sunk into raw materials would be recouped in less than half a month. If he could secure the Heavenly Sword Sect’s massive contract, he might even scrape together enough for the Divine Silence Quicksand.

However…

One hundred high-grade Spirit Crystals remained a staggering sum.

On the workshop floor, the visiting cultivators were in a state of fervor.

An elderly Master Artificer, his hair white as snow, ran a trembling hand over a spiritual treasure displayed on a pedestal. “These artifact patterns… this thermal equilibrium…” His voice cracked with awe. “I have studied the Dao of Artifacts for three hundred years, yet I have never witnessed such exquisite craftsmanship!”

“Master Wang!” A cultivator in opulent robes shoved his way to the front, eyes bloodshot with desire. “I am willing to pay double the standard rate! I beg you, please prioritize my order!”

While Shen Xian wouldn’t necessarily forge every item personally, this man was willing to pay a premium for the *chance*—and for the priority status.

“I’ll pay triple!”

“Five times!”

The bidding war erupted instantly, the atmosphere teetering on the brink of chaos.

Seeing the situation escalate, Su Mu stepped forward, her demeanor radiating calm authority. “Honored guests, please compose yourselves. My Master’s forging follows the dictates of fate and karmic affinity. It is not merely a question of who bids the highest.”

Her words were flawless—diplomatic enough not to offend, yet arrogant enough to elevate Shen Xian’s status to that of an untouchable grandmaster.

Ai Xiao leaned in close to Shen Xian, whispering, “Master, with this volume of orders, we won’t finish them in two years. Should we cap the intake?”

Shen Xian waved a hand dismissively. “No rush. Scarcity breeds value.”

His gaze swept over the hall, observing the frantic guests with cool detachment.

Were they not clamoring precisely because his spiritual treasures were difficult to obtain? Let them wait. The anticipation would only sweeten the price.

Tie Shan appeared, grinning as he hefted a Storage Ring filled to the brim with glittering currency. “Master, look! Just half a day’s work, and the deposits alone are a mountain!”

***

As the setting sun cast long shadows and the final guest reluctantly departed, the workshop’s storage was piled high with rare materials and mountains of Spirit Stones.

The three disciples sat around a table, their faces glowing with an exhaustion that couldn’t mask their euphoria.

“Total orders for the day: 83. Total deposits received: 2,700,000 high-grade Spirit Stones.” Ai Xiao closed the ledger, his voice hushed with disbelief. “And that is *only* the deposits…”

Su Mu gently fingered the jade token left by the Heavenly Sword Sect as a down payment. “Once this batch is delivered, the name of Duobao Workshop will dominate the entire Holy City.”

Shen Xian watched his disciples’ excitement, a sense of satisfaction settling in his chest.

With this workshop, he wasn’t just printing money; he was driving a stake into the heart of the Holy City’s power structure. He looked out the window at the rising moon, the path of his future plans illuminating clearly in his mind.

***

Morning sunlight filtered through the lattice windows, casting geometric shadows across the forging room. Shen Xian stepped into the workshop, his stride light and his aura vibrant.

After a night of dual cultivation, his essence was refined, his cultivation base advanced, and his spirit exceptionally full.

Inside, the three disciples were already at their stations.

Ai Xiao was completely absorbed in fine-tuning the Earth Fire Formation, beads of sweat glistening on his forehead. Tie Shan swung a massive hammer, rhythmically pounding a slab of crimson metal, sending showers of sparks flying with every impact. Su Mu moved like a dancer, categorizing and arranging the chaotic pile of forging materials with elegant precision.

Shen Xian nodded in approval and approached his personal forging platform.

With a casual flick of his sleeve, dozens of rare materials streamed out of his Storage Ring, hovering in perfect formation above the table.

These were the priority commissions—materials from Venerable Zi Yun’s residence and the Heavenly Sword Sect. They had specifically requested his personal touch.

“This batch carries significant weight. I will handle it personally,” Shen Xian announced, his tone carrying a rare gravity.

He tapped a finger against the air, invoking the dormant power beneath the floor.

This was the perfect opportunity to show the Holy City the difference between a blacksmith and a god of the forge.

Shen Xian’s eyes sharpened, his aura undergoing a terrifying transformation. The relaxed shopkeeper vanished, replaced by a presence as sharp and cold as an unsheathed blade.

*Boom!*

Eighteen tongues of golden-red flame roared from the vents, weaving together into a complex net of thermal energy under his absolute control.

With a low command, over a dozen rare materials levitated and descended into the Burning Heaven Cauldron.

Shen Xian’s gaze narrowed. The *Li Fire True Seal* on his forehead pulsed with light as the thunder-fire of the cauldron merged seamlessly with the surging Earth Fire.

Resonance.

With the Earth Fire acting as a fuel source, the smelting speed didn’t just improve—it tripled.

Under the dual assault of the flames, the materials surrendered.

The notoriously stubborn Star Iron, a material that typically required three days of constant heat to soften, liquefied into a brilliant, flowing stream in a mere three hours.

Shen Xian’s hands moved in a blur of seals. The liquid metal flowed through the air like water, impurities vaporizing instantly as the Earth Fire purged the essence.

Feeling the temperature respond to his will, Shen Xian felt a surge of secret delight.

The sustainability of the Earth Fire was staggering. If he had relied solely on the *Burning Heaven Cauldron’s* internal thunder-fire, maintaining this intensity would have drained his spiritual reserves dry.

*But if I could obtain the legendary Source Fire…*

The thought of the Hundred Arts Sect’s final reward sparked a flash of hunger in Shen Xian’s eyes.

The Source Fire was the Hundred Arts Sect’s supreme secret, a unique flame never taught to outsiders. It was rarity personified.

A Three-Source Fire could rival the Earth Fire itself, sufficient for the highest tiers of alchemy and artifact forging.

But more importantly, it offered freedom. If he possessed it, he would no longer be tethered to specific locations or ley lines. He could smelt the heavens and forge the earth anytime, anywhere.

As the smelting continued, Shen Xian’s technique entered a state of flow.

One moment, he commanded the Earth Fire to spin like a violent tornado; the next, the flames became as gentle as a spring drizzle, caressing the molten metal.

Every material was processed at its absolute critical temperature. There was no waste. No error. Only perfection.

At this velocity, a task estimated to take ten days would be finished in three.

To the side, the three disciples had long since abandoned their work, staring at the spectacle with slack jaws.

Tie Shan’s mouth hung open. “By the ancestors… Master’s smelting technique… I could train for ten lifetimes and never touch the hem of that robe!”

Ai Xiao stared unblinkingly, terrified that blinking would cost him a glimpse of enlightenment. “To think the fusion of Earth Fire and Thunder Fire could bend reality like this…”

Several hours later.

Shen Xian retracted his aura. Dozens of spheres of purified liquid metal hovered in the air, radiating pure spiritual energy. He nodded, satisfied.

With the Earth Fire’s aid, the Heavenly Sword Sect’s massive order was no longer a burden, but a breeze.

However…

He looked toward the horizon, his gaze piercing through the workshop walls.

*If I obtain the Source Fire, this timeframe shrinks again. A top-grade spiritual treasure could be forged in half a month.*

The Source Fire. That was the true prize.