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

Chapter 275: Poison in the Forge; The Mastermind Revealed

Following the delivery of the first batch of Spirit Treasures from the Duobao Workshop, a significant wave of shock rippled through the artifact refining circles of the Holy City.

“Master!” Ai Xiao strode briskly into the refining chamber, cradling a stack of gilded invitations in his hands. “The Sword Pavilion sent an envoy with gifts of gratitude. They claim the quality of the Azure Spirit Swords you refined far exceeded their expectations. They wish to place an additional order immediately!”

Tie Shan grinned, his teeth flashing in the firelight. “Heh! I told you so. Master’s craftsmanship speaks for itself—anyone who uses it knows the difference!”

Su Mu took the invitations, a shrewd glint flashing in her eyes. “It isn’t just the Sword Pavilion. The Profound Ice Valley and the Crimson Flame Sect have also sent representatives to inquire about jumping the queue for additional orders.”

She paused for effect. “Especially the Profound Ice Valley. They are willing to pay double the deposit.”

Shen Xian stood by the earth fire vent, a faint, imperceptible smile touching the corners of his mouth.

The response to the first batch was even better than anticipated.

Originally, he had merely intended to use these artifacts to stabilize the workshop’s reputation. He hadn’t expected the results to be quite this explosive. The great clans and ancient families were pragmatic to the bone; if the Spirit Treasures were merely “good,” they would never flock to him like this.

Now, the orders were surging.

*It seems the time to consider taking formal disciples has arrived…*

However, to attract true refining geniuses, his current reputation was still insufficient.

Unless…

His gaze sharpened, turning contemplative.

*Unless I do something to truly shake the foundations of the Holy City before the Hundred Arts Sect Grand Gathering.*

“Master?” Su Mu called out softly, seeing him lost in thought.

Shen Xian withdrew from his calculations, his expression returning to its usual calm. “First, arrange this current batch of orders properly. We proceed as planned.”

“Yes, Master!”

The group returned to their stations.

Inside the refining chamber, the earth fire surged and receded, waves of scorching heat rolling through the air.

Ai Xiao held a semi-finished Azure Spirit Sword blank, fine beads of sweat gathering on his forehead. He took a deep breath, condensing spiritual power at his fingertips. Just as he was about to inscribe the final, critical artifact pattern, his wrist gave a sudden, violent tremble—

*Sss!*

A faint fluctuation of spiritual power deviated from its intended trajectory. Instantly, a discordant, jagged pattern scarred the sword blank.

“Eldest Senior Brother?” Su Mu, working nearby, keenly sensed the irregularity. Her brows furrowed slightly.

Ai Xiao shook his head, forcing a strained smile. “It’s nothing. Perhaps I’ve just been too fatigued these past few days.”

Tie Shan set down his heavy forging hammer, his voice gruff with concern. “Why don’t you rest a bit? I can take over forging this blank.”

“No need.” Ai Xiao steadied himself, his eyes narrowing as he gathered his spiritual power once more. “This batch cannot be delayed. I…”

Before he could finish the sentence, his face drained of all color. The sword blank in his hand clattered to the floor with a harsh metallic ring.

*Pfft—!*

A mouthful of blood sprayed from his lips. Ai Xiao staggered backward, the spiritual power around his body descending into chaos. It was the unmistakable sign of Qi Deviation!

“Senior Brother!” Su Mu’s expression changed drastically as she rushed forward to support him.

Tie Shan reacted on instinct, pulling out a bottle of pills and fumbling to stuff them into Ai Xiao’s mouth with trembling hands.

Shen Xian, who had been smelting a different batch of materials, saw the collapse. His gaze turned instantly cold. In a flicker of movement, he vanished from his spot and reappeared at Ai Xiao’s side.

He pressed two fingers against Ai Xiao’s glabella, a strand of Divine Sense shooting out to probe the disciple’s internal state.

*Spiritual power flowing in reverse… Meridians blocked…*

*No. That’s not it.*

Shen Xian’s eyes sharpened into dangerous slits.

His attainment as a Tier-4 Poison Master allowed him to immediately detect the anomaly. Deep within Ai Xiao’s Dantian, a wisp of extremely faint, gray-black aura was coiled like a viper, continuously eroding his spiritual power.

*This is… Spirit-Eroding Powder?!*

He abruptly turned his head, his gaze locking onto the fallen Azure Spirit Sword blank.

On the surface of the metal, within a microscopic crack, an unnatural, dark blue luster shimmered faintly.

“Everyone, step back!”

Shen Xian waved his sleeve, manifesting a barrier of spiritual power that shoved the others away. He reached out with a grasping motion, and the sword blank levitated, hovering suspended above his palm.

“Master, what is…?” Su Mu’s voice was tight with fear.

Shen Xian did not answer. The Li Fire True Seal on his forehead flickered, and a strand of violent thunderfire separated from the Burning Heaven Cauldron, enveloping the sword blank in a roaring embrace.

*Sizzle…*

Under the merciless scorching of the thunderfire, several drops of dark blue liquid began to seep out from the metal’s pores, emitting an extremely faint, cloyingly sweet scent.

*Nether Spring Water.*

Shen Xian’s eyes were as cold as glacial ice.

Nether Spring Water itself was non-toxic, but it was the perfect carrier for Spirit-Eroding Powder, capable of blending seamlessly into refining materials without leaving a trace. If Ai Xiao hadn’t been in prolonged contact with it, coupled with his excessive mental exertion weakening his defenses, the poison likely wouldn’t have triggered so quickly.

Shen Xian immediately turned his gaze toward the batch of Spirit Treasures Ai Xiao had been working on. He expanded his Divine Sense, sweeping over the materials being used by the other two disciples as well.

Time seemed to freeze.

Moments later, with surgical precision, he telekinetically separated every single material contaminated with the Nether Spring Water.

“Ma… Master…” Ai Xiao opened his eyes weakly, shame written on his face. “This disciple is incompetent…”

“It is not your fault,” Shen Xian said, his voice low and steady. He placed a hand on Ai Xiao’s back, channeling a strand of pure, refined thunderfire into the young man’s body. “Focus your spirit and calm your mind. I will expel the poison for you.”

As the thunderfire invaded his system, Ai Xiao grunted in pain, veins bulging on his forehead.

However, the wisp of gray-black aura stood no chance. In the face of Shen Xian’s thunderfire, it melted away like snow beneath a blazing sun.

Su Mu and Tie Shan held their breath, terrified to make a sound. The entire refining chamber was silent, save for the rhythmic roaring of the earth fire and Ai Xiao’s heavy, ragged breathing.

A moment later, Shen Xian withdrew his hand. Ai Xiao’s face had regained a semblance of color.

*It is fortunate I have already mastered the arts of a Tier-4 Poison Master,* Shen Xian thought dispassionately. *Otherwise, neutralizing this toxin would not have been such a trivial matter.*

“Thank you, Master…” Ai Xiao struggled, attempting to rise and bow.

“Lie still. Don’t move.” Shen Xian pressed him back down. He turned, his gaze falling upon the pile of contaminated materials. A terrifying chill radiated from him.

*Spirit-Eroding Powder is a toxin so insidious that typically only a Soul Formation eccentric could perceive it…*

*Someone is trying to destroy the Duobao Workshop’s reputation.*

His gaze swept over the mountain of raw materials piled in the corner. “Who delivered the materials for this batch of Azure Spirit Swords?”

Su Mu quickly flipped through the ledger, her fingers trembling slightly. “It was a merchant who arrived five days ago. He also commissioned a batch of Azure Spirit Swords…”

She stopped mid-sentence, the realization striking her like a physical blow. Her face went pale. “Could it be…”

The Sword Pavilion had also ordered Azure Spirit Swords. For the saboteur to target the exact same type of artifact… this was no coincidence. It was a premeditated strike.

Shen Xian let out a cold sneer. “Inform the Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce. Have them investigate that merchant’s background down to his ancestors.”

He raised his hand and clenched his fist. The thunderfire surged violently, instantly incinerating the floating mass of dark blue liquid into nothingness.

*No matter who it is…*

*Since they dared to reach out their hand, they must be prepared to have their claws chopped off.*

…

Night had fallen, ink-black and heavy. The lights of the Holy City were gradually extinguishing.

Inside the Chenzhou Pavilion, Sun Chenzhou stood by the window. He clutched a communication jade slip in his hand, his knuckles turning white from the force of his grip.

A message had just flashed across the jade surface:

*“Duobao Workshop has discovered the Nether Spring Water. The Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce is investigating the merchant’s origins.”*

As an artifact refiner who had been rooted in the Holy City for many years, Sun Chenzhou naturally possessed his own network of informants. Yet, reading this news, he felt a shock that bordered on vertigo.

“How could they have discovered it so quickly?” His voice trembled, cold sweat beading on his forehead. “Spirit-Eroding Powder… it should be undetectable to anyone below the Soul Formation realm…”

He spun around abruptly, his sleeve catching the teacup on the table.

*Crash!*

Porcelain shards exploded across the floor, but the crisp sound couldn’t mask the violent thumping of his own heart.

*How could Wang Yu have discovered it?!*

*Does he truly have a Soul Formation cultivator backing him?!*

Sun Chenzhou breathed rapidly, pacing back and forth in the room like a trapped animal.

With the Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce involved, tracing the merchant back to him would be child’s play. It was only a matter of time.

He yanked open a hidden compartment in the wall, retrieving a Storage Bag he had prepared for a worst-case scenario.

*I can’t wait any longer…*

*If I run now, there is still time!*

Sun Chenzhou didn’t even spare a moment to notify his disciples. Spiritual power condensed at his fingertips as he activated a movement technique, quietly vanishing into the night.

He could not afford a single second of delay.

He knew the methods of the Heaven-Reaching Chamber of Commerce all too well. Once they set their sights on a target, they could unravel the threads and find him within half a day.

*Black Profound City…*

A ruthless, desperate glint flashed in Sun Chenzhou’s eyes. *I have no choice but to go there.*

He cast one last look at the Chenzhou Pavilion, the place he had ruled for over a thousand years, and gritted his teeth in humiliation.

“Wang Yu…” His voice was a gnashing whisper that dissipated in the cold night wind. “This isn’t over!”