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

Chapter 290: News of Materials, Departure for Snowstorm City

One year later.

In the span of a single year, the Duobao Sect had undergone a metamorphosis that shook the very foundations of the cultivation world.

As Shen Xian’s reputation as the “Duobao True Monarch” thundered through the Holy City, the sect—built entirely upon the art of artifact forging—expanded with terrifying speed. It had established a dual-core dominion: the Holy City as its forward outpost, and Black Profound City as its unshakeable foundation.

The headquarters in the Holy City had sprawled to triple its original size. Twelve towering Artifact Forging Pagodas breathed spiritual fire day and night, the crimson glow illuminating the sky and drawing cultivators from every corner of the realm like moths to a flame.

Meanwhile, the branch in Black Profound City leveraged Shen Xian’s privileges as Deputy City Lord to transform half of Vermilion Bird Street into the “Myriad Treasures Market.” The auction held on the first of every month invariably featured one or two True Spirit Treasures, cementing its status as the premier gold-rush destination for every cultivator in the Sacred Land.

Internally, the sect had evolved into a precision machine.

The Hundred Forging Hall, commanded by Ai Xiao, specialized in the mass production of standard spiritual treasures, flooding the market with high-quality war implements. The Cloudsoar Hall, managed by Su Mu and anchored by the Tier-5 Grandmaster Lu Tingwei, focused exclusively on high-end, bespoke commissions. With thirty-seven newly inducted disciples manning their posts, the sect was thriving with an unstoppable momentum.

Although they still lacked a traditional mountain gate, everyone understood the reality: the Duobao Sect had become a titan that could no longer be ignored.

A saying now circulated through the Dao Xuan Sacred Land: “To seek a Spirit Treasure is to bow before Duobao.”

Though this nascent sect had not yet officially joined the ranks of the top-tier superpowers, its monopoly on high-level forging made it a unique existence—a force that no faction dared to offend lightly.

And the source of this upheaval was a young man who, with maddening modesty, insisted on calling himself an “ordinary artifact forger.”

***

On this day, Shen Xian completed yet another commission, birthing a new True Spirit Treasure into the world.

As the artifact cooled, the sensation of his own cultivation stirring became undeniable. The barrier to the next level felt paper-thin; perhaps just a few more forgings would push him into the ranks of a Tier-6 Artifact Forger.

He savored the feeling. The satisfaction derived from genuine effort and tangible improvement was a distinct pleasure, different from the cold efficiency of the System.

It was a pity that forging True Spirit Treasures was such an exhausting, time-consuming endeavor. Furthermore, the materials were rare. To successfully forge several pieces in a single year was already a feat bordering on the miraculous.

This speed was only possible thanks to the logistical support of Black Profound City and the accumulated resources of the Hundred Forging Pavilion.

Stepping out of the refining chamber, Shen Xian walked into the courtyard. He looked at his familiar rattan chair and let out a long, contented sigh.

It had been a long time since he had truly rested.

He collapsed into the chair, brewed a pot of spirit tea to soothe his mind, and gazed up at the azure dome of the sky.

The fulfillment of hard work did not clash with his naturally idle nature; in fact, he found this balance quite agreeable. It was certainly more interesting than his days in the Southern Border.

Idly, he glanced at the blood-jade ring on his index finger. Inside, High Grade Spirit Stones were piled up like mountains, alongside a considerable stash of ordinary Spirit Crystals.

The goal of one hundred High Grade Spirit Crystals was no longer a distant dream.

Riding the wave of his skyrocketing reputation, and after deducting the sect’s massive operating costs, he had already secured half the required amount.

If this trend held, he would gather the full hundred within five years. Then, the path to the Sky Dome Sacred Land would be open.

Five years.

Shen Xian’s eyes narrowed slightly.

For an ordinary cultivator, five years was nothing—barely enough time to stabilize a realm, let alone break through to the Deity Transformation Realm.

But for him?

He might very well skip a stage and ascend directly to the Void Refining Realm!

Of course, that depended entirely on Qiu Ruoli’s… diligence.

Fortunately, the woman seemed to have completely resigned herself to her fate. With his “assistance” in cultivation, her progress had been rapid. She was on the verge of another breakthrough.

When that happened, the System’s hundredfold return would trigger. Shen Xian wondered if that surge would be enough to propel him into the Deity Transformation Realm in a single step.

Just as he was calculating the odds, the communication jade slip inside his blood-jade ring vibrated violently.

“Master Wang, we have news on the Divine Silence Quicksand!” Zhao Wuchen’s voice transmitted clearly, laced with excitement.

Shen Xian sat up instantly, the lethargy vanishing from his eyes.

The final material for the *Tortoise Snake Lamp*.

Once that ancient artifact was repaired, the efficiency of his dual cultivation with Qiu Ruoli would skyrocket. His cultivation speed would accelerate beyond reason. Moreover, a fully restored Cave Profound Supreme Treasure would serve as his ultimate trump card—a weapon of mass destruction in his pocket.

He immediately contacted Zhao Wuchen for details.

The intelligence was solid: the Divine Silence Quicksand would be up for auction in one month at Snowstorm City.

“Snowstorm City…” Shen Xian murmured the name.

It was the third-largest metropolis in the Dao Xuan Sacred Land, second only to Black Profound City in military might, guarded by several Void Refining Celestial Venerables. Located in the northeast, it was a place of perpetual winter.

More importantly, it sat on the chaotic fringe of the Sacred Land’s territory.

It was a lawless melting pot where dragons and snakes mixed together. The factions within the city were a tangled mess of warlords and criminal syndicates, with no unified authority.

Traveling there required caution.

However, safety was not a concern for Shen Xian.

He sent a transmission directly to Venerable Zi Yun.

The Void Refining expert was currently the Duobao Sect’s premier enforcer. Naturally, he would accompany Shen Xian on this trip.

Upon receiving the summons, Venerable Zi Yun accepted without hesitation.

***

Three days later.

After delegating specific tasks to his disciples and leaving strict instructions for Qiu Ruoli, Shen Xian headed to the Sacred City’s Teleportation Hall with Venerable Zi Yun.

They arrived at the grand entrance.

Shen Xian walked in the lead, dressed in a flowing black robe embroidered with subtle cloud patterns, his steps leisurely and confident. Behind him, Venerable Zi Yun walked with his hands clasped behind his back, a faint, terrifying aura of gathering storm clouds swirling around his form.

The moment this duo appeared in the teleportation district, the Nascent Soul cultivator on duty turned pale and rushed forward.

“Master Wang! Celestial Venerable!” The commander of the guard bowed deeply, his posture humble to the point of subservience. “Your presence brings light to our humble hall!”

Notably, he placed the title “Master Wang” *before* the Celestial Venerable. It was a deliberate, calculated choice to show exactly who held the true power in the Holy City’s social hierarchy.

Shen Xian nodded slightly, acknowledging the greeting.

He recalled his first arrival in the Sacred City, when a minor steward had treated him with disdain. Now, even the commanders of the guard bent their spines before him.

Power truly changed everything.

Ahead, the Profound Jade Platform housing the teleportation array had already been cleared of civilians. Twelve Golden Core cultivators stood at attention in two rigid lines, creating a path of honor.

As Shen Xian stepped onto the platform engraved with complex spatial runes, the ground beneath him erupted with the light of thirty-six stars.

This was the “Zhou Tian Star Dipper Teleportation Array”—a premium channel reserved exclusively for Void Refining Celestial Venerables.

“The weather in Snowstorm City is notoriously vile,” the head Formation Master said, offering an ingratiating smile as he personally calibrated the coordinates. “I have taken the liberty of reinforcing the spatial barrier for your comfort.”

Venerable Zi Yun let out a soft grunt of acknowledgement. He flicked his finger, sending three ordinary Spirit Crystals flying through the air to embed themselves precisely into the array’s power core.

The warm-up process, which typically took half a quarter of an hour, was forcibly compressed to three breaths by the surge of high-grade energy.

Shen Xian stood with his hands behind his back, watching the space around him begin to ripple and distort. His gaze was calm, analytical.

As a Tier-5 Artifact Forger, he could now perceive the subtle threads of spatial laws weaving together. The sensation was far clearer than it had been when he first arrived.

*If I could establish a private teleportation network…* The thought took root in his mind.

If he could link the cities directly, he could monopolize commerce across the entire Sacred Land. The Duobao Sect would ascend from a wealthy merchant sect to a true logistical empire.

“Master Wang, please.” The guard commander respectfully presented a talisman carved from warm jade with both hands. “This artifact repels the extreme frost of Snowstorm City. A small token of respect from the City Lord’s Mansion.”

Shen Xian accepted it with a nod.

Within the massive array, only he and Zi Yun stood.

Normally, the Sacred City’s teleportation arrays required a full quota of travelers before activation to save costs. But for Shen Xian and a Celestial Venerable, the rules were merely suggestions.

*BOOM!*

The array activated. Starlight flooded the hall, constructing a colossal tunnel through the void.

Majestic spatial forces surged from all directions, wrapping around the two figures like a cocoon. Silver light exploded outward, devouring their vision and twisting the fabric of reality.

In an instant, they vanished.

Destination: Snowstorm City.