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

Chapter 301: The Treasure Hall is Born; Return to the Holy City

Shen Xian retrieved a communication jade slip, spiritual light dancing at his fingertips as he prepared to summon his eldest disciple, Ai Xiao.

With the earth fire stabilized and the ancient treasure fully integrated into the ley lines, the heavy lifting was done. The rest was merely logistics.

Two days later, a streak of cyan light tore through the horizon.

The moment Ai Xiao touched down, he staggered backward, his boots skidding on the dirt as if physically struck by the view before him.

His eyes widened to the point of pain, a tempest of shock raging in his heart.

Before him, nine pillars of concentrated Spiritual Qi pierced the heavens, connecting the sky to the earth. The valley was shrouded in a thick, iridescent spiritual mist. Patches of crimson Tian Gong grass swayed in the wind, each blade radiating an intoxicating, rhythmic hum of power.

In the two days prior, Shen Xian had already laid down several array formations to prepare the foundation for the sect’s mountain gate.

“Mas… Master…” Ai Xiao’s voice trembled uncontrollably. “This… what is this…”

Shen Xian stood with his hands clasped behind his back, the massive Myriad Spirits Forging Furnace rotating slowly and silently behind him like a dormant beast.

“From this day forth,” Shen Xian said, his voice calm but echoing with authority, “this place is the foundation of the Duobao Sect.”

He pointed a finger toward the center of the valley. “I want you to build the Myriad Spirits Treasure Hall right there.”

Ai Xiao’s heart hammered against his ribs. He knew exactly what this meant. To preside over the construction of a sect’s main hall in a blessed land of this caliber was a Fated Chance that an artifact refiner might not encounter in ten lifetimes!

But most importantly…

His gaze drifted involuntarily to the Myriad Spirits Forging Furnace.

Just looking at it made his blood boil and his spiritual power surge. The ambient energy here was terrifying—far superior to even the most exorbitant cultivation chambers sold in the Holy City.

However, reality quickly set in, and a troubled expression crossed his face. “Master, a project of this scale… I fear it will require…”

He was merely an artifact refiner. To build an entire mountain gate from scratch was a task that overwhelmed him.

“Black Profound City will provide the resources,” Shen Xian interrupted, tossing a jade slip through the air. “This is the blueprint for the Treasure Hall. It is based on the Tian Gong Cloud Script and designed to harmonize with the characteristics of the Nine Nether Fire.”

Ai Xiao caught the jade slip and swept it with his Divine Sense. A sharp gasp hissed through his teeth.

*This… this isn’t a building.*

*It’s a colossal Dharma Treasure!*

The main pillars required smelting Profound Nether Essence Gold; the roof tiles had to be individually branded with artifact patterns; even the floor tiles required the engraving of microscopic spirit-gathering arrays.

An ordinary faction would bankrupt itself trying to lay the foundation, let alone finish it!

But then he remembered.

His Master was the Vice City Lord of Black Profound City. With such authority, mobilizing these resources was as easy as waving a hand.

“This disciple will dedicate his life to this task!” Ai Xiao dropped to one knee, a fanatical fire igniting in his eyes.

If this hall were successfully built, the Duobao Sect would finally have a true sanctuary—a fortress from which they could expand endlessly.

***

In the days that followed, Ai Xiao became a man possessed. He shuttled tirelessly between Burning Heaven Valley and Black Profound City, knowing no rest.

He personally supervised the smelting of every ingot of Profound Nether Essence Gold. He agonized over the flow of every artifact pattern. He demanded that the angle of every roof tile be precise to the millimeter.

The usually gentle Senior Brother transformed into a tyrant of perfection. When he caught a junior disciple slacking off, he erupted in a rare, thunderous rage.

“This is the foundation of our Sect for the next ten thousand years! I will not tolerate a single speck of mediocrity!”

Three months later.

The Myriad Spirits Treasure Hall was finished.

Ai Xiao stood before the main entrance, staring at the masterpiece he had birthed with his own hands. His trembling hands were not from fatigue, but from awe. The density of Spiritual Qi inside the hall was more than ten times that of the outside world.

But the true miracle happened a moment later.

The instant the final array locked into place, the Tian Gong grass in the valley began to grow with unnatural speed. Vines surged up the walls of the hall, weaving through the architecture and bearing crimson-gold spiritual fruits upon the glazed tiles.

The fruits bore natural artifact patterns on their skin. When the wind blew, they didn’t rustle—they chimed with the clear, resonant sound of metal clashing against metal.

This was the influence of a supreme treasure altering the laws of nature. From this moment on, this valley was the undisputed heart of the Duobao Sect.

“Master, I have not failed your mission!” Ai Xiao approached Shen Xian, his face flushed with exhaustion and triumph.

Shen Xian nodded with satisfaction. He raised a hand and flicked a spell formula into the air.

Above the main gate, four massive characters—*Myriad Spirits Treasure Hall*—suddenly ignited. They were not carved; they were formed from flowing, living streams of Nine Nether Fire.

“This is only the beginning,” Shen Xian said, his gaze sweeping the valley. “Next comes the Artifact Refining Hall, the Scripture Repository, the disciple residences…”

He gestured to the surrounding cliffs, painting a picture of a thriving, majestic sect that existed, for now, only in his mind.

Ai Xiao listened, his imagination running wild, his heart swelling with anticipation. He felt the heavy, glorious weight of his responsibility as the First Disciple.

“Master, this disciple will execute your will with everything he has!” Ai Xiao declared, his expression solemn.

Shen Xian gave a slight nod and waved his hand, producing a small mountain of Pills and cultivation resources.

“You’ve worked hard. Take these. Use the environment of this ancient treasure to focus on your cultivation. I expect you to break through soon.”

These resources had been looted from the Storage Ring of the Cold Moon Palace’s Holy Son. Neither Shen Xian nor Qiu Ruoli had use for them, so they were best suited for his disciple.

Ai Xiao stared at the pile of wealth, his pupils constricting.

His Adam’s apple bobbed, and his eyes rimmed with red. “Master… this is too precious…”

“If I tell you to take it, take it. If you don’t get stronger, how do you expect to hold the title of Senior Brother of the Duobao Sect?” Shen Xian frowned slightly, his tone brooking no argument.

Ai Xiao’s spirit shook.

*Right. I am the Senior Brother.*

If he remained stuck in the early Nascent Soul Realm, he would become a laughingstock, dragging his Master’s reputation down with him.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the urge to refuse out of politeness.

“This disciple will cultivate in seclusion and break through as soon as possible. I will never let down Master’s cultivation!” He raised his head, his face set in stone, his voice ringing with conviction.

In that moment, the man made a silent vow to follow Shen Xian until the end of time.

Shen Xian didn’t say more. He turned and left the valley.

The rest was up to Ai Xiao.

Before departing for the Holy City, Shen Xian contacted Yan Hao.

As one of the five commanders of the Black Dragon Guards, Yan Hao possessed both status and terrifying strength. Currently, the Duobao Sect’s biggest weakness was a lack of high-level combatants to hold the fort.

Shen Xian arranged for Yan Hao to station a detachment of Black Dragon Guards near Burning Heaven Valley to deter any opportunistic rats. Given Shen Xian’s status as Vice City Lord, Yan Hao accepted the order without hesitation, dispatching a squad of formidable cultivators.

With the security arrangements in place, Shen Xian returned to the Holy City.

Building a mountain gate wasn’t something that could be finished overnight. Ai Xiao could handle the physical construction. Shen Xian had a more important battlefield: expanding the Sect’s influence and recruiting powerhouses.

The key to this lay in the artifact refining grand finals, six months from now.

The date was fast approaching. Numerous Tier-5 Artifact Refiners would be participating, and a Tier-6 Grandmaster from the Hundred Arts Sect would be presiding over the event. It was the perfect stage to shake the world.

Secondly, there was the newly completed Myriad Spirits Treasure Hall.

The hall wasn’t just for show; it could accelerate cultivation and enhance artifact refining success rates. Even before the rest of the sect was built, it could serve as a cultivation holy land to attract talent.

*I’ll discuss the marketing with Su Mu when I get back,* Shen Xian mused.

That sort of scheme was better suited for his second disciple.

For now, the priority was Qiu Ruoli’s breakthrough.

Personal strength was the only absolute truth in this world. Being stuck at the late Nascent Soul stage was becoming inconvenient; there were too many restrictions on what he could do.

*Come to think of it, ever since I repaired the Turtle-Snake Lamp, I haven’t had a chance to dual cultivate with it.*

He wondered what new changes the artifact had undergone.

Lost in thought, Shen Xian arrived back at his residence.

The door opened, and Qiu Ruoli walked out. Dressed in a flowing white dress, she looked as pure and transcendent as a descending immortal.

Shen Xian looked her over, his eyes flickering as he checked the system interface.

*Cooldown.*

Because he had gifted her an ancient treasure recently, the Cooldown for the system’s gifting mechanic hadn’t expired yet. He had intended to give her the ancient alchemy inheritance, but it seemed that would have to wait.

“What is it?” Qiu Ruoli asked curiously, seeing him return so suddenly.

Shen Xian retracted his thoughts and looked at her, a meaningful smile playing on his lips.

“It’s time for dual cultivation.”