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

Chapter 303: City Plans, Sudden Viral Fame

In response to Shen Xian’s query, Su Mu’s lips curved into a subtle, confident arc. A glint of cunning flashed in her eyes. “Master, please observe your disciple’s craft.”

Spiritual light danced at her fingertips, sketching three distinct strategies in the air.

“The first stratagem: ‘Fabricating Truth from Lies.'” She produced a memory stone, her plan already fully formed. “I will have Senior Brother Ai record the disciples breaking through within the Treasure Hall, focusing specifically on the heaven and earth phenomena during the Spiritual Qi baptism. With some… creative modification, these recordings will allow the viewer to feel the earth-shattering shock of a breakthrough as if they were there in person.”

Shen Xian raised an eyebrow. “Go on.”

His second disciple continued to surprise him. She had essentially reinvented the concept of video editing and post-production special effects.

“The second stratagem: ‘Leveraging Authority to Build Momentum,'” Su Mu continued. “We invite Venerable Zi Yun to experience the facility first, then publicize his endorsement.”

“The guarantee of a Celestial Venerable will make the cultivation world restless.”

Shen Xian couldn’t help but sigh internally. *Isn’t this just the celebrity effect from my previous life?*

“Finally, we rely on the principle that scarcity breeds value!”

Su Mu retrieved a jade slip and began inscribing data rapidly, the blueprint of her scheme complete. “The initial batch of slots will be open exclusively to established powerhouses. We use them to spread the word. Afterward, we will strictly limit the monthly quota for individuals, while leaving the slots for Sects unlimited. This pressure will force many independent cultivators to consider joining our cause just to gain access.”

*Hunger marketing?*

A light of appreciation flashed in Shen Xian’s eyes. Her grasp of consumer psychology was unexpectedly advanced.

He was extremely satisfied. With a nod, he instructed her to begin preparations immediately.

Once Su Mu departed, Shen Xian raised his hand, unfurling a projection of the entire map of Black Profound City.

“The opening of the Myriad Spirits Treasure Hall is a catalyst. Perhaps I can use this opportunity to solidify our influence within the city.” He studied the flickering points of light on the map, deep in thought.

Although Black Profound City was ostensibly under the absolute rule of the Black Profound Celestial Venerable, the internal power structure was far from monolithic.

On the surface, the various local forces behaved with enthusiastic obedience due to Shen Xian’s status. But beneath that veneer of respect lay a labyrinth of schemes and hidden agendas.

If the Duobao Sect wished to stabilize its position here, it had to navigate these relationships perfectly.

This was especially critical given that there was a Void Refining Celestial Venerable looming over his head. Shen Xian did not believe for a second that the Black Profound Celestial Venerable would willingly share half his authority.

The current indifference was merely because Shen Xian’s personal strength was not yet deemed a threat. But the moment he showed his fangs, the other party would likely strike.

In such a scenario, the utility of the other local forces would become paramount.

His gaze swept across the various districts on the map.

Black Profound City was divided into five major zones. The central core was the City Lord’s Mansion—the most prosperous district and the seat of the Black Profound Celestial Venerable’s power. It was an iron fortress that external forces could rarely penetrate.

The remaining four zones, however, were each dominated by a powerful local tyrant.

In the eastern district, where his Burning Heaven Valley was located, the hegemon was the “Murong Family.” This clan had been entrenched in Black Profound City for ten thousand years, possessing terrifyingly deep roots. Their patriarch was a half-step Void Refining Realm powerhouse, and many of their clansmen served in the city’s elite Black Dragon Guards.

The Black Dragon Guards were the sharpest blade of Black Profound City. Their selection process was draconian—one could not even apply without reaching the Nascent Soul Realm—and they answered directly to the Black Profound Celestial Venerable.

Consequently, the Murong Family and the Black Profound Celestial Venerable shared a bond that was difficult to sever.

However…

In the world of Cultivation, there were no eternal enemies, nor eternal friends.

As long as the benefits were sufficient, even blood brothers would draw swords against one another.

“Once the Myriad Spirits Treasure Hall achieves fame, I can privately allocate a few quota slots to them,” Shen Xian decided silently.

This strategy would apply not only to the Murong Family but also to the dominant forces in the southern, western, and northern districts.

If he could forge strong ties with these four regional powers, the Duobao Sect would be able to firmly plant its feet in Black Profound City, regardless of the City Lord’s stance.

…

Ten days later.

In front of the Holy City’s central plaza, a massive memory jade wall, standing over ten feet tall, suddenly roared to life.

In the projection, nine pillars of pure Spiritual Qi erupted into the heavens. Inside the Myriad Spirits Treasure Hall, a Golden Core cultivator was shown shattering the barriers to the Nascent Soul Realm. The resulting heaven and earth phenomena—the swirling vortex of energy during the baptism—caused the surrounding spectators in the plaza to gasp in collective shock.

“That… that Spiritual Qi concentration is at least ten times that of the outside world!” an elderly Nascent Soul cultivator stammered, his voice trembling.

“Look at the Heavenly Works Fruit!” someone shouted, pointing at the crimson-gold fruit growing on the glazed tiles within the image. “It is said that touching it produces the sound of metal and iron, granting miraculous effects for artifact refining!”

Right on cue, the “shills” arranged by Su Mu made their move.

A disciple dressed in Duobao Sect robes “happened” to pass by the crowd, deliberately raising his voice as he spoke to a companion: “I heard Senior Brother Ai say that the first batch of experience slots is strictly reserved for Soul Formation Venerables…”

Before the sentence was even finished, the expressions of the cultivators in the crowd shifted drastically.

Not long after, the final blow landed: Venerable Zi Yun appeared to give a personal testimonial, confirming the terrifying efficacy of the location.

Phrases like “One day of cultivation here equals ten days outside” and “Artifacts refined here gain inherent spirituality” struck the hearts of the city’s cultivators like heavy war hammers.

Just as Su Mu had predicted, the endorsement of a Void Refining Celestial Venerable was absolute.

Within hours, every major force in the Holy City had received the intelligence.

Inside the Hundred Arts Sect, Master Zhou stared at the memory jade slip that had just been delivered, shock etched onto his aged face. “How can such a treasure land exist?”

He harbored doubts, naturally. But recalling Shen Xian’s previous miraculous performances, his skepticism wavered.

“I must go see for myself,” he decided.

At the Luo Family, Patriarch Luo Tianxiong hesitated for less than a breath before grabbing a heavy cache of gifts and heading straight for the Duobao Sect.

There were many forces like the Luo Family, who were already practically bound to the Duobao Sect’s chariot.

Of course, there were also plenty of skeptics adopting a wait-and-see approach. They stood on the sidelines, arms crossed, waiting for the first wave of reviews.

Regardless of their stance, after the news broke, visiting cards flew toward the Duobao Sect like a blizzard of snowflakes.

Su Mu deliberately delayed all replies until the seventh day, letting the anxiety of the petitioners ferment.

She also strategically arranged for representatives of major powers—like Master Zhou of the Hundred Arts Sect and Patriarch Luo—to experience the facility in advance.

One month later.

When Master Zhou walked out of the Myriad Spirits Treasure Hall, the well-traveled, fifth-rank artifact refiner was trembling with such excitement that his beard shook. “This old man’s artifact refining bottleneck… it has been stagnant for a hundred years, yet it actually loosened in this place!”

Luo Tianxiong, an established Soul Formation Venerable, emerged with a radiant flush on his face, his aura visibly sharper. He announced to the waiting crowd, “Cultivating in this hall for one day truly rivals ten days of bitter training outside!”

The news spread like wildfire in a dry forest.

Witnesses claimed they saw the spirituality of a Dharma Treasure refined by Master Zhou surge by thirty percent. Rumors flew that the Spiritual Qi vortex triggered by Patriarch Luo’s breakthrough had covered half the city.

The most shocking revelation came from Venerable Zi Yun himself, who dropped a bombshell: “This hall contains a trace of the true meaning of Laws.”

In just one month, the fame of the Myriad Spirits Treasure Hall thundered through the Holy City.

Major forces sent spies and envoys to investigate, and even reclusive Void Refining Celestial Venerables began to turn their gaze toward this mysterious treasure hall.

Outside the Duobao Sect’s mountain gate, the line of those seeking an audience stretched for over three miles.

Seeing the frenzy reach its peak, Su Mu struck while the iron was hot. She immediately issued a proclamation: “The Inner Hall will only open twenty slots per month! A qualification test will be held in three days; only those who pass may obtain reservation rights for the following month.”

The crowd went completely mad.

This was especially true for the artifact refiners gathered for the upcoming grand competition.

Those who had made it to the finals were all capable individuals with deep pockets and profound foundations. With only a few months left until the final round, gaining a sudden insight or a breakthrough in cultivation would be a Fated Chance of heavenly proportions.

With the first batch of slots confirmed, the machine began to run itself.

The Duobao Sect no longer needed to lift a finger. The cultivators who had experienced the Myriad Spirits Treasure Hall spontaneously formed a “word-of-mouth” marketing army.

A Rogue Cultivator, stuck at the mid-Nascent Soul Realm for a century, touched the threshold of a breakthrough after just three days in the hall. Overcome with emotion, he grabbed anyone he met in the city to tell his story, becoming the perfect living advertisement.

“Master, this first batch of slots alone has brought in at least ten million High Grade Spirit Stones!” Su Mu looked at the numbers jumping on the ledger, her eyes shining as brightly as spirit crystals.

Shen Xian stood by the window, gazing down at the city where cultivators debated and clamored in every street and alley. A slight smile played at the corner of his mouth.

This meticulously planned marketing campaign was pushing the Duobao Sect onto a higher stage, exactly as predicted.

But the undercurrents hidden beneath the lively surface—the shifting allegiances of the city’s powers—were the true pieces on the chessboard he cared about.