My Xianxia Harem Life

The month passed in the blink of an eye for Riley, but it felt like an eternity of indulgence. After his brief appearance before the massive crowd of cultivators, he had deliberately retreated from the limelight.

He had no interest in the endless parade of sycophants who came to shower him with false praise and make tedious small talk.

Instead, he chose to spend his time in the company of the people who truly mattered to him—his wives.

His life had become a private paradise, filled with love, passion, and the kind of pleasure that could only come from being surrounded by beautiful, devoted women.

To Riley, nothing was more precious than the time he shared with them, wrapped in the intimacy and warmth of their presence.

The allure of political games, sect rivalries, and the endless flattery from cultivators didn't hold a candle to the affection and devotion his wives offered him.

He spent his days in their embrace, making love to them, learning about their desires, and savoring the comfort of knowing that they were his and his alone.

Why waste time with people who only wanted to use him when he could have everything he needed right here?

Despite his desire for privacy, the world had not forgotten him. Powerful sects from all corners of the continent arrived in droves, drawn by his reputation, eager to bask in the glory of his name.

These sects were among the most powerful in the land, each with its own history of strength, influence, and ambition.

The cultivators who accompanied them numbered in the thousands, with at least a hundred powerhouses at the void tribulation realm.

The sheer magnitude of the gathering would have overwhelmed any ordinary leader, but not Riley. To him, they were nothing more than a crowd waiting to see what he would do next.

His flying boat, an unparalleled marvel of craftsmanship, could easily accommodate more than a million people.

The idea that thousands of cultivators gathered below would be a challenge to him was laughable. They were ants before a giant, mere insects in the face of his power.

Riley didn't need to rush; he had no fear of their numbers or strength. His power was undeniable, his will unshakable.

He had everything he needed, and more, and he was content to enjoy the time he had with those who mattered.

As the crowd waited, growing restless with anticipation, Riley remained calm. He had no need to appease them with empty promises or speeches.

When the time came, he would speak, and the world would listen. The waiting was the most important part. It built the tension, the excitement, the anticipation.

Everyone was waiting for him—waiting to see how he would respond, how he would move the chess pieces of the world.

Finally, the moment arrived. The masses fell into a hushed silence as Riley made his entrance.

At his side were his stunning wives, each a vision of beauty and grace—Eve, Ruby, Daoist Gentle Dream, Daoist White Snow—and his pet Fluffy, the adorable creature that had become a symbol of his carefree nature.

Along with them were a dozen loyal servants, whose sole purpose was to handle the trivialities of everyday life—cooking, cleaning, organizing.

They were there to ensure that everything ran smoothly so that Riley could focus on more important matters.

As Riley stood before the crowd, his aura radiated power, and the very air seemed to bend in deference to his presence. The masses, once buzzing with nervous energy, fell into a stunned silence.

They couldn't take their eyes off him. Every one of them knew they were in the presence of someone extraordinary—a being who had transcended the ordinary world of sects and cultivation, a person who held the future in his hands.

He didn't need to say a word to command their attention. His mere existence was enough.

Riley raised his hand slowly, and the crowd instinctively quieted, as though the movement of his fingers was a command too powerful to ignore.

The world seemed to hold its breath, waiting for him to speak. And speak he did, his voice cutting through the stillness like a sword through silk.

"I appreciate your patience," Riley began, his tone calm but imbued with an underlying authority. "You've all traveled great distances, braving dangers and hardships, seeking an audience with me. And for that, I am grateful. But know this—I did not summon you here for the usual political games, for the endless battles of egos that you all love to play. I have something far more important in mind."

The crowd listened intently, hanging on his every word.

"I stand here before you not as a great powerhouse, nor as a king of men," Riley continued, his voice gaining strength with each sentence.

"I stand before you as a man of vision, a man who sees the future beyond this world, beyond the continents, beyond the seas. What lies beyond the Abyss Ocean? What mysteries, what power, what opportunities await? That is what I seek to uncover, and I will not rest until I do."

A ripple of excitement surged through the crowd, but Riley's gaze hardened, silencing any chatter.

"I am offering you all a chance to join me on this journey. To explore the unknown, to claim the riches of the world beyond the Abyss Ocean, and to prove that we are not bound by the limits of what we know. Only those with the courage to follow me into the depths of the unknown will be worthy of the rewards that await. Most importantly, anyone who will cause trouble in the ship would face the gravest penalties. So don't even try." Riley knew that even the cultivators of the dark sects also join in on this expedition.

The tension in the air was palpable. Riley's words had ignited a spark of hope, of ambition, within the hearts of all who listened. This was not just an invitation—it was a challenge.

A challenge to those who believed they could follow him, to those who had the strength to venture into the unknown and claim what was rightfully theirs.

As the final words left his lips, the crowd stood frozen in awe. No one dared to move, to speak, to break the silence. They knew, in that moment, that their lives were about to change.

After Riley's powerful speech, the flying boat soared into the sky, its massive frame cutting through the air like a mythical beast.

It sailed smoothly across the Abyss Ocean, leaving the Nine Cauldrons Continent behind. The scene was majestic, a spectacle of awe as the boat glided effortlessly, seemingly defying the laws of nature.

But while the boat moved without fail, the minds of the cultivators aboard were far from at ease. As the boat sailed on, the murmurs of those around Riley began to grow louder.

"I can't see through him at all. He just looks like a golden core realm cultivator. Nothing more," one of the void tribulation realm cultivators commented in disbelief, his brow furrowed as he stared at Riley's figure from a distance.

He had expected someone with an aura that reeked of power, someone whose strength could be felt by even the faintest of glances. But Riley's presence, while undeniable, seemed deceptively normal.

"Same," another voice joined in, their tone laced with a hint of frustration. "But that fact doesn't matter at all. I see no reason for him to trick us. He stands to gain nothing by pretending to be weak. He needs all the help he can get in exploring the lands beyond the Nine Cauldrons Continent. And besides, even if he is strong, it's not like he can go against us. We have 169 void tribulation experts here."

A third voice chimed in, more cautiously, "I know. But let's just hope we're not walking into our deaths. We're all making a gamble here, and none of us truly know what lies beyond the Abyss. Even Riley's strength doesn't guarantee safety in those uncharted lands."

The comment lingered in the air as the cultivators exchanged uneasy glances, the uncertainty of the journey settling in.

Riley may have spoken with confidence, but the truth was, none of them truly knew what awaited them.

Many of them had seen the vast power of the Abyss Ocean's storms, the hostile creatures that roamed its depths, and the many dangers that lurked beyond the edges of the known world.

They were all venturing into the unknown, hoping to find fortune and glory but aware that death could easily come for them instead.

With a heavy sigh, one of the older cultivators turned away from the group. He had seen too much in his long life to be fooled by bravado. His body, though powerful, was not what it once was.

Age had dulled his reflexes, and his vitality had begun to wane. With every step, his body creaked and groaned, a painful reminder of the inevitable passage of time. He knew his days were numbered.

He made his way back to his personal tent, where his longevity coffin awaited him. It was a hollowed-out relic designed to slow the aging process and prolong life, but it wasn't a cure.

The coffin could only buy time. For now, he would retreat into it, resting and gathering what little strength he had left.

He was not foolish enough to believe that he could withstand the dangers of this journey in his current state. No, he would rest and conserve his energy, emerging only when necessary.

As he lay down in the coffin, a heavy silence filled the tent, the air thick with the knowledge that many of the older cultivators had made the same decision.

The younger generation would press on, seeking fame and fortune, but for the ancient ones, this journey was a final gamble.

They had already lived their lives, already seen much of what the world had to offer.

This expedition, for them, was an opportunity to extend their existence, to see a little more of the world before the sands of time slipped through their fingers.

But the truth was that every moment spent awake in this cruel world was precious to them. For an old cultivator, the clock was always ticking, and no amount of power could stop the inevitable decay.

He closed his eyes, the cold, still air of the coffin embracing him as he sank into a deep, meditative trance. This would be his rest, his chance to prepare for whatever awaited him.

But even as he closed his eyes, doubt lingered at the edges of his mind.

Would they return from this journey? Would they find something beyond the Abyss Ocean that was worth the risk? Or would they all perish in the face of unknown dangers, their hopes dashed, their lives extinguished?

For now, the only certainty was the silence of the coffin and the darkness that stretched ahead.