My Xianxia Harem Life

Chapter 257: Chapter 257 Magic

The man exploded into a cloud of blood mist.

His body was utterly obliterated, leaving only fragments of flesh drifting in the air.

No one had seen the attack. No one even sensed where it came from.

Shock rippled through the crowd.

”W-What just happened?”

”He’s dead?!”

”It must be... Master Riley!”

”Yes! Who else could’ve done it? That arrogant fool didn’t even get a chance to scream!”

While it was actually Ruby who made the move, the crowd, in their awe and reverence, immediately attributed the act to Riley.

After all, who else in the Austere Clan could kill a Spirit Severing powerhouse in an instant?

Another voice spoke, filled with grim amusement, ”Yet another fool who died without even realizing why.”

The people began shaking their heads, some sighing, others smirking.

In this world, strength ruled, but only a madman would forget whose territory they were in.

Once again, the ironclad—though unwritten—rule of the Austere Clan echoed in everyone’s hearts: never cause trouble within their domain.

And if you did... you wouldn’t even know how you died.

***

Riley and Diana spent a blissful month on their honeymoon, traveling across ancient mountain ranges, secluded spirit lakes, and floating celestial islands known only to the highest realms of cultivation.

Every moment felt like a dream—one filled with laughter, passion, and unspoken promises.

When they finally returned, their bond had grown even stronger.

Back home, peace reigned once more.

Riley’s other wives welcomed him with open arms, their eyes glowing with affection and longing.

He returned their love with equal warmth.

To Riley, love was not a competition—each woman held a special place in his heart.

He made sure no one felt neglected.

Every night was filled with tender kisses, playful teasing, and the soft, rhythmic moans of satisfaction that echoed through the grand halls of his residence.

For Riley, intimacy was not just about pleasure—it was a way to express his gratitude and devotion to those who stood by him through every trial and triumph.

But the tranquility was not to last forever.

Several days later, after a night of stargazing from the highest balcony of his home in the Austere Clan, Riley gathered his wives in the moonlit garden.

The air was crisp, the lotus pond calm and reflective, and the scent of night-blooming orchids hung faintly in the breeze.

The women all sensed something was about to happen.

Then Riley spoke.

”I’m going to ascend.”

The words, though simple, struck like thunder. The garden fell silent, save for the gentle rustling of leaves.

Eyes widened. One woman gasped. Another dropped her teacup. And then the first tear fell.

”No... no! Don’t leave us, Riley!” cried someone, the fiery-tempered one, who was usually the most composed.

She rushed forward and wrapped her arms around him, clinging to his robes as if they were the only thing keeping her grounded.

”How can you say that so casually?” whispered another of his wife, her voice shaking.

”Do you know what that means for us?”

Another wife, Fay, stepped forward, biting her lip. ”What about us, husband? Are we just supposed to stay here and grow old without you?”

Riley looked at each of them, his gaze steady, unwavering. Then, he smiled.

”I would never abandon any of you,” he said gently. ”I’m going to take you all with me—if you wish to follow.”

The women blinked, stunned.

”Take us with you?” Veronica repeated, her brows furrowing in disbelief.

”But... how? None of us are at the peak of the Void Tribulation Realm yet. We’re strong, yes—but not enough to break through that final threshold.”

”Yeah,” added Katherine, frowning. ”You know as well as we do: only those who reach the pinnacle can withstand the heavenly tribulation and pass into the next world.”

Riley nodded slowly.

”That’s true. Normally, it’s impossible. But I’ve discovered a method... a path that can make it possible.”

Their curiosity grew, but so did their worry.

”A method?” Diana echoed. ”Riley, what have you found?”

Realistically speaking, only Riley and Diana possessed the cultivation base needed to ascend.

The others—though powerful in their own right—were still bound by the limits of the Spirit Severing Realm.

Ascension required not just power, but peak enlightenment in the void tribulation realm, a soul strong enough to withstand the crushing weight of the heavenly tribulation.

For anyone else, it would be nothing short of suicide.

”I have a way. It’s dangerous but nothing I can’t fix,” he said seriously.

”It involves bending the rules of ascension itself. I found an ancient inheritance from the secret realm we explored, hidden in the mountains of loot that we found. It’s an item of great power. You’ll see what I mean on the day of our ascension.” The women stared at him, their emotions a mix of awe and fear.

Silence stretched between them. The weight of his words was not lost on anyone.

”I’ll go with you, husband!” one of them declared, her voice firm and eyes shining with determination.

”Me too,” another said, stepping forward without hesitation.

”So do I,” a third whispered, her hand gently reaching for Riley’s.

One by one, his wives voiced their decision. No fear, no doubt—only love and unwavering loyalty.

Riley looked at them all, pride and love swelling in his chest.

These were not just his wives. They were warriors. Companions.

Souls that had chosen to share their lives with his—through all the storms.

”Then prepare yourselves,” he said. ”We go in one year.”

The moon shone brighter above them, casting its silver glow across the garden.

Fate had just shifted, and the path ahead was perilous. But together, they would walk it—toward immortality.

Yet when Riley stood before them and declared, ”I have a way,” not one woman questioned him.

They had seen what he could do—miracles that defied logic, breakthroughs thought impossible, victories snatched from the jaws of despair.

Riley had long since become more than a man.

To them, he was a guiding star, someone who always kept his promises.

And if he said they could ascend with him... then they would believe, no matter how foolish it sounded to the rest of the world.

Still, the uncertainty loomed.

No one knew if they would return once they stepped into the realm beyond.

Would they ever walk the gardens of their home again?

Would they see the sun rise over the misty hills, or hear the laughter of old friends echo through the halls?

So Riley made time—ample time—for every one of his wives to say goodbye in their own way.

He would arrange quiet dinners with their families, accompanied them on nostalgic walks through the places of their youth, and stood by as they said farewells to disciples, friends, and even old rivals.

Those final days were bittersweet, filled with laughter tinged by the ache of parting, and tears masked by brave smiles.

But not all the women saw this as an ending. For some, this was a rare chance.

Perhaps the last one.

They knew the truth: once they left this world, there would be no looking back.

No second chances.

And for those who had watched Riley from the shadows of his attention, who had admired him from afar, or who had wanted to share his bed but not yet found the chance—this was a moment they could not let slip away.

”I can’t waste time like this,” whispered someone, a quiet and intelligent cultivator whose emotions rarely showed.

But now, her normally calm eyes burned with a mixture of desire and desperation.

”I’ve held back for too long. I need to have him... before it’s too late.”

Others shared similar thoughts.

One by one, hearts began to stir.

The looming ascension acted as a flame, igniting the embers that had long been buried beneath civility and restraint.

”If I let another night pass, someone else might take the place I want,” muttered another woman, a bold and fiery woman known for her confidence—but never once had she confessed her full feelings to Riley.

She had shared his warmth in fleeting moments, but now she yearned for something deeper, something eternal.

Rivalries, once dormant and half-spoken, started bubbling beneath the surface.

The mansion, once filled with serene harmony, now pulsed with a quiet tension.

Smiles were polite, but strained.

Conversations between the women became layered, guarded.

Every glance toward Riley carried weight, every touch lingered a little longer than before.

Some plotted elaborate gestures—private dinners, heartfelt confessions, shared memories revisited under moonlight.

Others prepared more direct approaches, hoping that physical intimacy might awaken a deeper bond.

And Riley, perceptive as ever, noticed.

He saw the longing in their eyes, the subtle tension in their movements, the way some of them stayed behind after meals just a little longer, offering to help with things that didn’t require help at all.

But he said nothing—for now.

He knew what this was. It wasn’t just lust. It was fear. Fear of being left behind.

Fear of fading into the background in the new world they would soon enter.

Fear that someone else might become the center of his future.

But it was also love.

Intense. Unfiltered. Raw.

And that was something Riley could never ignore.