My Xianxia Harem Life

Chapter 365: Chapter 365 Trick

The air rippled violently, and a fierce gust of wind swept through the courtyard.

Dust rose, robes fluttered, and several disciples were forced to shield their eyes.

When the wind finally calmed, a single figure stood in the air, her violet robes billowing with divine authority.

She was stunning—long raven hair cascading like silk, eyes as sharp as a blade, and an expression that carried both elegance and dread.

Her beauty was unmatched, but so was the fear she commanded.

A heavy silence descended on the crowd as every gaze locked onto her.

Even the bravest of elders lowered their heads in respect.

Then came the whispers—quiet, fearful, and full of awe.

”Th-that’s Elder Iris...” one disciple stammered. ”The Head of the Law Enforcement Pavilion!”

”I heard she once fought the Sect Master to a draw!” another murmured. ”And that she nearly crippled him before the elders intervened...”

”She’s terrifying. Anyone who breaks sect law in front of her might as well dig their own grave.”

Elder Adam hurriedly stepped forward, bowing deeply.

”Elder Iris! It is fortunate that you arrived at such a crucial time. A grave incident has occurred involving Elder Harren’s son...”

Iris’s gaze slowly turned toward him, and the air seemed to still under the weight of her attention.

Elder Adam’s voice trembled slightly as he began to recount the entire story—from the fight that broke out to the tragic end.

Every word was measured, for he knew one wrong phrase could earn her displeasure.

When he finally finished, silence reigned once more. Elder Iris said nothing at first.

Her eyes, cold and piercing, fell on Riley.

She studied him as though she could read his very soul, her divine sense brushing against his presence like a storm cloud ready to burst.

The tension was suffocating. Several disciples dared not even breathe.

Even Elder Adam, who had spoken so boldly just moments ago, seemed to shrink under her aura.

Finally, she descended to the ground, her steps light yet carrying immense pressure.

The faint scent of spirit energy lingered in her wake.

Standing before Riley, she regarded him for a long moment—her beautiful face calm, but her eyes deep with thought and judgment.

”So...” her voice was low and melodic, yet it carried through the entire courtyard with undeniable authority. ”You are the one responsible for this chaos?”

Riley met her gaze, unflinching.

He could tell—this woman wasn’t someone who acted rashly, but once she made a decision, it was absolute.

Elder Iris’s eyes narrowed slightly.

It was clear she was already weighing her options, her mind calculating the most fitting punishment for what had occurred.

”I am,” Riley said firmly, his tone calm but resolute. His gaze never wavered, even as the pressure of Elder Iris’s spiritual aura pressed against him like a mountain.

Elder Iris studied him for a long moment, her violet eyes unreadable.

When she finally spoke, her voice was clear and commanding, each word carrying a quiet authority that silenced even the wind.

”You were justified in disciplining your fellow disciples,” she began, her tone measured, ”but it was not your place to kill them. The sect has its own laws and order, and you have overstepped that line.” She paused, letting her words sink in before continuing.

”However, since your actions were not entirely without cause, I will grant you two choices.”

The entire courtyard was silent, every disciple holding their breath. Even the elders present dared not interrupt.

”First,” she said, her gaze hardening, ”you may abolish your cultivation and remain within the sect as a servant, atoning for your crime through service and obedience. Second...” Her tone dropped lower, colder.

”You may leave the sect entirely. I will grant you three days to depart peacefully. Once that time has passed, if you are found within sect grounds, you will be treated as an intruder and executed without question.”

The weight of her words hung over everyone like a divine decree.

Riley did not hesitate. He stepped forward, bowed deeply, and said with a composed voice, ”Thank you for your fairness and impartial judgment, Elder. I choose to leave.”

Murmurs rippled through the gathered disciples. Some looked at him with pity, others with awe.

To walk away from one of the most powerful sects in the region meant throwing away everything—resources, protection, status.

Yet the calm in Riley’s eyes didn’t waver.

Elder Iris’s expression remained indifferent, though a flicker of something unreadable passed through her gaze—perhaps respect, or curiosity.

”So be it,” she declared. ”Let this be a lesson to all. The sect’s rules are not mere words carved in stone—they are the foundation that sustains our unity. If any of you think yourselves above them, remember this day.”

She turned her head slightly, her long black hair glinting under the light as spiritual energy rippled faintly around her.

”Those who kill within the sect without proper sanction will meet the same end—banishment or death. No exceptions.”

Then, as if carried away by the wind itself, Elder Iris’s form shimmered.

Her eyes lingered on Riley for three slow breaths, sharp and contemplative, before her figure dissolved into the air—leaving behind only silence and the faint echo of her spiritual pressure.

For a long moment, no one spoke.

The disciples stared at the empty space where she had stood, while Riley remained still, his expression calm yet distant.

He knew what this meant—he had lost his place here. But deep down, he also knew that this was not the end.

He straightened his back, his eyes firm and unwavering.

”Three days,” he murmured to himself. ”That’s more than enough.”

”No... you don’t understand, Riley,” Elder Adam said, his tone carrying the weight of deep worry.

His brows were furrowed, and the faint tremor in his voice betrayed the turmoil in his heart.

”After three days, once you step beyond the sect’s borders, there will be no protection left for you. Elder Harren will come for your head—of that I have no doubt. You’ve humiliated him, killed his son, and even if the Sect decreed your departure, men like him don’t forget. He will find you... and when he does, you will die. Plain and simple.”

He sighed heavily, rubbing his temples as if the weight of years pressed down on him.

”You may have talent, Riley—perhaps more than I ever realized—but you are still too young. Your foundation, no matter how strong, cannot stand against a man like Harren. He’s lived through centuries of battle and blood. He’s fought enemies that could level mountains. Even if you’ve made progress in secret, it won’t be enough.”

Elder Adam’s voice softened then, the harshness melting away into something that sounded almost paternal.

”You’ve always reminded me of myself when I was young—stubborn, unyielding, unwilling to bow before anyone. But sometimes...” He shook his head slowly. ”Sometimes defiance alone isn’t enough to survive.”

Riley stood silent through it all. His face was calm, unreadable, yet there was a flicker of warmth in his eyes as he looked at the man who had guided him all these years.

After a long pause, Adam straightened and took a deep breath, resolve forming in his gaze.

”I’ll go with you,” he said finally.

”Outside the sect. I’ve still got some time before I try another breakthrough to the next realm. I will act as your Dao Protector for a time. A hundred years, if I must—that’s a mortal lifetime. During that time, I’ll keep you safe from Elder Harren’s wrath. Think of it as my final gift to you... as your master.”

For a moment, silence hung between them, broken only by the rustle of the wind.

Then, slowly, Riley smiled—a genuine, rare smile. ”Thank you, Master. Your kindness... I’ll never forget it.”

Adam smiled faintly in return, though his eyes were heavy. ”You’ve grown into a fine man, Riley. But tell me, what will you do now? Where will you go?”

Riley turned his gaze toward the distant peaks. ”I’ll figure it out when the time comes. But before I go... could you come with me to my mountain? There’s something I want to show you.”

”Of course,” Adam said without hesitation.

Adam assumed Riley feared Elder Harren would strike again inside the sect.

The two made to leave, footsteps muffled against the courtyard stones, but the departing pair had not yet reached the gate before a thunderous voice halted them like a physical blow.

”You’ll meet a gruesome death in three days, boy,” he bellowed, each word striking the air with the weight of an executioner’s axe.

”Not even your master will be enough to shelter you then.” His eyes burned with such malice that several younger disciples instinctively retreated, clutching their robes.

”And I swear this—your end will not be swift. I will make you suffer, see every hope of yours wither, and hear you beg before the final cut.” The courtyard fell into a hush so complete one could hear the distant drip of water from the small pond nearby.