My Xianxia Harem Life

Elder Michael was in a dire state.

He had fought with every ounce of his strength to suppress the evil qi wreaking havoc inside his body, but it was a losing battle.

The malevolent energy surged through him, wild and uncontrollable, destroying his inner organs with each passing moment.

All he could manage was to slow its progression, but he was powerless to fully expel it.

A 6th-stage Golden Core cultivator simply wasn’t a match for a 10th-stage Golden Core expert.

While there were rare geniuses who could defy such gaps, Elder Michael knew he was not one of them.

He might have been able to face off against an 8th-stage cultivator, but against someone at peak strength?

It felt like a child trying to fight an adult.

"Elder Michael." As the pain wracked his body, Elder Michael heard his name being called.

His eyes opened slowly, and there he saw the tall, handsome figure of Elder Riley, standing before him with a calm, resolute expression.

"I guess this is it," Elder Michael thought with a resigned sigh.

He understood now why Riley had come. There was no escaping the inevitable.

"I understand, Elder Riley," he said, his voice tinged with both weariness and wisdom.

"You need to take the disciples back to the sect and report this to the Sect Master. Keep quiet about everything that happened here. The Prince clan is as petty and ruthless as any evil clan; this information must not spread." His words were deliberate, each one heavy with the burden of experience.

"You may go now, Riley. Leave me here. I will guard your retreat with my life."

With great effort, Elder Michael tried to rise to his feet.

The moment he did, it felt as though his entire body was on the verge of shattering.

Pain coursed through him, and his joints creaked in protest, but still, he stood.

His determination was unshaken, even if his body was on the brink of collapse.

He would give everything to protect the disciples and ensure their safe departure.

The fight for his life might be over, but he would see to it that they survived.

"That’s not the reason I’m here, Elder Michael. I’m here because I know of a technique that could heal you completely, but the—" Riley began, only to be cut off.

"No buts! Do it, Elder Riley!" Elder Michael interrupted, his voice ringing with urgency and newfound resolve.

"I’m not afraid of pain or any consequences!" The suicidal thoughts he had been battling earlier vanished in an instant.

For a brief moment, he had truly believed this would be his last day in the world.

He knew better than anyone how severe his injuries were, and while it seemed like an impossible hope, Elder Riley’s words brought a glimmer of potential.

It would take a miracle to heal him completely—but perhaps, just perhaps, Riley’s claim was the miracle he needed.

"Okay then. Spread your legs wide in a horse stance. And no matter what I do, don’t move," Riley instructed, his voice steady.

Elder Michael hesitated for only a second before following the command.

He positioned himself with discipline, holding the stance with perfect form, though his mind raced, wondering what kind of technique this could be.

He had expected some kind of pill or traditional method, but this felt different—strange, even.

Still, with death waiting at his doorstep, he had no choice but to trust Riley.

"Close your eyes," Riley said, his tone unwavering.

Elder Michael did as instructed, his heart beating faster with the uncertainty of what was to come.

Then, he heard Riley whisper, "I’m sorry."

Before he could process the words, he felt a sharp, searing pain deep in his loins—a crack that reverberated through his entire body.

"Bang!" Elder Michael screamed in agony, his body suddenly losing control.

He was thrown forcefully to the ground, landing with a thud in the dusty earth behind him.

His mind swirled with confusion and pain, the sharp sensation blurring everything else.

What had just happened? What kind of healing technique was this?

"Elder Riley!"

"Why did you do that?"

"We’re doomed! Elder Riley is a spy from the Phantom Abyss Sect!" Panic swept through the disciples as fear took hold of them.

They exchanged frantic glances, some already preparing to flee, but none daring to move.

The situation felt dire, the tension thick in the air.

They had witnessed Elder Michael’s agony just moments before, and now, with the unexpected and painful action Riley had taken, they couldn’t help but assume the worst.

They were certain they had been betrayed.

But just as they were on the verge of scattering in a desperate attempt to save themselves, a sudden change occurred.

"Elder Riley!"

A loud, enraged voice thundered through the air, sending a wave of dread over the disciples.

From seemingly nowhere, Elder Michael appeared, his figure emerging from the shadows with an anger so palpable it was almost tangible.

He moved quickly, his steps deliberate and heavy, and within seconds, he was standing several paces away from Riley.

His presence was commanding, as though the very earth beneath him trembled in response.

One of his hands was clutching his nether regions, checking to see if everything was intact after the shocking pain he had just experienced.

His other hand gripped a sword tightly, its blade gleaming menacingly in the light as he pointed it straight at Riley’s chest.

"What the hell was that, Elder Riley?!" Elder Michael bellowed, his voice seething with fury.

His normally composed demeanor was gone, replaced by the raw emotion of someone who had been wronged.

He had expected to be in a fight, to see a clash of power or perhaps a deceitful plot unfold.

What he didn’t expect was this.

Riley had made a move that seemed beyond understanding, one that left Michael in excruciating pain.

Riley, however, remained calm, unfazed by the sword pointed at him. His lips curled into a knowing smile as he looked at the furious elder.

There was a strange sense of calm about him, almost as if he found amusement in the elder’s reaction.

"You’re healed, Elder Michael."