My Xianxia Harem Life-Chapter 354 Witness

The flying boat glided steadily across the endless expanse of blue sky, its shimmering barrier parting the clouds like waves on a gentle sea.

The world below was nothing but a blur of green mountains and silver rivers, a view so vast it could make one forget how small they truly were.

For cultivators like Riley and Selena, mortal needs such as hunger and fatigue had long become irrelevant.

Their spiritual energy sustained them far beyond what food or rest could ever provide.

Still, Riley found the silence somewhat dull.

He had hoped to tease Selena again—just a little, perhaps to see that familiar frown of irritation that always softened into reluctant amusement.

But she had sealed herself inside her cultivation chamber since their departure, refusing to emerge even once.

With no one to talk to and nothing to distract him, the first day passed quietly. So did the second.

And the third.

The rhythmic hum of the flying boat’s array became the only sound that filled the air, a soft, steady pulse of power.

But on the fourth day, that peace shattered.

Bang!

The sudden explosion rocked the entire vessel.

Spiritual ripples tore through the protective barrier, and Riley’s eyes snapped open.

The sky darkened unnaturally, as though a shadow had devoured the sun itself.

"An ambush?" he muttered, rising to his feet.

Before he could act, enormous chains—thick and black as ink—shot out from the clouds.

They coiled around the flying boat like serpents, wrapping around its hull from bow to stern.

Each link pulsed with a sinister aura that made the surrounding air tremble.

Bang!

Another violent impact threw Riley off balance as the boat was yanked downward.

The protective barrier shattered like glass, and the ground rushed up to meet them.

With a thunderous crash, the flying boat struck the earth, sending dust and debris into the air.

The shockwave rippled across the landscape, toppling trees and scattering stones in all directions.

When the tremors finally ceased, silence returned—an eerie, heavy silence.

Riley groaned as he stood, steadying himself.

To his astonishment, the flying boat remained perfectly intact.

Not even a scratch marred its polished surface.

But his relief didn’t last.

The air around him grew cold, and the dark chains that bound the vessel began to tremble again—like something on the other end was still pulling.

Riley and Selena stepped out of the flying boat, the soft hum of its spiritual engines fading behind them.

Dust still lingered in the air from the crash, swirling faintly in the cold wind.

The once-clear sky had turned gray, heavy with dark clouds that gathered unnaturally fast.

Both wore grim expressions.

The sudden ambush was no coincidence — someone had been waiting for them.

A few breaths later, the silence was broken by faint rustling.

Shadows flickered at the edge of the clearing, moving like living smoke.

One after another, more than a dozen figures emerged from the surrounding forest.

Each wore a black mask and long, tattered robes embroidered with crimson runes.

A dark, inky aura seeped from their bodies, carrying a suffocating spiritual pressure that pressed against the lungs and made the air thick.

Riley could feel it — the killing intent directed at them was sharp and deliberate.

But as his eyes swept across the masked intruders, he realized they weren’t even looking at him.

Every single one of their gazes was fixed squarely on Selena.

"Oh... oh..." Riley muttered, his tone oddly light despite the tension.

"I guess they’re here for you, fellow disciple Selena. Made any enemies lately?"

Selena didn’t reply. Her face was cold, unreadable, though her eyes had already turned razor-sharp.

She reached into her storage ring and drew out her sword.

The sound of metal sang through the air as she unsheathed it, a clean, melodic note that cut through the oppressive silence.

The blade gleamed silver-white, reflecting the faint light that filtered through the clouds.

Spiritual energy surged around her, condensing into a faint aura that shimmered like rippling water.

"Who are you people?" Selena demanded, her voice calm but carrying the weight of command.

"Do you have any idea who you’re dealing with? We are disciples of the Sacred Heart Sword Sect. Leave now, and you might still have the chance to walk away alive."

Her warning echoed in the clearing, but the masked men remained unmoved.

They stood in perfect formation, silent as statues.

Then, as though responding to an unseen signal, they all raised their hands simultaneously.

The ground trembled.

Boom!

A vast formation ignited beneath their feet. Runes carved into the earth flared to life in a burning crimson pattern, spreading in all directions.

Spiritual energy roared through the air, and the surrounding space distorted under the sheer force of it.

The temperature plummeted instantly — even breathing became difficult.

Riley’s eyes narrowed as he scanned the glowing symbols.

"A trapping formation," he muttered. "High-grade, and carefully prepared. These people didn’t just find us by chance. They were waiting."

Selena’s grip tightened around her sword.

Her long hair fluttered behind her as the wind picked up, her robes rippling like the wings of a phoenix about to take flight.

"This formation..." she whispered. "They’re cutting off our escape routes. They don’t intend to let us leave alive."

The masked figures began to move again, spreading out to encircle them completely.

Their combined spiritual pressure intensified, pressing down like a thousand invisible hands.

One of the figures stepped forward, his robe marked by a faint silver insignia.

Though his mask concealed his face, his voice carried deep malice.

"Selena of the Sacred Heart Sword Sect," he said slowly. "Our master has been waiting for you."

Riley shot her a quick glance. "Master? Sounds like you’ve got quite the admirer, Selena."

She didn’t even look at him this time. Her eyes stayed locked on the man in front of her. "Who sent you?" she asked coldly.

But the masked man only chuckled — a low, distorted sound that made the skin crawl. "You’ll find out soon enough."

As he raised his hand, the others followed, channeling their spiritual energy into the formation.

The air began to hum, and from the glowing runes beneath their feet, black lightning started to crawl upward like serpents of death.

Riley exhaled slowly.

"Well," he said with a faint grin, summoning a glowing talisman into his hand, "looks like this trip just got interesting."

"Stop talking. We need to act fast!" Selena snapped, her voice sharp with alarm.

She didn’t wait for a reply. Her sword flashed out, its silver light cutting across the dim air like lightning.

The tip of her blade sliced through one of the masked figures—only for it to dissolve into smoke.

She pivoted and slashed again, hitting another, but it too vanished like an illusion.

Every time her sword found its mark, the enemies’ bodies flickered, then reformed unharmed a few steps away.

Selena’s brows furrowed.

"What—illusions?" she muttered under her breath. But then she felt it—the pull.

A draining sensation deep within her core, as if invisible threads were pulling at her life force.

Her spiritual essence was leaking away, drawn into the glowing formation beneath her feet.

"Move, Riley!" she shouted, glancing back at him. "This formation—it’s sucking away our essence by the second! Act now, or we die here!"

But Riley didn’t move.

He stood a few paces behind her, completely still, eyes half-narrowed as if he were studying the runes etched into the earth.

His expression wasn’t one of fear—it was calm, almost analytical.

Selena’s chest tightened in frustration.

"Damn it, Riley!" she hissed. "This isn’t the time to think!"

Her words went unanswered.

She could only grit her teeth and continue fighting, her sword gleaming in a dance of light and fury.

Each swing carried the strength of her cultivation, and each strike was accompanied by the low hum of her sword spirit resonating with her will.

But the more she fought, the heavier her limbs became.

The formation pulsed beneath them, its crimson runes brightening like a living heart.

With every pulse, more of her energy was stolen away.

The masked figures moved in rhythm with it—shifting, flickering, attacking from all sides.

Their laughter echoed faintly in the air, cruel and mocking.

Ten minutes.

That was all it took before Selena’s body began to fail her.

Her breathing grew ragged, her swings slowed, and her vision started to blur at the edges.

Sweat drenched her forehead, mixing with the fine dust rising from the ground.

Her final strike landed with a dull thud as her sword hit the earth.

The light along its edge flickered and went dim.

Selena gasped, her knees buckling as she fell to the ground. The world spun around her.

The once-brilliant glow of her aura was gone—her meridians felt dry and brittle, like cracked glass. 𝚏𝗿𝗲𝐞𝐰𝚎𝕓𝐧𝚘𝘃𝗲𝐥.𝐜𝚘𝕞

She tried to stand but her body refused to respond.

A dark shadow moved in her blurred vision. The enemy was approaching.

"So this is it..." she thought bitterly. She raised her sword weakly, the blade trembling in her grasp.

But before the shadow could strike, a familiar figure stepped between her and the enemy.

It was Riley.

He stood with one hand behind his back and the other hanging loosely by his side, his tall figure framed by the dying light of the formation.

His stance was calm—too calm for the chaos surrounding them.

Selena blinked, her heart skipping a beat. "Riley..." she whispered.

He didn’t turn to face her. Instead, he lifted his chin slightly, gazing at the masked enemies now converging around them.

"I guess," he said softly, a faint smirk curling at his lips, "it’s my time to shine."