Divine Harem: My Sect of Heavenly Beauties

Chapter 230: Supreme Elder

The Qing Empire was in chaos, to the extent that even the Major Sects and the Imperial Family had been alerted. After all, there had been hundreds of explosions throughout the empire.

Most of those explosions were powerful enough to obliterate entire cities, compelling the Major Sects to take immediate action.

A middle-aged man with a long beard landed on a small hill, his gaze fixed on the smoke rising in the distance. His long red robe fluttered in the wind, a symbol of his distinguished status in the sect.

He sighed, pulling out a communication stone from his storage pouch. "They got this branch too!"

Soon, an enraged voice crackled from the other side of the communication stone.

[I told you to get there at full speed! Goddamnit! What is going on?]

"You sure this isn't another rebellion against the Major Sects?" The middle-aged man sighed heavily as he sat down at the edge of the hill, his posture relaxed despite the severity of the situation.

[It could be, but it seems unlikely. We have treaties with the other sects, after all. Besides, whatever is causing these explosions, it's clear it's an artifact of a higher tier. No one could bring a large supply of such artifacts…]

Noticing the trailing voice, the man smirked. "You understand it, don't you? They've been preparing for this for a while and only struck when everything was in place. They must have been transporting those artifacts in small quantities over time."

[Yeah, but it still doesn't add up. Why are they only targeting branches of the Slave Organisation?]

The man stroked his beard, his eyes narrowing, "Well, we just need to figure out the reason behind it," he replied, his gaze fixed on the pillar of black smoke in the distance.

[Alright, move to the next site. And be careful out there!]

"You think I, Li Hai, need to be careful?" the man scoffed as he stood up. A sharp glint passed through his eyes. "The ones who should be careful are those rebels."

With that, he crushed the communication jade in his hand and took off, creating a sonic boom as he sped through the air, covering hundreds of meters in moments. His figure streaked across the horizon like a shooting star, leaving the devastated site behind.

After an hour of flying at high speed, he finally halted, spotting another base of the Slave Organisation. Unlike the others, this one seemed intact.

"Found you!" Li Hai grinned as he descended rapidly toward the base.

This particular base, located a short distance from Feather City, resembled a small village. Yet, the silence hanging over it was unnerving.

Mangled and broken corpses littered the ground. Some bodies had limbs twisted grotesquely, while others had their heads completely torn from their spines.

Blood seeped into the cracks in the earth, forming a horrifying web of crimson. The metallic scent of blood hung thick in the air, mixing with the stench of death. A gruesome massacre had unfolded here, one that spoke of both meticulous planning and brutal efficiency.

At the center of the settlement, inside a roofless building, a young woman stood. She was busy placing a Tanki Bomb on a sturdy stone pillar, her movements swift and methodical.

"This should be good enough," Zhi Yan murmured, wiping the blood from her face. She turned to survey the devastation they had caused, her expression grim yet determined.

This was the tenth and final base they had destroyed, marking the completion of their mission. The battles had pushed her and her companions to their limits, both physically and mentally. Recognizing this, she had ordered them to retreat immediately after finishing their tasks.

Too exhausted to risk errors, her team had teleported back to the sect, following her instructions to the letter. Now, she stood alone amidst the destruction, her body aching and her wounds stinging. Yet, a faint smile tugged at her lips—she had accomplished the mission her master had entrusted to her.

"This is just the first step," Zhi Yan muttered to herself as she prepared to teleport back to the sect.

But before she could activate the formation, a chilling, heavy voice echoed behind her.

"Is this the artifact you've been using to blow everything up?"

Her blood ran cold as she spun around, her eyes widening in horror. A middle-aged man leaned casually against a crumbling wall, his focus entirely on the glowing sphere he held in his hand.

H-How did he get here? Sweat drenched Zhi Yan's back as she realized the terrifying truth. Her opponent was far stronger than her. If he had wanted to kill her, he could have done so before she even noticed his presence.

What should I do? Her mind raced for a solution. She considered her options—teleport back to the sect or stay and fight. Though her instincts urged her to fight, she knew better. Her master had always emphasized that retreating in the face of overwhelming odds was not cowardice, but wisdom.

Good thing teleportation doesn't take much effort, Zhi Yan thought, her tension easing slightly. She decided to gather some information before making her escape.

"Yes! This is something our beloved master created," Zhi Yan said, her voice steady despite the fear coursing through her veins. "Who might you be?"

"Ho? Willing to talk, are you?" Li Hai chuckled, his gaze still fixed on the Tanki Bomb. "Young brats these days are so hot-blooded. I half expected you to attack me."

"Why would I fight a losing battle?" Zhi Yan replied calmly, her eyes observing his every move. "You still haven't told me who you are."

"Patience, brat," Li Hai finally turned his sharp gaze toward her. "I am Li Hai, Second Supreme Elder of the Celestial Sword Sect."

Zhi Yan processed this information carefully, her mind calculating. "Zhi Yan," she replied, offering only her name.

"No background, huh?" Li Hai smirked, finally storing the Tanki Bomb in his spatial ring. "That's unfortunate. But it doesn't matter. I'll know everything once I capture you."

With that, he vanished. In the blink of an eye, he reappeared right in front of her, his hand aiming straight for her chest. However, his attack struck nothing but air. His hand passed through her form as if she weren't even there.

Frowning, Li Hai looked around the now-empty room. "So, they even prepared teleportation, huh?"

He scratched his head in mild irritation. That old bastard is going to nag me again. Oh well, at least I have the artifact.

In the main pagoda of the Divine Harem Sect, on the second floor, Zhi Yan appeared in a teleportation circle—a massive rune formation carved specifically for this purpose.

She gasped for air as she dropped to her knees, her body trembling from both exhaustion and adrenaline. The memory of her encounter with Li Hai replayed in her mind, sending shivers down her spine. That was too close! He's too strong!

"What happened?" Lan Ming's voice broke through her thoughts as the elder woman hurried to her side.

"I almost died," Zhi Yan admitted, allowing Lan Ming to help her to her feet. "The Second Supreme Elder of the Celestial Sword Sect showed up."

"A Supreme Elder?" Lan Ming's eyes widened in shock. She began inspecting Zhi Yan for any injuries. "Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine, Sister Lan," Zhi Yan reassured her with a faint smile. "He was overconfident and wanted to talk, so I teleported before he could do anything."

"Good," Lan Ming sighed in relief, though her expression remained tense. She handed Zhi Yan a healing pill and began pacing the room. "Still, this is unexpected. We knew the Major Sects would act, but sending a Supreme Elder is a bold move."

Supreme Elders were powerful figures within their sects, ranking just below Prime Elders and Sect Leaders. Their strength alone made them forces to be reckoned with, especially in a sect as prestigious as the Celestial Sword Sect.

"Wait! Did he see your face?" Lan Ming's sharp question broke the silence.

Zhi Yan bowed her head in regret. "I'm sorry, Sister Lan. I made a mistake."

"It's alright," Lan Ming replied with a sigh. "You'll just have to stay hidden for a while."

"I will," Zhi Yan promised.

Lan Ming took out her communication stone, channeling her Qi into it. The familiar voice of her master soon resonated through the connection.

[What happened?]

Lan Ming quickly recounted the events and asked, "What should we do, Master?"

[What do you think?]

Lan Ming hesitated. "We could take him down. Eliminating him would weaken their sect. But it might escalate into war."

[War is inevitable. Do what you want.]

"Understood," Lan Ming replied before ending the call. She turned to Zhi Yan but stopped when she heard approaching footsteps.

"You can go. I'll handle this."

Lan Ming turned to see a black-haired young woman standing confidently. "What are you doing here?"

"Master sent me," Ying Yue said with a smile. "You can focus on the fight. Leave the rest to me."