My Xianxia Harem Life

The suggestion immediately piqued the interest of the gathered elders. A few chuckled, while others exchanged knowing glances, their competitive spirits subtly ignited.

”A gamble, you say?” an elder from the Profound Sword Sect replied, stroking his beard thoughtfully. ”Interesting. What stakes are you proposing?”

”Nothing too extravagant,” the Heavenly Sword Sect elder said with a sly smile. ”Let’s say a rare treasure or ten million spirit stones from each participant? Enough to make it worthwhile, but not so much as to cause undue strain.”

The elders murmured among themselves, weighing the proposition. It wasn’t uncommon for friendly bets to occur during such events, but with the Seven Swords Grand Meet being the pinnacle of regional competition, the stakes carried extra weight.

”I’ll participate,” an elder from the Azure Dragon Palace said confidently. ”Our disciples are well-prepared this year, and I have no doubt they’ll dominate the field.”

”As will I,” the Spirit Gate Sect elder chimed in. ”It will be a pleasure watching your so-called ’dominance’ fall short.”

One by one, the elders agreed, each placing their faith—and their wagers—on their disciples.

Finally, all eyes turned to Riley, who remained silent, observing the exchanges with an amused expression.

”And what about you, Daoist Midnight Lotus?” the Heavenly Sword Sect elder asked, a glint of curiosity in his eyes. ”Will you place your bet on the Stone Mountain Sect?”

”Gambling is against my nature, fellow Daoist. I think I’ll pass for now,” Katherine said politely, her tone firm but respectful.

She folded her arms, watching the eager bets being placed around her with mild disinterest.

But just as she was about to turn away, Katherine caught Riley’s gaze. Her fellow sect member leaned closer, carefully mouthing words without making a sound:

”Place your bet too. Our disciples will win.”

Katherine hesitated, her brows knitting in thought.

Riley’s confidence was unmistakable, and though Katherine wasn’t fond of risking things on chance, Riley’s assurance made her pause. A small sigh escaped her lips as she straightened her posture.

”I take that back. Our Stone Mountain Sect will win. I place my bet on them,” she declared, her voice carrying a newfound resolve.

With the bets locked in, the games officially began. The rules were simple—a massive free-for-all battle where the last disciple standing would secure victory.

Each of the seven sects had sent 24 disciples, totaling 168 competitors. The field, a wide, circular arena carved from stone, was surrounded by an eager audience seated in towering stands.

The disciples wasted no time engaging each other. Most sects deployed the standard strategy of forming tight formations, their disciples working in unison to overpower smaller, isolated groups.

The crowd cheered as formations clashed, sparks of energy techniques lighting up the battlefield.

Yet, amidst the chaotic melee, one group stood out for all the wrong reasons. The disciples of the Stone Mountain Sect were scattered across the battlefield, each one fighting independently.

They looked disorganized, their movements seemingly random, and they made no attempt to regroup or form any semblance of a united front.

”Look at them, fighting alone!”

”They came here with no plan! Hahaha!”

”What a bunch of fools!”

The crowd erupted in laughter and mockery, their voices dripping with ridicule. Even the sect masters watching from their elevated platforms shook their heads in disappointment.

But Katherine frowned, her eyes narrowing as she studied the battlefield. Something felt off. Despite their apparent lack of coordination, none of the Stone Mountain disciples seemed to be struggling.

If anything, they moved with uncanny precision, their dodges and counterattacks almost too smooth to be coincidence.

Minutes ticked by, and the jeering from the crowd began to wane, replaced by murmurs of confusion.

”Wait... why can’t anyone hit those disciples?”

”They’re too fast! They’re dodging everything!”

”Look at them! As swift as the wind! Impossible!”

The Stone Mountain disciples moved like a gale sweeping through the arena, their unpredictable movements making it impossible for their opponents to land a solid strike.

One by one, they began to dismantle the other formations.

”Is this some kind of trickery?!” one spectator shouted.

”This must be cheating!” another cried out, their voice tinged with frustration.

But the sect elders remained silent, their expressions gradually shifting from skepticism to intrigue. Riley smirked, leaning toward Katherine.

”See? I told you so,” Riley said confidently, her eyes glinting with pride.

Katherine’s lips curved into a small smile as she relaxed in her seat. She didn’t know what the Stone Mountain Sect disciples were up to, but it was clear they were no fools.

”How are they doing this?” Katherine whispered, her eyes wide with disbelief as she watched the battlefield.

”It’s the result of my days’ worth of training. Hehehe. I’m awesome, aren’t I? Your husband is the best, Katherine,” Riley whispered back, a smug grin on his face.

Katherine raised a brow, feigning indignation, though the smile that blossomed on her lips betrayed her amusement.

”Who’s my husband now?” she retorted, her tone playful. Despite her teasing, the fondness in her eyes was hard to miss.

Their closeness did not escape the notice of the elders from the other sects.

However, the devastation of their disciples on the battlefield left them too distraught—and too intrigued by the Stone Mountain Sect’s tactics—to comment on Riley and Katherine’s relationship at that moment.

The match dragged on for three hours, but the outcome was clear long before it ended.

One by one, the disciples of the other sects fell, utterly unable to land even a single hit on the Stone Mountain Sect’s fighters.

By the end, the arena was littered with defeated disciples from every other sect, their formations shattered, while the Stone Mountain disciples stood untouched, victorious.

”And the winner of this Seven Swords Grand Meet is...” The elder overseeing the games stepped forward, his voice booming across the arena as he prepared to announce the result.

”WAIT!”

An aged voice cut through the announcement, halting the elder mid-sentence. The crowd fell silent, all heads turning toward the source of the interruption.