My CEO Harem Cultivation System

A voluptuous woman sat inside the most private chamber of the Mashiro Temple and let out a cloud of smoke from her lips. In between her fingers was a long black hookah. Her breasts hugged tightly in her robes that it looked like they were about to spill out from them, and it was easy to notice that she had an imposing presence.

In front of her was a canister filled with the contents of what she was smoking.

"The two of you have finally arrived here. Welcome to Mashiro Temple, I am the High Priestess Rhelea," she greeted them with a voice that dripped like liquid honey. "Setsuko and her consort…? What is your name, young man?"

"It's Li Yang, High Priestess."

The High Priestess's eyes widened for a second, before it settled back into a cool and relaxed one. Even a sleepy one as she resumed to smoke and blew another cloud of smoke into the room. "I can see that Setsuko here has excellent tastes in men."

Li Yang thankfully had his expression schooled down to a blank one, his eyes eventually averting away from the so-called High Priestess and back on the ground.

He wasn't sure if he should respond and instead stayed silent. Similar to how he imagined cultivators to be, this High Priestess kept an appearance of someone youthful but with the curvaceousness befitting a much older and mature kind of woman. Almost similar to the girlfriend of his brother.

The scent of something fragrant like incense filled the entire area they were in, and it made him think back on how he and Setsuko arrived here.

It wasn't often that the women accepted into the temple were brought forth to the High Priestess—that idea was grilled into him and Setsuko by the women before they were ushered in here.

Mitsuko and the twins had accompanied them here and had been throwing glares at them and prompt reminders to be nothing but reverent to the High Priestess. Whatever the case, it was up to Setsuko to help them in this situation.

She was the one who had to do most of the responding.

"Ah, thank you, High Priestess Rhelea. It is an honor for me and my consort to be here right now in your presence." Setsuko was also bent on one knee, hopefully smiling and not gritting her teeth as she said it. "I am grateful that you listened to my humble request of bringing him here."

There was a pleasant tone to her voice right now.

"It cannot be helped. You are after all someone who has come here later than most women here. Thus it is expected that you already have engaged in the foibles of the flesh and romance." the High Priestess said before letting out another trail of smoke. "Which is nothing wrong, albeit most of the women here have yet experienced anything like it in pursuit of understanding the mysteries of Ao and serving the goddess."

He tried his best not to cough. While initially fragrant, it was a little too overpowering on his nose—something dinged in the back of his mind. A notification was quickly summoned in front of him.

[ Mental Fortitude Active ]

[ Mental Skill Has Blocked The Effects of 'Soothing Vapors of Wild Roses' ]

Li Yang glanced at Setsuko and hoped she was alright, however it was a little difficult to tell. Either way, he already chose to dislike the older woman for using such methods… Was it similar to the effect of Bai Minghua's voice?

He hoped it wasn't as strong as it.

The High Priestess continued to speak. "I hope that Mitsuko, Rei and Kei are able to usher you in properly and they'll lead you to your quarters, but first… may I inquire and confirm some things with you?"

"What is it, High Priestess?" Setsuko asked.

The older woman's red lips curved into a languid grin. "Why, it's quite simple, really. How did you awaken your powers, dear Setsuko? It's impossible and unimaginable for someone who has a dormant core to awaken it suddenly and with such aptitude like yours that made the entire continent feel the throes of your Ao's waves. Did you stumble upon something or headed somewhere to acquire it?"

This woman was not hesitating to ask Setsuko question's at all, didn't she?

In the corner of his vision, Li Yang's gaze flickered to the three other women currently in the chambers of the High Priestess, and they all looked like they were in some sort of trance. He ground his teeth and threw a look at Setsuko—she shouldn't say anything.

What was this bond between them if she couldn't even get herself out of this mental manipulation?

There were certain feelings tormenting Setsuko. First was the alluring scent of the High Priestess's pink-like vapors, it was distracting and wonderfully fragrant to the nose. She couldn't help but wonder how beautiful it was to watch the High Priestess put the hookah through her lips and then blow out some smoke.

And she had never been attracted to women before as far as she was concerned.

But there was a certain alluring state to the woman that made her a little embarrassed. Even while she was here, a certain dampness began to form in the spot in between her pants and paired with the vapors, it was like she was in a certain cloud and far above her own thoughts.

Everything was fine and beautiful.

Answers and replies were only polite, which was only obvious since she was talking to the High Priestess. Now she wanted to know how she awakened her core—

A sharp bolt of energy sequestered itself from her gut. It shocked Setsuko to the core, and it almost felt like the wondrous energy was leaving, but it gave her enough mental space to consider the High Priestess' question and respond accordingly as she deemed fit.

"The reason for my awakening?" Setsuko laughed, but quickly quieted down. "I think it is because I was always exposed to the energy cores of giant beasts that my team always used to hunt. My dormant core possibly responded to it and awakened."

The High Priestess' lips curled down, but nodded.

"I have heard that your old group, these Kin Hunters, have been able to trespass into Mashiro's Sacred Forest and kill one of our precious Sage Vine Tortoise—and it is only this once that I shall show mercy for this incident. Otherwise, I would have the old group eliminated… but it seems to have brought on a fortunate incident which is your awakening."

"Yes," Setsuko agreed.

"Very well then, can you show a demonstration of such Ao energy manipulation?" the High Priestess sat up in her seat and put down the pipe. "Right now, I cannot sense anything from you, Setsuko."

"Oh…" Setsuko froze and grimaced. "I actually have a confession."

"What is it?"

"After the one incident that sent your people into looking for me, I'm still having difficulty actually controlling Ao and much less performing something inadequate in the eyes of the High Priestess."

It truly was best that Setsuko didn't do anything, in Li Yang's opinion. Maybe she had also considered that, or truly lacked the ability to do so?

The man thought about it for a moment and recalled that when it happened, Setsuko's hair grew white and her blue eyes turned into blood red along with a nine pair of tails.

The answer was already apparent to him—it was as Setsuko said. All women here came from powerful bloodlines and he didn't even need the System to figure out what bloodline she had come from. Nine-tailed fox? Kitsune? Gumiho? Huli Jing? Those were all different names from different countries, but the idea was the same.

And Setsuko was the embodiment of one.

"Is that so? It's simple enough, Setsuko. Gather the energy from your core and let it burst it out into your hand—concentrate and do it like I do." the High Priestess held out her hand and a red orb of energy formed and whirred like a small tornado. "Depending on the output and how you infuse your essence into the Ao, it can take into many particular forms. Mine for example is the blazing red infusion of roses and thorns."

Surprisingly, the High Priestess was more than happy to present her ability with Ao.

"Ah, it is impressive, is it not, Li Yang?" the High Priestess asked him with an alluring smile. "This is what people blessed by the goddess can obtain. This is the ability to manipulate the elements of the world to their whims and by virtue, those who are unable to do so."

"Yes, High Priestess Rhelea," he said and bit back himself from asking a question. This High Priestess used the word 'people' instead of 'women'... and he couldn't help but think it was an unintentional mistake.

A slip of the tongue.

She was supposed to say women blessed by the goddess.

Unless she only considered women as people and men as beasts of labor? Either option didn't put him at ease. The first one meant that the officials and people in charge were actively hiding the fact that men could also use Ao, while the second showcased the High Priestess' perception on someone like him.

Not even a person.

What kind of world was this one? Li Yang only stifled his expression and glanced at Setsuko. The High Priestess wanted a demonstration of her skill to understand the extent of her abilities under the guise of curiosity.

"I'll do it," Setsuko said.

—-—-

Author's Note: It's the end of the month for those in GMT+8 like me, and once again I'm looking into adding an additional tier into the privilege to make enough money to live because I'm no CEO lol. So, I ask for your patience. However, for those who can wait even longer and want an amazing bargain… maybe you'll be tempted by the Panda Promotion Tier coming up! I'll see you guys around, thanks for reading!