My CEO Harem Cultivation System

There was no immediate repercussion when Li Yang and the others returned to the temple. Surely, they had come back when it was late and the High Priestess was not cruel enough to let her people be summoned when most of them had been exhausted in the journey.

Instead, it came in the morning. 

Li Yang and Setsuko were both summoned to meet the High Priestess. The two of them arrived in the same great hall where the woman sat and resided. She was flanked by two servants, and even Mitsuko was around. The Priestess did not meet his eyes at all.

"What do you have to say for yourself?" the High Priestess Rhelea eyed the man. 

"Nothing, High Priestess," he said. "I have no excuse."

If they brought him here, regardless of the explanation he may have given, a punishment was still in order. It didn't matter if there was a legitimate excuse, it would not be a good example if the other women in the temple learned that he got away without any consequences.

The older woman frowned, she rested a hand underneath her chin. "I am aware that the two of you have only recently become a Lady and Consort. Your inclusion to the Kin Hunters had only happened recently so I am not sure why you are not familiar with how things run here. But it seems because you are not from here?"

Li Yang glanced at Mitsuko. Had she been the one to tell the High Priestess that?

"Yes… I've only journeyed here recently." he said the truth.

How much did Mitsuko divulge from their conversation last night? Had he been blinded by their time together and considered her trustworthy? The fact that Priestess Mitsuko avoided his gaze clearly showed she was hesitant about something.

But before the High Priestess Rhelea could say another word, Setsuko spoke up in lieu of him. She also had something to say. And it was strange that it was Li Yang the woman was talking to instead of her.

"High Priestess, forgive us. But our short time together means that there are circumstances that Yang and I are still trying to deal with are still being rectified as the both of us deepen our relationship… I was worried about him leaving, but there is also a good reason for it. He was acquiring Beast Cores."

Lies of omission.

Setsuko managed to do it well, and she confidently stared at the High Priestess. It was her own way of protecting the man that she had bonded with. Especially when a flicker of surprise sprang up within her. The longer they've been together, it seemed like it was far easier for her to get in touch with his emotions, no matter how miniscule.

"You had no need for any of those Setsuko. The Mashiro Temple has plenty of them and you could have said a word  and we would give some to you." High Priestess Rhelea smiled at the woman. 

"Well, you never mentioned that, High Priestess." Setsuko wouldn't budge.

Rhelea then let out a heavy sigh of disappointment. "I had assumed that this consort of yours had left without permission. All of this could have been avoided if the man left a note, but in most cases he should have sought your permission beforehand. Many of the Priestesses were jeopardized by his actions."

Setsuko blinked. She glanced at Li Yang and realized that had been the case, no letters were left at all when it might have been done to reassure her—even if he really should have told her beforehand. 

The man noticed Setsuko wavering at the High Priestess' word. It was as if the older woman planted seeds of doubt in Setsuko's mind. 

Li Yang only grimaced. It was true that he forgot about leaving a note, he had expected that Rei would inform Setsuko about his departure, but that didn't seem to be the case. The rest of the women in the temple didn't even bat an eye as he left yesterday. Or didn't exactly notice it?

He was unsure.

A small frown tugged on Setsuko's lips. "Are you saying that it would be alright for him to leave, High Priestess Rhelea? And that you would have not sent any Priestesses to retrieve him if that had been the case?" 

"The map that Rei had given this man was a dangerous place—"

There was a slight shake in Setsuko's voice. "I remember that when I first accepted the letter, it was for me to find a safe place. Included amongst that was a place where Yang is included."

"No, dear. What I mean by that—if he had informed you, then you would have stopped him in the first place," the High Priestess said. "It is a miracle that he is alive and it has only been possible through Mitsuko and the others arriving on time to save him."

"Save him?" Setsuko asked.

"Yes," the High Priestess said. "You've been there haven't you, Setsuko? Or had Mitsuko forced you to stay at the bottom of the mountain?" Rhelea's red lips pursed and she glanced briefly over at Mitsuko.

Priestess Mitsuko didn't seem to have noticed it at all.

Or pretended not to.

And this was where the lines blurred. 

Li Yang and Setsuko knew that was a false statement. He glanced at Setsuko and stopped her from reacting beyond what she already said.

Things were better this way.

Even if he had no original intention to lie. After all, it was Mitsuko herself who seemed to have reported to the High Priestess last night. Embellishing a report wasn't strange, some people did it to receive more credit. 

However, Li Yang didn't think that was the case with Mitsuko.

He needed to talk with her after this.

"I'll let you off with a warning just this once, but be careful next time." the High Priestess decided at last. She glanced at Li Yang and assessed him from head to foot. "I understand that you're supposed to be a Swordsman, but there will come a time where your sword cannot be swung in a particular environment. In the harshest of winters, your sword can and will turn brittle. That weapon can be snapped at any time."

Li Yang smiled briefly at that. "Thank you, I'll keep your words in mind, High Priestess." 

"Very well, I expect that you'll behave this time around and stay in your room for a couple of days. Think of it as a chance to recover rather than a punishment in any way—you worry your Lady." Rhelea motioned to Setsuko and smiled. "It's better if you comfort her than playing sword fights with Priestess Mitsuko."

There was a veiled threat that lingered beneath those kind words of the High Priestess.

He saw right through it.

—-—-—-

A Letter To My CEO #2

To Li Yang:

It has come to my awareness that you have been away for some time and… your absence has been felt. My great-grandmother has been worried about you not visiting her. And though it vexes me that you left without much of a word… surely there are reasons for this situation and I hope that everything remains well. 

Yours Truly,

Bo Lifen

The piece of parchment written down in ink was crumpled and thrown in the trash. "Why am I even doing something like this? I have no idea where he is at all. A text might have worked better, but that's on the basis that he'd reply."

Journaling her emotions and creating a letter for the person she wished to talk with did not sit too well for her at all. It only made her blood boil even further because she knew there would be no response.

She was looking for answers and not to console herself. 

The Tea Sommelier sat in her office alone and stared at a teacup that had grown far too cold. She eyed it with distaste and quickly drank it down. She wasn't the first to hear the news, far from it. The woman actually had two sources of information, one was the one revealed to the public and the other was from Shen Society.

Unfortunately, even they had no answers as to his whereabouts. 

But even then, the idea that the man would do such a thing gave a bitter feeling in her mouth.

She shouldn't be bothered this much at all.

—-—-—-

A Letter To My CEO #3

Bossman!

It's boring for Taiga to do something like this, but I saw your secretary do it—so why not Taiga as well, yeah? I don't know what happened to you… maybe it was because of Taiga? No, right? Can't be Taiga's fault that you suddenly ran away like a mouse.

I finally figured out how much you were paying Taiga. She'll collect this now and it'll hurt your wallet bad because I haven't done my job properly. 

Come back soon

Taiga

The bodyguard sat awkwardly inside of the Shen Society's building. Perhaps she should have stayed back at the house and never left it, there was still that kid she needed to look after if the Bossman was gone.

And yet the sinking feeling in her stomach never quite actually ebbed away. 

She laughed with the rest of the cultivators, made jokes and even contemplated heading back to the Shou Temple Sect. Her conversation with Ying Yue He made her stomach churn uneasily.

It happened while she was asleep. This was her fault wasn't it?

—-—-

A Voice Call To My CEO #1

"Did you know how hard it was to get ahold of your private number? No. Well, both of us know that we're busy. I'm supposed to be even busier than you are with all the concerts happening, but I didn't expect that you'd suddenly take a vacation. At least that's how the news has depicted it. Are you trying to cure your curse? The least you can do is give me an answer since you included me… so give me a call or something."

— Caller, Bai Minghua / Narissa

Narissa sank into her hot tub and frowned. Her long blue hair streamed and floated among the water as she let out a heavy sigh. She submerged to clear her thoughts out.

And yet she couldn't help but keep wondering.

After ten seconds, the Mermaid quickly resurfaced back and slapped a hand over her face. "I haven't seen that screen in awhile now. Surely that might help me find out where he is, right? Come out now."

—-—-

A Hastily Drawn Sketch for the Uncle CEO

It was a picture of a giant pink fish swimming happily in the air. There was a picture of a child, the man himself in question and finally the child's own mother. Although it couldn't be said that it was an accurate picture now.

Broken crayons lay on the man's home office table, forgotten.

The young child had quickly scampered off the room at the urgency of the voices

.

—-—-

The Evil Author's Note: Hello! This is to inform you about my June 2021 Break. Certainly that's more tragic than anything. And yet health constraints require me to take an absolute break. Of course, I'll try to sneak in and write, but better expect a month with no chapters :< Please don't kill me, I already feel like I have one foot in the grave. Expect one more update tomorrow. Thank you.