My CEO Harem Cultivation System

How did the Inner Court Test for Priestesses work? Li Yang absolutely had no clue but when the man arrived in a grand clearing of the forest that was never there before—he encountered a select number of women all gathered together and talking with one another.

Li Yang's main priority was looking for enough of a number of Beast Cores to power up his World Warper, with meeting and seeing Setsuko as second-most important. What lay in front of him was something else.

There was no display of the Beast Cores that were supposed to be awarded to the participants that conquered the test. Instead, he saw an even bigger portal hole which was unlike that he had ever seen in the past during his time with Mitsuko in this very forest.

Rather, what was present were numerous lounging and resting areas for the women who didn't even look quite interested at the results of the exam—except for perhaps who left the portal and survived the gruesome test.

This was an event only for those in the higher echelon in the Mashiro Temple.

Those who were lower-ranked Priestesses were supposed to stay in the premises of the temple itself and never actually see the events of the test at all. The younger ones stayed and slept early, while the older Priestesses who didn't hold the same ounce of talent as the Inner Court were tasked to guard and do other mundane tasks.

It may have been one of the reasons why the Damask Insurgents quickly laid the Mashiro Temple to waste if the women who could actually do something were now simply lounging about.

A certain repulse coursed through Li Yang at the very moment.

His arrival also warranted the same treatment. Compared to the humbler and simpler Priestesses that were around Priestess Leila's circles—these women all thought of anyone weaker than them as below them.

It was truly a dog-eat-dog world.

"Hey—what is this consort doing here?" One of the women lazily asked as she plucked some grapes from a bowl nearby her. It was fair to say that High Priestess Rhelea and a certain number of higher-ranked Priestesses truly enjoyed their privilege to the fullest.

Nothing was inherently bad with it, in a way, they might have deserved this after working so hard to reach the top—but the Damask Insurgents and an awakened Goddess happened to be having their way outside of the comforts of this place.

With the latter probably already trying to find a way here.

One of the women got up and started motioning dismissively at him. "Shoo. Your Lady isn't done yet—hasn't she told you to wait in her room or has she not learned how to discipline you?"

"If anything—Mitsuko should have at least taught this man some manners if she taught him how to use the sword." Another of them remarked.

It made one of the younger Priestesses giggle. "How to use the sword? Is this Mitsuko we're talking about. Also, what sword are we talking about girls—"

A Priestess raised a hand and then directed a look at him. 

A lascivious and perverted look appeared on her face and she gave him a come hither signal. "Since you came all the way here, why don't you give us a show? Disrobe yourself and show your sword right now—we'd like to see how your sword works."

In the back of Li Yang's mind came the question if the goddesses in the Heavens who 'watched' and 'sponsored' him with Charm Points all acted like these women in front of him right now. 

He hoped that those in the upper realms of the universe acted with much more dignity than them. Even Bao who was floating behind didn't even say anything else. But whether that was out of shock or something else, it was hard to tell.

Without saying another word, Li Yang stepped around the woman and started working his way towards the portal. There was a certain tug and knot in his stomach that told him that Setsuko was there.

Something flared within him.

Li Yang didn't have much time.

But as far as his vision gave him the sight of the viewing grounds of the arena—there wasn't anything there that was worth his time and energy. No Beast Cores for him to use and just some people who thought he could be for their cheap entertainment.

His disdain for individuals like this in general only grew deeper. With Bao now floating on his shoulder, who was to say that the Heavens weren't once again rejoicing at his return as their toy thing?

Perhaps the path that awaited him was truly that of destruction.

"Oi." 

The ignored Priestess grabbed him by the shoulder and squeezed it hard. If she exerted a little more effort then she might be able to dislocate or even destroy his bones right now if she wasn't careful.

She gave him a mocking and sing-song voice. "You don't happen to be deaf are you now? You've heard what the Priestess of Purple Shadows said, didn't you? If you have any concern with how your pathetic life is going to be then you better do as she says. We wouldn't want you to get hurt, would you?"

Li Yang glanced at her. "I have a literal Goddess chasing after me. It's in your best interest to let me go if you don't want to get hurt. By her or by me is up to anyone's guess."

The woman blinked and stared at him. The Priestess didn't take him seriously and turned to her friends. "Is this man some kind of idiot? Did you hear what he said—"

Li Yang slapped the woman's hand away and then dove to the next portal. 

While he held no idea or clue on how Aurora would react to her worshippers all being gathered in one place—Li Yang wasn't going to stick around to find out about it.

It was that time that a sudden large ray of light blasted from the side and decimated a ceremonial pillar containing the oath of Priestesses. The sudden wave of energy and force caused multiple rock debris to fly and scatter in the air. 

A certain number of them were impaled to death.