"Can I speak with you alone, Young Master Riley?" Ruby asked after the event concluded. Midnight had already fallen, casting a quiet stillness over the surroundings.
The festivities had died down, and most guests had already retired, yet Ruby’s mind was still restless. Too many questions weighed on her, and she knew she might not get another chance to ask them.
Riley turned to her, his gaze calm and unreadable. "Sure. Follow ."
His harem, however, did not share his indifference.
"Don’t even think about it, girl. I’ll cut off all your hair," Katherine sneered, her eyes flashing with hostility. Of all the won in Riley’s entourage, she was the most outspoken and possessive.
Ruby rely smiled, unaffected.
"Fear not, Daoist Midnight Lotus. I do not deserve to stand beside Young Master Riley." Her words were humble, yet there was an unmistakable sharpness behind them, as if she was neither cowed nor particularly interested in playing their gas.
With that, Riley led her through the clan’s grand corridors, past the intricate carvings and glowing lanterns that cast long shadows across the walls. The estate was vast, its ancient presence exuding a quiet power.
Once they arrived at a secluded chamber, Ruby wasted no ti. She turned and ford a series of quick hand seals, activating a formation that shielded them from prying eyes and ears. A faint glow spread across the room as the isolation barrier locked into place. Now, no one outside could hear them, not even the strongest cultivators in the clan.
Ruby then dropped to her knees and bowed low. "This junior begs your forgiveness, Senior. Please do not take offense to my actions earlier." Her voice was steady, but beneath it was an underlying tension. She had not forgotten how vastly outmatched she was.
She dared not offend soone of Riley’s caliber—especially here, in the lower realm, where her cultivation was strictly capped at the Void Tribulation Realm. If she exceeded that limit, she would attract the wrath of a heavenly tribulation. The heavens did not tolerate those who tried to ascend before their ti. The punishnt was swift, rciless, and often fatal.
"As I said before, think nothing of it," Riley replied casually, his tone dismissive yet firm. "It was fate that we t. Nothing more. Now, speak your mind."
His hands were clasped behind his back, his posture perfectly composed. In the dim light, he looked like the embodint of a hidden expert, soone who had seen the rise and fall of countless generations.
Ruby hesitated for only a mont before asking the question that had been burning inside her. "Might I ask which immortal influence you hail from, Senior? Is it the Oasis of Thought?"
The Oasis of Thought was one of the great sects of the immortal realm, known for cultivating wisdom and intellect to an unfathomable degree.
Its mbers were scholars, tacticians, and strategists, their minds sharper than blades. They moved in the shadows, pulling the strings of entire dynasties, and their influence was deeply entrenched in the immortal world.
If Riley was one of them, it would explain his profound aura and the sheer depth of his presence. It felt like she could hide no secrets from his eyes.
But Riley rely shook his head. "No. I am from the Abode of the Ancient One."
Ruby’s breath hitched.
The very na sent a shiver down her spine. Her body reacted before her mind could process it, and she instinctively took a step back, her face pale.
"The Abode of the Ancient One? That’s a myth! It can’t be true!" she gasped, her voice barely above a whisper.
The Abode of the Ancient One was a legend among legends—a na that had persisted through countless eras, spoken only in hushed tones by those who dared to believe in its existence.
It was said to be the dwelling place of a supre cultivator, an entity who had once ruled the immortal realm with absolute dominance before vanishing without a trace.
So claid he had transcended mortality itself, while others believed he had simply grown bored of the world and disappeared into the void.
Riley’s gaze remained steady. "Are you suggesting that I’m lying to you?"
Ruby’s heart pounded. "Of course not! Forgive , Senior!" She imdiately dropped into another deep bow, her forehead nearly touching the floor. But no amount of apologies could calm the storm in her mind.
If Riley truly ca from the Abode of the Ancient One, then his existence alone changed everything. It ant that the legends were true. That the hidden forces of the past had not completely faded. That an unfathomable power still lurked in the shadows, beyond the reach of even the greatest immortal sects.
For the first ti in her life, Ruby felt as though she was standing before sothing far bigger than she could comprehend.
"You’re old, Ruby—millions of years old. Stop begging for apologies. It makes you look weak." Riley’s voice was calm but indifferent. "If that’s all, you can go." With that, he dismissed the eting and turned away, his steps steady and unhurried.
"Wait! Senior!" Ruby called out urgently, taking a step forward. "Can I follow you?"
Riley halted but didn’t turn around imdiately. He exhaled, his patience thin. "What for?"
"I seek your guidance, Senior." Ruby’s voice held neither deceit nor hesitation.
Riley finally turned to face her, his sharp eyes scrutinizing her every move. "A disciple?" He let out a short, dry chuckle. "Sorry, but I have no plans to take on students. I’ve taught enough to last several lifetis."
"Please, Senior!" Ruby took another step closer, her crimson eyes gleaming with desperation. "I’ll do anything. I’ll serve you in any way you desire!"
Riley raised a brow, intrigued. "Anything?"
"Yes!" she affird, her heart pounding.
"Then be my maid," he said flatly. "I haven’t had one yet on this world."
Ruby froze.
Her? A princess of the Immortal Realm? Reduced to serving as a re maid? She had once been worshiped, revered, and feared. Countless cultivators had groveled at her feet, seeking her favor. And now—now, she was being told to wait on soone like a lowly servant?
"This…" She hesitated, her pride warring against her rationality.
Riley, unimpressed by her internal struggle, turned his back to her. "Forget it, then." His tone was final as he resud his departure.
Ruby’s fingers clenched into fists. She had always been pragmatic. This was an opportunity—one she couldn’t afford to let slip away. Who was she to let pride get in the way of survival and power?
"I accept!" she declared, her voice ringing with resolve.
Riley smirked without looking back. "Good. Then act like one."
"Yes, Senior! I’ll do my best," Ruby said, her voice filled with determination as she bowed deeply.
"Good. And stop calling ’Senior.’ It makes sound old. Just call Young Master," Riley replied, waving a hand dismissively.
And that night, he acquired his first maid.
When they erged from the chamber, Ruby’s deanor had completely transford. Gone was the slightly apprehensive and uncertain woman from before.
Now, she carried herself with quiet composure, her movents graceful yet reserved. The fierce light in her eyes had dimd into one of calm acceptance. She had made her choice, and she would fulfill her duty with unwavering loyalty.
As Riley led her back to the main hall where his won were gathered, she instinctively fell into step slightly behind him—neither too close nor too far, a perfect distance that marked her as both a subordinate and soone who now belonged to his household.
The mont they entered, all eyes turned toward them.
Katherine, Veronica, Leia, and Eve, who had been chatting idly while waiting for Riley’s return, imdiately focused on Ruby with mixed expressions—curiosity, suspicion, and mild amusent flickering across their faces.
Riley, completely unfazed by the scrutiny, gestured toward Ruby. "I believe you’ve all t her already, but let formally introduce her again." He glanced at Ruby expectantly.
Understanding the cue, Ruby took a step forward and lowered herself into a respectful bow. "Greetings, Mistress Katherine, Mistress Veronica, Mistress Leia, and Mistress Eve. I am Ruby, the new maid of Young Master Riley." Her voice was steady, neither too ek nor too bold, striking a delicate balance of humility and grace.
She did not find this introduction deaning. Rather, she saw it as a necessary acknowledgnt of hierarchy. These won would one day beco Riley’s wives, and as his maid, she would naturally serve them as well. It was only right to address them with the respect they deserved.
Katherine raised an eyebrow, arms folded across her chest. "What did I say? I was right. Riley got himself a new girl." She let out a dramatic sigh, shaking her head as though lanting his ever-growing entourage.
"Well, at least she’s pretty," Veronica said approvingly, her gaze sweeping over Ruby appraisingly. She had always valued beauty, and Ruby, with her delicate features and composed deanor, t her standards.
"But she’s a mortal," Leia pointed out, frowning slightly as she assessed Ruby.
Eve, who had remained silent up until now, narrowed her eyes. She took a step closer, slowly circling Ruby as if studying her, her presence both predatory and inquisitive.
"Ohhh… I think not." Her voice carried a hint of intrigue. "Riley has good eyes, and if he took an interest in her, then she’s anything but ordinary."
Ruby remained still under Eve’s scrutiny, her posture impeccable. She neither flinched nor reacted, simply waiting for their judgnt as if she had already resigned herself to their evaluation.
Riley chuckled, stretching lazily. "Co on, girls. I’m tired. It’s ti for you to decide who cos first." His smirk deepened, his eyes gleaming with undisguised desire.
His words imdiately shifted the atmosphere.
Katherine rolled her eyes but didn’t protest, while Veronica smiled coyly. Leia, as usual, maintained her reserved deanor, while Eve tilted her head, hope flickering in her gaze.
Would Riley really fuck her tonight too?
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