The dirt path widened as Rylan and Elara approached Oakhaven. It wasn't a grand village, but a collection of sturdy wooden houses with thatched roofs, clustered around a central well. The air was thick with the scent of woodsmoke, freshly turned earth, and the distant aroma of baking bread. Children's laughter drifted from a small patch of green, and a few villagers could be seen going about their morning chores.
It was a stark contrast to the deathly silence of the Sterling ruins, and for a fleeting moment, Rylan felt a twinge of something akin to nostalgia. This was what a normal life looked like, a life he had been denied. But that feeling quickly morphed into a detached calculation. Normalcy was for the weak. He was here for power, for resources, for his ascent.
As they stepped fully into the village, a few heads turned. Rylan and Elara, with their travel-stained, ragged clothes, clearly stood out. Elara instinctively pressed closer to Rylan, her earlier composure wavering slightly under the villagers' curious gazes.
Rylan, however, met their stares with a calm, almost imperious confidence. He carried himself differently now, a subtle aura of awakened power clinging to him. The villagers, though not cultivators, seemed to unconsciously register it. They didn't appear hostile, merely cautious.
A sturdy, middle-aged man with a weathered face and kind eyes, who had been chopping wood near the village entrance, straightened up. He wore simple peasant clothes but carried an air of quiet authority. "Greetings, travelers," he called out, his voice gruff but not unkind. "You've strayed far from the main roads. What brings you to Oakhaven?"
Rylan stepped forward, projecting an air of weary traveler rather than a newly resurrected emperor. "Good morning," he replied, his voice smooth and controlled. "My name is Rylan, and this is Elara. We are... unfortunate survivors. Our home, a small estate a few days' journey west, was recently overtaken by bandits. We lost everything." He gestured vaguely back the way they came, a half-truth that wouldn't raise immediate suspicion.
The man's expression softened with sympathy. "Bandits, you say? Aye, the roads have grown dangerous these past moons. I am Kael, the village elder. Come, you must be hungry. We can offer you some sustenance and a place to rest your heads for a while."
[Ding! Trust Gained (Partial). Opportunity Detected!]
The Harem System's message flashed, showing Kael's information. He wasn't a "potential Harem member," but an "Ally (Temporary)" with a "Trust Rating: Moderate." The System was adaptable, recognizing useful connections beyond its core function.
Rylan nodded gravely. "We would be most grateful, Elder Kael. We are entirely without coin, but I am strong and willing to work for our keep." He needed to maintain this facade, for now.
"Nonsense, lad," Kael waved a dismissive hand. "No true villager turns away those in need. Come, my wife, Anya, makes the finest stew in Oakhaven. You'll eat your fill."
Kael led them towards a larger house near the well. As they walked, Rylan's gaze swept over the women in the village. Most were simple, hard-working farmwives or young maidens. None of them, at first glance, pinged the System with a "Potential Harem Member" alert. The System, it seemed, wasn't interested in just any woman; it sought those with specific aptitudes or challenges.
They entered Kael's home, a cozy dwelling filled with the aroma of herbs and warm bread. A plump, kindly woman with a flour-dusted apron, Anya, greeted them with a warm smile. She quickly set out bowls of steaming stew and thick slices of bread.
Elara ate voraciously, still trembling slightly, but now with hunger and relief. Rylan ate more slowly, observing. He felt a faint hum of spiritual energy emanating from Anya, stronger than a normal mortal, but still far from a cultivator. It seemed many in this world possessed a latent essence, perhaps making them suitable for the System's unique dual cultivation.
While they ate, Rylan engaged Kael in conversation, subtly probing for information. He learned that Oakhaven was a small, self-sufficient farming village, largely ignored by the larger powers. They paid tribute to a local lord, Baron Von Hess, who in turn answered to the Jade Empire. The Jade Empire was vast, powerful, and strict, with its own formidable cultivation clans.
"Have you seen many cultivators around these parts, Elder Kael?" Rylan asked casually, trying to gauge the local power dynamics.
Kael sighed. "Aye, a few. Most are traveling merchants' guards, or sometimes, a lone wanderer. But the Jade Clan itself... their cultivators rarely deign to visit a place as humble as Oakhaven. They stay in their grand cities, their cultivation strongholds." He paused, his eyes narrowing slightly. "Though, just a few weeks ago, a group of them passed through, heading west. A young woman among them, very beautiful, with jade-green robes. They seemed... in a hurry."
Rylan felt a cold jolt of recognition. Seraphina. The Jade Clan. They had indeed been in a hurry, no doubt after leaving him to die. The hatred flared, a familiar, welcome fire in his gut.
As Kael spoke, Rylan noticed a young woman who had entered the house, carrying a basket of freshly picked herbs. She was perhaps nineteen or twenty, with vibrant, copper-colored hair pulled back in a practical braid, and sharp, intelligent eyes that missed nothing. Her figure was lean but strong, clearly accustomed to hard work.
As her gaze met Rylan's, the Harem System flared brightly.
[Ding! Potential Harem Member Detected!]
[Name: Lyra (Unregistered)][Status: Independent, Resourceful, Minor Cultivation Aptitude (Latent, Dormant)][Challenge Rating: Medium][Conquest Requirement: Demonstrate superior strength and provide a compelling vision for her future. Break her self-reliance.][Potential Reward: Foundation Establishment (Mid-Stage to Late-Stage), Minor Mana Affinity, Harem Slot +1, "Herbal Lore" (Basic Knowledge Skill)]
Lyra. Independent. Self-reliant. Medium challenge. And the reward, a further breakthrough, and a useful skill. Rylan's lips curved into a subtle, almost imperceptible smile.
The Lustful Emperor had found his next flower.
End of chapter 7