The dust from the battle had barely settled when the villagers of Oakhaven began to emerge from their reinforced shelters.
They came out hesitantly at first, peering through cracked shutters and open doors. But what they saw stopped them in their tracks.
Rylan stood in the center of the clearing, bathed in the fading light of his breakthrough. The ambient spiritual energy around him was no longer wild; it moved in a rhythmic tide, drawn to the gravity of his new Foundation Establishment core.
He didn't just look stronger; he felt... heavier. His mere presence exerted a subtle pressure on the air.
As Elder Kael approached, he didn't run up to shake Rylan's hand as he had in the past. Instead, the old man's knees buckled instinctively. He fell to the ground, bowing his head.
"Master Rylan," Kael breathed, his voice filled with a terrified reverence. "You... you have ascended."
Behind him, the other villagers followed suit, dropping to their knees in a ripple of devotion.
[Ding! Passive Skill "Imperial Aura" Active.] [Effect: Low-level entities and mortals feel an instinctive urge to submit. Charisma +20% during negotiations. Intimidation +20% during conflict.]
Rylan blinked, adjusting to the sensation. The System wasn't exaggerating. He willed the aura to recede slightly, softening the pressure so his people could breathe.
"Rise," Rylan said gently. "There is no need for fear. This power is for your protection."
He turned to his Harem. Elara, Lyra, and Lena were waiting a few paces away. They didn't kneel, but they looked at him with dilated eyes, sensing the profound shift in his being.
Elara stepped forward first, clutching her wooden bird. "Master... you glow like the moon."
Rylan smiled and reached out, brushing a stray lock of hair from her face. "And you are the reason I can shine, Elara."
He then gestured to the woman standing awkwardly behind him—Mei.
The former Jade Empire disciple looked out of place in her scuffed, high-quality armor amidst the rustic village. She kept her head lowered, unsure of her standing.
"This is Mei," Rylan announced to the group. "She was an enemy. She is now one of us."
Lyra, ever the pragmatist, eyed Mei's smoking gauntlets and the expensive fabric of her robes. "She's the one who fired the needles," Lyra noted, her voice cool, protective of Rylan. "Can we trust her?"
"She has sworn her life to me," Rylan said, his tone leaving no room for debate. "And she possesses a talent we desperately need. Mei?"
Mei jumped slightly at her name. She stepped forward, bowing deeply to the three women. "I... I am a Spirit Artificer. I specialize in the creation of spiritual tools and defensive formations."
Lyra's eyes widened. As someone who understood resources and crafting, she immediately grasped the value. "An Artificer? Truly?"
"Yes," Mei murmured. She looked up, her gaze sweeping over the village of Oakhaven. Her professional instincts seemed to momentarily override her fear. "And... if I may be bold, Master... this village is a death trap."
Rylan raised an eyebrow. "Explain."
Mei pointed to the wooden palisades Rylan had ordered built. "Wood burns. The placement of the watchtowers leaves blind spots for spiritual sensing. And there is no array. If a true army comes with siege beasts or fire-element cultivators, Oakhaven will be ash in minutes."
She turned to Rylan, a spark of desperate utility in her eyes. "You saved me. You spared me. If you want to keep this dominion, you need walls that bite back. I can build them."
Rylan smirked. This was exactly what the System had promised: Spirit Artificer's Insight.
"Then get to work," Rylan commanded. "Lyra, give her access to our stockpiles. Use the materials from the Baron's keep. I want this village turned into a fortress."
Later that evening, Rylan retreated to the quiet of Elder Kael's main room, which had become his command center.
He sat cross-legged on the bed, finally allowing himself a moment to inspect his internal state.
The difference between Qi Condensation and Foundation Establishment was like the difference between a cup of water and a rushing river. His Dantian was now a solidified pool of golden liquid energy. His meridians were wider, tougher, capable of channeling torrents of power without strain.
He opened the System interface.
[Name: Rylan Sterling] [Cultivation: Foundation Establishment (Early Stage)] [Harem: 4/5] [Title: The Lustful Emperor (Rising)]
He tapped on his inventory. There, glowing with a soft azure light, was the manual he had won from Senior Brother Lin.
[Item: The Azure Dragon's Breath (High-Grade Manual)] [Description: A cultivation technique of the Jade Empire's elite. Focuses on the Wood and Wind elements. Grants high regeneration, immense stamina, and the ability to manifest draconic aura attacks.] [Requirement: Foundation Establishment.]
"Perfect," Rylan whispered. His previous manual, The Art of Veiled Desire, was excellent for dual cultivation and speed, but it lacked raw offensive firepower. The Azure Dragon's Breath would fill that gap.
He opened the manual. The characters seemed to leap off the page, burning themselves into his mind.
Breath like the wind, roots like the mountain. The Dragon does not strive; it simply is.
As he began to meditate, absorbing the first layer of the technique, the door creaked open.
It was Mei.
She had shed her armor and was wearing a simple, loose robe provided by the villagers. She looked smaller without the jade plating, but her eyes held a fierce determination. She carried a tray with a steaming bowl of broth and a small, intricately carved metal sphere.
"Master," she said softly, closing the door behind her. "Lyra said you would be hungry. And... I brought a prototype."
Rylan set the manual down. "Come in, Mei."
She approached, setting the tray down, but she didn't leave. She held out the metal sphere.
"I made this from the scrap metal of the Vanguard's broken weapons," she explained nervously. "It's a Sound-Capture Orb. It can detect footsteps from a mile away and vibrate to warn the holder. It is... a gift. To prove my worth."
Rylan took the orb. It was warm, humming with faint spiritual energy. It was a marvel of engineering, something no one in Oakhaven could have made.
"It is excellent," Rylan said. He looked at her. "But you are still trembling."
Mei hugged her arms around herself. "I... I have never been without the Empire's protection. I am a traitor now. If they catch me..."
"They won't," Rylan said, standing up. He towered over her, his Imperial Aura humming softly, offering protection rather than intimidation. "You are part of my foundation now. And I do not let my foundation crack."
He reached out, lifting her chin as he had done in the clearing. The proximity triggered the System.
[Ding! Harem Interaction Available.] [Target: Mei] [Status: Anxious, Seeking Reassurance.] [Action: Initiate Dual Cultivation to stabilize her loyalty and integrate her spiritual signature into the Harem network.]
Rylan felt the heat rise in the room. He needed to stabilize his new realm. Mei needed to sever her spiritual ties to the Jade Empire and bind herself to him completely.
"You built defenses for the village," Rylan murmured, his thumb tracing her jawline. "Now, let me build a defense for your soul."
Mei's breath hitched. She didn't pull away. In his eyes, she saw the power that had crushed her Senior Brother, and the promise of a destiny far greater than being a cog in the Jade machine.
"Teach me, Master," she whispered. "Teach me your path."
End of Chapter 29