The air in Oakhaven vibrated not with fear, but with exuberant cheers. Villagers, men, women, and children alike, surged towards Rylan, their faces alight with unbridled joy and relief. They embraced each other, wept, and then turned their gazes to him, their new protector, with an almost religious fervor.
"Master Rylan! You saved us! Again!" Elder Kael's voice was thick with emotion as he clasped Rylan's hand, his eyes shining. "No Baron, no Enforcer, can stand against you!"
Rylan accepted their adulation with a calm, almost regal bearing. His spiritual energy, now at Qi Condensation (Mid-Stage), hummed steadily within him, a silent testament to his newfound power. He glanced at Borin and Sylas, still unconscious where they had fallen. They were broken, defeated, and would serve as a powerful message.
"They will deliver a message to their Baron," Rylan stated, his voice carrying clearly over the joyous din. He motioned to a few of the stronger villagers. "Bind them securely, but do not harm them further. And allow them to take their injured leaders. They must tell the Baron exactly what transpired here." He wanted the Baron to fully comprehend the extent of his defeat, to understand the new power that had risen.
The villagers quickly obeyed, their actions now infused with a new sense of purpose under Rylan's implicit command.
Over the next few days, Rylan meticulously consolidated his control over Oakhaven. He was no longer just a guest; he was the unquestioned master. He began to organize the village, implementing measures that were both practical and subtly asserted his authority. He established a rotation of villagers for proper watch duties, explaining how to utilize their basic spiritual senses to detect approaching threats sooner. He advised on optimizing the harvest, drawing upon his System-enhanced intuition for agricultural improvements.
His nights, however, were dedicated to the accelerating path of dual cultivation.
With Elara, the gentle refinement of her Qi Gathering continued. She was becoming more nimble, her senses sharper, her simple loyalty deepening into an unbreakable bond.
Lyra, with her vibrant Minor Mana Affinity, was rapidly becoming an indispensable asset. Her spiritual energy, once wild, was now becoming more controlled, and her Herbal Lore skill allowed her to identify rare spiritual herbs in the surrounding forests, which subtly aided Rylan's cultivation and general well-being. Their dual cultivation sessions were invigorating, her receptive spirit drawing out a potent flow of pure energy.
Lena, whose Minor Healing Affinity had blossomed, was a source of profound restoration. Her unique spiritual energy soothed Rylan's Dantian, accelerating his recovery from any exertion, and even subtly improving the purity of his Qi Condensation essence. Her Medicinal Practices skill was put to use immediately, as she tirelessly tended to the recovering injured villagers, healing them with a speed and efficacy that astounded Master Borin, the village's traditional healer. Lena's gratitude and adoration for Rylan were boundless, her fear entirely replaced by unwavering trust and a quiet, profound love.
Rylan absorbed it all. Each dual cultivation session wasn't just about gaining power; it was about refining his being, integrating new knowledge, and forging unbreakable bonds that extended his influence not just over the physical world, but over the hearts of his Harem. He practiced the Twin Serpent Strikes and Earth-Shattering Hammer techniques, finding that his innate Weapon Affinities made him remarkably proficient, even without a physical weapon. His spiritual energy alone could mimic their effects with devastating power.
He used his newly honed spiritual sense to map out the surrounding territory, discerning the Baron's patrol routes, the locations of any lingering beasts, and even faint traces of spiritual ore deposits in the nearby mountains. He was building an information network, a domain.
The Baron's response, Rylan knew, would not be long in coming. The humiliation of Kaelen's defeat, and now Borin and Sylas', would fester. The Baron would gather his remaining forces, perhaps even appeal to higher powers within the Jade Empire for aid.
Let him, Rylan thought, a confident smirk touching his lips as he surveyed his thriving village. Oakhaven was secure, his Harem loyal and growing, and his own power soaring. He was no longer the weak, forgotten virgin. He was the emerging force, the burgeoning power that would eventually shatter clans and topple empires. His personal war against Baron Von Hess, and ultimately the Jade Empire, had just escalated. The Lustful Emperor was ready for whatever came next.
End of chapter 18