The air in the room was heavy with the scent of ozone and heated metal, a byproduct of Mei's unique spiritual signature mixing with Rylan's.
Under the guidance of the Art of Veiled Desire, their union was not merely physical; it was a restructuring of the soul. Rylan pushed his dominant, golden Foundation Establishment energy into Mei's meridians, hunting down the lingering, cold traces of the Jade Empire's cultivation methods.
Mei gasped, her back arching as Rylan systematically shattered the "loyalty seals" placed on her spirit by her former masters. It was painful, like pulling a thorn from a wound, but as Rylan replaced that cold void with his own warm, vibrant energy, the pain turned into a euphoric sense of belonging.
"Let go of the Jade," Rylan whispered, his voice resonating in her mind. "You are forged anew."
Mei clung to him, her spiritual energy—sharp and metallic, like the tools she crafted—surrendering to his flow. She poured her essence into him, sharing her innate understanding of structure, geometry, and stress points.
[Ding! Dual Cultivation Successful.] [Target: Mei (Spirit Artificer)] [Result: Jade Empire Loyalty Seals Destroyed. Soul Bound to Host.] [Reward: Host gains "Minor Metal Affinity".] [Skill Acquired: "Structural Vision" (Host can intuitively see the weak points in physical objects and barriers).]
As the session ended, Rylan felt a new sensation behind his eyes—a sharpness, a clarity that dissected the world around him. He looked at the wooden beam above the bed and instantly knew exactly where to strike to bring the whole roof down with a single tap.
Mei lay beside him, exhausted but peaceful. The frantic anxiety that had defined her since the battle was gone, replaced by a deep, rhythmic breathing. She was no longer a prisoner of war; she was his.
The next morning, Rylan didn't rest. The sun was barely cresting the horizon when he stood atop the highest hill overlooking Oakhaven.
It was time to learn the legacy of his defeated enemy.
He retrieved The Azure Dragon's Breath manual from his inventory. With his new Structural Vision and his enhanced Foundation Establishment mind, the complex diagrams that would have confused a normal cultivator for years unraveled before him in minutes.
The Azure Dragon draws power from the wind and the wood. It is relentless. It is the storm that breaks the mountain.
Rylan took a deep breath. He channeled his spiritual energy, mixing his Wood affinity (from the manual) with his new Wind comprehension.
"Azure Dragon Claw!"
He thrust his hand forward.
The air shrieked. A massive, translucent claw made of green wind-blades materialized around his hand, extending ten feet outward.
SLASH.
He swiped at a row of thick pine trees. The claw passed through them as if they were mist. A second later, the top half of five trees slid off their trunks, the cuts perfectly smooth.
Rylan clenched his fist, and the claw dissipated.
It was devastating. It consumed a lot of Qi, but with his Foundation Establishment reserves, he could sustain it. This was the offensive power he had lacked against the Baron's men.
"Master!"
Rylan turned to see Lyra climbing the hill. She was breathless, holding a scroll.
"Mei is... fast," Lyra said, shaking her head in disbelief. "She's already reorganized the entire work crew. You need to see this."
Rylan followed Lyra down to the village perimeter.
Oakhaven was transforming. The simple wooden palisade was being dismantled. In its place, deep trenches were being dug. Mei was down in the mud, her robes tied up, directing the strongest men in the village with the barked commands of a seasoned foreman.
She held a glowing chisel, carving runic scripts into massive stone blocks that were being hauled from the quarry.
"Deeper!" Mei shouted at the diggers. "The foundation needs to anchor the Earth Qi, or the barrier will shatter under a single siege engine strike!"
She spotted Rylan and immediately straightened, wiping stone dust from her cheek. She bowed, her face flushing slightly as she remembered the night before, but her eyes remained professional.
"Master," Mei reported. "I am laying the groundwork for an 'Iron-Wood Bramble Array.' It uses the surrounding forest to feed a defensive barrier. It will be self-repairing."
"Self-repairing?" Rylan asked, impressed.
"Yes. As long as the forest stands, the walls will regenerate. It is... a modified Jade Empire design," she admitted, "but I have improved it. I removed the 'backdoor' key they usually install for inspectors."
Rylan nodded approvingly. "And offensive capabilities?"
Mei pointed to the watchtowers. "I am drafting plans for spiritual ballistae. If Lyra can synthesize enough volatile alchemical bolts, we can shoot down flying cultivators."
Lyra stepped forward, crossing her arms. "I can make the bolts. But we need materials. Sulfur, Spirit-Nitrate, and Iron-wood."
"We have the map from the Baron's keep," Rylan reminded them. "The spiritual ore vein. We need to secure it."
He looked at his two lieutenants. Lyra, the strategist and alchemist. Mei, the architect and engineer. They were the perfect complement to each other.
"Elara," Rylan called out softly.
Like a shadow, Elara dropped from the branch of a nearby tree. Her Qi Gathering cultivation had made her stealth nearly supernatural.
"Master?"
"Take a squad of our best scouts," Rylan ordered. "Go to the location of the ore vein marked on the Baron's map. Verify if it is occupied. If the Jade Empire has sent a vanguard here, they may have sent another to the mine."
"I will go at once," Elara said, her face serious. She vanished into the woods.
Rylan turned back to the village. It was a hive of activity. They were preparing for war.
But there was one loose end.
"Where is Lin?" Rylan asked.
"In the root cellar of the old manor," Lyra replied, her face darkening. "He... screams. A lot. We've had to gag him."
Rylan's expression turned cold. "Let me speak to him."
He walked to the ruins of the Sterling Manor, descending into the dark, damp cellar that served as their makeshift dungeon.
Senior Brother Lin was chained to the wall. He looked nothing like the arrogant immortal who had descended on a cloud yesterday. His robes were tattered, his beard matted with filth.
When he saw Rylan, his eyes bulged. He tried to surge with spiritual energy, but Rylan's seal on his Dantian flared, sending a spasm of agony through his body. Lin convulsed, coughing up bile.
"You... demon," Lin rasped. "My sect... will turn this valley... into a crater."
Rylan stood over him, the Structural Vision active. He could see the cracks in Lin's soul, the fractured spiderweb of his ruined foundation.
"They might try," Rylan said calmly. "But you won't be there to see it."
"Kill me then!" Lin spat. "End it!"
"No," Rylan said. "You are my message, remember?"
He leaned in close.
"I am going to let you go, Lin."
Lin froze. "What?"
"In three days," Rylan said. "I will let you run back to your masters. I want them to see you. I want them to see what happens to a Foundation Establishment expert who crosses me. I want you to be the living nightmare that haunts their recruits."
Rylan turned to leave, pausing at the doorway.
"But be warned, Lin. If you ever step foot in my domain again... I won't seal your power next time. I will let the women you looked down upon tear you apart piece by piece."
Rylan walked out into the sunlight, leaving the fallen cultivator shivering in the dark.
He had planted the seed of fear. Now, he had to make sure he survived the harvest.
[Ding! Quest Generated: Secure the Spirit Ore Mine.] [Difficulty: High.] [Reward: Rare Crafting Materials, Harem Upgrade Opportunity.]
Rylan looked toward the mountains in the distance. The war machine needed fuel. It was time to expand.
End of Chapter 30