Rylan met the charge of the Baron's two remaining Qi Condensation cultivators with a predatory calm. The greatsword-wielder, a hulking brute whose spiritual energy surged like an uncontrolled torrent, swung his massive blade in a wide, powerful arc, aiming to cleave Rylan in two. The staff-wielder, gaunt and swift, danced in the brute's shadow, his spiritual staff a blur, striking with precise, distracting jabs at Rylan's vital points.
They were a coordinated pair, a more formidable challenge than Borin and Sylas had been. Their Qi Condensation (Mid-Stage) cultivation was evident in their raw power and the seamless flow of their attacks.
Rylan didn't back down. He parried the staff-wielder's quick thrust with an open palm, the impact sending a jarring shockwave through the staff and up the cultivator's arm. As the greatsword descended, Rylan unleashed the Earth-Shattering Hammer technique, not with a physical weapon, but with a focused burst of spiritual energy from his fist. The ethereal hammer strike met the heavy blade head-on.
A deafening clang echoed through the square as spiritual energy collided with steel. The greatsword-wielder grunted, his feet digging into the earth, but the force of Rylan's strike was immense. The brute's arms trembled, and a fissure appeared in the ground beneath him. He was strong, but Rylan's Qi Condensation (Mid-Stage) cultivation, constantly refined by dual cultivation, was superior.
Using the recoil, Rylan spun, evading another swift jab from the staff-wielder. He knew direct, sustained combat was not the fastest path to power, but this was a necessary display. He needed to utterly break the Baron's will.
He shifted tactics. Instead of meeting force with force, he used his enhanced speed and agility, fueled by his spiritual energy, to become an elusive target. He weaved between their attacks, striking at their defenses, probing for weaknesses. His Twin Serpent Strikes, now infused with the refined energy of his mid-stage Qi Condensation, became almost invisible, two spiritual daggers that danced around their guard.
He struck the greatsword-wielder's elbow, a precise spiritual blow that momentarily numbed his arm, making him falter. Then, he exploited the opening. A swift, powerful kick to the gaunt staff-wielder's Dantian sent him flying backward, his spiritual energy momentarily seizing up.
With the staff-wielder down, Rylan focused entirely on the greatsword brute. He moved in close, too fast for the heavy blade. He slammed a spiritual palm strike into the brute's chest, then followed with a rapid succession of precise, incapacitating blows, targeting his meridians. The brute roared in pain and frustration, his greatsword falling uselessly from his hands as his spiritual energy became chaotic. He crashed to the ground, unconscious.
[Ding! Host has defeated two Qi Condensation (Mid-Stage) Cultivators!][Reward: Minor Breakthrough to Qi Condensation (Late-Stage), Advanced Martial Art Technique: Stone Serpent Grapple (Defensive/Control), Minor Spiritual Resilience Enhancement.]
A familiar, exhilarating surge of energy filled Rylan. His Qi Condensation realm ascended, settling into the Late-Stage. He felt his spiritual energy solidify further, his Dantian now a wellspring of potent power. The System also granted him a valuable new defensive/control technique and enhanced his spiritual resilience, making him even tougher to break.
The two cultivators lay defeated, their unconscious bodies joining the other fallen guards. The Baron, still on his warhorse, watched the scene unfold with a look of utter horror. His entire legion was in disarray, his elite cultivators defeated.
"This... this is impossible!" the Baron shrieked, his face ashen, his bravado utterly evaporated. He finally understood the magnitude of the power he had challenged. He turned his horse, intending to flee.
But Rylan was faster.
Before the Baron could spur his horse into a full gallop, Rylan appeared directly in front of him, a ghost in the morning light. The Baron yelped, pulling back on the reins.
Rylan reached out, not with aggression, but with a calculated touch. He placed a hand on the Baron's portly stomach, directly over his Dantian. A subtle, yet powerful spiritual pressure emanated from Rylan's hand, enough to make the Baron gasp, his eyes wide with terror, but not enough to harm him.
"Baron Von Hess," Rylan stated, his voice a low, dangerous growl. "Your reign ends here. Oakhaven is free from your tyranny. Your lands, your resources, your authority... they are now mine. You will return to your keep, abdicate your title, and swear fealty to me. You will command your remaining forces to do the same. Refuse, and you will be stripped of everything, including your life."
The Baron whimpered, staring into Rylan's unyielding eyes. He had no power left, no will to fight. His army was broken, his cultivators defeated. He was utterly at Rylan's mercy.
"I... I swear," the Baron stammered, his voice broken. "I will do as you command. Just... just spare my life."
Rylan removed his hand, a chilling smirk on his lips. "Good. Now, go. And send your message clearly."
The Baron, a broken man, turned his horse and fled, his remaining guards scrambling after him, leaving behind their weapons and their pride.
The cheers from Oakhaven were thunderous now, a roar of liberation. Rylan had not just saved them; he had freed them. He stood in the center of the square, the undisputed master of Oakhaven, his power recognized, his authority absolute. The first step in dismantling the Jade Empire's influence had been taken. The Lustful Emperor's dominion had begun.
End of chapter 21