"Do you want to go play with them?" Hao Tian asked, glancing at the little dragon spirit blowing bubbles on his shoulder.
Since discovering bubble-blowing while brushing her teeth that morning, the tiny dragon had become obsessed, frequently puffing out bubbles, making her even more endearing. Her large, sparkling eyes were fixed on Amy and the unicorn playing in the distant flowerbed.
Despite her evident longing, the little dragon immediately turned her head at Hao Tian's words, wrapping her small arms around his neck and nuzzling his ear with her cute, delicate face. She preferred staying by Hao Tian's side over playing.
When Hao Tian extended his hand, the dragon spirit crawled into his palm, sitting obediently. She looked up at him with big, adoring eyes, like a well-behaved kitten. Hao Tian gently rubbed her cheek with his fingertip and said, "You can't stay with me all the time. There are two demigod-level undead in the Dragonfall Canyon that need to be taken care of. And we need to leave soon."
The dragon spirit nodded obediently and, from somewhere, produced a red dragon fruit, offering it to Hao Tian with both hands like a treasured gift.
Hao Tian's heart melted. He hated to send her into battle, but he knew it was necessary. Accepting the fruit, he summoned the Windrunner sisters and the undead dragons from the Dragon's Tomb.
In an instant, dozens of massive undead dragons appeared above the Golden Oasis. Among them were the terrifyingly large demigod-level dragons, the Sky Swallowing Serpent King and the Zombie Dragon King, Wallis, exuding an oppressive presence.
The sand people of the domain knelt in practiced reverence, their fear replaced by respect for their lord.
However, Amy and her unicorn, Theresa, were petrified, their bodies rigid and expressions filled with terror.
"Un-undead dragons…so many undead dragons! And two demigod-level ones!" The unicorn's voice trembled.
Amy's beautiful face turned pale. As a high-level saint, she knew they could be torn to shreds in an instant if these dragons attacked. But her fear soon abated as the undead dragons descended and prostrated themselves before Hao Tian, including the two demigods, displaying utmost respect.
"Last time I was here, I only saw two undead dragons: a bone dragon and a corpse dragon. Now there are over thirty, most at saint level!" Amy gasped, her expression incredulous.
…
Hao Tian addressed the sisters and the undead dragons, "Your mission is to conquer the Dragonfall Canyon. Complete it as swiftly as possible."
He was eager for the reward of the [Ultimate Unit Building Upgrade Blueprint] from the side quest. With this week's aura providing "five times the base unit recruitment," acquiring the blueprint sooner would allow him to recruit massive numbers of units.
For instance, upgrading the [Royal Griffin Knight Training Ground] to an ultimate unit building would enable the recruitment of 30,000 Royal Griffin Knights daily. With the five-fold aura, that number would jump to an astonishing 150,000. Currently, without the upgrade, only 15,000 knights could be recruited daily—a significant difference.
"Rest assured, my lord, we will conquer the Dragonfall Canyon as quickly as possible," Aurelia said solemnly. The dragon spirit on Hao Tian's shoulder waved her tiny fists, determined to do her part.
"Excellent, then off you go!" Hao Tian nodded.
The dragon spirit transformed into a golden streak, landing on the massive head of the Sky Swallowing Serpent King. Waving reluctantly at Hao Tian, she urged the dragon to set off. The giant dragon, without protest, flapped its enormous wings and soared into the sky. The Windrunner sisters each mounted a dragon and followed the horde, quickly disappearing into the distance.
The core area of the domain was left quiet once more, save for Amy and her unicorn. The maid Sally and the old butler Hoden had gone hunting early in the morning, driven to improve themselves amid the rapid development and increasing strength of the Golden Oasis.
…
Amy and her unicorn approached, their shock giving way to curiosity. "Is the lord planning to conquer Dragonfall Canyon? Is there any way Theresa and I can assist?" Amy asked softly. As an elf, it was her duty to combat undead, and she was eager to help her temporary home.
"That won't be necessary," Hao Tian replied with a smile. "You two just enjoy your stay in my domain."
"Of course," Amy said sincerely. "But if there's anything we can do, please don't hesitate to ask."
Hao Tian nodded, appreciating her willingness to help. He then allowed Amy to explore the oasis while he headed to the outer city. His first task was relocating the [Market] and upgrading it, consuming 220,000 units of wood and 55,000 units of stone.
Next, he moved the sand people's residential area, a simple task accomplished with a single command. The upgraded [Market] now featured 3,000 shops and could accommodate 300,000 visitors, sufficient for the time being. More markets could be built if needed.
Finally, Hao Tian constructed additional residences around the market, available for the oasis's residents or for sale. With these arrangements complete, he returned to the core area. Under the curious gazes of Amy and Theresa, he entered the [Profession Skill Tower].
Amy was curious about the tower's contents but didn't dare intrude without Hao Tian's permission. Even if she tried, the [Profession Skill Tower] would repel anyone who wasn't a resident of the Golden Oasis, regardless of their strength.