Mine salt lakes and upgrade territory

"A weekly luck aura," Haotian mused, comparing it to his Lord talent. "It's quite similar to my own ability, but different in one key aspect. My talent allows me to add one troop building each week, whereas the Luck Altar grants a random luck aura weekly. There's a significant difference there."

Overall, the Luck Altar was a valuable addition to his territory, providing beneficial buffs. Haotian decided to construct it as soon as he gathered the necessary resources.

"Five hundred units of stone might be a challenge," he noted. "In this desert, there's plenty of sand, but stone is scarce."

He called for the old steward, Horden, to inquire about any nearby mountains with stone. After some thought, Horden replied, "Master, in the direction of the salt lake, there is a sprawling stone mountain. Though it's not very tall, it covers a considerable area."

"That's excellent news!" Haotian exclaimed. He planned to send the slightly injured Royal Knights to harvest the "Poplar Forest" the next day, gather the wood needed to upgrade the Village Hall, and then proceed to quarry the stone. The other Royal Knights would continue their hunting missions.

Using Royal Knights for resource gathering was indeed an overkill, but with his limited forces and no lower-tier troops, Haotian had no other choice.

The night passed quickly. By morning, the Royal Knights had managed the aftermath of the battle. They collected over 7,300 units of wolf meat, numerous wolf pelts and teeth of various grades, 490 gold coins, and 32 magic crystals of low, mid, and high grades. These crystals could be embedded in equipment to create powerful magical items. Haotian's own high-grade magic staff, adorned with a high-tier magic crystal, was worth over 10,000 gold coins in the Kingdom of Stanlo, a price ten times higher than similar level items without a crystal.

In addition to these spoils, Haotian also received a blueprint and two bags of gold coins.

Troop Quantity Blueprint Level: Low Upon use, you will receive a certain number of territorial troops. Special Note: The type of troops received will match the troop buildings in your territory.

Small Gold Coin Pouch Item Info: Upon use, you will receive a small pile of gold coins.

Without hesitation, Haotian used the items.

"You have used a Troop Quantity Blueprint." "Congratulations, you have received 30 intermediate troops—Royal Knights." "You have used a Small Gold Coin Pouch." "Congratulations, you have received 170 gold coins." "You have used a Small Gold Coin Pouch." "Congratulations, you have received 200 gold coins."

"The joy of free gains!" Haotian grinned. With the addition of 30 new Royal Knights, his forces now totaled 94. Had it not been for the loss of six knights in the recent battle, he would have hit a hundred, completing his side quest.

His gold reserves also surpassed a thousand, reaching 1,008 coins. However, one issue nagged at him.

"Despite slaying so many gray wolves, not a single piece of equipment dropped. Is the drop rate too low, or do they not drop equipment at all?"

Haotian consulted the Lord System, which promptly replied: "Lords obtain equipment directly from humanoid monsters. Defeating beasts yields experience, blueprints, Lord coins, and special items. Additionally, constructing a blacksmith shop allows you to forge your own equipment."

"Got it!" Haotian's curiosity was satisfied. Yet, looking at the mountain of wolf meat, he faced another problem. Over 7,000 units of wolf meat—how long would it take to consume that? Even with nearly a hundred Royal Knights, they couldn't finish it quickly, especially since they also had several thousand pounds of Red Dragon Fruit in storage. Without proper preservation, these resources would spoil.

"I don't have a warehouse yet," Haotian thought. "For now, I'll turn the wolf meat into jerky." The desert's high daytime temperatures would quickly dry the meat, but also accelerate spoilage. To prevent this, Haotian needed salt.

Salt could preserve the meat for a longer time by killing bacteria. Determined, Haotian summoned the newly arrived Royal Knights and sent them to the salt lake a few kilometers away. The salt crystals there couldn't be used directly; they required purification.

"There are tools left behind that can purify the salt crystals," he instructed the knights. "Bring back the coarse salt after purification."

Though coarse, the salt would be edible. In this world, most people consumed only slightly refined salt due to limited technology, and the resilient nature of supernaturals negated concerns over impurities.

"Yes, my lord!" the Royal Knights responded, departing swiftly.

Other Royal Knights were assigned various tasks, leaving only Haotian and his maid, Sally, in the golden oasis. Even the old steward Horden had gone hunting.

"Let's continue yesterday's lessons," Haotian said, leading Sally to the Village Hall.

By noon, the Royal Knights returned with over 300 units of wood from the Poplar Forest. The forest was now reduced to small trees unsuitable for further lumbering.

"It's a shame," Haotian sighed. "We'll have to go farther for wood next time."

Such were the challenges of living in the desert. In a lush forest like the Forest of Life, basic resources like wood and stone were abundant and easily accessible.

The Royal Knights were then dispatched to quarry stone for the Luck Altar. Haotian now had three teams in the field—one harvesting stone, one collecting salt, and one hunting desert beasts. All except the severely injured knights were occupied.

"Upgrading the Village Hall requires 500 units of wood and 500 gold coins. We have everything now!"

Haotian stepped outside, activated the upgrade option for the Village Hall, and watched as a brilliant golden light enveloped the structure. The wooden hall expanded rapidly, its design becoming more refined. Most notably, the golden oasis itself grew larger. Verdant vegetation spread like a carpet over the dunes, transforming into a lush forest around the sapphire lake.

Haotian's face lit up with joy. "We have wood now!"