Amazing increase in luck altar

"Over eight hundred gnolls," the gnoll on his knees confessed. "And nearly three thousand desert coyotes."

Haotian, surprised, asked, "Can your tribe sustain such numbers?"

The kneeling gnoll explained, "Some of the coyotes are raised for meat. Besides, we have three sand-dweller settlements under our control. These sand-dwellers regularly provide us with livestock. Additionally, our tribe hunts magical beasts and raids human caravans passing through nearby areas. Human caravans are wealthy, and the goods we plunder can be exchanged for various resources in our ancestral land."

"So that's how it is," Haotian said, understanding dawning on his face. The Kalar Desert was resource-poor, but the intelligent species that thrived here had developed their own survival strategies.

Haotian continued, "Where is your ancestral land, and how many gnolls reside there?"

"I only know it's to the north," the gnoll replied. "I've never been there myself, but I've heard there are hundreds of thousands of gnolls!"

Haotian was silent for a moment, considering the information. The gnoll might be exaggerating or simply repeating hearsay. Hundreds of thousands of gnolls seemed implausible.

"Take him away," Haotian instructed a nearby royal knight. "Keep him alive. We'll need him to guide us when we attack the Black Wind Tribe."

"Yes, my lord," the knight replied, dragging the gnoll away. The bodies of the slain gnolls were promptly cleared from the area.

Haotian turned to the remaining knights. "Avoid the salt lake for now to prevent retaliation from the Black Wind Tribe. Instead, join the second squad at the stone mountain to continue mining stone."

"At your command!" The knights respectfully bowed and departed.

Haotian began inventorying the spoils brought back by the knights while instructing the maid Sally to start drying the meat. Despite killing only about thirty gnoll cavalry, they had collected over a hundred gold coins—a substantial haul. It might be due to the humanoid nature of the gnolls, making them drop more loot.

In addition to gold, the knights had brought back various equipment: clubs, wooden bows, swords, and spears. Though varied, these items were of ordinary quality, not even comparable to the lowest-grade magical gear. Haotian tossed them aside, planning to sell them off cheaply to human caravans or sand-dwellers later.

By evening, Haotian and Sally had used up the 600 kilograms of coarse salt, but they had only managed to preserve about two-thirds of the gray wolf meat. The remaining meat had to be quickly dried using fire magic to extend its shelf life.

As the night fell, with stars dotting the sky, the steward Hoden and the royal knights began returning to the Golden Oasis.

"Master," Hoden exclaimed, astonished, "has the oasis expanded? It seems larger."

Haotian smiled. "Yes, it has. Our territory has upgraded."

"Praise the gods!" Hoden prayed reverently. Haotian then tallied the day's gains: nearly a thousand gold coins, along with a wealth of sandworm skins, teeth, and other magical beast materials—far exceeding the previous day's haul.

"Currently," Haotian calculated, "I have 2,135 gold coins. Upgrading the village hall and building the Lucky Altar each require 1,000 gold coins. Together, that's exactly enough. We've also mined the required 500 units of stone for the Lucky Altar, with some left over. Now we just need the wood."

He immediately summoned the royal knights, instructing them to gather wood from the oasis trees. Once he had 1,000 units of wood, he could upgrade the Village Hall again.

After the knights left, Haotian moved to an open area near the Royal Knights' Training Grounds and took out the blueprints for the Lucky Altar. As 1,000 lord coins and a large quantity of stone vanished, a golden-tinged altar appeared before them.

The altar, constructed entirely of stone, was covered in countless intricate runes glowing with a soft golden light, emanating a profound sense of mystery. The gnoll tied to a tree nearby gaped in astonishment, muttering about witnessing a miracle. His earlier defiance was replaced with awe and reverence.

"Master, what is the purpose of this altar?" Sally asked, her curiosity piqued. Hoden also looked expectantly at Haotian.

"This is the Lucky Altar," Haotian explained. "It bestows various beneficial auras upon our territory."

"Beneficial auras? Sounds similar to the totem poles of the beast tribes," Hoden remarked.

Haotian, having never seen a beast tribe's totem pole, couldn't compare them but was confident that his Lucky Altar was superior.

Lucky Altar Level: Basic Current Aura: Increases combat effectiveness of your territory's units by 50%. Aura Duration: 6 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes Next Level: Intermediate Altar Upgrade Requirements: 10,000 gold coins, 5,000 units of stone Special Note: At max level, the Lucky Altar allows for sacrifices to obtain higher-tier auras and special items.

Haotian took a deep breath, impressed by the altar's potential. Even at its basic level, it boosted combat effectiveness by 50%—an extraordinary enhancement. No totem pole could match this. Moreover, the aura's effect wasn't limited by distance, benefiting anyone in his territory, even those far away, with no adverse side effects.

"This is indeed a divine artifact!" Haotian marveled, imagining how powerful the auras would become once the altar was fully upgraded and could perform sacrifices.

"Master, I feel an incredible surge of strength!" Hoden exclaimed, astonished by the sudden boost in his abilities.

Haotian grinned. "This week's aura enhances everyone's overall strength by 50%. Enjoy it, Hoden."

"Truly, this is divine power!" Hoden was deeply moved, praying fervently.

With the Lucky Altar in place, Haotian felt more confident than ever. His plans for the future, starting with the conquest of the Black Wind Tribe, now seemed within reach.