The Envoy from the Ratman Kingdom

Special Building Blueprint: Professional Skill Tower

Building Information: This is a structure that allows your citizens to learn professional skills.

Construction Requirements: 1,000 gold coins, 500 units of stone.

"Same construction conditions as the Altar of Luck and the Fountain of Elves," Haotian noted. "They all need 1,000 gold coins and 500 units of stone."

Haotian realized that constructing special buildings required gold, and each upgrade demanded ten times more gold than the previous level. For example, upgrading the Altar of Luck and the Fountain of Elves, both now at the intermediate level, would each cost 100,000 gold coins to advance to the next level. In contrast, standard buildings like arrow towers, walls, warehouses, and markets only needed basic resources like wood and stone for construction and upgrades. This distinction highlighted the difference between special and ordinary buildings.

Haotian headed to an open area near the Altar of Luck and started building the Professional Skill Tower. True to its name, it took the form of a tower.

The tower was about eighteen meters in diameter and roughly forty meters tall, consisting of four floors. The ground floor occupied nearly half the height, with three more levels above, topped by a spire.

Professional Skill Tower

Level: Basic

Building Information: Citizens can learn various professional skills here, including but not limited to magic, knight combat techniques, alchemy, and forging.

Highest Skill Level Available: King Level

Next Level: Intermediate Professional Skill Tower

Upgrade Requirements: 10,000 gold coins, 5,000 units of stone

Special Note: The Professional Skill Tower increases the probability of citizens becoming professionals. The higher the building level, the greater the probability increase.

"It can help ordinary people become professionals!" Haotian exclaimed, pleasantly surprised. Though he didn't rely on his citizens for warfare, having them become professionals would significantly improve their physical capabilities and indirectly boost their work efficiency.

Haotian decided to upgrade the Professional Skill Tower to intermediate level, spending 10,000 gold coins and 5,000 units of stone. The tower's size increased, with the base diameter expanding to over thirty meters and the height reaching approximately seventy meters. The number of floors rose to five, and the maximum skill level available went from King Level to Extraordinary Level.

This meant that Haotian and his extraordinary Royal Judicator Knights could now train in the tower to learn more powerful skills. Additionally, the special note in the information gained a new line:

—A fully upgraded Professional Skill Tower can provide insights and comprehension of laws and principles.

"The comprehension of laws!" Haotian's heart raced. Above the extraordinary level was the saint level, and above that, the demigod level. Saints mastered domains, while laws were the hallmark of demigods. Reaching the title of demigod meant significant progress in understanding these laws, highlighting their importance and rarity.

A fully upgraded Professional Skill Tower offering insights into laws was a major advantage. This could attract powerful natives to join his territory, swear allegiance to him, and become his citizens if he so desired.

"For now, upgrading to intermediate level will suffice," Haotian murmured. "Once I have saint-level troops, I'll consider upgrading the tower further."

Calling over his maid Sally, who was preparing lunch, Haotian led her into the tower.

The next day arrived quickly. Following another round of recruitment, Haotian's Royal Griffon Knights now numbered 12,000. The extra thousand came from hunting expeditions where they fortuitously acquired unit expansion scrolls, allowing Haotian to gain a thousand more knights without cost, much to his delight.

Training at the Professional Skill Tower was also progressing smoothly. Haotian himself mastered his first powerful skill—Meteor Shower, an extraordinary-level magic skill. Upon activation, it summoned numerous fiery meteors from the sky, which Haotian could then direct towards his enemies, devastating an area of about a hundred meters in diameter. A test of this skill incinerated a horde of undead creatures, leaving nothing behind.

Sally also made remarkable progress. Whether due to her innate talent or lower starting level, she quickly learned three magic skills: Ice Spike, Thunderball, and Frost Ring. With these skills, she became a true mage. Haotian, fulfilling his promise, dispatched a knight squad to accompany Sally on hunting expeditions, helping her gain experience and level up swiftly. Haotian looked forward to having a saint-level maid.

"Great God Envoy!" Agou the gnoll hurried into the town hall, reporting to Haotian. "Some sentries have spotted a group of sneaky ratmen near the walls. Their leader claims to be an envoy from the Ratman Kingdom and requests an audience with you."

"An envoy from the Ratman Kingdom?" Haotian was surprised, not expecting the kingdom to send an envoy.

"Bring him in," he ordered.

"As you command, my lord!" Agou dashed out and soon returned, dragging in a large rat.

The ratman envoy trembled as he stood in the hall, his face a mix of awe and shock. The transformation of the Golden Oasis was evident; the once modest region now boasted a vast sapphire lake, lush vegetation, and grand structures, all indicating the presence of a powerful figure behind these changes.

"Honorable human lord!" The ratman envoy addressed Haotian, who sat majestically on his throne. "On behalf of the great King Aubrey and the Ratman Kingdom, I extend our sincerest respect to you!"

Before he could finish, Agou, acting like a loyal henchman, shoved the envoy to the ground. "You lowly rat, you must kneel before my master! And remember, only my master is deserving of the title 'great.'"

The ratman envoy: "..."

Haotian: "..."