Gold mine

Golden Oasis, Near the Elven Spring.Old steward Hoden asked, puzzled, "Young master, do you really trust the Crystal Chamber of Commerce that much?"

After all, the Elven Spring Water they were dealing with was worth millions of gold coins. While the ten thousand Red Dragon Fruits, though not as valuable, could still fetch tens of thousands of gold coins. Even at its peak, the Tulip family couldn't boast such wealth. Such an enormous fortune would tempt even a legendary figure, yet his young master entrusted it to a relatively unknown chamber of commerce. This made Hoden worry that the Crystal Chamber of Commerce might just take the goods and never return.

Haotian smiled. "Trust? This is our first meeting; trust doesn't factor into it. Apart from my own people, I trust no one. It doesn't matter if it's the Crystal Chamber, the Fire Crystal Chamber, or the Blue Crystal Chamber—I would still do this deal with them. It's all to ensure our territory's rapid development. If Miss Sophia is smart, she'll make the right choice. Besides, even if she swindles our goods, our loss is minimal. Elven Spring Water, precious as it seems, is not something we lack."

He then led the old steward Hoden to the Elven Spring. Hoden looked up and saw an ancient well, almost empty, yet still producing a continuous flow of Elven Spring Water. It wouldn't take long for it to fill up again.

"This Elven Spring is truly a divine gift!" Hoden exclaimed. Such a well, producing endless Elven Spring Water, was like a gold mine that could never be exhausted. Indeed, with such a treasure, the loss of what the Crystal Chamber of Commerce took was insignificant.

"I just hope Miss Sophia is wise," Haotian continued. "If she chooses to form a long-term partnership with us, her Crystal Chamber of Commerce will undoubtedly grow rapidly, becoming a major player in Forest City."

Haotian nodded. "Now, let's wrap up the trade matters. Have the goods left by Sophia sorted and stored in our warehouse. The fabrics can be given to skilled sandmaidens to sew into clothes."

Apart from the fabrics, there were also a lot of gold and silverware, fruit wines, and other supplies. These were now his property.

"Yes, young master. I'll pass on your instructions immediately." Hoden nodded, then added, "It's remarkable how your level has advanced again in just one morning. At this rate, you might soon reach the rank of king-level. In the Stanlo Kingdom, king-level practitioners are considered quite powerful. The Tulip family, at its height, only had five king-level practitioners, and your father, Count Randall, was at the peak of king-level. I'm sure you'll surpass him soon."

Haotian smiled. "This is just the beginning. We aim to make the Golden Oasis the wealthiest and most powerful force on the Sacred Continent. One day, even demigods will have to bow their heads when they come here!"

Hoden took a deep breath, hope shining in his old, wrinkled face. He believed in his young master, a God-gifted individual. This made him full of anticipation for the future of the Golden Oasis. If such a day came, even the demigods would have to lower their proud heads to the Golden Oasis. Perhaps then, the old king of Stanlo Kingdom would regret his foolish decisions?

Evening Time

After a full day of hunting, the territory's troops had amassed nearly two thousand gold coins worth of game, including over thirteen thousand units of beast meat. There were also numerous beast hides, fangs, and magical materials. Although no blueprints were found, they did collect five bags of gold coins, adding another thousand gold to Haotian's coffers. By day's end, his total gold reserves had surpassed five thousand coins.

However, he chose not to use this gold yet. By midnight, his [Godlike Lord Talent: Beloved of All Races] would refresh, granting him a new unit building. These five thousand gold coins were earmarked for upgrading the new building.

Sand People's Efforts

The sand people had been working diligently, gathering large quantities of stone and timber, forming two massive piles at the training grounds. They had accumulated nearly a hundred thousand units: over eighty-five thousand units of timber and over forty-six thousand units of stone.

With these resources, Haotian began upgrading the buildings in the territory. First, he upgraded the [Ranch] to a high level, consuming fifty thousand units of timber. Then, he upgraded the previously low-level [Warehouse] to a high level, using thirty-three thousand units of timber and eleven thousand units of stone.

Building Information

[Warehouse]

Level: High

Storage Capacity: 50 million units

Next Level: Large Warehouse

Upgrade Requirements: 300,000 units of timber, 100,000 units of stone, 10,000 units of refined iron

[Ranch]

Level: High

Description: You can breed various livestock, including mounts and magical beasts.

Effects: Enhances breeding capability by ten times, reduces growth cycles proportionately, and further increases the chances of bloodline evolution.

Next Level: Large Ranch

Upgrade Requirements: 500,000 units of timber

Special Note: Upgrading the ranch increases the likelihood of livestock bloodline evolution.

With these upgrades, the buildings wouldn't need further enhancement soon. The resources required for the next level were too vast to manage immediately.

"Especially the warehouse," Haotian mused. "A high-level warehouse with a capacity of fifty million units will serve us well for a long time. Honestly, I'd love to see it overflow, but that's not likely anytime soon."

He then claimed his reward for completing [Side Quest Two]: five hundred gold coins and a bottle of Animal Growth Potion.

Animal Growth Potion

Level: Low

Effect: Reduces the growth time of the target animal by up to one-third, depending on its level.

Usage: Five times

Special Note: The effects of Animal Growth Potion do not stack. Only one potion of the same level can be used in a given area.

"Similar to the Plant Growth Potion," Haotian noted. "Both have five uses."

He poured the entire bottle into Sapphire Lake. The lake surface bubbled, and countless fish leapt joyfully. Whether his Silver Tail Fish or the lake's native fish, they all began growing rapidly. The native fish species especially saw significant growth, with some large fish reaching over one and a half meters in length, becoming quite robust.

Haotian planned to host a [Harvest Festival] at the right time, catching all the native fish from the lake to treat his people to a feast.