Two Days Later

The migration proceeded smoothly. Under the intimidating presence of the Royal Griffon Knight Legion, the remaining three sand people settlements complied without resistance. All the people and supplies were transported to the Golden Oasis.

Initially, the inhabitants of the three settlements were anxious and skeptical, fearing that old butler Holden might be deceiving them, intending to enslave them. However, upon arriving at the Golden Oasis, their attitudes shifted dramatically. They eagerly joined the Oasis and enthusiastically participated in the ensuing tasks. Compared to their previous precarious lives, jobs like logging, quarrying, and salt harvesting seemed almost leisurely. They were more than willing to work for their mysterious lord until their last breath.

In the backyard of the town hall, old butler Holden reported to Haotian, "Master, the new sand people have been settled and assigned tasks. The Royal Griffon Knight Legion has also gone to the sandy forest area to continue hunting."

"I've just done a headcount," he continued. "As of now, our territory has nine thousand three hundred sixty-eight sand people. The number of elk has also soared, exceeding twelve thousand!"

The old butler was delighted. Initially, he had worried that the sudden increase in population might cause a food crisis in the territory, but it seemed his concerns were unfounded. The sheer number of elk alone would sustain the territory for a long time. Additionally, the grain transported from the sand people tribes, especially millet, had filled the warehouse to the brim. The sand people, having eaten millet almost to the point of nausea, used it as their main food source out of necessity. Yet, the taste of millet, somewhat like nuts when roasted, with a hint of sweetness, was quite palatable and could be considered a leisure snack. Selling the surplus millet in the human kingdoms might even bring in a considerable profit.

Haotian retrieved a small vial from his space pouch and handed it to Holden. "This is an animal growth potion. Pour it into the livestock pens, and we'll get more adult elk and pregnant females."

"Amazing!" Holden was astonished and eagerly took the vial. He recalled the sudden surge in pregnant coyotes and elk recently, realizing it was Haotian's doing.

"It shortens an animal's growth time by a third. Use it once, and it's enough. Overuse won't yield additional effects," Haotian explained.

"I understand, Master," Holden nodded.

Haotian continued, "When the Royal Griffon Knight Legion goes out hunting, have them also patrol the surrounding areas. If they find any new sand people settlements, bring everyone here. Once our population exceeds ten thousand, we can construct the Professional Skill Tower."

"Professional Skill Tower?" Holden asked, curious. "A magical building related to professional skills?"

"Exactly," Haotian confirmed. "Within it, one can learn various professional skills, be they combat techniques or magic. You'll see its full capabilities once it's built."

Hearing this, Holden grew excited. He was close to advancing to the king level but lacked any king-level magical skills. Learning such skills in the Professional Skill Tower would significantly enhance his power. A building like this, which allowed one to learn professional skills, was invaluable. Typically, local professionals relied on mentors to learn magic and combat techniques, and talent played a crucial role in their learning capabilities. The concept of a Professional Skill Tower didn't exist on the Sacred Continent.

Haotian added, "Once our population surpasses ten thousand, we'll host a Harvest Festival. We'll also catch the native fish from Sapphire Lake to treat our people to a special meal."

"These sand people are truly fortunate to have met you, Master," Holden remarked. Even he felt that his master was exceedingly kind to the sand people.

Haotian merely smiled. Offering an extra meal was a simple matter for him, but if it motivated the sand people to work harder, providing abundant resources for his territory, it was well worth it.

Not lingering any longer, old butler Holden hurried off, eager to elevate his level to king and complete the tasks assigned by his master. Meanwhile, Haotian returned to his unfinished task: crafting a comfortable recliner.

Time flew by, and two days passed in the blink of an eye. Through recruitment and using monster drops to obtain [Unit Quantity Blueprints], the Royal Griffon Knight Legion had expanded to a total of eighteen hundred, including over three hundred seventy Royal Judgment Griffon Knights. Most of the Griffon Knights had reached levels eight and nine, with over a hundred and twenty achieving king level. The majority of these were Royal Judgment Griffon Knights, as they started at level nine, just a step away from king level.

Haotian himself had also made significant progress, now standing at the peak of king level, just one step from transcending. Over the past two days, territorial development had advanced rapidly, elevating the oasis to a [Mid-Level Town]. This upgrade expanded the oasis several times over, bringing not only a vast, seemingly inexhaustible forest but also a dedicated [Stone Quarry].

Of course, this stone quarry wasn't generated by the [Lord System]; it was a pre-existing stone mountain a few kilometers away. With the oasis's expansion, the stone mountain was now encompassed within Haotian's territory, becoming an exclusive resource.

In the sand people's settlement, over a thousand [Residential Houses] were neatly arranged like fish scales. The area was so large it resembled a city-state. Some of the [Residential Houses] were upgraded to mid-level, accommodating ten residents each, while the rest were [Low-Level Residences]. Haotian had not excessively consumed wood resources, ensuring there was enough housing for the current sand people.

"Tonight, the aura from the Luck Altar will refresh again," Haotian mused. "I wonder what the new week's territory buff will be?"

His first lucky aura had been a [50% Combat Strength Boost for Territorial Units], making the Royal Griffon Knight Legion almost invincible. They had easily conquered the lizardman tribe and swept through the sandy forest area unchallenged. So far, there hadn't been a single reported injury among the griffon knights, let alone any fatalities.

Haotian hoped the new lucky aura would be just as powerful.

"Speaking of which," he thought, "the people from the Crystal Chamber of Commerce should have returned to Forest City by now. I wonder how things are going over there?"