In the Blink of an Eye, Family Gone, Wife Gone

"How were the spoils for the Royal Knights?" Haotian asked.

The Royal Inquisitor Knight responded respectfully, "My Lord, after this war, almost all the Royal Gryphon Knights have advanced to the King level. The rest of the Royal Gryphons have also generally advanced by one to two levels. The overall gains are substantial!"

Haotian nodded. The Royal Inquisitor Gryphon Knights were recruited at level nine, just one level shy of the King level. As for the other Royal Gryphon Knights, their initial levels were even lower. Given the scale of this army-level campaign, their level advancements were expected.

Currently, Haotian commanded over three thousand Royal Inquisitor Gryphon Knights, which meant over three thousand King-level knights and as many King-level golden gryphons. This force was formidable.

"Keep up the good work!" Haotian smiled. "I look forward to the day when all of you reach the transcendent level."

Once all twenty thousand Royal Gryphon Knights under his command became transcendent professionals, not even ten times the strength of the dragon Charles could pose a threat. Coupled with his lordly talents and the title "Little Dragon Slayer Prince," he could easily vanquish a dragon like Charles times ten.

"We will not disappoint you, My Lord!" The Royal Inquisitor Knight pledged confidently.

Haotian nodded slightly. "It's late now. Go out hunting tomorrow. Tonight, take turns resting. Just ensure no undead creatures approach the perimeter."

He wasn't worried about undead creatures breaching the walls of the Golden Oasis. He just didn't want the arrow towers and fortresses to kill them. Undead creatures slain by the towers and fortresses wouldn't provide experience for his troops or himself, effectively wasting potential gains.

"Understood, My Lord!" The Royal Inquisitor Knight retreated respectfully.

---

"Young Master!" Sally, the little maid, came bouncing towards Haotian. She had prepared a late-night snack for him: a few roasted silver-tailed fish, assorted fruit platters, and some fine wine left behind by Sophia.

Haotian smiled, "What's got you so happy?"

The maid Sally giggled, "Young Master, my level increased again. I'm now a sixth-tier professional. Just one more level, and I'll be a high-tier professional."

"Well done, keep it up!" Haotian reached out and gently pinched the maid's soft cheek. "Go fetch the old butler. Let's have supper together."

"Mm-hmm."

A moment later, the old butler, Hoden, arrived in the backyard. Despite it being late, the moonlight and the ancient war tree's radiance provided ample visibility, negating the need for a bonfire. Most importantly, it wasn't cold. While the temperature in the Kalal Desert at night could drop to below freezing, the Golden Oasis remained warm and spring-like, thanks to the magical protection of the ancient war tree, making it a veritable paradise.

The old butler Hoden had not participated in today's war against the Ratmen Kingdom. He had encountered a sizable pack of gray wolves while hunting undead creatures. After a fierce battle, the old butler had also reaped significant rewards, advancing to high-level King status, just a step away from becoming a transcendent professional.

Seeing Haotian, the old butler Hoden was about to bow when he suddenly froze, staring at his young master in disbelief. "Young Master, have you advanced to the Saint level?"

"Indeed," Haotian smiled. "I encountered a fortunate opportunity and advanced to high-level Saint."

The old butler Hoden trembled again. Given the vast disparity in their levels, he couldn't discern Haotian's exact level, but the surge in Haotian's magical power indicated he had surpassed the transcendent peak. To Hoden's astonishment, his young master had not only reached the Saint level but had soared to high-level Saint.

This was beyond belief! What kind of opportunity was so incredible?

The old butler didn't know that Haotian's rapid advancement was thanks to a "fine wine" that had catapulted his level. According to Haotian, he even thought his current level was a bit low, considering that the wine was worth tens of millions of lord coins, exchanged by Queen Keisha for an artifact-level equipment. Ideally, he should have advanced to the demigod level. Haotian suspected the wine's actual value didn't match up, leading him to believe his lord system was more cunning than the shrewdest merchants.

The old butler Hoden exclaimed, "At this rate, you might soon ascend to demigod status, standing at the pinnacle of the Sacred Continent!"

Demigods were such terrifying powerhouses that even the Stanlow Kingdom had scarcely any. If they did, they were ancient beings who had lived for centuries, if not millennia. His young master was only how old? Not even twenty! Whether compared to demigods or other Saint-level professionals, his young master was exceedingly young. A Saint-level professional of such youth was likely unmatched across the Sacred Continent.

Haotian waved dismissively, "Let's not discuss that. Tonight, we celebrate our victory over the Ratmen Kingdom."

"Yes, Young Master." The old butler Hoden quickly took a seat. The little maid Sally poured wine for both of them. The trio, drinking fine wine and savoring the delicious silver-tailed fish, engaged in lively conversation, creating a warm and festive atmosphere.

---

Who knew how much time had passed. The old butler Hoden, slightly tipsy, suddenly began to tear up, "With you at the Saint level and the Golden Oasis flourishing, the Earl and Countess would be so proud if they knew. I wonder if they are still alive."

The old butler had served three generations of the Tulip family, especially close to the current Earl, whom he had watched grow up and witnessed his marriage to the Countess. Haotian slowly set down his wine glass. Honestly, he didn't have strong emotional ties to the Earl and Countess, having not been in this world for long. His primary sentiment was resentment over the Tulip family's fate.

He should have been comfortably enjoying the life of a high-ranking noble, with his marriage prospects already lined up. If everything had gone as expected, he would soon be happily married to Angie and Annie, basking in the blissful life of a nobleman. Instead, in the blink of an eye, his family was gone, his marriage prospects vanished, and he found himself randomly transported to the barren Kalal Desert.

No matter how successful or powerful he became, the resentment in his heart never faded. One day, he vowed to conquer the Stanlow Kingdom and overthrow the foolish old king. Every noble present in the palace that day would be held accountable.

"No rush. Our army will soon march into the Stanlow Kingdom," Haotian declared.

The old butler Hoden sobered up halfway. He had faith that his young master could succeed in his rebellion.