The contrasting styles of the two newly established barracks were a striking sight to behold.
Lucian examined the attributes displayed on the interface, and his expression darkened.
"A thousand crystals per recruit?"
"Who can afford this?"
Lucian nearly choked on his indignation, but he had to admit that you get what you pay for.
Compared to the Steel-Armored Boars, the newly recruited Great Qin Warriors and Lunar Palace Cultivators were undeniably in a league of their own.
"Earning Void Crystals isn't so bad, but collecting enough Void Core Stones to upgrade buildings? That's a different beast altogether," he muttered.
"For now, I'll focus on summoning the Great Qin Warriors. I'll save the Lunar Palace recruits for later."
With a decisive click, Lucian initiated the recruitment process.
Ten Great Qin Warriors materialized, costing him 10,000 Void Crystals.
The barrack doors creaked open, and a group of imposing figures stepped out in perfect formation.
Tall and poised, each warrior donned black armor, their single braided ponytails swaying slightly as they marched forward.
Their eyes burned with unwavering resolve, and their hands gripped a trio of weapons—a Qin Sword at their hips, a Qin Crossbow slung across their backs, and a menacing halberd in their hands.
"Sovereign!"
They kneeled in unison, their voices cutting through the air like icy gusts in a snowstorm.
The synchrony of their actions exuded an aura of discipline and power.
Lucian, startled but pleased, gestured for them to rise.
"Stand. We have no use for empty formalities," he said.
The warriors obeyed without hesitation, their eyes remaining fixed on him, awaiting his orders.
[Great Qin Warrior]
Level: 1 (0/50 EXP)
Grade: Purple (Exceptional)
Talent: [Battle Formations]
Bloodline: [Mystic Vermilion Bird]
Attributes:
Constitution: 150 (Base 15 x 1000%)
Spirit: 50 (Base 5 x 1000%)
Skills:
Formation: Gale Strike (Lv. 1): Increases all warriors' movement and attack speeds by 100%. Duration scales with unit count (60s base x number of warriors).
Formation: Invincible Strike (Lv. 1): Boosts attack power by 100%. Duration scales with unit count (60s base x number of warriors).
Description: Peerless soldiers from the ancient Qin Dynasty, masters of formations and unmatched on the battlefield.
[Battle Formations]
Talent Grade: Purple (Exceptional)
Effect: Unlocks formation-based skills that scale with unit count.
Current Formations: Gale Strike, Invincible Strike.
[Mystic Vermilion Bird Bloodline]
Bloodline Grade: Purple (Exceptional)
Effect:
Movement Speed +50%
Attack Speed +50%
Luck +1
Ten warriors stood before Lucian like unsheathed blades, their sheer presence sharp enough to make him feel their lethality.
Their attributes spoke volumes. Each warrior was a finely honed weapon, capable of wreaking havoc on the battlefield.
But Lucian was pragmatic. Their skills and stats mattered far more than their striking appearance.
"Let's get you leveled up," Lucian said, suppressing a grin.
Upgrading the individual warriors was relatively inexpensive, but advancing the Great Qin Barracks to remove level caps was another story.
"500 Core Stones to go from Level 1 to 2. Then... 5,000 to reach Level 5?"
Lucian glanced at his dwindling reserves.
[Void Core Stones: 10,822 remaining.]
Reluctantly, he allocated the resources, upgrading the barracks to Level 5.
Then, with another 500 Core Stones, he boosted each warrior to Level 5.
[Great Qin Warrior – Level 5 Stats:]
Constitution: 230
Spirit: 100
The newly leveled warriors radiated power, their strength now comparable to a Level 1 hero like Lin Daiyu.
Of course, raw stats alone didn't tell the whole story. Heroes and soldiers had different roles and abilities in battle.
Still, the warriors were visibly energized by their newfound strength, their voices rising in fervent unison.
"Eternal Sovereign!"
"Eternal Sovereign!"
"Eternal Sovereign!"
The battlefield echoed with their cries, a chorus of loyalty and resolve that sent a shiver down Lucian's spine.
"These warriors…" he murmured, watching their disciplined forms. "They're worth every crystal."