Chapter 136: The Son of Slaughter

Time slipped away, and before one knew it, another three years had passed. Three years is enough time to leave a mark on many things. In the blink of an eye, the Duchy of Adis had been established for a decade, and Adis himself had grown from a sixteen-year-old youth into a majestic young monarch.

During these three years, the magical tide that had wreaked havoc in the south was finally and completely suppressed through the efforts of the Royal Court. The magical beasts that had once plagued the region vanished, seemingly having migrated elsewhere. With that threat gone, the Royal Court turned its attention to the rebellions within its borders, and the King began leading campaigns to crush the insurgent forces.

Within the Duchy of Adis, after three years of promotion and backed by the official guarantee of the Principality, the newly minted currency had gradually gained widespread circulation throughout the territory.

On a plain outside the city of Adis, Adis watched the countless horses galloping across the fields and nodded. His appearance had begun to change. Although the vitality and vigor of his body remained unaltered by the power of his divinity, he had grown more imposing, and his once deep, dark eyes had transformed entirely into a brilliant gold. Beyond these traits, there were other changes surrounding him.

"Your Majesty, Lord Nadir and the others have arrived," a voice came from behind, filled with gentleness and affection.

Hearing this, Adis turned around with a smile. "Kesi, you’ve come."

Standing behind him was a young woman in a long robe. Her features were delicate, and she looked at Adis with tender eyes. She walked up slowly and stood beside him, remaining silent, watching him with a gentle, concerned expression. Though neither spoke, the scene was tranquil, harmonizing with the surrounding landscape to create a sense of peace.

She was the Queen of Adis. After he had raised an army to establish the Duchy and unified nearly half the world, his birth father and grandfather, while gratified, had urged him to marry in hopes of securing an heir to continue the family line and rule the Duchy in the future. His subordinates felt the same; a royal house without an heir could never be truly secure, nor could it set the ministers' hearts at ease. Thus, under this pressure, Adis had taken a wife a year ago—a girl from a family that had intermarried with the Adis family for generations, effectively his betrothed.

*It seems a will is already beginning to gestate,* Adis thought silently, looking at his wife’s abdomen. In his vision, a tiny, powerful essence was coalescing within, carrying immense strength.

*This sensation—is it the Source of Slaughter?* The thought flashed through his mind, and he continued to observe. As the new life gradually took form, the Source of Slaughter that permeated the world began to gather here, flowing incessantly into the unborn child. A connection of flesh and blood gradually transmitted into Adis’s mind. Within his own body, several strands of true, unadulterated divine essence of slaughter were converging, forming a somewhat illusory divine post that danced and rejoiced.

*Does this feeling mean that by responding to the world's murderous intent, he has inherited my power of slaughter?* Adis mused. *Although this body underwent reincarnation, the essence of my true spirit remains unchanged; I am still a god. Therefore, the child born will inherit a portion of my essence and will inevitably be transcendent—a divine offspring. This child, born in response to slaughter, shall be called the Divine Child of Slaughter.*

True transcendent inheritance often stems from the source. Since the physical bloodline and the true spirit influence one another, even though Adis’s current vessel was mortal, the influence of his true spirit caused it to gradually undergo metamorphosis. Thus, his child would surely inherit his divine nature, unaffected by his reincarnation.

After a moment, he looked up. Footsteps approached from behind; it was Nadir and the others. Seeing them, Kesi smiled softly at Adis and walked away, clearing the space for them.

"Your Majesty, may I ask why you have summoned us?" After the Queen had left, Nadir looked at the other legion commanders, such as Carter, beside him. He felt a sudden jolt of trepidation before asking. With the expansion of the Duchy, the legions had been stationed in various corners of the territory and were rarely mobilized, yet Adis had called most of them back at once. *Could it be?* A crucial realization dawned on him, and his expression stirred with excitement. The other generals around him were equally stirred, watching Adis with anticipation.

Adis smiled at their reaction and, amidst their expectant gazes, said, "Indeed. After three years of recuperation, our strength has grown significantly. I have called you here to discuss the matter of launching a campaign."

The announcement immediately set the legion commanders buzzing with excitement. "Are we finally going to war?" Nadir suppressed his inner thrill, maintaining a composed facade as he looked at Adis.

Adis nodded, looking toward the grasslands and the horses. "This is the stud farm outside the city of Adis. Thanks to our efforts over these years, we now have five thousand qualified warhorses here, and there are several other farms of similar scale elsewhere. Within the army, after years of tempering, our troops have generally grown a rank stronger. Conversely, in the south, the Royal Court’s forces are exhausted from years of fighting. Now is the perfect time to strike." He looked at Nadir and the others. "What do you think?"

"Your Majesty is wise!" A chorus of voices rang out, filled with fervor.

In the tenth year of the Duchy of Adis, during the spring, while the southern Royal Court was still occupied with spring plowing, the northern Duchy of Adis suddenly launched a fierce offensive. Over a hundred thousand troops emerged from the border, invading while the Royal Court was caught completely unprepared.

The second great war had begun.

Yet, this time, the situation was vastly different. After years of consolidation, the formerly unstable nobles within the Duchy of Adis had been thoroughly suppressed, and the influence of the remaining ones had waned under the spread of the Faith of Nature, leaving no internal worries. Furthermore, with the establishment of churches and the proliferation of divine arts, the land had become universally productive, resulting in a formidable accumulation of strength.

In the south, however, the situation was dire. Following the magical tide and the subsequent rebellions, the country was in chaos. The nobles were not necessarily loyal to the King, and the Royal Court was exhausted. Moreover, thanks to the secret proselytizing of the Church of Nature, many southern nobles had already converted to the faith. When Adis’s army arrived, these nobles brought their men to defect, acting as guides for the invaders. Under these circumstances, Adis’s army marched south, crushing everything in its path and devouring the Royal Court’s territory step by step.

At that moment, the Royal Court’s main force was still busy suppressing the rebellion.

"What! The Duchy of Adis has invaded, and the border defense has been breached?" In a command tent, the King roared at the knight before him, disbelief etched on his face. He stood up in a fury, glaring at his silent ministers. "Where is Casper? Didn't I order him to hold the border? How could he fail to hold out for even this long?"

The room fell into a heavy, sullen silence.

"Count Casper was killed by his own adjutant, who led the rebels during the siege. The defense line then collapsed, and the city was breached after the local nobles surrendered in secret," a knight with a resolute face reported.

"Useless trash!" Hady bellowed, his weary eyes burning with uncontrollable rage.

Seeing his outburst, the knights remained grim. Considering the current situation, one finally stepped forward to advise him. "Your Majesty, given the current circumstances, with the northern Duchy invading, our main force must head to the front line. We cannot afford to waste more time here."

Hady paced back and forth, quickly suppressing the emotions in his mind. "Indeed, we cannot continue fighting here." He turned to the knight and commanded, "Send an envoy immediately. Tell them I am willing to call a truce. As long as they stop their rebellion, I will allow them independence and crown them kings. No, that is not enough!" He cut himself off, then added, "If they are willing to stop and even aid the Royal Court against the Duchy of Adis, I will grant them the entire Southern Territory."

"What?" The room erupted in shock.

"Your Majesty, you cannot!" a noble exclaimed anxiously. "The First and Second Princes have already turned against you. If you grant them the Southern Territory, the Royal Court will be shattered."

"Rest assured," Hady said with a cold, mocking smile, ignoring the panic around him. "They won't live to see that day. Once the Duchy of Adis is dealt with, we will eliminate them immediately."

However, shortly after the envoy was dispatched, a knight rushed in, looking frantic.

"Your Majesty, this is bad! The base is being heavily attacked by the rebels, and our envoy has been killed!"

"What!" Hady lunged to his feet, eyes wide with disbelief.