Chapter 111: The Western Regions

As a humanoid apparition gradually emerged from the void, the very sky seemed to shift in hue, and a primal resistance and backlash began to surge instinctively.

“Hmph!”

In the north, a celestial pillar stood tall, having just absorbed the pillar that once belonged to the Principality of Inderly, now appearing robust and formidable. At this moment, with a gentle wave of Adis’s will, an ancient tree within swayed its branches, blocking the instinctual backlash rippling from afar.

Seizing this opportunity, Adis turned his gaze southward, observing the royal court's surroundings.

Around the royal court’s celestial pillar, several other pillars stood, each powerful enough to rival the former Principality of Inderly. Facing the dominant royal court, these instinctive forces began to coalesce, resisting it collectively.

Elsewhere, only a sparse few celestial pillars dotted the lands, rare and isolated. Surveying all, Adis realized that aside from the royal court’s pillar, his own was the strongest.

Yet he had no time to dwell on these observations. Taking advantage of the rare chance his true spirit had to communicate with the world, he looked eastward.

In the eastern realm, several slender celestial pillars began to ripple gently, sending waves in all directions as if influencing something unseen.

Around these pillars, faint stars hovered, weak and unformed into pillars, spontaneously clustering and consuming one another, awaiting the rise of a final victor.

In the western realm, conditions were far bleaker. Its sole celestial pillar was feeble and powerless, surrounded by only a handful of stars, seemingly dormant and silent, lurking without stirring.

In the next moment, the lofty vantage point vanished. Adis felt the scene shift, and suddenly he was back within his body.

He gazed upon a stretch of grass and trees, a gleam flashing through his eyes.

Following his true spirit, he sensed the presence of something once hidden within.

It was an immense reservoir of merit.

After subduing demon gods’ bodies, slaughtering beasts, and purifying the abyss, strands of merit power continuously descended upon him, transforming into radiant merit light, stored within his true spirit.

This merit was a manifestation of the world's power—the pure source energy of the world, granted to those who had contributed to it. It bore no karmic ties and was thus the most precious.

However, much of this immense merit had already been depleted—nearly half was consumed in that fleeting moment of contact with the world’s consciousness.

He shook his head with a wry smile, dismissing it, though his mind churned with thoughts.

“In the eastern realm, because destiny is abundant and many connect to celestial pillars, mutual suppression prevents unification in the short term. The western realm, conversely, though weaker in world rank share, is almost monopolized by a single dominant force. Without restraint, it could unify more swiftly than the east.”

A faint glimmer sparked in his eyes as he pondered.

“Then, choosing the easier path leads to the western realm.”

This idea flashed through his mind before he calmed himself.

Two months later, after unifying the northern realm, where peace had long reigned, ripples of change began to stir.

Countless troops surged from the borderlands, led by Chief Legion Commander Nadeer, swiftly capturing key defensive positions along the western border with lightning speed.

The surrounding regions were shaken.

In the east and central realms, people watched with joy, observing Adis leading the army in fierce battles to the west, while accelerating their own progress, eager to catch up.

Meanwhile, the western realms were thrown into turmoil, suddenly caught in the vortex of war.

All were shocked by Adis’s swift and decisive actions. From the northern war to the western invasion had barely passed a year. Such rapidity caught the neighboring principalities off guard.

Many border city-states, though somewhat prepared, had never faced the Principality of Adis in battle. Under the onslaught of his elite warriors, they were swiftly defeated.

In a short span, several border city-states were annihilated by this relentless campaign.

As news of Adis’s advance spread, countless nobles sought to surrender, hoping to avoid purges.

For in a great war, no rank or title spared one from execution if found resisting.

After unifying the north, the newly established Principality of Adis found no equal around it. Soldiers once stationed on defensive lines were freed, supplemented by numerous knights and nobles from the north. Thus, the forces at Adis’s disposal swelled, their momentum formidable.

With each border town fallen, the ancestral gods they worshiped were subdued by the accompanying priests.

These ancestral gods differed from the mighty ones that had grown strong over centuries of blood sacrifices. Due to the small scale and short accumulation of these city-states, their ancestral gods were generally only at level three.

Though powerful to mortals, when faced with the massive armies and grand priests accompanying them, these deities were easily suppressed.

As this process unfolded, the ancestral gods were thoroughly purified. From afar, Adis’s killing intent grew ever denser, pouring into the shard of killing divinity within his true spirit, gradually expanding it.

Yet, with the western border breached, some states began to respond swiftly.

---

Beneath a city wall, a middle-aged man wore a grave expression, watching the breached defenses before him with a somber face.

Though youthful and handsome, endowed with a gentle aura, the bloody scene before him did not stir his emotions; he remained composed, as if accustomed.

Above his head stood a celestial pillar, wildly undulating and suppressing the surroundings, holding them firmly in check.

Here, a single power dominated. In this western realm, only one destined force had risen, thus firmly subduing all around it. Without external interference, it could unite the west completely.

But at this moment, from the northern realm came an even grander celestial pillar, suffused with a crimson aura, advancing toward the west and forcibly breaking the existing balance, suppressing the local pillar.

Suddenly, the seemingly predetermined situation shifted, becoming uncertain and tangled.

“Your Majesty Christian, news has arrived from the north,” a voice spoke from behind the man.

Turning, he saw a young man, his face darkened with concern.

“The King Adis of the Principality of Adis led his troops to the border city of Stover a month ago. His forces split into several groups to besiege the city and have already breached multiple defenses. They are now approaching the city of the Principality of Felich.”

Christian remained silent, staring at the standing walls, a faint sigh escaping him.

The Principality of Felich was a crucial state in the west, strategically located in the center with commanding terrain. If taken, it would effectively sever the western realm.

In fact, this was the key step to conquering the west—the very next move in Christian’s strategy. Hearing of the enemy’s advance, his heart grew heavy, and he sighed.

“Have we determined how many troops they bring?” After a pause, his calm voice returned, as if he had regained composure.

Without hesitation, the young man answered, “At least fifty thousand.”

“Moreover, due to their rapid advance, our scouts couldn’t fully assess their numbers. With the border city-states falling, reinforcements surely continue flowing behind them. Conservatively, I estimate around seventy thousand. Including conscripted slaves and farmers, it might exceed a hundred thousand.”

“A hundred thousand!”

The figure stunned those present. Faces paled, minds blank.

To them, even ten thousand was a formidable force, the full strength of a mid-sized principality.

Fifty thousand was already enough to rise as a dominant force in the west.

But a hundred thousand was nearly unstoppable, a number that bred despair.

Seeing this, Christian shook his head with a bitter smile, a deep sense of helplessness rising within.

He understood well that "a hundred thousand" likely included exaggerations. Not counting conscripted slaves and peasants, the need to garrison captured city-states and the heavy losses expected at Felich meant the actual number to face might be about half.

“But half… that’s still fifty thousand.”

This thought brought a wave of resignation.

Had he been granted even two more years, he was confident he could pacify the surrounding principalities, perhaps sweeping through much of the west.

At that point, even if the Principality of Adis mobilized its entire nation, he would not fear it; he might even consider defeating them through homeland defense and then conquering the north.

But now, it was impossible.

He gazed toward the distant city walls, contemplating.

“Henry, send an envoy to the Principality of Florari,” he commanded, turning to the young man.

“Tell them I am willing to return all previously conquered territories as a condition for peace talks.”

Henry hesitated, then a glint of understanding flashed in his eyes, though accompanied by reluctance.

“Your Majesty, it’s not yet necessary to go that far. At our current pace, it will take only six months to annihilate the Principality of Florari. Perhaps by then, the Principality of Adis won’t have even reached here.”

Christian merely smiled wryly, shook his head, and waved him off.

Sighing, the young man prepared to carry out the order, his face tinged with unwillingness.