CHAPTER 573: CHAPTER 355 WAR ART_2

Certainly! Below is the translated text:

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"What do you think will happen?" Yan Xiaobao asked his friend tentatively, seated inside the Dantian Cave.

"Well, Wan Qiao always manages to get what she wants. I don’t think you should try to hinder her war ideas. However, if you can make it safer, so that the magical beasts can gain more territory, then I’d prefer that. Do your best to act within the limits of the nations we know. Personally, I’d suggest the Siban Empire."

"We know Li Meilin from Siban," Yan Xiaobao said with a bitter smile, gesturing to the Blue Phoenix with a sneer. "To communicate with us, they sent what appears to be a delegation. But what they’ve done is enslave our citizens. They think that because they hold power, they can do whatever they wish. I dislike them."

"Look at the options; we can either head to the Spanish Empire or the Sun Kingdom," Lan Feng continued. "While we don’t know much about the Sun Kingdom, you’re still here with your friend’s family. War against the Sun Kingdom will turn chaotic, so they’ll use your abilities to stand against Siban. Yes, we’ll fight innocent humans, but they were the ones who first tried to enslave innocent beasts."

Lan Feng understood this point deeply, and Yan Xiaobao could only agree. Though he opposed seeing innocent people die, he had to make a choice between one nation or the other. Wan Qiao had already convinced herself of the necessity of war. Now, all Yan Xiaobao could do was attempt to plan the war in a way that minimized casualties on both sides while convincing everyone that the Sun Kingdom wasn’t the place they should target.

Lord Pan listened intently to the entire story, his eyes wide with astonishment. Neither he nor Wan Qiao had ever doubted this young man before. Usually, these two weren’t naive, but they hadn’t encountered the Sun Master. From just glimpsing a small portion of the "Art of War," they both immediately understood that the unknown individual from the Divine Domain was someone from another world. He must be a God, traveling between worlds. Even Saints like the lady and the Lords from the Hui Clan treated a being like that with the utmost respect when confronted with a God.

"I’m fortunate that this young man encountered such an esteemed expert during his childhood," Lord Pan finally exclaimed. "I’ve heard there are thirteen Chapters in the book, "Art of War,"" he continued, "and all the Lords with their guards will take days to arrive here. If you manage to complete the writing of the entire book, it would greatly aid us. Convincing the less secure Lords to participate in the war will be instrumental, especially if we have a way to combat An Hee. If we can control him, then we absolutely don’t have to worry."

As An Hee was mentioned again, Yan Xiaobao tried to speak once more, but neither Wan Qiao nor Mr. Pan heard him.

"Boy, what is your name?" Lord Pan suddenly asked, looking directly at the young man. At first, he hadn’t truly paid attention to the young man, doubting someone of his age could teach the older generation anything. But listening to the story had changed his opinion instantly.

"My name is Yan Xiaobao," Yan Xiaobao replied evenly, neither polite nor impolite, speaking to the Lord the same way he talked with his friends.

Lord Pan paid no heed to the tone of how he was addressed. Instead, he nodded, imprinting the name in his mind to ensure he wouldn’t make the mistake of disregarding the boy because of his age again.

"Alright," the Lord nodded, "I am Pan Long of the Firewing Mountains," the man said. "I am a Blood-maned Eagle. As for whether you’re truly human or beast, I’ll grant you the benefit of the doubt. But you are undoubtedly one of the most fascinating beings I’ve ever encountered. A holy beast’s aura mixed with the scent of wolves, with spiritual energy spinning around you like a human’s. Seeing you, I understand why Wan Qiao ultimately decided to act." The man revealed a faint smile as he accepted the fact that Yan Xiaobao wouldn’t disclose exactly what he was.

"I hope you complete the writing of the entire Art of War before the meeting with all the Forest Kings. Persuading them all to follow suit and take an interest in human wars won’t be easy. Many of these Lords enjoy comfortable lives in castles and manors. Convincing them to embrace war requires demonstrating that we can win without sacrificing extensive lives. Your Art of War is precisely what we need." Lord Pan continually praised the artistic strategy, while Yan Xiaobao felt both hopeless and hopeful. It would be good if beasts gained more land, but he wasn’t sure if war was truly necessary.

Remembering Lan Feng’s words, Yan Xiaobao nodded in understanding. He also realized he had to write the entire Art of War by any means.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he said, standing from his chair and bowing respectfully to the experts before him, "if I’m to complete the Art of War in time, I must excuse myself. I need to return to my room to finish my work."

Both Wan Qiao and Pan Long nodded in acceptance, agreeing with his words. Yan Xiaobao turned and left the library, only to be greeted by two guards outside the door. Clearly, these two guards were there to escort him back to his room, and none of the three spoke a word as they returned to the room they had initially picked him up from.

As the guards led Yan Xiaobao back to his room, none of the three spoke. The two guards were evidently curious about why Yan Xiaobao had been summoned, but neither asked, and Yan Xiaobao didn’t volunteer any information.

When he returned to his room, the two guards nodded in silence, and he entered his quarters without a word. Normally, he would retreat to his bed to begin cultivation, but instead, he moved to the desk and sat down.

"Don’t worry about the war too much," Lan Feng said in a concerned voice. He could sense the tremendous pressure weighing on Yan Xiaobao’s shoulders and wanted to help ease the young man’s burden.

"Wan Qiao is powerful, with so many experts in the Divine Domain. It’s only a matter of time before she’s compelled to launch into this war. For now, we can use this time to strengthen our bodies, improve our cultivation, and hone our abilities in battle planning and surviving the most dangerous environments."

Hearing this, Yan Xiaobao couldn’t help but nod. The Phoenix spoke the truth. Clearly, Wan Qiao had decisive intentions when it came to war. The timing of the conflict might be earlier than initially expected, given Yan Xiaobao’s appearance, which had disrupted their plans.

Seeking quiet, Yan Xiaobao picked up his brush and wrote thirteen elegant characters in calligraphy:

Calculation or Planning

Challenges

Strategizing Attacks

Positioning

Guidance

Illusion and Reality

Engagement of Forces

Nine Transformations

Movement of Forces

Situational Positioning

Nine Situations

Fiery Attacks

Utilization of Intelligence

After reflecting on these thirteen Chapters, Yan Xiaobao wrote a quick summary for each one. He considered that if he couldn’t complete the entire book, he could at least provide a quick explanation and be better prepared for the meeting when the time came.

Calculation was completed, which Yan Xiaobao renamed as "Planning." These were the things people needed to know before deciding if they could engage in war against an opponent.

Challenges briefly outlined the dangers of war. This Chapter warned against some of the fundamental elements of engaging in warfare, and Yan Xiaobao knew as he wrote it that this would rank among the best Chapters, especially considering that beasts lacked war experience, and it would be the most practical one.

The third Chapter focused on Strategizing Attacks, emphasizing how to strike critical positions and avoid damaging unnecessary sites. Forces needed to avoid destroying the lands they came to conquer. The ultimate dream of the Divine Domain was world domination; however, if they laid waste to the land, cities, and people, what they’d gain would merely be desolate, barren landscapes. Was that what they truly wanted? Yan Xiaobao wasn’t sure whether beasts desired annihilation or peaceful coexistence with humans on new land.

Yan Xiaobao stayed awake throughout the night, his eyes fixed and his mind preoccupied with recalling the Art of War. He spent hours in thought and committed it to memory, rewriting it in a world far removed from Mrs. Sunx’s abode.

Xu Yue had been isolated in his room for several days. He hadn’t left his chair, immersed in writing his treatise on the "Art of War." He appeared lost in thought, his gaze transfixed on the sheets before him, his memories of the old book and the history of its teachings flooding his mind.

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