CHAPTER 580: CHAPTER 358 IT’S STILL EARLY FOR FASHION_3

One theory after another emerged, yet no one could truly uncover what had happened. Each individual clung to their own conjectures. Amid all this speculation, Li Meilin’s face turned pale as she grasped the ominous truth—that half of these theories pointed towards warfare against the outside world. This revealed the cultivators’ unsettling readiness to wage war against humanity.

As she scanned her surroundings, she saw thousands of King-level and higher cultivators. Her heart sank into her chest, heavy with dread about this possibility becoming a reality. Li Meilin’s complexion remained pallid as she wandered through heavily guarded camps. Sweat rolled down her back, and her mouth grew parched from the persistent worry of being discovered. Fortunately for her, her attire was once worn by a Beast Woman, which helped conceal the human scent lingering around her.

She searched for clues to unearth what had happened to the Lord and why so many guards had been summoned. Unfortunately, most guards speculated that war was imminent—the thought that frightened Li Meilin most of all.

"What do you hope will happen?" Li Meilin forced her voice to remain steady as she conversed with a guard wearing a deep green uniform. Gazing at the uniform, Li Meilin couldn’t discern the beast’s exact origins, but it mattered little to her as long as she could glean some information.

"War. I want to wage war against those frail humans. They’ve deluded themselves into believing they’re the strongest beings on this continent for far too long!" the guard grumbled, and as he spoke, the other guards nodded their heads in agreement.

"Those who hunted us down have kept themselves hidden for a millennium. Now, the time has come for us to rise and rule. The time has come to repay those pitiful humans who drove us from our homes all those years ago!" another guard said, his murderous intent advancing like a tidal wave, leaving Li Meilin momentarily unable to breathe. She feared her heart might stop beating altogether.

Li Meilin was an Emperor—a figure far stronger than the experts surrounding her. Nevertheless, she was presently undercover. While she could eliminate some of the guards around her, should she risk exposing herself by escaping near Wu Wei’s forces, she would certainly be overwhelmed—a fate she desperately wished to avoid.

"Humans and beasts once lived harmoniously together," a third guard suddenly interjected. "Who caused humans to turn against us abruptly, driving us all out and forcing us to leave the homes we built for our lives? They will pay for the mistakes born of their own treachery!"

Hearing so many varied opinions, Li Meilin froze, her surprise melding with fear. Upon reaching King-level cultivation, she had gained access to her nation’s intelligence regarding the Dark Era; however, the narratives she was hearing now diverged vastly from what she had been told. She began to wonder whether her received knowledge was fabricated lies—or perhaps, whether all the information available was deceit.

Whichever the case, one thing was undeniable—the beasts harbored fierce rage whenever they thought about humankind. Slowly, Li Meilin retreated to the castle, hastening to return to her room. She stripped off the uniform and re-clothed herself in her own robe. With a flick of her wrist, a small flame emerged, consuming every trace of the maid attire she had previously donned.

"It must be war," Li Meilin muttered, dazedly staring at the wall, her mind weighed down by the new information she had gathered. "It seems these beasts blame us for their imprisonment in the Divine Domain. How dare they accuse humanity of forcing them away!" A sudden wave of anger flickered in her eyes as she mulled over the situation. "But when I became a King, I heard of those beasts roaming freely, subjugating humans and forcing them into servitude as slaves or prey. Why would these beasts now claim we once lived side by side?" The beautiful woman furrowed her brows deeply. No matter how she pondered the matter, she couldn’t reach a viable conclusion.

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