CHAPTER 588: CHAPTER 362 YEAR AFTER YEAR_2

Everyone knew Wan Qiao intended to discuss the topic of war, but no one anticipated that she had prepared so much for it. However, although they already knew Wan Qiao was planning to discuss a war, none of them expected her to possess the War Art or to have made an agreement with General Frozen.

Yet, General Frozen and his strategies and tactics were not their primary concern. What the Lords truly feared was An Hee. No one could tell if he intended to join the war. If he chose to confront them, it was likely he alone could eliminate their entire army of Holy Level Experts. As time passed, the Lords wandered around the room. Some remained seated in particular chairs, attracting others to approach them, while others wandered throughout the library, conversing with nearly every Lord as they gathered diverse pieces of information and opinions.

During this time, Yan Xiaobao stayed at the long table where the discussions began. He was unfamiliar with any of the Lords and felt he was ill-suited to converse with them. He was no Forest King here; instead, he was merely Wan Qiao’s bargaining chip. As he sat at the table, he began cultivating his inner energy because it was impossible to overhear the content of the experts’ conversations. Each Lord did their utmost to lower their voices, allowing only those who were meant to know to hear what was being said.

Sitting by the table, Yan Xiaobao decided not to continue staring at the empty desk. He too could cultivate, and his decision attracted significant attention from several Saints. To cultivate in a room filled with this many Saints demonstrated the strength of his willpower. Most ranking experts from Duke University would find themselves uneasy in a room so densely packed with high-ranking experts. Yet here he was, a young man who had not yet breached the King-level, doing precisely that. He managed to steady his mind and enter meditation. To achieve such tranquility revealed traits many of these experts deemed worthy of observation, as he was not intimidated by the pressure of experts ranked higher than himself.

Although many experts were optimistic about Yan Xiaobao’s abilities, not to mention the War Art the young man brought to the table, a small minority remained firmly opposed to the concept of engaging in war.

"I understand that this young man is a gift from God, and I must admit, the prospect of starting a war is more tempting now than ever," a lady spoke in a quiet and melodious voice during the conversation within one of the many formed groups discussing war. "While this is a hard decision, I still feel we cannot risk this war. Without Zhong Hui, achieving victory is already astonishing, but An Hee has not promised he won’t show up. Four thousand years ago, he appeared suddenly and crushed us. Though he has been dormant for over a millennium, I can’t help but feel he is simply waiting—for us to make a mistake—so he can strike us down and eliminate the beasts he didn’t destroy before."

"Your words make sense," a man said in a deep and composed voice, though his eyes burned with desire, his voice trembling slightly as he continued speaking, "but remember, he could choose to destroy us at any moment over the past four thousand years, and he’s done nothing! Don’t tell me he’s unaware of our current actions, unaware that we’re planning for war! If he intended to save the Human Empire, he’d have already destroyed us. It would require hardly any effort on his part!"

"What Liu Zhu said is also true," the woman added, her face showing a slight anxiety, "but perhaps he is testing us. Perhaps he wants to see if we are greedy, if we desire more lands than we need. When we take action, he might strike us down and disappoint us."

"That might be true," the man nodded, though he still sought to persuade the group, his eyes blazing, "but he could also be planning to kill us. Why would he wait for us to start a war when he could have already planned our deaths? This would only inconvenience him. Four thousand years ago, he showed no mercy, and considering his character, he wouldn’t wait to test us now; he would strike immediately. Since he hasn’t disappointed us yet, I can’t help but feel he won’t act."

"Your logic is reasonable," the woman sighed, "but he always has the opportunity to strike us down. As long as there’s a risk, I can’t take this chance. I have many beasts to take care of. I can’t afford the danger."

"Well, there’s a simple solution," Wan Qiao’s voice echoed across the library, drawing everyone’s eyes to her as she smiled brilliantly at the main table. Silence fell upon the room. One by one, the Lords returned to their seats, curious to hear what Wan Qiao meant by her so-called simple solution.

Seated, all eyes focused on Wan Qiao, the faintest noise vanishing entirely. They recognized this was not an easy decision, so her claim of simplicity left everyone intrigued.

"It’s not about everyone going to war or none participating," Wan Qiao said with a gentle smile. "There are sixty-four Holy Name Experts in this room, more than the Saints of the Siban Empire. We can wage war with some Saints while others remain in the Divine Domain to oversee our Kingdoms."

"It’s natural not to leave in full force. If everyone departs, who will stay and safeguard our borders should another Kingdom suddenly attack? Those against war should be designated to remain and protect our forest. He won’t destroy both the army at war and those left behind. This way, we ensure the Divine Origin’s security and preserve some powerful experts who can survive should the worst scenario come to pass."

At her words, everyone was taken aback, grasping the crux of what she had articulated. No one had considered this before. Sending all the Lords from the Divine Domain was absolutely not an option, as An Hee’s chance for retaliation inside the Divine Domain was minimal. This allowed some Lords to remain and manage their territories. With such reasoning, every Lord experienced a satori moment, nodding their heads involuntarily.

"I’m unsure how many Saint-level experts we require for the war," Wan Qiao continued, "but this is a matter I shall leave for Great Marshall Yan Xiaobao to decide. We may desire numerous Saints alongside us, yet we might not take everyone who volunteers. First, let us determine now who wishes to join the war and who prefers to stay within the Divine Domain. This way, Yan Xiaobao will know whom he will collaborate with and manage the soldier count he is dealing with."

Upon hearing this, murmurs filled the room as heads started nodding slowly. Somewhere, this simple solution remained slightly surprising, while others already wore expressions of hope and anticipation.

Yan Xiaobao raised his hand simply, counting fifty-nine volunteers among the sixty-four, with five expressing a firm desire to remain in the Divine Domain. One of those five was the woman who had spent significant time earlier trying to sway others in uncertainty about her involvement.

"With the votes counted, the war shall proceed," Wan Qiao declared, her voice sharp and decisive, cutting through all noise. Even those initially against the war now nodded slowly, their eyes ignited with fervor. The vision of battling the beasts filled the minds of all, spurred by the effort to elevate the living standards of Divine Domain’s countless inhabitants.

"One matter remains to be made public tonight," Wan Qiao continued as the room settled into calm. Conversations ceased, and all turned to her with eyes brimming with expectation and curiosity. They had already agreed to the war; what decision remained?

"I’ve named Yan Xiaobao as the Great Marshall for our war; however, this is solely my opinion. I believe no one could better care for our army and troops than he; but this requires our collective agreement. Are we willing to accept Yan Xiaobao and abide by his directives, or shall we take charge ourselves, hoping to minimize casualties?"

At first, the Lords were struck speechless by her question. No one voiced their thoughts, yet their expressions revealed complex emotions. They all understood the one being discussed was none other than the Duke, whose brilliance had shaken them time and time again—not only through his astonishing intellect and the insights he shared but also through his poise and ability to remain unaffected under any circumstance.

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