Chapter 386: Someone Is Setting Up a Formation

She stepped with her short little legs and lunged over: "National Preceptor!"

Chu Yuan caught her steadily, examined her small face carefully, his brows slightly furrowed: "Your complexion is fine, but your spirit altar is dim."

"Tell me, is there any ailment on you?"

Tuan Tuan clutched his neck, her little mouth puckered, pointing plaintively at the Embroidered pouch at her waist: "My broken treasures aren't working! No matter how I try, they don't even flash a light!"

"Now whatever I say, they ignore me!"

As she spoke, her eyes reddened.

But when she saw the concern on Xiao Yuanhang's face, she instantly lifted her little face and smiled: "But it's okay!"

"Dad and my brothers, as well as Uncle Two, Uncle Seven, Uncle Zhang and the others, all still love me just like before!"

She kept talking, then her little head drooped: "But, but I'm useless now!"

"I can no longer heal Dad, nor help everyone as I used to."

The tent fell silent at once.

Xiao Yuanhang's face twitched a few times, Xiao Ningxun closed his eyes, Xiao Ran scratched his head, and Xiao Er and Lu Qi wore looks of concern.

Chu Yuan gently patted Tuan Tuan's back: "Silly child, who said you're useless? Your presence here is everyone's greatest blessing."

He helped Tuan Tuan sit opposite him: "Good, stay still, I'll show you."

"Mm." Tuan Tuan sat obediently.

Chu Yuan extended three fingers, brought them together, and gently pointed at her forehead.

Immediately a faint blue light shimmered from his fingertips; he closed his eyes, motionless as if in meditation.

Everyone stared at the two of them without blinking.

After a moment, Chu Yuan withdrew his hand, his expression turning solemn.

"Prince," he said, looking at Xiao Yuanhang, "Tuan Tuan's abilities have not vanished."

"Just now I heard your account of that day, and I personally probed her spirit meridians; now I can conclude."

"She was exhausted when she saved you last time, depleting her divine energy and injuring her fundamental life force, which caused her spirit to fall into slumber."

"If left unchecked, it could damage her foundation."

Xiao Yuanhang felt deep pain, thinking Tuan Tuan was for me: "National Preceptor, is there any method to cure her?"

Chu Yuan rose slowly: "Prince, please step aside for now; I, a humble monk, will channel energy to heal her."

"Everyone, please serve as my protectors for the time being."

"No one may enter to disturb."

"Very well, thank you, National Preceptor." Xiao Yuanhang immediately stood, leading everyone out of the tent.

He stepped to the tent door, hands behind his back, standing motionless.

Xiao Ningxun and the others formed a line guarding the tent entrance, startling the few personal guards outside.

Prince? Third Young Master? And Ninth Prince?

All standing here to guard the gate?

A few exchanged glances, none daring to speak.

Time passed bit by bit.

After a full hour, the tent curtain was suddenly lifted.

A tiny figure darted out like a little rabbit, leaping straight into Xiao Yuanhang's arms.

Xiao Yuanhang caught her in one hand, cradling his daughter in his arm.

"Dad! I'm fine! My whole body is full of strength!"

Tuan Tuan clutched Dad's neck, her little face flushed with excitement.

Those big eyes shone astonishingly, as if she had squeezed the whole sky's stars into them, so lively that one couldn't look away.

She hurriedly pulled a rusted iron piece from the Embroidered pouch, thrust it into Dad's arms, muttering: "Make Uncle Seven's knife fall!"

She released her small hand, a glimmer flickered, and the iron piece vanished.

"Clang!" Lu Qi's sheathless knife at his waist clattered to the ground.

"It's active! It's active again!" Tuan Tuan wriggled in Dad's arms, nearly leaping out, clapping her hands: "My treasure is back!"

Everyone was both shocked and delighted; Lu Qi smiled and picked up the knife.

Only then did Chu Yuan slowly emerge from inside the tent.

Everyone's smiles froze the instant they saw him.

Just moments ago the ethereal, composed National Preceptor, now his complexion was pallid, without a trace of color.

His steps were unsteady, as if about to collapse.

Most striking was his hair: once jet‑black, now streaked with many snow‑white strands interwoven abruptly, hurting the eyes.

Yet in just one hour, he seemed ten years older.

"National Preceptor!" Xiao Yuanhang's voice tightened as he stepped forward to help, but Chu Yuan raised his hand slightly to stop him.

Tuan Tuan's smile vanished.

She slipped from Xiao Yuanhang's arms onto the ground, ran to Chu Yuan, tilted her little head, stared blankly at him, then lunged into his embrace.

"National Preceptor!" her voice low and trembling, "Why is your hair white? Are you ill?"

Chu Yuan smiled, patting her head: "I'm fine, just need a rest."

"You liar!"

Tuan Tuan's eyes reddened instantly, large tears streaming down.

"You weren't like this before! Just now your hair was black, and your face wasn't so pale!"

"Did you become like this because of me?"

She felt afraid, instinctively sensed that the National Preceptor had become like this, and it was all her fault.

Chu Yuan looked at Xiao Tuanzi, who had cried until she was a tearful mess, and his heart felt a pang of soreness.

He let out a soft sigh, no longer trying to conceal it, his voice still gentle: "It's just using half my life's cultivation to exchange for your lifelong foundation being unharmed."

He paused, looking at Tuan Tuan's tear-streaked little face, the corners of his mouth even turning up slightly: "It's a good deal, silly child, don't cry."

Tuan Tuan continued to sob sorrowfully, not at all comforted.

Chu Yuan was at a loss, looking pleadingly toward Prince Ning.

Xiao Yuanhang's throat tightened, not knowing what to say.

Everyone else felt as if something was blocking their chests, heavy, sour and hot.

Half a lifetime of cultivation!

He said it so lightly.

But everyone understood that for someone like Chu Yuan at his level, this half‑lifetime of cultivation meant something.

That is something countless people could never achieve even if they spent their whole lives trying.

Yet he just gave it to Tuan Tuan without hesitation!

Chu Yuan sighed, gently stroking Tuan Tuan's little head, then lifted his gaze to the night sky.

Xiao Yuanhang took a deep breath, about to speak.

But Chu Yuan's face suddenly changed, his pallid countenance instantly turning grave.

He stared fixedly at the night sky, raised a hand and pointed: "Where is that over there?"

Xiao Ningxun followed his finger and looked: "That's the Da Xia military camp—what's wrong, National Preceptor?"

"Da Xia?" Chu Yuan murmured, calculating, his face growing darker: "The killing qi lingers and does not disperse, moreover there is a tendency to draw and gather—this is… the Gathering Evil Formation!"

Seeing him so solemn, Xiao Yuanhang hurriedly asked: "The Gathering Evil Formation?"

Chu Yuan nodded: "Someone is setting up the formation!"

"This formation uses the blood and qi of battlefield soldiers as a guide; once activated, when the two armies clash, our troops will be terrified and lose their strength, while the enemy grows fiercer the more they fight."

"With this waxing and waning, even a battle‑hardened army of a hundred victories will ultimately collapse unseen!"