Chapter 387: Dare?

Everyone's expression changed drastically upon hearing it.

"No wonder!" Xiao Ran exclaimed, "No wonder Da Xia is proactively provoking at the border pass, yet when Prince Ning's army arrives they shrink back and don't advance."

He looked at Xiao Yuanhang: "Withdraw the troops. Once we pull back, all these formations become meaningless; we must not let their treacherous scheme succeed."

Xiao Ningxun nodded in agreement: "Father, the Ninth Prince is right."

Xiao Yuanhang fell silent for a moment, then said, "Go inside and speak."

The group returned to the tent.

Tuan Tuan stayed by Chu Yuan's side, helped him sit, and hurriedly brought him a cup of tea: "Have some tea, National Preceptor."

Chu Yuan patted her head: "Tuan Tuan is really well‑behaved."

Xiao Yuanhang looked at his daughter, a smile appearing on his face.

He paused, scanned everyone's faces in the tent, and said gravely: "I, the King, cannot withdraw the troops."

Xiao Er was about to speak in protest when Xiao Yuanhang waved his hand: "National Preceptor, can this formation be broken?"

Chu Yuan hesitated briefly, then nodded: "All formations have a focal point; if that focal point is destroyed, the formation cannot be activated."

Xiao Yuanhang pointed to the map on the desk: "National Preceptor, look, the spots marked with black flags are Da Xia's camps."

"This area is our army; the surrounding terrain is all shown on this map."

"May I ask, National Preceptor, can you pinpoint the focal point on this map?"

Chu Yuan, puzzled, asked, "May I ask Prince Ning why he refuses to withdraw? The Ninth Prince is correct; if the main force retreats, everything would be resolved."

Xiao Yuanhang shook his head: "National Preceptor, if I withdraw now I could indeed avoid this battle, but what about the next one?"

"Da Xia repeatedly breaches the border pass, unsettling the frontier; the people live in constant fear and cannot live peacefully."

"If I withdraw this time, they will intensify their aggression and gnaw away at our nation's borders."

"Gongsun Chi is ambitious and will never stop."

"If we simply stand by and keep retreating, are we waiting for him to reach the capital?"

"If a step back brings peace to the world, I would certainly retreat, but if retreat leads to a bottomless abyss, I will never step back!"

"This is a bold strategy; we must face the difficulty head‑on."

His words made everyone silently nod.

Indeed! If we always let the enemy advance while we retreat, eventually we will reach a point with no retreat left.

This battle is unavoidable; we must fight!

Xiao Yuanhang's spirit surged: "Moreover, His Majesty and the two armies from Xi Lu are already on the way; this is a providential opportunity."

"Since Gongsun Chi's intentions are so vile, why not crush Da Xia now so it cannot move for decades, allowing the frontier people to live in peace and prosperity."

Father's words are certainly correct!

Tuan Tuan wholeheartedly agreed: "Yes, villains always do bad deeds; to stop them, we must fight the villains!"

Xiao Yuanhang praised warmly: "My daughter is absolutely right!"

Chu Yuan silently nodded, leaned in, and examined the map point by point.

No one dared to disturb them, waiting silently.

After a while, Chu Yuan raised his hand and pointed: "Here is the most likely spot."

Xiao Yuanhang's expression darkened.

Xiao Ran leaned over for a glance; the spot Chu Yuan indicated was the only yellow Small Flag among countless black flags: "What is this?"

Xiao Er replied: "It is the Emperor of Xia's royal tent, Gongsun Chi's."

"Huh?" Xiao Ran's mouth opened wide: "Do we have to set fire again?"

Everyone's hearts sank.

This is literally a dragon's den and tiger's lair!

Xiao Yuanhang asked the crucial question: "National Preceptor, how can we destroy the focal point?"

Chu Yuan mused for a moment, then said, "Prince, the one who could set this formation must be Da Xia's National Preceptor Wu Luo. As his junior brother, my mind is cunning; I specialize in hidden sub‑formations within a formation."

"Since this is the focal point, he would never treat it as a mere inanimate object."

"If my guess is correct, the focal point must conceal an even more exquisite sub‑formation, like a lock within a lock."

He looked at Tuan Tuan, his gaze blazing: "If we use ordinary methods, even after destroying the focal point, he will need only a short time to rise again."

"To eradicate future trouble, we must locate that sub‑formation and make it operate in complete reversal."

"And this matter, across the whole world, perhaps only Tuan Tuan can accomplish."

Tuan Tuan blinked her big eyes and pointed at herself: "Me?"

"Correct," Chu Yuan nodded, "Those ragged treasures of yours essentially use the purest intent to fulfill your wishes."

"Therefore, after finding that sub‑formation, you simply command the formation to reverse, and you can forcibly invert it."

"Thus, this formation would at best be utterly unable to activate, and at worst…" He paused, "…instead it could serve our forces."

"Regardless of which, it would completely foil Wu Luo's scheme."

"So," Xiao Ran widened his eyes, "we must sneak into the emperor's sleeping quarters."

"Then, under his very nose, rummage through his belongings to find this sub‑formation, and manage to leave unnoticed, slipping back quietly?"

Chu Yuan nodded: "The Ninth Prince is correct."

Xiao Ran: "..."

I wish I were wrong! National Preceptor!

He murmured to himself, "How could this be possible? How can it be done!"

Xiao Yuanhang said, "Since Gongsun Chi has still endured in silence up to today, it is clear he hasn't suddenly repented or shown great compassion; perhaps it's simply because this formation isn't ready yet."

He turned to Chu Yuan: "National Preceptor, based on your estimate, how many days remain before this Gathering Malice Formation can be completed?"

Chu Yuan replied, "From the fifteenth to the twentieth day."

"Fifteenth day…" Xiao Yuanhang's brows furrowed, "Time is running out."

Xiao Ningxun said, "Father, after twenty days His Majesty's great army still cannot reach here; only the steppe cavalry might be able to arrive in time."

Xiao Yuanhang nodded, "Based on the distance it should be so, but we could think of it; how could Gongsun Chi not?"

"He will definitely act early, swallowing up all my troops in one bite."

"The fifteenth day, and after the fifteenth day, will be the time when Da Xia raises troops to attack!"

"Xiao Er, you go arrange a camp tent, send the National Preceptor to rest."

Tuan Tuan jumped off the stool, holding Chu Yuan's arm, "I'll go too!"

Xiao Yuanhang smiled faintly, "Alright, you go as well; Dad will entrust the National Preceptor to your care, okay?"

Tuan Tuan nodded seriously, "Alright!"

Chu Yuan understood that Prince Ning was discussing how to resolve this, so he grasped Tuan Tuan's small hand, "Let's go, your dad has to be busy."

Xiao Er was full of admiration for the National Preceptor, who had sacrificed half his cultivation and helped his own miss.

He lifted the tent curtain and respectfully said, "National Preceptor, please."

The three walked out of the big tent.

Xiao Yuanhang saw them off, "Men! Call Zhang Wu'an, Fang Qing, Li Lao San, all come over!"

"Yes!"

That night, the candlelight in the big tent burned throughout the whole night.

Ten days later, a war letter was delivered before Gongsun Chi.

Tomorrow night, on a moonlit night, before the two armies' camps, a game of chess will be played.

Do you dare? Prince Ning of the fierce nation, Xiao Yuanhang.