It was the dead of night. Factoring in their travel time, they would most likely reach the bandits' location at around four in the morning, just before sunrise.
This was usually when people slept most deeply.
Although Soul Masters on the Douluo Continent had different physiques from ordinary people, even those who were cultivating were usually drowsiest and least focused on their cultivation at this hour.
For him, Ma Xiaotao, and the others to gather intelligence at this hour was like kicking a cripple hard in his good leg-a little underhanded, but effective.
They first used Flying Soul Tools to reach the mountain entrance, then entered the Mingdou Mountain Range on foot.
As soon as they arrived in the Mingdou Mountain Range, Chen Ping stressed a very important principle-three slows and one fast.
Approach the target area slowly, conduct reconnaissance slowly, and prepare to withdraw slowly; react fast once exposed.
Unlike in the original story, he did not simply have the two Inner Court students, Ma Xiaotao and Ling Luochen, clear the way. They were here for close reconnaissance this time and needed to minimize the traces they left behind.
Traces were intelligence. This principle applied not only to their opponents, but also to their teammates.
Bend what could be bent instead of breaking it, step over what could be crossed instead of trampling it, and avoid touching anything that did not need to be moved.
Skirting dense vegetation in a zigzag pattern, the three moved quickly, yet almost soundlessly, leaving no conspicuous traces.
At that moment, they resembled three leopards that had roamed the Mingdou Mountain Range since birth-deadly, dangerous, arriving without a shadow and leaving without a trace.
Before long, Chen Ping and the others reached the vicinity of a grove of Wenlan Trees.
Chen Ping clenched his