Because the tunnel was lit, it was not uncommon for people to draw close to one another. The Dragon Clan soldiers might have spotted Yan Xiaobao, yet none of them noticed the three cloaked men. They were only three, while the Dragon Army was composed of experts.
Yan Xiaobao was no longer in a hurry to launch an attack. He wanted to gain favor from the people before him. How was their camp set up? How many experts were there, and what ranks were they? What was inside each carriage? What risks would they dare to take?
Soon, Yan Xiaobao observed that the guards were divided into groups of ten. Each group tended their own campfire, with one of these camps always keeping watch during breaks.
Yan Xiaobao noticed that Deng Wu and Sha Yun’s carriage was often shut tight, surrounded by four guards. Another carriage, the windowless one, was always encircled by ten guards. The final transport belonged to four King-level experts residing here, allowing them the luxury of not sleeping on the ground. Their ranks were far superior to this.
Once most people fell asleep, Yan Xiaobao merged into the shadows, slowly approaching the camp, reaching the area where ten guards stood watch. It could be said that his cloak was meticulously crafted for this very task, enabling him to completely blend into his aura and become imperceptible. Cloaked and hidden in the shadows , he was entirely undetectable. Yan Xiaobao merged himself with the earth, channeling some Qi through his eyes. He could now see more clearly the sleeping guards who were slightly removed from the others.
Yan Xiaobao was fully focused, biting his lip as he summoned ten Earth Spears. These spears were vastly different from ordinary ones. Each had a mere five-centimeter diameter but was exceptionally sharp. They were a distinct type of earth-crafted weapon; they were Earthen Needles!
These needles targeted each guard’s temple. As Yan Xiaobao gripped his hand tightly, ten sharp needle tips emerged silently, instantly killing all ten guards.
Yan Xiaobao was not greedy. Instead, he rushed back to the campfires being guarded by Xie Lan and Xu Biao.
Based on Hui Yue’s calculations, no one would be able to tell it was him who killed ten men because of his cloak. If a battle broke out, he knew he could retreat with Lan Feng’s martial power. However, doing so would mean they would have to pause within the cave for at least a year, perhaps even longer.
Although Yan Xiaobao did not understand why Lan Feng insisted on refining significant martial power by the time they reached the Dragon Core, he did not question it. Unless there truly was no other way to survive, he knew he couldn’t use martial power recklessly.
Having already opened his Yin-Yang meridians, Yan Xiaobao no longer needed sleep. As long as he was in a place abundant with the essence of the sky and earth, his body would naturally rejuvenate. When he spent time meditating, it benefited him immensely.
Sitting in quiet meditation proved immensely challenging for Yan Xiaobao. Pretending to know nothing about what was happening ahead of the caravan was a hard act. It was even harder to resist directly entering the camp to rescue his companions.
The tunnel remained calm for a long time before abruptly, five hours later, Yan Xiaobao opened his eyes and noticed activity stirring in the camp beside him.
At first, he waited to see if they would rush toward him, or toward Xu Biao and Xie Lan; surprisingly, besides preparations for the caravan to move once again, nothing happened. Smoke drifted into the stale tunnel air, carrying with it the scent of burnt flesh, which left Yan Xiaobao astonished.
Yan Xiaobao and his two followers, once the scent of charred flesh permeated the path, walked past the caravan as though terrified by the smell. Their reaction seemed entirely understandable.