Rey recruited four other outer disciples to participate.
He selected his team based on observed combat capabilities during his reconnaissance period rather than social relationships.
Practical utility mattered more than camaraderie.
The team assembled at the valley's entrance with expressions ranging from nervous determination to barely concealed fear at the mission's reputation.
A girl named Fang Shu—compact and quick with exceptional Earth-element affinity despite her recent cultivation awakening—studied the terrain maps with attention suggesting genuine tactical awareness.
"Three previous teams attempted direct assault on their mountain base," she observed. "All failed. The former cultivator uses terrain advantage to funnel attackers into kill zones where his superior cultivation overwhelms their numerical advantage."
