A persons face was always the best place to choose but usually one that most people would hesitate to choose because of their vanity.
If a sword wound or mark was made on the arm or leg, if deep enough or the sword cuts the wrong part of the leg then that persons ability to walk or wield a weapon may be affected.
If body parts were removed then an ear, eye, nose or tongue would be removed from the head so it was also a difficult choice since only a finger or two would be removed from their limbs.
The better option was to go for a scar and hope that it is done by someone experienced rather than someone reckless that may ruin a person's martial arts path with a poorly executed cut on their body.
Rather than ending a persons path who was already destined for a difficult life within the sect, the leader brought his sword down upon the man's face and then turned to the wife and did the same.
They began to scream out in pain and roll around on the ground clutching their faces upon receiving the slash wound going down their cheek area but it was better than the alternative places.
Within the sect, it would probably be a mercy that she had her beauty reduced.
There was always the possibility of further bullying and conflicts happening within the sect when a women entered, especially when they were already taken.
Sometimes someone with higher influence and power may covet another persons woman and then exert pressure on that person or they would extend a hand to the woman to offer her a position by their side.
Before long the cold reality would hit upon the new couple that had joined the sect and they would have a difficult time remaining together.
Either the male would abandon their partner to stop being targeted and be given better treatment so that their path within the sect is unobstructed from the beginning, the female would seek a better shelter for herself no matter what the cost may be just so they can better secure their future or they stick together and weather all of the hardships together until the others grow bored and find a new target.
If the beauty had been ruined then there would be less chance of this happening so the leader preferred to use this method to reduce the friction within the sect.
Rather than a punishment, perhaps later this mark or scar may in fact be a blessing for her to avoid many hardships and torment.
He continued to speak as he tasted the blood on the tip of his sword before wiping it clean and placing it back in its sheathe. "Now that this is all completed… do you all have any complaints about entering the sect? Any of you that do not wish to enter please do raise your hand."
By now many of them could read the atmosphere of the room, they were tied up and could not go against any of them.
Most of all they had witnessed everything and were able to work out that it was either join or die, there was no third option.
Seeing the silence in the room, the leader nodded in approval. "Good. Finally a new large batch of recruits ready to enter the sect. Be patient for now and remain tied up until we take you some place else. For now you must be blindfolded and restrained, you will be given food and water so you will not starve, upon making arrangements and arriving at the sect then can your restraints be removed. Any attempts to escape will not only put your lives in danger but your family and friends too. So do not do anything stupid."
More than ten masked or unmasked pale people were within the room along with around twelve of the remaining survivors in addition to those that had either died or were chained up.
Everyone quickly dealt with the remaining survivors making sure that they were properly bound and blindfolded.
Now that the tasks had been completed and any problems had been dealt with, they could get to work right away so many of them turned towards the chained up bodies ready to drain them when a change occurred within the space.
As several others turned their backs, the masked people behind them removed a dagger from behind their back and stabbed it towards the top of the back of the neck of those men and women who had let down their guard.
Right then and there four peak or Transcendent martial artists were assassinated with a dagger piercing from the top of the back of their neck upwards into their brain ending their lives quickly and without warning.
The leader turned around to witness this scene with a look of shock in his eyes. "What? You.."
Meanwhile another person opened the door to allow others to enter.
Rashida came inside with a sad look on her face. "You left me out of it again.. hmph.."