Inside the middle pavilion, situated between the inner and outer pavilions, the air was thick with anticipation as candidates prepared to face the trials that would determine who could advance to the main peak of the Celestial Phoenix Order.
The crowd that once numbered in the hundreds had dwindled to a mere forty-six, a testament to the challenges they had encountered.
"Hm, has he failed?" Yao Lian remarked, drawing closer to Esme. Her gaze followed Esme's toward the portal through which the young master, who had tormented her mentally for so long, had yet to emerge. Yao Lian couldn't help but wonder if his absence signaled his failure in the trial.
