"There have been more casualties this year," a young woman said, her icy gaze fixated on the floor beneath her.
High above the cave, in a secret room, the five outer-court sect masters watched on as the second test quickly thinned out the mass of applicants that had flocked to join them.
"There are only around three hundred of them left," an old man responded, stroking his silver beard with conflicted thoughts. "If it continues like this, we might not have any new disciples this year."
The empire was large—large enough that ten thousand children could flock to their mountainous sect that guarded one of the many borders. However, the Misty Cloud sect was one of five great sects. Usually, the great sects would hold their examinations at different times; however, for some reason, the Violet Lotus sect decided to hold theirs at the same time.
