Specks of light scattered about, illuminating the figures of several women. Mist veiled the water's surface, vast and drifting.
Xiao Ruoching, with her hands clasped behind her back, stood under the willows, her hand gripping the small hand of the Sword Maiden behind her, her snow-white gown billowing. The wind rose, and the gauze fluttered.
Xiao Ruoching looked at the disciples before her, a faint smile curling at the corners of her mouth as she spoke, "I only joined a few months ahead of you. And I am not as strong as you might imagine. You must practice diligently, at least so that others cannot look down upon you..."
Each of the newly admitted disciples had an expression of being pleasantly surprised and nodded toward the women. The female disciples had stars in their eyes and seemed to regard the woman before them as the goal to strive for.
