As Orion was training, he heard a sudden commotion in the distance, causing him to pause in his movements. Curiosity getting the better of him, he made his way toward the source of the noise, wondering what was going on.
As he got closer, he could see a crowd of disciples gathered around a central point, their voices raised in excitement and anticipation. Orion pushed his way through the throng, trying to catch a glimpse of what was happening.
As he got closer, he could see that Aurora was at the center of the commotion, surrounded by many disciples. Her sharp features and piercing gaze were hard to miss, and Orion realized that she had become the center of attention.
Orion couldn't help but feel intrigued as he saw Aurora in the midst of the crowd. He made his way toward her, feeling a mixture of curiosity and caution. He didn't know what was going on, but he was sure that Aurora was at the center of it all.
Orion had managed to make his way to the front of the crowd, and as he did, he heard snippets of conversation from the other disciples. They were all talking about Aurora being courted by one of the older disciples and how she had arrogantly rejected him.
As Orion squeezed his way through the crowd, he finally saw what was happening. Aurora was being cornered by the senior disciple, who was trying to force her to go with him. He had even brought his underlings to intimidate her.
"Miss Aurora, don't make this hard on yourself," the senior disciple said with a perverted look on his face. "Come with me, and I promise you'll be taken care of."
Aurora's face twisted in disgust. "How dare you speak to me like that?" she spat. "Look at yourself. You don't have the qualification to have me."
Orion could see that Aurora was at the end of her patience. Her icy demeanor had melted away, replaced by simmering anger.
"Hey!" he called out, making his way to her side. "What's going on here?"
The senior disciple looked at Orion with disdain. "Mind your own business, kid. This is between Miss Aurora and me."
Orion stepped forward, his fists clenching at his sides. "She doesn't want to go with you. So leave her alone."
The senior disciple laughed, his underlings joining in. "Who are you to tell me what to do? You're just a new disciple."
Orion felt a surge of anger rising within him. "I don't care who I am. I won't let you bully her."
Aurora looked at Orion, a flicker of surprise in her eyes. She had not expected Orion to be here, but she smiled because of it.
The senior disciple sneered. "Fine, if you want to get involved, then let's see what you've got."
Before they could fight, a loud shout rang out, causing the commotion to come to a sudden halt. "How dare you cause a commotion in the Martial Arts Hall?" the voice boomed, echoing throughout the room.
All the disciples turned their heads towards the source of the voice, and they quickly identified the speaker as the elder of the Martial Arts Hall. The elder was a stern-looking man, with a face lined with age and experience. He had a presence that commanded respect, and none of the disciples dared to challenge him.
The senior disciple who was trying to court Aurora stepped back, his expression one of fear and respect. "Elder Edmund," he stammered, "I was just trying to convince Miss Aurora to come with me. I meant no harm."
Elder Edmund's eyes narrowed, his gaze focusing on the senior disciple. "Convince her? More like force her," he said, his voice cold and hard. "It's okay for you to court her, but you need to be fair. Ganging up on her is not the code of our sect, and also, they are all new disciples. You know what it means, right?"
The senior disciple seemed taken aback by Elder Edmund's words, but he quickly regained his composure. "I apologize, Elder. I didn't mean to cause trouble."
Elder Edmund's gaze then fell on Aurora, who was standing off to the side with Orion. "Miss Aurora, are you okay?" he asked, his tone softer now.
Aurora nodded, though her expression was still cold and distant. "I am fine, Elder. Thank you for your concern."
Elder Edmund sighed, shaking his head slightly. "This kind of behavior will not be tolerated in our sect. If it happens again, there will be consequences."
With that, the elder turned and walked away, his presence still lingering in the room. The other disciples slowly dispersed, returning to their training or other duties.
The senior disciple and his underlings slowly made their way towards the exit, casting one last glance towards Aurora and Orion before they left the Martial Arts Hall. Orion could feel their eyes on him, filled with malice and hatred. He knew that this was not the end of the matter, that the senior disciple would seek revenge for his humiliation.
Aurora looked at Orion with an icy expression, her sharp features highlighting her cold demeanor. "Thank you, Orion, but I can handle myself," she said, her voice cool and detached.
Orion smiled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I know you can handle yourself, but I just wanted to be a cool man in front of you," he teased, trying to break the tension between them.
Aurora's lips twitched in a small smile, but she quickly schooled her features back into their usual stoic expression. "Being cool is overrated," she said, her voice flat.
Orion chuckled, shaking his head. "Maybe for you, but I'm not as cool as you are," he said, his eyes meeting hers in a moment of understanding.
Aurora's icy demeanor didn't falter, but there was a flicker of something in her eyes, a hint of appreciation for Orion's words.
But she quickly pushed those thoughts aside, returning to her usual coldness. "That senior disciple is not a problem for me. An insect like him is bound to appear, and some challenges are also interesting," she said, her voice void of emotion.
Orion couldn't help but feel a twinge of concern for her. He knew that Aurora was strong and capable, but he also knew that she was still a newly awakened cultivator.
"Well, just be careful, okay?" he said, his voice softening a bit.
Aurora didn't say anything in response, but Orion could tell that his words had affected her in some way. He couldn't quite read her emotions, but he could sense that there was more to her than met the eye.
Orion smiled to himself, thinking about Aurora's icy demeanor. "Women are sure scary," he thought to himself, grateful that she wasn't his enemy. But he couldn't help but feel drawn to her, intrigued by her sharp mind and quick wit.
