The commotion began to die down and Elder Winston turned to Orion and gestured for him to follow. "Come with me," he said, his voice calm and measured. "We have much to discuss."
Orion fell in step behind the elder, feeling a sense of trepidation mixed with curiosity. He had always respected Elder Winston, but he had never had much interaction with him before.
They walked in silence for a few minutes, making their way through the winding paths of the Celestial Harmony Sect. Orion could feel the eyes of the other disciples on him, and he wondered what they were thinking.
Finally, they arrived at a small house on the edge of the compound. Elder Winston pushed open the door and gestured for Orion to enter.
Elder Winston motioned for Orion to take a seat, and he settled himself in the chair opposite him. For a moment, they sat in silence, each studying the other.
Finally, Elder Winston spoke. "You have done well today," he said, his voice measured and calm. "You handled yourself with poise and grace, and you showed great skill in combat."
Orion felt a wave of pride wash over him at the elder's words. He had always worked hard to improve his skills, and it was gratifying to know that his efforts had not gone unnoticed.
"Thank you, elder," he said, his voice quiet but sincere. "I have learned much since joining the Celestial Harmony Sect."
Elder Winston nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "Indeed, you have," he said. "In only a year, you have already surpassed many of our senior disciples in skill and discipline."
Orion felt a surge of pride at the elder's words, but he also felt a sense of humility. He knew that he still had much to learn, and he did not want to become complacent.
"Thank you, elder," he said again. "I will continue to work hard and strive for excellence."
Elder Winston nodded, his expression serious now. "That is good to hear," he said. "But there is something else that we must discuss."
Orion felt a sense of unease at the elder's words. He wondered what else Elder Winston could want to talk about.
Elder Winston leaned forward, his gaze intense. "In about a month, there will be a joint event between the five sects to explore the Ruin Space that just appeared not far from here."
Orion's eyes widened in surprise. The Ruin Space was a mysterious and dangerous place, filled with ancient relics and powerful artifacts. Many sects had tried to explore it in the past, but few had returned.
"I see," he said, trying to keep his voice steady. "What does this mean for the Celestial Harmony Sect?"
Elder Winston's expression grew even more serious. "It means that we must prepare ourselves," he said. "The Ruin Space is a dangerous place, filled with powerful monsters and traps. We must ensure that our disciples are ready for anything."
Orion nodded, feeling a sense of excitement mixed with fear. He had always been fascinated by the Ruin Space, but he knew that the danger was very real.
Elder Winston continued, "Unfortunately, this Ruin Space only has the limitation that only Lord Realm Cultivators such as yourself can enter. So, I want you to enter it. There will be many treasures inside that will be invaluable to our sect."
Orion felt a jolt of surprise at the elder's words. He had never expected to be given such a task, especially one of this magnitude. He knew that the Ruin Space was not to be taken lightly, but he also knew that it was an opportunity that he could not pass up.
"I am honored, elder," he said, his voice steady. "I will do everything in my power to ensure that the Celestial Harmony Sect benefits from this endeavor."
Elder Winston nodded, his expression thoughtful. "I know that I can trust you," he said. "But you must be careful. The Ruin Space is not to be taken lightly, and there are many dangers that you will face."
Orion nodded, feeling a sense of determination wash over him. He knew that he had to be careful, but he also knew that he had to be brave. He could not let the Celestial Harmony Sect down.
"I will be careful, elder," he said. "And I will do my best to bring back the treasures that will benefit our sect."
Elder Winston nodded, a small smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "I know that you will," he said. "You have always been a diligent and hardworking disciple. I have no doubt that you will succeed in this task."
Orion felt a surge of gratitude and determination at the elder's words. He knew that he had a lot of work ahead of him, but he also knew that he had the support of Elder Winston and the rest of the Celestial Harmony Sect behind him.
A month had passed since the conversation with Elder Winston, and today was the day that Orion would venture into the Ruin Space.
He had spent the past month preparing himself mentally and physically for the task ahead. He had trained tirelessly, honing his skills and increasing his strength, and had studied everything he could find about the Ruin Space.
Now, as he made his way to the sect yard, Orion felt a mix of excitement and apprehension. He knew that he was ready, but he also knew that the Ruin Space was not to be taken lightly.
When he arrived at the sect yard, he saw that a group of other disciples had already assembled there. They were all Lord Realm Cultivators, like him, and they had also been selected to enter the Ruin Space.
Orion recognized a few of them from his time training in the sect, but most of them were unfamiliar to him. He approached them, his posture was confident and his expression serious.
As he got closer, he scanned the faces of the other disciples, trying to remember their names. But then, his eyes landed on someone familiar. He directly went to meet her.
