While Orion continued through the dense forest, he suddenly stopped once again. The disciples who had been following him were confused when they saw him summoning his beast, Atlas.
Orion's hand glowed with a bright blue light as he summoned Atlas from his beast space. The crystal rhinoceros emerged from the space in a flash of light, its body shimmering in the sunlight filtering through the trees.
The disciples watched in awe as Atlas materialized before them. The crystal rhinoceros was a sight to behold, its body glinting with the same blue light that emanated from Orion's hand.
Orion looked at Atlas and ordered, "Use Crystal Spike in that direction," pointing in the direction of the disciples who had been following him.
Atlas let out a powerful roar in response, and his horn began to glow with a bright blue light. The crystal rhinoceros charged forward, his powerful legs propelling him towards the direction that Orion had indicated.
As he charged through the undergrowth, Atlas's horn glowed brighter and brighter, until it was almost blinding. The disciples watched in awe as the crystal rhinoceros released a powerful blast of energy from his horn, sending a wave of sharp crystal spikes hurtling towards them.
The disciples were caught off guard, and they scrambled to dodge the sharp spikes. Some of them managed to dodge the attack, but others were not so lucky. The crystal spikes pierced through their flesh, causing them to cry out in pain.
The disciples who were hit directly by Atlas's Crystal Spike attack cursed under their breath, trying to suppress their pain. They finally gathered their courage and came out from their hiding places to confront Orion.
"How do you know we are here?" one of the disciples demanded, his voice filled with anger and frustration.
Orion only smiled at them and said, "So there are really people there."
His calm demeanor and lack of fear surprised the disciples. They had expected him to be on guard or even defensive, but instead, he seemed almost amused by their presence.
"You really dare to attack us. We are from Blazing Sun sect," one of the disciples exclaimed angrily towards Orion.
Orion raised an eyebrow at the sudden accusation. "I did not attack you. I simply defended myself and my beast."
The disciples exchanged glances, unsure of how to respond to Orion's statement. They had expected him to deny their accusation or perhaps even apologize, but his calm and collected response caught them off guard.
"You used your Crystal Spike attack on us," another disciple said, pointing to the wounds on his arm where the spikes had pierced his flesh.
Orion looked at the injuries and sighed. "I am sorry for any harm caused, but I had no way of knowing who was following me or what their intentions were."
The disciples remained unconvinced, their anger still palpable. "You're just making excuses," one of them spat.
Orion remained composed, his expression unchanged. "Then what are you doing following me?"
"We were simply curious," one of them finally said, after a few moments of silence. "We saw you take down the Iron Tusk Boar, and we wanted to see who was capable of such a feat."
Orion raised an eyebrow, "Curiosity is understandable, but it doesn't justify following someone without their consent or even introducing yourselves."
The disciples' expressions twisted into scowls, and their fists clenched in frustration. They had expected Orion to be intimidated by their aggressive behavior, but his calm demeanor only served to further infuriate them.
"You think you're better than us," one of the disciples snarled. "But you're just a lone cultivator wandering in the wilderness. We are disciples of the Blazing Sun sect, and we demand respect!"
Orion regarded them with a cool gaze, unaffected by their threats. "Respect is earned, not demanded. And robbing someone is not a respectable action."
The disciples' faces darkened with anger, and one of them stepped forward, his hand reaching for his weapon. "We don't have time for your self-righteous speeches. Hand over your items, or we'll take them by force."
Orion's expression remained impassive as he calmly replied, "I have no intention of handing over my belongings. And I have no interest in fighting you either. Leave now, and we can forget this ever happened."
The disciples snorted in disbelief, and one of them sneered, "You think you can take us all on? You're just a weak cultivator who got lucky with a Crystal Beast."
Orion's eyes flashed with a hint of annoyance at the insult, but he quickly regained his composure. "Don't you forget that the big five sects sent us to this Ruin Space so I can say that I am strong," he said, his voice laced with confidence.
The disciple who had spoken earlier stepped forward, his arms crossed over his chest. "Don't think you're anything special just because you were sent here by one the big five sects," he said, his tone filled with contempt. "You're probably just the lowest-ranked disciple they could find."
Orion raised an eyebrow, unimpressed by the disciple's taunts. "Even if that were true, it wouldn't change the fact that I am here to complete a mission. And I won't let anyone stand in my way."
The other disciples exchanged a glance, seeming to hesitate for a moment. But then, one of them stepped forward, a fierce glint in his eyes. "We're not afraid of you," he said, drawing his weapon. "We've been trained by the best in the sects, and we won't back down from a fight."
Orion stood his ground, his own weapon at the ready. "I didn't want it to come to this," he said, his voice calm but firm. "But if you insist on fighting, I won't hold back."
The disciples then began to summon their beasts, calling out their names and performing incantations. Orion watched as the creatures materialized out of thin air, each one looking more formidable than the last. He took a deep breath and braced himself for the coming battle
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