I am destroying the protagonist in the fantasy world!

"It's me," Lei Yi replied calmly, meeting the middle-aged man's scrutiny. The hall was magnificent, its carved beams and painted rafters amplifying the power and majesty of its occupant. Lei Yi knew he was in the Jianxuan Sect, and the man before him was the sect's most powerful leader.

"Good, good!" The Jianxuan Sect's head laughed heartily, "It's true that heroes emerge from youth! Young Master Lei is so young, yet he has such accomplishments. He will surely become a great man in the future!"

Lei Yi said modestly, "Master, you are too kind. I am just lucky."

"Haha, there's no need to be so modest, Mr. Lei." The Jianxuan Sect's leader waved his hand, his tone suddenly becoming sincere. "To be honest, I asked you to come here today because I have a favor to ask of you."

Lei Yi's heart moved, but his expression remained calm: "Master, please speak. As long as this junior is able to do so, I will not refuse."

"Good!" A hint of joy flashed in the eyes of the Jianxuan Sect's leader, "I hope that Young Master Lei can join my Jianxuan Sect and become my disciple!"

Lei Yi had anticipated this, but still feigned surprise, "This...what merits and abilities have I gained to deserve such respect from the Sect Master?"

"Young Master Lei is extremely talented and carries a precious treasure. Joining our Jianxuan Sect will surely maximize your advantages." The Jianxuan Sect's leader paused and offered a more tempting offer. "As long as Young Master Lei is willing, I can make an exception and accept you as my personal disciple. I will also grant you the treatment of a core disciple and allow you to enjoy the sect's best training resources!"

Anyone else would have readily agreed to such generous terms. However, Lei Yi was no ordinary man. Having experienced life and death, he knew the dangers of the martial world, so he wouldn't make a decision lightly.

Just as Lei Yi was pondering, a disciple's voice suddenly came from outside the hall: "Master, the Young Master of the Poison Dragon Sect has sent a gift to congratulate Master Lei on receiving the inheritance!"

The Jianxuan Sect's head frowned slightly and waved his hand, saying, "Present it."

An exquisite wooden box was presented to Lei Yi. When he opened it, he saw a crystal clear pill lying quietly inside, emitting rich spiritual energy.

"This is..." Lei Yi pretended to be confused.

"This is the 'Dragon Essence Pill', a secret recipe of our Poison Dragon Sect. Taking it can increase your power and stabilize your realm," the person who brought the gift explained respectfully. "The Young Sect Leader specifically ordered us to bring it here as a token of congratulations."

Lei Yi smiled faintly and was about to reach out to take it when he heard the man add, "The Young Master also asked me to tell Mr. Lei that when traveling in the martial arts world, friends are more valuable than quantity. Some sects are better to stay away from."

Lei Yi paused, his gaze sweeping over the Poison Dragon Cult disciple, and he sneered inwardly. This wasn't a gift, it was clearly a threat!

After sending the Poison Dragon Cult members away, the Jianxuan Sect leader asked with concern, "Young Master Lei, what do you think?"

Lei Yi was silent for a moment, and just as he was about to speak, Dongfang Liuli's voice suddenly echoed in his mind: "Be careful, there's a trap. Wait and see what happens..." Dongfang Liuli's voice was like a clear spring, instantly quenching the lingering anxiety within Lei Yi. Yes, how could he forget that these seemingly friendly sects concealed a complex web of interests. He was new here, and he hadn't yet fathomed the depths of this water. How could he easily step foot in?

"Thank you for your kindness, Sect Leader," Lei Yi stood up and bowed deeply to the Sect Leader of Jian Xuan Sect. "It's just that I'm new to the martial arts world and don't know much about the various sects. This matter is of great importance. I hope Sect Leader will allow me a few days to consider it before giving you a reply."

A hint of disappointment flashed across Jian Xuanzong's eyes, but he quickly concealed it. He laughed and said, "Of course, of course! Young Master Lei, don't worry, just take your time to think about it."

After leaving Jianxuan Sect, Lei Yi did not return directly to his residence. Instead, he followed Dongfang Liuli's suggestion and went to a small sect exchange gathering outside the city. The gathering was small, and most of the participants were representatives from second- and third-rate sects, but for Lei Yi, it was an excellent opportunity to understand the various forces.

The party was held in a quiet bamboo forest. Deep in the forest, there was an ancient thatched house. An old man in a green shirt and with white hair and beard was sitting cross-legged in front of the house with his eyes closed.

"This is Master Qingfeng." Dongfang Liuli's voice rang out beside Lei Yi's ears. "Although he doesn't belong to any sect, he is highly respected and well-known in the martial arts world."

Lei Yi nodded, took a step forward, and bowed respectfully: "Junior Lei Yi, greetings to Senior Qingfeng."

Qingfeng Lay Buddhist slowly opened his eyes, his cloudy gaze fixed on Lei Yi, as if he could see through him. After a moment, he smiled faintly, his voice low and hoarse, "You are the young master Lei who has recently gained fame, right? I have lived in the mountains for a long time, but I have heard of your deeds."

Lei Yi said modestly, "Senior, you are too kind. I am just lucky."

"Luck is also a form of strength." Qingfeng Jushi said calmly, "From the look of your face, I can tell you're not just someone you can usually find. You'll definitely achieve something in the future."

Lei Yi's heart moved, and he asked tentatively: "Senior, I am new to the martial arts world and don't know much about many things. I wonder..."

As if seeing through his thoughts, Qingfeng Jushi took over the conversation and said, "What you want to ask is why those major sects are so enthusiastic about you?"

Lei Yi did not deny it and nodded.

Qingfeng Jushi sighed softly and said, "The world is bustling with people, all for profit; the world is bustling with people, all for profit. You are carrying a treasure, so those major sects will naturally not let you go easily. They are trying to win you over, ostensibly because of your talent, but in reality..."

Mr. Qingfeng did not continue speaking, but the meaning was self-evident.

Lei Yi remained silent, but a turbulent storm surged within him. He had originally thought that if he simply chose a powerful sect to join, he could cultivate peacefully and improve his strength. Now it seemed that his assumptions were too simplistic.

"Master Lei," the voice of Qingfeng Jushi pulled Lei Yi out of his contemplation, "I see that you are not a greedy person. Don't be blinded by the immediate benefits, otherwise..."

Mr. Qingfeng kept silent again, but his meaningful look made Lei Yi feel a chill.

At this moment, a commotion erupted from the distance, and a group of people approached in a mighty procession. Leading them was none other than the head of the Jianxuan Sect...

The Jianxuan Sect leader had never expected to meet Lei Yi at this time and place. A gleam of light flashed in his eyes, and he laughed out loud, "Isn't this Mr. Lei? Are you also interested in Master Qingfeng's gathering?"

He was followed by several disciples of the Jianxuan Sect, each of them bearing an imposing manner, clearly the sect's elite. Upon seeing Lei Yi, their eyes held undisguised arrogance, as if Lei Yi were merely a commodity waiting to be picked.

"Hello, seniors." Lei Yi remained calm and bowed to everyone.

The Jianxuan Sect's leader waved his hand, signaling him not to be polite. He walked straight to the side of Qingfeng Jushi. After exchanging a few pleasantries, he turned the topic to Lei Yi: "You may not know, Qingfeng Jushi, that this young master Lei is extremely talented. A few days ago, I personally invited him to join our Jianxuan Sect, but..."

He deliberately stretched out his voice, staring intently at Lei Yi, as if waiting for his answer. Representatives from other sects around him also cast curious glances at him, whispers filling the air.

Lei Yi suddenly felt an invisible pressure coming towards him, but he took a deep breath and tried to remain calm. He said calmly, "Thank you for your kindness, Master. However, I am new to the martial arts world and need some time to understand the various factions before making a choice."

The smile on Jian Xuanzong's headmaster's face froze for a moment, but soon returned to normal. He laughed heartily and said, "Of course, Young Master Lei, there's no need to worry."

However, he changed the subject, his tone carrying a hint of warning: "It's just that this opportunity is rare. I hope Mr. Lei will make a decision soon and don't miss it."

Lei Yi heard the threat in his words and felt a little unhappy, but he still dealt with it calmly on the surface.

The atmosphere of the party became subtle because of the arrival of the head of Jian Xuan Sect. The originally relaxed atmosphere was broken and a tense atmosphere spread among the crowd.

Lei Yi felt several malicious gazes falling on him, and he was secretly alert, knowing that he had become the target of public criticism. He realized that this seemingly relaxed gathering was actually a war without gunpowder, and he had become the center of this war.

As night fell, Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli left the bamboo forest. After returning to their residence, Lei Yi felt a little uneasy. He walked to the window and glanced at the quiet street. "Liuli, do you feel..."

Before he could finish his words, Dongfang Liuli raised her hand to interrupt him. She walked to the door, yanked it open, and shouted coldly, "Who?!"

As Dongfang Liuli finished speaking, a dark shadow flashed by and disappeared into the night. Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli looked at each other, and both saw a solemn look in each other's eyes.

"Chase!"

Dongfang Liuli shouted softly, and the two of them moved like lightning, chasing in the direction where the shadow had disappeared. They shuttled through the narrow alleys. The shadow was extremely fast, but Dongfang Liuli was even faster, always chasing closely.

"Be careful, there might be a trap!" Lei Yi warned as he chased.

Dongfang Liuli nodded slightly. She naturally understood this. The other party deliberately exposed their whereabouts, most likely to lure them into the trap. However, knowing it was a trap, they had to jump into it because they needed to know who was secretly monitoring them.

The shadow twisted and turned until it finally reached a dense forest outside the city. Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli slowed down their pace, observing their surroundings warily. The forest was completely silent, with only the rustling of leaves in the night wind.

"Come out! How can you be considered a hero if you keep hiding?" Dongfang Liuli said loudly. Her voice echoed in the forest, but there was no response.

"Trying to be mysterious." Lei Yi snorted coldly. He gathered spiritual power in his palms, ready to force the other party to show up.

However, at this moment, Dongfang Liuli suddenly reached out to stop him and whispered, "Be careful!"

Lei Yi was startled, and immediately realized that something had changed. He followed Dongfang Liuli's gaze and saw a body lying quietly under a large tree not far away.

The corpse was wearing night clothes, with a black cloth covering its face. Judging from its shape, it must be the dark figure they were chasing. Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli exchanged a glance, each seeing shock in the other's eyes.

"Is he dead?" Lei Yi asked in a low voice.

Dongfang Liuli walked forward, squatted down, carefully examined the body, and said in a deep voice: "It was poisoned, and it was a highly toxic one. It killed him in one blow."

Lei Yi's brow furrowed, his mind thick with suspicion. If the other party had already succeeded, why would they leave the body here? What was their purpose?

Dongfang Liuli stood up, glanced around, and said thoughtfully: "It seems that we have been plotted against."

Lei Yi nodded. He also realized this. They had fallen into the other party's trap from the beginning. The other party deliberately exposed their whereabouts to lure them into chasing, and then killed them under their noses to silence them, with the purpose of framing them.

"Who wants to frame us?" Lei Yi asked.

Dongfang Liuli didn't say anything. She walked to the corpse, reached out and fumbled around for a while, and finally took out a black token from the corpse's arms.

The token is engraved with a lifelike poisonous dragon, emitting bursts of cold and sinister air.

Dongfang Liuli's expression changed, and he whispered, "It's the Poison Dragon Cult..."