I am destroying the protagonist in the fantasy world!

Lei Yi's sharp eyes picked up on the slightest hint of something strange. With a tap of his toes, he lifted himself off the ground, landing steadily on the roof. Dongfang Liuli followed closely behind him, and the two of them, under the cover of darkness, carefully observed their surroundings.

"The smell of blood comes from over there." Dongfang Liuli lowered his voice and pointed to a forest behind the courtyard.

The two looked at each other and sneaked into the woods silently.

Moonlight filtered through the gaps between the branches, casting a patchwork of light and shadow on the ground. Using the faint light, Lei Yi quickly discovered a body deep in the woods.

It was the body of a middle-aged man, dressed in coarse linen, with a horrified expression on his face, clearly having died in extreme pain. A dagger was stuck in his chest, and the blood had already coagulated, staining the surrounding fallen leaves a shocking dark red.

"That's Xuanying's method of killing." Dongfang Liuli said in a deep voice after carefully examining the body. "It seems we've found the right place. These outsiders are indeed related to Xuanying."

Lei Yi's brow furrowed, his suspicions growing. Xuanying was a notorious assassin organization, ruthless and unscrupulous. Why would they collude with the Poison Dragon Cult to frame him?

"We must find out the truth as soon as possible." Lei Yi said in a deep voice, "Otherwise, I'm afraid more innocent people will be dragged into this conspiracy."

However, the Poison Dragon Cult's plot was clearly very sophisticated, and despite Lei Yi's extensive investigations, he could never find any conclusive evidence. Those who had come into contact with the Poison Dragon Cult either suddenly disappeared or flatly denied any involvement, leaving him with no clue where to begin.

At the same time, rumors about Lei Yi colluding with the Demon Sect intensified, and other sects began to shun him. The sect exchange conference that had originally invited him to participate was also revoked for his "improper conduct."

All of this made Lei Yi feel extremely frustrated and angry. He knew that this was a conspiracy by the Poison Dragon Cult, and its purpose was to isolate him and make him unable to defend himself.

"Brother Lei, don't lose heart." Dongfang Liuli saw Lei Yi's frustration and comforted him softly, "I believe the truth will eventually come out, and you will be cleared of your grievances."

Lei Yi forced a wry smile and nodded. He knew that now was not the time to give up. He had to pull himself together, continue to find out the truth, and clear his name.

A few days later, the head of the Jianxuan Sect sent a letter, subtly expressing his "concern" for Lei Yi and suggesting he refrain from any rash actions and wait for things to settle down. Lei Yi read the letter, a hint of a sneer playing on his face. It seemed even the Jianxuan Sect was beginning to waver... He crumpled the letter into a ball and tossed it into a nearby brazier. The blazing flames illuminated his resolute face. "It seems we can only rely on ourselves..." In the Jianxuan Sect's majestic meeting hall, the head of the sect, Xuanji Zhenren, sat upright, clutching the letter he had just delivered to Lei Yi's residence, his brow furrowed in thought.

"Master, Lei Yi is a man of extraordinary talent. If we can recruit him to the Jianxuan Sect, it will surely bolster our influence," said an elder beside him, stroking his beard, his words unable to conceal his regret. "But he's currently stuck in a quagmire. If we rashly offer our assistance, we'll probably bring disaster upon ourselves."

Xuanji Zhenren sighed and said slowly, "Junior brother, what you said makes sense. Now that all parties are watching, we must not act rashly. However..." He paused, a glint in his eyes, "I always feel that this matter is strange. Although Lei Yi's behavior is erratic, he is definitely not a treacherous person. There must be something hidden."

"Then what the headmaster means is..."

"Let's wait and see." Xuanji Zhenren crumpled the letter in his hand and said firmly, "We will wait for the opportunity. If Lei Yi really has a chance to turn things around, it won't be too late to lend him a helping hand."

Elsewhere, at Lei Yi's residence, Dongfang Liuli informed Lei Yi of the contents of Jian Xuanzong's letter, her tone tinged with worry: "Brother Lei, it seems that Jian Xuanzong can no longer be relied upon. What should we do now?"

Lei Yi sneered and threw the letter on the table. "I expected this to happen. These famous and upright people are the most hypocritical. How could they really help me?"

"So what should we do now?" Dongfang Liuli frowned. "Are we just going to sit there and wait for death?"

Lei Yi pondered for a moment, a figure flashed through his mind, and he said slowly: "Perhaps, we can go find someone..."

A few days later, Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli, disguised, arrived at Qingfeng Pavilion, located deep in Yunmeng Lake. Qingfeng Pavilion is a detached sect in the martial arts world, not participating in the conflicts. Its leader, Qingfeng Jushi, is highly respected and admired by his fellow martial artists.

"Young Master Lei, you have come uninvited. I wonder what brings you here?" Mr. Qingfeng, dressed in plain clothes and holding a whisk, asked with a smile, as if he had already seen through their purpose.

Lei Yi didn't beat around the bush and said straight to the point, "Master, I've come here to ask you about the Poison Dragon Cult and the recent disputes in the martial arts world."

Upon hearing this, Qingfeng Jushi's smile remained unchanged. He just shook his head slowly, sighed softly, and said, "Young Master Lei, you are in the vortex. There are some things that the more you know, the more dangerous it is..."

He paused, looking at Lei Yi with deep eyes, "I would like to give you a piece of advice. The world is dangerous and people's hearts are unpredictable. Some things are better not to delve into too deeply..."

Lei Yi's brows furrowed slightly. Master Qingfeng's words seemed like an admonition, but they were more like a disguised confirmation. He thought to himself, it seems the Poison Dragon Cult's conspiracy wasn't groundless; perhaps there was a greater secret hidden within.

"What you said is absolutely true, but I, a junior, have been wronged. If I cannot find out the truth and clear my name, how can I stand firm in the world?" Lei Yi said firmly, looking at Qingfeng Lay Buddhist with a burning gaze, "I hope you can give me some guidance!"

Qingfeng Jushi was silent for a moment, and finally sighed softly, "Never mind. Although I don't care about worldly affairs, I know right from wrong. Since Young Master Lei insists on investigating, I will give you a piece of advice: 'When a bird holds a ring, there is a snake inside.' Remember, be careful in everything you do, and don't trust anyone easily."

"Thank you for your advice, Master!" Lei Yi took a deep breath and bowed to express his gratitude. He knew that it was not easy for Master Qingfeng to reveal these things.

After bidding farewell to Master Qingfeng, Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli, following the saying "When a yellow bird holds a ring, a snake is inside," set their sights on several forces closely associated with the Poison Dragon Cult and decided to conduct a covert investigation. Disguised as itinerant doctors, they gathered information from all directions.

After many twists and turns, they finally found a quack doctor with close ties to the Poison Dragon Cult. However, just as Lei Yi was about to get key information from him, an accident occurred.

"Who is it?!" With a loud shout, several black shadows fell from the sky and surrounded Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli.

"Who are you? Why are you following us?" Lei Yi was shocked, but his face remained calm and he asked in a deep voice.

"Humph! You're asking questions even though you already know the answer!" The leading black-clad figure sneered, "If you know what's good for you, surrender and avoid this physical pain!"

"It seems that you are members of the Poison Dragon Cult?" A cold light flashed in Lei Yi's eyes. Now that his identity has been exposed, he no longer hides it. He unsheathed the long sword in his hand, and a cold light flashed.

"Kill!" The man in black gave the order, and everyone attacked together, each move ruthless, aiming directly at Lei Yi's vital points.

Although Lei Yi was a skilled martial artist, two fists could not defeat four hands. Moreover, the opponents were all elite assassins of the Poison Dragon Cult, each of them ruthless and deadly. During the fierce battle, Lei Yi suffered multiple injuries, and his clothes were stained with blood.

"Brother Lei, be careful!" Dongfang Liuli was extremely anxious, waving the long whip in her hand to resist the attacks of several men in black, but her skills were limited after all, and she gradually fell into a disadvantage.

"Haha, today is the day you die!" The leading man in black saw that Lei Yi was seriously injured, a hint of pride flashed in his eyes, and the long sword in his hand, with a sharp murderous aura, chopped directly at Lei Yi's face.

At the critical moment, a trace of determination flashed in Lei Yi's eyes. He tried his best to swing his sword to block the attack of the man in black, and at the same time he retreated violently to keep some distance.

"Want to escape? Not that easy!" The man in black sneered and was about to chase him, but suddenly his face changed. He covered his chest and spat out a mouthful of blood.

"You..." The man in black looked at Lei Yi in disbelief, his eyes filled with resentment and anger.

"Do you think I would be defenseless?" Lei Yi snorted coldly. During the fight just now, he deliberately exposed a flaw and took the opportunity to shoot a poison needle into the body of the man in black.

"Retreat!" The leading man in black knew that he could not succeed today, so he had to order a retreat.

However, just as the man in black was about to retreat, a cold voice suddenly rang out: "Want to leave? Have you asked me?"

I saw a white shadow falling from the sky, appearing in front of the man in black like a ghost, with a cold flash of the long sword in his hand, and instantly harvested several lives.

"Miss Dongfang..." Lei Yi looked at Dongfang Liuli who suddenly appeared, his heart filled with surprise and emotion. He knew that Dongfang Liuli had tried her best to save him.

"Don't say anything. I'll take you away!" Dongfang Liuli helped the seriously injured Lei Yi up, tapped her toes, and flew up with him, disappearing into the vast night...

The night deepened, the inky sky devoid of stars or moon, only a biting cold wind howling past. Dongfang Liuli, carrying the gravely wounded Lei Yi, journeyed through the dense forest, searching for a place to hide. Lei Yi's consciousness gradually faded, and everything before him became hazy, but he still clung to Dongfang Liuli's hand tightly, as if grasping at a last straw.

"Hold on, Lei Yi, we'll be safe soon." Dongfang Liuli's voice echoed in her ears, trembling slightly but remarkably firm. She had never seen Lei Yi so weak before, and her heart was filled with anxiety, but she could only force herself to calm down.

Finally, they found a secluded cave in a dense bush. Dongfang Liuli gently put Lei Yi down, took out a healing pill from her bosom and gave it to him to drink. She then tore off her own clothes to bandage his wounds.

"Cough cough..." Lei Yi coughed violently, a trace of blood oozing from the corner of his mouth, and his face turned frighteningly pale. He struggled to sit up, but was held down by Dongfang Liuli.

"Don't move, you are seriously injured and need to rest well." There was a hint of heartache in Dongfang Liuli's voice. She had never thought that this man who had always been confident and strong in front of her would have such a fragile side.

"Liuli, I'm the one who implicated you this time." Lei Yi's voice was hoarse and weak, his eyes filled with guilt. He knew that if it weren't for saving him, Dongfang Liuli wouldn't have exposed her strength and fallen into danger.

"Don't talk nonsense. We don't need to talk about this." Dongfang Liuli shook her head, holding Lei Yi's hand, her eyes firm. "Just focus on healing and leave the rest to me."

Lei Yi looked at Dongfang Liuli's determined eyes, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart. He knew that no matter what happened, Dongfang Liuli would stay by his side and never leave him.

For the next few days, Dongfang Liuli remained at Lei Yi's side, treating his injuries and caring for his daily needs. Lei Yi's condition gradually improved, but a lingering shadow lingered. He knew the Poison Dragon Cult's conspiracy was far more complex than he had imagined, and he was now severely injured, unable to move forward, let alone continue his pursuit of the truth.

"Liuli, do you think I'm useless?" One day, Lei Yi looked at Dongfang Liuli who was making medicine for him and said in a low voice.

Dongfang Liuli put down the medicine bowl in her hand, walked over to Lei Yi, gently stroked his cheek, and said softly, "Don't talk nonsense, you've done very well. The most important thing now is to heal your injuries. We can consider other matters in the long run."

Lei Yi held Dongfang Liuli's hand, feeling the warmth in her palm, and his heart settled a little. He knew that no matter how difficult and dangerous the road ahead was, he would not give up, because he still had Dongfang Liuli and the people he wanted to protect.

However, at this moment, fate seemed to deviate from its original trajectory. While Lei Yi was recovering from his injuries, Dongfang Liuli, while out foraging for food, stumbled upon a blood-stained token. A strange pattern was engraved on the token, seemingly some kind of special mark. Dongfang Liuli had a feeling that the token might be connected to the Poison Dragon Cult's conspiracy, so he secretly hid it.

After returning to the cave, Dongfang Liuli showed the token to Lei Yi and asked, "Do you recognize this pattern?"

Lei Yi took the token and looked at it carefully for a moment. His expression suddenly became solemn. He stared at the pattern on the token without saying a word, as if he was lost in thought.