I am destroying the protagonist in the fantasy world!

Dongfang Liuli's figure disappeared around the corner, and the panic on Lei Yi's face faded like a tide, replaced by a look of deep thought. He knew that Dongfang Liuli had doubts about him, but he didn't have time to dwell on it now. He had to figure out his situation as soon as possible to survive in this dangerous world.

"Master Wang..." Lei Yi whispered the name, recalling the description of this character from the original novel: a man of profound knowledge, well-versed in history and modern events, even intimately acquainted with the distribution of power and the rules of survival in this world. If he could get some information from him, it would be of great benefit to his next move.

Having made up his mind, Lei Yi no longer hesitated and turned to walk towards the towering mountain outside the town. The mountain road was rugged and difficult to walk on, but Lei Yi's steps were extremely firm, as if something ahead was attracting him.

After walking for who knows how long, Lei Yi finally reached the top of the mountain. An ancient courtyard appeared before him. The door was ajar. Lei Yi pushed it open gently, and a faint scent of ink filled his nose, making him feel relaxed and happy.

"Is anyone here?" Lei Yi asked tentatively.

"Come in." An old voice came from inside the house.

Lei Yi walked into the room and saw an old man sitting cross-legged on a cushion. On the table in front of him were pens, ink, paper and inkstone, exuding a strong scholarly atmosphere.

"Are you Master Wang?" Lei Yi asked respectfully.

Master Wang nodded slightly, his eyes fixed on Lei Yi, a subtle glint flashing in his eyes. "What do you want to ask?"

"I'm new here and know nothing about this world. I'd appreciate some guidance, Master." Lei Yi said, bowing deeply.

Master Wang was not moved by Lei Yi's respect. He said calmly, "This world is not something you can understand just because you want to. Knowing more may not necessarily be a good thing for you."

Lei Yi's heart trembled. He knew that what Master Wang said was true, but he had no way out.

"Master, your teaching is correct, but I just want to understand some basic rules of survival. Please help me." Lei Yi said, pulling out a purse from his pocket and gently placing it on the table. "I have nothing, so please accept this little money."

Master Wang's eyes fell on the purse, and a subtle smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. "Survival rules..."

Master Wang twirled his beard, his gaze lingering on the purse for a moment, then looked at Lei Yi with a deep meaning in his eyes. "The rules of survival cannot be explained in a few words."

Lei Yi naturally understood what Master Wang meant. He gritted his teeth, took out the little change he had left, and presented it with both hands. "Master, please give me some guidance. I will be very grateful."

Master Wang then put away the purse and small change on the table, and said in a slightly more gentle tone, "Well, seeing that you are so thoughtful, I will tell you a little bit."

Lei Yi's face immediately lit up with joy, and he quickly sat up straight and listened attentively.

"This continent is called Tianxuan Continent, where martial arts are respected and the strong are respected. What determines a person's strength is the quality of the spiritual roots in the body..." Master Wang spoke slowly, from the distribution of power in Tianxuan Continent to the division of the cultivation system, he explained everything in detail.

Lei Yi listened attentively, afraid to miss a single word. This information was like timely help to him, giving him a preliminary understanding of the world.

At this moment, an old voice came from outside the door, "Old Wang, why are you willing to open the door today? Which young man are you trying to fool again?"

When Lei Yi heard the sound, he looked and saw a hunched old woman standing at the door with a basket in her hand. It was the Grandma Zhou he met in the town before.

When Master Wang saw Granny Zhou, a hint of displeasure flashed across his face, but he still said patiently, "Granny Zhou, what do you mean by that? I'm just bored and want to teach the younger generation. How can I be accused of deceiving you?"

Granny Zhou snorted coldly, walked straight into the house, and put the vegetable basket on the ground. "Teaching the younger generation? I think you think you don't have enough things to do. There are some things that should not be said, so don't say them, or you will get into trouble!"

Master Wang's face changed slightly, and he said in a deep voice, "Grandma Zhou, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say anything you want!"

Granny Zhou ignored Master Wang and turned her gaze towards Lei Yi. Her cloudy eyes seemed to see through everything. "Young man, I advise you to stop asking about those trivial things. For some things, the more you know, the faster you die."

Lei Yi was shocked. This was the second time he had heard such words. He had a vague feeling that Master Wang seemed to be hiding something, and Granny Zhou seemed to know something...

He was about to ask more when Master Wang suddenly stood up and stood in front of Lei Yi, "Grandma Zhou, what do you want to say?"

Granny Zhou didn't answer, but just looked at Lei Yi deeply, turned around and left, leaving only one sentence echoing in the air:

"Some secrets cannot be touched..."

Granny Zhou's words were like a pebble dropped into a calm lake, stirring up a thousand waves in Lei Yi's heart. A secret? What secret? He looked at Master Wang, eager to get an answer from him. "Master, Granny Zhou..."

Master Wang, however, seemed like a different person, a false smile plastered on his face as he interrupted him, "Young man, don't listen to her nonsense. She's just an old woman, talking nonsense. It's getting late, you should go back and rest."

Lei Yi noticed something was wrong with Master Wang. He had previously been so forthcoming and open with his knowledge, but now he was being evasive and avoiding the important points. There must be something hidden behind this! "Master, you've said before that martial arts are respected in the Tianxuan Continent, and the strong are respected, but..." He paused and asked tentatively, "Besides cultivation, are there other ways to become powerful?"

Master Wang's smile froze on his face. He was silent for a moment, his eyes filled with a complex expression. "Young man, being too curious is not a good thing. You just need to remember that diligent practice is the right path, and don't dwell on anything else."

Lei Yi wanted to ask more, but Master Wang had already started packing, apparently ready to go out. "Master, where are you going?" Lei Yi asked.

"I have to go outside the city to pick some herbs, so I won't keep you here today." Master Wang picked up the medicine basket and left the house in a hurry, as if there was some ferocious beast behind him.

Lei Yi watched Master Wang hurriedly leave, his doubts growing. Master Wang was clearly avoiding his questions, and Granny Zhou's words seemed to hint at something. He suddenly remembered Granny Zhou's last words, "Some secrets cannot be touched..."

Could it be that the rules of survival in the Tianxuan Continent are not as simple as Master Wang said?

Lei Yi was lost in thought. He subconsciously reached for the teacup on the table, only to find it had already gone cold. He stood up, ready to leave this mysterious little room. Suddenly, he felt a gaze fixed on him, cold and sharp, like a thorn in his back.

He turned around suddenly, but all he saw was an empty street and a dark shadow flashing by at the corner...

Lei Yi's heart trembled, a chilling feeling like being stared at by a venomous snake rising in his chest. He forced himself to calm down, slowly turned around, and pretended to walk along the street as if nothing had happened.

"Could they be sent by that mysterious person?" Lei Yi pondered, the murderous aura he had felt at the entrance of the tavern resurfacing in his mind. He tried to recall the plot of the original novel, trying to find any clues about this town, but he found nothing.

He slowed down his pace and observed the surrounding environment seemingly casually: a blacksmith shop, a stall selling buns, and a few children playing on the street... Everything seemed so ordinary, yet revealed an indescribable weirdness.

Lei Yi calmly turned into a small alley. It was deserted, dimly lit, and filled with debris piled in the corners, emitting a musty smell. He held his breath and listened attentively. The footsteps behind him continued to follow him slowly, like a maggot on his tarsal bone, lingering.

"We must find a way to get rid of them!" Lei Yi knew that he couldn't just sit there and wait for death. He looked around, looking for terrain that could be used.

At that moment, the footsteps suddenly disappeared, replaced by a faint rustling sound, as if someone was approaching quickly. Lei Yi's heart was alarmed, and without thinking too much, he turned and ran, sprinting deep into the alley.

"Damn, this body is too weak!" Lei Yi cursed inwardly. The original owner had been spoiled since childhood and lacked exercise. He was out of breath after running a few steps, and his legs felt as heavy as if they were filled with lead.

He looked back and vaguely saw two dark shadows flash by at the entrance of the alley, approaching him quickly.

"Boy, don't run, you can't escape!" A rough voice came from behind, with a hint of teasing and cruelty.

Lei Yi was filled with despair, knowing that he was doomed today. Just as he was about to give up resistance, his eyes suddenly lit up and he saw a forest at the end of the alley...

"Fight!"