The male protagonist of the book is poisonous

After returning to the sect, Chu Feng, I, and several of the sect's elders hurried to the meeting room used for discussing important matters. As soon as we entered the meeting room, an oppressive atmosphere overwhelmed us. The candlelight in the room flickered and swayed in the air currents, as if affected by the weight of the matter to be discussed.

Chu Feng stood in the center of the hall, his expression serious as he broke the silence. "From the clues we've gathered so far, it seems this evil organization hiding in the shadows is far more powerful than we previously anticipated. There must be some intricate connection between 'Shadow Valley' and 'Spirit Source Cave.' We must race against time to uncover this connection."

An elder with white hair and a chest-length beard gently twirled his mustache and spoke slowly, "The mysterious man mentioned in the diary found in the attacked small sect has shown a keen interest in our sect's history and artifacts. You know, our sect's artifacts have always been strictly guarded, but this mysterious man came to inquire about them. This makes us worry. Have they developed some special means to break through our current defenses?"

I was shocked when I heard the elder's words and quickly said, "If their ultimate goal is really our sect's sacred artifact, then the situation is extremely dire. We must take immediate action to strengthen the protection of the sacred artifact and never let it fall into their hands."

Chu Feng nodded vigorously, indicating that he fully agreed with my point of view. "Indeed. However, if we only defend ourselves, we will be too passive. We need to take the initiative, find as many of their strongholds as possible, and understand their complete plan. Only in this way can we seize the initiative in this battle between good and evil."

After careful and in-depth discussion, we ultimately decided to split into two teams. One, led by Chu Feng himself, would revisit the area surrounding the attacked small sect to see if they could find any clues to the "Spirit Source Cave." The other, led by me and an experienced elder, would remain within the sect to carefully inspect its defenses and redeploy the disciples' guard duties to ensure the artifact's safety.

After Chu Feng's team departed, the elders and I didn't dare slack off and immediately set to work within the sect. We meticulously inspected every corner of the sect, from the mechanisms surrounding the secret chamber containing the artifact to the surrounding walls and watchtowers. During the inspection, I noticed that some disciples seemed particularly nervous and uneasy due to the previous attack on the sect. Their eyes revealed worry and fear, and their weapons seemed unsteady.

I stopped what I was doing, walked up to the disciples, and said to them in a firm yet gentle tone, "Don't be afraid. Although we are now facing unknown dangers, as long as we work together, no difficulty is insurmountable. We are strengthening our defenses not only to protect the sect, but also to protect ourselves and everything we cherish. As long as we hold on to our beliefs, we will be able to resist the external enemies."

After hearing what I said, the fear in the disciples' eyes gradually gave way to determination. They gripped their weapons tightly and said in unison, "Sisters (brothers), we understand. We will definitely do our best!"

Meanwhile, the team led by Chu Feng had already arrived near the small sect. They carefully searched the perimeter of the small sect. In a seemingly ordinary forest, Chu Feng suddenly discovered some strange footprints. These footprints were much larger than the footprints of the man in black he had seen before, and the shape of the footprints was also very strange, as if they were left by some giant creature. Chu Feng squatted down, his eyes fixed on the traces in the footprints, and he discovered some tiny scales in them. His brows furrowed slightly, and he was filled with confusion: How could a creature with scales appear in this place? There must be something strange going on.

Just as Chu Feng was still pondering, a dull, deafening roar suddenly erupted from deep underground. Like thunder, the entire ground trembled slightly, as if the very earth itself feared the roarer. Upon hearing the sound, the disciples led by Chu Feng drew their weapons and looked around nervously.

A massive black lizard slowly emerged from the depths of the woods. Its massive body, several feet long, slithered through the forest, crushing a swathe of trees. Its scales gleamed coldly in the sunlight, each one like a piece of meticulously crafted black armor, incredibly tough. Its eyes, like two blazing flames, were filled with hostility and aggression. It opened its bloody maw, revealing its razor-sharp fangs, and pounced upon Chu Feng and his companions.

Chu Feng shouted, "Everyone, be careful! This could be a trap set by an evil organization." Without hesitation, he charged forward. Unleashing his strongest swordsmanship, his sword transformed into a series of shadows, flashing with a cold light as it pierced the lizard's head. However, the lizard's skin was thick and tough, and Chu Feng's sharp blow only left a shallow white mark on its scales, causing no substantial damage.

Seeing Chu Feng's attacks were ineffective, the other disciples unleashed their own specialized spells and martial arts. For a moment, the woods shimmered with light, the multicolored glow of magic intertwined with the cold gleam of weapons, a dazzling yet dangerous display. However, the lizard's attacks intensified. Its tail, like a massive black whip, swept over, knocking several disciples to the ground. They fell heavily to the ground, their weapons scattered to the ground, and expressions of pain crossed their faces.

Chu Feng realized that blindly attacking was not a solution, so he calmed down and carefully observed the lizard's movements. He found that before each attack, the lizard would slightly raise its left front paw, as if preparing for an attack.

Chu Feng had a plan in mind. He seized the opportunity, and the moment the lizard raised its front paws again, he concentrated all his spiritual energy and unleashed a powerful sword energy. Like a dazzling streak of white lightning, the sword energy pierced the lizard's abdomen. This time, the sword energy successfully penetrated the lizard's scales, and the lizard roared in pain. The roar echoed through the forest, shaking the leaves to fall.

Seizing this opportunity, Chu Feng shouted, "Everyone, don't panic! Strike its weak spot together!" He then led his disciples in an even more intense attack. Upon hearing Chu Feng's words, the disciples rallied, concentrating their spiritual energy and strength to attack the lizard's abdomen. After a fierce battle, the lizard finally gave in and slowly fell, its massive body crashing to the ground, raising a cloud of dust.

Chu Feng wiped the sweat from his forehead, breathed a sigh of relief, and secretly rejoiced. He knew this was just the beginning, and more dangers awaited them ahead. Meanwhile, I, in the sect, was still frantically arranging defenses, completely unaware of the fierce battle Chu Feng and his companions were facing.

Just as we were all busy with our respective tasks, the sect's spies hurried over with news: "A large amount of spiritual energy has been discovered gathering in the mountains west of the sect. The fluctuations of that spiritual energy are very strong, and it seems that something big is about to happen. Moreover, some figures who look like men in black are lurking near the mountains. They are sneaky and seem to be plotting something."

This news was like a boulder dropped into a calm lake, instantly heightening the already tense atmosphere within the sect. We all knew a greater crisis was approaching, and we must be fully prepared to meet it.