I am destroying the protagonist in the fantasy world!

Chapter 125 Rumors are dispelled and the truth is revealed

As night fell and the wind blew cold, Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli followed the trail until they finally stopped in front of a secluded valley outside the city.

"This is it." Lei Yi lowered his voice and pointed deep into the valley. "Butler Zhou and the man in black met here."

Dongfang Liuli nodded slightly, a hint of worry flashing in her beautiful eyes: "Be careful, this place is definitely full of dangers."

Lei Yi responded, then used his qinggong skills to sneak into the valley like a ghost. Inside, a few dilapidated houses were vaguely visible, emitting dim lights. Lei Yi approached one of the houses quietly with light, peering inside through the cracks in the window lattice.

Inside the room, a man in black stood with his back to Lei Yi, seemingly talking to someone. Lei Yi held his breath, trying to hear more clearly, but he accidentally stepped on a dead branch. The sound of a "crack" was particularly harsh in the silent valley.

The man in black suddenly became alert, turned around abruptly, and shouted: "Who's there?!"

Lei Yi thought to himself that something was wrong and knew he was exposed, so he stopped hiding, kicked the door open and rushed in.

"It's you!" The man in black saw Lei Yi, a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes, and then he sneered, "There's a road to heaven but you don't take it, there's no door to hell but you come here on your own. Now that you're here, don't even think about leaving alive!"

With that, the man in black drew his longsword from his waist and charged at Lei Yi. Lei Yi was prepared, dodging the attack with a sideways movement while simultaneously drawing his sword to meet the blow. The two engaged in a fierce battle in the small room, their swords flashing and a chilling aura bearing down on them.

Although Lei Yi was a skilled martial artist, the men in black were no match for him, and for a moment, it was difficult to determine the winner. Just then, a gust of wind broke through the air outside the house, and several men in black descended from the sky, surrounding Lei Yi.

"Brother Lei, be careful!" Dongfang Liuli's voice came from a distance, and a graceful figure flew over, joined the battle, and fought side by side with Lei Yi.

However, the enemy was outnumbered and Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli gradually lost the upper hand. After a hard fight, the two seized a gap, broke through the encirclement, and fled the valley.

……

At the same time, in the "Listening to the Wind Tavern" in the city, there was another lively scene.

"Hey, have you heard? That kid Lei Yi not only colluded with the Demon Cult, but also..." Sun Xiucai sat at the wine table, making up all kinds of rumors about Lei Yi in a vivid way, which attracted discussions from people around him.

"Is this true? Young Master Lei doesn't look like that kind of person!"

"You know a person's face but not his heart. Who knows if he is just pretending?"

"I think it's probably true, otherwise why would Qingyun Sect arrest him?"

Under Sun Xiucai's deliberate guidance, more and more people began to believe that Lei Yi was an unforgivable criminal, and even some people who originally sympathized with Lei Yi began to waver.

"Hmph, Lei Yi, let's see how you can turn things around this time!" Sun Xiucai felt extremely proud as he watched everyone accusing Lei Yi.

Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli returned to the city, only to find the atmosphere had completely changed. Passersby, seeing them, gave way, their eyes filled with fear and disgust.

"It seems that our actions have alarmed them." Dongfang Liuli said in a deep voice, "Now there are rumors about you everywhere in the city. I'm afraid..."

"I know." Lei Yi took a deep breath, a fierce look flashing in his eyes, "Looks like it's time to confront them head-on!"

However, what Lei Yi didn't expect was that an even greater blow was yet to come. The next morning, at the gate of Qingyun Sect, Sect Master Liu unexpectedly announced in front of everyone that he had severed ties with Lei Yi and labeled him an enemy of Qingyun Sect!

"Master Liu, you..." Lei Yi looked at the elder in front of him whom he once respected, his heart filled with disappointment and anger. He was about to speak but was stopped by Master Liu's cold eyes.

Sect Leader Liu took a deep breath and spoke slowly, his tone filled with helplessness and determination, "Lei Yi, please go. From now on..." Sect Leader Liu took a deep breath and spoke slowly, his tone filled with helplessness and determination, "Lei Yi, please go. From now on, we are no longer friends, and you are no longer a disciple of Qingyun Sect!"

Lei Yi was struck by lightning, staring at Master Liu in disbelief. His once kind and gentle face was now cold and ruthless. "Master, do you really believe those rumors? Don't you know what kind of person I am?"

Sect Leader Liu avoided Lei Yi's gaze and said in a deep voice, "Now that things have come to this, there's no point in saying more. Just go. The farther you go, the better. Perhaps you can still save your life!"

"Master! Can you really bear to see your disciple bear this false accusation?!" Lei Yi clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his flesh, but he was completely unaware.

Sect Leader Liu didn't say anything, but just waved his hand, signaling the disciples behind him to drive Lei Yi down the mountain.

"Master! You will regret this!" Lei Yi was filled with grief and anger, but he also understood that today's matter would be difficult to resolve peacefully.

Just as Lei Yi was being chased away by the Qingyun Sect disciples, a loud shout suddenly rang out from the crowd: "Wait!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a burly man with a resolute face striding out from the crowd.

"Hero Zhao?!"

"It's the famous hero Zhao in the martial arts world!"

"Why is he here?"

The crowd was talking about it. Zhao Daxia was quite famous in the martial arts world. He always hated evil and spoke up for justice, so he was deeply respected by the people in the martial arts world.

Hero Zhao walked up to Lei Yi, looked him up and down, and asked in a deep voice, "Are you Lei Yi?"

Lei Yi looked at the stranger knight before him, a glimmer of hope ignited in his heart, "I am Lei Yi, may I ask who you are..."

"My name is Zhao Gang, also known as 'Iron Palm' Hero Zhao. I've long admired the name of Young Hero Lei!" Zhao Gang said, clasping his fists. "I've heard about what happened today. Young Hero Lei is a young hero with a chivalrous heart, and is definitely not a treacherous person. Those rumors must have been deliberately fabricated by someone!"

As soon as Zhao Gang said this, there was an uproar in the crowd. Everyone was talking about it, and their eyes looking at Lei Yi were more inquiring.

"Master Zhao, you can eat whatever you want, but you can't say whatever you want!" A sharp-nosed, monkey-faced man in the crowd said sarcastically, "Lei Yi is colluding with the Demon Cult, and the evidence is irrefutable. Are you, Master Zhao, going to protect him?"

"That's right, Mr. Zhao, don't be fooled by this kid's sweet talk!"

Zhao Gang glanced coldly at the person who had spoken and said in a deep voice, "Evidence? What evidence? It's nothing but some unfounded rumors! Although I, Zhao Gang, am not from a reputable family, I know right from wrong and will never allow anyone to slander a good person!"

After saying this, Zhao Gang turned to face Sect Leader Liu, clasped his fists, and said, "Sect Leader Liu, there must be something fishy going on with Young Master Lei. Please be discerning and don't wrongly accuse a good man!"

Sect Leader Liu's face turned ashen and he was extremely angry, but due to Zhao Gang's status and prestige, he didn't dare to lose his temper easily.

"I appreciate your kindness, Master Zhao, but this matter is of great importance. I will make my own decision, so there is no need for you to worry about it!"

"You..." Zhao Gang wanted to say something else, but Lei Yi stopped him.

"Mr. Zhao, thank you for your righteous words. Lei Yi is deeply grateful!" Lei Yi bowed deeply to Zhao Gang and said in a deep voice, "This matter has nothing to do with you. Please don't interfere, so as not to bring trouble upon yourself!"

"You..." Zhao Gang looked at Lei Yi's determined eyes, feeling both moved and worried.

Lei Yi ignored Zhao Gang and turned to Sect Leader Liu, saying, "Master, I've taken note of what happened today. If I have the chance someday, I'll definitely find out the truth and clear my name!"

After saying that, Lei Yi did not stay any longer, turned around and left, leaving behind only a desolate back.

Dongfang Liuli looked at Lei Yi's lonely back, her heart filled with heartache and worry. She quickly caught up with Lei Yi, and the two walked down the mountain side by side.

"Where are we going now?" Dongfang Liuli asked softly.

Lei Yi didn't say anything, but just looked ahead with a firm gaze. The resolute words of Master Liu and the figure of Zhao Gang speaking up for justice kept echoing in his mind.

"The truth... I will definitely find out..." Lei Yi muttered to himself, his tone filled with determination and resoluteness... After leaving Qingyun Sect, Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli began to investigate the source of the rumors. They hid their identities and visited many places, finally discovering that all clues led to a remote valley.

This steep valley is perpetually shrouded in thick fog, making it virtually deserted. Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli disguise themselves and infiltrate the valley, only to discover a mysterious force lurking within. Their clandestine actions and uncanny martial arts resemble those of the demonic cults rumored in the martial arts world. After a period of covert observation, Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli determine that this force is behind the rumors, and Steward Zhou is one of them.

Lei Yi knew that they alone could not contend with this force, so he decided to use the opportunity of the Jianghu Conference to make the truth public.

A few days later, the Jianghu Conference was held as scheduled, with all the sects and schools gathered together, creating a bustling atmosphere. Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli also mingled among them, waiting for their opportunity.

At the meeting, the leaders of each sect took turns speaking, and the atmosphere was solemn and serious. When it was the turn of the Qingyun Sect, Sect Leader Liu stood up and was about to speak when he was interrupted by a clear voice.

"Wait!"

Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli approaching side by side. Lei Yi's eyes were as sharp as a torch as he looked around. He said loudly, "My fellow heroes, Lei Yi has come here today not to provoke another dispute with the Qingyun Sect, but to expose a shocking conspiracy!"

The whole audience was in an uproar when these words came out. Everyone was talking about it and speculating about what Lei Yi was up to.

Ignoring everyone's gazes, Lei Yi pulled out a stack of papers from his pocket, held them high above his head, and said in a deep voice, "These are the evidence I've collected over the past few days. They prove that the rumor about me colluding with the Demon Cult was spread by someone deliberately framing me! And that person is him—Butler Zhou!"

As soon as Lei Yi finished speaking, he threw the paper in his hand at Butler Zhou. Butler Zhou was caught off guard and was hit by the paper. He hurriedly picked up the paper on the ground, glanced at it, and his face turned pale.

"You... you're talking nonsense!" Butler Zhou shouted fiercely, "You forged all of this to slander me!"

Lei Yi sneered and pointed at the valley behind Butler Zhou, saying loudly, "Whether it's a fake or not, everyone will know when they go and see! There's an evil force hidden in that valley. They are the real members of the Demon Cult, and Butler Zhou is their lackey!"

Everyone was in an uproar when they heard this. Everyone's eyes were focused on Butler Zhou, their eyes filled with suspicion and shock.

Seeing that the matter had been exposed, Steward Zhou knew that there was no way to end the situation peacefully today, so he simply tore off his face and said viciously, "Since you are seeking death, don't blame me for being rude!" After saying that, he flashed and attacked Lei Yi...

Steward Zhou attacked with fury, his palms fierce and vicious, clearly intent on killing. Lei Yi, prepared for this, dodged with ease by moving to the side, simultaneously opening his folding fan to block Steward Zhou's next attack. The two exchanged blows, their movements exquisite and dazzling.

Seeing that Steward Zhou had dared to commit violence in public, Sect Leader Liu flew into a rage and shouted, "How dare you, Steward Zhou, act so recklessly in front of the Jianghu Conference? Stop it now!"

Butler Zhou was now in a difficult position. He had originally intended to make a quick decision and kill Lei Yi to silence him, but he hadn't expected Lei Yi to be so skilled that he could evenly fight him. Hearing Sect Leader Liu's rebuke, he became even more flustered, his movements becoming distorted, and Lei Yi seized on his weakness and kicked him away.

Butler Zhou fell heavily to the ground, spitting blood, his face pale. He struggled to get up, but found that he was seriously injured and unable to fight anymore.

Lei Yi walked up to Butler Zhou, looked down at him, and sneered, "What else do you have to say?"

Butler Zhou knew he couldn't escape death today, so he decided to go all out. He gritted his teeth and said, "Even if I die, you won't have an easy life! You can't afford to offend the forces behind me!"

Lei Yi's eyes flashed, and he asked in a deep voice, "Who is the force behind you?"

Butler Zhou just sneered and kept silent. He knew that if he revealed the secret, he would surely die.

Seeing that Steward Zhou refused to speak, Lei Yi stopped pressing the issue. He turned to look at Sect Leader Liu and said, "Steward Liu, the truth of this matter has been revealed. I beg you to administer justice."

Sect Leader Liu's expression shifted from gloomy to bright. He'd already harbored doubts about Lei Yi, and now Steward Zhou's actions undoubtedly confirmed Lei Yi's innocence. He felt annoyed, but couldn't bring himself to admit his guilt. He could only cough awkwardly and say, "Don't worry, Young Master Lei. I'll get to the bottom of this matter and give you justice."

Lei Yi naturally understood that Sect Leader Liu's words were insincere, but he didn't care. He had successfully separated himself from the rumors, and as for how Qingyun Sect dealt with Butler Zhou, that was none of his business.

After the Jianghu Conference ended, the various sects left. Lei Yi and Dongfang Liuli's reputation spread throughout the Jianghu. Those who had been deceived by the rumors apologized to them one after another. The forces that had deliberately discredited Lei Yi now felt particularly embarrassed.

However, Lei Yi was not carried away by the victory in front of him. He knew that the disputes in the martial arts world would never end, and only by constantly improving his own strength could he gain a firm foothold in the troubled times.

"Liuli, I heard that there has been a rumor about spiritual mines in the martial arts world recently..." Lei Yi looked into the distance, a gleam of light flashing in his eyes.

"Spiritual ore?" Dongfang Liuli frowned slightly. "It's rumored that the spiritual ore contains enormous energy that can greatly increase one's power and even break through bottlenecks, but it also comes with great dangers..."

"Let's go and take a look." Lei Yi said in a firm tone. He knew that this might be the beginning of another challenge.

Back at the inn, Lei Yi began sorting out rumors about the spiritual mine, drawing a map and carefully studying its possible location. Dongfang Liuli, beside him, ground ink and poured tea, sharing his worries. Outside the window, the night deepened. A dark figure lurked silently beneath the eaves, its gaze fixed on the map in Lei Yi's hand...