Chapter 403 165: Qing Lian's Return

The roiling Demonic Qi continuously blocked, caught, and deflected bullet after bullet.

Xu Lei patiently continued firing for several minutes, and finally, the Demonic Qi around Wu Gui began to thin.

However, the energy of the Demonic Qi surrounding Wu Gui was still quite potent, so Xu Lei kept firing for several more minutes.

Finally, the Demonic Qi around Wu Gui thinned even more, and much of the red faded from his eyes.

"Martial Uncle Wu Gui—do you still remember Hui Ming? Do you remember your Martial Brother Wu Tan?" Xu Lei asked, seeing the change. He was only testing the waters.

"You... you're Wu Tan? How is that possible? Wu Tan, you're not dead?" To Xu Lei's surprise, a voice actually came from Wu Gui's mouth, hoarse and aged.

"Martial Uncle, you're clear-headed? That's wonderful!" Xu Lei exclaimed in delight.

He then explained that he was Wu Tan's disciple.

Then he asked what had happened. Why was Wu Gui in such a state?

"It's a long story."

Wu Gui continued, "To put it briefly, I was traveling the world years ago when I was suddenly trapped in this place..."

According to Wu Gui, this place seemed to be the inheritance ground of an Ancient Demon Cultivator.

After he entered, the Demon City tried to destroy him.

He fought back and tried to escape, but he couldn't get out. Later, he was corrupted by Demonic Qi and nearly transformed into a demon. Wu Gui resisted with all his might, but he has been trapped in this state ever since!

"Martial Nephew, how many years has it been since then? How is your master now?"

Wu Gui continued, "How was his Cultivation back then? To think you could enter this place unharmed... your own Cultivation must be quite impressive. Does this mean Martial Brother Wu Tan actually achieved success in his practice?"

"So that's what happened. I never imagined you went through something like this, Martial Uncle."

Xu Lei replied, "Several hundred years have passed since that time. Master's Cultivation was indeed respectable, but he grew old and passed away decades ago. But let's not dwell on that. Martial Uncle, how can I save you?"

"I am corrupted beyond saving. There is no hope for me."

But Wu Gui said, "You must find a way to kill me. Grant me release. If you hadn't arrived, I would have already lost my mind. It wouldn't have been long before I turned into a Demon Puppet.

By the way, these are some of my old Cultivation resources. I was trapped here before I had a chance to use them. Take them. I have no use for them anymore.

Don't take anything else from this ancient city. It all belongs to the Demon Dao. Taking it will be of no use to you; on the contrary, it will lead you astray.

Of course, it seems this Ancient Demon Cultivator used the Inner Cores of Demon Spirits as a power source to create some of his demon servants. If you kill them, you can take their Inner Cores—"

"What? Kill you?"

Xu Lei was stunned. "Is this your Qiankun Cloth Bag? Thank you, Martial Uncle. But... is there really no way to save you?"

"My physical body is already decayed beyond repair."

Wu Gui said, "Truthfully, I should have died many years ago. It's only this Demonic Qi that has kept my body from rotting away, but it's no longer a normal body. I only want release. Don't waste your efforts. I can't be saved. There is no way. Just kill me!

Half of my body is now controlled by the Demonic Qi, so I can't kill myself. I can only ask you to do it. However, this body has been assimilated by the Demonic Qi. It won't be easy to kill. Of course, my Qiankun Cloth Bag has resources to replenish what you expend!"

Xu Lei didn't act immediately. He took a moment to think and examine Wu Gui's condition. In the end, however, he found no way to save him. It seemed killing Wu Gui was truly the only option.

Next, Xu Lei asked Wu Gui if there was a way out. After all, he and his group had to leave.

"The only way out is if someone masters one of the Demon Dao Dharma Gates left behind by the Ancient Demon Cultivator, succumbs to the demonic path, and becomes his Demon Puppet."

Wu Gui said, "But after that, you would gradually lose your mind, becoming bloodthirsty and frenzied. You might even have your body seized by the Ancient Demon Cultivator. You must absolutely not do it.

Martial Nephew, you must find another way to kill me and to leave this place. I don't have any good methods to help you escape.

Because when I first arrived, I was quickly ensnared. Then I was trapped, and step by step, I began to lose my mind—"

Hearing this, Xu Lei abandoned any hope of finding another way out.

"Fine. Then I'll have to use my own methods to get out of here."

Xu Lei nodded. "Since you're in so much pain, Martial Uncle, I will grant you release."

Despite his words, Xu Lei didn't act immediately. Instead, he turned, went back outside, and called in Bai Ling, her junior martial sister, and the junior sister's Dao Companion.

The group discussed the situation.

Then Xu Lei chose a relatively safe corner and told the three of them to hide there.

Hiding in that spot, the initial shockwave from an explosion would be absorbed by the few remaining intact buildings in the dilapidated city.

This would shield them from some of the blast's force.

At the same time, the group made other defensive preparations. After all, if a powerful enough explosion occurred, this small dimension itself might shatter.

They would not only have to face the shockwave of the blast but also the uncertain, unknown dangers that would come with the dimension's collapse.

But this was the only way, so they had no choice but to proceed.

Bai Ling and the other two had no better ideas, so of course, they followed Xu Lei's lead.