"You will not succeed. While I do not kill enemies, I will not aid them either. If you escape, more demons will die, though their deaths mean nothing to me.
More importantly, if I send you out, everyone will know as soon as I leave the Liu family's territory. Coupled with your escape, they will immediately suspect me of colluding with the enemy. By then, the demon race will relentlessly hunt me."
"It's alright, our Thunder Emperor Hall will protect you."
Wan Mengzhu seized the opportunity.
"I said, while I do not kill enemies, I will not betray my race, nor will I collude with them.
I will not kill you, but for me to send you out is impossible."
After hearing Qianniao's words, Wan Mengzhu deflated like a punctured ball, slumping weakly against the tree, sighing.
"Alas, if you don't help me, what's the difference from killing me directly?
Enemies are all around. You don't kill me, and your hands remain clean, but I will still die here.
Oh, my poor reputation of Wan Lei! I was already entrusted with a great mission, my mind was already tempered, my body was already starved, my person was already empty. Before I could display my talents and forge a career, I have to die before I even begin my journey.
I am unwilling! I have just started! I haven't even had a chance to save the universe yet, and I've only just met my good friend Qianniao..."
Qianniao, the Demon Commander, looked at Wan Lei speechlessly, sighed,
"Alright, alright, just this once. Next time, I won't care even if you die. I'll help you find a way to escape."
"Big brother, speak."
Wan Mengzhu flipped over and stood up, looking at Qianniao with a smile.
"You should be fortunate that most Demon Commanders are not at the Liu family. Otherwise, you would have no chance of escaping here alive today; you would likely have been beaten to death in the forbidden zone."
Hearing this, Wan Lei was stunned. He hadn't paid much attention during the fight, but now that he thought about it, it seemed true.
According to Liu Luhang's intelligence, the demon race had at least twenty to thirty Demon Commanders, yet only four or five were present throughout the entire battle. He hadn't even seen Demon Commander Qiong Xin.
Furthermore, the Liu family had three Tribulation Transcenders. The ones fighting him were only Liu Naiweng, Liu Zhongwu, and another Tribulation Transcender, Liu Hufan. The third one had never appeared.
"Where did they go?"
"Can I tell you that? It's already the most I can say by telling you that most of them are not here.
Right now, these Demon Commanders of the Liu family, along with all the Liu family members, are searching for you.
There are few people in the southwest direction, but as soon as you show yourself, Qiong Ku will immediately detect your location.
I will help you by luring the Demon Commanders to the northeast. You can then sneak towards the southwest, break the formation, and escape.
As for whether you can break the formation before Qiong Ku reaches you, I don't know. I can only try my best to lure them away for you."
"Good, that's enough. But, does helping me affect you?"
"It's fine. Who has proof that I helped you? Besides, I'm not well-liked by others anyway. Let them say what they want. No one can do anything to me, so it won't affect me."
"Alright, Qianniao, thank you this time. When I conquer the Liu family, I'll treat you to a drink."
"Who cares for your drinks? Enough talk, let's go."
Qianniao got up, took two steps forward, then looked back at Wan Lei before flying away directly.
"What does it mean for him to look at me like that? It's as if this is the last time he'll ever see me."
Wan Lei pouted, then glanced up and observed Qianniao's movements.
After circling around the southwest for a while, Qianniao flew directly towards the central area, moving quite fast, not appearing to be searching for anyone.
"Hey, Qianniao, did you find something?"
A Demon Commander shouted from a distance.
"I sensed a surge of thunderous fluctuations heading northeast. I'm searching for it."
"Thunderous fluctuations? Oh, I forgot you're of the lightning attribute. What you sensed, is it Wan Lei?"
"I don't know. I just sensed a tempestuous surge of lightning. It might be the little thief Wan Lei, or it might not be."
Qianniao spoke while flying northeast.
The commotion he created attracted other Demon Commanders. The demons flew towards the northeast together with Qianniao.
Demon Commander Qiong Ku, though somewhat suspicious, knew Qianniao's capabilities and followed him.
As they neared the northeast corner of the Liu family, Qiong Ku suddenly turned his head and looked towards the southwest.
Although he couldn't see clearly, his divine sense detected a surge of lightning erupting from the ground and hitting the protective formation of the clan.
"Qianniao, you useless idiot! Wan Lei is in the southwest, he's trying to escape!"
With that, Qiong Ku glared at Qianniao resentfully and quickly flew towards the southwest with the other Demon Commanders.
Qianniao, while flying, also shouted,
"Damn it, I've fallen for that little thief Wan Lei's feint to lure the tiger away from the mountain!"
Upon hearing this, Wan Lei immediately understood. This was Qianniao's way of alerting him, letting him know he had been exposed and urging him to hurry.
Wan Lei immediately accelerated his efforts to break through the formation.
The Liu family was vast, even larger than a typical commandery. At this distance, even Demon Commander Qiong Ku would need tens of breaths to fly there.
The Liu family's protective formation was already powerful, and after being modified by the demons, it had become even more robust, making it difficult for Wan Lei to break.
With the enemies behind him getting closer and closer, Wan Lei remained composed. Finally, just as the enemies were about to catch up, he created a large hole in the formation.
Wan Lei did not hesitate for a moment, flying directly out of the hole and speeding towards the southwest.
Qiong Ku and the others behind him immediately pursued.
Outside the Liu family, further southwest, lay a plateau. This was the border between the Central and Southern Regions. Flying a little further would lead to a vast plain, which was the Southern Region.
Wan Lei formed seals with his left hand, setting up a single-use teleportation array, and with his right hand, he channeled the metal lightning from the Thunder God's Hammer, maximizing its teleportation power.
Suddenly, a whistling sound came from behind him. Wan Lei scanned with his divine sense and saw a sword beam slashing towards him from behind.
Without hesitation, he flew upwards, narrowly dodging Liu Naiweng's sword beam.
At this moment, his teleportation array and the teleportation power of the Thunder God's Hammer were ready.
Beneath his feet, a pillar of teleportation light lit up.
In the sky, a multicolored lightning bolt struck down.
"Damn it, he's trying to escape!
Qiong Guang!"
Demon Commander Qiong Ku roared, and then his eyes suddenly turned scarlet. A red light shot from his eyes, striking Wan Lei.
At this moment, Wan Lei felt as if his soul had been pierced by a knife, and his entire soul plunged into excruciating pain and loss of control.
At this moment, Wan Lei felt as if he had died.
He lost consciousness in an instant. As he fainted, the multicolored lightning from the sky and the pillar of teleportation light from the ground converged upon him, and he vanished from his spot.