Chapter 27: I Have Emerged, Yet You Cannot See Me!

Yun Yi hovered in mid-air. As a Foundation Establishment cultivator, he could freely alter his size, a tactical advantage he utilized to shrink himself into the form of a tiny mosquito. He then employed the Blood Stability Technique to survey the scene from the creature’s minuscule perspective, a sense of mockery rising within him.

He shook his head inwardly, ripples of thought stirring in his mind: "Is this person a fool? To provoke so blatantly—is she not courting death? And that remark, 'Don't think hiding inside makes you safe'—is she not practically announcing to her opponent that she has discovered something? A classic case of 'all brawn and no brain.' If it were me, I would use this size to approach silently, seeking a single, lethal strike, rather than posturing with such loud provocations."

Just as Yun Yi was ruminating in this fashion, a spark of insight brushed across his mind like a breeze over water.

He seemed to grasp the deeper intent behind the female cultivator's seemingly reckless behavior, his gaze sharpening like a needle as he began to dissect her every movement.

The woman in green, while appearing rash and unrestrained, was actually calculated. Each blast of sword energy against the cave entrance, accompanied by her taunts, was in truth the weaving of an invisible net.

She was likely verifying whether the cave truly harbored life, or perhaps testing to see if the unknown entity would react.

"She does this perhaps to confirm if someone is inside, or to test my reaction and bait me out," Yun Yi mused. "Moreover, since she dares to be so brazen, she must have a contingency. She may have already laid a trap here, waiting only for me to reveal myself before ensnaring me."

At this thought, Yun Yi could not help but feel a grudging admiration for the cunning of the woman in green.

Having seen through her ruse, Yun Yi quietly used his divine sense to probe her cultivation level, confirming she was indeed at the Foundation Establishment stage.

Although he had also crossed the threshold into Foundation Establishment, he knew he was merely a beginner with a shallow foundation. In contrast, the aura of the woman in green was steady and restrained, clearly having been immersed in this stage for some time; her cultivation was far superior to his.

Initially, an impulse to challenge her flared within him, but his reason quickly pulled him back to reality.

"I shall wait until her spiritual energy is depleted before I move," he thought.

Yun Yi deemed this plan sound.

Consequently, he decided to adopt a more covert defensive stance.

An instant later, he landed nimbly behind a slightly protruding rock on the ground. Using this natural cover, he pressed his body tightly against the stone, becoming, as it were, part of the earth itself. Even his tiny wings were folded tightly, producing almost no sound.

Yun Yi’s compound eyes, glowing in the shadows and as sharp as needle points, watched every subtle movement of the woman in green through the fissures in the rock.

His heartbeat was steady and powerful; every cell was in a state of high alert, ready to respond to any sudden change.

***

Within his tiny head, a complex calculation was underway.

Yun Yi knew well that as a mosquito, he was far inferior to the woman in green in both strength and physical stature.

Yet he understood that every living thing had its weaknesses, and the woman in green was no exception.

He planned to wait patiently. When she grew slightly weary from prolonged vigilance or the exertion of casting spells, that would be the optimal moment to strike.

When that time came, this clever mosquito would vibrate his nearly transparent wings without hesitation, rushing from his hiding spot with the speed of a thunderbolt.

Fully utilizing his small size and agility, he would streak like a bolt of black lightning, aiming directly for her vital points.

His tiny yet razor-sharp venomous stinger glinted coldly in the sunlight, poised to deliver a lethal blow.

Yun Yi waited patiently. Time slipped away, each moment testing his resolve.

Finally, after the duration of a cup of tea, the woman in green showed signs of flagging.

She ceased her earlier attacks and withdrew a faintly glowing elixir from her robes, preparing to place it in her mouth.

This was the moment Yun Yi had been waiting for!

Almost exactly as she moved, he launched his attack.

The stinger whistled through the air, darting toward her with lethal speed.

Yun Yi was filled with anticipation, believing his scheme was about to succeed.

However, at this critical juncture, the woman in green seemed to sense the approaching danger.

Her reaction was swift. Her long sword lashed out, the blade's light tearing through the air like a streak of silk with a sharp, whistling sound.

"So you finally emerged!" her voice carried a hint of chill and triumph.

Hearing this, Yun Yi was stunned.

***

He had never expected that his sneak attack would be anticipated by this woman who appeared so unguarded.

"It seems this woman was prepared all along!" he exclaimed inwardly.

This realization tightened his heart, but then he noticed something amiss.

The woman in green was anxiously glancing around, sword held tight, clearly searching for the assailant who had not yet fully materialized.

Yun Yi’s mind raced as he realized a key point: because of his minuscule size, she had failed to actually locate him.

Although his initial strike had missed its mark, he saw new hope in this unexpected discovery.

He quickly adjusted his strategy, deciding to use his small size once more to launch a more cunning assault.

Yun Yi circled flexibly in the air, rising and diving, constantly changing his position like an invisible wind, impossible to track.

Though the woman in green could sense the encroaching danger, she could not find her hidden enemy.

She swung her sword in desperation, attempting to sever the invisible threat, but Yun Yi moved like a phantom, skillfully evading her blade time and again.

Finally, through repeated probes and evasions, he found the perfect opening.

Aiming for the moment her defense was most vulnerable, he accelerated, darting like black lightning directly toward her neck.

The woman reacted quickly, yet she was still a half-beat too slow. Yun Yi’s stinger pierced her skin with unerring accuracy.

"How? I clearly felt the danger right before me, yet I see no one? Did the opponent use an invisibility charm?" she murmured, wincing in pain.

She could not comprehend why, despite being able to sense the encroaching threat, she remained unable to find her hidden foe.

By now, she had been struck by Yun Yi’s hair-thin, venom-laden stinger. Her face turned as pale as a withered pear blossom in winter, and her body trembled from the spreading toxin, clearly falling into a state of extreme weakness.