Chapter 38: What Do You Mean, There’s an Extra Wall?

Yun Yi’s heart tightened abruptly; he immediately realized that his presence might have been compromised.

He quickly retracted the limb that had been about to touch the pages of the book, a flash of resolve crossing his eyes. Without a moment's hesitation, he flicked his right hand, and with a shimmer of light, the ancient book vanished into thin air, secured within his storage ring. Simultaneously, with a gentle wave of his left hand, a translucent protective talisman instantly condensed around him, forming an impenetrable barrier.

Just then, a plump, rat-like creature with eyes gleaming with cunning appeared at the cave entrance. Its whiskers twitched at the corners of its mouth—it was clearly a sharp and wily character. Scanning the interior of the cave with vigilant eyes, it let out a sharp, echoing voice: "What thing dares to trespass in my lair?"

Although Yun Yi could not understand the creature's speech, the hostility in its gaze and tone made its intentions clear enough. He was even more aware that he and the creature belonged to entirely different species; even if he were to speak, the beast would not understand him. Thus, he made a swift decision.

In the next instant, Yun Yi's form began to blur, as if shrouded in a faint mist. Immediately after, his body rapidly shrank until he transformed into a tiny, insignificant mosquito. Vibrating his transparent wings, he slipped under the cover of his protective talisman and flew silently toward the cave exit.

Seeing this, the rat's eyes flashed with shock and fury. It clearly had not expected this intruder to possess such a trick. It lunged forward, attempting to block his escape. However, now in the form of a mosquito, Yun Yi was agile and swift, easily dodging the creature's assault.

"Hmph, you want to catch me? Not so easy!" Yun Yi sneered inwardly as he accelerated. He knew he had to leave this dangerous place as soon as possible, for if the rat caught up to him, the consequences would be unthinkable. Though he had lost the strength and speed of his original rabbit-like form, he had gained unprecedented agility and stealth.

He utilized his minuscule size and high maneuverability to skillfully navigate the intricate rocks, protruding spikes, and hidden traps that lurked within the cave. His eyes, like two shimmering stars, glowed with vigilance in the darkness, constantly observing his surroundings and preparing for any potential crisis.

Like a bolt of black lightning, the mosquito-form Yun Yi darted through the cave. Every turn perfectly bypassed an obstacle; every dodge displayed his extraordinary intellect and fearless courage. The rat demon, however, was no ordinary beast. Relying on its keen sense of smell and immense power, it swiped its claws several times, attempting to cut off his path, but Yun Yi parried them with the agility unique to his mosquito form.

Just as Yun Yi was confidently preparing to fly out of the cave to freedom, a solid stone wall suddenly appeared at the exit, like an insurmountable chasm. Focused solely on his escape, he had not anticipated this turn of events and, unable to dodge in time, he crashed directly into it.

"Thud!"

A dull impact echoed, and Yun Yi slid down the wall, looking rather disheveled. "Since when was there a wall here?" he wondered in alarm. In truth, this wall was a mechanism that only appeared when the smaller tunnels merged—a massive trap for those unfamiliar with the terrain.

On the other side, the rat demon’s small eyes glinted with cunning, as if it had already foreseen the taste of victory. It bared its sharp claws and lunged at Yun Yi like an arrow released from a bow, intending to use its superior strength to capture this tiny opponent in one fell swoop.

Feeling the heart-stopping threat behind him, Yun Yi felt his heart constrict, as if gripped by an invisible hand. In this life-or-death moment, he did not hesitate to activate the shield he had meticulously prepared. Like throwing a crucial piece on a chessboard, he launched the shield precisely toward the charging rat demon.

The rat demon, however, clearly held the small shield in contempt. With a disdainful sneer, it swiped its claws. Instantly, four sharp claw-shadows tore through the air like lightning, colliding violently with the shield.

"Boom!"

With a thunderous crash, the shield shattered under the impact of the claws, dissolving into specks of light in the air.

"What? Is it that strong?" Yun Yi was horrified. Although he had anticipated the rat demon’s strength, he had not expected it to be this powerful.

Yet, in this critical juncture, Yun Yi did not give up hope. He knew the shield was never intended to defeat the demon, but to buy precious time. It was this fleeting moment gained by the shield that allowed him to scramble up from the ground, adjust his stance, and prepare for the coming battle.

He fixed his gaze on the rat demon and chanted, "Death-Dealing Venom Sting!"

As he spoke, dozens of tiny black venomous stings shot from his mouth like arrows, aimed directly at the demon's vitals. However, just as the stings were about to hit, Yun Yi felt a surge of confusion: "Strange, why does this Death-Dealing Venom Sting seem stronger?"

A thought crossed his mind—he recalled the blood of the female cultivator he had drained earlier. Could it be that because she was a poison master, her blood contained some special toxin that had enhanced his stings?

He had no time to ponder this. Fully focused, he controlled the tiny, lethal stings as if conducting a precise military campaign, engaging the rat demon in a fierce struggle. The stings traced black arcs through the air, carrying a soul-chilling coldness as they bore down on the demon.

The rat demon, however, was not easily dealt with. Initially, faced with the downpour of venomous stings, it had indeed been caught off guard, swiping its claws haphazardly in an attempt to deflect the sudden assault. But soon, it showcased the cunning and power of a demon beast.

It quickly adjusted its strategy, no longer blindly swiping, but nimbly dodging the stings while seeking an opportunity to counterattack. Its eyes flashed with craftiness, as if it could discern every one of Yun Yi’s movements and intentions. Whenever Yun Yi attempted to launch a new round of attacks, the rat demon was always able to anticipate it and skillfully evade.