Chapter 39: Earth-Burrowing Technique, Trying to Ambush Me?

Whenever Yun Yi’s mosquito-like attacks revealed the slightest flaw, the ground-rat demon, acting like a cunning hunter, would launch a counterattack without a moment’s hesitation. Its razor-sharp claws shimmered with a cold light in the dim environment, slicing through the air with sharp, rapid hisses as they aimed directly for the vital points of Yun Yi’s fragile, insect-like frame.

Yun Yi felt a surge of secret dread. He had never expected that this seemingly insignificant ground-rat demon would possess such cunning intellect and formidable strength. Yet, amidst the crisis, he knew he could not afford the slightest retreat or hesitation. He concentrated even harder on manipulating his slender, venomous stinger, striving for precision and lethality with every strike, while his tiny mind raced to calculate his next move.

Thus, the battle between Yun Yi and the ground-rat demon raged on. Time seemed to stretch, every moment fraught with tension and peril. Yun Yi had exhausted almost all the talismans and magical artifacts he had seized from the four human cultivators, yet the wily demon remained standing, seemingly possessed of inexhaustible stamina and power.

"This won't do. If this continues, my mosquito form will eventually exhaust its strength, and I’ll end up perishing alongside this demon in a mutual destruction," Yun Yi thought, his anxiety burning like fire. His tiny body felt exceptionally vulnerable in the heat of battle, and every dodge required every ounce of his remaining willpower. "Moreover, the commotion of this intense fight surely has attracted the attention of other nearby cultivators. If they follow the sound, a lone, weak mosquito like me will be wiped out by those powerful experts without even a chance to flee." A flash of terror and resolve crossed his eyes as he realized that if he did not retreat now, he might never get the chance again.

Yun Yi closed his eyes, centering his focus as he silently recited the incantations of the *Undying Blood Scripture*. The blood energy within him surged like boiling lava, scorching and potent. As the chant progressed, his blood seemed drawn by a mysterious force, gathering around his body until it formed thin, wispy strands of blood mist that swirled about him. He then channeled his remaining demonic power, weaving it into the blood energy, preparing for a final, decisive strike. He intended to forge four blood blades to pin down the elusive demon.

However, just as the blades were taking shape, a sudden change occurred. The ground-rat demon was no ordinary beast. Its sharp, beady eyes were fixed on Yun Yi, and it sensed the abnormal fluctuations of blood energy and demonic power. Its instincts flared, warning it that Yun Yi was about to unleash a powerful secret technique. Before the blades could fully materialize, the demon acted.

It suddenly curled its body, transforming into a streak of earthy-yellow mist, and dived into the ground, vanishing without a trace. This sudden shift chilled Yun Yi to the core. He had intended to use the blades to pin the demon down, but now that the creature had burrowed underground, his attack had no target.

"What? It went underground?" Yun Yi was caught off guard, surprised by the creature's cunning. Yet, he did not lose heart; instead, he quickly adjusted his strategy. He realized that since the demon had hidden, this was the perfect opportunity to escape.

He did not act immediately, however. He continued to manipulate the four incomplete blood blades, brandishing them in the air to create a diversion. He wanted to trick the demon into thinking he was still launching an all-out assault, causing it to lower its guard. While feigning the attack, he quietly scanned his surroundings, searching for the best path to freedom.

"That spot there—the rock layer is thinner. I should be able to break through in a few strikes," he calculated. He had noticed a section of the rock ceiling that appeared relatively fragile.

Yun Yi pulled one of the four floating blood blades toward him. It trembled at his fingertip, radiating a chilling, heart-stopping aura. Taking a deep breath, he gathered all his strength into his finger and flicked it. The blood blade shot forward like a red bolt of lightning, tearing through the air toward the rock layer.

However, at that critical moment, the ground-rat demon seemed to perceive his intent. Its beady eyes, hidden beneath the soil, suddenly snapped open with a cunning glint. It had noticed that one of the four blades hovering above had vanished, and it was instantly alerted.

The demon lunged, bursting from the earth with a face twisted in rage and greed. "You dare try to escape!" it roared. Seeing that Yun Yi was fully focused on the rock ceiling, it extended its sharp claws, preparing to strike and stop him.

Yun Yi’s heart tightened; his plan had been exposed. But he was not a foe easily defeated. Remaining calm under pressure, he quickly directed the remaining three blood blades to strike the demon from three different directions. The blades traced brilliant arcs in the air, whistling as they descended.

"Do you think this can stop me?" the demon laughed craftily. It flickered, turning into a streak of yellow mist again, and dived back into the ground. It did not stay in one place, darting about and using its familiarity with the terrain to prevent Yun Yi from locking onto its position.

Hovering in the air, Yun Yi watched the ground intently, his expression one of vigilance and resolve. His heart was like a taut string, prepared for any sudden development. *This demon is exceptionally cunning. It must be waiting for me to commit all my strength to breaking the rock so it can deliver a fatal blow,* he thought, formulating a counter-plan. Though he knew he was dancing on the edge of a blade, his courageous heart never wavered.

To guard against a sneak attack, Yun Yi surrounded himself with the three blood blades, forming a crimson barrier. Under his control, they acted like loyal sentinels, shielding him against any sudden strikes. Simultaneously, he poured his full focus into the blade he held, took a deep breath, and swung his arm, hacking fiercely at the rock ceiling.

*Bang! Bang!*

Muffled thuds echoed as the rock layer, under the continuous assault of the blood blade, began to spiderweb with cracks that rapidly spread.