Yun Tian Pass Changes Hands, Hidden in Plain Sight

Once Shuize Tu left, Chituli let out a long breath, as though the stifling weight he had carried in his chest for so long had gone with it.

He brought out the control disk for Yun Tian Pass's defensive array, resolve hardening in his eyes.

"Come on, then."

Boom!

Over a hundred multicolored spiritual-energy attacks tore through the night sky like a meteor shower and slammed into Yun Tian Pass's defensive barrier.

This time, the barrier had lost the support of dozens of Innate Cultivators.

It rippled violently, its light flickering.

Chituli pressed both hands against the control disk. Spiritual energy poured from him like floodwater through an opened sluice, surging into it without reserve.

The dimming barrier brightened a little.

But it was only a cup of water against a blazing cartload of firewood.

Outside the pass, over a hundred Innate Cultivators from Yang Province kept up their relentless bombardment. Chituli could not hold out.

Blood spilled from his mouth, and his face grew deathly pale.

Another coordinated assault was about to fall.

With a roar, Chituli chose to burn his blood essence.

His face aged visibly, and the luster faded from his skin.

In just a few breaths, he went from a middle-aged man to a decrepit old one.

In exchange, his strength soared.

Chituli's power reached the very limit of the Innate Realm.

But he did not rush out to fight to the death. He knew it would accomplish nothing.

Better to keep the defensive array standing and buy a little more time.

A quarter of an hour later.

The defensive array finally gave way.

Crack!

With the crisp sound of shattering glass, the barrier that had sheltered Yun Tian Pass for half a year broke apart. It scattered into specks of light that vanished into the