<h4>Chapter 3653</h4>


    Every building erupted with a terrifying aura. After that, millions of runes lit up like millions of eyes, unleashing light that bound Long Chen and the others.


    “Xia Chen, you know how terrifying the Spirit Rune Pavilion’s foundation is. I already set up an unbreakable for you. Do you think a single Yin Yang Heaven Sealing Talisman can let you secure victory? I simply didn’t want to make a big fuss over things. But now, hmph, what shouldn’t be destroyed has been destroyed. I have no further misgivings. Ji Wuying really was trash. The number one heavenly genius of the Bloodkill Hall is inferior to even a third-rate assassin. In all my years, I’ve never seen such an idiot. But that’s fine. His death won’t change anything, and it certainly won’t change your fates,” sneered Gongsun Xuan.


    “Xia Chen, for the sake of our past love, if you are willing to reform, my Spirit Rune Pavilion is willing to ept you. We can forget the past grudge, and I’ll treat it as if you didn’t do anything. We can get along once more,” proposed Gongsun Ziyi.


    “Hahaha!” Xia Chenughed furiously. “My eyes have been opened to the world. The two of you are the most shameless people I’ve ever met, bar none. I was clearly the one harmed by you, and yet you make it sound like you’re the victims! Are you hell-bent on protecting your masks? And will you keep using this mask to trick others? You’re overthinking it. After today, there will no longer be a Spirit Rune Pavilion, nor will there be a Gongsun Xuan and Gongsun Ziyi.”


    Gongsun Ziyi’s originally calm expression instantly grew cold. “Since you want to die so badly, don’t me me for not giving you a chance.”


    At this moment, the Spirit Rune Pavilion’s entire grand formation shuddered. Sharp swords condensed and pointed at the three of them.


    Even so, Xia Chen, Guo Ran, and Long Chen’s expressions remained calm. They didn’t show the slightest fear, nor did they seem to have any intention of blocking or dodging. They just stared at Gongsun Ziyi and Gongsun Xuan nonchntly. Seeing their expressions, the two of them felt a chill run through them.


    “Kill them!”


    For some reason, Gongsun Ziyi felt increasingly uneasy inside. As her fear grew, her face twisted and she directly gave the order.


    However, even after a while, the sharp swords merely pointed at Xia Chen’s group of three. No attack wasunched.


    “What?!”


    Gongsun Xuan and Gongsun Ziyi were shocked by this. Gongsun Xuan also shouted, “Attack!”


    Likewise, even after several breaths of time, other than the rumbling of the grand formation, everything was deathly silent.


    The most frightening thing was that the air suddenly became calm. Everyone was shocked. Just what was going on?


    Xia Chen looked at the bewildered Gongsun Xuan and Gongsun Ziyi. “Do you know just how foolish you are? Due to your help, I did my best to research all kinds of runes. For over half a year, I have been constantly strengthening the grand formation, so I know how to operate it. Also, on the surface, you told me that it was a preventative measure to block the pressure from the Clear River Gate, Talisman Life Path, Heavenly Talisman Sect, and others. But I knew you had wild ambitions. In the past few years, they have been secretly suppressing the Spirit Rune Pavilion. Unluckily for them, you are a vengeful person, and this is all your preparation to devour them.”


    Quite a few elders here looked grave when they heard that. They couldn’t help looking at Gongsun Xuan.


    Gongsun Xuan furiously shouted, “Don’t listen to his nonsense! He’s trying to start a fight between us!”


    Xia Chen ignored Gongsun Xuan and continued, “Other than helping you decode all kinds of talismans, I also spent all day thinking about how to strengthen the grand formation. I knew that I would have to leave the Spirit Rune Pavilion one day, but I was hoping to turn the Spirit Rune Pavilion into the uncontested overlord of the Heavenly Talisman Star-Field before I left. That way, no one could bully you, and I could follow my boss with a free heart. For that purpose, I spent day and night studying, constantly making improvements. But you didn’t know about this. I was hoping to give you a nice surprise one day, but I didn’t expect you two to be the ones to give me the surprise. You deceived me. What I hate most are swindlers.”


    Xia Chen was clenching his teeth, his face distorted with hatred. Every warrior in the Dragonblood Legion was brave and fearless even in the face of death. But cheating and deceit were intolerable to them.


    “You don’t need to keep shouting. Those people in control of the grand formation are already dead. The only one capable of controlling the grand formation now is myself.” Xia Chen took out a refined formation disc.


    Smaller formation discs were normally the size of a palm, while therger ones might be the size of a chessboard. However, this one was only the size of a walnut and was carved with runes even finer than a single strand of hair.


    “Other than the Heaven Shrouding Defense Formation, all of the Spirit Rune Pavilion’s core formations are under mymand. Since the Heaven Shrouding Defense Formation has my Yin Yang Heaven Sealing Talisman on it, everything within the pavilion is under my control. Now, do you understand just who is the tortoise caught in a jar?” asked Xia Chen coldly.


    Gongsun Ziyi slipped a hand behind her back. Xia Chen caught that little movement and sneered, “You don’t believe me? Keep trying. You’ll then know what despair is.”


    Gongsun Ziyi’s expression grew uglier and uglier. She was trying to link up with the formation discs in all the buildings but was not having any luck. Just as Xia Chen said, control over the formations was out of their hands.


    Gongsun Ziyi stealthily nced at Gongsun Xuan. However, just like her, Gongsun Xuan was bewildered. He had no idea what to do in this situation.


    Xia Chen then looked at the refined formation disc in his hand. A touch of pain appeared on his face. “Ziyi, do you know? This was originally the gift I was going to give you. Look, your name is carved on the bottom. It’s also your favorite pink color.”


    Xia Chen turned the formation disc over. As he said, Ziyi’s name was carved into it. Furthermore, a beautiful flower design was around the characters. Xia Chen had designed it meticulously.


    Gongsun Ziyi looked at her name there and instantly wept. Only now did she realize just how foolish she had acted.


    “I wanted to repay the Spirit Rune Pavilion, but ultimately, the Spirit Rune Pavilion will be destroyed by my hands. The gift that I was going to give you has now be the tool I’ll use to kill you. What an irony. The heavens truly toy with man.” Xia Chen’s voice was heavy, containing immense pain.


    “Xia Chen, I…” Gongsun Ziyi choked back her sobs.


    Suddenly, the grand formation shuddered and rays of divine light shot out. People amongst the crowd were struck and instantly killed, wiped out of existence. Hundreds of them died just like that.


    It happened so suddenly that everyone inside panicked, staring in horror at Xia Chen.


    “Don’t worry, the people I killed were the ones who insulted me just now, saying that I should be killed. As for the rest of you, as long as you don’t mess around, I won’t take your lives,” said Xia Chen coldly.


    After saying that, Xia Chen looked at Gongsun Xuan. He slowly raised the formation disc in his hand.


    Just as Xia Chen raised the formation disc, a talisman suddenly shot out of Gongsun Xuan’s hand. Heaven and earth shuddered.


    “Heaven Shaking Talisman!”


    Startled cries rang out. They instantly recognized the divine talisman that Gongsun Xuan was famous for. The Heaven Shaking Talisman reached Xia Chen in an instant, not giving him any chance to react.


    But then, a mocking smile appeared on Xia Chen’s face. The formation disc in his hand quivered ever so slightly, and a rainbow-colored barrier appeared before his body.