<h4>Chapter 3654</h4>


    BANG!


    The predicted heaven-shaking explosion didn’t ur. The Heaven Shaking Talisman whose name shook the Heavenly Talisman Star-Field only let out a depressed sound before being devoured by the light barrier.


    “What?”


    Everyone was shocked, especially the elders. They were very familiar with the Heaven Shaking Talisman’s power.


    In his prime, Gongsun Xuan relied on this secret art to defeat a lot of experts. It had saved him from crises multiple times.


    Moreover, ever since Gongsun Xuan hadprehended it, he had spent all his time researching how to improve its power. It could be said that his Heaven Shaking Talismans had exceeded those made by his ancestors.


    A talisman on the level of the Heaven Shaking Talisman was something that even Gongsun Xuan needed to spend several months on to create a single one.


    After the inscription process, it required the nourishment of his soul and the spiritual qi of heaven and earth. Hence, after months spent on the inscription, the talisman was nourished for three years before it could reach its maximum potential.


    Also, a Heaven Shaking Talisman required a huge amount of soul energy to detonate. A half-step Divine Venerate like Gongsun Xuan was only able to detonate a single one at a time.


    The talismans here were different from the ones found in the outside world. Most people might see others simply tossing out hundreds or thousands of talismans at once. As those talismans filled the air, they truly appeared glorious.


    However, true experts of the Talisman Dao didn’t buy talismans made by others, and they only used their own talismans. In their hands, those talismans could unleash the greatest power.


    The stronger the talisman, the greater the requirements for using it. For example, the amount of soul energy required to activate them increased, and they could not be used lightly. Hence, despite Gongsun Xuan’s fame, only a very few people had actually seen him use his Heaven Shaking Talisman.


    Today, so many people were bearing witness to the Heaven Shaking Talisman. However, the expected power didn’t show itself, so people were dumbfounded.


    “The Heaven Shaking Talisman is a kind of ancestral talisman, one of the first talismans. It can be developed into thousands of different variants. I once warned you that you had taken the wrong path. You only reached the lowest level. The power looks immense but cannot be concentrated, so what’s the point? If you didn’t turn back, it would be toote. However, you cursed me, saying that I was conceited, saying that I couldn’t see your depth. I’ll show you what the true Heaven Shaking Talisman is now.”


    Xia Chen suddenly swung his hand, and a talisman shot out. Compared to Gongsun Xuan’s attack, this talisman was silent, without any aura. From it, not a trace of the mighty heaven-shaking power from Gongsun Xuan’s talisman could be felt.


    However, the expressions of the senior generationpletely changed. That talisman was like a thunderous gust, and yet it didn’t cause any spatial friction. Instead, it seemed that the power of the friction was absorbed by the talisman.


    “Heaven Shielding Talisman!”


    Gongsun Xuan roared and pped his hands together. After that, a talisman appeared between his hands, and he spat a mouthful of blood onto the talisman. A blood-colored barrier then manifested around him.


    In that instant, Gongsun Xuan seemed to have aged a great deal. He had clearly spent a great deal of essence blood to strengthen his talisman’s power. That meant that he sensed a mortal threat.


    BOOM!


    Runes flew about, shaking people’s ears. After that, a heaven-shaking explosion drowned out all other sounds. All that remained where the explosion urred was a twisted space.


    The runes fluttered like beautiful petals and slowly settled. When people’s vision was restored, they saw Gongsun Xuan.


    His hands were still sped in front of him, and his blood-colored barrier was still covering him.


    “He blocked it! Gongsun Xuan really is powerful!”


    The senior experts could tell that Xia Chen’s Heaven Shaking Talisman was clearly a level stronger than Gongsun Xuan’s. Gongsun Xuan’s Heaven Shaking Talisman had unleashed an explosion that caused quite a bit of energy to scatter. Although it looked amazing, it reduced its power a great deal.


    As for Xia Chen’s Heaven Shaking Talisman, its power was concentrated. Obviously, thetter was harder to block.


    From the disys of both of their Heaven Shaking Talismans, it was clear that while Xia Chen’s Heaven Shaking Talisman possessed less power than Gongsun Xuan’s, its power was concentrated and definitely had greater destructive power.


    However, for Gongsun Xuan to be able to block Xia Chen’s attack even after expending the energy for his own Heaven Shaking Talisman, he was clearly strong.


    Just as everyone was sighing in amazement, a sound pierced their ears. They saw Gongsun Xuan’s barrier cracking.


    “What?!” Startled cries rang out. As the barrier cracked, Gongsun Xuan’s body also cracked. Blood began to gush out of those cracks.


    Gongsun Xuan looked at his cracking barrier and body. He then slowly looked back at Gongsun Ziyi.


    Gongsun Ziyi let out a heart-wrenching cry and threw herself at Gongsun Xuan. Gongsun Xuan also tried to reach out as if he wanted to touch her face, but his body didn’t hold on for that long. He shattered, his lifeing to an end.


    Xia Chen’s Heaven Shaking Talisman was the true Heaven Shaking Talisman. He didn’t have more soul energy than Gongsun Xuan, but his talisman’s power was on par with Gongsun Xuan’s. Most importantly, its power was concentratedpletely onto Gongsun Xuan’s body.


    “Grandpa!!! You can’t die… if you die, I’ll have nothing… How am I supposed to live if you die?!” Gongsun Ziyi held Gongsun Xuan’s corpse and wailed.


    Seeing this, Long Chen’s face was cold, and he slowly raised a finger. As for Guo Ran, he took the initiative, sending his ck saber piercing toward Gongsun Ziyi’s heart.


    But all of a sudden, a talisman flew out and knocked aside Guo Ran’s saber.


    “Xia Chen, you…!” Guo Ran was startled. Xia Chen was the one to block him.


    “Brother, thank you. But I’ll handle my own affairs. I don’t want you to carry a bad reputation.” Xia Chen shook his head and patted Guo Ran’s shoulder.


    He knew that Guo Ran was willing to take on this burden for him. Guo Ran was worried that Xia Chen wouldn’t be able to do this.


    Guo Ran then looked at Long Chen, who indicated for him to remain silent. They would leave things to Xia Chen.


    Gongsun Ziyi was lost in her grief. She seemed to not realize what had just happened. She still knelt over Gongsun Xuan’s corpse, tears covering her face. That appearance was truly pitiable.


    Seeing Xia Chen walking toward Gongsun Ziyi, quite a few people couldn’t bear to watch. But before they could say anything, their elders told them to stay silent with their eyes.


    “If you had known that this day woulde, would you have made the same decision? I was fully devoted to you, and you repaid me with deceit.” Xia Chen walked over to Gongsun Ziyi and sighed.


    Gongsun Ziyi stood while crying. She no longer had her icy and overbearing air, and she seemed to have be a weak little girl. Even as she wept, she said, “I’m sorry, I’ve let you down. You can kill me now. If there is another life, I am willing to be your horse just to repay my sins!”


    A sword appeared in Xia Chen’s hand and mercilessly stabbed through Gongsun Ziyi’s chest.


    “You…”


    Gongsun Ziyi looked at Xia Chen in disbelief. The grief in her eyes vanished, reced with shock, hatred, and unwillingness.